Verse 1
अथ राजा दशरथो हृष्टः पुत्रमुपागतम् ।
दृष्ट्वा रामं महात्मानं प्रत्यनन्दत सादरम् ॥
Then King Dasharatha, delighted to see his great-souled son Rama who had returned, received him with great affection.
Verse 2
ततः स राजा काकुत्स्थः पुत्रैः सर्वैः समन्वितः ।
प्रविश्य नगरीं रम्यामयोध्यां मुदितोऽभवत् ॥
Then the Kakutstha king, accompanied by all his sons, entered the beautiful city of Ayodhya and became joyful.
Verse 3
ततो रामस्य चरितं श्रुत्वा सर्वे नराः पुरे ।
प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वे बभूवुर्मुदितेक्षणाः ॥
Hearing of Rama’s deeds, all the people in the city became delighted, their minds filled with joy and their eyes cheerful.
Verse 4
ततो रामं महात्मानं सर्वे ते रघुनन्दनाः ।
उपेत्य सहिताः सर्वे प्रहृष्टाः पर्युपासते ॥
Then all the descendants of Raghu approached the great-souled Rama together and joyfully attended upon him.
Verse 5
ततः काले बहुगुणे ऋतूनां परिवर्तनात् ।
पिता दशरथः श्रीमान् रामं राज्येऽभ्यषेचयत् ॥
After some time had passed and the seasons had changed, the illustrious King Dasharatha decided to consecrate Rama as king.
6
ततो रामाभिषेकाय राजा दशरथो नृपः ।
मन्त्रिभिः सहितः श्रीमान् मन्त्रं चक्रे सुदुर्मतिः ॥
Then King Dasharatha, together with his ministers, deliberated upon the consecration of Rama.
7
ततः स राजा काकुत्स्थः सर्वान् मन्त्रिगणान् नृपः ।
समाहूय महातेजाः प्रोवाच मधुरं वचः ॥
Then the greatly radiant Kakutstha king summoned all his ministers and spoke sweet words to them.
8
अद्य रामं महात्मानं युवराजं करिष्यति ।
इत्युक्त्वा मन्त्रिणः सर्वान् प्रहृष्टो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
“Today I shall appoint the great-souled Rama as the crown prince.” Having said this, the delighted king addressed all the ministers.
9
ततः सर्वे महात्मानो मन्त्रिणः प्रत्यपूजयन् ।
राजानं हृष्टमनसः साधु साध्विति चाब्रुवन् ॥
Then all the great-souled ministers honoured the king and, with delighted minds, said, “Excellent! Excellent!”
10
ततः राजा दशरथः कौसल्यां च यशस्विनीम् ।
कैकेयीं च सुमित्रां च आहूयेदं वचोऽब्रवीत् ॥
Then King Dasharatha summoned the illustrious Kausalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra and spoke these words.
11
रामस्य युवराजत्वे ममाभीष्टं हि निश्चितम् ।
तदर्थं भवतीभिश्च यतितव्यं यथाविधि ॥
“My decision to make Rama the crown prince is firm. Therefore, you should all make the necessary preparations according to the proper rites.”
12
ततः सर्वाः स्त्रियः श्रुत्वा राज्ञो वचनमुत्तमम् ।
प्रहृष्टमनसः सर्वा रामस्य प्रियकाम्यया ॥
Hearing the king’s excellent words, all the women, wishing for Rama’s welfare, became delighted.
13
ततः पुरोहितः श्रीमान् वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः ।
राममामन्त्रयामास युवराज्याय धीमतः ॥
Then the illustrious and venerable sage Vasistha, the royal priest, summoned the wise Rama for his consecration as crown prince.
14
ततो रामः प्रसन्नात्मा वसिष्ठं प्रत्यपूजयत् ।
प्रणम्य शिरसा तस्य वचनं प्रत्यपद्यत ॥
Then Rama, with a serene mind, honoured Vasistha, bowed his head before him and accepted his words.
15
ततो रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणेन सहानघः ।
उपवासं तदा चक्रे यौवराज्यार्थमात्मवान् ॥
Then the greatly radiant and sinless Rama, together with Lakshmana, observed a fast in preparation for his installation as crown prince.
16
ततः सीता महाभागा रामस्य प्रियकाम्यया ।
उपवासं चकाराथ सह रामेण भामिनी ॥
Then the greatly fortunate Sita, desiring Rama’s welfare, also observed the fast together with Rama.
17
ततः प्रभाते विमले कृतकर्मा नराधिपः ।
वसिष्ठं प्रेषयामास रामस्याभ्युदयाय च ॥
At the clear dawn, after completing his duties, the king sent Vasistha to make preparations for Rama’s prosperity and consecration.
18
ततो वसिष्ठो भगवान् रामं दशरथात्मजम् ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं सर्वकार्येषु तत्त्ववित् ॥
Then the venerable Vasistha, knower of the proper conduct of all affairs, spoke sweet words to Rama, the son of Dasharatha.
19
अद्य राम महाबाहो युवराज्याभिषेचनम् ।
सम्प्राप्तं तव धर्मज्ञ राज्ञश्चाभीप्सितं महत् ॥
“O mighty-armed Rama, O knower of righteousness, today your consecration as crown prince has been arranged, and this is the king’s great desire.”
20
ततः प्रहृष्टो रामस्तु पितुर्वचनमब्रवीत् ।
यथाज्ञापयसे राजन् तथा करिष्यते मया ॥
Then delighted Rama replied to his father: “O king, I shall do exactly as you command.”
21
ततो दशरथः श्रीमान् कैकेयीमन्तरं गृहम् ।
प्रविश्य दुःखसंतप्तो रामं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
Then the illustrious Dasharatha entered Kaikeyi’s chamber, overwhelmed with sorrow, and spoke to Rama.
22
राम राम महाबाहो न शक्नोमि वचः प्रभो ।
वक्तुं दुःखाभिसंतप्तो मनसा च विचेतसा ॥
“Rama, O mighty-armed one, I am unable to speak to you, O lord, being afflicted with sorrow and distressed in mind.”
23
ततः कैकेयी वचनं रामाय मधुरं ददौ ।
पितुर्वचनमाज्ञाय वनं गन्तुमर्हसि ॥
Then Kaikeyi spoke to Rama: “Knowing your father’s command, you must go to the forest.”
24
रामोऽपि तद्वचः श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या दुःखितस्य च ।
पितुश्च वचनं श्रुत्वा वनवासाय निश्चितः ॥
Hearing Kaikeyi’s words and seeing his father afflicted with sorrow, Rama accepted his father’s command and resolved to go into exile.
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the seventy-sixth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.