शरभङ्गे दिवं प्राप्ते मुनिसङ्घाः समागताः। अभ्यगच्छन्त काकुत्स्थं रामं ज्वलिततेजसम्॥
After Sarabhanga had ascended heaven, ascetics in bodies, assembled together, presented themselves before Kākutstha, Rāma of flaming energy.
वैखानसा वालखिल्याः सम्प्रक्षाला मरीचिपाः। अश्मकुट्टाश्च बहवः पत्राहाराश्च तापसाः॥ दन्तोलूखलिनश्चैव तथैवोन्मज्जकाः परे। गात्रशय्या अशय्याश्च तथैवानवकाशिकाः॥ मुनयः सलिलाहारा वायुभक्षास्तथापरे। आवाशनिलयाश्चैव तथा स्थण्डिलशायिनः॥ तथोर्ध्वसिनो दान्तास्तथाऽऽर्द्रपटवाससः। सजपाश्च तपोनिष्ठास्तथा पञ्चतपोऽन्विताः॥ सर्वे ब्राह्मया श्रिया युक्ता दृढयोगसमाहिताः। शरभङ्गाश्रमे राममभिजग्मुश्च तापसाः॥
And Vaikhānasas, and Vālakhilyas, and Sampraksālas, Marīcipas, Aśmakuſțas in numbers, and those ascetics, Patrāhāras, and Dantolūkhalas, Unmajjakas next, and Gātraśayyās, and Asayyās® and Anavakāśikas, those ascetics, Salilāhāras, Vāyubhakşas after them, Akäśanilayas, Sthandilaśāyis Urdhvavāsis3 of controlled senses, and Ārdrapațavāsas given to Japa, practising penances, and engaged in performing the five kinds of austerities-all furnished with the grace that comes of spiritual energy, and all firmly concentrated in Yoga these ascetics presented themselves before Rāma, in the asylum of Sarabhanga.
अभिगम्य च धर्मज्ञा रामं धर्मभृतां वरम्। ऊचुः परमधर्मज्ञमृषिसङ्घाः समागताः॥
And coming before Rāma, the foremost of those practising righteousness, those sages conversant with morality, met in a body, said to that pre-eminently virtuous one,
त्वमिक्ष्वाकुकुलस्यास्य पृथिव्याश्च महारथः। प्रधानश्चापि नाथश्च देवानां मघवानिव॥
A mighty car-warrior, you are the foremost person of the lkshvāku race and the world; as well as their lord, even as Maghavān is the lord of the celestials.
विश्रुतस्रिषु लोकेषु यशसा विक्रमेण च। पितृव्रतत्वं सत्यं च त्वयि धर्मश्च पुष्कलः॥
Famous over the three worlds in high worth and prowess, in you are found truth and virtue in profusion and obedience to the mandate of your sire.
त्वामासाद्य महात्मानं धर्मज्ञं धर्मवत्सलम्। अर्थित्वान्नाथ वक्ष्यामस्तच्च नः क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥
O lord, it behoves you cognizant of virtue and attached to it, to forgive us for what we as suiters say to you.
अधर्मः सुमहान् नाथ भवेत् तस्य तु भूपतेः। यो हरेद् बलिषड्भागं न च रक्षति पुत्रवत्॥
The sin, O lord, of that monarch is mighty that take a sixth part of the subjects' incomes, but dose not protect them as sons.
युञ्जानः स्वानिव प्राणान् प्राणैरिष्टान् सुतानिव। नित्ययुक्तः सदा रक्षन् सर्वान् विषयवासिनः॥ प्राप्नोति साश्वती राम कीर्तिं स बहुवार्षिकीम्। ब्रह्मणः स्थानमासाद्य तत्र चापि महीयते॥
But he that, setting his heart on protecting the people, dose ever carefully protect all the inhabitants of his dominions, like his own life or like his son dearer to him than life itself, repeat, O Rāma, enduring renown extending over many years, and (at length) attaining the regions of Brahmā, is glorified there.
यत् करोति परं धर्मं मुनिर्मूलफलाशनः। तत्र राज्ञश्चतुर्भागः प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षतः॥
The king that protect his subjects righteously, is entitled to a fourth part of the great religious merit that is reaped by an ascetic subsisting on fruits and roots.
सोऽयं ब्राह्मणभूयिष्ठो वानप्रस्थगणो महान्। त्वंन्नाथोऽनाथवद् राम राक्षसैर्हन्यते भृशम्॥
O Rāma, this many Brahmanas-this great body of men that have assumed the Vānaprastha mode of life, although having you for their lord, are being sorely troubled by Rákşasas, as if they had none.
एहि पश्य शरीराणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्। हतानां राक्षसैघोरैर्बहूनां बहुधा वने॥
Come and behold the bodies of innumerable ascetics of pure hearts that have in various ways been slaughtered by Rākşasas in the forest.
पम्पानदीनिवासानामनुमन्दाकिनीमपि। चित्रकूटालयानां च क्रियते कदनं महत्॥
And great is the worry that is experienced by the dwellers on the river Pampā and the Mandakini as well as those that reside in Citrakūta.
एवं वयं न मृष्यामो विप्रकारं तपस्विनाम्। क्रियमाणं वने घोरं रक्षोभिर्भीमकर्मभिः॥
We cannot bear the terrible affliction of the ascetics in the forest at the hands of Räkşasas of dreadful deeds.
ततस्त्वां शरणार्थं च शरण्यं समुपस्थिताः। परिपालयं नो राम वध्यमानान् निशाचरैः॥
Therefore, for obtaining refuge, have we come before you who are the refuge (of all). Do you, O Rāma, deliver us all, who are being exceedingly afflicted by the rangers of the night.
परा त्वत्तो गतिर्वीर पृथिव्यां नोपपद्यते। परिपालय नः सर्वान् राक्षसेभ्यो नृपात्मज ॥
O hero, we have no greater refuge on earth than yourself. Do you, O king's son, rescues us all from Raksasas.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु काकुत्स्थस्तापसानां तपस्विनाम्। इदं प्रोवाच धर्मात्मा सर्रानेव तपस्विनः॥
Hearing these words of the sages and ascetics, that righteous-souled one addressed them.
नैवमर्हथ मां वक्तुमाज्ञाप्योऽहं तपस्विनाम्। केवलेन स्वकार्येण प्रवेष्टव्यं वनं मया॥
It dose not behove you to speak thus. I should be commanded by the anchorets. I have entered the forest solely with a view to my own purpose.
विप्रकारमपाक्रष्टुं राक्षसैर्भवतामिमम्। पितुस्तु निर्देशकरः प्रविष्टोऽहमिदं वनम् ॥
I have entered this forest in obedience to the mandate of my father, with the object (at the same time) of putting an end to these ravages of the Rākşasas on you.
भवतामर्थसिद्ध्यर्थमागतोऽहं यदृच्छया। तस्य मेऽयं वने वासो भविष्यति महाफलः॥
I have at my own will come hither for securing your interest. Then shall my stay in the woods be crowned with mighty fruit.
तपस्विनां रणे शत्रून् हन्तुमिच्छामि राक्षसान्। पश्यन्तु वीर्यमृषयः सभ्रातुर्मे तपोधनाः॥
I wish to slay in battle the enemies of the ascetics. Let the sages and ascetics behold my prowess as well as that of my brother.
दत्वा वरं चापि तपोधतानानां धर्मे धृतात्मा सह लक्ष्मणेन। तपोधनैश्चापि सहार्यदत्त : सुतीक्ष्णमेवाभिजगाम वीरः॥
Having been conferred a boon by the ascetics, that hero entered upon a noble undertaking, and accompanied by the ascetics, in company with Laksmana directed his course to the hermitage of) Sutiksna.