तौ रजन्यां प्रभातायां स्नातौ हुतहुताशनौ। यथोक्तमृषिणा पूर्व सर्वं तत्रोपगायताम्॥
There upon the night being over, having bathed and performed the Homa; both Lava and Kusa, in consonance with Rsi's command, began the song.
तां स सुश्राव काकुत्स्थः पूर्वाचार्यविनिर्मिताम्। अपूर्वां पाठ्यजातिं च गेयेन समलंकृताम्॥ प्रमाणैर्बहुभिर्बद्धां तन्त्रीलयसमन्विताम् । बालाभ्यां राघवः श्रुत्वा कौतूहलपरोऽभवत्॥
That song was composed by the first preceptor (Vālmīki) never heard of before, consisting of sounds originating from six places, containing all metres, many proofs and set in accompaniment with the music of a stringed instrument. Hearing such a song from the boys Rāma was stricken with curiosity.
अथ कर्मान्तरे राजा समाहूय महामुनीन्। पार्थिवाश्च नरव्याघ्रः पण्डितान्नैगमांस्तथा।।।। पौराणिकाशब्दविदो ये वृद्धाश्च द्विजातयः। स्वराणां लक्षणज्ञांश्च उत्सुकान्द्विजसत्तमान्॥ लक्षणज्ञांश्च गान्धर्वान्नैगमांश्च विशेषतः। पादाक्षरसमासज्ञांश्छन्दःसु परिनिष्ठितान्॥ कलामात्राविशेषज्ञाज्योतिषे च परं गतान्। क्रियाकल्पविदश्चैव तथा कार्यविशारदान्॥ हेतूपचारकुशलान्हैतुकांश्च बहुश्रुतान्। छन्दोविदः पुराणज्ञान्वैदिकान्द्विजसत्तमान्।।।। चित्रज्ञान्वृत्तसूत्रज्ञान्गीतनृत्यविशारदान्। एतान्सर्वान्समानीय गातारौ समवेशयत्॥
There upon taking leave from business for some time and inviting the great ascetic Vālmīki, kings, learned men, persons well-versed in Nyāya, Purāņas and science of words, all old men, twice-born ones those conversant with the signs of music, Brāhmaṇas desirous of hearing the Rāmāyaṇa, persons deep read in palmistry, Gandharvas, citizens, all those who have mastered the use of words, letters and Samāsas, those who have studied well metres, those well informed in the science of music, those wellversed in astronomy, those who are well up in the knowledge of rites and ceremonies, those expert in the despatch of business, logicians whose fame has spread far and wide, those wellversed in reasoning and arguments, poets, historians, Vedic Brahmanas, painters, and songsters Rāma requested Lava and Kusa lovingly to sing the song before the assembly.
तेषां संवदतां तत्र श्रोतृणां हर्षवर्धनम्। गेयं प्रचक्रतुस्तत्र तावुभौ मुनिदारकौ॥ ततः प्रवृत्तं मधुरं गान्धर्वमतिमानुषम्। न च तृप्तिं ययुः सर्वे :श्रोतारो गेयसंपदा॥ हृष्टा मुनिगणाः सर्वे पार्थिवाश्च महौजसः। पिबन्त इव चक्षुभिः पश्यन्ति स्म मुहुर्मुहुः॥
The audience being seated there and engaged in conversation with one another those two Muni boys began with the song enhancing the delight of all. Wondrous and charming was their song and the audience were not by any means satiated with the hearing thereof. Greatly delighted the highly effulgent ascetics and kings again and again looked towards them as if drinking them up with their eyes.
ऊचुः परस्परं चेदं सर्व एव समाहिताः। उभौ रामस्य सदृशौ बिम्बाद्विम्बमिरोद्धतौ॥ जटिलौ यदि न स्यातां न वल्कलधरौ यदि। विशेष नाधिगच्छामो गायतो राघवस्य च॥ एवं प्रभाषमाणेषु पौरजानपदेषु च। प्रवृत्तमादितः पूर्वसर्ग नारददर्शितम्॥
And they all attentively said to one anotherBoth of them take after Rāma, like to a bubble resembling the one it rises from. There would not have been perceived the least difference between them and Rama had they not been clothed in dark and used clotted hair. The citizens and villagers speaking thus with one another Kuśa and Lava chanted twenty sections beginning from the first, pointed out by Narada.
ततः प्रभृति साँश्च यावद्विशत्यगायताम्। ततोऽपराह्णसमये राघवः समभाषत॥ श्रुत्वा विंशतिसाँस्तान्भ्रातरं भ्रातृवत्सलः। अष्टादश सहस्राणि सुवर्णस्य महात्मनो॥
Having heard up to twentieth section, Răma, fond of his brother, said to Lakşmaņa in the afternoon, O Kakutstha, do you soon confer upon these two high-souled ones eighteen thousand gold coins and all other-things they wish for.
प्रयच्छ शीघ्रं काकुत्स्थ यदन्यदभिकाङ्क्षितम्। ददौ न शीघ्र काकुत्स्थो बालयो( पृथक्पृथक् ।।१८ दीयमानं सुवर्णं तु नागृह्णीतां कुशीलवौ। ऊचतुश्च महात्मनौ किमनेनेति विस्मितौ॥ वन्येन फलमूलेन निरतौ वनवासिनौ। सुवर्णेन हिरण्येन किं करिष्यावहे वने॥
There upon when Lakşmaņa addressed himself in no time to give them gold coins separately Kuśa and Lava, not accepting them and surprisingly said. We are dwellers of a forest, living upon roots and fruits-what shall we do with them (coins)? Therefore living in the forest what shall we do with the gold?
तथा तयोः प्रब्रुवतोः कौतूहलसमन्विताः। श्रोतारश्चैव रामश्च सर्व एव सुविस्मिताः॥ तस्य चैवागमं रामः काव्यस्य श्रोतुमुत्सुकः। पप्रच्छ तौ महातेजास्तावुभौ मुनिदारकौ॥
Hearing those words of them, Råma and the audience were greatly worked up with curiosity and surprise. There upon being anxious to learn of the origin of the poem, the highly effulgent Rāma asked the two Muni boys, saying. What is the proof of the story of this poem?
किंप्रमाणमिदं काव्यं का प्रतिष्ठा महात्मनः। कर्ता काव्यस्य महतः क्व चासौ मुनिपुङ्गवः॥
How great is his fame who has composed it? What leading ascetic is the author of this great poem?
पृच्छन्तं राघवं वाक्यमूचतुर्मुनिदारको। वाल्मीकिर्भगवान्कर्ता संप्राप्तो यज्ञसंविधम्। येनेदं चरितं तुभ्यमशेष संप्रदर्शितम्॥
Ráma having thus asked them those two Muni boys said: The illustrious Vālmīki is the author of this poem. He has described in this poem your endless story. He has of late come to your sacrifice.
संनिबद्धं हि श्लोकानां चतुर्विंशत्सहस्रकम्। उपाख्यानशतं चैव भार्गवेण तपस्विना॥
The great ascetic Vālmīki has composed this poem consisting of a hundred stories and twenty four thousand slokas.
आदिप्रभृति वै राजन्पञ्चसर्गशतानि च। काण्डानि षट् कृतानीह सोत्तराणि महात्मना ॥ कृतानि गुरुणास्माकमृषिणा चरितं तव। प्रतिष्ठा जीवितं यावत्तावत्सर्वस्य वर्तते॥
O king, that high-minded ascetic is our preceptor. He has described your actions in six books beginning with the first consisting of five hundred sections. All good actions performed by you since your birth have been recorded in this.
यदि बुद्धिः कृता राजञ्छ्वणाय महारथ। कर्मान्तरे क्षणीभूतस्तच्छृणुष्व सहानुजः॥
O mighty car-warrior, o king, if you do wish to hear the whole of it, do you, at your leisure, hear it delightedly in the company of your younger brother.
बाढमित्यब्रवीद्रामस्तौ चानुज्ञाप्य राघवौ। प्रहृष्टौ जग्मतुः स्थानं यत्रास्ते मुनिपुङ्गवः॥
Saying 'so it shall be' Rama bade them adieu and they too, delighted, repaired to where Vālmīki, the foremost of Munis was.
रामोऽपि मुनिभिः सार्धं पार्थिवैश्च महात्मभिः। श्रुत्वा तदीतिमाधुर्यं कर्मशालामुपागमत्॥
There upon having heard that charming song in the company of ascetics and kings the highminded Rāma repaired to the place of business.
सुश्राव तचाललयोपपन्नं सर्गान्वितं सुस्वरशब्दयुक्तम्। तन्त्रीलयव्यञ्जनयोगयुक्तं कुशीलवाभ्यां परिगीयमानम्॥
He heard the Rāmāyaṇa sung by Kusa and Lava, gifted with musical characteristics, consisting of sections, vowels, and consonant and enchanted in accompaniment with the music of a stringed instrument.