4. Chapter 4

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । मेघगम्भीरया वाचा विश्रब्धपदसुन्दरम् । इदं दशरथो वाक्यमुवाच मुनिनायकम् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvālmīkiruvāca | meghagambhīrayā vācā viśrabdhapadasundaram | idaṃ daśaratho vākyamuvāca munināyakam || 1 ||

Valmiki continued:—Then king Dasaratha made this speech to the chief of sages, and spoke in a voice sounding as a deep cloud, and in words equally graceful as they were worthy of confidence.

भगवन्ह्यस्तनेन त्वं वाक्यसंदर्भजन्मना । कच्चिन्मुक्तोऽसि खेदेन तपःकार्श्यातिशायिना ॥ २ ॥

bhagavanhyastanena tvaṃ vākyasaṃdarbhajanmanā | kaccinmukto'si khedena tapaḥkārśyātiśāyinā || 2 ||

Venerable sir, said he, your speech of yesterday bespeaks of your intellectual light, and your getting over all afflictions by your extremely emaciating austerities.

ह्यस्तनोक्तो य आनन्दी विविक्तो वचसां गणः । अमृतावर्षणेनेव तेनैवाश्वासिता वयम् ॥ ३ ॥

hyastanokto ya ānandī vivikto vacasāṃ gaṇaḥ | amṛtāvarṣaṇeneva tenaivāśvāsitā vayam || 3 ||

Your words of yesterday, have delighted us by their perspicacity and gracefulness, as by a shower of enlivening ambrosia.

चन्द्रांशव इवोत्सार्य तमांस्यमृतनिर्मलाः । अन्तःशीतलयन्त्येता महताममला गिरः ॥ ४ ॥

candrāṃśava ivotsārya tamāṃsyamṛtanirmalāḥ | antaḥśītalayantyetā mahatāmamalā giraḥ || 4 ||

The pure words of the wise, are as cooling and edifying of the inward soul; as the clear and nectarious moon-beams, serve both to cool and dispel the gloom of the earth.

अपूर्वाह्लाददायिन्य उच्चैस्तरपदाश्रयाः । अतिमोहापहारिण्यः सूक्तयो हि महीयसाम् ॥ ५ ॥

apūrvāhlādadāyinya uccaistarapadāśrayāḥ | atimohāpahāriṇyaḥ sūktayo hi mahīyasām || 5 ||

The good sayings of the great, afford the highest joy resulting from their imparting a knowledge of the Supreme, and by their dispelling the gloom of ignorance all at once.

आत्मरत्नावलोकैकदीपिका सरसात्मिका । यमाद्युक्तिलतोदेति स वन्द्यः सुजनद्रुमः ॥ ६ ॥

ātmaratnāvalokaikadīpikā sarasātmikā | yamādyuktilatodeti sa vandyaḥ sujanadrumaḥ || 6 ||

The knowledge of the inestimable gem of our soul, is the best light that we can have in this world;and the learned man is as a tree beset by the creepers of reason and good sense.

दुरीहितं दुर्विहितं सर्व सज्जनसूक्तयः । प्रमार्जयन्ति शीतांशोस्तमःकाण्डमिवाङ्घ्रयः ॥ ७ ॥

durīhitaṃ durvihitaṃ sarva sajjanasūktayaḥ | pramārjayanti śītāṃśostamaḥkāṇḍamivāṅghrayaḥ || 7 ||

The sayings of the wise serve to purge away our improper desires and doings, as the moon-beams dispel the thick gloom of night.

तृष्णालोभादयोऽस्माकं संसारनिगडा मुने । तवोक्त्या तनुतां याताः शरदीवासिताम्बुदाः ॥ ८ ॥

tṛṣṇālobhādayo'smākaṃ saṃsāranigaḍā mune | tavoktyā tanutāṃ yātāḥ śaradīvāsitāmbudāḥ || 8 ||

Your sayings, O sage, serve to lessen our desires and avarice which enchain us to this world, as the autumnal winds diminish the black clouds in the sky.

संप्रवृत्ता वयं द्रष्टुमात्मानमपकल्मषम् । रसाञ्जनानीतदृशो जात्यन्धा इव काञ्चनम् ॥ ९ ॥

saṃpravṛttā vayaṃ draṣṭumātmānamapakalmaṣam | rasāñjanānītadṛśo jātyandhā iva kāñcanam || 9 ||

Your lectures have made us perceive the pure soul in its clear light, as the eye-salve of antimony (collyrium antigoni nigrum); makes the born-blind man to see the pure gold with his eyes.

संसारवासनानाम्नी मिहिका हृदयाम्बरे । प्रवृत्ता तनुतां गन्तुं त्वदुक्तिशरदेव नः ॥ १० ॥

saṃsāravāsanānāmnī mihikā hṛdayāmbare | pravṛttā tanutāṃ gantuṃ tvaduktiśaradeva naḥ || 10 ||

The mist of worldly desires, which has overspread the atmosphere of our minds, is now beginning to disperse by the autumnal breeze of your sayings.

मुने मन्दारमञ्जर्यस्तरङ्गा वामृताम्भसः । न तथा ह्लादयन्त्यन्तर्यथोदारधियां गिरः ॥ ११ ॥

mune mandāramañjaryastaraṅgā vāmṛtāmbhasaḥ | na tathā hlādayantyantaryathodāradhiyāṃ giraḥ || 11 ||

Your sayings of sound wisdom, O great sage! have poured a flood of pure delight into our souls, as the breezy waves of nectarious water, or the breath of mandara flowers infuse into the heart.

यद्यद्राघव संयाति महाजनसपर्यया । दिनं तदिह सालोकं शेषास्त्वन्धा दिनालयः ॥ १२ ॥

yadyadrāghava saṃyāti mahājanasaparyayā | dinaṃ tadiha sālokaṃ śeṣāstvandhā dinālayaḥ || 12 ||

O my Rama! those days are truly lightsome, that you spend in your attendance on the wise; otherwise the rest of the days of one's lifetime, are indeed darksome and dismal.

राम राजीवपत्राक्ष प्रकृतार्थमिहाव्ययम् । मुनिमाबोधय पुनः प्रसादे समवस्थितम् ॥ १३ ॥

rāma rājīvapatrākṣa prakṛtārthamihāvyayam | munimābodhaya punaḥ prasāde samavasthitam || 13 ||

O my lotus-eyed Rama! propose now what more you have to know about the imperishable soul, as the sage is favourably disposed to communicate everything to you.

इत्युक्तो भूभृता तत्र रामाभिमुखमास्थितः । उवाचेदमुदारात्मा वसिष्ठो भगवान्मुनिः ॥ १४ ॥

ityukto bhūbhṛtā tatra rāmābhimukhamāsthitaḥ | uvācedamudārātmā vasiṣṭho bhagavānmuniḥ || 14 ||

After the king had ended his speech, the venerable and high-minded sage Vasishtha, who was seated before Rama, addressed him saying:—

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । राघव स्वकुलैकेन्दो यन्मयोक्तं महामते । कच्चित्स्मरसि वाक्यार्थं पूर्वापरविचारितम् ॥ १५ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | rāghava svakulaikendo yanmayoktaṃ mahāmate | kaccitsmarasi vākyārthaṃ pūrvāparavicāritam || 15 ||

Vasishtha said:—O rama said:—the moon of your race, do you remember all that I have told you ere this, and have you reflected on the sense of my sayings from first to the last.

उत्पत्तीनां विचित्राणां सत्त्वादिगुणभेदतः । कच्चित्स्मरसि सर्वासां विभागमरिमर्दन ॥ १६ ॥

utpattīnāṃ vicitrāṇāṃ sattvādiguṇabhedataḥ | kaccitsmarasi sarvāsāṃ vibhāgamarimardana || 16 ||

Do you recollect, O victor of your enemies? the subject of creation, and its division into the triple nature of goodness &c.;and their subdivision into various kinds?

कश्चित्सर्वमसर्वं च सदसच्च सदोदितम् । रूपं स्मरसि वेत्स्येव विविक्तं परमात्मनः ॥ १७ ॥

kaścitsarvamasarvaṃ ca sadasacca sadoditam | rūpaṃ smarasi vetsyeva viviktaṃ paramātmanaḥ || 17 ||

Do you remember what I said regarding the One in all, and not as the all, and the One Reality ever appearing as unreality; and do you retain in your mind the nature and form of the Supreme Spirit, that I have expounded to you?

यथेदमुदितं विश्वं विश्वेशादेव चेश्वरात् । कच्चित्स्मरसि तत्साधो साधुवादैकभाजन ॥ १८ ॥

yathedamuditaṃ viśvaṃ viśveśādeva ceśvarāt | kaccitsmarasi tatsādho sādhuvādaikabhājana || 18 ||

Do you, O righteous Rama, that art deserving of every praise, bear in your mind, how this world came to appear from the Lord God of all?

रूपं कच्चिदविद्याया बलाद्भङ्गुरमाततम् । अनन्तमन्तवच्चैव सम्यक्स्मरसि सन्मते ॥ १९ ॥

rūpaṃ kaccidavidyāyā balādbhaṅguramātatam | anantamantavaccaiva samyaksmarasi sanmate || 19 ||

Do you fully retain in your memory the nature of illusion, and how it is destroyed by the efforts of the understanding;and how the Infinite and Eternal appears as finite and temporal as space and time?

चित्तमेव नरो नान्यदिति यत्प्रतिपादितम् । लक्षणादिविचारेण कच्चित्स्मरसि साधु तत् ॥ २० ॥

cittameva naro nānyaditi yatpratipāditam | lakṣaṇādivicāreṇa kaccitsmarasi sādhu tat || 20 ||

Do you, O blessed Rama! keep in your mind, that man is no other than his mind, as I have explained to you by its proper definition and arguments?

वाक्यार्थश्चाखिलः कच्चित्त्वया राम विचारितः । ह्यस्तनस्य विचारस्य रात्रौ हृदि निवेशितः ॥ २१ ॥

vākyārthaścākhilaḥ kaccittvayā rāma vicāritaḥ | hyastanasya vicārasya rātrau hṛdi niveśitaḥ || 21 ||

Have you, Rama! considered well the meanings of my words, and did you reflect at night the reasonings of yesterday in your mind?

भूयोभूयः परामृष्टं हृदये सुनियोजितम् । प्रयोजनं फलत्युच्चैर्न हेलाहतसंस्थितेः ॥ २२ ॥

bhūyobhūyaḥ parāmṛṣṭaṃ hṛdaye suniyojitam | prayojanaṃ phalatyuccairna helāhatasaṃsthiteḥ || 22 ||

It is by repeated reflection in the mind, and having by heart what you have learnt, that you derive the benefit of your learning, and not by your laying aside of the same in negligence.

भाजनं त्वं विविक्तानां वचसां शुद्धिशालिनाम् । विविक्तहृदयः कण्ठे मुक्तानामिव राघव ॥ २३ ॥

bhājanaṃ tvaṃ viviktānāṃ vacasāṃ śuddhiśālinām | viviktahṛdayaḥ kaṇṭhe muktānāmiva rāghava || 23 ||

You are then only the proper receptacle of a rational discourse and a holy sermon, when you retain them like brilliant pearls in the chest of your capacious and reasoning breast.

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । कमलासनपुत्रेण मुनिना समहौजसा । एवं वितीर्णावसरो रामो वाक्यमुवाच ह ॥ २४ ॥

śrīvālmīkiruvāca | kamalāsanaputreṇa muninā samahaujasā | evaṃ vitīrṇāvasaro rāmo vākyamuvāca ha || 24 ||

Valmiki said:—Rama being thus addressed by the sage said:—the valiant progeny of the lotus-seated Brahma, found his time to answer him in the following manner.

श्रीराम उवाच । भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ तवैवैतद्विजृम्भितम् । यदहं परमोदारो बुद्धवान्वचनं तव ॥ २५ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | bhagavansarvadharmajña tavaivaitadvijṛmbhitam | yadahaṃ paramodāro buddhavānvacanaṃ tava || 25 ||

Rama replied:—you Sir, who are acquainted with all sastras and creeds have expounded to me, the sacred truths, and I have, O noble Sir, fully comprehended their purport.

यदादिशसि तत्सर्वं तथैव न तदन्यथा । अपास्तनिद्रेण मया वाक्यार्थो हृदि चिन्तितः ॥ २६ ॥

yadādiśasi tatsarvaṃ tathaiva na tadanyathā | apāstanidreṇa mayā vākyārtho hṛdi cintitaḥ || 26 ||

I have deposited every thing verbatim that you said in the casket of my heart, and have well considered the meaning of your words during the stillness of my sleepless nights.

भवान्धकारक्षतये भवतोक्तिविवस्वता । ह्यः प्रसादितमाह्लादि वाग्रश्मिपटलं प्रभो ॥ २७ ॥

bhavāndhakārakṣataye bhavatoktivivasvatā | hyaḥ prasāditamāhlādi vāgraśmipaṭalaṃ prabho || 27 ||

Your words like sun-beams dispel the darkness of the world, and your radiant words of yesterday, delighted me like the rays of the rising sun.

तदतीतमदीनात्मन्सर्वमन्तःकृतं मया । रम्यं पुण्यं पवित्रं च रत्नवृन्दमिवान्वितम् ॥ २८ ॥

tadatītamadīnātmansarvamantaḥkṛtaṃ mayā | ramyaṃ puṇyaṃ pavitraṃ ca ratnavṛndamivānvitam || 28 ||

O great sir, I have carefully preserved the substance of all your past lectures in my mind, as one preserves the most valuable and brilliant gems in a casket.

हितानुबन्धि हृद्यं च पुण्यमानन्दसाधनम् । शिरसा ध्रियते कैर्नो सिद्धैस्त्वदनुशासनम् ॥ २९ ॥

hitānubandhi hṛdyaṃ ca puṇyamānandasādhanam | śirasā dhriyate kairno siddhaistvadanuśāsanam || 29 ||

What accomplished man is there, that will not bear on his head the blessings of admonitions, which are so very pure and holy, and so very charming and delightful at the same time?

प्रतिक्षिपन्तः संसारमिहिकावरणं वयम् । प्रसन्नास्त्वत्प्रसादेन वर्षान्त इव वासराः ॥ ३० ॥

pratikṣipantaḥ saṃsāramihikāvaraṇaṃ vayam | prasannāstvatprasādena varṣānta iva vāsarāḥ || 30 ||

We have shaken off the dark veil of the ignorance of this world, and have become as enlightened by your favor, as the days in autumn after dispersion of rainy clouds.

आपातमधुरारम्भं मध्ये सौभाग्यवर्धनम् । अनुत्तमफलोदर्कं पुण्यं त्वदनुशासनम् ॥ ३१ ॥

āpātamadhurārambhaṃ madhye saubhāgyavardhanam | anuttamaphalodarkaṃ puṇyaṃ tvadanuśāsanam || 31 ||

Your instructions are sweet and graceful in the first place (by the elegance of their style); they are edifying in the midst (by their good doctrines); and they are sacred by the holiness they confer at the end.

विकासिसितमम्लानमाह्लादितशुभाशुभम् । त्वद्वचःकुसुमं नित्यं श्रीमत्फलदमस्तु नः ॥ ३२ ॥

vikāsisitamamlānamāhlāditaśubhāśubham | tvadvacaḥkusumaṃ nityaṃ śrīmatphaladamastu naḥ || 32 ||

Your flowery speech is ever delightsome to us, by the quality of its blooming and unfading beauty, and by virtue of its conferring our lasting good to us.

सकलशास्त्रविचारविशारद प्रसृतपुण्यजलैकमहाह्रद । भज भृशं विततव्रत संप्रति प्रसृततां हतकिल्बिष संततिम् ॥ ३३ ॥

sakalaśāstravicāraviśārada prasṛtapuṇyajalaikamahāhrada | bhaja bhṛśaṃ vitatavrata saṃprati prasṛtatāṃ hatakilbiṣa saṃtatim || 33 ||

O sir, that are learned in all sastras, that art the channel of the holy waters of divine knowledge, that art firm in thy protracted vows of purity, do thou expurgate us of the dross of our manifold sins by your purifying lectures.