1. Chapter 1

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । उपशमप्रकरणादनन्तरमिदं श्रृणु । त्वं निर्वाणप्रकरणं ज्ञातं निर्वाणदायि यत् ॥ १ ॥

śrīvālmīkiruvāca | upaśamaprakaraṇādanantaramidaṃ śrṛṇu | tvaṃ nirvāṇaprakaraṇaṃ jñātaṃ nirvāṇadāyi yat || 1 ||

Valmiki says:—You have heard the relation of the subject of Stoicism or composure of the soul; attend now to that of Nirvana, which will teach you how to attain the final liberation of yourselves.{GL_NOTE:73998:}

कथयत्येवमुद्दामवचने मुनिनायके । श्रवणैकरसे मौनस्थिते राजकुमारके ॥ २ ॥

kathayatyevamuddāmavacane munināyake | śravaṇaikarase maunasthite rājakumārake || 2 ||

As the chief of Sages was saying his magniloquent speech in this manner, and the princes remained mute with their intense attention to the ravishing oration of the Sage:

मुनिवागर्थनिक्षिप्तमनस्यस्ततपःक्रिये । राजलोके गतस्पन्दे चित्रार्पित इव स्थिते ॥ ३ ॥

munivāgarthanikṣiptamanasyastatapaḥkriye | rājaloke gataspande citrārpita iva sthite || 3 ||

The assembled chiefs remained there as silent and motionless portraits, and forgot their devotions and duties, by being impressed in their minds with the sense and words of the Sage's speech.

वसिष्ठवचसामर्थं विचारयति सादरम् । लसदङ्गुलिभङ्गेन मुनिसार्थे स्फुरद्भुवि ॥ ४ ॥

vasiṣṭhavacasāmarthaṃ vicārayati sādaram | lasadaṅgulibhaṅgena munisārthe sphuradbhuvi || 4 ||

The assemblage of Saints, was reverently pondering upon the deep sense of the words of the Sage, with their curled brows and signs of their index fingers.

विस्मयालोकनोल्लासप्रोत्फुल्लनयनालिनि । पुरन्ध्रिवर्गे गम्भीरतरुमञ्जरितां गते ॥ ५ ॥

vismayālokanollāsaprotphullanayanālini | purandhrivarge gambhīratarumañjaritāṃ gate || 5 ||

The ladies in the Seraglio were lost in wonder, and turned upward their wondering eyes, resembling a cluster of black bees, sucking intently the nectarious honey of the new blown flowers.

खे वासरचतुर्भागदेशे दिनकरे स्थिते । किंचिज्ज्ञानोदयात्सौम्ये किंचिच्छममुपेयुषि ॥ ६ ॥

khe vāsaracaturbhāgadeśe dinakare sthite | kiṃcijjñānodayātsaumye kiṃcicchamamupeyuṣi || 6 ||

The glorious sun sank down in the sky, at the fourth or last watch of the day; and was shorn of his radiant beams as he was setting in the west.

श्रवणायेव संशान्ते वितानस्पन्दमालिते । मौनं मरुति मन्दारमधुरामोददायिनि ॥ ७ ॥

śravaṇāyeva saṃśānte vitānaspandamālite | maunaṃ maruti mandāramadhurāmodadāyini || 7 ||

The winds blew softly at the eve of the day, as if to listen to the sermon of the Sage, and wafted about the sweets of his moving speech, like the fragrance of the gently shaking mandara flowers.

पुष्पदामसुषुप्तासु महाभ्रमरपंक्तिषु । ज्ञातज्ञेयतया नूनं सम्यग्ध्यानवतीष्विव ॥ ८ ॥

puṣpadāmasuṣuptāsu mahābhramarapaṃktiṣu | jñātajñeyatayā nūnaṃ samyagdhyānavatīṣviva || 8 ||

All other sounds were drowned in the deep meditation of the audience, as when the humming of the bumble bees, is pushed in their repose, amidst the cell of blooming flowers at night.

मुक्ताजालकलापान्तर्गतास्वन्तरभूमिषु । कचत्यपगतस्पन्दं तोये श्रोतुमिवास्थिते ॥ ९ ॥

muktājālakalāpāntargatāsvantarabhūmiṣu | kacatyapagataspandaṃ toye śrotumivāsthite || 9 ||

The bubbling waters of the pearly lakes, sparkled unmoved amidst their embordered beds; as if they were intently attentive to listen to the words of the Sage, which dropped as strings of pearls from his flippant lips.

गृहान्तरं प्रविष्टेषु गवाक्षे दूरमंशुषु । विश्रामार्थमिवादीर्घं नभःपान्थेषु शीतलम् ॥ १० ॥

gṛhāntaraṃ praviṣṭeṣu gavākṣe dūramaṃśuṣu | viśrāmārthamivādīrghaṃ nabhaḥpāntheṣu śītalam || 10 ||

The pencil of the declining ray penetrating the windows of the palace, bespoke the halting of the departing sun, under the cooling shade of the royal canopy, after his weary journey all along the livelong day.

मुक्ताजालप्रभाजालभस्मनोद्धूलितात्मनि । शंसतीव शमं शाम्यद्दिनदेहे दिवातपे ॥ ११ ॥

muktājālaprabhājālabhasmanoddhūlitātmani | śaṃsatīva śamaṃ śāmyaddinadehe divātape || 11 ||

The pearly rays (or bright beams) of the parting day, being covered by the dust and mist of the dusk, it seemed to be besmeared as the body of a dervish with dust and ashes; and had gained its coolness after its journey under the burning sun.

करे लीलासरोजेषु शेखरेषु च भूभृताम् । श्रुत्वा सुरसमामोदादवृत्तिषु मनस्स्विव ॥ १२ ॥

kare līlāsarojeṣu śekhareṣu ca bhūbhṛtām | śrutvā surasamāmodādavṛttiṣu manassviva || 12 ||

The chiefs of men with their heads and hands decorated with flowers, were so regaled with the sweet speech of the Sage, that they altogether remained enrapt in their senses and minds.

बालकेष्वज्ञलोकेषु लीलापक्षिषु सादरम् । भोजनार्थं वधूलोकमुपरुन्धत्स्वनारतम् ॥ १३ ॥

bālakeṣvajñalokeṣu līlāpakṣiṣu sādaram | bhojanārthaṃ vadhūlokamuparundhatsvanāratam || 13 ||

The ladies listening to the sage, were now roused by the cries of their infants and the birds in their cages, to get up from the place and to give them their suck and food.

भ्रमद्भ्रमरपक्षोत्थवातधूतरजस्यलम् । कौमुदे परिविश्रान्ते चामरेष्वक्षिपक्ष्मसु ॥ १४ ॥

bhramadbhramarapakṣotthavātadhūtarajasyalam | kaumude pariviśrānte cāmareṣvakṣipakṣmasu || 14 ||

Now the dust flung by the pinions of fluttering bees, covered the petals of the night blooming kumuda flowers; and the flapping chouries were now at rest, with the tremulous eyelids of the princes.

रश्मिष्वगगुहोन्मुक्तच्छायाजालभयादिव । गवाक्षादिष्विवोड्डीय प्रविष्टेषु गृहान्तरम् ॥ १५ ॥

raśmiṣvagaguhonmuktacchāyājālabhayādiva | gavākṣādiṣvivoḍḍīya praviṣṭeṣu gṛhāntaram || 15 ||

The rays of the sun, fearing to be waylaid by the dark night shade, which had now got loose from the dark mountain caves, fled through the windows to the inner apartment of the palace.

आसीद्दिनचतुर्भागसत्तावेदनतत्परः । भेरीपटहशङ्खानां दिङ्मुखापूरको ध्वनिः ॥ १६ ॥

āsīddinacaturbhāgasattāvedanatatparaḥ | bherīpaṭahaśaṅkhānāṃ diṅmukhāpūrako dhvaniḥ || 16 ||

The time watches of the royal palace, knowing it to be passed the fourth watch of the day, sounded aloud their drums and trumpets, mingled with the sound of conch-shells, loudly resounding on all sides.

तेन तत्तारमप्याशु वचोऽन्तर्धानमाययौ । मौनं जलदनादेन मायूर इव निस्वनः ॥ १७ ॥

tena tattāramapyāśu vaco'ntardhānamāyayau | maunaṃ jaladanādena māyūra iva nisvanaḥ || 17 ||

The high-sounding speech of the sage, was drowned under the loud peal of the jarring instruments;as the sonorous sound of the peacock, is hushed under the uproar of roaring clouds.

आक्षुब्धा क्षुब्धपक्षालिः पञ्जरस्था खगावली । भूकम्पे तरसाऽऽतालीपल्लवेव वनावली ॥ १८ ॥

ākṣubdhā kṣubdhapakṣāliḥ pañjarasthā khagāvalī | bhūkampe tarasā''tālīpallaveva vanāvalī || 18 ||

The birds in the cages, began to quake and shake their wings with fear; and the leaves and branches of the lofty palm trees, shook in the gardens, as by a tremendous earthquake.

आययुर्भयवित्रस्ता बाला धात्रीकुचान्तरम् । सारवं प्रावृषीवाब्दाः प्रोन्नतं श्रृङ्गकोटरम् ॥ १९ ॥

āyayurbhayavitrastā bālā dhātrīkucāntaram | sāravaṃ prāvṛṣīvābdāḥ pronnataṃ śrṛṅgakoṭaram || 19 ||

The babes sleeping on the breasts of their nurses, trembled with fear at the loud uproar; and they cried as the smoking clouds of the rainy season, resounding between the two mountain craigs resembling the breasts.

उत्तस्थुरवतंसेभ्यो भूभृतां भ्रमरस्रजः । ईषत्करालवाहाभ्यः सरिद्भ्योऽम्बुकणा इव ॥ २० ॥

uttasthuravataṃsebhyo bhūbhṛtāṃ bhramarasrajaḥ | īṣatkarālavāhābhyaḥ saridbhyo'mbukaṇā iva || 20 ||

This noise made the helmets of the chieftains, shed the dust of their decorating flowers all about the hall; as the moving waves of the lake, sprinkle the drops of water upon the land.{GL_NOTE:73999:}

एवं प्रक्षुभिते तस्मिन्गृहे दाशरथे तदा । प्राप्ते वासरवृद्धत्वे शान्तशङ्खस्वने शनैः ॥ २१ ॥

evaṃ prakṣubhite tasmingṛhe dāśarathe tadā | prāpte vāsaravṛddhatve śāntaśaṅkhasvane śanaiḥ || 21 ||

Thus the palace of Dasharatha being full of trepidation at the close of the day, regained its quiet at the gradual fall of the fanfare of sounding conch shells, and the hubbub of drum beatings at the advance of night.

संहरन्प्रस्तुतं वस्तु वचो मधुरवृत्तिमत् । उवाच मुनिशार्दूलः सभामध्ये रघूद्वहम् ॥ २२ ॥

saṃharanprastutaṃ vastu vaco madhuravṛttimat | uvāca muniśārdūlaḥ sabhāmadhye raghūdvaham || 22 ||

The Sage put a stop to his present discourse, and addressed Rama then sitting in the midst of the assembly, in a sweet voice and graceful language.

राघवानघ वाग्जालं मयैतत्प्रविसारितम् । तेन चित्तखगं बद्ध्वा क्रोडीकृत्यात्मतां नय ॥ २३ ॥

rāghavānagha vāgjālaṃ mayaitatpravisāritam | tena cittakhagaṃ baddhvā kroḍīkṛtyātmatāṃ naya || 23 ||

Vasishtha said:—O Raghava! I have already spread before you the long net of my verbosity; do you entrap your flying mind in the same way, and bring it to your bosom and under your subjection.

कच्चिद्गृहीतो भवता मद्गिरामर्थ ईदृशः । त्यक्त्वा दुर्बोधमक्षीणो हंसेनेवाम्भसः पयः ॥ २४ ॥

kaccidgṛhīto bhavatā madgirāmartha īdṛśaḥ | tyaktvā durbodhamakṣīṇo haṃsenevāmbhasaḥ payaḥ || 24 ||

Take the purport of my discourse in such manner, as to leave out what is unintelligible, and lay hold on its substance; as the swan separates and sucks the milk which is mixed with water.

विचार्यैतदशेषेण स्वधियैवं पुनःपुनः । अनेनैव पथा साधो गन्तव्यं भवताधुना ॥ २५ ॥

vicāryaitadaśeṣeṇa svadhiyaivaṃ punaḥpunaḥ | anenaiva pathā sādho gantavyaṃ bhavatādhunā || 25 ||

Ponder upon it repeatedly, and consider it well in thy mind, and go on in this way to conduct yourself in life.

अनयैव धिया राम विहरन्नैव बध्यसे । अन्यथाधः पतस्याशु विन्ध्यखाते यथा गजः ॥ २६ ॥

anayaiva dhiyā rāma viharannaiva badhyase | anyathādhaḥ patasyāśu vindhyakhāte yathā gajaḥ || 26 ||

By going on in this manner, you are sure to evade all dangers; or else you must fall ere long like the heavy elephant, in some pitfall of the Vindhya mountain.

सुगृहीतं धिया राम मद्वचो न करोषि चेत् । तत्पतस्यवटे त्यक्तदीपो वान्धो निशास्विव ॥ २७ ॥

sugṛhītaṃ dhiyā rāma madvaco na karoṣi cet | tatpatasyavaṭe tyaktadīpo vāndho niśāsviva || 27 ||

If you do not receive my words with attention, and act accordingly, you are sure to fall into the pit like a blind man left to go alone in the dark; and to be blown away like a lighted lamp, exposed in the open air.

असङ्गेन यथाप्राप्तो व्यवहारोऽस्य सिद्धये । इत्येव शास्त्रसिद्धान्तमादायोदारवान्भव ॥ २८ ॥

asaṅgena yathāprāpto vyavahāro'sya siddhaye | ityeva śāstrasiddhāntamādāyodāravānbhava || 28 ||

In order to derive the benefit of my lectures, you must continue in the discharge of your usual duties with indifference, and knowing insouciance to be the right dictum of the sastras, be you regardless of everything besides.

हे सभ्या हे महाराज रामलक्ष्मणभूमिपाः । सर्व एव भवन्तोऽद्य तावद्व्यापारमाह्निकम् ॥ २९ ॥

he sabhyā he mahārāja rāmalakṣmaṇabhūmipāḥ | sarva eva bhavanto'dya tāvadvyāpāramāhnikam || 29 ||

Now I bid you, O mighty monarch, and ye, princes and chiefs, and all ye present in this place, to get up and attend to the evening services of your daily ritual.

कुर्वन्त्वयं हि दिवसः प्रायः परिणताकृतिः । शेषं विचारयिष्यामो विचार्यं प्रातरागताः ॥ ३० ॥

kurvantvayaṃ hi divasaḥ prāyaḥ pariṇatākṛtiḥ | śeṣaṃ vicārayiṣyāmo vicāryaṃ prātarāgatāḥ || 30 ||

Let all attend to this much at present, as the day is drawing to its close; and we shall consider the rest, on our meeting in the next morning.

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच । इत्युक्ता मुनिना तेन सा सर्वैव तदा सभा । प्रोत्तस्थौ पद्मवदना सविकासेव पद्मिनी ॥ ३१ ॥

śrīvālmīkiruvāca | ityuktā muninā tena sā sarvaiva tadā sabhā | prottasthau padmavadanā savikāseva padminī || 31 ||

Valmiki related:—After the Sage had said so far, the assembly broke, off; and the assembled chiefs and princes rose up, with their faces blooming as the full blown lotuses at the end of the day.

राजानः स्तुतराजानः कृतराघववन्दनाः । परिष्टुते वसिष्ठे ते जग्मुरात्मनिवेशनम् ॥ ३२ ॥

rājānaḥ stutarājānaḥ kṛtarāghavavandanāḥ | pariṣṭute vasiṣṭhe te jagmurātmaniveśanam || 32 ||

The Chiefs having paid their obeisance to the monarch, and made their salutation to Rama, they did their reverence to the sage, and departed to their respective abodes.

विश्वामित्रेण सहितो वसिष्ठो गन्तुमाश्रमम् । उत्तस्थावासनाच्छ्रीमान्नमस्कृतनभश्चरः ॥ ३३ ॥

viśvāmitreṇa sahito vasiṣṭho gantumāśramam | uttasthāvāsanācchrīmānnamaskṛtanabhaścaraḥ || 33 ||

Vasishtha rose up from his seat with the royal sage Viswamitra, and they were saluted on their departure by the aerial spirits, who had attended the audience all along.

दशरथप्रभृतयो राजानो मुनयस्तथा । यथानुरूपं वक्तारमनुगम्य मुनिं चिरम् ॥ ३४ ॥

daśarathaprabhṛtayo rājāno munayastathā | yathānurūpaṃ vaktāramanugamya muniṃ ciram || 34 ||

The Sages were followed closely, by the king and chieftains a long way, and they parted after accosting them, according to their rank and dignity on the way;

आपृच्छ्य केचिद्गगनं ययुः केचिद्वनान्तरम् । केचिद्राजगृहं सन्तो भृङ्गाः पद्मोत्थिता इव ॥ ३५ ॥

āpṛcchya kecidgaganaṃ yayuḥ kecidvanāntaram | kecidrājagṛhaṃ santo bhṛṅgāḥ padmotthitā iva || 35 ||

The celestials took their leave of the sage, and betook to their heavenward journey;and the munis repaired to their hermitages in the woods, when some of the saints turned about the palace, like bees flying in about the lotus bush.

वसिष्ठपादयोस्त्यक्त्वा पुष्पाञ्जलिमनाविलम् । दारैरनुगतो राजा प्रविवेश गृहान्तरम् ॥ ३६ ॥

vasiṣṭhapādayostyaktvā puṣpāñjalimanāvilam | dārairanugato rājā praviveśa gṛhāntaram || 36 ||

The king having offered handfuls of fresh flowers at the feet of Vasishtha, entered the royal seraglio with his royal consorts.

रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नाः प्राप्तस्य स्वाश्रमं गुरोः । अभ्यर्च्य चरणौ भक्त्या त्वाजग्मुर्नृपमन्दिरम् ॥ ३७ ॥

rāmalakṣmaṇaśatrughnāḥ prāptasya svāśramaṃ guroḥ | abhyarcya caraṇau bhaktyā tvājagmurnṛpamandiram || 37 ||

But Rama and his brother princes, kept company with the sage to his hermitage; and having prostrated themselves at his feet, they returned to their princely mansions.

सदनानि समासाद्य श्रोतारः सर्व एव ते । सस्नुरानर्चुरभ्येयुर्देवान्विप्रान्पितृंस्तथा ॥ ३८ ॥

sadanāni samāsādya śrotāraḥ sarva eva te | sasnurānarcurabhyeyurdevānviprānpitṛṃstathā || 38 ||

The hearers of the sage having arrived at their houses made their ablutions;then worshipped the gods, and offered their offerings to the manes of their ancestors. They then treated their guests and gave alms to beggars.

यथाक्रमं स्वभृत्यान्तैर्विप्राद्यैश्च परिच्छदैः । समं बुभुजिरे भोज्यं वर्णधर्मक्रमोदितम् ॥ ३९ ॥

yathākramaṃ svabhṛtyāntairviprādyaiśca paricchadaiḥ | samaṃ bubhujire bhojyaṃ varṇadharmakramoditam || 39 ||

Then they took their meals with their Brahman guests, and members of the family; and their dependants and servants were fed one after the other, according to the rules and customs of their order and caste.

अस्तं गते दिनकरे समं दिवसकर्मभिः । अभ्यागते रात्रिकरे समं रजनिकर्मभिः ॥ ४० ॥

astaṃ gate dinakare samaṃ divasakarmabhiḥ | abhyāgate rātrikare samaṃ rajanikarmabhiḥ || 40 ||

After the sun had set down, with the diurnal duties of men, there rose the bright moon on high, with impositions of many nocturnal duties on mankind.

स्थित्वा तल्पेषु कौशेयशयनेष्वासनेषु च । भूचरा मुनिराजानो राजपुत्रा महर्षयः ॥ ४१ ॥

sthitvā talpeṣu kauśeyaśayaneṣvāsaneṣu ca | bhūcarā munirājāno rājaputrā maharṣayaḥ || 41 ||

At last the great king and the princes, and chiefs of men and the munis, together with the sages and saints, and all other terrestrial beings, betook themselves to their several beds, with silken coverlets and bed cloths of various kinds.

संसारोत्तरणोपायं वसिष्ठवदनेरितम् । यथावदेकाग्रधियश्चिन्तयामासुरादृताः ॥ ४२ ॥

saṃsārottaraṇopāyaṃ vasiṣṭhavadaneritam | yathāvadekāgradhiyaścintayāmāsurādṛtāḥ || 42 ||

They lay thinking intensely in themselves, on the admonitions of the sage Vasishtha; on the mode of their passing over the boisterous gulf of this world, by means of this spiritual knowledge.

ततः प्रहरमात्रेण निद्रामामुद्रिताननाः । उत्स्वप्नसुन्दरीमीयुः पद्मा इव दिनार्थिनः ॥ ४३ ॥

tataḥ praharamātreṇa nidrāmāmudritānanāḥ | utsvapnasundarīmīyuḥ padmā iva dinārthinaḥ || 43 ||

Then they slept and lay with their closed eyelids, for one watch of the night only; and then opened their eyes, like the opening buds of lotuses, to see the light of the day.

रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नाः प्रहरत्रयमेव तत् । वासिष्ठमुपदेशं ते चिन्तयामासुरक्षतम् ॥ ४४ ॥

rāmalakṣmaṇaśatrughnāḥ praharatrayameva tat | vāsiṣṭhamupadeśaṃ te cintayāmāsurakṣatam || 44 ||

Rama and his brother princes, passed full three watches of the night in waking; and pondering over the deep sense of the lectures, of their spiritual guide—Vasishtha.

प्रहरस्यार्धमात्रं ते तत आमुद्रितेक्षणाः । उत्स्वप्नमाययुर्निद्रां क्षणाद्विद्रावितश्रमाम् ॥ ४५ ॥

praharasyārdhamātraṃ te tata āmudritekṣaṇāḥ | utsvapnamāyayurnidrāṃ kṣaṇādvidrāvitaśramām || 45 ||

They slept only one and a half watch of the night, with their closed eye lids; and then they shook off the dullness of their sleep, after driving the lassitude of their bodies by a short nap.

इति शुभमनसां विवेकभाजामधिगतसारतयोदिताशयानाम् । अभजत विरतिं तदा त्रियामा मलिननिशाकरवक्रतां जगाम ॥ ४६ ॥

iti śubhamanasāṃ vivekabhājāmadhigatasāratayoditāśayānām | abhajata viratiṃ tadā triyāmā malinaniśākaravakratāṃ jagāma || 46 ||

Now the minds of these, being full of good will, raised by the rising reason in their souls, and knowledge of truth; they felt the crescent of spiritual light lightening their dark bosoms, as the sextant of the moon, illumes the gloom of night; which afterwards disappeared at the approach of daylight, and the gathering broils of daytime.