Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— व्रजन्तमाश्रमादत्रेः सदारं सानुजं च तम्। अनुजग्मुर्मुनिवरा विहातुं भृशमक्षमाः॥१॥
Brahmā said: The eminent sages followed Rāma as he went from Atri's hermitage with his wife and younger brother, for they were utterly unable to bear leaving him.
Passage 2
मुनय ऊचुः— हे राम करुणासिन्धो रविवंशविवर्धन। भवद्दर्शनवाञ्छा नो वरीवर्ति सदा हृदि॥२॥
The sages said: “Rāma, ocean of compassion, increaser of the solar dynasty, the longing to behold you surges forever in our hearts.
Passage 3
क नो विहाय राजेन्द्र गमिष्यसि सहानुजः। सदारः स्थास्यसि श्रीमन् यत्र यत्र घने वने॥३॥
“Lord of kings, where will you go after leaving us? Wherever you dwell with your wife and younger brother in the dense forest, glorious one—
Passage 4
तत्र तत्रैव स्थास्यामस्तव पार्श्वे सुखावहम्। अमुञ्चन्तः कथमपि वयं वृत्त्या यया कया॥४॥
“There too we shall remain at your bliss-bestowing side, never letting you go, sustaining ourselves somehow by whatever means we can.
Passage 5
एतत्ते वदनं सौम्य चन्द्रादपि सुशीतलम्। पश्यतां नः सदा भाविन्यमृतेनेव पारणा॥५॥
“Gentle Rāma, your face is cooler even than the moon. For us who behold it, every sight will be like breaking a fast with nectar.
Passage 6
यथा तवानुजः शान्तो लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः। तथा वयमपि प्रेयः स्थास्यामस्तव संनिधौ॥६॥
“Just as your peaceful, auspiciously marked younger brother Lakṣmaṇa remains with you, beloved Lord, so shall we stay in your presence.
Passage 7
किं नो योगेन तपसा किं व्रतैर्विविधैरपि। एकं ते भजनं काम्यमेकान्ते नः स्पृहावताम्॥७॥
“What need have we of yoga or austerity, or even of the many vows? For us who yearn for single-mindedness, worship of you alone is desirable.
Passage 8
मोदासीः करुणासिन्धो तव नित्यानुवर्तिषु। अस्मासु नित्यभक्तेषु वराकेषु द्विजन्मसु॥८॥
“Ocean of compassion, may you delight in us poor twice-born sages, your constant devotees who always follow you.
Passage 9
ऐहिकामुष्मिके राम विहाय भविके उभे। तव पादाब्जसेवा नः काम्या कामप्रपूरणा॥९॥
“Rāma, setting aside the two kinds of future reward—here and in the next world—we desire service to your lotus feet, which fulfills every longing.
Passage 10
अयोध्यानगरीलोकैर्न वयं सदृशाः प्रभो। ये त्वां विहाय गेहेषु विरहार्तिभृतोऽवसन्॥१०॥
“Lord, we are not like the people of Ayodhyā, who let you go and remained in their homes carrying the anguish of separation.
Passage 11
वयं विवेकनिर्णीतपरमार्था अकिञ्चनाः। न त्वां क्षणमपि त्यक्तुं मनसा शक्तुवामहे॥११॥
“Possessing nothing, we have discerned the highest truth. We cannot abandon you for even an instant, not even in thought.” Rāma Declares His Love for His Devotees
Passage 12
इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा मुनीनामनुयायिनाम्। मर्यादाजलधिः श्रीमांस्तस्थौ रघुकुलोद्वहः॥१२॥
Hearing these words from the sages who followed him, the glorious scion of Raghu, ocean of all propriety, stopped.
Passage 13
उवाच तान् सुसत्कृत्य ब्राह्मणान् शंसितव्रतान्। मुनीन्द्रा यद्वदथ मां तत्तथैव सुनिश्चितम्॥१३॥
After duly honoring those Brahmins of celebrated vows, he said: “Foremost sages, what you say of me is assuredly just so.
Passage 14
प्रीयन्ते मयि सुस्निग्धाः स्वभावेनैव मानवाः। न तानहमपि प्रायः संत्यक्तुं क्षणमुत्सहे॥१४॥
“People who are naturally filled with deep affection delight in me, and I too can scarcely bear to abandon them for even a moment.
Passage 15
यैर्निबद्धा मयि रतिः परमाशुद्धबुद्धिभिः। ते मे प्रियतमाः शश्वदात्मनोऽपि मुनीश्वराः॥१५॥
“Those whose utterly purified minds have bound their love to me are forever dearer to me than my own self, lords among sages.
Passage 16
त एव बन्धुसुहृदः प्राणाः सर्वस्वमेव च। न तेभ्योऽप्यस्ति देयं मे स्वात्मप्राणगृहावधि॥१६॥
“They alone are my kinsmen, friends, life, and everything I possess. There is nothing I would withhold from them—not my self, my life, or even my home.
Passage 17
करोमि तेषामेवार्थे कर्माणि विविधान्यहम्। यथा ते पूर्णकामाः स्युर्विनिबद्धधियो मयि॥१७॥
“For their sake alone I perform my many deeds, so that those whose minds are fastened upon me may have every desire fulfilled. The Road to Pañcavaṭī
Passage 18
इदानीं नु त्वहं विप्रा दण्डकारण्यवर्त्मना। गन्तास्मि राक्षसैर्लूनं पुण्यं पञ्चवटीवनम्॥१८॥
“Now, however, Brahmins, I shall travel by the road through Daṇḍaka forest to the holy woodland of Pañcavaṭī, ravaged by the Rākṣasas.
Passage 19
दक्षिणापथमुत्सन्नं राक्षसैः पिशिताशनैः। तत्राहं विचरिष्यामि दिनानि कतिचिद्द्विजाः॥१९॥
“The flesh-eating Rākṣasas have laid waste the southern country. Twice-born sages, I shall wander there for some days,
Passage 20
मारयन् राक्षसानीकं धनुर्मुक्तैः सुपर्वभिः। तोषयन् भवतां सार्थं साधूनां शुद्धचेतसाम्॥२०॥
“Slaying the Rākṣasa hosts with well-jointed arrows loosed from my bow, and bringing joy to your company of virtuous, pure-hearted sages.
Passage 21
तत्रैव योगिप्रवराः संगमिष्यथ वै मया। रक्षःक्षयमुदाविष्टाः पुण्ये पञ्चवटीवने॥२१॥
“There, foremost yogins, you will surely meet me again in the holy Pañcavaṭī forest, filled with joy at the destruction of the Rākṣasas.
Passage 22
एषा जनकजा साध्वी धर्मपत्नी मम द्विजाः। तदा भोजनदानाद्यैर्युष्मान् परिचरिष्यति॥२२॥
“Brahmins, this virtuous daughter of Janaka is my wedded wife. At that time she will attend to you by offering meals and other service.
Passage 23
परिवेषयन्ती वो विप्राः स्वादून्यन्नानि भूरिशः। संवर्धनीया सततं युष्माभिरियमाशिषा॥२३॥
“Brahmins, as she serves you many delicious foods, you should always sustain her with your blessings.” The Sages Return
Passage 24
इत्युक्ता रघुवर्येण नत्वा ते संनिवर्तिताः। स्वं स्वमाश्रममाजग्मुः सर्व एव मुनीश्वराः॥२४॥
Thus addressed by the best of the Raghus, all the sage-lords bowed, turned back, and returned each to his own hermitage.
Passage 25
ततश्च रामो मुनेर्धर्मपत्न्या विभूषितां स्वां दयितां विशेषात्। निरीक्षमाणः प्रणयेन भूयो निकेतनं स्वं समुपाजगाम॥२५॥
Then Rāma, lovingly gazing again and again upon his beloved—especially adorned by the sage's virtuous wife—returned to his own dwelling. Thus ends Chapter 124, “The Return from Atri's Hermitage,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍi in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.