Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— विराधवधसामर्षा ये चान्येऽपि निशाचराः। ते भेजू राघवावेत्य दीपेष्विव पतङ्गताम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: Other night-roaming demons, enraged by Virādha's death, came against the two descendants of Raghu and met the fate of moths flying into lamps.
Passage 2
मुनीन् सम्मानयामास रामः कामतरूपमः। विराधवधसंहृष्टास्ते तस्मायाशिषो ददुः॥२॥
Rāma, beautiful as the god of love, honored the sages. Delighted by Virādha's death, they gave him their blessings.
Passage 3
ब्रह्मण्यदेवता तेन मुनिषु प्रकटीकृता। सीतां नियोजयामास येषां पादावनेजने॥३॥
He revealed his reverence for the brāhmaṇas among those sages by directing Sītā to wash their feet.
Passage 4
रामं निरीक्ष्य मुनयो दण्डकावनवासिनः। पूर्णकामाः समभवन् मेनिरे च तमीश्वरम्॥४॥
Beholding Rāma, the sages dwelling in the Daṇḍaka forest felt all their desires fulfilled and understood him to be the Lord.
Passage 5
असावधोक्षजः साक्षाच्छ्रिया देव्या समन्वितः। रामचन्द्रः सुखयितुं धरणीतलमागतः॥५॥
“This Rāmacandra is directly the transcendent Lord, accompanied by the goddess of Fortune. He has descended to earth to bring it happiness.
Passage 6
कोऽन्योऽमुना विना हन्यादत्युग्रान् रजनीचरान्। द्विजदेवत्रयीधर्मं रक्षेच्च निजवीर्यतः॥६॥
“Who other than he could slay the most terrible night-roaming demons and, by his own valor, protect brāhmaṇas, the gods, and the Vedic dharma?”
Passage 7
इति रात्रं दिवं रामः स्वगुणानेव गायतः। मुनीन्द्रान् मोदयामास प्रकृत्यैव मनोज्ञया॥७॥
Thus, day and night, Rāma delighted the great sages who sang his virtues, doing so simply through his naturally enchanting presence. The Sages' Wives Bless Sītā
Passage 8
मुनिदाराः प्रपश्यन्तः प्रियां रामस्य जानकीम्। आशंसन्तः प्रमुदिता इदमूचुः कृपावशात्॥८॥
The sages' wives looked upon Jānakī, Rāma's beloved. Filled with joy and compassion, they blessed her and spoke these words.
Passage 9
हा कष्टं राजतनये तव वीरेन्द्रभामिनि। पद्भ्यां पद्मपलाशाभ्यामटवीमवगाहसे॥९॥
“Alas, princess and radiant wife of the foremost hero, how painful it is that you must enter this wilderness upon feet as tender as lotus petals.
Passage 10
धिक् कैकेय्याः कुमतिं घोरकर्मणो यया समुच्छिन्ननवेन्दुनीलभः। रामः कान्तासहितः काननं व्रजन् निवारितो नैव गुणैर्महोज्ज्वलः॥१०॥
“Shame upon the evil judgment and cruel deed of Kaikeyī, through which Rāma—dark as the new moon and splendid with great virtues—was sent into the forest with his beloved and not restrained from going.
Passage 11
जानेऽमुष्या बुद्धिरभ्युद्गतेयं भाग्यैरस्माकं वने वृत्तिभाजाम्। नो चेत्कासौ प्रावृषेण्याभ्रनीलो दृश्यः स्यान्नो दृष्टिभिस्तापसीनाम्॥११॥
“I understand that her thought arose through the good fortune of us women who dwell in the forest. Otherwise, how could this one, dark as a rain-bearing cloud, have become visible to the eyes of ascetics like us?
Passage 12
जीयाच्चिरं ते पतिरुज्जितोऽयं हे देवि वैदेहि चिरं लभस्व। साम्राज्यलक्ष्मीरिव पत्युरग्रे सौभाग्यभाग्याप्रतिमप्रभावम्॥१२॥
“May this exalted husband of yours live long, O goddess Vaidehī. Like the Fortune of an empire beside her lord, may you long possess incomparable conjugal blessing and glory.
Passage 13
दूयामहे देवि तव त्विमां दशां विलोकयन्त्यो वनचारिणीर्वयम्। हृष्याम एवापि तवावलोकनात् स्वभाग्यवृद्धिं समुदीक्ष्य भूयः॥१३॥
“O goddess, we forest women grieve to see your present condition; yet at the same time we rejoice merely to behold you, recognizing how greatly our own good fortune has increased.”
Passage 14
इति सा वार्तयन्तीनां मुनिस्त्रीणां निकेतने। अवसत्स्वस्थहृदया पतिदेवरसंयुता॥१४॥
While the sages' wives spoke with her in this way, Sītā stayed in their dwelling with a peaceful heart, accompanied by her husband and brother-in-law. The Three Travel Through the Forest
Passage 15
फुल्लवृक्षलतागुल्मप्रसूनवरमण्डिता। अङ्गसङ्गिसुगन्धौघैर्वासयन्ती वनस्थलीः॥१५॥
Adorned by the finest blossoms of flowering trees, vines, and bushes, she perfumed the forest grounds with waves of fragrance clinging to her limbs.
Passage 16
विचचार वनं सीता पत्या सह सुलक्षणी। वर्द्धयन्ती हृदि प्रीतिं दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम्॥१६॥
The auspicious Sītā roamed the forest with her husband, increasing the love in the hearts of those who dwelt in Daṇḍakāraṇya.
Passage 17
कोटिकन्दर्पसन्दर्पमन्दीकरणमुत्तमम्। सौन्दर्यं रामचन्द्रस्य पपुर्धन्या वनेचराः॥१७॥
The blessed forest dwellers drank in Rāmacandra's supreme beauty, which dimmed the combined splendor of ten million gods of love.
Passage 18
येषु येषु वने सीता वृक्षेषु समधिष्ठिता। तेषु तेष्विव संलग्नास्तदङ्गात्सौरभश्रियः॥१८॥
Whichever trees in the forest Sītā rested beneath seemed thereafter to retain the splendid fragrance of her limbs.
Passage 19
प्रयान्त्याः कानने तस्याः पत्या सह वरस्त्रियः। अग्रेसरः समभवदङ्गसौरभमारुतः॥१९॥
As that finest of women traveled through the forest with her husband, the breeze carrying the fragrance of her body went before her.
Passage 20
रञ्जयन्ती तनुश्रीभिः काञ्चनेरिव काननम्। द्योतयन्ती तडिद्द्योतैर्निबिडा गह्वरस्थलीः॥२०॥
She colored the forest with her body's golden splendor and illuminated its dense caverns with flashes like lightning.
Passage 21
आलपन्ती शुभा वाचः पत्युर्हृदयमोदिनीः। वर्द्धयन्ती परां प्रीतिं द्विधा पत्यौ च देवरे॥२१॥
She spoke auspicious words that delighted her husband's heart, and her supreme affection grew in its two relationships—with her husband and with her brother-in-law. Daily Life in the Leaf Cottages
Passage 22
निवसन्ती समं पत्या पर्णशालासु रात्रिषु। देवरेणोपकल्पितासु पत्युराज्ञानुवर्तिना॥२२॥
At night she dwelt with her husband in leaf cottages prepared by her brother-in-law, who faithfully followed her husband's commands.
Passage 23
पचन्ती मृगमांसानि शुभाहारकराणि च। देवरेणोपनीतानि मेध्यानि विविधानि च॥२३॥
She cooked the various ritually pure portions of venison and other wholesome foods brought by her brother-in-law.
Passage 24
आवसथ्याग्निहोमान्ते पत्यौ भुक्तवति प्रिये। देवरे चाभ्यनुज्ञाता भुञ्जानामृतभुक् स्वयम्॥२४॥
After the domestic fire offering, when her beloved husband and then her brother-in-law had eaten, she took permission and herself ate the nectar-like meal.
Passage 25
उवास कानने देवी भर्त्रा सह सुनिर्वृता। देवरेण प्रतिपदं कृतभक्तिविशेषतः॥२५॥
The goddess lived contentedly in the forest with her husband, while her brother-in-law rendered them exceptional devotion at every step.
Passage 26
सौमित्रिर्गृहिणो रात्रे शय्याः पर्णमयीः शुभाः। पर्णशालासु रम्यासु कल्पयामास कालवित्॥२६॥
At night the season-wise son of Sumitrā prepared auspicious beds of leaves for the married couple within their pleasant leaf cottages.
Passage 27
अध्यासीनः पर्णशालासु रामः शय्याः शुभा लक्ष्मणेनोपक्लृप्ताः। निन्ये रात्रीर्जानकीभोगजुष्टः शश्वद्गाढालिङ्गवानन्दमग्नः॥२७॥
Resting in the leaf cottages upon the fine beds prepared by Lakṣmaṇa, Rāma passed the nights enjoying intimacy with Jānakī, absorbed in the bliss of their constant close embrace. Thus ends Chapter 130, “Life in the Forest,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍi in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.