Passage 1
मुनय ऊचुः— अपराद्धमिह ब्रह्मन् प्रायोऽस्माभिर्न कस्यचित्। एकं तु तव वक्ष्यामो भगवन् सर्वदर्शिनः॥१॥
The sages said: “Revered one, as far as we know we have offended no one here. But, all-seeing lord, we will tell you of one incident.
Passage 2
वसत्यस्मिन् वने काचित्किराती भाग्यसम्भृता। अतिथिः समभूदस्याः रामो रघुकुलोद्भवः॥२॥
“A certain fortunate forest woman lives in this woodland. Rāma, born in Raghu's line, became her guest.
Passage 3
श्रोत्रियान् ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठान् सार्घहस्तान् कृतस्पृहान्। पश्यतोऽस्माननादृत्य ययौ तस्या निकेतने॥३॥
“Disregarding us as we watched—eminent Vedic brāhmaṇas standing eagerly with offerings in hand—he went to her dwelling.
Passage 4
शिष्ट एवं कथं कुर्यात्तेनास्माभिरमर्षतः। किरातीसदनं गच्छन् विगीतो रघुपुङ्गवः॥४॥
“How could a cultivated man act in this way? Therefore, out of indignation, we censured the chief of the Raghus as he went to the forest woman's home.
Passage 5
अधमा कर्मणा जात्या मांसगृध्नुः किरातजा। कथं सा योग्यतां प्राप्ता रामस्यातिथिदानतः॥५॥
“Born among hunters, she is low by action and birth and greedy for meat. How did she become qualified to offer hospitality to Rāma?
Passage 6
इति निन्दावचोऽस्माभिस्तथ्यं चेत्तस्य भाषितम्। नापराद्धं तदास्माभिरन्यथा त्वपराधिनः॥६॥
“If these censuring words we spoke about him are true, then we committed no offense; if otherwise, we are offenders.” Agastya Corrects Them
Passage 7
श्रुत्वा कुम्भोद्भवस्तेषां वचनं तदकेतवम्। सर्वदर्शी मुनिश्रेष्ठ इदमाह द्विजोत्तमान्॥७॥
Hearing their unwise statement, the all-seeing, jar-born chief of sages said this to the eminent twice-born men.
Passage 8
हन्त द्विजवराः सम्यगपराधो बभूव वः। किराती रामभक्ता सा विगानं कथमर्हति॥८॥
“Alas, eminent twice-born men, you certainly committed an offense. That forest woman is Rāma's devotee; how could she deserve condemnation?
Passage 9
सोढव्यमेव रामेण विगानं स्वस्य कर्हिचित्। न तु रामः स्वभक्ताया विगानं सोढुमर्हति॥९॥
“Rāma may sometimes endure condemnation of himself, but he cannot bear condemnation of his devotee.
Passage 10
तदेवानर्थमूलं वो जातमाश्रममण्डले। निन्दा हि महतो हन्ति विद्या वीर्यं यशः श्रियम्॥१०॥
“That alone became the root of misfortune in your hermitage settlement. Reviling a great soul destroys learning, power, honor, and prosperity.
Passage 11
अतः समुपजाताः स्थ प्रक्षीणब्रह्मवर्चसः। प्रोषिता श्रीर्गृहेभ्यो वो विपदश्च समागताः॥११॥
“Therefore your sacred radiance has waned, prosperity has departed from your homes, and calamities have come upon you.
Passage 12
रामस्य च परं तत्त्वं न जानीथ द्विजोत्तमाः। अतो विनिन्दनं तस्य कृतवन्तः स्थ मोहतः॥१२॥
“Best of the twice-born, you do not know Rāma's supreme reality. Therefore, in delusion, you reviled him. Rāma Is the Supreme Reality
Passage 13
स वै परात्परः साक्षाद् भक्तानामभयप्रदः। भुवो भारावतारार्थमवतीर्णो रघोः कुले॥१३॥
“He is directly the Supreme beyond the supreme, giver of fearlessness to devotees. He descended into Raghu's line to remove the earth's burden.
Passage 14
विना रामेण वै को नु हन्यादेकेन पत्रिणा। दृप्तासुरचमूसङ्घानजेयांस्त्रिदशैरपि॥१४॥
“Other than Rāma, who could destroy with a single arrow the proud hosts of asura armies whom even the gods cannot conquer?
Passage 15
विचित्राण्यस्य वीर्याणि गुणाः संख्यातिगा विभोः। कर्माणि लोकपुराणानि कीर्तयः सर्वमङ्गलाः॥१५॥
“The Lord's feats of valor are wondrous, his qualities exceed enumeration, his deeds are ancient in the world, and his renown brings every blessing.
Passage 16
स स्वयं भगवान् रामो मायेशो गुणवर्जितः। तथापि लोकदृष्ट्येष गुणवानिव लक्ष्यते॥१६॥
“Rāma himself is the blessed Lord, master of māyā and free of the guṇas. Yet from the world's viewpoint he appears as though endowed with qualities.
Passage 17
न तत्र कालमायाद्याः प्रभवन्ति कुतः परे। यत्रास्य परमं धाम चराचरभुगव्ययम्॥१७॥
“Time, māyā, and the rest have no power in his supreme, imperishable abode that sustains the moving and unmoving; how then could they reach beyond it?
Passage 18
स्वयं भासातपत्येष विश्वसाक्षी सनातनः। अन्यानपेक्षो भगवान् विश्वसर्गादिषु स्थितः॥१८॥
“Self-luminous, this eternal witness of the universe shines by his own radiance. Depending on no other, the Lord presides over the creation of the universe and all that follows.
Passage 19
गायन्त्येनं श्रुतिगणाः श्रयन्त्येनं महर्षयः। तापसाः शुद्धमनसो भजन्त्येनं समाहिताः॥१९॥
“The hosts of revealed scriptures sing of him, the great sages take refuge in him, and pure-minded ascetics worship him with collected attention.
Passage 20
गतिर्मतिः प्रभुश्चैष विश्वात्मा विश्वदेवता। स एष भगवान् रामः ककुत्स्थकुलसम्भवः॥२०॥
“He is the goal, intelligence, and Lord—the Self of the universe and divinity of all. This very blessed Rāma has appeared in Kakutstha's line.
Passage 21
रामतत्त्वं परं वित्त दुर्ज्ञेयं तन्महात्मभिः। श्रुतिमूर्धसु संरूढं गिरां यत्र समन्वयः॥२१॥
“Know Rāma's nature as supreme and difficult even for great souls to comprehend. It is established at the summit of revelation, where all sacred speech finds concord. Seek Rāma's Refuge
Passage 22
तदवज्ञानतो विप्राः कथं न स्थापराधिनः। तमेव शरणं यात तदा सुखमवाप्स्यथ॥२२॥
“Brāhmaṇas, after showing contempt for him, how could you not be offenders? Go to him alone for refuge; then you will regain well-being.
Passage 23
इतोऽविदूर एवासौ प्रायो गच्छति सानुजः। तं शीघ्रं शरणं यात स वो दुःखं हरिष्यति॥२३॥
“He is probably still traveling nearby with his younger brother. Quickly seek his refuge; he will remove your suffering.
Passage 24
साक्षाद्ब्रह्मण्यदेवोऽसौ द्विजधर्मत्रयीहितः। सर्वदेवोपकर्ता च यज्ञात्मा यज्ञभुक् स्वयम्॥२४॥
“He is directly the deity who cherishes brāhmaṇas, devoted to the twice-born, dharma, and the three Vedas. He benefits all the gods and is himself both the soul and enjoyer of sacrifice.
Passage 25
संजातमात्रे रघुवंशकेतौ यस्मिन् परस्मिन् पुरुषप्रकाण्डे। उच्चैरवाद्यन्त सुरालयेषु सहानकैर्दुन्दुभयः सुभव्याः॥२५॥
“When that supreme and foremost person, the banner of Raghu's line, had only just been born, splendid kettledrums resounded loudly with other drums in the abodes of the gods.
Passage 26
स रामचन्द्रः सुकृती गुणज्ञो महायशा विप्रसुरत्रयीणाम्। हिताय वत्स्यत्यवनीं चिराय कुर्वन् पवित्रं विपुलं चरित्रम्॥२६॥
“That virtuous, appreciative, and greatly renowned Rāmacandra will dwell long upon the earth for the welfare of brāhmaṇas, gods, and the three Vedas, enacting his vast and sanctifying life.”
Passage 27
इतीरितं कुम्भभवेन योगिना श्रुत्वा सुसंजातधियो द्विजोत्तमाः। गन्तुं रघुश्रेष्ठसमीपगोचरे संकल्पयामासुरुदित्वरस्पृहाः॥२७॥
Hearing this teaching from the jar-born yogin, the eminent twice-born men recovered right understanding. Their desire surging, they resolved to enter the presence of the foremost Raghu.