Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— ततोऽगस्त्यं पुरस्कृत्य मुनयः सर्व एव ते। काकुत्स्थमन्वगुः शीघ्रं यान्तं घोरतरे पथि॥१॥
Brahmā said: Then all those sages, placing Agastya at their head, quickly followed Kakutstha as he traveled along the more forbidding path.
Passage 2
त आरादृष्यमूकाद्रिं प्राप्ता रामस्य सन्निधिम्। ववन्दे तानसौ दृष्ट्वा दूरादेव द्विजोत्तमान्॥२॥
They reached Rāma's presence near Mount Ṛṣyamūka. Seeing those eminent twice-born men from afar, he bowed to them.
Passage 3
कुम्भोद्भवपुरोगास्ते ददुस्तस्मै शुभाशिषः। विहाय गमनं रामो मध्यमार्गं व्यतिष्ठत॥३॥
Led by the jar-born sage, they gave him auspicious blessings. Rāma stopped traveling and stood in the middle of the road.
Passage 4
तेऽर्घहस्ता तदुच्चार्घं तस्यार्घ्यस्य महात्मनः। तानुवाचैष काकुत्स्थो युगपत्समुपागतान्॥४॥
With offerings in their hands, they presented that lofty offering of honor to the great soul. Kakutstha then addressed all who had arrived together.
Passage 5
अहो महर्षयः सर्वे किमतीव त्वरायुताः। युगपन्मामुपगताः कच्चिद्वः कुशलं वने॥५॥
“Great sages, why have all of you come to me together in such haste? Is all well with you in the forest?
Passage 6
कच्चिन्न राक्षसे दुष्टे यूयमुद्वेजिता द्विजाः। कच्चिन्न परचक्रोत्थं भयमाश्रमकानने॥६॥
“Twice-born men, I hope no wicked rākṣasa has troubled you and that no fear from a hostile force has arisen in the woodland of your hermitage.
Passage 7
कच्चिदग्निस्त्रयीसंस्थो यज्ञशालोऽस्ति भावुकः। कच्चिदाश्रमसरिद्भूरिस्रोताः शुभोदका॥७॥
“I hope the beneficent fire established by the three Vedas remains in the sacrificial hall, and that the hermitage river still flows abundantly with pure water.
Passage 8
कच्चिदाश्रमवने भूरुहाः फलशालिनः। लूयन्ते नैव दुर्दान्तैः पौरजानपदैर्जनैः॥८॥
“I hope the fruit-laden trees in the hermitage forest are not being cut by unruly people from town or countryside.
Passage 9
कच्चिदाश्रमजुषो विशोकाः पशुपक्षिणः। उद्वेज्यन्ते न भिल्लाद्यैर्नृशंसैर्मांसगृध्नुभिः॥९॥
“I hope the animals and birds dwelling peacefully in the hermitage are not harassed by cruel, flesh-hungry hunters or others.
Passage 10
संहत्य युगपद्विप्रा ब्रूतागमनकारणम्। उद्विजेऽहं भवद्धेतोः का वो भीर्मयि जीवति॥१०॥
“Brāhmaṇas, speak together and tell me the reason for your coming. I am anxious for your sake; while I live, what have you to fear?” Their Confession
Passage 11
अथोचुर्ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे सूचिताः कुम्भयोनिना। सर्वे त्वां रघुशार्दूल याताः स्म शरणं वयम्॥११॥
Prompted by the jar-born sage, all the brāhmaṇas replied, “Tiger among the Raghus, all of us have come to you for refuge.
Passage 12
येषां न आश्रमेष्वग्निर्यज्ञियः प्रशशाम ह। अकस्माच्चैव संजाता शोणितौघवहा सरित्॥१२॥
“The sacrificial fire in our hermitages went out, and the river suddenly began carrying streams of blood.
Passage 13
कृमिविड्भस्मबहुला दुर्गमा पशुपक्षिभिः। निपानानि तथैवासन क्षीणं नो ब्रह्मवर्चसम्॥१३॥
“Filled with worms, excrement, and ashes, it became impassable to animals and birds. The drinking places were the same, and our sacred radiance waned.
Passage 14
तन्मूलं कृतमस्माभिर्विगानं ते रघूद्वह। त्वद्भक्तायास्तथा तस्याः शबर्याः सुकृतात्मनः॥१४॥
“Scion of Raghu, the root of this was our condemnation of you and of your devotee Śabarī, that virtuous soul.
Passage 15
प्रपन्नाः क्षमस्व नितरामपराधं कृपानिधे। कोऽन्यस्त्वद्ब्राह्मणान् रक्षेद्वीर ब्रह्मण्यदेवत॥१५॥
“We have surrendered; treasury of compassion, completely forgive our offense. Hero and protector of brāhmaṇas, who other than you would protect brāhmaṇas?”
Passage 16
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां धर्मात्मा रघुपुङ्गवः। उवाच करुणासिन्धुः शोचंस्तस्य प्रतिक्रियाम्॥१६॥
Hearing their words, the righteous chief of the Raghus, an ocean of compassion, spoke while considering the remedy for their plight. Rāma Restores Their Rites
Passage 17
श्रीराम उवाच— शान्तोऽग्निरग्निहोत्रीयः पुनः प्रज्वलतु द्विजाः। प्रदक्षिणार्चिः शुभकृद्भवतामाश्रमेषु सः॥१७॥
Śrī Rāma said: “Twice-born men, let your extinguished agnihotra fire blaze again in your hermitages, its flame turning auspiciously to the right and bestowing good.
Passage 18
पुण्यस्रोतोवहा भूयाद्भवतामाश्रमे नदी। सदैवास्तु शुभं विप्रा भवतामप्रतिक्षतम्॥१८॥
“May the river in your hermitage again carry a sacred current. Brāhmaṇas, may unobstructed well-being always be yours. Śabarī Must Forgive Them
Passage 19
मद्विगानं मया विप्राः सोढमेव न संशयः। तस्यास्तु मम भक्ताया विगानं सर्वनाशनम्॥१९॥
“Brāhmaṇas, I can certainly bear condemnation of myself; there is no doubt. But condemnation of that devotee of mine destroys everything.
Passage 20
सैव क्षमापनीया वो गत्वा तस्या निकेतनम्। भिल्लजातिरितीयं वः शङ्कनीया न सोत्तमा॥२०॥
“You must go to her dwelling and ask her herself to forgive you. Do not regard that exalted woman with suspicion because she was born among the Bhillas.
Passage 21
सा धन्या भूरिभागा च महायोगा तपस्विनी। नमस्या सर्वदेवानां कथान्येषां तु का नृणाम्॥२१॥
“She is blessed, abundantly fortunate, a great yogin, and an ascetic. She is worthy of reverence from all the gods—what then need be said of other human beings?
Passage 22
नित्यं वशोऽस्म्यहं तस्या मत्प्रेमावहितात्मनः। कृपयिष्यति वो विप्रा नियतं सा कृपावती॥२२॥
“I am forever under the sway of her, whose whole being is absorbed in love for me. Brāhmaṇas, that compassionate woman will certainly show you mercy.
Passage 23
तस्याः पादरजःस्पर्शादतीर्थं तीर्थतामियात्। अतो भूयः समाराध्या भवद्भिः सा किरातिनी॥२३॥
“By contact with the dust of her feet, even a place that is not sacred becomes a tīrtha. Therefore you must now honor that forest woman completely.
Passage 24
तस्या विगानतो जातमनिष्टं वो द्विजातयः। न मद्विगानतः शक्यं यदहं भवतां हितः॥२४॥
“Twice-born men, your misfortune arose from condemning her, not from condemning me, for I remain devoted to your welfare.
Passage 25
मां तु वित्त भवदेकदैवतं नित्यमेव भवदेकसंश्रयम्। युष्मदङ्घ्रिरजसा द्विजातयः पूय एव भृशमेष सान्वयः॥२५॥
“Know me as one for whom you alone are divine and as one who always takes refuge in you alone. Twice-born men, by the dust of your feet I myself am greatly purified together with my lineage.
Passage 26
ब्राह्मणाः सन्ति मे प्राणा दैवतं मम ब्राह्मणाः। ब्राह्मणैः शुभवानस्मि शपेऽहं यदतोऽन्यथा॥२६॥
“Brāhmaṇas are my very life; brāhmaṇas are my divinity. Through brāhmaṇas I possess auspiciousness—I swear that it is not otherwise.
Passage 27
न मत्कृतमनिष्टं वः शङ्कनीयं द्विजातयः। भवतामेव भव्यर्थं विचराम्येष भूतले॥२७॥
“Twice-born men, never suspect that I caused your misfortune. I wander this earth solely for your welfare.
Passage 28
इति निगद्य स तान् रघुपुङ्गवः प्रणतिभिः परितुष्टमतीन् द्विजान्। समुपदिश्य हितं शबरीं नतिं कथमगस्त्यमुखान् विससर्ज तान्॥२८॥
Having spoken thus, the chief of the Raghus instructed those twice-born men—whose minds were satisfied and who bowed before him—about their welfare and how to bow to Śabarī; then he dismissed them with Agastya at their head.
Passage 29
ते वाडवा रघुपतेर्वचसा तदैव कुम्भोद्भवं मुनिवरं पुरतो निधाय। जग्मुः क्षणेन शबरीविपिनं समेता यत्रास्ति सा रघुवरस्य गुणान् गृणाना॥२९॥
At the lord of the Raghus' command, those brāhmaṇas immediately placed the eminent jar-born sage before them and went together to Śabarī's forest, where she remained singing the virtues of the foremost Raghu.