Passage 1
लक्ष्मण उवाच— ततो गतेषु देवेषु स्तुत्वा कृत्वा च कौतुकम्। जन्मोत्सवनिमित्तं तत्तत्रावर्तत मङ्गलम्॥१॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: “After the gods had praised her, celebrated, and departed, an auspicious festival continued there for the occasion of her birth.
Passage 2
प्रावर्तत महोत्साहो जनकक्षितिपालये। कन्यारत्ने प्रजातेऽस्मिन् भाविसीतेतिनामनि॥२॥
Immense rejoicing began in King Janaka's palace when this jewel among daughters—she who would bear the name Sītā—was born.
Passage 3
विप्रानामन्त्रयाञ्चक्रे विधिज्ञान् जनको नृपः। पुत्रवच्चोत्सवं चक्रे जातकर्मपुरःसरम्॥३॥
King Janaka summoned Brahmins learned in sacred procedure. Beginning with the birth rite, he celebrated her exactly as he would a son.
Passage 4
पुरग्रामव्रजादौ सा मिथिला समलंकृता। काश्मीरचन्दनरसैः सिक्ताश्च पुरवीथयः॥४॥
Mithilā was beautifully adorned throughout city, villages, settlements, and every quarter, and its streets were sprinkled with saffron and liquid sandalwood.
Passage 5
प्रासादसौधशिखरेषु विचित्रवस्त्रचञ्चत्पताकरुचिरध्वजकेतुमाल्यैः। शोभातुलामजन् सुमन्दसमीरलोलैर्जन्मोत्सवप्रमुदितैरिव नैमिपूर्त्याः॥५॥
On the summits of palaces and mansions, bright banners, standards, and streamers of many-colored cloth swayed in the gentle breeze, attaining incomparable beauty as though themselves delighted by the birth festival.
Passage 6
द्वाःसु प्रभूततरकाञ्चनकुम्भयुग्मैः शोभा च काप्यजनि सा प्रतिवेश्म नॄणाम्। पूर्णामृतोदकसपल्लवपञ्चरत्नदध्यक्षतक्रमुकदूर्ववसनारिकेलैः॥६॥
At every household doorway an extraordinary splendor arose from pairs of abundant golden vessels filled with nectar-like water, fresh shoots, five jewels, curds, unbroken rice, betel nuts, sacred grass, cloth, and coconuts.
Passage 7
स्तम्भैः प्रभूतकदलीप्रभवैः सुपत्रैः सत्पत्रपुष्पफलतोरणवस्त्रमाल्यैः। आमोदिभिर्मलयजेन्धनप्रदग्धैः कालागुरुप्रभवधूमघनाघनैश्च॥७॥
There were pillars formed from luxuriant banana plants with fine leaves, arches of auspicious foliage, flowers, and fruit, cloth and garlands, and dense clouds of fragrant smoke rising from dark agarwood burned upon sandalwood fuel.
Passage 8
कस्तूरिकाक्तहिमबालुकया प्रदिग्धैः श्रीचन्दनाक्तहरिचन्दनपद्मभारैः। अन्योन्यमतिमहोत्सवमुक्ष्यमाणैरभ्युद्गतैश्च जलयन्त्रजचन्दनोदैः॥८॥
The ways were coated with cool sand scented by musk and heaped with white and yellow sandalwood and lotuses. Rising jets from water devices sprayed sandal-scented water upon one another in the exuberance of the great festival.
Passage 9
उत्साहिभिश्चटुलनागरलोकजल्पैः सम्मर्दिभिश्च नटमागधवन्दिसूतैः। उद्गायकैश्च गुणवद्रतिप्रवीणैर्वीणामृदङ्गपणवानकतालवाद्यैः॥९॥
Excited townspeople conversed vivaciously amid the happy throng. Actors, bards, heralds, and reciters performed, while skilled singers celebrated her virtues to the accompaniment of vīṇās, mṛdaṅgas, drums, kettledrums, cymbals, and other instruments.
Passage 10
जन्मोत्सवः स गुणवान् प्रबभूव तस्याः सानन्दनर्तनसगानसतूर्यघोषः। यद्दपितुर्दशरथस्य सुते प्रजाते कौसल्यया जनविलोचनचारुचन्द्रे॥१०॥
Her magnificent birth festival resounded with joyful dancing, song, and instruments, like the celebration when Daśaratha's son—the lovely moon before every eye—was born through Kausalyā.
Passage 11
रामे वरे रसिकरत्नशिरोऽवतंसे ब्रह्माक्षरप्रकृतिकालगुणातिगायिनि। रामो दिवाकरकुले रघुवीरसंज्ञः सहजा पूर्णिमिकुले खलु जानकीति॥११॥
That supreme Rāma is the crest-jewel of rasika gems, transcending Brahman, the imperishable, primordial nature, time, and the guṇas. In the solar dynasty he is known as Raghūvīra; in the lineage of Pūrṇimā, Sahajā is indeed known as Jānakī.
Passage 12
सेयं श्रीरामचन्द्रप्रतिमगुणवयोनामरूपप्रभाव- प्रेमानन्दस्वभावप्रभुविभुपटिमालंकृतिश्लोकशीला। लीलालावण्यलक्ष्मीर्लयनिभृतदृशां योगिनामप्यचिन्त्या नित्यं संचिन्तनीया जनकजसहजाशक्तिसीतेति नाम्ना॥१२॥
She equals Śrī Rāmacandra in qualities, youth, name, form, and majesty; prema-bliss is her nature, and her conduct ornaments the verses that proclaim the all-pervading Lord's power. The beauty and splendor of her līlā are inconceivable even to yogis whose vision is absorbed in dissolution. She is to be contemplated forever: Janaka's daughter, the innate divine power named Sītā.
Passage 13
अथ जनकनृपः प्रमोदमत्तः प्रणयरसप्लुतधीः सकण्टकाङ्गः। अतिसुवितीर्णवान् जनेभ्यो भुवि तदपत्यभवोत्सवागतेभ्यः॥१३॥
Then King Janaka, intoxicated with joy, his understanding flooded by the rasa of affection and his body thrilled with horripilation, gave exceedingly generous gifts to the people who had come to celebrate his child's birth.
Passage 14
अलंकृताः काञ्चनरत्नमालादुकूलमुक्ताभरणाङ्गरागैः। ताम्बूलवल्लीदलवीटिकाभिः संतोषिता भोजनपानशक्तथा॥१४॥
They were adorned with gold, jeweled necklaces, fine cloth, pearls, ornaments, and fragrant unguents, and were satisfied with folded betel leaves and abundant food and drink.
Passage 15
समुञ्जगुः सुस्वरमुक्तकण्ठाः सुगायनाः कोकिलवच्चुकूजुः।<br+सुवाद्यशब्दैर्ननृतुः परे जनाः समुद्यदानन्दसमुद्रमग्नाः॥१५॥
The excellent singers raised their unfettered voices in sweet song and warbled like cuckoos. Other people danced to the sound of beautiful instruments, immersed in the swelling ocean of joy.
Passage 16
चकार जातकर्मास्या ब्राह्मणैर्विधिपारगैः। नालच्छेदावसाने स कृतश्मश्रुरशोभत॥१६॥
With Brahmins expert in sacred procedure he performed her birth rite. After the cutting of the umbilical cord, he appeared radiant with beard and moustache ritually shaved.
Passage 17
स पुत्रिणामग्रगण्यं स्वमात्मानममन्यत। योगी जनकराजेन्द्रो दृष्ट्वापत्यमुखाम्बुजम्॥१७॥
Seeing the lotus face of his child, the yogi Janaka, best of kings, regarded himself as foremost among all parents.
Passage 18
प्रेमानन्दसमुद्रान्तर्मग्नो राजेन्द्रसत्तमः। ब्रह्मानन्दं व्यगणयदनर्हं षोडशीं कलाम्॥१८॥
Submerged in the ocean of prema-bliss, that finest king judged even Brahman-bliss unworthy of being counted as its sixteenth part.
Passage 19
संतोष्य ब्रह्मक्षत्रादीन् निजबन्धून् नृपोत्तमः। तेषां करेभ्य आदाय दूर्वादलफलाक्षतान्। अलंकृत्य सुसम्भाष्य चक्रे प्रस्थापयां ततः॥१९॥
After satisfying Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, his relatives, and the others, the excellent king received blades of sacred grass, fruit, and unbroken rice from their hands. He honored and addressed them graciously, and then arranged for their departure.”