Passage 1
लक्ष्मण उवाच— ततस्तां बालवेषेण शोभयन्तीं स्वमालयम्। विलोक्य जनको राजा अपत्यस्नेहकातरः॥१॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: King Janaka saw her beautifying his own palace in the guise of a little child and was overcome with parental tenderness.
Passage 2
तत्क्षणाद्विस्मृतेश्वर्यो बभूव प्रीतमानसः। बाल्यक्रीडनकैः सा तु क्रीडमाना स्वमातृभिः॥२॥
At once he forgot her divine sovereignty and became joyful at heart, while she played with childhood toys beside her mothers.
Passage 3
लाल्यमाना गृहे राज्ञ्या अङ्कभूषामभूषयत्। शिक्यस्था दोल्यमाना सा तात तातेति भाषती॥३॥
Fondled in the palace by the queen, she became the ornament of her mother's lap. Rocking in a hanging cradle, she called out, “Father, father.”
Passage 4
उद्वर्तनेन संस्निग्धा साञ्जनाञ्जनबिन्दुभिः। डाकिनीनां दृष्टिदोषादुत्ताररसवैभवात्॥४॥
Her body was softened with fragrant unguents and marked with protective black dots; through the majesty of transcendent rasa she remained beyond the evil glance of ḍākinīs.
Passage 5
डाकिनी पूतना या तु कूष्माण्डा भैरवादयः। बालां तामुपसंयातास्तेजसागुः पराहताः॥५॥
Ḍākinīs, Pūtanā, Kūṣmāṇḍas, Bhairavas, and other hostile beings approached the child, but her radiance struck them back and drove them away.
Passage 6
इत्थमैश्वर्यकलिता गुणसंदोहभाविता। तयोर्मनसि दम्पत्योः प्रेमपुष्टिं ततान सा॥६॥
Thus endowed with sovereignty and filled with a host of virtues, she extended and nourished love in the hearts of the royal couple.
Passage 7
तज्जन्मदिवसादेव राज्ञो जनकभूपतेः। मन्दिरं सर्वशोभाढ्यमवर्तत रमालयम्॥७॥
From the very day of her birth, King Janaka's palace became an abode of Lakṣmī, overflowing with every beauty.
Passage 8
वैकुण्ठमिव भूमिष्ठं जनकस्य पुरं बभौ। भूरभूत् काञ्चनमयी तत्क्षणात् पश्यतां नृणाम्॥८॥
Janaka's city shone like Vaikuṇṭha established upon earth, and before the eyes of its people the ground itself seemed instantly made of gold.
Passage 9
कमलेशी घोषवती साक्षादमृतवाहिनी। जातरूपमहाकूला जनकस्य पुरे बभौ॥९॥
Kamaleśī, also called Ghoṣavatī, flowed visibly through Janaka's city like a river of nectar, with magnificent banks of gold.
Passage 10
शिवलिङ्गानि दिव्यानि तत्र तत्र चकाशिरे। सद्यः पूजयतां नृणां मनसः कामदानि च॥१०॥
Divine Śiva-liṅgas shone here and there, immediately granting the heart's desires of those who worshiped them.
Passage 11
श्रीमन्नारायणस्तत्र श्रीरामस्य कलांशकः। निवासं तत्र कृतवान् यथा वैकुण्ठगः स्वयम्॥११॥
Glorious Nārāyaṇa, a partial portion of Śrī Rāma, made his dwelling there just as he himself dwells in Vaikuṇṭha.
Passage 12
इतः प्रमोदविपिनं जनकस्य पुरं ततः। मध्ये ब्रह्मादिदेवानां वासस्थानं बभूव तत्॥१२॥
With Pramodavana on one side and Janaka's city on the other, the region between became a dwelling place for Brahmā and the other gods.
Passage 13
सर्वर्तुसुखशोभाढ्यं चन्दनानिलसेवितम्। जनकस्य पुरं रम्यमयोध्यासदृशं बभौ॥१३॥
Rich with the beauty and delight of every season and served by sandal-scented breezes, Janaka's lovely city shone like Ayodhyā.
Passage 14
निवासः सर्वसिद्धानां योगसिद्धः सदैव तत्। जनकेन्द्रपुरं नित्यं तत्क्षणेन व्यरोचत॥१४॥
It became the dwelling of every siddha and was forever perfected through yoga; from that moment Janaka's royal city shone eternally.
Passage 15
सरांसि फुल्लत्कमलानि नित्यं माद्यन्महाराजहंसीकुलानि। रत्नोप्तहेमोज्ज्वलकूपपुष्पनिःश्रेणिकाशोभितनिर्मलानि॥१५॥
Its pure lakes held ever-blooming lotuses and delighted flocks of majestic swans, and were adorned with jeweled, gold-bright wells and flower-covered flights of steps.
Passage 16
वनानि वल्गुस्फुरितच्छदानि संफुल्लपुष्पाणि फलान्वितानि। गुञ्जत्प्रमत्तभ्रमरावलीभिर्मुहुः समास्वादय मधुश्रवाणि॥१६॥
Its forests had gracefully trembling leaves, fully opened flowers, and abundant fruit. Rows of intoxicated humming bees repeatedly drank from their streams of nectar.
Passage 17
देशः स तावन्मिथिलेति संज्ञो मिथः प्रमोदाः खलु यत्र लोकाः। नार्यश्च सर्वाः सुभगा रमाभा भास्वन्मणिद्योतितहेमभूषाः॥१७॥
That land was known as Mithilā, where the people delighted one another. All its women were fortunate and radiant like Lakṣmī, their golden ornaments flashing with brilliant gems.
Passage 18
सीताजनुर्भूरिमहोत्सवेन व्याप्तान्तरा याज्ञवल्क्यादयोऽपि। विस्मृत्य चित्तेषु समाधियोगं प्रेमैकमग्ना मुनयो बभूवुः॥१८॥
The great festival of Sītā's birth filled every space. Yājñavalkya and the other sages forgot the yoga of samādhi within their minds and became immersed in love alone.
Passage 19
स्थले स्थलेऽभूत् कमलाविलासो विलासिनीनां मतिविभ्रमेषु। वीथीषु यत्र स्फुटहेमयूथीसवर्णभासां प्रमदोत्तमानाम्॥१९॥
At every place the play of Lakṣmī appeared in the enchanting movements of the women. The streets glowed with noble ladies whose radiance matched clusters of pure gold.
Passage 20
पर्यङ्कपुष्पास्तरणान्वितेषु शुद्धान्तसौधेषु सुमङ्गलानि। गीतानि वीणास्वरवादिनीनां स्त्रीणां महासौभगभूषितानाम्॥२०॥
Within the inner palaces, furnished with couches and flower-strewn coverings, greatly fortunate and adorned women sang auspicious songs to the sound of vīṇās.
Passage 21
स्खलद्गतीनां मदमन्थराणां मत्तमास्वादसुविह्वलानाम्। कटाक्षनिक्षेपभुजोन्नतिश्रीवश्या बभूवुः कमनाप्रियाणाम्॥२१॥
The beloved women moved with playfully faltering, languid steps, overwhelmed by the savor of joy; their lovers came under the spell of their sidelong glances and graceful raised arms. Source note: The edition glosses कमनाः as कामुकाः, confirming the reference to their enamored lovers.
Passage 22
बाला युवानश्च तथैव वृद्धाः सर्वे जनाः सोत्सवपूर्णचित्ताः। सीताजनो जातमुदो विरेजुर्यथैव साकेतपुराधिवासाः॥२२॥
Children, youths, and elders—all the people, their hearts filled with festival—shone with the joy born of Sītā just like the inhabitants of Sāketa.
Passage 23
कलाकलापाः सहसाऽविरासुर्विलासभूमौ जनकेन्द्रपुत्र्याः। दिने दिने शैशवमुत्तरन्ती कैशोरमेषा वयसा प्रपेदे॥२३॥
Hosts of arts suddenly manifested in the playground of Janaka's daughter. Day by day she crossed beyond childhood and entered adolescence.
Passage 24
कैशोरमारभ्य रघूत्तमस्य संशृण्वती साऽथ गुणान् मनोज्ञान्। रोमाञ्चसंदोहचिताङ्गयष्टिः प्रकम्पमाना ददृशे सखीभिः॥२४॥
From the onset of adolescence, whenever she heard the captivating virtues of the best of the Raghus, her companions saw her slender body covered in waves of horripilation and trembling.
Passage 25
नवं प्रमोदप्रचुरं वयः सा कैशोरमासाद्य विराजमाना। अत्यर्थमादौ सुरभेर्बभूव सपल्लवा काञ्चनवल्लरीव॥२५॥
Entering the fresh, joy-filled age of adolescence, she shone like a golden creeper newly covered in fragrant young leaves.
Passage 26
अथास्याश्चरितं वच्ये मुक्तिदानक्रियात्मकम्। ये जीवा वेदशास्त्राणां निन्दका गुरुनिन्दकाः॥२६॥
Now I shall tell of her deed whose very nature is the granting of liberation. Those souls who reviled the Vedas and śāstras and slandered their gurus—
Passage 27
अभ्यागतार्चारहिताः शुद्धकायाश्च पुण्यतः। ते जीवा जानकीजन्मन्युत्पन्नाः कर्मयोगतः॥२७॥
who failed to honor guests and possessed purified bodies only through residual merit—those souls, through the operation of karma, were born at the time of Jānakī's birth.
Passage 28
वृक्षगुल्मलतारूपाः पशुपक्ष्यादिरूपिणः। तद्वीक्षणक्षणेनैव धूतपापकदम्बकाः॥२८॥
They took the forms of trees, bushes, creepers, animals, birds, and other beings; in the very instant of her glance, their masses of sin were shaken away.
Passage 29
जीवन्मुक्ता बभूवुर्वै येषां मुक्तिश्च नान्यतः। ये जीवाः कामिकाश्चैव यज्ञकर्मपरायणाः॥२९॥
They became liberated while living, though liberation could have come to them from nowhere else. Other souls were governed by desire and wholly devoted to sacrificial rites—
Passage 30
शुद्धान्वयोऽद्रवा देवा अयोध्यारामनिन्दकाः। सीमानः कर्मनिष्ठानां भक्तिनिष्ठाविदूषकाः॥३०॥
proud of lineage and status, revilers of Rāma of Ayodhyā, extremists among the ritualists, and mockers of those established in devotion. Source note: The first pāda is densely and irregularly printed. The visible sequence शुद्धान्वयोऽद्रवा देवा is preserved; the English follows the surrounding catalogue of spiritually obstructive identities without silently inventing a smoother Sanskrit reading.
Passage 31
सीतोपासननिन्दायां प्रसक्ता भवदूषकाः। तेषामासुरनिष्ठानां जीवानां मूढचेतसाम्॥३१॥
They were attached to reviling the worship of Sītā and corrupted the world—souls of deluded mind established in demonic ways.
Passage 32
सीताजन्मोद्भवानां वै वृक्षगुल्मादिरूपिणाम्। पशुपक्ष्यादिदेहानां विमुक्तिर्दर्शनात्तदा॥३२॥
Those born at Sītā's birth in the forms of trees, bushes, animals, birds, and other bodies attained liberation at that time merely through seeing her.
Passage 33
रामेण मोचिता ये न ये न ज्ञानेन मोचिताः। दृढपाशैः कर्मभिर्ये बद्धाः सांसारिकाः जनाः॥३३॥
Worldly people whom even Rāma had not yet liberated and whom knowledge had not freed—those bound by the strong fetters of karma—
Passage 34
सीताजन्मप्रसंगेन तांस्तारयति निश्चितम्। इममर्थं पुरस्कृत्य प्रादुर्भूतेयमद्भुता॥३४॥
she certainly carried across through the occasion of Sītā's birth. With this very purpose foremost, the wondrous one manifested.
Passage 35
नान्यथा मोचनं तेषां जानक्या दर्शनं विना। अयमेवानुभावोऽस्या आनन्दिन्याश्चिदाकृतेः॥३५॥
For them there was no other release without the sight of Jānakī. Such is the unique power of this Ānandinī whose form is consciousness.
Passage 36
स्वरूपेणैव सामर्थ्याच्च मोचयति चेतनान्। दर्शनात् स्पर्शनाल्लापात्पादनिक्षेपणात्तथा॥३६॥
Through the intrinsic power of her own nature she liberates conscious beings—through sight, touch, speech, and even the placing of her feet.
Passage 37
अङ्गप्रसङ्गिनो वातात्तारिता बहवस्तथा। एतद्धि शैशवं कर्म तस्याः सामर्थ्यसंयुतम्॥३७॥
Many were likewise carried across by the very breeze that had touched her limbs. Such was the deed of her childhood, endowed with her innate power. Source note: The first compound is tightly printed; अङ्गप्रसङ्गिनो वातात् is retained in the natural contextual sense of wind that had come into contact with her body.
Passage 38
मूढभावानुकरणे मर्यादात्रयलङ्घिता। मूढभावं समुत्तीर्य कैशोरे सा व्यवस्थिता॥३८॥
While imitating the unknowing condition of a child she passed beyond the three ordinary limits; crossing beyond that childlike condition, she became established in adolescence.
Passage 39
मुनीनां ज्ञानिनां चित्ते योगिनां च विशेषतः। निजदर्शनमात्रेण प्रेमाणं साव्यवर्धयत्॥३९॥
By the mere sight of herself, she increased love in the hearts of sages and knowers, and especially in yogis.
Passage 40
ततः प्रेमप्रभावेण बभूवुर्भक्तिसंयुताः। एतत्कैशोरकं कर्म तस्या लीलानुभावनम्॥४०॥
Through the power of that love they became endowed with devotion. This was the deed of her adolescence, revealing the potency of her līlā.
Passage 41
श्रोतव्यं स्मरणीयं च रामलीलारसाधिकम्। अन्यच्चापि वयस्तस्या नित्यलीलाचिदाकृतेः॥४१॥
This age of hers, rich in the rasa of Rāma's līlā, is to be heard and remembered, as are her other ages; for her eternal play has the form of consciousness.
Passage 42
अवस्थारूपनियतं चरित्रं जन्मतारकम्। लीला गुणाश्चरित्रं च तस्याः संसारतारकम्॥४२॥
Her conduct, expressed through successive stages of life, makes birth itself a means of crossing over. Her līlā, virtues, and deeds carry beings across saṃsāra.
Passage 43
अस्या जनिस्त्वेतदर्थं विज्ञेयाखिलकोविदैः। तारयन्ती जनांस्तांस्तान् स्वलीलारसरञ्जिता॥४३॥
All who truly know should understand that she was born for this purpose: delighting in the rasa of her own līlā, she carries each and every being across.
Passage 44
ववृधे जानकी गेहे पितुरानन्दकारिणी। बाललीलारसं भूयः शीलयन्ती स्वभावतः॥४४॥
Jānakī grew in her father's home, bringing him joy and naturally cultivating again and again the rasa of childhood play.
Passage 45
कैशोरं जुषमाणापि ददृशे बाल्यशालिनी। रूपं तस्याः समुद्वीक्ष्य त्रैलोक्यवरयोषिताम्॥४५॥
Even while enjoying adolescence, she appeared graced with childhood. When the finest women of the three worlds beheld her beauty—
Passage 46
व्यगलत्सौन्दर्यमदः सद्य एव समन्ततः। तन्मायामोहिताः केचिच्चित्ते च कमिरे जनाः॥४६॥
their pride in beauty immediately melted away on every side. Some people, deluded by her Māyā, desired her within their hearts.
Passage 47
रावणस्तां समाकर्ण्य त्रैलोक्येऽनन्यसुन्दरीम्। बाणश्चापि महावीरश्चुक्षोभ हृदये स्वके॥४७॥
Hearing that she was without equal in beauty throughout the three worlds, Rāvaṇa and the mighty hero Bāṇa became agitated in their hearts.
Passage 48
अथो जनकराजेन पणीचक्रे स्वके हृदि। य इदं शाम्भवं चापं समाकृष्याधिरोपयेत्॥४८॥
Then King Janaka made this vow in his heart: “Whoever can draw and string this bow of Śambhu—
Passage 49
स मे कन्यां समुद्वाह्य पाणिग्रहविधानतः। लोकोत्तरगुणारामो यास्यते मम मान्यताम्॥४९॥
will marry my daughter through the rite of taking her hand. Abounding in virtues beyond the world, he will earn my honor.”
Passage 50
सर्वे वितथसंरम्भा बभूवुश्चापरोपणे। जातः स्वयंवरारम्भस्तस्याः षड्वार्षिके वये॥५०॥
Every contender's proud effort to string the bow proved futile. Her svayaṃvara began when she was in her sixth year. Source note: The edition marks the age expression as an archaic usage; the printed sense is retained without harmonizing it to later narrative chronologies.
Passage 51
विश्वामित्रेण मुनिना कृतदिव्यपराक्रमः। दत्तास्त्रशस्त्रसंदोहस्तत्रार्यो नीत एव सः॥५१॥
The noble Rāma—whose divine valor had been revealed and to whom the sage Viśvāmitra had given hosts of celestial weapons—was brought there by that very sage.
Passage 52
स भङ्क्त्वा शाम्भवं चापं महावीर्यं दुरासदम्। पश्यतां सर्ववीराणामुद्वाह स्वयं प्रियाम्॥५२॥
He broke Śambhu's mighty and unassailable bow before the eyes of all the heroes and married his beloved himself.
Passage 53
आद्वीपान्तस्थितो भूपाः सर्वे ये तत्र संगताः। गतमानास्तनुं पूजां समादाय गृहान् ययुः॥५३॥
All the kings gathered there from lands extending to the ends of the islands lost their pride, accepted a token honor, and returned home.
Passage 54
संजाता महती पूजा तत्रार्यस्य स्वयंवरे। कथमन्यस्य सा चार्हा सिंहस्येव बलिः पशोः॥५४॥
Great honor arose there for the noble Rāma at the svayaṃvara. How could she have been fit for another, any more than a lion's offering could belong to a lesser beast?
Passage 55
तत्र स्वयंवरे पूर्वं संगतौ बाणरावणौ। भग्नमानौ ततो भूत्वा हरचापाधिरोपणे। ययतुः स्वगृहे तौ च श्रीरामासूययाञ्चितौ॥५५॥
Bāṇa and Rāvaṇa had earlier assembled at that svayaṃvara. Their pride broken in the attempt to string Hara's bow, the two returned to their homes filled with jealousy toward Śrī Rāma.
Passage 56
समासाद्य प्रियां रामः स्वयं श्रीपुरुषोत्तमः। जनकस्य गृहे रम्ये मुमोद परया मुदा॥५६॥ Having obtained his beloved, Rāma—Śrī Puruṣottama himself—rejoiced with supreme delight in Janaka's lovely palace. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे पश्चिमखण्डे भरतलक्ष्मणीये श्रीशुकजनकसंवादे सीताजन्मोत्सवे सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः॥७०॥
Thus ends Chapter Seventy, during the celebration of Sītā's birth, in the dialogue of Śrī Śuka and Janaka, in the Bharata-Lakṣmaṇa section of the Paścima-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa. पश्चिमखण्डः समाप्तः॥** Thus ends the Paścima-khaṇḍa.