Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— तत्र केचिज्जना धन्याः प्रमोदवनवासिनः। अयोध्यास्थं रामचन्द्रं भजमाना अनन्यवत्॥१॥
Brahmā said: There were certain blessed people, inhabitants of Pramoda Forest, who worshiped Rāmacandra dwelling in Ayodhyā with exclusive devotion.
Passage 2
ऊचिरे वचनं तुष्ट्या तेषु नित्योपसत्तयः। कृतार्थं मन्यमानाः स्वं पुरुषोत्तमदर्शिनः॥२॥
Always devoted to him, they spoke these words with delight. Beholding Puruṣottama, they regarded themselves as fulfilled.
Passage 3
जना ऊचुः— ईश प्रमोदविपिने नटवेषवेषी गोपाङ्गनावलयरासविलासकादीन्। यत्त्वं चकार मणिरत्नकिरीटशाली तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥३॥
The people said: Lord, adorned with a crown of jewels and dressed in a dancer's costume, you performed rāsa, delights, and other pastimes amid the circle of cowherd women in Pramoda Forest. Do you still remember them, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 4
यच्चित्रकूटगिरिकन्दरगह्वरेषु त्रैलोक्यराजनरदेवकुमारिकाभिः। त्वं भूरि दुष्करविलासभरेररंसीस्तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥४॥
In the deep caves of Mount Citrakūṭa you reveled abundantly in extraordinary pastimes with the princesses of the human and divine kings of the three worlds. Do you still remember them, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 5
यत्त्वं मनोज्ञसरयूपुलिनाङ्गणेषु चान्द्रीः क्षपाः क्षपितसर्वजगत्तमिस्राः। साकं श्रिया विहरसे परयानुरक्त्या तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥५॥
On the enchanting courtyards of the Sarayū's sandbanks, through moonlit nights that dispelled the darkness of the whole world, you sported with Śrī in supreme love. Do you still remember them, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 6
सामानि ऋग्यजुरथर्वऋचः स्ववश्याधेनूः शुभाः सुखकदम्बभृताः सवत्साः। यत्त्वं वने किमपि चारितवान् सजोषं तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥६॥
The Sāman melodies and the verses of the Ṛg, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas became auspicious, obedient cows with calves, bearing clusters of happiness, whom you lovingly grazed in the forest. Do you still remember them, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 7
यत्त्वं प्रमोदवनमध्यगतो विशालप्रासाददिव्यशिखरे व्रजसुन्दरीभ्यः। हारान् ददौ मधुपुरी मथ कोसलां च तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥७॥
In the midst of Pramoda Forest, upon the divine summit of the vast palace, you bestowed garlands upon the Vraja maidens, with Madhupurī and then Kosala present in the play. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 8
यद्राजसूनुपदवीमभिपद्य धन्यामाभीरराजसुतभावकरीं चकार। स्वच्छन्दकेलिकलयातिसुखं चकार तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥८॥
Assuming the station of a royal prince, you brought about the blessed mood of a cowherd king's son and created surpassing joy through the art of unrestricted play. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 9
साकेतधामवसतेर्महिषीं परां तां विज्ञाय पूर्णतमसर्वकलाधिराज्ञीम्। आनन्ददो व्रजवधूवलये समस्ते तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥९॥
Knowing that supreme queen of the Sāketa abode as the fullest sovereign of every art, you bestowed bliss throughout the entire circle of Vraja women. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 10
यद्दिव्यसाधननिशासु निकुञ्जभूमौ यावद्व्रजास्त्रिरचिराणि वपूंषि धृत्वा। योगीव योगकलया सहितोऽतिरेमे तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१०॥
During the nights of divine practice in the bower-land, assuming three beautiful bodies through the extent of Vraja, you sported intensely like a yogī endowed with the power of yoga. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 11
यत्त्वं प्रमोदवनविघ्नकरस्वभूतान् दैत्यानजीघनदहो निशि लक्ष्मणेन। ब्रह्मायुषोऽपि परतो विचकार केलिं तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥११॥
At night you had Lakṣmaṇa slay the demons whose very nature was to obstruct Pramoda Forest, and then extended your play beyond even Brahmā's lifespan. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 12
कृत्वा व्रजे निमिषमात्रमितं स्वकालं चक्रे प्रमोदविपिने युगकोटिकेलीः। तद्दृष्ट्वा विस्मितमना अभवद्विरञ्चिस्तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१२॥
Making your own time in Vraja equal to a single blink, you performed millions of ages of pastimes in Pramoda Forest. Seeing this, Brahmā's mind was astonished. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 13
यत्त्वं वनेष्वनुदिनं खलु चारयन् गाः गोपाकृतः पशुविहङ्गगणाभिरामः। वेणुं क्वणन् जगदमोहयदात्ममूर्त्या तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१३॥
Day after day in the forests, in a cowherd's form delightful to animals and birds, you grazed the cows, sounded the flute, and enchanted the world with your own form. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 14
वेणुं करे दधदनङ्गपरार्धवेषो दिव्यः स कोऽपि नटराज इवातिमुग्धः। यत्त्वं पशूनपि खगान् वशयांश्चकार तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१४॥
Holding the flute in your hand, dressed with beauty surpassing countless Loves, divine and utterly captivating like the king of dancers, you brought even animals and birds under your spell. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 15
यत्ते वियोगभववह्निपरिप्रदीप्तं तापं वने विहरतो मिलतः प्रदोषे। गोपाङ्गनामुखविलोकनतो व्यमुञ्च तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१५॥
While you wandered the forest and met them at dusk, the blazing heat born from separation left you at the sight of the cowherd women's faces. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 16
यन्नो वियोगभयभुग्नहृदो निरीक्ष्य सम्मूर्च्छतः सुखितगोपपतिव्रजस्थान्। आनीतवानसि पणं कमपीह कृत्वा तत्किं मुहुः स्मरसि राघव राजसूनो॥१६॥
Seeing our hearts bent by fear of separation and seeing us faint, you made a certain pledge and brought the gladdened lord of the cowherds from Vraja. Do you still remember it, O Rāghava, royal prince?
Passage 17
नास्माकमत्र भवतः सविधे स्थितानां कश्चित्प्रमोदवनविच्छिदजोऽनुतापः। भूयः कदापि सुखितव्रजभूमिपालमाद्यैकादृशि सुखं वितनिष्यसि त्वम्॥१७॥
Here, while standing near you, we feel no sorrow born of separation from Pramoda Forest. But when will you again extend happiness of this same kind to the gladdened protector of Vraja's land?
Passage 18
ते ते सखाय उदयाद्विरहातुरास्ते तास्ते प्रियाः विलुलितास्तव विप्रयोगात्। ते च प्रमोदवनपक्षिगणास्तमोन्धास्तान् किं मुहुर्न सुखयिष्यसि राघवेन्द्र॥१८॥
Those friends of yours are tormented by separation from dawn onward; those beloved women are distraught in your absence; and those flocks of birds in Pramoda Forest are blinded by darkness. When, Rāghavendra, will you gladden them again?
Passage 19
त्वद्विप्रयोगदशया प्रमुदाटवीस्था नैव स्मरन्ति किमपि स्वमपि प्रभावम्। उन्मत्तवद्विनिगदन्ति चलन्ति भान्ति पश्यन्ति सन्ति विवलन्ति परिभ्रमन्ति॥१९॥
Because of the condition brought by separation from you, the dwellers in Pramoda Forest remember nothing, not even their own powers. Like the mad, they speak, move, appear, stare, remain, reel, and wander about.
Passage 20
तेषां त्वमप्रतिमहृच्छयवेदनार्तिं स्वास्येन्दुदर्शनसुधारससेचनेन। भूयो हरिष्यसि कथं न परानुकम्पावश्यात्मनां त्वमसि यत्खलु सार्वभौमः॥२०॥
How could you not once again remove their anguish from incomparable heart-born pain by bathing them in the nectar of the sight of your moonlike face? For you, sovereign Lord, are inwardly governed by compassion for others. Printed note: नास्ति—बड़ौ०। — The marked colophon is absent in the Baroda witness.