Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— गतेषु तेषु लोकेषु प्रमोदवनवासिनः। कांश्चिज्जनान् स्वपार्श्वस्थानब्रवीदङ्ग गोपरूपिणः॥१॥
Brahmā said: When those people had gone, Rāma addressed some residents of Pramoda Forest who stood beside him in cowherd form, dear one.
Passage 2
श्रीराम उवाच— हंहो गोपाः सर्वमहं स्मरामि तत् पुरा कृतम्। यत् प्रमोदवने जातं दिव्यं मे केलिकौतुकम्॥२॥
Śrī Rāma said: Ah, cowherds, I remember everything that happened long ago—every divine wonder of play that arose for me in Pramoda Forest.
Passage 3
को विस्मरेत्तादृशमद्भुतं सुखं माङ्गल्यकायाः सदनेऽनुभूतम्। तद्वात्सल्यं सुखितगवेन्द्रश्रीमन्माङ्गल्यानिरुपमसौख्यदापि॥३॥
Who could forget such wondrous happiness, experienced in Māṅgalyakā's home—her parental affection, the joy of the lord of the cattle, and blessed Māṅgalya's incomparable gift of happiness?
Passage 4
कथं गोपाः प्राप्य गृहं दाशरथ्यं साम्राज्यलक्ष्मीमपि विस्मरेयम्। त्रैलोक्यराज्यं यत्र निर्मञ्छनं स्यात् साम्राज्यलक्ष्मीर्न तदर्हापि स्यात्॥४॥
Cowherds, how could I forget it merely because I entered Daśaratha's house and received imperial fortune? Before that pastoral wealth, sovereignty over the three worlds would be only an offering waved away, and imperial fortune would not even be worthy of comparison.
Passage 5
कथं गोपास्तादृशीं प्रेमवृद्धिं तदानन्दं वाप्यहं विस्मरेयम्। तेते विलासा वनवीथीषु शश्वत् केलीकुञ्जाभ्यन्तरेषु प्रसङ्गाः॥५॥
Cowherds, how could I forget such an increase of love and such bliss—the many sports forever enacted along the forest paths and the episodes within the bowers of play?
Passage 6
तत्तत्पयोदधिहैयङ्गवीनेर्मिष्टं स्वेष्टं प्राशनं काननेषु। स्वैरं स्वैरं तांश्च केलीविलासाद् भ्रामं भ्रामं तानि चौद्धत्यकानि। गायं गायं ते च रसौघास्वादाः स्मारं स्मारं यानहं मूर्छितोऽस्मि॥६॥
There was the eating in the woods of every favorite sweet preparation of milk, curd, and fresh butter; the free wandering from sport to sport and all that joyous boldness; and those repeated songs and tastes of floods of rasa. Remembering them again and again, I fall into a swoon.
Passage 7
अहो अत्यद्भुतं तत्तत्प्रमोदवनवीथिषु। खेलनं वेलनं नृत्यं चलनं वलनं तथा॥७॥
How utterly wonderful were the many games, movements, dances, steps, and turns along the paths of Pramoda Forest!
Passage 8
तद्वै प्रमोदविपिनं ता रम्याः कुञ्जभूमयः। गुम्फनं गुञ्जाहाराणां सा पुष्पाभरणक्रिया॥८॥
There was that very Pramoda grove, those lovely bower grounds, the stringing of guñjā garlands, and the making of flower ornaments.
Passage 9
सङ्गे गोपालबालानां तत्तत्क्रीडनमद्भुतम्। क्रीडने च रसोल्लासे मधुरं वेणुवादनम्॥९॥
There were those wondrous games among the cowherd boys and, as rasa surged in play, the sweet sounding of the flute.
Passage 10
नर्तनं तन्मयूराणां मदङ्गमुदितात्मनाम्। प्रमोदवटमूले तद्गानं चापि कलैः स्वरैः॥१०॥
There was the dancing of peacocks whose hearts rejoiced at my form, and the singing in graceful notes beneath the Pramoda banyan.
Passage 11
इत्येवमनिशं गोपाश्चिन्तयतो भावयतो मम। दृशोरायाति तत्साक्षात् सर्वं विहरणं मम॥११॥
Cowherds, as I think and dwell upon all this without cease, every one of those pastimes appears directly before my eyes.
Passage 12
तत्रापि काञ्चित्परमां सहजानन्दिनीश्रियम्। स्मारं स्मारं केवलं मे हृदयं न विदीर्यते॥१२॥
Above all, as I remember again and again the supreme beauty of Sahajānandinī, it is only by some wonder that my heart does not split apart.
Passage 13
तत्कारणं प्रायशो मन्ये एकमेव सुनिश्चितम्। अद्य श्वस्तत्र यास्यामीत्याशाबन्धेन रक्षणम्॥१३॥
I think there is only one certain reason: my heart is preserved by the bond of hope that today or tomorrow I shall go there. Printed note: पादेऽस्मिन्नक्षराधिक्यमार्षः — the excess syllable in this quarter is sanctioned as archaic.
Passage 14
तावद्गोपालबाला वः समाज्ञायास्य समागतः। पणं कृत्वा झटित्येव यास्यामि प्रमुदाटवीम्॥१४॥
Cowherd boys, I came here bound by the word I gave you. Having made that pledge, I shall swiftly go to Pramoda Forest.
Passage 15
अधुना खलु जानीत शेषकालः समागतः। सर्वशः कृतमत्रेत्यावता स्वार्थप्रयोजनम्॥१५॥
Know now that the remaining moment has arrived. The purpose for which I came here has by this time been fulfilled in every respect.
Passage 16
तथा हि रक्षिता देवा यज्ञाश्चापि सुरक्षिताः। त्रयी च रक्षिता नूनं पापेभ्यो धर्मरक्षणात्॥१६॥
The gods have indeed been protected, the sacrifices made secure, and the threefold Veda preserved from the wicked through the protection of dharma.
Passage 17
साधवो रक्षिता नूनं भक्ताः स्वानन्यरक्षणाः। ब्राह्मणानां परो धर्मश्चालितश्चैव पालितः॥१७॥
The holy have been protected, as have the devotees who take me alone as protector, and the supreme dharma of the brahmins has been set in motion and maintained.
Passage 18
हता देवद्रुहोऽशेषा भूमिर्निष्कण्टका कृता। पित्रोर्भक्तिमतोश्चित्ते बहुजन्मावधिस्फुटः॥१८॥
All enemies of the gods have been slain and the earth made free of thorns. In the hearts of my devoted parents, the longing that had remained manifest for many births—
Passage 19
अभिलाषः सफलतां नीतः सङ्गमाताचिरम्। अयोध्यास्थः परिकरः सकलश्च प्रमोदितः॥१९॥
has quickly been brought to fulfillment through our union, and my entire retinue dwelling in Ayodhyā has been made joyful.
Passage 20
एतावदेव सकलमत्रागमनकारणम्। जातप्रायं तु तत्सर्वमयोध्यास्थजनान् प्रति॥२०॥
This alone was the whole reason for my coming here, and nearly all of it has now been accomplished for the people dwelling in Ayodhyā.
Passage 21
अतः परं प्रयास्यामि प्रमोदवनमेव तत्। असंशयं स सफलो भवत्सु मामकः पणः॥२१॥
From here I shall go onward to that very Pramoda Forest. My pledge to you will without doubt be fulfilled.
Passage 22
भवद्भिरपि दृष्टेयमयोध्या नाम मे पुरी। अनन्तकौतुकं दृष्टं तत्र यास्याम्यतः परम्। धैर्यमालम्ब्य तिष्ठध्वं सत्यवाग् जनितोऽस्म्यहम्॥२२॥
You too have now seen this city of mine named Ayodhyā and beheld its endless wonders. From here I shall go there. Remain steadfast and take courage: I was born as one whose word is true.
Passage 23
अव्यक्तां गतिमापन्नो गत्वा प्रमुदकानने। भवद्भिः सह क्रीडिष्येऽव्यक्तां च गतिमागतैः॥२३॥
Having become unmanifest and gone to Pramoda Forest, I shall sport there with you when you too have attained the unmanifest state.