Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— अथ लोकजनैः सार्धं यातुकामः प्रमुद्वनम्। भगवान् घोषयामास दुन्दुभिं कोसलापुरे॥१॥
Brahmā said: Then, wishing to go to Pramoda Forest together with the people, the Blessed Lord caused a drum to be sounded throughout the city of Kosala.
Passage 2
अद्य गन्तास्म्यहं स्वीयं प्रमोदविपिनं परम्। आयान्तु ये जनास्तत्र यातुकामा मया सह॥२॥
“Today I shall go to my own supreme Pramoda Forest. Let all people who wish to go there with me come.”
Passage 3
स्नात्वा सरय्वाः सलिले दत्त्वा दानानि भूरिशः। प्रविशन्तु परं रन्ध्रं सरयूतीरभूमिगम्॥३॥
“After bathing in the Sarayū's water and giving abundant gifts, let them enter the supreme opening situated upon the Sarayū's bank.
Passage 4
गच्छन्तु सर्वे प्रमोदविपिनं धाम मामकम्। न यत्र कालमायाद्याः कुतोऽन्यद्वस्तु तद्वशम्॥४॥
Let everyone go to Pramoda Forest, my own abode, where time, Māyā, and the rest do not exist—much less anything subject to them.
Passage 5
तत्र नित्यं मया सार्धं मोदन्तां नित्यलीलया। अमन्दानन्दसन्दोहभाजो भूरिसुमङ्गलाः॥५॥
There let those greatly blessed souls share an undiminished mass of bliss and rejoice with me forever in eternal līlā.”
Passage 6
इति दुन्दुभिनिर्घोषमाकर्ण्य पुरवासिनः। दारापत्यसुहृद्बन्धुमित्रभृत्यादिभिः सह॥६॥
Hearing this proclamation of the drum, the city dwellers came with wives, children, well-wishers, relatives, friends, servants, and others.
Passage 7
आगोपमाश्वपचमापण्डितवरद्विजम्। आकीटपशुपक्ष्यादि गृहीतधिषणा जनाः॥७॥
From cowherds and dog-cookers up to learned and eminent brahmins—and extending even to insects, animals, birds, and the rest—all beings received awakened understanding.
Passage 8
सद्यः समुद्भूतबोधाः स्वरूपबलतो हरेः। सञ्जातात्मप्रकाशाश्च स्वराज्यपदगन्तुकाः॥८॥
Knowledge arose in them at once through the power of Hari's own nature. Their selves illumined, they prepared to enter the station of their own true kingdom.
Passage 9
आययुः सरयूं नाम नदीं विश्वविमोक्षिणीम्। हंससारसचक्राह्वकादम्बकुलकेलिनीम्॥९॥
They came to the river named Sarayū, liberator of the universe, where clans of swans, cranes, cakravākas, and kādambas sported.
Passage 10
हेमरत्नसमाबद्धकान्तोभयतटान्विताम्। मन्दारपारिजातादितरुमालोपवीतिनीम्॥१०॥
Its two lovely banks were set with gold and jewels, and it wore a sacred thread of rows of mandāra, pārijāta, and other trees.
Passage 11
मन्दानिलसमुत्क्षिप्ततरङ्गशतसङ्कुलाम्। पूजितां सुरगन्धर्वयक्षराक्षसकिन्नरैः॥११॥
Hundreds of waves stirred beneath gentle winds, and gods, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kinnaras worshiped the river.
Passage 12
पीयूषोज्ज्वलपानीयां राजहंसनिषेविताम्। तत्रैव ददृशुः सर्वे रामं रघुकुलोद्वहम्॥१२॥
Its water shone like nectar and royal swans attended it. There everyone beheld Rāma, the exalted scion of Raghu's lineage.
Passage 13
विष्वक्सेनमत्सुग्रीवनलनीलाङ्गदादिभिः। कपीन्द्रैः सेवकश्रेष्ठैः सेव्यमानं मुदान्वितम्॥१३॥
Joyful Rāma was served by Viṣvaksena, Sugrīva, Nala, Nīla, Aṅgada, and other lords of monkeys, the finest of servants.
Passage 14
युतं सौमित्रिभरतशत्रुघ्नैर्भ्रातृभिर्निजैः। श्रीमज्जनकपुत्र्या च विस्फुरद्वामविग्रहम्॥१४॥
His own brothers Saumitri, Bharata, and Śatrughna accompanied him, while Janaka's splendid daughter shone upon the left side of his form.
Passage 15
अपि पद्माविशालाभ्यां वीजितोभयचामरम्। पुरस्ताच्चापि भारत्या स्तुतं वीणाढ्यहस्तया॥१५॥
Padmā and Viśālā fanned him from both sides with chowries, while Bhāratī stood before him, praising him with a vīṇā in her hand.
Passage 16
गीयमानं च गन्धर्वैर्वेदमूर्तिधरैरिव। सर्वतो जयशब्देन संवर्धितयशोभरम्॥१६॥
Gandharvas sang of him as though the Vedas had taken form, and cries of victory from every side increased the abundance of his glory.
Passage 17
तार्क्ष्यविष्वक्सेनमुखैः पार्षदैरपि सेवितम्। शेषादिभिः स्तूयमानं वाचस्पतिभिरुन्मुखैः॥१७॥
Tārkṣya, Viṣvaksena, and other attendants served him, while Śeṣa and eloquent sages facing him offered praise.
Passage 18
तत्र वाद्यत्सु वाद्येषु जयनिर्घोषशालिषु। भेरीमृदङ्गनिःस्वानझर्झरीपटहादिषु॥१८॥
Instruments resounded there with triumphant noise—kettledrums, mṛdaṅgas, clashing cymbals, paṭahas, and others.
Passage 19
मुखरीक्रियमाणेषु दिङ्मुखेषु समन्ततः। तूर्यत्रिकनिनादेन नभस्याकुलिते सति॥१९॥
Every quarter rang aloud, while the sky itself became filled with the sound of the threefold ensemble.
Passage 20
वर्षत्सु देववर्येषु कल्पद्रुकुसुमोत्करम्। उत्साहसंयुतेष्वद्धा स्तुवत्सु प्रवरर्षिषु॥२०॥
The foremost gods showered masses of wish-fulfilling-tree flowers, while eminent seers praised him with ardent joy.
Passage 21
नत्वा नत्वा विभुं रामं सम्प्रयुक्तास्तदाज्ञया। ममज्जुर्मानवाः सर्वे सरयूसलिलेऽमले॥२१॥
Bowing again and again to all-powerful Rāma and impelled by his command, all the human beings immersed themselves in the stainless Sarayū.
Passage 22
अथ प्रविविशुः शुद्धा रामकुञ्जमनुत्तमम्। सदारापत्यसुहृदः सभृत्यसखिबान्धवाः॥२२॥
Purified, they then entered the unsurpassed bower of Rāma together with wives, children, well-wishers, servants, friends, and kin.
Passage 23
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रा अवरयोनिजाः। वर्णसङ्करजाश्चापि चाण्डालाः श्वपचादयः॥२३॥
Brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, those born in lower wombs, people of mixed caste, caṇḍālas, dog-cookers, and others all entered.
Passage 24
भिल्लाः खसाः पुलिन्दाश्च हूणाश्चान्ध्राः सहस्रशः। वधिकाः यवनाश्चापि नानाजात्यधमा अपि॥२४॥
Thousands of Bhillas, Khasas, Pulindas, Hūṇas, Āndhras, hunters, Yavanas, and people regarded as lowest among many communities entered as well.
Passage 25
पशवः पक्षिणः कीटा यूकादंशघुणादयः। जन्तवोऽनेकजातीया एकद्वित्रीन्द्रिया अपि॥२५॥
Animals, birds, insects, lice, biting creatures, grubs, and beings of many kinds possessing only one, two, or three senses came too.
Passage 26
ते सर्वे दिव्यवपुषो भूत्वा सपदि तत्क्षणात्। पश्यतामेव देवानां भासयन्तो दिशोऽखिलाः॥२६॥
In that very instant they all received divine bodies. Before the watching gods, they illumined every direction.
Passage 27
आरुह्य देवयानानि गीयमानाश्च किन्नरैः। प्रययुः प्रमोदवनं दिव्यं तत्तमसः परम्॥२७॥
They mounted divine vehicles and, praised in song by kinnaras, journeyed to that divine Pramoda Forest beyond darkness.
Passage 28
न यत्र मायाखिललोकमोहिनी न कालशक्तिः कलनात्मिका तथा। न कर्मजन्यैश्च फलैः प्रसञ्जनं यदेकरूपं सदसत्परं जगुः॥२८॥
There the Māyā that bewilders every world does not exist, nor time's calculating power, nor attachment through fruits born of action. The wise proclaim it one in nature and beyond both manifest and unmanifest.
Passage 29
यत्सच्चिदानन्दमशेषमद्भुतं विशेषहीनं तमसः परं पदम्। प्रभावतः श्रीरघुवल्लभस्य तद्गता अनर्हा अपि साधनैर्विना॥२९॥
That station is complete and wondrous existence, consciousness, and bliss, without differentiation and beyond darkness. Through Śrī Raghunātha's power, even those considered unworthy reached it without disciplines.
Passage 30
एवं विधाय सकलानपि तान् पुरस्ताज्जीवान् पुरीपरिसरेऽपि वसन्ति येऽन्ये। पश्चात्स्वयं स भगवानखिलात्मभूतः सीतापतिः परिकरैः सहितो जगाम॥३०॥
Having first sent all of them ahead, including other beings dwelling around the city, the Blessed Lord and Self of all, Sītā's husband, himself followed with his retinue.
Passage 31
आसीद्यावद्दिनं तत्सकलमपि रवः काहलः श्रीसरय्वास्तोये सम्मज्जतां श्रीरघुपतिमयतां गच्छतां रामकुञ्जम्। शश्वत्तेषां जनानामपि सकलदिशो भासितास्तद्विमानैमैक्षत्रैर्व्याप्यमाना इव किमपि बभुविश्वतो ध्वान्तवर्जाः॥३१॥
For as long as that day endured, a vast tumult arose from those immersing themselves in the blessed Sarayū, becoming absorbed in Śrī Raghupati, and going to Rāma's bower. Their vehicles perpetually lit every direction, which seemed entirely filled with celestial brilliance and became everywhere free of darkness.
Passage 32
रामस्तेषां वास्तवे दिव्यरूपां विश्वस्योच्चैर्निर्ममौ स्वां पुरीं ताम्। या वै साक्षादियमेवास्त्ययोध्या सुध्राकारा परिखाश्रेणियुक्ता॥३२॥
For their true dwelling Rāma manifested his own city in a divine form, high above the universe. It was this very Ayodhyā itself, splendid in form and girdled by rows of moats.
Passage 33
तस्या ईशः स्वयमानन्दमूर्तिर्नित्यं लीलारससन्दोहमग्नः। नीत्वा तस्यामखिलान् जीवसङ्घान् दत्त्वानन्दं वासयामास नित्यम्॥३३॥
As its Lord, himself the embodiment of bliss and forever immersed in the abundance of līlā-rasa, Rāma brought every community of beings there, gave them bliss, and established them eternally.
Passage 34
अन्तर्हिते कोसलायां चराचरपतौ तदा। तेनैव परमाज्ञप्ता ज्ञाततत्त्वाः स्वरूपतः॥३४॥
When the Lord of moving and unmoving beings disappeared in Kosala, those who knew truth through their own realized nature received his supreme command.
Passage 35
व्रजमाजग्मुरुदारचित्ताः सुन्दरनन्दननीलललामाः। राजकुमारवराः सुकुमारा ददृशुर्गोपीगोपसमूहम्॥३५॥
The noble-hearted, tender royal youths—Sundara, Nandana, Nīlalalāma, and the others—came to Vraja and saw the gathering of gopīs and cowherds.
Passage 36
तत्र गोपीजनगिरा सद्यः सन्त्यक्तसंशयाः। विचेरुर्धरणीं कृत्स्नां कृतकृत्यात्मयोगिनः॥३६॥
At the gopīs' words their doubts vanished at once. Fulfilled yogins of the Self, they wandered throughout the whole earth.
Passage 37
जनानुपदिशन्तस्ते रामभक्तिं रसोत्तराम्। जगत्कृतार्थयामासुर्लीलारसविशारदाः॥३७॥
Those masters of līlā-rasa taught people the highest rasa-filled devotion to Rāma and brought fulfillment to the world.
Passage 38
भुशुण्ड उवाच— अन्तर्हिते कोसलायां रामे रमणशालिनि। गोपिकाः किंविधा आसन् गोपाश्च गुणवत्तमाः॥३८॥
Bhuśuṇḍa said: When sportive Rāma disappeared in Kosala, what became of the gopīs and of the supremely virtuous cowherds?
Passage 39
ब्रह्मोवाच— यर्हि वा तेजोमयान् विशिखान् धनुषि सन्धाय तत्र च स्वात्मज्योतिरारोप्य भगवानपीच्यतमश्रीविग्रहः सानुजः सभार्यो दक्षिणां दिशमगात्तत्र च विराधादिवधं कृत्वा पुनः साकेतोपगमराज्यशासनान्तां राजलीलां तेनैव श्रीविग्रहेणावतारप्रयोजनमूलभूतेनाकर्षीत्॥३९॥
Brahmā said: When the Blessed Lord of supremely lovely form set radiant arrows to his bow, placed his own inner light within them, and went south with his younger brother and wife, he slew Virādha and others. Returning afterward to Sāketa, he drew out with that same blessed form the royal līlā through the end of his reign—the foundational purpose of the avatāra.
Passage 40
तर्ह्येव दिवसमारभ्य रमणीयकलाकलापपेशलो मधुरस्मितमञ्जिममण्डितमुखचन्द्रचन्द्रिकाप्रकाशधोरणीवशिताखिलस्वीयजनमानसोऽनुदिनवर्धमानलीलारसमजुषद्व्रजवासिजननितम्बिनीषु॥४०॥
Yet from that very day, accomplished in every lovely art, he continued among the women of Vraja, relishing līlā-rasa that increased each day. The streaming moonlight of his moon-face, adorned by the beauty of a sweet smile, held the minds of all his own people under its spell.
Passage 41
ततश्चेतरजननयनागोचरतया चित्रकूटाचलाखेटककालीनकपटविरहसत्यतानुसन्धानलक्षणनिजमायाकार्यं प्रकटयन्नतिशयविषमवेदनासमुद्धतसन्तापसन्ततिं स्वाप्निकोर्मीवानुभावयन्नपि तदसत्यतानुसन्धानलक्षणनिरुपधिनिजकृपाकार्यं स्वरूपानन्दसन्दोहमनुभावयामास तासाम्॥४१॥
Invisible to the eyes of other people, he manifested among them the work of his own Māyā: attention to the apparent reality of the feigned separation during the hunt at Mount Citrakūṭa, which made them experience a succession of burning torments raised by exceedingly sharp pain, like waves in a dream. Yet through the work of his unconditioned grace—recognition that this separation was not ultimately real—he also made them experience the abundance of bliss belonging to his own nature.
Passage 42
ततश्च समाप्ते निजाविर्भावप्रयोजनेऽन्तर्धित्सुर्भगवान् कमलबन्धुकुलकमलबान्धवो मान्धातृसगरभगीरथदिलीपरघुप्रमुखभूमीधवलकीर्तिकौमुदीकुमुदबन्धुर्जानकीकल्पलतालिङ्गितकल्पतरुश्रीविग्रहो भक्तजननयनानन्ददानायैव चिरं तस्थौ॥४२॥
Then, when the purpose of his manifestation was complete, the Blessed Lord wished to disappear. He was the sun of the lotus-like solar line, the moon that opened the water lilies of the spotless fame of Māndhātṛ, Sagara, Bhagīratha, Dilīpa, Raghu, and the other kings of Earth; his blessed form was a wish-fulfilling tree embraced by the wish-fulfilling vine Jānakī. Yet he remained for a long time solely to give joy to the eyes of his devotees.
Passage 43
अथ सर्वतः स्वांशान् स्वस्मिन् समावेश्य निखिलपरिकरसहित एव प्रमोदवनमियाय कोसलेन्द्रः। राघवेन्द्रनन्दनो वै तथैव केलिकलाकौशलशाली माङ्गल्यादिभालभागधेयपुञ्जः श्रीनन्दनश्रीराजिनीपरमान्यो निखिलगोपसीमन्तिनीसमाजयुगसमूहसन्तानकः सहजेश्वरीनयनसर्वस्वभूतः प्रमोदवनविहरणाविश्रान्तमतिरेवं चिरं जयति॥४३॥
Thereafter the Lord of Kosala gathered all his expansions from every side back into himself and came with his entire retinue to Pramoda Forest. The son of Rāghavendra remains eternally triumphant there: skilled in every art of play, the amassed forehead-fortune of Māṅgalyakā and the others, supremely honored by blessed Nandana and blessed Rājinī, perpetuator of the paired communities of all cowherd women, the entire treasure of Sahajeśvarī's eyes, and tireless in wandering through Pramoda Forest.
Passage 44
जयति जयति रामो राघवेन्द्रः स नित्यं प्रमुदवनविलासी भक्तसर्वस्वराशिः। अवतरति निजांशैर्यो महीभारहारी द्विजनिगमनिजार्थान् साधयन् पुरुषाग्र्यः॥४४॥
Victory, victory forever to Rāma, Rāghavendra, who sports in Pramoda Forest and is the complete treasure of his devotees! That foremost Person descends through his own expansions, removes Earth's burden, and fulfills the true purposes of brahmins and Veda.