Sarga 2

नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा वाक्यविशारद:। पूजयामास धर्मात्मा सहशिष्यो महामुनि: ।।1.2.1।।

On hearing the words of Narada the distinguished and righteous sage Valmiki, proficient in composing...

यथावत्पूजितस्तेन देवर्षिर्नारदस्तदा । आपृष्ट्वैवाभ्यनुज्ञातस्स जगाम विहायसम् ।।1.2.2।।

The divine sage Narada after having been worshipped by Valmiki in a befitting manner sought his leav...

स मुहूर्तं गते तस्मिन्देवलोकं मुनिस्तदा । जगाम तमसातीरं जाह्नव्यास्त्वविदूरत: ।।1.2.3।।

After Narada had gone to devaloka, sage Valmiki reached the bank of river Tamasa which is not very f...

स तु तीरं समासाद्य तमसाया महामुनि: । शिष्यमाह स्थितं पार्श्वे दृष्ट्वा तीर्थमकर्दमम् ।।1.2.4।।

The eminent sage Valmiki reached the bank of Tamasa and seen a descent into the river with pellucid ...

अकर्दममिदं तीर्थं भरद्वाज निशामय । रमणीयं प्रसन्नाम्बु सन्मनुष्यमनो यथा ।।1.2.5।।

"O Bharadwaja, behold the beautiful and pleasant waters of this river. This holy spot is as clear a...

न्यस्यतां कलशस्तात दीयतां वल्कलं मम । इदमेवावगाहिष्ये तमसातीर्थमुत्तमम् ।।1.2.6।।

O dear one Put down the pitcher on the ground. Give me my garment. I shall take a dip in Tamasa, the...

एवमुक्तो भरद्वाजो वाल्मीकेन महात्मना । प्रायच्छत मुनेस्तस्य वल्कलं नियतो गुरो: ।।1.2.7।।

Asked thus by the nobleminded master Valmiki, Bharadwaja, ever obedient to his spiritual master, gav...

स शिष्यहस्तादादाय वल्कलं नियतेन्द्रिय: । विचचार ह पश्यंस्तत्सर्वतो विपुलं वनम् ।।1.2.8।।

Valmiki who had his senses under his command received the barkgarment from the hands of his disciple...

तस्याभ्याशे तु मिथुनं चरन्तमनपायिनम् । ददर्श भगवांस्तत्र क्रौञ्चयोश्चारुनिस्वनम् ।।1.2.9।।

Sage Valmiki espied a pair of melodious kraunchas. Flying about in each other's in separable company...

तस्मात्तु मिथुनादेकं पुमांसं पापनिश्चय: । जघान वैरनिलयो निषादस्तस्य पश्यत: ।।1.2.10।।

A sinful and cruelhearted hunter struck down the male bird of the pair in his very presence.

तं शोणितपरीताङ्गं वेष्टमानं महीतले । भार्या तु निहतं दृष्ट्वा रुराव करुणां गिरम् ।।1.2.11।। वियुक्ता...

The female companion saw the male bird struck down by the hunter and rolling on the earth, drenched ...

तं शोणितपरीताङ्गं वेष्टमानं महीतले । भार्या तु निहतं दृष्ट्वा रुराव करुणां गिरम् ।।1.2.11।। वियुक्ता...

The female companion saw the male bird struck down by the hunter and rolling on the earth, drenched ...

तदा तु तं द्विजं दृष्ट्वा निषादेन निपातितम् । ऋषेर्धर्मात्मनस्तस्य कारुण्यं समपद्यत ।।1.2.13।।

Then, having seen the bird struck down by the fowler, the pious sage Valmiki was filled with compass...

तत: करुणवेदित्वादधर्मोऽयमिति द्विज: । निशाम्य रुदतीं क्रौञ्चीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।।1.2.14।।

Having heard the wailing of the female bird, the sage (Valmiki) moved to pity at this irreligious ac...

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमश्शाश्वतीस्समा: । यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधी: काममोहितम् ।।1.2.15।। 15

"O fowler, since you have killed one of the pair of infatuated kraunchas you will be permanently dep...

तस्यैवं ब्रुवतश्चिन्ता बभूव हृदि वीक्षतः । शोकार्तेनास्य शकुने: किमिदं व्याहृतं मया ।।1.2.16।।

Brooding over his utterances, he reflected, 'What is this that I uttered in reaction to the grief of...

चिन्तयन्स महाप्राज्ञश्चकार मतिमान्मतिम् । शिष्यं चैवाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यमिदं स मुनिपुङ्गव: ।।1.2.17।।

Very wise and learned, he (Valmiki), preeminent among sages, pondered over it (for a while) and spok...

पादबद्धोऽक्षरसमस्तन्त्रीलयसमन्वित: । शोकार्तस्य प्रवृत्तो मे श्लोको भवतु नान्यथा ।।1.2.18।।

"Occasioned by the griefstricken (state of the bird) and composed in rhymed lines each of equal numb...

शिष्यस्तु तस्य ब्रुवतो मुनेर्वाक्यमनुत्तमम् । प्रतिजग्राह संहृष्टस्तस्य तुष्टोऽभवद्गुरु: ।।1.2.19।।

His disciple, delighted by the excellent verse composed by the sage, committed it to memory which le...

सोऽभिषेकं तत: कृत्वा तीर्थे तस्मिन्यथाविधि । तमेव चिन्तयन्नर्थमुपावर्तत वै मुनि: ।।1.2.20।।

After having performed his ablution at that holy spot according to the prescribed ritual, the sage (...

भरद्वाजस्ततश्शिष्यो विनीतश्श्रुतवान्मुनेः । कलशं पूर्णमादाय पृष्ठतोऽनुजगाम ह ।।1.2.21।।

Then saint Bharadwaja, his disciple humble and learned in scriptures, followed him with a pitcher fu...

स प्रविश्याश्रमपदं शिष्येण सह धर्मवित् । उपविष्ट: कथाश्चान्याश्चकार ध्यानमास्थित: ।।1.2.22।।

Valmiki who knows dharma entered the hermitage along with his disciple and sat in meditation and com...

आजगाम ततो ब्रह्मा लोककर्ता स्वयं प्रभु: । चतुर्मुखो महातेजा द्रष्टुं तं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।।1.2.23।।

At that moment, the effulgent, fourfaced Brahma, creator and lord of the world, himself, desirous of...

वाल्मीकिरथ तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय वाग्यत: । प्राञ्जलि: प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परमविस्मित: ।।1.2.24।।

Greatly surprised to see him, Valmiki, purified by austerities and disciplined in speech, immediatel...

पूजयामास तं देवं पाद्यार्घ्यासनवन्दनै: । प्रणम्य विधिवच्चैनं पृष्ट्वाऽनामयमव्ययम् ।।1.2.25।।

Bowing with reverence as enjoined by tradition and having enquired of his well being, Valmiki worshi...

अथोपविश्य भगवानासने परमार्चिते । वाल्मीकये महर्षये सन्दिदेशासनं तत: ।।1.2.26।।

Lord Brahma sat down on a highly worshipful seat and showed a seat for the ascetic Valmiki to be se...

ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातस्सोऽप्युपाविशदासने । उपविष्टे तदा तस्मिन्सर्वलोकपितामहे। तद्गतेनैव मनसा वाल्मीकिर...

Having been ordered by Brahma, he also sat down on a seat. Although seated in the presence of the lo...

पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना । यस्तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौञ्चं हन्यादकारणात् ।।1.2.28।।

The hunter killed the sweetvoiced krauncha without any cause. That sinfulminded one with hostile fee...

शोचन्नेव मुहु: क्रौञ्चीमुपश्लोकमिमं पुन: । जगावन्तर्गतमना भूत्वा शोकपरायण: ।।1.2.29।।

Griefstricken, Valmiki having become introspective and lamenting the plight of the female krauncha ...

तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा प्रहसन्मुनिपुङ्गवम् । श्लोक एव त्वया बद्धो नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।।1.2.30।।

Thereafter lord Brahma smilingly addressed Valmiki, the preeminent among sages, saying, "You have in...

मच्छन्दादेव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती । रामस्य चरितं सर्वं कुरु त्वमृषिसत्तम ।।1.2.31।।

"OBrahmarshi, at my will, this speech had originated from you. Most excellent ascetic, compose the h...

धर्मात्मनो गुणवतो लोके रामस्य धीमत: । वृत्तं कथय धीरस्य यथा ते नारदाच्छ्रुतम् ।।1.2.32।।

Narrate the history of Rama who is renowned for righteousness, virtues, wisdom and steadfastness in ...

रहस्यं च प्रकाशं च यद्वृत्तं तस्य धीमत: । रामस्य सहसौमित्रेः राक्षसानां च सर्वश: ।।1.2.33।। वैदेह्या...

The incidents pertaining to sagacious Rama together with Lakshmana, Sita, Bharata, etc. and the raks...

रहस्यं च प्रकाशं च यद्वृत्तं तस्य धीमत: । रामस्य सहसौमित्रेः राक्षसानां च सर्वश: ।।1.2.33।। वैदेह्या...

The incidents pertaining to sagacious Rama together with Lakshmana, Sita, Bharata, etc. and the raks...

न ते वागनृता काव्ये काचिदत्र भविष्यति । कुरु रामकथां पुण्यां श्लोकबद्धां मनोरमाम् ।।1.2.35।।

Not even a single word of yours in this epic will ever prove untruthful. Compose this sacred, deligh...

यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयस्सरितश्च महीतले । तावद्रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ।।1.2.36।।

 As long as the mountains and rivers exist on this earth, the story of Ramayana will prevail among ...

यावद्रामायणकथा त्वत्कृता प्रचरिष्यति । तावदूर्ध्वमधश्च त्वं मल्लोकेषु निवत्स्यसि ।।1.2.37।।

So long as the story of the Ramayana composed by you is remembered in this world, you will live in t...

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । ततस्सशिष्यो भगवान्मुनिर्विस्मयमाययौ ।।1.2.38।।

Having spoken these words, lord Brahma vanished. At this he and his disciples were astonished.

तस्य शिष्यास्ततस्सर्वे जगुश्श्लोकमिमं पुन: । मुहुर्मुहु: प्रीयमाणा: प्राहुश्च भृशविस्मिता: ।।1.2.39।...

Thereafter, the disciples of Valmiki chanted this sloka again and again in delight. They were greatl...

समाक्षरैश्चतुर्भिर्य: पादैर्गीतो महर्षिणा । सोऽनुव्याहरणाद्भूयश्श्लोकश्श्लोकत्वमागत: ।।1.2.40।।

 This sloka of four lines, each consisting of equal number of syllables, was recited by the mahars...

तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता वाल्मीकेर्भावितात्मन: । कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यमीदृशै: करवाण्यहम् ।।1.2.41।।

A thought occurred to Valmiki, who is capable of putting thoughts into action "I shall compose the ...

उदारवृत्तार्थपदैर्मनोरमैः तदास्य रामस्य चकारकीर्तिमान् । समाक्षरैश्श्लोकशतैर्यशस्विनो यशस्करं काव्यम...

The renowned and sagacious sage composed a kavya with hundreds of charming verses, each containing e...

तदुपगतसमाससन्धियोगं सममधुरोपनतार्थवाक्यबद्धम् । रघुवरचरितं मुनिप्रणीतं दशशिरसश्च वधं निशामयध्वम् ।।1...

This story of Rama and the killing of Ravana composed by the sage consists of compound words, melodi...