Created by: Asharfi Lal Mishra
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| Asharfi Lal Mishra |
||RAMAYANA||
(Condensed)
*Ayodhyakanda*
[Poet: Valmiki]
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अथ काले गते तस्मिन् षष्टेSहनि समागते।
तथा मायां विकुर्वाणौ राक्षसावभ्यधावतम।।
Then after a while , on the advent of the sixth day , two Rakshasas , practising magical arts, hurried thither .
तावापतन्तौ सहसा दृष्ट्वा राजीवलोचनः।
मानवं परमोदारमस्त्रं परमभास्वरम।
चिक्षेप परमक्रुद्धो मरीचोरसि राघवः।।
Rama, the lotus-eyed, seeing them appear suddenly, and being extremely wroth, hurled at the chest of Maricha , the powerful Manavastra of great effulgence .
स तेन परमास्त्रेण क्षिप्तः सागरसंप्लवे।।
By that great weapon, he was thrown on the waves of the ocean.
संगृह्यास्त्रं ततो रामो दिव्यमाग्नेयमद्भुतम।
सुबाहूरसि चिक्षेप स विद्धः प्रापतद्भुवि।।
Then , taking hold of the divine and wonderful Agneyastra , he hurled it at the chest of Subahu . pierced by it , he fell on the ground.
स हत्वा राक्षसान सर्वान यज्ञघ्नान रघुनन्दनः।
ऋषिभिः पूजितस्सम्यग यथेन्द्रो विजयी पुरा।।
Having killed the all Rakshasas who were ruining the sacrifices, Rama , the delight of the Raghus was duly honoured by the sages ,even as Indra was in days of old , on his victory.
अथ यज्ञे समाप्ते तु विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः।
निरीतिका दिशो दृष्ट्वा काकुत्स्थमिदमब्रवीत।।
Then , after the sacrifice was over , Vishvamitra the great ascetic , looking round in all the directions which had been rendered free free from all troubles, spoke thus to Rama :
कृतार्थोSस्मि महाबाहो कृतं गुरुवचस्त्वया।।
" O mighty-armed Rama ! I have gained my purpose , and the command of your preceptor has been fulfilled by you .
मैथिलस्य नरश्रेष्ठ जनकस्य भविष्यति।
यज्ञः परमधर्मिष्ठस्तस्य यास्यामहे वयम।।
त्वं चैव नरशार्दूल सहास्मभिर्गमिष्यसि।
अद्भुतं च धनूरत्नं तत्र त्वं द्रष्टुमर्हसि।।
O best of men ! there is to be great and holy sacrifice by King Janaka of Mithila . Thither we are going . Thou also , O best of men ! shalt go along with me .And there , thou shalt see the best of all bows ~~ a wonderful bow."
एवमुक्त्वा मुनिवरः प्रस्थानमकरोत्तदा।।
Saying this , the great ascetic made his journey .
ततः प्रागुत्तरां गत्वा रामः सौमित्रिणा सह।
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञवाटमुपागमत।।
Thence , travelling north-eastwards , Rama , along with Lakshmana and preceded by Vishvamitra , reached the sacrificial ground ( of Janaka ).
विश्वामित्रमनुप्राप्तं श्रुत्वा स नृपतिस्तदा।
शतानन्दं पुरस्कृत्य पुरोहितमनिन्दितम।
प्रत्युज्जगाम सहसा कृताञ्जलिरभाषत।।
Then, that King Janaka , hearing of the arrival of Vishvamitra , went immediately to receive him, preceded by his preceptor the unblemished Satananda . With folded hands , he said;
धन्योSस्म्यनुगृहीतोSस्मि यस्य मे मुनिपुङ्गव।
यज्ञोपसदनं ब्रह्मन प्राप्तोSसि मुनिभिस्सह।।
इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ।
काकपक्षधरौ वींरौ श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्वतः।।
' O best of ascetics ! I am indeed fortunate . I have been blest , O Brahman ! in that thou hast come to my sacrifice along with the ascetics , Good betide thee .
I desire to hear truly about these two lads, wearing sidelocks (kundals), heroic heroic and equal to gods in prowess."
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा जनकस्य महात्मनः।
न्यवेदयन्महात्मानौ पुत्रौ दशरथस्य तौ।
सिद्धाश्रमनिवासं च राक्षसानां वधं तथा।
महाधनुषि जिज्ञासां कर्तुमागमनं तथा।।
Hearing these words of the high-souled Janaka , Vishvamitra introduced them as the two high-souled sons of Dasharatha and told him of their sojourn at Siddhashrama , the slaying of the Rakshasas and of their visit there to become acquainted with the great bow .
एवमुक्तस्तु जनकः प्रत्युवाच महामुनिम।।
And thus addressed ,Janaka replied to the great ascetic :
तदेतन्मुनिशार्दूल धनुः परमभास्वरम।
यद्यस्य धनुषो रामः कुर्यादारोपणं मुने।
सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दशरथेरहम।।
"O best of ascetics , this is that bow which is highly effulgent . O ascetic ! if Rama is able to string this bow , I shall give Dasharatha's son, my daughter, Sita , not born of a womb."
विश्वामित्रस्स धर्मात्मा श्रुत्वा जनकभाषितम।
वत्स राम धनुः पश्य इति राघवमब्रवीत।।
Hearing the words of Janaka , that righteous-minded Vishvamitra said to Raghava: " Darling Rama! look at the bow ."
लीलया स धनुर्मध्ये जग्राह वचनान्मुनेः।
पश्यतां नृसहस्त्राणां बहूनां रघुनन्दनः।
आरोपयित्वा धर्मात्मा पूरयामास तद्धनुः।
तद्वभञ्ज धनुर्मध्ये नरश्रेष्ठो महायशाः।।
Acting on the word of the ascetic,Rama , the delight of Raghus, grasped the bow in the middle in th exceeding ease , in the sight of thousands of men . The righteous-minded Rama , fix the string and bent the bow .Rama , the foremost of men and of great fame , broke the bow in the middle.
तस्य शब्दो महानासीद राजा विगतसाध्वसः।
उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो मुनिपुङ्गवम।।
Its sound was very great . With his fear removed , the king , well-versed in speech , addressed with folded hands , Vishvamitra the best of acetic thus:
भगवन दृष्टवीर्यो मे रामो दशरात्मजः।
अत्यद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च न तर्कितमिदं मया।।
जनकानां कुले कीर्तिमाहरिष्यति मे सुता।
सीता भर्तारमासाद्य रामं दशरथात्मजम।।
भवतोSनुमते ब्रह्मन शीघ्रं गच्छन्तु मन्त्रिणः।
मम कौशिक भद्रं ते अयोध्यां त्वरिता रथैः।
राजानं प्रश्रितैर्वाक्यैरानयन्तु पुरं मम।।
" O venerable one ! the heroism of Rama , son of Dasharatha ,has been seen by me . It is highly wonderful and beyond conception . This was not anticipated by me .
My daughter Sita , will ,by obtaining Rama , the son of Dasharatha for her lord , bring fame to the line of the Janakas .
With thy consent , let my ministers proceed expeditiously to Ayodhya by swift chariots and bring the king to my city with respectful words . O Kaushika , good betide thee."
जनकेन समादिष्टा दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहनाः।
ददृशुर्देवसंकासं वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम।।
By Janaka thus directed , the heralds. with their steeds thoroughly exhausted , saw the old king the old king Dasharatha , shining like a god .
राजानं प्रयता वाक्यम अब्रुवन मधुराक्षरम।।
With humility , they addressed the king with sweet words :
पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्यग्रं वैदेहो मिथिलाधिपः।
कौशिकानुमते वाक्यं भवन्तमिदमब्रवीत।।
" Having asked after your welfare all round ,Janaka , the lord of Mithila , speaks to you these words, with the approval of Kaushika:
तच्च राजन धनुर्दिव्यं मध्ये भग्नं महात्मना।
रामेण हि महावीर यज्ञान्ते जनसंसदि।।
अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्यशुल्का महात्मने।
प्रतिज्ञां तर्तुमिच्छामि तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।
O king of the great valour , that divine bow has been broken in the middle by high-souled Rama , in presence of people at the close of the sacrifice .
To him , the high-souled Rama ,have I to give Sita as the bride whose price is heroism. I desire to fulfil my promise .Pray , give your consent ."
दूतवाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा परमहर्षितः।
गत्वा चतुरहं मार्गं विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान।।
And , hearing those words of the heralds , the king , highly delighted , reached the Videha country , after accomplishing four days journey .
ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम।
उवाच च नरश्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदाSन्वितः।।
Approaching the old king Dasharatha , best of men , Janaka , best of men , said with joy :
स्वागतं ते महाराज दिष्टया प्राप्तोSसि राघव।
ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुङ्गव।
सीतां रामाय भद्रं त ऊर्मिलां लक्ष्मणाय च।
एवं भवतु भद्रं वः कुशध्वजसुते इमे।
पल्यौ भजेतां सहितौ शत्रुघ्नभरतावुभौ।।
" Welcome to thee, O Great King : O Raghava, thou art come on account of my good fortune .O best of ascetics ! good betide thee . With great pleasure I give the tw daughters-in-law , Sita to Rama and Urmila to Lakshmana .
Let it be so , Good betide you all . These two daughters of Kushadhvaja , let the inseparable Shatrughna and Bharata take for their brides ."
ततः सीतां समानीय सर्वाभरणभूषिताम।
समक्षमग्नेः संस्थाप्य राघवाभिमुखे तदा।
अब्रवींजनको राजा कौसल्यानन्दवर्द्धनम।।
Then , bringing Sita decorated with all ornaments and placing her in front of the fire and so as to to face Rama , the promoter of the delight of Kaushalya thus:;
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