The Merit of Hearing This Tale

Verse 1 (padma.5.68.1)

शेष उवाच- परिस्वादन्क्रतौ तृप्तिं न प्राप सुरसंयुतः

śeṣa uvāca- parisvādankratau tṛptiṁ na prāpa surasaṁyutaḥ

Shesha said: United there with the gods at the sacrifice, mere tasting did not bring them satisfaction.

Verse 2 (padma.5.68.2)

नारायणो महादेवो ब्रह्मा तत्र चतुर्मुखः । वरुणश्च कुबेरश्च तथान्ये लोकपालकाः

nārāyaṇo mahādevo brahmā tatra caturmukhaḥ varuṇaśca kuberaśca tathānye lokapālakāḥ

Narayana, Mahadeva, four-faced Brahma, Varuna, Kubera, and the other guardians of the worlds were present there.

Verse 3 (padma.5.68.3)

तत्रास्वाद्य हविः स्निग्धं वसिष्ठेन परिष्कृतम् । तत्र पुनर्हि विप्रेंद्राः क्षुधार्ताइव भोजनात्

tatrāsvādya haviḥ snigdhaṁ vasiṣṭhena pariṣkṛtam tatra punarhi vipreṁdrāḥ kṣudhārtāiva bhojanāt

Having tasted there the rich oblation refined by Vasishtha, those foremost brahmins ate it again and again, like people famished with hunger.

Verse 4 (padma.5.68.4)

सर्वान्देवांश्च संतर्प्य हविषा करुणानिधिः । वसिष्ठप्रेरितः सर्वमिति कर्तव्यमाचरत्

sarvāndevāṁśca saṁtarpya haviṣā karuṇānidhiḥ vasiṣṭhapreritaḥ sarvamiti kartavyamācarat

Having satisfied all the gods with the oblation, that compassionate one, directed by Vasishtha, carried out everything that needed to be done.

Verse 5 (padma.5.68.5)

ब्राह्मणादानसंतुष्टा हविस्तुष्टाः सुरावराः । तृप्ताः सर्वे स्वकं भागं गृहीत्वा स्वालयं ययुः

brāhmaṇādānasaṁtuṣṭā havistuṣṭāḥ surāvarāḥ tṛptāḥ sarve svakaṁ bhāgaṁ gṛhītvā svālayaṁ yayuḥ

Pleased by the gifts to the brahmins and satisfied by the oblation, all those foremost gods, fully content, took their own portions and went to their own abodes.

Verse 6 (padma.5.68.6)

ऋषिभ्यो होतृमुख्येभ्यः प्रादाद्राज्यं चतुर्दिशम् । संतुष्टास्ते द्विजाराममाशीर्भिरददुः शुभम्

ṛṣibhyo hotṛmukhyebhyaḥ prādādrājyaṁ caturdiśam saṁtuṣṭāste dvijārāmamāśīrbhiradaduḥ śubham

He gave the kingdom of the four directions to the sages, the chief priests; those pleased brahmins gave him their auspicious blessings.

Verse 7 (padma.5.68.7)

पूर्णाहुतिं ततः कृत्वा वसिष्ठः प्राह सुस्त्रियः । वर्धापयंतु भूमीशं यागपूर्तिकरं परम्

pūrṇāhutiṁ tataḥ kṛtvā vasiṣṭhaḥ prāha sustriyaḥ vardhāpayaṁtu bhūmīśaṁ yāgapūrtikaraṁ param

Then, having performed the concluding oblation, Vasishtha said to the noble women: "Let them acclaim this king, who has brought the sacrifice to its supreme completion."

Verse 8 (padma.5.68.8)

तद्वाक्यं ताः स्त्रियः श्रुत्वा लाजैरवाकिरन्मुदा । लावण्यजितकंदर्पं महामणिविभूषितम्

tadvākyaṁ tāḥ striyaḥ śrutvā lājairavākiranmudā lāvaṇyajitakaṁdarpaṁ mahāmaṇivibhūṣitam

Hearing these words, those women joyfully showered parched grain upon him, whose beauty had put even Kamadeva to shame, adorned as he was with great jewels.

Verse 9 (padma.5.68.9)

ततोऽवभृथस्नानार्थं प्रेरयामास भूमिपम् । ययौ रामः सहस्वीयैः सरयूतीरमुत्तमम्

tato'vabhṛthasnānārthaṁ prerayāmāsa bhūmipam yayau rāmaḥ sahasvīyaiḥ sarayūtīramuttamam

Then he sent the king forth for the concluding ceremonial bath; Rama went with his own kinsmen to the excellent bank of the Sarayu.

Verse 10 (padma.5.68.10)

अनेकराजकोटीभिः परीतः पादचारिभिः । जगाम स सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां पक्षिवृंदसमाकुलाम्

anekarājakoṭībhiḥ parītaḥ pādacāribhiḥ jagāma sa saricchreṣṭhāṁ pakṣivṛṁdasamākulām

Surrounded by countless kings going on foot, he went to that best of rivers, thronged with flocks of birds.

Verse 11 (padma.5.68.11)

तारापतिरिव स्वाभिर्भार्याभिर्वृत उत्प्रभः । विरोचते तथा तद्वद्रामो राजगणैर्वृतः

tārāpatiriva svābhirbhāryābhirvṛta utprabhaḥ virocate tathā tadvadrāmo rājagaṇairvṛtaḥ

Like the moon, lord of the stars, surrounded by his own consorts and shining bright, so did Rama shine, surrounded by his company of kings.

Verse 12 (padma.5.68.12)

तदुत्सवं समाज्ञाय ययुर्लोकास्त्वरायुताः । सीतापतिमुखालोकनिश्चलीभूतलोचनाः

tadutsavaṁ samājñāya yayurlokāstvarāyutāḥ sītāpatimukhālokaniścalībhūtalocanāḥ

Learning of that festival, people hurried there in haste, their eyes fixed unmoving upon the sight of Sita's lord.

Verse 13 (padma.5.68.13)

राजेंद्रं सीतया साकं गच्छंतं सरितं प्रति । विलोक्य मुदिता लोकाश्चिरं दर्शनलालसाः

rājeṁdraṁ sītayā sākaṁ gacchaṁtaṁ saritaṁ prati vilokya muditā lokāściraṁ darśanalālasāḥ

Seeing the king of kings, together with Sita, going toward the river, those people, long eager for the sight, rejoiced.

Verse 14 (padma.5.68.14)

अनेक नटगंधर्वा गायंतो यश उज्ज्वलम् । अनुजग्मुर्महीशानं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम्

aneka naṭagaṁdharvā gāyaṁto yaśa ujjvalam anujagmurmahīśānaṁ sarvalokanamaskṛtam

Many dancers and gandharvas, singing his radiant fame, followed that lord of the earth, honored by all the worlds.

Verse 15 (padma.5.68.15)

नर्तक्यस्तत्र नृत्यंत्यः क्षोभयंत्यः पतेर्मनः । जलयंत्रैश्च सिंचंत्यो ययुः श्रीरामसेवनम्

nartakyastatra nṛtyaṁtyaḥ kṣobhayaṁtyaḥ patermanaḥ jalayaṁtraiśca siṁcaṁtyo yayuḥ śrīrāmasevanam

Dancing girls, dancing there and stirring the hearts of their lords, sprinkling water from fountains, went along in the service of Shri Rama.

Verse 16 (padma.5.68.16)

महाराजं विलिपंत्यो हरिद्रा कुंकुमादिभिः । परस्परं प्रलिपंत्यो मुदं प्रापुर्महत्तराम्

mahārājaṁ vilipaṁtyo haridrā kuṁkumādibhiḥ parasparaṁ pralipaṁtyo mudaṁ prāpurmahattarām

Anointing the great king with turmeric, vermilion, and the like, and anointing one another too, they attained the greatest joy.

Verse 17 (padma.5.68.17)

कुचयुग्मोपरिन्यस्तमुक्ताहारसुशोभिताः । श्रवणद्वंद्वसंमृष्टस्वर्णकुंडललक्षिताः

kucayugmoparinyastamuktāhārasuśobhitāḥ śravaṇadvaṁdvasaṁmṛṣṭasvarṇakuṁḍalalakṣitāḥ

Pearl necklaces adorned their two breasts, and golden earrings, brushing against their ears, marked them out with splendor.

Verse 18 (padma.5.68.18)

अनेकनरनारीभिः संकीर्णं मार्गमाचरन् । यथावत्सरितं प्राप शिवपुण्यजलाप्लुताम्

anekanaranārībhiḥ saṁkīrṇaṁ mārgamācaran yathāvatsaritaṁ prāpa śivapuṇyajalāplutām

Making their way along the road thronged with many men and women, they duly reached that river, its waters bathed in Shiva's sacred current.

Verse 19 (padma.5.68.19)

तत्र गत्वा स वैदेह्या रामः कमललोचनः । प्रविवेश जलं पुण्यं वसिष्ठादिभिरन्वितः

tatra gatvā sa vaidehyā rāmaḥ kamalalocanaḥ praviveśa jalaṁ puṇyaṁ vasiṣṭhādibhiranvitaḥ

Having gone there, lotus-eyed Rama, together with the daughter of Videha, entered that sacred water, accompanied by Vasishtha and the others.

Verse 20 (padma.5.68.20)

अनुप्रविविशुः सर्वे राजानो जनतास्तथा । तत्पादरजसा पूतजलं लोकैकवंदितम्

anupraviviśuḥ sarve rājāno janatāstathā tatpādarajasā pūtajalaṁ lokaikavaṁditam

After him, all the kings and all the people too entered that water, purified by the dust of his feet, revered by all the world.

Verse 21 (padma.5.68.21)

परस्परं प्रसिंचंतो जलयंत्रैर्मनोरमैः । सुशोणनयनाः सर्वे हर्षं प्रापुर्मनोधिकम्

parasparaṁ prasiṁcaṁto jalayaṁtrairmanoramaiḥ suśoṇanayanāḥ sarve harṣaṁ prāpurmanodhikam

Sprinkling one another with lovely water-fountains, all of them, their eyes reddened with play, attained the greatest delight of heart.

Verse 22 (padma.5.68.22)

स रामः सीतया सार्धं चिरं पुण्यजलप्लवे । क्रीडित्वा जलकल्लोलैर्निरगाद्धर्मसंयुतः

sa rāmaḥ sītayā sārdhaṁ ciraṁ puṇyajalaplave krīḍitvā jalakallolairniragāddharmasaṁyutaḥ

Rama, together with Sita, having sported long amid the waves of that sacred flood of water, righteous as ever, came forth.

Verse 23 (padma.5.68.23)

दुकूलवासाः सकिरीटकुंडलः केयूरशोभावरकंकणान्वितः । कंदर्पकोटिश्रियमुद्वहन्नृपो राजाग्र्यवर्यैरुपसंस्तुतो बभौ

dukūlavāsāḥ sakirīṭakuṁḍalaḥ keyūraśobhāvarakaṁkaṇānvitaḥ kaṁdarpakoṭiśriyamudvahannṛpo rājāgryavaryairupasaṁstuto babhau

Clad in fine silk, crowned, adorned with earrings, armlets, and beautiful bracelets, bearing the splendor of a myriad Kamadevas, the king shone, extolled by the foremost of kings.

Verse 24 (padma.5.68.24)

सयागयूपं वरवर्णशोभितं कृत्वा सरित्तीरवरे महामनाः । त्रैलोक्यलोकश्रियमाप ह्यद्भुतामन्यैर्दुरापां नृपतिर्भुजैर्निजैः

sayāgayūpaṁ varavarṇaśobhitaṁ kṛtvā sarittīravare mahāmanāḥ trailokyalokaśriyamāpa hyadbhutāmanyairdurāpāṁ nṛpatirbhujairnijaiḥ

Having set up on the excellent riverbank the sacrificial post adorned with fine colors, that great-minded king, by his own arms, won the wondrous glory of the three worlds, hard for others to obtain.

Verse 25 (padma.5.68.25)

एवं जनकपुत्र्यासौ हयमेधत्रयं चरन् । त्रैलोक्ये कीर्तिमतुलां प्राप देवैः सुदुर्लभाम्

evaṁ janakaputryāsau hayamedhatrayaṁ caran trailokye kīrtimatulāṁ prāpa devaiḥ sudurlabhām

Thus, performing the triple horse-sacrifice together with the daughter of Janaka, that king attained matchless fame in the three worlds, difficult even for the gods to obtain.

Verse 26 (padma.5.68.26)

एवं ते वर्णितं तात यत्पृष्टो रामसत्कथाम् । विस्तृतः कथितो मेधो भूयः किं पृच्छसे द्विज

evaṁ te varṇitaṁ tāta yatpṛṣṭo rāmasatkathām vistṛtaḥ kathito medho bhūyaḥ kiṁ pṛcchase dvija

Thus, dear one, has this excellent tale of Rama been told to you in answer to your question — the sacrifice narrated in full. What more do you wish to ask, O brahmin?

Verse 27 (padma.5.68.27)

यः शृणोति हरेर्भक्त्या रामचंद्रस्य सन्मखम् । ब्रह्महत्यां क्षणात्तीर्त्वा ब्रह्मशाश्वतमाप्नुयात्

yaḥ śṛṇoti harerbhaktyā rāmacaṁdrasya sanmakham brahmahatyāṁ kṣaṇāttīrtvā brahmaśāśvatamāpnuyāt

He who hears with devotion this excellent sacrifice of Hari, Ramachandra, crosses beyond even the sin of brahmin-slaying in an instant and attains the eternal Brahman.

Verse 28 (padma.5.68.28)

अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रान्निर्धनो धनमाप्नुयात् । रोगार्तो मुच्यते रोगाद्बद्धो मुच्येत बंधनात्

aputro labhate putrānnirdhano dhanamāpnuyāt rogārto mucyate rogādbaddho mucyeta baṁdhanāt

The childless obtain sons, the poor obtain wealth, the diseased are freed from their disease, the bound are freed from bondage.

Verse 29 (padma.5.68.29)

यत्कथाश्रवणाद्दुष्टः श्वपचोऽपि परं पदम् । प्राप्नोति किमु विप्राग्र्यो रामभक्तिपरायणः

yatkathāśravaṇādduṣṭaḥ śvapaco'pi paraṁ padam prāpnoti kimu viprāgryo rāmabhaktiparāyaṇaḥ

When by merely hearing this tale even a wretched outcast attains the supreme abode, what then of a foremost brahmin devoted to devotion to Rama!

Verse 30 (padma.5.68.30)

रामं स्मृत्वा महाभागं पापिनः परमं पदम् । प्राप्नुयुः परमं स्वर्गं शक्रदेवादिदुर्लभम्

rāmaṁ smṛtvā mahābhāgaṁ pāpinaḥ paramaṁ padam prāpnuyuḥ paramaṁ svargaṁ śakradevādidurlabham

Sinners too, remembering the illustrious Rama, attain the supreme abode and reach that highest heaven, hard to obtain even for Indra and the other gods.

Verse 31 (padma.5.68.31)

ते धन्या मानवा लोके ये स्मरंति रघूत्तमम् । ते क्षणात्संसृतिं तीर्त्वा गच्छंति सुखमव्ययम्

te dhanyā mānavā loke ye smaraṁti raghūttamam te kṣaṇātsaṁsṛtiṁ tīrtvā gacchaṁti sukhamavyayam

Blessed indeed are those men in this world who remember the best of the Raghus; crossing beyond the cycle of transmigration in an instant, they attain imperishable happiness.

Verse 32 (padma.5.68.32)

प्रत्येकमक्षरं ब्रह्महत्यावंशदवानलः । तं यः श्रावयते धीमांस्तं गुरुं संप्रपूजयेत्

pratyekamakṣaraṁ brahmahatyāvaṁśadavānalaḥ taṁ yaḥ śrāvayate dhīmāṁstaṁ guruṁ saṁprapūjayet

Each single syllable of it is a wildfire to the bamboo-forest of the sin of brahmin-slaying; the wise man who causes it to be heard by others should be honored as a guru.

Verse 33 (padma.5.68.33)

श्रुत्वा कथां वाचकाय गवां द्वंद्वं प्रदापयेत् । सपत्नीकाय संपूज्य वस्त्रालंकारभोजनैः

śrutvā kathāṁ vācakāya gavāṁ dvaṁdvaṁ pradāpayet sapatnīkāya saṁpūjya vastrālaṁkārabhojanaiḥ

Having heard the tale, one should worship the reciter, together with his wife, with garments, ornaments, and food, and give him a pair of cows.

Verse 34 (padma.5.68.34)

कुंडलाभ्यां विराजंत्यौ मुद्रिकाभिरलंकृते । रामसीते स्वर्णमय्यौ प्रतिमे शोभने वरे

kuṁḍalābhyāṁ virājaṁtyau mudrikābhiralaṁkṛte rāmasīte svarṇamayyau pratime śobhane vare

Two beautiful golden images of Rama and Sita, resplendent with earrings and adorned with rings —

Verse 35 (padma.5.68.35)

कृत्वा तु वाचकायैव दीयते भो द्विजोत्तम । तस्य देवाश्च पितरो वैकुंठं प्राप्नुयुस्तदा

kṛtvā tu vācakāyaiva dīyate bho dvijottama tasya devāśca pitaro vaikuṁṭhaṁ prāpnuyustadā

having had these made, one should give them, O best of brahmins, to that very reciter; then his gods and ancestors attain Vaikuntha.

Verse 36 (padma.5.68.36)

त्वया पृष्टा रामकथा मया ते कथिता पुरा । किमन्यत्कथ्यतां ब्रह्मन्पुरतस्तव धीमतः

tvayā pṛṣṭā rāmakathā mayā te kathitā purā kimanyatkathyatāṁ brahmanpuratastava dhīmataḥ

"The story of Rama that you asked of me I have already told you in full; what more, O wise brahmin, shall now be said before you?"

Verse 37 (padma.5.68.37)

शृण्वंति ये कथामेतां ब्रह्महत्यौघनाशिनीम् । ते यांति परमं स्थानं यच्च देवैः सुदुर्लभम्

śṛṇvaṁti ye kathāmetāṁ brahmahatyaughanāśinīm te yāṁti paramaṁ sthānaṁ yacca devaiḥ sudurlabham

Those who hear this tale, which destroys the mass of the sin of brahmin-slaying, attain that supreme abode which is exceedingly hard to obtain even for the gods.

Verse 38 (padma.5.68.38)

गोघ्नश्चापि सुतघ्नश्च सुरापो गुरुतल्पगः । क्षणात्पूतो भवत्येव नात्र संशयितुं क्षमम्

goghnaścāpi sutaghnaśca surāpo gurutalpagaḥ kṣaṇātpūto bhavatyeva nātra saṁśayituṁ kṣamam

Even a cow-killer, a child-killer, a drinker of liquor, or one who defiles his guru's bed becomes pure in a single instant — in this there is no room for doubt.