The First Shloka

Shloka 1 (bala.2.1)

नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा वाक्यविशारदः । पूजयामास धर्मात्मा सहशिष्यो महामुनिः ॥ 2.1 ॥

nāradasya tu tadvākyam śrutvā vākya viśāradaḥ | pūjayāmāsa dharmātmā saha śiṣyo mahāmuniḥ

Having heard those words of Narada, the righteous great sage Valmiki, himself skilled in speech, worshipped him together with his disciples.

Shloka 2 (bala.2.2)

यथावत्पूजितस्तेन देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा । आपृच्छैवाभ्यनुज्ञातः स जगाम विहायसम् ॥ 2.2 ॥

yathāvat pūjitaḥ tena devarṣiḥ nāradaḥ tathā | āpṛcchaiva abhyanujñātaḥ sa jagāma vihāyasam

The divine sage Narada, thus duly honoured by him, took his leave; and having been given permission, he departed through the sky.

Shloka 3 (bala.2.3)

स मुहूर्तं गते तस्मिन्देवलोकं मुनिस्तदा । जगाम तमसातीरं जाह्नव्यास्त्वविदूरतः ॥ 2.3 ॥

sa muhūrtaṃ gate tasmin devalokam muniḥ tadā | jagāma tamasā tīram jāhnavyāt avidūrataḥ

A short while after Narada had gone to the world of the gods, the sage Valmiki went to the bank of the Tamasa river, not far from the Ganga.

Shloka 4 (bala.2.4)

स तु तीरं समासाद्य तमसाया महामुनिः । शिष्यमाह स्थितं पार्श्वे दृष्ट्वा तीर्थमकर्दमम् ॥ 2.4 ॥

sa tu tīram samāsādya tamasāyā muniḥ tadā | śiṣyam āha sthitam pārśve dṛṣṭvā tīrtham akardamam

Reaching the bank of the Tamasa, and seeing a ford free of mud, the great sage spoke to the disciple standing at his side.

Shloka 5 (bala.2.5)

अकर्दममिदं तीर्थं भरद्वाज निशामय । रमणीयं प्रसन्नाम्बु सन्मनुष्यमनो यथा ॥ 2.5 ॥

akardamam idam tīrtham bharadvāja niśāmaya | ramaṇīyam prasanna ambu san manuṣya mano yathā

"O Bharadwaja, behold this ford — free of mud, delightful, its water clear like the mind of a virtuous man."

Shloka 6 (bala.2.6)

न्यस्यतां कलशस्तात दीयतां वल्कलं मम । इदमेवावगाहिष्ये तमसातीर्थमुत्तमम् ॥ 2.6 ॥

nyasyatām kalaśaḥ tāta dīyatām valkalam mama | idam eva avagāhiṣye tamasā tīrtham uttamam

"My dear one, set down the water-vessel and give me my bark-garment. I shall bathe here, in this excellent ford of the Tamasa."

Shloka 7 (bala.2.7)

एवमुक्तो भरद्वाजो वाल्मीकेन महात्मना । प्रायच्छत मुनेस्तस्य वल्कलं नियतो गुरोः ॥ 2.7 ॥

evam ukto bharadvājo vālmīkena mahātmanā | prayacchata muneḥ tasya valkalam niyataḥ guroḥ

Thus addressed by the great-souled Valmiki, Bharadwaja, ever obedient to his guru, handed the bark-garment to the sage.

Shloka 8 (bala.2.8)

स शिष्यहस्तादादाय वल्कलं नियतेन्द्रियः । विचचार ह पश्यंस्तत्सर्वतो विपुलं वनम् ॥ 2.8 ॥

sa śiṣya hastāt ādāya valkalam niyatendriyaḥ | vicacāra ha paśyan tat sarvato vipulam vanam

The self-controlled sage, taking the bark-garment from his disciple's hand, walked on, looking about at the vast forest on every side.

Shloka 9 (bala.2.9)

तस्याभ्याशे तु मिथुनं चरन्तमनपायिनम् । ददर्श भगवांस्तत्र क्रौञ्चयोश्चारुनिःस्वनम् ॥ 2.9 ॥

tasya abhyāśe tu mithunam carantam anapāyinam | dadarśa bhagavān tatra krauṅcayoḥ cāru nisvanam

Nearby, the venerable sage saw a pair of curlews, inseparable from each other, moving about and calling out sweetly.

Shloka 10 (bala.2.10)

तस्मात्तु मिथुनादेकं पुमांसं पापनिश्चयः । जघान वैरनिलयो निषादस्तस्य पश्यतः ॥ 2.10 ॥

tasmāt tu mithunāt ekam pumāṃsam pāpa niścayaḥ | jaghāna vairanilayo niṣādaḥ tasya paśyataḥ

Of that pair, one — the male — was killed, before the sage's very eyes, by a hunter of evil intent, a very abode of enmity.

Shloka 11 (bala.2.11)

तं शोणितपरीताङ्गं वेष्टमानं महीतले । भार्या तु निहतं दृष्ट्वा रुराव करुणां गिरम् ॥ 2.11 ॥

tam śoṇita parītāṅgam ceṣṭamānam mahītale | bhāryā tu nihatam dṛṣṭvā rurāva karuṇām giram

Seeing him, his body covered in blood, writhing upon the ground, his mate cried out in piteous, sorrowful tones.

Shloka 12 (bala.2.12)

वियुक्ता पतिना तेन द्विजेन सहचारिणा । ताम्रशीर्षेण मत्तेन पत्रिणा सहितेन वै ॥ 2.12 ॥

viyuktā patinā tena dvijena sahacāriṇā | tāmra śīrṣeṇa mattena patriṇā sahitena vai

— now parted from that companion bird, red-crested and joyous in flight, with whom she had always been united.

Shloka 13 (bala.2.13)

तथाविधं द्विजं दृष्ट्वा निषादेन निपातितम् । ऋषेर्धर्मात्मनस्तस्य कारुण्यं समपद्यत ॥ 2.13 ॥

tathā vidhim dvijam dṛṣṭvā niṣādena nipātitam | ṛśeḥ dharmātmānaḥ tasya kāruṇyam samapadyata

Seeing the bird thus felled by the hunter, compassion arose in that righteous-souled sage.

Shloka 14 (bala.2.14)

ततः करुणवेदित्वादधर्मोऽयमिति द्विजः । निशाम्य रुदतीं क्रौञ्चीमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 2.14 ॥

tataḥ karuṇa veditvāt adharmo ayam iti dvijaḥ | niśāṃya rudatīm krauncīm idam vacanam abraiit

Then, moved by that compassion, and thinking "this is unrighteous," the sage, hearing the female curlew's wailing, uttered these words.

Shloka 15 (bala.2.15)

मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः । यत् क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधीः काममोहितम् ॥ 2.15 ॥

mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāmtva | magamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | yat krauṅca mithunāt eka | mavadhīḥ kāma mohitam

"O hunter, since you have killed one of this pair of curlews while it was lost in passion, you shall find no rest for endless years to come."

Shloka 16 (bala.2.16)

तस्यैवं ब्रुवतश्चिन्ता बभूव हृदि वीक्षतः । शोकार्तेनास्य शकुनेः किमिदं व्याहृतं मया ॥ 2.16 ॥

tasya evam bruvataḥ cintā babhūva hṛdi vīkṣataḥ | śokārtena asya śakuneḥ kim idam vyāhṛtam mayā

Even as he spoke thus, a thought arose in his heart as he reflected: "What is this that I, overcome by grief for this bird, have uttered?"

Shloka 17 (bala.2.17)

चिन्तयन्स महाप्राज्ञश्चकार मतिमान्मतिम् । शिष्यञ्चैवाब्रवीद्वाक्यमिदं स मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥ 2.17 ॥

cintayan sa mahāprājñaḥ cakāra matimān matim | śiśyam ca eva abravīt vākyam idam sa munipuṅgavaḥ

Reflecting thus, that highly wise and intelligent foremost of sages made up his mind, and spoke these words to his disciple.

Shloka 18 (bala.2.18)

पादबद्धोऽक्षरसमस्तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितः । शोकार्तस्य प्रवृत्तो मे श्लोको भवतु नान्यथा ॥ 2.18 ॥

pāda baddhaḥ akṣara samaḥ tantrī laya samanvitaḥ | śokārtasya pravṛtto me śloko bhavatu na anyathā

"What has come from me, born of grief, bound into metrical feet, of equal syllables, fit for the rhythm of string-music — let it be known as a shloka, and nothing else."

Shloka 19 (bala.2.19)

शिष्यस्तु तस्य ब्रुवतो मुनेर्वाक्यमनुत्तमम् । प्रतिजग्राह संतुष्टस्तस्य तुष्टोऽभवद्मुनिः ॥ 2.19 ॥

śiṣyaḥ tu tasya bruvato muner vākyam anuttamam | prati jagrāha saṃtuṣṭaḥ tasya tuṣṭoaḥ abhavat muniḥ

The disciple, delighted, received that supreme utterance of the sage; and the sage too was pleased by that.

Shloka 20 (bala.2.20)

सोऽभिषेकं ततः कृत्वा तीर्थे तस्मिन् यथाविधि । तमेव चिन्तयन्नर्थमुपावर्तत वै मुनिः ॥ 2.20 ॥

so.abhiṣekam tataḥ kṛtvā tīrthe tasmin yathāvidhi | tam eva cintayan artham upāvartata vai muniḥ

Then, having duly bathed in that ford, the sage turned back, still pondering on that very matter.

Shloka 21 (bala.2.21)

भरद्वाजस्ततः शिष्यो विनीतः श्रुतवान् गुरोः । कलशं पूर्णमादाय पृष्ठतोऽनुजगाम ह ॥ 2.21 ॥

bharadvājaḥ tataḥ śiṣyo vinītaḥ śrutavān guroḥ | kalaśam pūrṇamādāya pṛṣṭhataḥ anujagāma ha

Then his humble and learned disciple Bharadwaja, taking the vessel filled with water, followed behind his guru.

Shloka 22 (bala.2.22)

स प्रविश्याश्रमपदं शिष्येण सह धर्मवित् । उपविष्टः कथाश्चान्याश्चकार ध्यानमास्थितः ॥ 2.22 ॥

sa praviśya āśrama padam śiṣyeṇa saha dharmavit | upaviṣṭaḥ kathāḥ ca anyāḥ cakāra dhyānamāsthitaḥ

That knower of righteousness, entering the hermitage with his disciple, sat down; though he spoke of other matters, his mind remained absorbed in thought.

Shloka 23 (bala.2.23)

आजगाम ततो ब्रह्म लोककर्ता स्वयं प्रभुः । चतुर्मुखो महातेजा द्रष्टुं तं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥ 2.23 ॥

ājagāma tataḥ brahmo lokakartā svayam prabhuḥ | catur mukho mahātejā draṣṭum tam munipuṅgavam

Then Brahma himself, the creator of the worlds, lord of great splendour and four faces, came there to see that foremost of sages.

Shloka 24 (bala.2.24)

वाल्मीकिरथ तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय वाग्यतः । प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परमविस्मितः ॥ 2.24 ॥

vālmīkiḥ atha tam dṛṣṭvā sahasā utthāya vāj~nataḥ | prānjaliḥ prayato bhūtvā tasthau parama vismitaḥ

Valmiki, on seeing him, rose up at once, restrained in speech; and, folding his hands with reverence, stood there in utter astonishment.

Shloka 25 (bala.2.25)

पूजयामास तं देवं पाद्यार्घ्यासनवन्दनैः । प्रणम्य विधिवच्चैनं पृष्ट्वानामयमव्ययम् ॥ 2.25 ॥

pūjayāmāsa tam devam pādya arghya āsana vandanaiḥ | praṇaṃya vidhivat ca enam pṛṣṭvā ca eva nirāmayam

He honoured that god with water for the feet, offerings, a seat, and salutations; and, bowing duly, inquired after his imperishable well-being.

Shloka 26 (bala.2.26)

अथोपविश्य भगवानासने परमार्चिते । वाल्मीकये च ऋषये सन्दिदेशासनं ततः ॥ 2.26 ॥

atha upaviśya bhagavān āsane parama arcite | vālmīkaye ca ṛṣaye sandideśa āsanam tataḥ

Then the Lord, seated on the most honoured seat, in turn directed the sage Valmiki to be seated as well.

Shloka 27 (bala.2.27)

ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञातः सोऽप्युपाविशदासने । उपविष्टे तदा तस्मिन्साक्षाल्लोकपितामहे ॥ 2.27 ॥

brahmaṇā samanujñātaḥ so.api upāviśat āsane | upaviṣṭe tadā tasmin sākṣāt loka pitāmahe

Permitted by Brahma, he too sat down upon his seat. And even as he sat there in the presence of the Grandsire of the worlds himself,

Shloka 28 (bala.2.28)

तद्गतेनैव मनसा वाल्मीकिर्ध्यानमास्थितः ॥ पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैरग्रहणबुद्धिना ॥ 2.28 ॥

tat gatena eva manasā vālmīkiḥ dhyānam āsthitaḥ || pāpātmanā kṛtam kaṣṭam vaira grahaṇa buddhinā

— his mind still fixed on that same thought — Valmiki remained absorbed, thinking: "That evil-souled one, driven by a mind bent on enmity, has done a cruel deed—"

Shloka 29 (bala.2.29)

यस्तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौञ्चं हन्यादकारणात् ॥ शोचन्नेव मुहुः क्रौञ्चीमुपश्लोकमिमं पुनः ॥ 2.29 ॥

yat tādṛśam cāruravam krauncam hanyāt akāraṇāt || śocan eva punaḥ krauncīm upa ślokam imam jagau

"—who, without cause, killed such a sweetly-calling curlew." And, grieving again and again over the female curlew, he softly repeated that same verse,

Shloka 30 (bala.2.30)

जगावन्तर्गतमना भूत्वा शोकपरायणः ॥ तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा प्रहसन्मुनिपुङ्गवम् । श्लोक एव त्वया बद्धो नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ 2.30 ॥

punar antargata manā bhūtvā śoka parāyaṇaḥ || tam uvāca tato brahmā prahasan munipuṃgavam

chanting it inwardly, absorbed in his sorrow. Then Brahma, smiling, said to that foremost of sages: "It is verily a shloka that you have composed — there is no need to deliberate over this."

Shloka 31 (bala.2.31)

मच्छन्दादेव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती । रामस्य चरितं सर्वं कुरु त्वमृषिसत्तम ॥ 2.31 ॥

śloka evāstvayām baddho na atra kāryā vicāraṇā || mat cchandāt eva te brahman pravṛtte ayam sarasvatī

"By my will alone, O Brahmin, has this speech arisen in you. Now, O best of sages, compose the entire legend of Rama."

Shloka 32 (bala.2.32)

धर्मात्मनो गुणवतो लोके रामस्य धीमतः । वृत्तं कथय धीरस्य यथा ते नारदाच्छ्रुतम् ॥ 2.32 ॥

rāmasya caritam kṛtsnam kuru tvam ṛṣisattama | dharmātmano bhagavato loke rāmasya dhīmataḥ

"Narrate the story of Rama — righteous, virtuous, wise, and steadfast — in this world, just as you have heard it from Narada."

Shloka 33 (bala.2.33)

रहस्यं च प्रकाशं च यद् वृत्तं तस्य धीमतः । रामस्य सहसौमित्रे राक्षसानां च सर्वशः ॥ 2.33 ॥

vṛttam kathaya dhīrasya yathā te nāradāt śrutam | rahasyam ca prakāśam ca yad vṛttam tasya dhīmataḥ

"Whatever happened to the wise Rama, together with Saumitri (Lakshmana), and to the demons — whether hidden or known, in every particular—"

Shloka 34 (bala.2.34)

वैदेह्याश्चापि यद् वृत्तं प्रकाशं यदि वा रहः । तच्चाप्यविदितं सर्वं विदितं ते भविष्यति ॥ 2.34 ॥

rāmasya saha saumitre rākṣasānām ca sarvaśaḥ | vaidehyāḥ ca eva yad vṛttam prakāśam yadi vā rahaḥ

"—and whatever happened to Vaidehi too, whether open or secret — all of it, even what is unknown to you now, shall become known to you."

Shloka 35 (bala.2.35)

न ते वागनृता काव्ये काचिदत्र भविष्यति । कुरु रामकथां पुण्यां श्लोकबद्धां मनोरमाम् ॥ 2.35 ॥

tat ca api aviditam sarvam viditam te bhaviṣyati | na te vāk anṛtā kāvye kācit atra bhaviṣyati

"Not a single word of yours in this poem shall be false. Compose the sacred and delightful story of Rama, bound in verse."

Shloka 36 (bala.2.36)

यावत्स्थास्यन्ति गिरयः सरितश्च महीतले । तावद्रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ॥ 2.36 ॥

kuru rāma kathām puṇyām śloka baddhām manoramām | yāvat sthāsyanti girayaḥ saritaḥ ca mahītale

"As long as the mountains and rivers endure upon this earth, so long shall the story of the Ramayana spread through the worlds."

Shloka 37 (bala.2.37)

यावद्रामायणकथा त्वत्कृता प्रचरिष्यति । तावदूर्ध्वमधश्च त्वं मल्लोकेषु निवत्स्यसि ॥ 2.37 ॥

tāvat rāmāyaṇa kathā lokeṣu pracariṣyati | yāvat rāmasya ca kathā tvat kṛtā pracariṣyati

"As long as the Ramayana composed by you spreads in the world, so long shall you dwell in the higher and lower worlds, and in my own worlds too."

Shloka 38 (bala.2.38)

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । ततः सशिष्यो भगवान्मुनिर्विस्मयमाययौ ॥ 2.38 ॥

tāvat ūrdhvam adhaḥ ca tvam mat lokeṣu nivatsyasi | iti uktvā bhagavān brahmā tatra eva antaradhīyata | tataḥ sa śiṣyo bhagavān muniḥ vismayam āyayau

Having said this, the Lord Brahma vanished then and there. Then the venerable sage, together with his disciples, was filled with wonder.

Shloka 39 (bala.2.39)

तस्य शिष्यास्ततः सर्वे जगुः श्लोकमिमं पुनः । मुहुर्महुः प्रीयमाणाः प्राहुश्च भृशविस्मिताः ॥ 2.39 ॥

tasya śiṣyāḥ tataḥ sarve jaguḥ ślokam imam punaḥ | muhur muhuḥ prīyamāṇāḥ prāhuḥ ca bhṛśa vismitāḥ

Then all his disciples, again and again, sang that same verse with delight, and, greatly astonished, repeated it to one another.

Shloka 40 (bala.2.40)

समाक्षरैश्चतुर्भिर्यः पादैर्गीतो महर्षिणा । सोऽनुव्याहरणाद् भूयः श्लोकः श्लोकत्वमागतः ॥ 2.40 ॥

samākṣaraiḥ caturbhiḥ yaḥ pādaiḥ gīto maharṣiṇā | saḥ anuvyāharaṇāt bhūyaḥ śokaḥ ślokatvam āgataḥ

That which was sung by the great sage in four feet of equal syllables — through this repetition, it truly came to be known as "shloka."

Shloka 41 (bala.2.41)

तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यमीदृशैः करवाण्यहम् ॥ 2.41 ॥

tasya buddhiḥ iyam jātā maharṣeḥ bhāvitātmanaḥ | kṛtsnam rāmāyaṇam kāvyam īdṛśaiḥ karavāṇyaham

Then this resolve arose in that great sage of purified soul: "I shall compose the entire epic of the Ramayana in verses such as these."

Shloka 42 (bala.2.42)

उदारवृत्तार्थपदैर्मनोरमैः तदास्य रामस्य चकार कीर्तिमान् । समाक्षरैः श्लोकशतैर्यशस्विनो यशस्करं काव्यमुदारधीर्मुनिः ॥ 2.42 ॥

udāra vṛtta artha padaiḥ manoramaiḥ tadā asya rāmasya cakāra kīrtimān | sama akṣaraiḥ śloka śataiḥ yaśasvino yaśaskaram kāvyam udāra darśanaḥ

Then that renowned and noble-minded sage composed, in hundreds of verses of equal syllables, with graceful metre and delightful words and meanings, that glory-bestowing poem of the illustrious Rama.

Shloka 43 (bala.2.43)

तदुपगतसमाससन्धियोगं सममधुरोपनतार्थवाक्यबद्धम् । रघुवरचरितं मुनिप्रणीतं दशशिरसश्च वधं निशामयध्वम् ॥ 2.43 ॥

tad upagata samāsa sandhi yogam sama madhuropanata artha vākya baddham | raghuvara caritam munipraṇītam daśa śirasaḥ ca vadham niśāmaya adhvam

That poem, composed by the sage, rich with fitting compounds and euphonic combinations, its sentences even, sweet, and meaningful, tells of the deeds of the best of the Raghus and the slaying of the ten-headed one — listen to it now.