The Birth of Kusha and Lava

Shloka 1 (uttara.66.1)

यामेव रात्रिं शत्रुघ्नः पर्णशालामुपाविशत् । तामेव रात्रिं सीतापि प्रसूता दारकद्वयम् ।। 66.1 ।।

yāmeva rātriṃ śatrughnaḥ parṇaśālāmupāviśat | tāmeva rātriṃ sītāpi prasūtā dārakadvayam || 66.1 ||

On that very night when Shatrughna entered the leaf-hut, on that very night Sita too gave birth to two sons.

Shloka 2 (uttara.66.2)

ततो ऽर्धरात्रसमये बालका मुनिदारकाः । वाल्मीकेः प्रियमाचख्युः सीतायाः प्रसवं शुभम् ।। 66.2 ।।

tato 'rdharātrasamaye bālakā munidārakāḥ | vālmīkeḥ priyamācakhyuḥ sītāyāḥ prasavaṃ śubham || 66.2 ||

Then, at midnight, the sage's young disciples brought Valmiki the joyful news of Sita's auspicious delivery.

Shloka 3 (uttara.66.3)

भगवन्रामपत्नी सा प्रसूता दारकद्वयम् । ततो रक्षां महातेजः कुरु भूतविनाशिनीम् ।। 66.3 ।।

bhagavanrāmapatnī sā prasūtā dārakadvayam | tato rakṣāṃ mahātejaḥ kuru bhūtavināśinīm || 66.3 ||

"O venerable one, Rama's wife has given birth to two sons. So, O greatly splendorous one, perform the protective rite that destroys evil spirits."

Shloka 4 (uttara.66.4)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा महर्षिः समुपागमत् । बालचन्द्रप्रतीकाशौ देवपुत्रौ महौजसौ ।। 66.4 ।।

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā maharṣiḥ samupāgamat | bālacandrapratīkāśau devaputrau mahaujasau || 66.4 ||

Hearing their words, the great sage came at once to where those two mighty, godlike infants lay, radiant as the crescent moon.

Shloka 5 (uttara.66.5)

जगाम तत्र हृष्टात्मा ददर्श च कुमारकौ । भूतघ्नीं चाकरोत्ताभ्यां रक्षां रक्षोविनाशिनीम् ।। 66.5 ।।

jagāma tatra hṛṣṭātmā dadarśa ca kumārakau | bhūtaghnīṃ cākarottābhyāṃ rakṣāṃ rakṣovināśinīm || 66.5 ||

Rejoicing, he went there and beheld the two infants, and performed for them the protective rite that destroys evil spirits and demons.

Shloka 6 (uttara.66.6)

कुशमुष्टिमुपादाय लवं चैव तु स द्विजः । वाल्मीकिः प्रददौ ताभ्यां रक्षां भूतविनाशिनीम् ।। 66.6 ।।

kuśamuṣṭimupādāya lavaṃ caiva tu sa dvijaḥ | vālmīkiḥ pradadau tābhyāṃ rakṣāṃ bhūtavināśinīm || 66.6 ||

That brahmin Valmiki, taking a handful of kusha grass and a sprig of lava grass, gave them both the rite of protection that destroys evil beings.

Shloka 7 (uttara.66.7)

यस्तयोः पूर्वजो जातः स कुशैर्मन्त्रसत्कृतैः । निर्मार्जनीयस्तु तदा कुश इत्यस्य नाम तत् ।। 66.7 ।।

yastayoḥ pūrvajo jātaḥ sa kuśairmantrasatkṛtaiḥ | nirmārjanīyastu tadā kuśa ityasya nāma tat || 66.7 ||

Of the two, the one born first was purified with kusha grass consecrated by sacred formulas; so his name became "Kusha."

Shloka 8 (uttara.66.8)

यश्चावरो भवेत्ताभ्यां लवेन स समाहितः । निर्मार्जनीयो वृद्धाभिर्लव इत्येव नामतः ।। 66.8 ।।

yaścāvaro bhavettābhyāṃ lavena sa samāhitaḥ | nirmārjanīyo vṛddhābhirlava ityeva nāmataḥ || 66.8 ||

And the younger of the two was, with careful attention, purified by the elder women using lava grass; and so his name became "Lava."

Shloka 9 (uttara.66.9)

एवं कुशलवौ नाम्ना तावुभौ यमजातकौ । मत्कृताभ्यां च नामभ्यां ख्यातियुक्तौ भविष्यतः ।। 66.9 ।।

evaṃ kuśalavau nāmnā tāvubhau yamajātakau | matkṛtābhyāṃ ca nāmabhyāṃ khyātiyuktau bhaviṣyataḥ || 66.9 ||

Thus, by these names, the twin boys became Kusha and Lava; by these very names I myself have given them, they shall become renowned in the world.

Shloka 10 (uttara.66.10)

तां रक्षां जगृहुस्ताश्च मुनिहस्तात्समाहिताः । अकुर्वंश्च ततो रक्षां तयोर्विगतकल्मषाः ।। 66.10 ।।

tāṃ rakṣāṃ jagṛhustāśca munihastātsamāhitāḥ | akurvaṃśca tato rakṣāṃ tayorvigatakalmaṣāḥ || 66.10 ||

Those women, with focused minds, took that protective rite from the sage's own hand, and, free from all taint, continued to guard the two children.

Shloka 11 (uttara.66.11)

तथा तां क्रियमाणां च वृद्धाभिर्जन्म नाम च । सङ्कीर्तनं च रामस्य सीतायाः प्रसवौ शुभौ ।। 66.11 ।।

tathā tāṃ kriyamāṇāṃ ca vṛddhābhirjanma nāma ca | saṅkīrtanaṃ ca rāmasya sītāyāḥ prasavau śubhau || 66.11 ||

Thus, as the elder women performed that rite, there was talk of the twins' birth and naming, and the singing of Rama's praises too -- on the occasion of Sita's auspicious twin delivery.

Shloka 12 (uttara.66.12)

अर्धरात्रे तु शत्रुघ्नः शुश्राव सुमहत्प्रियम् । पर्णशालां ततो गत्वा मातर्दिष्ट्येति चाब्रवीत् ।। 66.12 ।।

ardharātre tu śatrughnaḥ śuśrāva sumahatpriyam | parṇaśālāṃ tato gatvā mātardiṣṭyeti cābravīt || 66.12 ||

At midnight, Shatrughna heard this most joyful news. Then, going to the leaf-hut, he said, "O mother, what great good fortune!"

Shloka 13 (uttara.66.13)

तथा तस्य प्रहृष्टस्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः । व्यतीता वार्षिकी रात्रिः श्रावणी लघुविक्रमः ।। 66.13 ।।

tathā tasya prahṛṣṭasya śatrughnasya mahātmanaḥ | vyatītā vārṣikī rātriḥ śrāvaṇī laghuvikramaḥ || 66.13 ||

Thus that rainy-season night of Shravana passed swiftly for the greatly joyful, great-souled Shatrughna.

Shloka 14 (uttara.66.14)

प्रभाते सुमहावीर्यः कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकीं क्रियाम् । मुनिं प्राञ्जलिरामन्त्र्य ययौ पश्चान्मुखः पुनः ।। 66.14 ।।

prabhāte sumahāvīryaḥ kṛtvā paurvāhṇikīṃ kriyām | muniṃ prāñjalirāmantrya yayau paścānmukhaḥ punaḥ || 66.14 ||

At dawn, that mighty hero performed his morning rites, then, with joined palms, took leave of the sage, and set out again, his face turned westward.

Shloka 15 (uttara.66.15)

स गत्वा यमुनातीरं सप्तरात्रोषितः पथि । ऋषीणां पुण्यकीर्तीनामाश्रमे वासमभ्ययात् ।। 66.15 ।।

sa gatvā yamunātīraṃ saptarātroṣitaḥ pathi | ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyakīrtīnāmāśrame vāsamabhyayāt || 66.15 ||

He went to the bank of the Yamuna, and, having spent seven nights on the road, came to dwell in the hermitage of sages of pure renown.

Shloka 16 (uttara.66.16)

स तत्र मुनिभिः सार्धं भार्गवप्रमुखैर्नृपः । कथाभिरभिरूपाभिर्वासं चक्रे महायशाः ।। 66.16 ।।

sa tatra munibhiḥ sārdhaṃ bhārgavapramukhairnṛpaḥ | kathābhirabhirūpābhirvāsaṃ cakre mahāyaśāḥ || 66.16 ||

There that greatly renowned king dwelt among sages headed by descendants of Bhrigu, passing the time in fine stories.

Shloka 17 (uttara.66.17)

स काञ्चनाद्यैर्मुनिभिः समेतो रघुप्रवीरो रजनीं तदानीम् । कथाप्रकारैर्बहुभिर्महात्मा विरामयामास नरेन्द्रसूनुः ।। 66.17 ।।

sa kāñcanādyairmunibhiḥ sameto raghupravīro rajanīṃ tadānīm | kathāprakārairbahubhirmahātmā virāmayāmāsa narendrasūnuḥ || 66.17 ||

Together with Kanchana and other sages, that hero of the Raghu line, the great-souled son of kings, spent that night in the telling of many kinds of tales.