Valmiki's Instruction to the Twin Singers

Shloka 1 (uttara.93.1)

वर्तमाने तथाभूते यज्ञे च परमाद्भुते । सशिष्य आजगामाशु वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। ७.९३.१ ।।

vartamāne tathābhūte yajñe ca paramādbhute | saśiṣya ājagāmāśu vālmīkir munipuṅgavaḥ || 7.93.1 ||

While that supremely wondrous sacrifice was thus in progress, Valmiki, foremost of sages, arrived swiftly there together with his disciples.

Shloka 2 (uttara.93.2)

स दृष्ट्वा दिव्यसङ्काशं यज्ञमद्भुतदर्शनम् । एकान्ते ऋषिवाटानां चकार उटजाञ्छुभान् ।। ७.९३.२ ।।

sa dṛṣṭvā divyasaṅkāśaṃ yajñam adbhutadarśanam | ekānte ṛṣivāṭānāṃ cakāra uṭajāñ śubhān || 7.93.2 ||

Seeing that sacrifice, divine in splendor and wondrous to behold, he had auspicious huts built in a secluded part of the sages' encampments.

Shloka 3 (uttara.93.3)

शकटांश्च बहून्पूर्णान्फलमूलैश्च शोभनान् । वाल्मीकिवाटे रुचिरे स्थापयन्नविदूरतः ।। ७.९३.३ ।।

śakaṭāṃś ca bahūn pūrṇān phalamūlaiś ca śobhanān | vālmīkivāṭe rucire sthāpayann avidūrataḥ || 7.93.3 ||

And he had many carts, laden with fair fruits and roots, set down not far from Valmiki's charming encampment.

Shloka 4 (uttara.93.4)

आसीत्सुपूजितो राज्ञा मुनिभिश्च महात्मभिः । वाल्मीकिः सुमहातेजा न्यवसत्परमात्मवान् ।। ७.९३.४ ।।

āsīt supūjito rājñā munibhiś ca mahātmabhiḥ | vālmīkiḥ sumahātejā nyavasat paramātmavān || 7.93.4 ||

Duly honored by the king and by the other great-souled sages, that supremely self-possessed, greatly radiant Valmiki dwelt there.

Shloka 5 (uttara.93.5)

स शिष्यावब्रवीद्धृष्टौ युवां गत्वा समाहितौ । कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यं गायेथां परया मुदा ।। ७.९३.५ ।।

sa śiṣyāv abravīd dhṛṣṭau yuvāṃ gatvā samāhitau | kṛtsnaṃ rāmāyaṇaṃ kāvyaṃ gāyethāṃ parayā mudā || 7.93.5 ||

He said to his two joyful disciples: "Go, the two of you, and with focused mind, sing the whole poem of the Ramayana with the greatest delight."

Shloka 6 (uttara.93.6)

ऋषिवाटेषु पुण्येषु ब्राह्मणावसथेषु च । रथ्यासु राजमार्गेषु पार्थिवानां गृहेषु च ।। ७.९३.६ ।।

ṛṣivāṭeṣu puṇyeṣu brāhmaṇāvasatheṣu ca | rathyāsu rājamārgeṣu pārthivānāṃ gṛheṣu ca || 7.93.6 ||

"In the sacred hermitage-camps, in the dwellings of the brahmins, in the streets and royal highways, and in the houses of kings --"

Shloka 7 (uttara.93.7)

रामस्य भवनद्वारि यत्र कर्म च कुर्वते । ऋत्विजामग्रतश्चैव तत्र गेयं विशेषतः ।। ७.९३.७ ।।

rāmasya bhavanadvāri yatra karma ca kurvate | ṛtvijām agrataś caiva tatra geyaṃ viśeṣataḥ || 7.93.7 ||

"-- at the gate of Rama's dwelling, wherever the sacrificial rites are being performed, and before the priests as well -- there especially it must be sung."

Shloka 8 (uttara.93.8)

इमानि च फलान्यत्र स्वादूनि विविधानि च । जातानि पर्वताग्रेषु चास्वाद्यास्वाद्य गायताम् ।। ७.९३.८ ।।

imāni ca phalāny atra svādūni vividhāni ca | jātāni parvatāgreṣu cāsvādyāsvādya gāyatām || 7.93.8 ||

"And these sweet fruits of various kinds, grown on the mountain-tops, here -- tasting them again and again, the two of you shall sing."

Shloka 9 (uttara.93.9)

न यास्यथः श्रमं वत्सौ भक्षयित्वा फलानि वै । मूलानि च सुमृष्टानि नगराद्बहिरास्यथः ।। ७.९३.९ ।।

na yāsyathaḥ śramaṃ vatsau bhakṣayitvā phalāni vai | mūlāni ca sumṛṣṭāni nagarād bahir āsyathaḥ || 7.93.9 ||

"Having eaten the fruits and the well-cleaned roots, you two, my children, will not know fatigue; stay outside the city."

Shloka 10 (uttara.93.10)

यदि शब्दापयेद्रामः श्रवणाय महीपतिः । ऋषीणामुपविष्टानां ततो गेयं प्रवर्तताम् ।। ७.९३.१० ।।

yadi śabdāpayed rāmaḥ śravaṇāya mahīpatiḥ | ṛṣīṇām upaviṣṭānāṃ tato geyaṃ pravartatām || 7.93.10 ||

"If King Rama should summon you to sing in the hearing of the seated sages, then let the song begin."

Shloka 11 (uttara.93.11)

दिवसे विंशतिः सर्गा गेया मधुरया गिरा । प्रमाणैर्बहुभिस्तत्र यथोद्दिष्टा मया पुरा ।। ७.९३.११ ।।

divase viṃśatiḥ sargā geyā madhurayā girā | pramāṇair bahubhis tatra yathoddiṣṭā mayā purā || 7.93.11 ||

"Twenty cantos a day are to be sung, in sweet voice, in the many metres, just as I instructed you before."

Shloka 12 (uttara.93.12)

लोभश्चापि न कर्तव्यः स्वल्पो ऽपि धनकाङ्क्षया । किं धनेनाश्रमस्थानां फलमूलोपजीविना ।। ७.९३.१२ ।।

lobhaś cāpi na kartavyaḥ svalpo 'pi dhanakāṅkṣayā | kiṃ dhanenāśramasthānāṃ phalamūlopajīvinā || 7.93.12 ||

"Not even the slightest greed for wealth should be entertained; what use is wealth to those who dwell in the hermitage, living on fruit and root?"

Shloka 13 (uttara.93.13)

यदि पृच्छेत्स काकुत्स्थो युवां कस्येति दारकौ । आवां वाल्मीकिशिष्यौ स्वो ब्रूतमेवं नराधिपम् ।। ७.९३.१३ ।।

yadi pṛcchet sa kākutstho yuvāṃ kasyeti dārakau | āvāṃ vālmīkiśiṣyau sva brūtam evaṃ narādhipam || 7.93.13 ||

"If Kakutstha should ask, 'Whose children are you two?' then say this to the king: 'We are Valmiki's own two disciples.'"

Shloka 14 (uttara.93.14)

इमास्तन्त्रीः सुमधुराः स्थानं वा ऽपूर्वदर्शनम् । मूर्च्छयित्वा सुमधुरं गायतां विगतज्वरौ ।। ७.९३.१४ ।।

imās tantrīḥ sumadhurāḥ sthānaṃ vāpūrvadarśanam | mūrchayitvā sumadhuraṃ gāyatāṃ vigatajvarau || 7.93.14 ||

"Tuning well these sweet lute-strings, or the unprecedented pitch, sing most sweetly, free from all anxiety."

Shloka 15 (uttara.93.15)

आदिप्रभृति गेयं स्यान्न चावज्ञाय पार्थिवम् । पिता हि सर्वभूतानां राजा भविति धर्मतः ।। ७.९३.१५ ।।

ādiprabhṛti geyaṃ syān na cāvajñāya pārthivam | pitā hi sarvabhūtānāṃ rājā bhavati dharmataḥ || 7.93.15 ||

"The singing shall be from the very beginning, and never with disrespect toward the king; for by righteousness the king is the father of all beings."

Shloka 16 (uttara.93.16)

तद्युवां हृष्टमनसौ श्वः प्रभाते समास्थितौ । गायेथां मधुरं गेयं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम् ।। ७.९३.१६ ।।

tad yuvāṃ hṛṣṭamanasau śvaḥ prabhāte samāsthitau | gāyethāṃ madhuraṃ geyaṃ tantrīlayasamanvitam || 7.93.16 ||

"So tomorrow, at dawn, with joyful minds, take your places and sing this sweet song, accompanied by the rhythm of the lute."

Shloka 17 (uttara.93.17)

इति सन्दिश्य बहुशो मुनिः प्राचेतसस्तदा । वाल्मीकिः परमोदारस्तूष्णीमासीन्महायशाः ।। ७.९३.१७ ।।

iti sandiśya bahuśo muniḥ prācetasas tadā | vālmīkiḥ paramodāras tūṣṇīm āsīn mahāyaśāḥ || 7.93.17 ||

Having thus instructed them repeatedly, the sage descended from Prachetas, the supremely noble and greatly renowned Valmiki, then fell silent.

Shloka 18 (uttara.93.18)

सन्दिष्टौ मुनिना तेन तावुभौ मैथिलीसुतौ । तथैव करवावेति निर्जग्मतुररिन्दमौ ।। ७.९३.१८ ।।

sandiṣṭau muninā tena tāv ubhau maithilīsutau | tathaiva karavāv eti nirjagmatur arindamau || 7.93.18 ||

Thus instructed by that sage, those two sons of Maithili (Sita), saying "So we shall do," those two subduers of foes departed from there.

Shloka 19 (uttara.93.19)

तामद्भुतां तौ हृदये कुमारौ निवेश्य वाणीमृषिभाषितां तदा । समुत्सुकौ तौ सममूषतुर्निशां यथा ऽश्विनौ भार्गवनीतिसंहिताम् ।। ७.९३.१९ ।।

tām adbhutāṃ tau hṛdaye kumārau niveśya vāṇīm ṛṣibhāṣitāṃ tadā | samutsukau tau sam ūṣatur niśāṃ yathāśvinau bhārgavanītisaṃhitām || 7.93.19 ||

Having laid up in their hearts that wondrous speech uttered by the sage, the two eager princes passed that night together, as the Ashvins would hold fast the counsel taught by Bhrigu.