Uttara Kanda, Sarga 93

वर्तमाने तथाभूते यज्ञे च परमाद्भुते । सशिष्य आजगामाशु वाल्मीकिर्मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। 7.93.1 ।।

vartamāne tathābhūte yajñe ca paramādbhute | saśiṣya ājagāmāśu vālmīkirmunipuṅgavaḥ || 7.93.1 ||

While that supremely wonderful sacrifice was thus going on, Valmiki, the foremost among sages, quickly arrived with his disciples.

स दृष्ट्वा दिव्यसङ्काशं यज्ञमद्भुतदर्शनम् । एकान्ते ऋषिवाटानां चकार उटजाञ्छुभान् ।। 7.93.2 ।।

sa dṛṣṭvā divyasaṅkāśaṃ yajñamadbhutadarśanam | ekānte ṛṣivāṭānāṃ cakāra uṭajāñchubhān || 7.93.2 ||

Having seen the divine-like and wondrous sacrifice, he (Valmiki) constructed auspicious huts in a secluded spot among the hermitages of other sages.

शकटांश्च बहून्पूर्णान्फलमूलैश्च शोभनान् । वाल्मीकिवाटे रुचिरे स्थापयन्नविदूरतः ।। 7.93.3 ।।

śakaṭāṃśca bahūnpūrṇānphalamūlaiśca śobhanān | vālmīkivāṭe rucire sthāpayannavidūrataḥ || 7.93.3 ||

He also had many carts, full of excellent fruits and roots, placed not far off in his charming hermitage.

आसीत्सुपूजितो राज्ञा मुनिभिश्च महात्मभिः । वाल्मीकिः सुमहातेजा न्यवसत्परमात्मवान् ।। 7.93.4 ।।

āsītsupūjito rājñā munibhiśca mahātmabhiḥ | vālmīkiḥ sumahātejā nyavasatparamātmavān || 7.93.4 ||

Valmiki, of great splendor and self-controlled, was greatly honored by the king and the great-souled sages, and thus he resided there.

स शिष्यावब्रवीद्धृष्टौ युवां गत्वा समाहितौ । कृत्स्नं रामायणं काव्यं गायेथां परया मुदा ।। 7.93.5 ।।

sa śiṣyāvabravīddhṛṣṭau yuvāṃ gatvā samāhitau | kṛtsnaṃ rāmāyaṇaṃ kāvyaṃ gāyethāṃ parayā mudā || 7.93.5 ||

Valmiki, delighted, instructed his two disciples to go and sing the entire epic poem of Ramayana with utmost concentration and joy.

ऋषिवाटेषु पुण्येषु ब्राह्मणावसथेषु च । रथ्यासु राजमार्गेषु पार्थिवानां गृहेषु च ।। 7.93.6 ।।

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

They were to sing in sacred hermitages of sages, in the homes of Brahmins, in streets, on royal highways, and in the palaces of kings.

रामस्य भवनद्वारि यत्र कर्म च कुर्वते । ऋत्विजामग्रतश्चैव तत्र गेयं विशेषतः ।। 7.93.7 ।।

rāmasya bhavanadvāri yatra karma ca kurvate | ṛtvijāmagrataścaiva tatra geyaṃ viśeṣataḥ || 7.93.7 ||

They should sing especially at Rama's palace gate, where rituals are performed, and in front of the priests.

इमानि च फलान्यत्र स्वादूनि विविधानि च । जातानि पर्वताग्रेषु चास्वाद्यास्वाद्य गायताम् ।। 7.93.8 ।।

imāni ca phalānyatra svādūni vividhāni ca | jātāni parvatāgreṣu cāsvādyāsvādya gāyatām || 7.93.8 ||

While singing, they should repeatedly taste these various delicious fruits that grow on the mountain peaks.

न यास्यथः श्रमं वत्सौ भक्षयित्वा फलानि वै । मूलानि च सुमृष्टानि नगराद्बहिरास्यथः ।। 7.93.9 ।।

na yāsyathaḥ śramaṃ vatsau bhakṣayitvā phalāni vai | mūlāni ca sumṛṣṭāni nagarādbahirāsyathaḥ || 7.93.9 ||

O dear children, you two will not experience fatigue by eating fruits and pure roots, and you will stay outside the city.

यदि शब्दापयेद्रामः श्रवणाय महीपतिः । ऋषीणामुपविष्टानां ततो गेयं प्रवर्तताम् ।। 7.93.10 ।।

yadi śabdāpayedrāmaḥ śravaṇāya mahīpatiḥ | ṛṣīṇāmupaviṣṭānāṃ tato geyaṃ pravartatām || 7.93.10 ||

If King Rama calls for the sages to listen, then the singing should begin.

दिवसे विंशतिः सर्गा गेया मधुरया गिरा । प्रमाणैर्बहुभिस्तत्र यथोद्दिष्टा मया पुरा ।। 7.93.11 ।।

divase viṃśatiḥ sargā geyā madhurayā girā | pramāṇairbahubhistatra yathoddiṣṭā mayā purā || 7.93.11 ||

Twenty cantos should be sung daily with a sweet voice, using the many meters and measures as I have previously instructed.

लोभश्चापि न कर्तव्यः स्वल्पो ऽपि धनकाङ्क्षया । किं धनेनाश्रमस्थानां फलमूलोपजीविना ।। 7.93.12 ।।

lobhaścāpi na kartavyaḥ svalpo 'pi dhanakāṅkṣayā | kiṃ dhanenāśramasthānāṃ phalamūlopajīvinā || 7.93.12 ||

Do not show even a little greed for wealth, for what use is wealth to those who live in hermitages and subsist on fruits and roots?

यदि पृच्छेत्स काकुत्स्थो युवां कस्येति दारकौ । आवां वाल्मीकिशिष्यौ स्वो ब्रूतमेवं नराधिपम् ।। 7.93.13 ।।

yadi pṛcchetsa kākutstho yuvāṃ kasyeti dārakau | āvāṃ vālmīkiśiṣyau svo brūtamevaṃ narādhipam || 7.93.13 ||

If Rama, the descendant of Kakutstha, asks, "Whose boys are you two?", then tell the king, "We are the disciples of Valmiki."

इमास्तन्त्रीः सुमधुराः स्थानं वा ऽपूर्वदर्शनम् । मूर्च्छयित्वा सुमधुरं गायतां विगतज्वरौ ।। 7.93.14 ।।

imāstantrīḥ sumadhurāḥ sthānaṃ vā 'pūrvadarśanam | mūrcchayitvā sumadhuraṃ gāyatāṃ vigatajvarau || 7.93.14 ||

Harmonize these very sweet strings or notes in an unprecedented manner, and sing very sweetly, free from any anxiety.

आदिप्रभृति गेयं स्यान्न चावज्ञाय पार्थिवम् । पिता हि सर्वभूतानां राजा भविति धर्मतः ।। 7.93.15 ।।

ādiprabhṛti geyaṃ syānna cāvajñāya pārthivam | pitā hi sarvabhūtānāṃ rājā bhaviti dharmataḥ || 7.93.15 ||

The Ramayana should be sung from the beginning, and the king should not be disrespected, for a king is indeed the father of all beings by virtue of dharma.

तद्युवां हृष्टमनसौ श्वः प्रभाते समास्थितौ । गायेथां मधुरं गेयं तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितम् ।। 7.93.16 ।।

tadyuvāṃ hṛṣṭamanasau śvaḥ prabhāte samāsthitau | gāyethāṃ madhuraṃ geyaṃ tantrīlayasamanvitam || 7.93.16 ||

Therefore, you two, with joyful minds, should take your seats tomorrow morning and sing the sweet song, accompanied by string instruments and rhythm.

इति सन्दिश्य बहुशो मुनिः प्राचेतसस्तदा । वाल्मीकिः परमोदारस्तूष्णीमासीन्महायशाः ।। 7.93.17 ।।

iti sandiśya bahuśo muniḥ prācetasastadā | vālmīkiḥ paramodārastūṣṇīmāsīnmahāyaśāḥ || 7.93.17 ||

Thus, having repeatedly instructed them, the highly renowned and most noble sage Valmiki, son of Prachetas, then remained silent.

सन्दिष्टौ मुनिना तेन तावुभौ मैथिलीसुतौ । तथैव करवावेति निर्जग्मतुररिन्दमौ ।। 7.93.18 ।।

sandiṣṭau muninā tena tāvubhau maithilīsutau | tathaiva karavāveti nirjagmaturarindamau || 7.93.18 ||

Having been instructed by that sage, both sons of Maithili, those subduers of enemies, departed, saying, "We shall do just so."

तामद्भुतां तौ हृदये कुमारौ निवेश्य वाणीमृषिभाषितां तदा । समुत्सुकौ तौ सममूषतुर्निशां यथा ऽश्विनौ भार्गवनीतिसंहिताम् ।। 7.93.19 ।।

tāmadbhutāṃ tau hṛdaye kumārau niveśya vāṇīmṛṣibhāṣitāṃ tadā | samutsukau tau samamūṣaturniśāṃ yathā 'śvinau bhārgavanītisaṃhitām || 7.93.19 ||

Then, those two princes, having fixed those wonderful words spoken by the sage in their hearts, passed the night with great eagerness, just as the Ashvins awaited the wisdom of Bhargava. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रिनवतितमः सर्गः ।। 93 ।। Thus ends the ninety-third sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.