आश्वासयन्तं भरतं जाबालिब्राह्मणोत्तमः। उवाच रामं धर्मज्ञं धर्मापेतमिदं वचः॥
As Rāma cognizant of righteousness was thus encouraging Bharata, Jābāli, best of Brāhmaṇas, addressed him in words divorced from morality, saying.
साधु राघव मा भूत् ते बुद्धिरेवं निरर्थिका। प्राकृतस्य नरस्येव ह्यार्यबुद्धेस्तपस्विनः॥
O Rāghava, endowed with a noble understanding and leading a life of asceticism, do not suffer your intellect to entertain inanities, like any low person.
कः कस्य पुरुषो बन्धुः किमाप्यं कस्य केनचित्। एको हि जायते जन्तुरेक एव विनश्यति॥ तस्मान्माता पिता चेति राम सज्जेत यो नरः। उन्मत्त इव स ज्ञेयो नास्ति कश्चिद्धि कस्यचित्॥
Who is whose friend ? And to what is one entitled and by virtue of what relation? And who is such ? Since a creature is born alone and dies alone, a person that cherishes his father and mother with affection, must, O Rāma, be looked upon as a madman.
यथा ग्रामान्तरं गच्छन् नरः कश्चिद् बहिर्वसेत्। उत्सृज्य च तमावासं प्रतिष्ठेतापरेऽहनि॥ एवमेव मनुष्याणां पिता माता गृहं वसु। आवासमात्रं काकुत्स्थ सज्जन्ते नात्र सज्जनाः॥
No individual has any one (in the world). As on the eve of setting out for another country, a person stays somewhere (outside the village he lives in), and the next day goes away, renouncing that abode, even such are a man's father and mother, house and wealth. O Kākutstha, worthy people never bear affection towards a mere abode.
पित्र्यं राज्यं समुत्सृज्य स नार्हसि नरोत्तम। आस्थातुं कापथं दुःखं विषमं बहुकण्टकम्॥
Therefore, O best of men, leaving your ancestral kingdom, you ought not to abide in the disagreeable forest filled with dangers and difficulties.
समृद्धायामयोध्यायामात्मानमभिषेचय। एकवेणीधरा हित्वा नगरी सम्प्रतीक्षते॥
Do you get yourself sprinkled in the prosperous Ayodhyā. The city expects you wearing a single woven braid.
राजभोगाननुभवन् महार्हान् पार्थिवात्मज। विहर त्वमयोध्यायां यथा शक्रस्त्रिविष्टपे॥
O king's son, enjoying costly regal pleasures, do you sport in Ayodhyā, like Sakra in the celestial regions.
न ते कश्चिद् दशरथस्त्वं च तस्य न कश्चन। अन्यो राजा त्वमन्यस्तु तस्मात् कुरु यदुच्यते॥
Dasaratha is none to you, and you too are none's to Dasaratha. He is quite other than your sire; and you have no connection with him. Therefore, do you act as I tell you.
बीजमात्रं पिता जन्तोः शुक्रं शोणितमेव च। संयुक्तमृतुमन्मात्रा पुरुषस्येह जन्म तत्॥
A father is merely an instrumental cause (touching the generation of his child). A father's semen coming in contact with a mother's blood, at the time befitting conception, a person is brought into being.
गतः स नृपतिस्तत्र गन्तव्यं यत्र तेन वै। प्रवृत्तिरेषा भूतानां त्वं तु मिथ्या विहन्यसे॥
The king has gone the way he should. This is the nature of all creatures. But you for naught deny yourself (the manliness of monarchical power).
अर्थधर्मपरा ये ये तांस्ताशोचामि नेतरान्। ते हि दुःखमिह प्राप्य विनाशं प्रेत्य लेभिरे॥
Those that disregarding interest are devoted to virtue, do I mourn, and not others; for having suffered misery here, they in the end meet with extinction.
अष्टकापितृदेवत्यमित्ययं प्रसृतो जनः। अन्नस्योपद्रवं पश्य मृतो हि किमशिष्यति॥
People engage in Aştaka* in behalf of ancestors and deities. Behold the waste of edibles. Does any dead person feed? *The lunar days and months for propitiating the manes.
यदि भुक्तमिहान्येन देहमन्यस्य गच्छति। दद्यात् प्रवसतां श्राद्धं न तत् पथ्यशनं भवेत्॥
If food partaken by one is transferred to the body of another, offer Śrāddha to one going to a distant and, that shall serve for his provender on the way.
दानसंवनना ह्येते ग्रन्था मेधाविभिः कृताः। यजस्व देहि दीक्षस्व तपस्तप्यस्व संत्यज ॥
Works (on morality) enjoining, Worship,' 'Give away,' 'Be initiated,' 'Observe rites,' "Renounce', have been composed by intelligent persons, for inducing people to be charitable.
स नास्ति परमित्येतत् कुरु बुद्धिं महामते। प्रत्यक्षं यत् तदातिष्ठ परोक्षं पृष्ठतः कुरु॥
O magnanimous one, assure yourself there is no hereafter. Do you remain grounded in the evident, turning your back on what is beyond our ken.
सतां बुद्धिं पुरस्कृत्य सर्वलोकनिदर्शिनीम्। राज्यं स त्वं निगृह्णीष्व भरतेन प्रसादितः॥
Placing in front the intellect of the good, and approved by all, do you, propitiated by Bharata, accept the monarchy.