सर्वापूर्वमियं येषामासीत् कृत्स्ना वसुंधरा। प्रजापतिमुपादाय नृपाणां जयशालिनाम्॥ येषां स सगरो नाम सागरो येन खानितः। षष्टिपुत्रसहस्राणि यं यान्तं पर्यवारयन्॥ इक्ष्वाकूणामिदं तेषां राज्ञा वंशे महात्मनाम्। महदुतान्नमाख्यानं रामायणमिति श्रुतम्॥
This great story of Rämāyana treats of those victorious kings commencing with Prajāpati, and having Ikşvāku for their founder, who ruled the entire earth as no other kings had done so before them, and in whose line Sagara was born Sagara who dug the ocean, and whom, while out in progress, his sixty-thousand sons followed.
तदिदं वर्तयिष्यावः सर्वं निखिलमादितः। धर्मकामार्थसहितं श्रोतव्यमनसूयता ॥
We shall now chant the entire history of that dynasty from the beginning. Do you, with minds free from ill will, listen to that story conferring merit, profit and pleasure.
कोशलो नाम मुदितः स्फीतो जनपदो महान्। निविष्टः सरयूतीरे प्रभूतधनधान्यवान् ॥
There is on the banks of the Sarayū a great and flourishing country called Kośala abounding in corn and wealth, in which the inhabitants passed their days pleasantly.
अयोध्या नाम नगरी तत्रासील्लोकविश्रुता। मनुना मानवेन्द्रेण या पुरी निर्मिता स्वयम्॥
The capital of that country was Ayodhyā famed among men, which was founded by Manu himself that foremost of men.
आयता दश च द्वे च योजनानि महापुरी। श्रीमती त्रीणि विस्तीर्णा सुविभक्तमहापथा॥
That beautiful and mighty city was twelve Yojanas in length and Three in breadth; and was intersected outside with spacious roads laid out orderly.
राजमार्गेण महता सुविभक्तेन शोभिता। मुक्तपुष्पावकीर्णेन जलसिक्तेन नित्यशः॥
And scattered with blown blossoms, and regularly sprinkled with water; the well-arranged broad high-ways looked beautiful.
तां तु राजा दशरथो महाराष्ट्रविवर्धनः। पुरीमावासयामास दिवि देवपतिर्यथा॥
That one bringing prosperity into great kingdoms, King Dasaratha, lived in that city, like that of the lord of the deities inhabiting the celestial regions.
कपाटतोरणवतीं सुविभक्तान्तरापणाम्। सर्वयन्त्रायुधवतीमुषितां सर्वशिल्पिभिः॥
And the city was furnished with doors and gates, and well-arranged rows of shops. And it contained all kinds of instruments and arms, and was inhabited by all classes of artizans.
सूतमागधसम्बाधां श्रीमतीमतुलप्रभाम्। उच्चाट्टालध्वजवती शतनीशतसंकुलाम्॥
And that graceful and matchlessly brilliant city abounded in eulogists and genealogists. And it was crowned with stately edifices with flags, and guarded by hundreds of Satāghnis. (A weapon commonly described as a stone set round with iron spiles).
वधूनाटकसंधैश्च संयुक्तां सर्वतः पुरीम्। उद्यानाम्रवणोपेतां महतीं सालमेखलाम्॥
And the mighty city contained theatres for females, and gardens, and mango-groves; and was enclosed by a wall of såla trees.
दुर्गगम्भीरपरिखां दुर्गामन्यैर्दुरासदाम्। वाजिवारणसम्पूर्णा गोभिरुष्टैः खरैस्तथा॥
And encircled by a deep moat, the city was not accessible for enemies. And it abounded with elephants and horses, and kine and camels and asses.
सामन्तराजसंधैश्च बलिकर्मभिरावृताम्। नानादेशनिवासैश्च वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम्॥
It was thronged with neighbouring kings come to pay tribute, and inhabited by merchants from various countries.
प्रासादै रत्नविकृतैः पर्वतैरिव शोभिताम्। कूटागारैश्च सम्पूर्णामिन्द्रस्येवामरावतीम्॥
And adorned with mountain like palaces glittering with gems, and filled with sportingplaces for females, and like to Indra's Amarāvati.
चित्रामष्टापदाकारां वरनारीगणायुताम्। सर्वरत्नसमाकीर्णा विमानगृहशोभिताम्॥
The city was wonderful to behold, gleaming with gold-burnished ornaments, and inhabited by troops of courtezans, and abounding in all kinds of gems, and graced with royal palaces.
गृहगाढामविच्छिद्रां समभूमौ निवेशिताम्। शालितण्डुलसम्पूर्णामिक्षुकाण्डरसोदकाम्॥
And it abounded in paddy and rice, and its water was sweet as the juice of the sugar-cane.
दुन्दुभीभिर्मृदङ्गैश्च वीणाभिः पणवैस्तथा। नादितां भृशमत्यर्थं पृथिव्यां तामनुत्तमाम्॥
And it resounded with the sounds of Dundubhis and Mrdargas and Viņās and Panavas.
विमानमिव सिद्धानां तपसाधिगतं दिवि। सुनिवेशितवेश्मान्तां नरोत्तमसमावृताम्॥
And that foremost spot of all the earth was like an aerial car obtained in heaven by the Siddhas, through force of ascetic austerities, and thronged with the best specimens of humanity.
ये च बाणैर्न विध्यन्ति विविक्तमपरापरम्। शब्दवेध्यं च विततं लघुहस्ता विशारदाः॥ सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाणां मत्तानां नदतां वने। हन्तारो निशितैः शस्त्रैर्बलाद् बाहुबलैरपि ॥ तादृशानां सहस्रेस्तामभिपूर्णां महारथैः। पुरीमावासयामास राजा दशरथस्तदा॥
That city was filled by king Dasaratha with thousands of such Mahārathas light-handed and accomplished in fight, as could by force of arms or sharpened shafts slaughter infuriated lions and tigers and boars roaming in the forest; yet as would not pierce with arrows persons lorn or abandoned or hiding or fugitive. * A warrior coping with ten thousand persons, and protecting both his charioteer and steeds. A warrior fighting ten thousand Maharathas.
तामग्निमद्भिर्गुणवद्भिरावृतां द्विजोत्तमैर्वेदषडङ्गपारगैः। सहस्रदैः सत्यरतैर्महात्मभि महर्षिकल्पैर्ऋषिभिश्च केवलैः॥
It abounded mostly in excellent Brāhmaṇas, lighting the sacrificial fire, and crowned with qualities, and versed in the Vedas and the Vedāngas, and giving away thousands, and ever abiding by truth, and high-souled, and resembling might ascetics.