Dashaka 34

गीर्वाणैरर्थ्यमानो दशमुखनिधनं कोसलेष्वृश्यशृङ्गे
पुत्रीयामिष्टिमिष्ट्वा ददुषि दशरथक्ष्माभृते पायसाग्र्यम् ।
तद्भुक्त्या तत्पुरन्ध्रीष्वपि तिसृषु समं जातगर्भासु जातो
रामस्त्वं लक्ष्मणेन स्वयमथ भरतेनापि शत्रुघ्ननाम्ना ॥१॥

The Devas prayed to Thee for the destruction of Raavana. In the kingdom of Kosala, the sage Rishyashringa performed the Putrakaameshti Ynjya on the request of the King Dashratha. From the Yanajya emerged the divine paayasa which the king distributed among his three wives, by eating it they conceived simultaneously. Thou were born to them as Raama, then yourself as Lakshmana ,also as Bharat, and Shatrughna, by these names.

कोदण्डी कौशिकस्य क्रतुवरमवितुं लक्ष्मणेनानुयातो
यातोऽभूस्तातवाचा मुनिकथितमनुद्वन्द्वशान्ताध्वखेद: ।
नृणां त्राणाय बाणैर्मुनिवचनबलात्ताटकां पाटयित्वा
लब्ध्वास्मादस्त्रजालं मुनिवनमगमो देव सिद्धाश्रमाख्यम् ॥२॥

At the bidding of Thy father, followed by Lakshmana, Thou proceeded to protect the great sacrifice of Vishwaamitra, carrying the bow Kodanda. To remove the fatigue of the way, the sage imparted two Mantraas -Bala and Atibala. By the order of the sage, for the relief of the men, Thou destroyed the demoness Taadakaa, with arrows. After receiving from the sage instructions in the use of several divine missiles, Thou went to the forest with the sage and then to the hermitage named Siddhaashrama.

मारीचं द्रावयित्वा मखशिरसि शरैरन्यरक्षांसि निघ्नन्
कल्यां कुर्वन्नहल्यां पथि पदरजसा प्राप्य वैदेहगेहम् ।
भिन्दानश्चान्द्रचूडं धनुरवनिसुतामिन्दिरामेव लब्ध्वा
राज्यं प्रातिष्ठथास्त्वं त्रिभिरपि च समं भ्रातृवीरैस्सदारै: ॥३॥

At the beginning of the sacrificial rites, Thou chased Maareecha and with arrows killed the other Raakshasas. On the way Thou purified Ahilyaa of her sins by the dust of Thy feet. On reaching Janaka's palace and breaking the bow of Shiva, Thou won Seetaa, the daughter of the earth, as Thy consort, who was Lakshmi herself. Along with the three great brothers and their wives Thou set out for Thy kingdom.

आरुन्धाने रुषान्धे भृगुकुल तिलके संक्रमय्य स्वतेजो
याते यातोऽस्ययोध्यां सुखमिह निवसन् कान्तया कान्तमूर्ते ।
शत्रुघ्नेनैकदाथो गतवति भरते मातुलस्याधिवासं
तातारब्धोऽभिषेकस्तव किल विहत: केकयाधीशपुत्र्या ॥४॥

O Radiant Lord! Parashuraama, the foremost of the Bhrigu clan, confronted Thee with great anger and was defeated. He then transmitted all his powers to Thee and went away. Thou went to Ayodhyaa and lived happily with Thy consort Seetaa. Then one day, when Bharat along with Shatrughna had gone to his uncle's kingdom,Thy father fixed Thy coronation which was obstructed by the daughter of the king Kekaya, i.e., Kekayee.

तातोक्त्या यातुकामो वनमनुजवधूसंयुतश्चापधार:
पौरानारुध्य मार्गे गुहनिलयगतस्त्वं जटाचीरधारी।
नावा सन्तीर्य गङ्गामधिपदवि पुनस्तं भरद्वाजमारा-
न्नत्वा तद्वाक्यहेतोरतिसुखमवसश्चित्रकूटे गिरीन्द्रे ॥५॥

To keep Thy father's words Thou proceeded to go to the forest accompanied by Thy consort Seetaa, and brother Lakshmana, armed with a bow. The crowd of citizens stricken with grief, who followed Thee, Thou sent back and on the way went to the residence of Guha. In an ascetic garb of bark cloth and matted hair Thou crossed the Gangaa in a boat and paid obeisance to sage Bharadwaaja who lived near by. On the sage's instruction Thou camped on the great mountain Chitrakoota and lived there very happily.

श्रुत्वा पुत्रार्तिखिन्नं खलु भरतमुखात् स्वर्गयातं स्वतातं
तप्तो दत्वाऽम्बु तस्मै निदधिथ भरते पादुकां मेदिनीं च
अत्रिं नत्वाऽथ गत्वा वनमतिविपुलं दण्डकं चण्डकायं
हत्वा दैत्यं विराधं सुगतिमकलयश्चारु भो: शारभङ्गीम् ॥६॥

Hearing from Bharat about Thy father's demise on account of the pangs of separation from the son (Thee), Thou were tormented and performed Tarpana for him. Then Thou bestowed Thy sandals and the kingdom to Bharata and paid homage to sage Atri. Going into the dense vast forest Dandaka, Thou killed the ferocious bodied demon Viraadha, and Thou graciously gave salvation to sage Shaarabhangee.

नत्वाऽगस्त्यं समस्ताशरनिकरसपत्राकृतिं तापसेभ्य:
प्रत्यश्रौषी: प्रियैषी तदनु च मुनिना वैष्णवे दिव्यचापे ।
ब्रह्मास्त्रे चापि दत्ते पथि पितृसुहृदं वीक्ष्य भूयो जटायुं
मोदात् गोदातटान्ते परिरमसि पुरा पञ्चवट्यां वधूट्या ॥७॥

After paying obeisance to sage Agastya, Thou the well wisher of the sages, promised to destroy the multitude of demons to the core. Then the sage gave Thee the divine Vaishnava bow and also the Brahmaastra. Thou also met Thy father's friend Jataayu and lived happily with Thy consort Seetaa in Panchawati on the banks of the river Godaavaree.

प्राप्ताया: शूर्पणख्या मदनचलधृतेरर्थनैर्निस्सहात्मा
तां सौमित्रौ विसृज्य प्रबलतमरुषा तेन निर्लूननासाम् ।
दृष्ट्वैनां रुष्टचित्तं खरमभिपतितं दूषणं च त्रिमूर्धं
व्याहिंसीराशरानप्ययुतसमधिकांस्तत्क्षणादक्षतोष्मा ॥८॥

Shoorpanakhaa approached Thee overcome with passion. Annoyed by her love lorn advances, Thou sent her away to Lakshmana who in great rage cut off her nose. Khar Dooshana and Trishira seeing her state came to attack Thee in great anger. O Thou! Whose powers know no decline, Thou killed them and other more than ten thousand Raakshasas all at once then and there.

सोदर्याप्रोक्तवार्ताविवशदशमुखादिष्टमारीचमाया-
सारङ्ग सारसाक्ष्या स्पृहितमनुगत: प्रावधीर्बाणघातम् ।
तन्मायाक्रन्दनिर्यापितभवदनुजां रावणस्तामहार्षी-
त्तेनार्तोऽपि त्वमन्त: किमपि मुदमधास्तद्वधोपायलाभात् ॥९॥

Raavana's sister Shurpanakhaa gave an account of Seetaa by which he was infatuated and ordered Maareech to become the illusive deer. The lotus eyed Seetaa, made a desire for the deer and Thou went after it and killed it with an arrow. As Maareech died, he gave an illusive cry imitating Raama. Hearing the cry , Seetaa sent away Thy younger brother Lakshmana after him. Finding her alone Raavana abducted Seetaa. Though Thou were grieved at this, Thou also felt some joy as this gave a good reason to kill Raavana.

भूयस्तन्वीं विचिन्वन्नहृत दशमुखस्त्वद्वधूं मद्वधेने-
त्युक्त्वा याते जटायौ दिवमथ सुहृद: प्रातनो: प्रेतकार्यम् ।
गृह्णानं तं कबन्धं जघनिथ शबरीं प्रेक्ष्य पम्पातटे त्वं
सम्प्राप्तो वातसूनुं भृशमुदितमना: पाहि वातालयेश ॥१०॥

While searching for Seetaa, the dying Jataayu informed Thee that Raavana had abducted Seetaa and also had inflicted fatal wounds on him, when offered resistance.Thou performed the funeral rites of this friend Jataayu. On the way the monster Kabandha obstructed Thee and was killed. Thou then gave salvation to the ascetic woman Shabari and also got to meet Hanumaana on the banks of the river Pampaa, to Thy great delight. O Lord of Guruvaayur! protect me.