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[Viswamitra accompanied by the two princes departs for Mithila they halt on the bank of Sona on their way]

atha tāṅ rajanīṅ tatra kṛtārthau rāmalakṣmaṇau.

ūṣaturmuditau vīrau prahṛṣṭēnāntarātmanā৷৷1.31.1৷৷


atha then, kṛtārthau having fulfilled their purpose, muditau rejoicing, vīrau two heroes, rāmalakṣmaṇau Rama and Lakshmana, tāṅ rajanīm that night, prahṛṣṭēna with delighted, antarātmanā hearts, tatra there, ūṣatu: lived.

There, with their purpose fulfilled the heroes, Rama and Lakshmana, full of joy in their hearts spent the night.
prabhātāyāṅ tu śarvaryāṅ kṛtapaurvāhṇikakriyau.

viśvāmitramṛṣīṅścānyān sahitāvabhijagmatu:৷৷1.31.2৷৷


śarvaryām when that night (had passed away), prabhātāyām at dawn, kṛtapaurvāhṇikakriyau performing religious rites relating to forenoon, sahitau together, viśvāmitram Visvamitra, anyān other, ṛṣīṅśca rishis, abhijagmatu: approached.

As the night dawned, both the brothers performed the morning rites and approached Viswamitra and other rishis.
abhivādya muniśrēṣṭhaṅ jvalantamiva pāvakam.

ūcaturmadhurōdāraṅ vākyaṅ madhurabhāṣiṇau৷৷1.31.3৷৷


madhurabhāṣiṇau having the disposition of agreeable speech, jvalantam flaming, pāvakam iva like fire, muniśrēṣṭham best of ascetics, abhivādya saluting with folded hands, madhurōdāram in sweet and generous way, vākyam words, ūcatu: uttered.

Sweet-tongued, they visited with folded hands the best of ascetics Viswamitra who was shining like a flaming fire and addressed him thus in sweet and generous words:
imau sma muniśārdūla kiṅkarau samupasthitau.

ājñāpaya yathēṣṭaṅ vai śāsanaṅ karavāva kim৷৷1.31.4৷৷


muniśārdūla O! Best of ascetics, kiṅkarau two servants, imau here we are, samupasthitau sma in attendance in your presence, yathēṣṭam freely, ājñāpaya command us, kim what, śāsanam order, karavāva shall we both do.

"O tiger among ascetics, we two are at your service. Command whatever you want and we shall execute" it.
ēvamuktā statastābhyāṅ sarva ēva maharṣaya:.

viśvāmitraṅ puraskṛtya rāmaṅ vacanamabruvan৷৷1.31.5৷৷


tābhyām by both of them, ēvam in this way, uktā: having been addressed, maharṣaya: maharshis, sarvē ēva all of them, viśvāmitram Viswamitra, puraskṛtya placing in the forefront, rāmam addressing Rama, vacanam words, abruvan spoke.

Addressed, thus by both of them, Viswamitra ahead of all the sages, spoke to Rama.
maithilasya naraśrēṣṭha! janakasya bhaviṣyati.

yajña: paramadharmiṣṭhastasya yāsyāmahē vayam৷৷1.31.6৷৷


naraśrēṣṭha O! Foremost of men, maithilasya of the king of Mithila, janakasya Janaka's, paramadharmiṣṭha: highly conforming to righteousness, yajña: sacrifice, bhaviṣyati is going to be performed, vayam we, tasya of that sacrifice, yāsyāmahē shall go there.

"O foremost of men, Janaka, king of Mithila, is performing a great religious sacrifice. We shall go there.
tvaṅ caiva naraśārdūla! sahāsmābhirgamiṣyasi.

adbhutaṅ dhanuratnaṅ ca tatra tadraṣṭumarhasi৷৷1.31.7৷৷


naraśārdūla O! Best among men, tvam ca you also, asmābhi: saha along with us, gamiṣyasi will go, tatra there, adbhutam wonderful, tat dhanuratnaṅ ca that jewel of bow, draṣṭum to see, arhasi you are worthy of seeing.

O tiger among men, come along with us. You ought to see there the wonderful jewel of a bow.
taddhi pūrvaṅ naraśrēṣṭha! dattaṅ sadasi daivatai:.

apramēyabalaṅ ghōraṅ makhē paramabhāsvaram৷৷1.31.8৷৷


naraśrēṣṭha O! Best among men, apramēyabalam having immeasurable energy, ghōram dreadful, paramabhāsvaram highly lustrous, tat that (bow), pūrvam in the ancient days, daivatai: by devatas, makhē at the sacrifice, sadasi in the sacrificial assembly, dattam was bestowed.

O best among men, this bow of immeasurable energy. dreadful and highly lustrous was bestowed on king Janaka by devatas in a sacrificial assembly in the past.
nāsya dēvā na gandharvā nāsurā na ca rākṣasā:.

kartumārōpaṇaṅ śaktā na kathañcana mānuṣā:৷৷1.31.9৷৷


asya of that, ārōpaṇam stringing of bow, kartum to do, dēvā: devas, na śaktā: are not capable, gandharvā: gandharvas ,na not capable, asurā: asuras, na not capable, rākṣasā: ca rakshasas also, na not capable, mānuṣā: men, kathañcana in any way, na not capable.

Neither devas, nor gandharvas, nor asuras nor human, are capable of stringing the bow by any means.
dhanuṣastasya vīryaṅ tu jijñāsantō mahīkṣita:.

na śēkurārōpayituṅ rājaputrā mahābalā:৷৷1.31.10৷৷


rājaputrā: princes, mahābalā: possesing mighty strength, mahīkṣita: kings, tasya dhanuṣa: that bow's, vīryam prowess, jijñāsanta: intent on knowing, ārōpayitum attempted to lift or string it, na śēku: failed.

Mighty princes and kings have failed to string it, in their attempt to know its strength.
taddhanurnaraśārdūla! maithilasya mahātmana:.

tatra drakṣyasi kākutstha! yajñaṅ cādbhutadarśanam৷৷1.31.11৷৷


naraśārdūla O! Best among men, kākutstha O! Descendent of Kakutstha, mahātmana: of the magnanimous, maithilasya of the king of Mithila, taddhanu: that bow, adbhutadarśanam wonderful to look at, yajñaṅ ca that sacrifice, tatra there, drakṣyasi you will see.

O best of men, O descendent of Kakustha, there you will see the bow that belongs to the magnanimous king of Mithila and the wonderful sacrifice at that place.
taddhi yajñaphalaṅ tēna maithilēnōttamaṅ dhanu:.

yācitaṅ naraśārdūla! sunābhaṅ sarvadaivatai:৷৷1.31.12৷৷


naraśārdūla O! Best among men, sunābham with strong centre, tat that, uttamaṅ superior, dhanu: bow, tēna maithilēna by the king of Mithila, Devarata, sarvadaivatai: by all devatas, yajñaphalam as fruit of the sacrifice, yācitaṅ hi solicited.

O best among men, that excellent bow strong in the middle was offered by king of Mithila, Devarata as well as by all devatas as fruit of the sacrifice.
āyāgabhūtaṅ nṛpatēstasya vēśmani rāghava.

arcitaṅ vividhairgandhairdhūpaiścāgarugandhibhi:৷৷1.31.13৷৷


rāghava O! Rama, tasya nṛpatē: that king's, vēśmani in the house, āyāgabhūtam as principal deity in the festival of bows, vividhai: by various kinds of, gandhai: sandal wood paste, agarugandhibhi: fragrant Agaru, dhūpaiśca with incense, arcitam is worshipped.

O Rama, that bow is worshipped in the king's palace as principal deity with various kinds of perfumes, sandal paste, incense and fragrant agaru".
ēvamuktvā munivara: prasthānamakarōttadā.

sarṣisaṅgha ssakākutstha: āmantrya vanadēvatā:৷৷1.31.14৷৷


munivara: the best of ascetics, ēvam in this way, uktvā having spoken, sarṣisaṅgha: in the company of rishis, sakākutstha: along with Kakutstha, vanadēvatā: sylvian deities, āmantrya taking leave of, tadā then, prasthānam journey, akarōt performed.

Having spoken thus, Viswamitra, the best of ascetics commenced the onward journey along with the Kakutshas and rishis, taking leave of the deities of the forest.
svasti vō.stu gamiṣyāmi sidvassiddhāśramādaham.

uttarē jāhnavītīrē himavantaṅ śilōccayam৷৷1.31.15৷৷


(O! Deities of the forest) va: svasti may safety be yours, siddha: my purpose has been achieved, aham I, siddhāśramāt from Siddha ashrama, uttarē jāhnavītīrē on northern side of river Jahnavi, himavantam named Himavanta, śilōccayam mountain, gamiṣyāmi I shall go.

"(O ascetics of the forest) May you be safe. My purpose has been achieved in this Siddhaashrama. From here I shall go to the Himavanta mountain situated on the
northern bank of Jahnavi" (said Viswamitra).
pradakṣiṇaṅ tata: kṛtvā siddhāśramamanuttamam.

uttarāṅ diśamuddiśya prasthātumupacakramē৷৷1.31.16৷৷


tata: thereafter, anuttamam the supreme, siddhāśramam Siddha asrama, pradakṣiṇam circumambulation, kṛtvā having made, uttarāṅ diśamuddiśya towards northern direction, prasthātum to perform journey, upacakramē commenced.

Thereafter, circumambulating the supreme Siddhasrama with reverence, they (Viswamitra and the princes) commenced their journey in the northern direction.
taṅ prayāntaṅ munivaramanvayādanusāriṇam.

śakaṭīśatamātraṅ tu prāyēṇa brahmavādinām৷৷1.31.17৷৷


prayāntam as he set out for his onward journey, taṅ munivaram the best of ascetics, anusāriṇām who was following, brahmavādinām of the expounders of vedas, prāyēṇa nearly, śakaṭīśatamātram one hundred carriages alone, anvayāt followed.

As Viswamitra, the best of ascetics set out on his journey, expounders of the Vedas followed him, nearly in one hundred carriages.
mṛgapakṣigaṇāścaiva siddhāśramanivāsina:.

anujagmurmahātmānaṅ viśvāmitraṅ mahāmunim৷৷1.31.18৷৷

nivartayāmāsa tata: pakṣisaṅghān mṛgānapi.


siddhāśramanivāsina: living in Siddha asrama, mṛgapakṣigaṇāścaiva hosts of birds and beasts, mahātmānam the illustrious, viśvāmitraṅ mahāmunim maharshi Visvamitra, anujagmu: followed, pakṣisaṅgān host of birds, mṛgānapi beasts, (tataḥ) nivartayāmāsa sent them back.

Birds and beasts living in Siddhaashrama also followed the illustrious maharshi
Viswamitra over a long distance until he sent them back.
tē gatvā dūramadhvānaṅ lambamānē divākarē.

vāsaṅ cakrurmunigaṇāḥ śōṇākūlē samāhitā:৷৷1.31.19৷৷


tē munigaṇā: those groups of sages, dūram adhvānam a long way, gatvā having gone, divākarē when the Sun, lambamānē was hanging down, samāhitā: assembled, śōṇākūlē on the bank of river Sona, vāsam halt, cakru: made.

The sages travelled a long distance and halted on the bank of Sona at sunset.
tē.staṅ gatē dinakarē snātvā hutahutāśanā:.

viśvāmitraṅ puraskṛtya niṣēduramitaujasa:৷৷1.31.20৷৷


amitaujasa: men possessing great splendour, tē those sages, dinakarē when the Sun, astaṅgatē was set, snātvā having bathed, hutahutāśanā: having kindled fire, viśvāmitram Viswamitra, puraskṛtya having honoured him, niṣēdu: sat down.

The sages who possessed great splendour bathed and offered oblations to fire at sunset and sat in front of Viswamitra.
rāmō.pi sahasaumitrirmunīṅ stānabhipūjya ca.

agratō niṣasādātha viśvāmitrasya dhīmata:৷৷1.31.21৷৷


sahasaumitri: together with Lakshmana, rāma: api Rama also, tān munīn those sages, abhipūjya offering respectful salutations, atha thereafter, dhīmata: of the sagacious, viśvāmitrasya Viswamitra, agrata: in front of, niṣasāda sat down.

Rama together with Lakshmana having offered respectful salutations to the sages, sat in front of the sagacious Viswamitra.
atha rāmō mahātējāḥ viśvāmitraṅ mahāmunim.

papraccha naraśārdūla: kautūhalasamanvita:৷৷1.31.22৷৷


atha thereafter, mahātējā: highly lustrous, naraśārdūla: best among men, rāma: Rama, kautūhalasamanvita: filled with curiosity, mahāmunim great sage, viśvāmitram Viswamitra, papraccha enquired.

Thereafter highly lustrous Rama, the best among men, filled with curiosity enquired of
the great sage Viswamitra:
bhagavan kō.nvayaṅ dēśassamṛddhavanaśōbhita:.

śrōtumicchāmi bhadraṅ tē vaktumarhasi tattvata:৷৷1.31.23৷৷


bhagavan O! Worshipful one, samṛddhavanaśōbhita: shining with affluent groves, ayam dēśa: this region, ka: nu what could be?, śrōtum to listen, icchāmi I am desirous, tē bhadram may safety be to you, tattvata: truly, vaktum arhasi you are fit to tell me.

"O worshipful one, what could be the reason for this region shining with luxuriant groves? I wish to hear from you. You can tell me all about this (region). May it be safe for you!"
cōditō rāmavākyēna kathayāmāsa suvrata:.

tasya dēśasya nikhilamṛṣimadhyē mahātapā:৷৷1.31.24৷৷


suvrata: O! Man of excellent vows, mahātapā: a sage who performed rigid austerities, rāmavākyēna by the words of Rama, cōdita: urged by, ṛṣimadhyē in the midst of rishis, tasya dēśasya that region's, nikhilam entire story, kathayāmāsa described.

A sage of excellent vows and rigid austerities, Viswamitra, urged by the words of Rama, described in the midst of rishis the entire story relating to that region.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē ēkatriṅśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the thirtyfirst sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.