ißvak\Na¢md|   tExa|   raåOa|   v|SE   mhaÏmnam¯   .
mhѤÏp°maÁyan|   ramayN¢m¢t   ½¤tm¯   ¡3¡

ißvak\Na|

born in the Ikshvaku linage

id|

this

tExa|

that

raåOa|

of the kings

v|SE	in the lineage

mhaÏmnam¯

great souls

mht¯	of the great

uÏp°|

arose

AaÁyan|

story

ramayN|

Ramayana

i¢t

known as

½¤tm¯

famous

 
This   great   epic-story   known   as   the   Ramayana,   arose   in   that dynasty   of kings,   who   were   high-souled   and   belonged   to   the   Ikshvaku   lineage, commencing   from   Manu   the   creator,  including that   Sagara,   by   whom   the great   oceans   were   dug,   which   is   a   legend   and   when   he   wanted   to   set   out (for   the   forest  for meditation), his   sixty-thousand   sons   surrounded   him (preventing   his   departure)   and   this   entire   world   was   under   the  victorious umbrella  of  those  kings, as   never   before   (1-3).
 
t¢dd|   vtI¢yÝya¢m   svI|   ¢n¢Klma¢dt:   .
DmIkamaTIs¢ht|   ½aEtÛymns¥yya   ¡4¡

tt¯

that

id|

this

vtI¢yÝya¢m

am releasing

svI|	everything

¢n¢Kl|

fully

Aa¢dt:

from the beginning

DmIkamaTIs¢ht|

contained in it the meanings of Dharma, Kama and Artha

½aEtÛy|

worthy of listening

Ans¥yya

without prejudice

I   am   now   making   public   that   epic-story,   which   deserves   to   be   listened   to from   the   start   to   the   close,   consisting   of   the   three-fold   aims   of   life: righteousness,   accumulation   of   wealth   and   enjoyment of   desires,   with   a mind   free   from   prejudice   (4).
 
kaEslaE   nam   m¤¢dt:   ÞP£taE   jnpdaE   mhan¯   .
¢n¢v¾:   sry¥t£rE   p#B¥tDnDaÓyvan¯   ¡5¡

kaEsl:

Kosala

nam

known as

m¤¢dt:

happy

ÞP£t:

prosperous

jnpd:

country

mhan¯

big

¢n¢v¾:

was established

sry¥t£rE

on the banks of (river) Sarayu

p#B¥tDnDaÓyvan¯

profuse in riches and food grains

There   was   established   a   great,prosperous   and   happy country called   `Kosala',on   the   banks   of   river   Sarayu,   which   was   (with   people)   luxuriant   in   wealth   and   food   grains   (5).
 
AyaEÒya   nam   ngr£   tæOas£ÚlaEk¢v½¤ta   .
mn¤na   manvEÓd#EN   ya   p¤r£   ¢n¢mIta   Þvym¯   ¡6¡

AyaEÒya

Ayodhya

nam

named

ngr£

city

tæO

there

Aas£t¯

was

laEk¢v½¤ta

world-renowned

mn¤na

by Manu

manvEÓd#EN

the chief of people

ya	that which

p¤r£

city

¢n¢mIta

created

Þvym¯

all by himself

 
Aayta   dS   c   ¹E   c   yaEjna¢n   mhap¤r£   .
½£mt£   æO£¢N   ¢vÞt£NaI   s¤¢vB³mhapTa   ¡7¡

Aayta

in length

dS

ten

c

and

¹E

two

c

and

yaEjna¢n

Yojanas (a measure of distance)

mhap¤r£

this great city

½£mt£

wealthy

æO£¢N

three yojanas

¢vÞt£NaI

wide

s¤¢vB³mhapTa

comprising well planned wide roads

 
rajmagIN   mhta   s¤¢vB³En   SaE¢Bta   .
m¤³p¤Ýpavk£NIn   jl¢s³En   ¢nÏyS:   ¡8¡

rajmagIN

royal roads

mhta

wide

s¤¢vB³En

well-divided

SaE¢Bta

charming

m¤³p¤Ýpavk£NIn

covered with petals of flowers

jl¢s³En

sprinkled with water

¢nÏyS:

always

 
There   was   the   internationally   renowned   capital-city   known   as   `Ayodhya', which   was   created   by   the   first   among   men   Manu,   on   his   own.   This   great metropolis   was   extending   to   a   length   of   ten   and   two   yojanas   (a   measure of   distance).   It   was   full   of   riches,   laid   with   well-divided   and   planned thoroughfares   and   three   yojanas   in   breadth.   With   great   and   well-laid royal   pathways   it   was   shining,   as   also   by   wetting   with   water   and was   strewn   with   flowers
(fallen   from   the   avenue   trees)   at   all   times   (6-8).  
ta|   t¤   raja   dSrTaE   mhara¾®¢vvDIn:   .
 p¤r£mavasyamas   ¢dv|   dEvp¢tyITa   ¡9¡

ta|

that

t¤

as for

raja

king

dSrT:

Dasaratha

mhara¾®¢vvDIn:

extending his empire

p¤r£|

city

Aavasyamas

ruled

¢dv|	the celestial world

dEvp¢t:

the king of the gods (Indra)

yTa

like

 
King   Dasaratha,   always   on   the   lookout   to   enlarge   his   territory
(by   conquest) ruled   over   that   country,   like   the   chief   of   the   celestials   ruling   over   the world   of   the   gods   (9).
 
kvaztaErNvt£|   s¤¢vB³aÓtrapNam¯   .
svIyÓæOay¤Dvt£m¤pEta|   svI¢S¢Úp¢B:   ¡10¡

kvaz	entrance gates

taErNvt£|

having festoons

s¤¢vB³

well-planned

AÓtrapNam¯

with shops located inside

svI

all

yÓæO

machinery

Aay¤Dvt£|

provided with weapons

upEta|

having

svI¢S¢Úp¢B:

all artists (painters and sculptors)