Their sojourn at the confluence of rivers Ganga and Sarayu

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः | अभ्यभाषत काकुत्स्थौ शयानौ पर्णसंस्तरे || १-२३-१

prabhaataayaam tu sharvaryaam vishvaamitro mahaamuniH | abhyabhaaShata kaakutsthau shayaanau parNa saMstare || 1-23-1

At dawn after that night the great saint Vishvamitra spoke to the legatees of Kakutstha, Rama and Lakshmana, those that are sleeping on a grass bed. [1-23-1]

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा संध्या प्रवर्तते | उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम् || १-२३-२

kausalyaa suprajaa raama puurvaa saMdhyaa pravartate | uttiShTha nara shaarduula kartavyam daivamaahnikam || 1-23-2

"Fortunate is Kausalya to beget you as her son Rama... get up oh, tigerly-man, eastern aurora is emerging, daytime tasks towards gods are to be performed." [1-23-2]

तस्यर्षेः परमोदारं वचः श्रुत्वा नरोत्तमौ | स्नात्वा कृतोदकौ वीरौ जेपतुः परमं जपम् || १-२३-३

tasya R^iSheH parama udaaram vacaH shrutvaa nR^ipa narottamau | snaatvaa kR^ita udakau viirau jepatuH paramam japam || 1-23-3

On hearing the benign words of the sage those valorous and best ones among men got up, bathed, and on offering water oblation they meditated upon the supreme hymn, namely Gayatri. [1-23-3]

कृताह्निकौ महावीर्यौ विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम् | अभिवाद्यातिसंहृष्टौ गमनायाभितस्थतुः || १-२३-४

kR^ita aahnikau mahaaviiryau vishvaamitram tapodhanam | abhivaadya ati saMhR^iShTau gamanaaya abhitasthatuH || 1-23-4

On performing their dawn time duties those two stalwarts, Rama and Lakshmana, enthusiastically presented themselves before the ascetically rich sage Vishvamitra for further journey, duly venerating him. [1-23-4]

तौ प्रयान्तौ महावीर्यौ दिव्यां त्रिपथगां नदीम् | ददृशाते ततस्तत्र सरय्वाः संगमे शुभे || १-२३-५

tau prayaantau mahaaviiryau divyam tripathagaam nadiim | dadR^ishaa te tataH tatra sarayvaaH saMgame shubhe || 1-23-5

Then on travelling some more distance those two great valiant ones, there they have seen the divine river that courses in three ways, namely Ganga, at the auspicious confluence of River Sarayu. [1-23-5]

तत्राश्रमपदं पुण्यं ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम् | बहुवर्षसहस्राणि तप्यतां परमं तपः || १-२३-६

tatra aashrama padam puNyam R^iShiiNaam bhaaviata aatmaanaam | bahu varSha sahasraaNi tapyataam paramam tapaH || 1-23-6

There they have seen the merited hermitage of sages with contemplative souls, and who are practising supreme ascesis for many thousand years. [1-23-6]

तं दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतौ राघवौ पुण्यमाश्रमम् | ऊचतुस्तं महात्मानं विश्वामित्रमिदं वचः || १-२३-७

tam dR^iShTvaa parama priitau raaghavau puNyam aashramam | uucatuH tam mahaatmaanam vishvaamitram idam vacaH || 1-23-7

On seeing that merited hermitage Rama and Lakshmana are highly pleased and said this word to that great-soul Sage Vishvamitra. [1-23-7]

कस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यः को न्वस्मिन्वसते पुमान् | भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छावः परं कौतूहलं हि नौ || १-२३-८

kasya ayam aashramaH puNyaH ko nu asmin vasate pumaan | bhagavan shrotum icChaavaH param kautuuhalam hi nau || 1-23-8

"Whose hermitage is this merited one? Indeed who is the celebrity that lives therein? Oh, godly sage, we are interested to listen, and we are truly inquisitive about it." Thus they asked. [1-23-8]

तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुंगवः | अब्रवीच्छ्रूयतां राम कस्यायं पूर्व आश्रमः || १-२३-९

tayoH tad vacanam shrutvaa prahasya munipuMgavaH | abraviit shrUyataam raama yasya ayam puurva aashramaH || 1-23-9

On hearing their words the eminent sage Viswamitra said smilingly, " whose hermitage is this in earlier times that may be listened." Thus Vishvamitra started to narrate. [1-23-9]

कन्दर्पो मूर्तिमानासीत् काम इत्युच्यते बुधैः | तपस्यन्तमिह स्थाणुं नियमेन समाहितम् || १-२३-१० कृतोद्वाहं तु देवेशं गच्छन्तं समरुद्गणम् | धर्षयामास दुर्मेधा हुंकृतश्च महात्मना || १-२३-११

kandarpo muurtimaan aasiit kaama iti ucyate budhaiH | tapasyaMtam iha sthaaNum niyamena samaahitam || 1-23-10 kR^ita udvaaham tu devesham gacChantam sa marud gaNam | dharShayaamaasa dur.hmedhaa hum kR^itaH ca mahaatmanaa || 1-23-11

"When Love-god was with his body wise men used to call him Kama, the passion. At this place, that Love-god with his naughty intent braved god of gods Shiva who had been practising ascesis and who concentrated observantly, and who was returning after his marriage along with his followers, namely the Wind-gods, and that great soul Shiva disapprovingly roared at Love-god. [1-23-10, 11]

अवध्यतश्च रौद्रेण चक्षुषा रघुनन्दन | व्यशीर्यन्त शरीरात् स्वात् सर्वगात्राणि दुर्मतेः || १-२३-१२

tatra gaatram hatam tasya nir.hdagdhasya mahaatmanaH | ashariiraH kR^itaH kaamaH krodhaat deva IshvareNa ha || 1-23-13

"And Rama, the wrathful third-eye of Shiva destroyed the lewd-minded Love-god making all his limbs to fall down from his body. [1-23-12]

तत्र गात्रं हतं तस्य निर्दग्धस्य महात्मनः | अशरीरः कृतः कामः क्रोधाद्देवेश्वरेण ह || १-२३-१३

ana~Nga iti vikhyaataH tadaa prabhR^iti raaghava | sa ca a~Nga viShayaH shriimaan yatra aMgam sa mumoca ha || 1-23-14

"There the body of Love-god is evanesced when that great soul Shiva burnt it down, and by the anger of that god of gods Shiva, Love-god is rendered as a bodiless entity. [1-23-13]

अनङ्ग इति विख्यातस्तदाप्रभृति राघव | स चाङ्गविषयः श्रीमान् यत्राङ्गं स मुमोच ह || १-२३-१४

tasya ayam aashramaH puNyaH tasya ime munayaH puraa | shiShyaa dharmaparaa viira teShaam paapam na vidyate || 1-23-15

Then onwards Love-god is renowned as Ananga, as he is without body, and where his body is given up that is renowned as Anga province. [1-23-14]

तस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यस्तस्येमे मुनयः पुरा | शिष्या धर्मपरा वीर तेषां पापं न विद्यते || १-२३-१५

iha adya rajaniim raama vasema shubha darshana | puNyayoH saritoH madhye shvaH tariShyaamahe vayam || 1-23-16

"This merited hermitage thus belongs to Shiva and, oh, brave Rama, these sages abiding in virtue are Shiva's disciples at one time, thus sin is unverifiable with them. [1-23-15]

इहाद्य रजनीं राम वसेम शुभदर्शन | पुण्ययोः सरितोर्मध्ये श्वस्तरिष्यामहे वयम् || १-२३-१६

abhigacChaamahe sarve shuchayaH puNyam aashramam | iha vaasaH paro.asmaakam sukham vastyaamahe vayam || 1-23-17 snaataaH cha kR^ita japyaaH ca huta havyaa narottama |

"Let us stay for this night in this hermitage situated in between two meritorious rivers Ganga and Sarayu, oh, Rama with auspicious mien, tomorrow we will cross over the River Ganga. [1-23-16]

अभिगच्छामहे सर्वे शुचयः पुण्यमाश्रमम् | इह वासः परोऽस्माकं सुखं वस्त्यामहे वयम् || १-२३-१७ स्नाताश्च कृतजप्याश्च हुतहव्या नरोत्तम |

teShaam saMvadataam tatra tapo diirgheNa cakShuShaa || 1-23-18 vij~naaya parama priitaa munayo harSham aagaman | arghyam paadyam tathaa aatithyam nivedya kushikaatmaje || 1-23-19

"Let us all purify ourselves by taking our bath, performing our meditations, offering our daily oblations, and then let us enter this meritorious hermitage, thus our stay in here will be comforting to us." So said Vishvamitra to Rama and Lakshmana. [1-23-17, 18a]

तेषां संवदतां तत्र तपोदीर्घेण चक्षुषा || १-२३-१८ विज्ञाय परमप्रीता मुनयो हर्षमागमन् | अर्घ्यं पाद्यं तथातिथ्यं निवेद्य कुशिकात्मजे || १-२३-१९

raama lakShmaNayoH pashcaat akurvan atithi kriyaam | satkaaram sam anupraapya kathaabhiH abhiraMjayan ||1-23-20

When they are discussing there the sages of that hermitage are highly gladdened to perceive them with their sixth-sense, and on approaching them enchantedly they offered water for hands and feet wash and then offered hospitality firstly to Sage Vishvamitra. [1-23-18, 19]

रामलक्ष्मणयोः पश्चादकुर्वन्नतिथिक्रियाम् | सत्कारं समनुप्राप्य कथाभिरभिरंजयन् ||१-२३-२०

kathaabhirabhiraamabhirabhiramau nR^ipaatmajau | - yadvaa - kathaabhiH abhi raamabhiH abhi ramau nR^ipa aatmajau ramayaamaasa dharmaatmaa kaushiko munipu~NgavaH || 1-23-22

Afterwards those sages of that hermitage have accorded reception to Rama and Lakshmana, and applauded by Vishvamitra for their hospitality those sages have entertained Rama and other guests with myths and legends. [1-23-20]

यथार्हमजपन् संध्यामृषयस्ते समाहिताः | तत्र वासिभिरानीता मुनिभिः सुव्रतैः सह || १-२३-२१ न्यवसन् सुसुखं तत्र कामाश्रमपदे तथा |

Those sages with concentrated minds and according to one's own aptitude have meditated upon the deity of sunset when it is sundown, followed by Rama and others. Then led into hermitage by those sages who are with pious commitments and who are dwelling there, Rama and others have very comfortably stayed in the precincts of Shiva's hermitage. [1-23-21]

कथाभिरभिरामभिरभिरामौ नृपात्मजौ | - रमयामास धर्मात्मा कौशिको मुनिपुङ्गवः || १-२३-२२

Staying very comfortably in the precincts of Kaama hermitage, then that virtuous sage Vishvamitra, saint the eminent, delighted the delightful princes with delighting stories.....[1-23-22]