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8
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
यावत् स्थास्यन्ति गिरयस् सरितश्च महीतले ।

तावद्रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ॥
 
*

As long as the hills stand and the rivers

flow on the surface of the earth, so long

shall the story of the Ramayana be current

in the worlds."
 

 
स यथाकथितं पूर्वं नारदेन महर्षिणा ।

रघुवंशस्य चरितं चकार भगवानृषिः ॥
 

The venerable sage then composed the

story of the family of the Raghus, as it was

narrated before by the great sage Narada,
 

 
कुशीलवौ तु धर्मज्ञौ राजपुत्रौ यशास्विनौ ।

बिम्बादिवोद्धृतौ बिम्बौ रामदेहात्तथाऽपरौ ।

यथोपदेशं तत्त्वज्ञौ जगतुस्तौ समाहितौ ॥
 

The royal sons, Kusa and Lava, posses-

sed of fame and well-versed in Duty and

Truth, sprung from Rama's body like two

images taken by reflection from
one
original, sang it carefully, exactly as they

had been taught :-
one
 

 
सर्वा पूर्वमियं येषाम् आसीत् कृत्स्ना वसुन्धरा ।

इक्ष्वाकूणामिदं तेषां राज्ञां वंशे महात्मनाम् ।

महदुत्पन्नमाख्यानं रामायणमिति श्रुतम् ॥