The Ramayan by Valmiki

The hermit thus with watchful heed Received the poem's pregnant seed, And looked with eager thought around If fuller knowledge might be found. His lips with water first bedewed, He sate, in reverent attitude On holy grass, the points all bent Together toward the orient; And thus in meditation he Entered the path of poesy. Then clearly, through his virtue's might, All lay discovered to his sight, Whate'er befell, through all their life, Rama, his brother, and his wife: And Dasaratha and each queen At every time, in every scene: His people too, of every sort; The nobles of his princely court: Whate'er was said, whate'er decreed, Each time they sate each plan and deed: For holy thought and fervent rite Had so refined his keener sight That by his sanctity his view The present, past, and future knew, And he with mental eye could grasp, Like fruit within his fingers clasp, The life of Rama, great and good, Roaming with Sita in the wood. He told, with secret-piercing eyes, The tale of Rama's high emprise, Each listening ear that shall entice, A sea of pearls of highest price. Thus good Valmiki, sage divine, Rehearsed the tale of Raghu's line, As Narad, heavenly saint, before Had traced the story's outline o'er. He sang of Rama's princely birth, His kindness and heroic worth; His love for all, his patient youth, His gentleness and constant truth, And many a tale and legend old By holy Visvamitra told. How Janak's child he wooed and won, And broke the bow that bent to none. How he with every virtue fraught His namesake Rama met and fought. The choice of Rama for the throne; The malice by Kaikeyi shown, Whose evil counsel marred the plan And drove him forth a banisht man. How the king grieved and groaned, and cried, And swooned away and pining died. The subjects' woe when thus bereft; And how the following crowds he left: With Guha talked, and firmly stern Ordered his driver to return. How Ganga's farther shore he gained; By Bharadvaja entertained, By whose advice he journeyed still And came to Chitrakuta's hill. How there he dwelt and built a cot; How Bharat journeyed to the spot; His earnest supplication made; Drink-offerings to their father paid; The sandals given by Rama's hand, As emblems of his right, to stand: How from his presence Bharat went And years in Nandigrama spent. How Rama entered Dandak wood And in Sutikhna's presence stood. The favour Anasuya showed, The wondrous balsam she bestowed. How Sarabhanga's dwelling-place They sought; saw Indra face to face; The meeting with Agastya gained; The heavenly bow from him obtained. How Rama with Viradha met; Their home in Panchavata set. How Surpanakha underwent The mockery and disfigurement. Of Trisira's and Khara's fall, Of Ravan roused at vengeance call, Maricha doomed, without escape; The fair Videhan lady's rape. How Rama wept and raved in vain, And how the Vulture-king was slain. How Rama fierce Kabandha slew; Then to the side of Pampa drew, Met Hanuman, and her whose vows Were kept beneath the greenwood boughs. How Raghu's son, the lofty-souled, On Pampa's bank wept uncontrolled, Then journeyed, Rishyamuk to reach, And of Sugriva then had speech. The friendship made, which both had sought: How Bali and Sugriva fought. How Bali in the strife was slain, And how Sugriva came to reign. The treaty, Tara's wild lament; The rainy nights in watching spent. The wrath of Raghu's lion son; The gathering of the hosts in one. The sending of the spies about, And all the regions pointed out. The ring by Rama's hand bestowed; The cave wherein the bear abode. The fast proposed, their lives to end; Sampati gained to be their friend. The scaling of the hill, the leap Of Hanuman across the deep. Ocean's command that bade them seek Mainaka of the lofty peak. The death of Sinhika, the sight Of Lanka with her palace bright How Hanuman stole in at eve; His plan the giants to deceive. How through the square he made his way To chambers where the women lay, Within the Asoka garden came And there found Rama's captive dame. His colloquy with her he sought, And giving of the ring he brought. How Sita gave a gem o'erjoyed; How Hanuman the grove destroyed. How giantesses trembling fled, And servant fiends were smitten dead. How Hanuman was seized; their ire When Lanka blazed with hostile fire. His leap across the sea once more; The eating of the honey store. How Rama he consoled, and how He showed the gem from Sita's brow. With Ocean, Rama's interview; The bridge that Nala o'er it threw. The crossing, and the sitting down At night round Lanka's royal town. The treaty with Vibhishan made: The plan for Ravan's slaughter laid. How Kumbhakarna in his pride And Meghanada fought and died. How Ravan in the fight was slain, And captive Sita brought again. Vibhishan set upon the throne; The flying chariot Pushpak shown. How Brahma and the Gods appeared, And Sita's doubted honour cleared. How in the flying car they rode To Bharadvaja's cabin abode. The Wind-God's son sent on afar; How Bharat met the flying car. How Rama then was king ordained; The legions their discharge obtained. How Rama cast his queen away; How grew the people's love each day. Thus did the saint Valmiki tell Whate'er in Rama's life befell, And in the closing verses all That yet to come will once befall.