एतां कथां महाबाहो नारदः सुमहायशाः। कथयामास दुर्धर्ष मेरौ गिरिवरोत्तमे॥ देवगन्धर्वसिद्धानामृषीणां च महात्मनाम्। कथाशेषं पुनः सोऽथ कथयामास राघव॥ नारदः सुमहातेजाः प्रहसन्निव मानद। तां कथां शृणु राजेन्द्र महापापप्रणाशनीम्॥ यां तु श्रुत्वा महाबाहो ऋषयो दैवतैः सह। ऊचुस्तं नारदं सर्वे हर्षपर्याकुलेक्षणम्॥ यश्चमां श्रावयेन्नित्यं शृणुयाद्वापि भक्तितः। स पुत्रपौत्रवानराम स्वर्गलोके महीयते॥
etāṃ kathāṃ mahābāho nāradaḥ sumahāyaśāḥ| kathayāmāsa durdharṣa merau girivarottame|| devagandharvasiddhānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca mahātmanām| kathāśeṣaṃ punaḥ so'tha kathayāmāsa rāghava|| nāradaḥ sumahātejāḥ prahasanniva mānada| tāṃ kathāṃ śṛṇu rājendra mahāpāpapraṇāśanīm|| yāṃ tu śrutvā mahābāho ṛṣayo daivataiḥ saha| ūcustaṃ nāradaṃ sarve harṣaparyākulekṣaṇam|| yaścamāṃ śrāvayennityaṃ śṛṇuyādvāpi bhaktitaḥ| sa putrapautravānarāma svargaloke mahīyate||
English Meaning
O you having long arms! O you of many glories! O you invincible! Närada recounted this story to me on the summit of mountain-chief Meru. O Rāghava, the highly effulgent one narrated to me the last portion of this story in the presence of the celestials, Gandharvas, Siddhas, ascetics and other great men. O lord of kings, O conferror of honours, do you listen to that story which remove monstrous iniquity. Hearing this you having long arms, said to the ascetic Nārada “He who shall reverentially listen to this story every day, shall be bless with sons and grandsons and be honoured in the region of the celestials.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)