64. The leonine Hari was denounced by the husband, who was sorely afflicted at the loss of his consort, to be thus separated from his wife also. 65. Thus denounced by Bhrigu, by Sanat-kumára, Deva-datta and Vrindá, he was obliged (to be born in this earth) in the figure of a human being. 66. I have thus explained to you the causes of all the imprecations (which were passed on Vishnu), and will now relate to you all other things which you shall have carefully to attend to. CHAPTER II. REASON OF WRITING THE RÁMÁYANA. SECTION I. PERSONS ENTITLED TO ITS PERUSAL. Salutation to the Lord, the universal soul, shining manifest in heaven, earth and the sky, and both within and without myself. 2. One convinced of his constraint (in this mortal world), and desiring his liberation from it, and, who is neither wholly ignorant of, nor quite conversant with divine knowledge, is entitled to (the perusal of) this work. 3. The wise man, who having well considered the narrative (of Ráma) as the first step, comes afterwards to think on the means of liberation (as are expounded herein), he shall verily be exempt from transmigration (of his soul). 4. Know, O destroyer of thy enemies! that I have first embodied the history of Ráma in this Rámáyana (as the preparatory step to salvation). 5. And I have given the same to my attentive pupil the obedient and intelligent Bharadwája, as the sea yields his gems to their seeker. 6. These historical preparatories were rehearsed by the learned Bharadwája in the presence of Brahmá, seated in a certain forest of the Sumeru Mountain. 7. Then the lord Brahmá, the great grandfather of the inhabitants (of the three worlds), was so highly pleased with him that he addressed him saying: “Oh my son! ask the best boon that thou wishest for.” 8. Bharadwája said:—“Oh thou lord, that art master of the past and future times, grant me the desired boon of communicating to me the means whereby people are liberated from their miseries.” SECTION II. BRAHMÁ’S BEHEST. 9. Brahmá said:—“Go ask diligently of thy preceptor Válmíki, to complete the faultless Rámáyana that he has undertaken (to write). 10. “By the hearing of which men will get over their manifold errors, in the same manner as they pass over the sea by the bridge built over it by the great Ráma, who was fraught with all good qualities.” 11. Válmíki said:—Saying this to Bharadwája, the supreme maker of all beings (Brahmá) accompanied him to my hermitage. 12. In right earnest was the god welcomed by me with the _argha_ and offerings of water and the like, when the lord of truth spoke to me for the good of all creatures. 13. Brahmá spake to me saying:—“Do not Oh sage! give up your undertaking until its final completion. No pains ought to be spared to make the history of Ráma as faultless as it ought to be.