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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.4.20

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 4: Kuśa & Lava perform the poem. Kuśa & Lava learn and perform the poem, their singing moves the ṛṣis and brings them before Rāma

In the sequence: encouraged, the brothers sing with still greater feeling → delighted maharṣis give them gifts, including a water pot and bark clothing

1.4.20

āścaryam idam ākhyānaṃ muninā saṃprakīrtitam
paraṃ kavīnām ādhāraṃ samāptaṃ ca yathākramam

“Wonderful is this narrative proclaimed by the sage — the supreme foundation for poets, and completed in due order.”

Words: āścaryam — wonderful, marvellous; idam ākhyānaṃ — this narrative; muninā — by the sage; saṃprakīrtitam — proclaimed, celebrated; paraṃ — supreme; kavīnām — of poets; ādhāraṃ — the foundation, support; samāptaṃ ca — and completed; yathākramam — in due order

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.