Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Contents of the Rāmāyaṇa Summarized
Text 1.1.96
एतदाख्यानमायुष्यं पठन्रामायणं नरः।
सपुत्रपौत्रः सगणः प्रेत्य स्वर्गे महीयते॥
etad ākhyānam āyuṣyaṁ paṭhan rāmāyaṇaṁ naraḥ
saputra-pautraḥ sagaṇaḥ pretya svarge mahīyate
etat = this; ākhyānam = narration; āyuṣyam = that grants vital power; paṭhan = studying; rāmāyaṇam = Rāmāyaṇa; naraḥ = a man; saputra-pautraḥ = along with his sons, grandsons; sagaṇaḥ = dependents and friends; pretya = after the final destruction of his body; svarge = in the supreme abode; mahīyate = become honored.
A man studying this Rāmāyaṇa narration that grants vital power will become honored in the supreme abode after the final destruction of his body along with his sons, grandsons, dependents and friends.
The previous verse stated that by studying the activities of Lord Rāma, one can attain the result of liberation. It is now stated that he also attains incidental benefits for himself and those related to him.
“This Rāmāyaṇa” refers to Rāmāyaṇa for beginners, [that is, this chapter which introduces beginners to the Rāmāyaṇa]. Rāmāyaṇa is so called because it describes Rāma’s activities, because one can attain Rāma [through its faithful study] and because Rāma is its subject.
Naraḥ signifies that such a study is open to anyone, even one who is beyond the confines of the varṇāśrama system.
After the final destruction of the body of one who studies this narration, he will attain the supreme abode [of Vaikuṇṭha]. [Svarge is derived from the word svarga which generally refers to the abode of Indra, but] svarga has also been used to refer to the supreme abode [of Vaikuṇṭha] [59]. One who reaches the Vaikuṇṭha realm will be honored according to the Śruti [60].