Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 4: Kuśa and Lava Meet Lord Rāmacandra
Text 1.4.17
अहो गीतस्य माधुर्यं श्लोकानां च विशेषतः।
चिरनिर्वृत्तमप्येतत्प्रत्यक्षमिव दर्शितम्॥
aho gītasya mādhuryaṁ ślokānāṁ ca viśeṣataḥ
cira-nirvṛttam apy etat pratyakṣam iva darśitam
aho = oh; gītasya = is the singing; mādhuryam = how sweet; ślokānām ca = are the ślokas; viśeṣataḥ = oh, how especially sweeter; cira-nirvṛttam = took place a long time back; etat = the core events narrated in this poem; pratyakṣam = directly; iva = they are as if; darśitam = experienced through this poem.
“Oh, how sweet is the singing! Oh, how especially sweeter are the ślokas! Though the core events narrated in this poem took place a long time back, they are as if directly experienced through this poem!”
The special sweetness of the ślokas was manifest in the effect of hearing the poem: due to its mature development, it immediately and more clearly revealed all of the incidents that took place.