कृत्वापि तन्महाप्राज्ञः सभविष्यं सहोत्तरम्।
चिन्तयामास को न्वेतत्प्रयुञ्जीयादिति प्रभुः॥
kṛtvāpi tan mahā-prājñaḥ sabhaviṣyaṁ sahottaram
cintayām āsa ko nv etat prayuñjīyād iti prabhuḥ
kṛtvā api = despite composing; tat = that; mahā-prājñaḥ = greatly intelligent; sabhaviṣyam = includes incidents that would happen in the future; saha-uttaram = incidents that were included in the Uttara-kāṇḍa; cintayām āsa =thought; kaḥ = who; nu = would; etat =that; prayuñjīyāt = would memorize; iti =this; prabhuḥ = capable Vālmīki [2].
Despite composing this poem that includes incidents that would happen in the future, incidents that were included in the Uttara-kāṇḍa (Canto 7), that greatly intelligent and capable Vālmīki thought, “Oh, who would memorize this?”
[2] prabhuḥ śaktādhipau (Bhāskara).
Here, the sage Vālmīki sets the scene to demonstrate that this literature was respectfully recognized by great personalities. The sage was endowed with unbounded knowledge. This poem was composed prior to Lord Rāma’s Aśvamedha sacrifice.