केचित्तत्र नरव्याघ्रैरभक्ष्यन्त बुभुक्षितैः। केचिदग्निमथोत्पाद्य संसाध्य च वनेचराः
Some there were devoured by hungry tiger-like men; others, having kindled fire by friction, managed to survive in the forest.
भक्षयन्ति स्म मांसानि प्रकुट्य विधिवत्तदा। तत्र केचिद्गजा मत्ता बलिनः शस्त्रविक्षताः
At that time, they ate the flesh, properly prepared and roasted; there, some intoxicated and powerful elephants, wounded by weapons—
संकोच्याग्रकरान्भीताः प्राद्रवन्ति स्म वेगिताः। शकृन्मूत्रं सृजन्तश्च क्षरन्तः शोणितं बहु
Frightened, drew in their trunks and fled swiftly, discharging dung and urine, and shedding much blood.
वन्या गजवरास्तत्र ममृदुर्मनुजान्बहून्। तद्वनं बलमेघेन शरधारेण संवृतम्। व्यरोचत मृगाकीर्णं राज्ञा हतमृगाधिपम्
There, the wild noble elephants killed many men; that forest, covered by a mass of clouds pouring down a shower of arrows, shone, filled with animals, its lord of beasts slain by the king.
ततो मृगसहस्राणि हत्वा सबलवाहनः। तत्र मेघघनप्रख्यं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्
Then, having slain thousands of animals, with his army and vehicles, he beheld there a forest like a dense cloud, frequented by Siddhas and Caranas.
वनमालोकयामास नगराद्योजनद्वये। मृगाननुचरन्वन्याञ्श्रमेण परिपीडितः
He gazed upon the forest, two yojanas from the city, pursuing wild animals, himself worn out from the chase.
मृगाननुचरन्राजा वेगेनाश्वानचोदयत्। राजा मृगप्रसङ्गेन वनमन्यद्विवेश ह
Pursuing the animals, the king urged on his horses with speed; through his pursuit of game, the king entered another forest.
एक एवोत्तमबलः क्षुत्पिपासाश्रमान्वितः। स वनस्यान्तमासाद्य महच्छून्यं समासदत्
Alone, possessed of great strength, afflicted by hunger, thirst, and fatigue, he reached the end of the forest and came upon a vast, empty place.
तच्चाप्यतीत्य नृपतिरुत्तमाश्रमसंयुतम्। मनःप्रह्लादजननं दृष्टिकान्तमतीव च
Passing beyond that as well, the king came upon a place adorned with excellent hermitages, delightful to the mind and exceedingly pleasing to the eye.
सीतमारुतसंयुक्तं जगामान्यन्महद्वनम्। पुष्पितैः पादपैः कीर्णमतीव सुखशाद्वलम्
Joined with cool breezes, he went to another great forest, thickly strewn with blossoming trees and exceedingly pleasant grassy meadows.
विपुलं मधुरारावैर्नादितं विहगैस्तथा। पुंस्कोकिलनिनादैश्च झिल्लीकगणनादितम्
Vast, resounding with sweet calls of birds, and with the cries of male cuckoos, filled with the chirping of hosts of crickets.
प्रवृद्धविटपैर्वृक्षैः सुखच्छायैः समावृतम्। षट्पदाघूर्णिततलं लक्ष्म्या परमया युतम्
Covered with trees of spreading branches and pleasant shade, its ground stirred by swarms of bees, endowed with supreme beauty.
नापुष्पः पादपः कश्चिन्नाफलो नापि कण्टकी। षट्पदैर्नाप्यपाकीर्णस्तस्मिन्वै काननेऽभवत्
There was not a single tree without flowers, nor any without fruit or thorns; nor was any tree covered with swarms of bees in that forest.
विगहैर्नादितं पुष्पैरलङ्कृतमतीव च। सर्वर्तुकुसुमैर्वृक्षैः सुखच्छायैः समावृतम्
Resounding with the calls of birds and adorned with abundant flowers, the forest was filled with trees blossoming in every season, offering pleasant shade.
मनोरमं सहेष्वासो विवेश वनमुत्तमम्। मारुता कलितास्तत्र द्रुमाः कुसुमशाखिनः
He, possessing great arms, entered that delightful and excellent forest, where the wind played among the flowering branches of the trees.
पुष्पवृष्टिं विचित्रां तु व्यसजंस्ते पुनः पुनः। दिवस्पृशोऽथ संघुष्टाः पक्षिभिर्मधुरस्वनैः
There, those trees repeatedly showered a wondrous rain of blossoms; their tops touched the sky and they resounded with the sweet voices of birds.
विरेजुः पादपास्तत्र विचित्रकुसुमाम्बराः। तेषां तत्र प्रवालेषु पुष्पभारावनामिषु
The trees there shone, clothed in varied and beautiful flowers; upon their tender shoots, bent under the weight of blossoms, birds gathered.
रुवन्ति रावान्मधुरान्षट्पदा मधुलिप्सवः। तत्र प्रदेशांश्च बहून्कुसुमोत्करमण्डितान्
Desiring honey, the bees sang sweet sounds there, among the tender shoots weighed down with flowers.
लतागृहपरिक्षिप्तान्मनसः प्रीतिवर्धनान्। संपश्यन्सुमहातेजा बभूव मुदितस्तदा
Seeing many places adorned with heaps of flowers, surrounded by bowers of creepers that delighted the mind, the great and radiant one became joyful.
परस्पराश्लिष्टशाखैः पादपैः कुसुमान्वितैः। अशोभत वनं तत्तु महेन्द्रध्वजसन्निभैः
The forest shone with trees whose flowering branches intertwined, resembling the banners of great Indra.
सिद्धचारणसङ्घैश्च गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणैः। सेवितं वनमत्यर्थं मत्तवानरकिन्नरैः
That forest was frequented by hosts of Siddhas and Caranas, and by groups of Gandharvas and Apsarases, as well as intoxicated monkeys and Kinnaras.
सुखः शीतः सुगन्धी च पुष्परेणुवहोऽनिलः। परिक्रामन्वने वृक्षानुपैतीव रिरंसया
A gentle, cool, and fragrant breeze, carrying pollen, moved among the trees in the forest as if with longing.
एवंगुणसमायुक्तं ददर्श स वनं नृपः। नदीकच्छोद्भं कान्तमुच्छ्रितध्वजसन्निभम्
The king beheld that forest, endowed with such qualities, lovely with riverbanks and rising like banners.
प्रेक्षमाणो वनं तत्तु सुप्रहृष्टविहङ्गमम्। आश्रमप्रवरं रम्यं ददर्श च मनोरमम्
As he gazed upon that forest, filled with jubilant birds, he saw a beautiful and delightful foremost hermitage.
नानावृक्षसमाकीर्णं संप्रज्वलितपावकम्। तं तदाऽप्रतिमं श्रीमानाश्रमं प्रत्यपूजयत्
Thick with various trees and blazing with sacred fires, that matchless and splendid hermitage was honored by him.
यतिभिर्वालखिल्यैश्च वृतं मुनिगणान्वितम्। अग्न्यगारैश्च बहुभिः पुष्पसंस्तरसंस्तृतम्
It was filled with ascetics and Valakhilyas, accompanied by groups of sages, and many fire-altars spread with beds of flowers.
महाकच्छैर्बृहद्भिश्च विभ्राजितमतीव च। मालिनीमभितो राजन्नदीं पुण्यां सुखोदकाम्
Brilliant with great and tall trees, and garlanded all around, O King, a holy river with pleasant waters flowed nearby.
नैकपक्षिगणाकीर्णां तपोवनमनोरमाम्। तत्रव्यालमृगान्सैम्यान्पश्यन्प्रीतिमवाप सः
That charming hermitage, crowded with many kinds of birds, delighted him as he saw the wild animals and herds there.
तं चाप्रतिरथः श्रीमानाश्रमं प्रत्यपद्यत। देवलोकप्रतीकाशं सर्वतः सुमनोहरम्
That unrivaled and splendid hermitage, resembling the realm of the gods and enchanting in every way, was approached by him.
नदीं चाश्रमसंश्लिष्टां पुण्यतोयां ददर्श सः। सर्वप्राणभृतां तत्र जननीमिव धिष्ठिताम्
He saw a river, joined to the hermitage and filled with holy waters, standing there like a mother to all living beings.