आशीर्भिरभिनन्द्याथ भृगुस्तं प्रीत मानसः
Bhṛgu, his mind pleased, then greeted him with blessings.
श्रुणु वत्स वचो मह्य यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि सांप्रतम्
Listen, my child, to the words I will now speak to you.
गच्छ पुत्र ममादेशाद्धिमवन्तं महागिरिम्
Go, my son, at my command, to the great mountain Himavat.
तत्रगत्वा महाभाग कृत्वाश्रमापदं शुभम्
Having gone there, O greatly fortunate one, establish a pure hermitage.
प्रीतिमुत्पाद्य तस्य त्वं भक्त्यानन्यगया चिरात्
By your unwavering devotion, bring about his joy for a long time.
तरसा तव भक्त्या च प्रीतो भवति शङ्करः
By your zeal and devotion, Śaṅkara will be pleased.
तुष्टे तस्मिञ्जगन्नाथे शङ्करे भक्तवत्सले
When that Lord of the universe, Śaṅkara, who is devoted to his devotees, is pleased,
त्वया हितार्थं देवानां करणीयं सुदुष्करम्
You must undertake, for the welfare of the gods, what is extremely difficult to accomplish.
तस्मात्त्वं देवदेवेशं समाराधय शङ्करम्
Therefore, worship Śaṅkara, the Lord of the gods, with devotion.
भक्त्या परमया युक्तस्ततो ऽभीष्टमवाप्स्यसि
Endowed with supreme devotion, you will then obtain your desired boon.
इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डे महापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते मध्यभागे तृतीय उपोद्धातपादे एकविंशति तमौध्यायः
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the third section, in the middle part, of the Vāyu-proclaimed Śrī Brahmāṇḍa Mahāpurāṇa.
रामस्तेनाभ्यनुज्ञातश्चकार गमने मनः
Having been permitted by them, Rāma set his mind on departure.
परिष्वक्तस्तथा ताभ्यामाशीर्भिराभिनन्दितः
He was embraced by them and joyfully blessed with their good wishes.
निश्चक्रमाश्रमात्तस्मात्तपसे कृतनिश्चयः
With firm resolve for austerity, he departed from that hermitage.
हिमवन्तं गिरिवरं ययौ रामो महामनाः
Rāma, of great mind, went to Himavat, the best of mountains.
वनानि मुनिमुख्यानामावासांश्चात्यगाच्छनैः
He slowly passed through forests and the dwellings of eminent sages.
तीर्थेषु क्षेत्रमुख्येषु निवसन्वा ययौ शनैः
Dwelling at holy sites and foremost sacred places, he proceeded slowly.
आससादच लश्रेष्ठं हिमवन्तमनुत्तमम्
He reached the excellent and unsurpassed Himavat.
ददर्श विपुलैः शृङ्गैरुल्लिखन्तमिवांबरम्
He saw it, with its vast peaks seeming to scratch the sky.
रत्नौषधीभिरभितः स्फुरद्भिरभिशोभितम्
It was adorned all around with shining jewels and medicinal herbs.
सानिलेनानलेनोच्छैर्दह्यमानं नवं क्वचित्
In some places, it was being burned high by wind and fire, and in others, freshly scorched.
द्रवद्धिमाशिलाजातुजलशान्तदवानलम्
The mountain's melting snow and shilājatu soothed the forest fires with water.
स्फुरत्परस्परच्छायाशरैर्द्दीप्तवनं क्वचित्
In some places, the forest shone with the bright rays of their overlapping shadows.
तुषारक्लिन्नसिद्धौघौरुद्भासितवनं क्वचित्
Elsewhere, the forest was illuminated by the multitude of perfected beings, dampened by frost.
यक्षौघैर्भासितोपान्तं विशद्भिरिवपावकम्
Its outskirts were illuminated by hosts of yakshas, shining like pure fire.
मृगयूथार्त्तसन्नादैरापूरितगुहं क्वचित्
In some places, caves were filled with the cries of herds of wild animals.
प्रसभोन्मृष्टकान्तोरुशिलातरुतटं क्वचित्
Elsewhere, the slopes of rocks and trees were forcibly cleared by strong, beautiful thighs.
गवयैः खुरसंक्षुण्णशिलाप्रस्थतटङ्क्वचित्
In some places, the rocky plateaus and banks were crushed by the hooves of wild oxen.
युद्ध्यद्भिश्चूर्णितानेकगण्डशैलवनं क्वचित्
Elsewhere, forests of many-peaked mountains were shattered by those fighting.
सिंहानां चरणक्षुण्णनखभिन्नोपरं क्वचित्
In some places, the ground was broken and torn by the claws of lions as they walked.