रुदती सुतमादाय चारुवस्त्रा मनोरमा । निर्ययौ जाह्नवीतीरे सैरन्ध्रीकरलम्बिता
Weeping, carrying her son, adorned in beautiful garments, she went forth, supported by her maid, along the bank of the Jahnavi.
आरुह्य च भयाच्छीघ्रमुडुपं सा भयाकुला । तीर्त्वा भागीरथीं पुण्यां ययौ त्रिकूटपर्वतम्
Out of fear, she quickly boarded a boat, crossed the sacred Bhagirathi, and went to Mount Trikuta.
भारद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्ता त्वरया च भयाकुला । संवीक्ष्य तापसांस्तत्र सञ्जाता निर्भया तदा
Hastening and filled with fear, she reached the hermitage of Bharadvaja; seeing the ascetics there, she then became fearless.
मुनिना सा ततः पृष्टा काऽसि कस्य परिग्रहः । कष्टेनात्र कथं प्राप्ता सत्यं ब्रूहि शुचिस्मिते
Then the sage asked her, 'Who are you? Whose wife are you? How did you come here with such difficulty? Speak the truth, O pure-smiling one.'
देवी वा मानुषी वासि बालपुत्रा वने कथम् । राज्यभ्रष्टेव वामोरु भासि त्वं कमलेक्षणे
Are you a goddess or a human, dwelling here in the forest with your young son? O lotus-eyed one with lovely thighs, why do you appear as if deprived of your kingdom?
एवं सा मुनिना पृष्टा नोवाच वरवर्णिनी । रुदती दुःखसन्तप्ता विदल्लं च समादिशत्
Thus questioned by the sage, the radiant lady did not reply; overwhelmed by sorrow, she wept and signaled to Vidalla.
विदल्लस्तमुवाचेदं ध्रुवसन्धिर्नृपोत्तमः । तस्य भार्या धर्मपत्नी नाम्ना चेयं मनोरमा
Vidalla spoke to him: 'This is King Dhruvasandhi, the foremost of kings; she is his lawful wife, named Manoramā.'
सिंहेन निहतो राजा सूर्यवंशी महाबलः । पुत्रोऽयं नृपतेस्तस्य नाम्ना चैव सुदर्शनः
The mighty king of the Solar dynasty was slain by a lion; this boy is his son, named Sudarśana.
अस्याः पितातिधर्मात्मा दौहित्रार्थं मृतो रणे । युधाजिद्भयसन्त्रस्ता सम्प्राप्ता विजने वने
Her father, supremely righteous, died in battle for the sake of his grandson; terrified by Yudhājit, she has come to this lonely forest.
त्वामेव शरणं प्राप्ता बालपुत्रा नृपात्मजा । त्राता भव महाभाग त्वमस्या मुनिसत्तम
With her young son, the princess has taken refuge in you alone; O most fortunate sage, be her protector.
आर्तस्य रक्षणे पुण्यं यज्ञाधिकमुदाहृतम् । भयतस्तस्य दीनस्य विशेषफलदं स्मृतम्
It is said that protecting the afflicted yields merit greater than sacrifice; especially when one rescues the fearful and destitute, the reward is considered supreme.
ऋषिरुवाच निर्भया वस कल्याणि पुत्रं पालय सुव्रते । न ते भयं विशालाक्षि कर्तव्यं शत्रुसम्भवम्
The sage said: 'Live here without fear, O auspicious one, and care for your son, O virtuous lady; O wide-eyed one, you need not fear any threat from enemies.'
पालयस्व सुतं कान्तं राजा तेऽयं भविष्यति । नात्र दुःखं तथा शोकः कदाचित्सम्भविष्यति
Care for your beloved son; he will become king. Here, neither sorrow nor suffering will ever befall you.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्ता मुनिना राज्ञी स्वस्था सा सम्बभूव ह । उटजे मुनिना दत्ते वीतशोका तदावसत्
Vyāsa said: Thus addressed by the sage, the queen regained her composure; dwelling in the hut given by the sage, she lived there free from grief.
सैरन्ध्रीसहिता तत्र विदल्लेन च संयुता । सुदर्शनं पालयाना न्यवसत्सा मनोरमा
There, together with her maidservants and Vidalla, Manoramā stayed, caring for Sudarśana.
युधाजिद्भारद्वाजयोः संवादवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच युधाजित्त्वथ सङ्ग्रामाद्गत्वाऽयोध्यां महाबलः । मनोरमां च पप्रच्छ सुदर्शनजिघांसया
Description of the conversation between Yudhājit and Bhāradvāja. Vyāsa said: Then Yudhājit, mighty in battle, returned from the war to Ayodhyā and inquired about Manoramā, intent on killing Sudarśana.
सेवकान् प्रेषयामास क्व गतेति मुहुर्वदन् । शुभे दिनेऽथ दौहित्रं स्थापयामास चासने
He repeatedly sent servants, asking where she had gone; then, on an auspicious day, he seated his grandson on the throne.
मन्त्रिभिश्च वसिष्ठेन मन्त्रैराथर्वणैः शुभैः । अभिषिक्तश्च सम्पूर्णैः कलशैर्जलपूरितैः
With ministers and Vasiṣṭha, and with auspicious Atharvan mantras, he was consecrated with full jars filled with water.
भेरीशङ्खनिनादैश्च तूर्याणां चाथ निःस्वनैः । उत्सवस्तु नगर्या वै सम्बभूव कुरूद्वह
With the sounds of drums and conches, and the blaring of musical instruments, a festival arose in the city, O best of the Kurus.
विप्राणां वेदपाठैश्च बन्दिनां स्तुतिभिस्तथा । अयोध्या मुदितेवासीज्जयशब्दैः सुमङ्गलैः
With the chanting of the Vedas by the priests and the praises of bards, Ayodhyā rejoiced with shouts of victory and auspicious cries.
हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णा स्तुतिवादित्रनिःस्वना । नवे तस्मिन्महीपाले पूर्बभौ नूतनेव सा
Filled with joyful and prosperous people, resounding with music and praise, the city seemed renewed with the new king.
केचित्साधुजना ये वै चक्रुः शोकं गृहे स्थिताः । सुदर्शनं विचिन्त्याद्य क्व गतोऽसौ नृपात्मजः
Yet some righteous people, remaining in their homes, grieved, wondering today where Sudarśana, the prince, had gone.
मनोरमातिसाध्वी सा क्व गता सुतसंयुता । पिताऽस्या निहतः संख्ये राज्यलोभेन वैरिणा
Where has that supremely virtuous Manoramā gone, together with her son? Her father was slain in battle by an enemy driven by greed for the kingdom.
इत्येवं चिन्त्यमानास्ते साधवः समबुद्धयः । अतिष्ठन्दुःखितास्तत्र शत्रुजिद्वशवर्तिनः
While thus reflecting, those righteous and even-minded men remained there, afflicted by sorrow and under the control of Shatrujit.
युधाजिदपि दौहित्रं स्थापयित्वा विधानतः । राज्यञ्च मन्त्रिसात्कृत्वा चलितः स्वां पुरीं प्रति
Yudhājit, having duly installed his grandson and entrusted the kingdom to his ministers, departed for his own city.
श्रुत्वा सुदर्शनं तत्र मुनीनामाश्रमे स्थितम् । हन्तुकामो जगामाशु चित्रकूटं स पर्वतम्
Hearing that Sudarshana was staying in the hermitage of the sages, he quickly set out for Mount Chitrakūṭa, intent on killing him.
निषादाधिपतिं शूरं पुरस्कृत्य बलाभिधम् । दुर्दर्शाख्यमगादाशु शृङ्गवेरपुराधिपम्
Placing the valiant king of the Niṣādas at the forefront of his army, he swiftly approached Durdarśa, the lord of Śṛṅgaverapura.
श्रुत्वा मनोरमा तत्र बभूवातिसुदुःखिता । आगच्छन्तं बालपुत्रा भयार्ता सैन्यसंयुतम्
When Manoramā heard of this, she became deeply distressed, fearing for her young son as the army approached.
तमुवाचातिशोकार्ता मुनिं साश्रुविलोचना । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि युधाजित्समुपस्थितः
Overwhelmed by intense grief, her eyes filled with tears, she said to the sage: 'What shall I do? Where shall I go, now that Yudhājit has arrived?'
पिता मे निहतोऽनेन दौहित्रो भूपतिः कृतः । सुतं मे हन्तुकामोऽत्र समायाति बलान्वितः
'My father was slain by him, and he has made his grandson king. Now, he comes here with his forces, intent on killing my son.'