सुमद उवाच। कच्चिदास्ते सुखं रामः सर्वलोकशिरोमणिः । भक्तरक्षावतारोऽयं ममानुग्रहकारकः
Sumada said: Is Rāma, the crest-jewel of all the worlds, well? He is the incarnation who protects devotees and the bestower of my grace.
धन्या लोका इमे पुर्यां रघुनाथमुखांबुजम् । ये पिबंत्यनिशं चाक्षिपुटकैः परिमोदिताः
Blessed are those people in the city who, delighted, constantly drink in the lotus face of Raghunātha with their eyes.
अर्थजातं मदीयं च नितरां पुरुषर्षभ । कृतार्थं कुलभूम्यादि वस्तुजातं महामते
O best of men, all my wealth, and indeed the land and property of my lineage, O wise one, have been fulfilled in purpose.
कामाक्षया प्रसादो मे कृतः पूर्वं दयार्द्रया । रघुनाथमुखांभोजं द्रक्ष्येद्य सकुटुंबकः
Out of desirelessness and deep compassion, I have previously shown favor, so that today, with his family, he may behold the lotus-face of Raghunātha.
इत्युक्तवति वीरे तु सुमदे पार्थिवोत्तमे । सर्वं तत्कथयामास रघुनाथगुणोदयम्
When the heroic and foremost king Sumada had spoken thus, he recounted all the glories of Raghunātha.
त्रिरात्रं तत्र संस्थित्य रघुनाथानुजः परम् । गंतुं चकार धिषणां राज्ञा सह महामतिः
After staying there for three nights, the wise younger brother of Raghunātha resolved to depart together with the king.
तज्ज्ञात्वा सुमदः शीघ्रं पुत्रं राज्येऽभ्यषेचयत् । शत्रुघ्नेन महाराज्ञा पुष्कलेनानुमोदितः
Knowing this, Sumada quickly anointed his son as king, with the approval of the great king Shatrughna and Pushkala.
वासांसि बहुरत्नानि धनानि विविधानि च । शत्रुघ्नसेवकेभ्योऽसौ प्रादात्तत्र महामतिः
He gave many garments, precious jewels, and various kinds of wealth to the attendants of Shatrughna, that wise one.
ततो गमनमारेभे मंत्रिभिर्बहुवित्तमैः । पत्तिभिर्वाजिभिर्नागैः सदश्वैरथ कोटिभिः
Then, accompanied by ministers rich in wealth, with infantry, horses, elephants, and countless excellent chariots, he set out on the journey.
शत्रुघ्नः सहितस्तेन सुमदेन धनुर्भृता । जगाम मार्गे विहसन्रघुनाथप्रतापभृत्
Shatrughna, together with that bow-bearing Sumada, proceeded along the road, smiling, upholding the glory of Raghunātha.
पयोष्णीतीरमासाद्य जगाम स हयोत्तमः । पृष्ठतोऽनुययुः सर्वे योधा वै हयरक्षिणः
Reaching the bank of the Payoshni river, that best of horses went on, and all the warriors and horse-guards followed behind.
आश्रमान्विविधान्पश्यन्नृषीणां सुतपोभृताम् । तत्रतत्र विशृण्वानो रघुनाथगुणोदयम्
Beholding the various hermitages of the great ascetics, he heard everywhere the praises of Raghunātha's virtues.
एष धीमान्हरिर्याति हरिणा परिरक्षितः । हरिभिर्हरिभक्तैश्च हरिवर्यानुगैर्मुहुः
This wise Hari proceeds, protected by Hari, and always accompanied by monkeys, devotees of Hari, and the foremost followers of Hari.
इति शृण्वञ्छुभा वाचो मुनीनां परितः प्रभुः । तुतोष भक्त्युत्कलितचित्तवृत्तिभृतां महान्
Thus, as the great lord listened all around to the auspicious words of the sages, his heart was gladdened by those whose minds overflowed with devotion.
ददर्श चाश्रमं शुद्धं जनजंतुसमाकुलम् । वेदध्वनिहताशेषा मंगलं शृण्वतां नृणाम्
He saw a pure hermitage, teeming with people and creatures, where the sound of the Vedas dispelled all inauspiciousness for those who listened.
अग्निहोत्रहविर्धूम पवित्रितनभोखिलम् । मुनिवर्यकृतानेक यागयूपसुशोभितम्
The entire sky was purified by the smoke of sacrificial offerings, and it was adorned with many sacrificial posts set up by the best of sages.
यत्र गावस्तु हरिणा पाल्यंते पालनोचिताः । मूषका न खनंत्यस्मिन्बिडालस्य भयाद्बिलम्
There, cows are protected by the monkey, as is proper; mice do not dig their holes here, out of fear of the cat.
मयूरैर्नकुलैः सार्द्धं क्रीडंति फणिनोनिशम् । गजैः सिंहैर्नित्यमत्र स्थीयते मित्रतां गतैः
Peacocks play together with mongooses, and snakes play with them night and day; here, elephants and lions always dwell in friendship.
एणास्तत्रत्य नीवारभक्षणेषु कृतादराः । न भयं कुर्वते कालाद्रक्षिता मुनिवृंदकैः
The antelopes there, intent on eating wild rice, feel no fear from time, being protected by the bands of sages.
गावः कुंभसमोधस्का नंदिनी समविग्रहाः । कुर्वंति चरणोत्थेन रजसेलां पवित्रिताम्
The cows, with udders full as pots and bodies like Nandini, purify the earth with the dust raised by their feet.
मुनिवर्याः समित्पाणि पद्मैर्धर्मक्रियोचिताम् । दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छसुमतिं सर्वज्ञं राम मंत्रिणम्
The foremost sages, holding sacrificial fuel in their hands and adorned with lotuses, observed the rites of dharma; seeing this, Sumati, the all-knowing minister of Rama, was questioned.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। सुमते कस्य संस्थानं मुनेर्भाति पुरोगतम् । निर्वैरिजंतु संसेव्यं मुनिवृंदसमाकुलम्
Shatrughna said: Sumati, whose hermitage is that which shines ahead, filled with sages, free from enmity, and attended by many beings?
श्रोष्यामि मुनिवार्तां च विदधामि पवित्रताम् । निजं वपुस्तदीयाभिर्वार्ताभिर्वर्णनादिभिः
I wish to hear the account of the sage and to perform acts of purification; I will recount my own story through their narratives and descriptions.
इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः । कथयामास सचिवो रघुनाथस्य धीमतः
Hearing these great words of the noble Shatrughna, the wise minister of Raghunatha began to speak.
सुमतिरुवाच। च्यवनस्याश्रमं विद्धि महातापसशोभितम् । निर्वैरिजंतुसंकीर्णं मुनिपत्नीभिरावृतम्
Sumati said: Know this as the hermitage of Cyavana, radiant with the great ascetic, crowded with peaceful beings and surrounded by the wives of sages.
योऽसौ महामुनिः स्वर्गवैद्ययोर्भागमादधात् । स्वायंभुवमहायज्ञे शक्रमानविभेदनः
He is that great sage who apportioned the share of heaven and medicine in the great sacrifice of Svayambhu, breaking the pride of Indra and the gods.
महामुनेः प्रभावोऽयं न केनापि समाप्यते । तपोबलसमृद्धस्य वेदमूर्तिधरस्य ह
The power of that great sage cannot be matched by anyone, for he is filled with the strength of asceticism and bears the form of the Veda.
श्रुत्वा रामानुजो वार्तां च्यवनस्य महामुनेः । सर्वं पप्रच्छ सुमतिं शक्रमानादिभंजनम्
Hearing the account of the great sage Cyavana, Rama’s younger brother asked Sumati everything about the one who broke the pride of Indra and the gods.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कदासौ दस्रयोर्भागं चकार सुरपंक्तिषु । किं कृतं देवराजेन स्वायंभुव महामखे
Shatrughna said: When did he give the share to the Ashvins among the gods, and what did the king of the gods do at the great sacrifice of Svayambhu?
सुमतिरुवाच। ब्रह्मवंशेऽतिविख्यातो मुनिर्भृगुरिति श्रुतः । कदाचिद्गतवान्सायं समिदाहरणं प्रति
Sumati said: In the lineage of Brahma, a sage renowned as Bhrigu is heard of; once, in the evening, he went to collect sacrificial fuel.