मातः क्षमस्व यदघं मया कृतमबुद्धिना । त्वत्सदृश्यः पतिपराः सर्वेषां साधुकारिकाः
'Mother, forgive the wrong I have done out of ignorance; all those devoted to their husbands, like you, are praiseworthy in conduct.'
जानक्यापि महाभागा देवरं वीक्ष्य सादरम् । आशीर्भिरभियुज्याथ समपृच्छदनामयम्
The noble Janaki, seeing her brother-in-law with respect, blessed him and inquired after his well-being.
विमानवरमारूढास्ते सर्वे नभसोंऽगणे । क्षणादालोकयांचक्रे निकटे स्वपितुः पुरीम्
All of them, having mounted splendid aerial chariots, in a moment beheld their father's city close by, as they traveled through the sky.
शेष उवाच। दृष्ट्वा रामो राजधानीं निजलोकनिवासिनीम् । जहर्ष मतिमान्वीरश्चिरदर्शनलालसः
Śeṣa said: Seeing his own capital city, the dwelling place of his people, Rāma, wise and valiant, was filled with joy, long yearning for this sight.
भरतोऽपि स्वकं मित्रं सुमुखं नगरं प्रति । प्रेषयामास सचिवं नगरोत्सवसिद्धये
Bharata also sent his trusted minister ahead to his own dear city, to arrange for the festival in the city.
भरत उवाच। कुर्वंतु लोकास्त्वरितं रघुनाथागमोत्सवम् । मंदिरे मंदिरे रम्यं कृतकौतुकचित्रकम्
Bharata said: Let the people quickly prepare a festival to welcome Raghunātha’s arrival, and let every house be adorned with delightful and festive decorations.
विपांसुका राजमार्गाश्चंदनद्रवसिंचिताः । प्रसूनभरसंकॢप्ता हृष्टपुष्टजनावृताः
Let the royal roads be sprinkled with sandalwood water and covered with fine dust, adorned with heaps of flowers and thronged with joyful, prosperous people.
विचित्रवर्णध्वजभा चित्रिताखिलस्वांगणाः । मेघागमे धनुरिव पश्यंत्वेव वलीमुखाः
Let every courtyard be decorated with colorful banners and flags, shining like a rainbow at the coming of clouds, and let the faces of the people be radiant with joy.
प्रतिगेहं तु लोकानां कारयंत्वगरूक्षणम् । यद्धूमं वीक्ष्य शिखिनो नृत्यं कुर्वंतु लीलया
Let the people arrange auspicious fires at every house; seeing the smoke, let the fire-worshippers dance playfully.
हस्तिनो मम शैलाभानाधोरणसुयंत्रितान् । विचित्रयंतु बहुशो गैरिकाद्युपधातुभिः
Let my elephants, massive as mountains and adorned with beautiful garlands, be decorated in many ways with ochre and other minerals.
वाजिनश्चित्रिता भूयः सुशोभंतु मनोजवाः । यद्वेगवीक्षणादेव गर्वं त्यजति स्वर्हयः
Let the swift and splendid horses be beautifully adorned; at the sight of their speed, even the proudest among their kind will abandon their pride.
कन्याः सहस्रशो रम्याः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः । गजोपरि समारूढा मुक्ताभिर्विकिरंतु च
Let thousands of lovely maidens, adorned with every ornament, mount the elephants and scatter pearls.
ब्राह्मण्यः पात्रहस्ताश्च दूर्वाहारिद्रसंयुताः । सुवासिन्यो महाराजं रामं नीराजयंतु ताः
Let the Brahmin women, holding vessels with sacred grass and turmeric, perform the welcoming rite for King Rāma, O great king.
कौसल्यापुत्रसंयोगसंदेश विधुरा सती । हर्षं प्राप्नोतु सुकृशा तदीक्षणसुलालसा
Let the slender, devoted queen, who was sorrowful at the news of separation from Kausalyā’s son, now attain joy, delighting in the sight of him.
इत्येवमादिरचनाः पुरशोभाविधायिकाः । करोतु जनता हृष्टा रामस्यागमनं प्रति
In this way and more, let the people, filled with happiness, make arrangements to beautify the city for Rāma’s arrival.
शेष उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं सुमुखो मंत्रवित्तमः । प्रययौ नगरीं कर्तुं कृतकौतुकतोरणाम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words, Sumukha, the wise minister, went to the city to prepare splendid festive gateways.
गत्वाथ नगरीं तां वै मंत्री तु सुमुखाभिधः । ख्यापयामास लोकानां रामागममहोत्सवम्
Then, having reached the city, the minister named Sumukha announced to the people the great festival for Rāma’s arrival.
लोकाः श्रुत्वा पुरीं प्राप्तं रघुनाथं सुहर्षिताः । पूर्वं तदीय विरहत्यक्तभोगसुखादयः
Hearing that Raghunātha had arrived in the city, the people, who had previously abandoned all pleasures due to his absence, became exceedingly joyful.
ब्राह्मणा वेदसंपन्नाः पवित्रा दर्भपाणयः । धौतोत्तरीयवलिता जग्मुः श्रीरघुनायकम्
The Brahmins, learned in the Vedas, pure, holding sacred grass in their hands, and clad in freshly washed upper garments, went to greet the glorious Raghunāyaka.
क्षत्रिया ये शूरतमा धनुर्बाणधरा वराः । संग्रामे बहुशो वीरा जेतारो ययुरप्यमुम्
The bravest of the Kṣatriyas, skilled with bow and arrow, and victorious in many battles, also went to meet him.
वैश्या धनसमृद्धाश्च मुद्राशोभितपाणयः । शुभ्रवस्त्रपरीधाना अभिजग्मुर्नरेश्वरम्
The prosperous merchants, their hands adorned with coins, dressed in bright garments, approached the king.
शूद्रा द्विजेषु ये भक्ताः स्वीयाचारसुनिष्ठिताः । वेदाचाररता ये वै तेऽपिजग्मुः पुरीपतिम्
The Shudras who were devoted to the twice-born and firmly established in their own conduct, those who delighted in Vedic practices, also went to the lord of the city.
ये ये वृत्तिकरा लोकाः स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यधिष्ठिताः । स्वकं वस्तु समादाय ययुः श्रीरामभूपतिम्
All those people engaged in their respective occupations, each established in their own work, took their belongings and went to the illustrious king Rama.
इत्थं भूपतिसंदेशात्प्रमोदाप्लवसंयुताः । नाना कौतुकसंयुक्ता आजग्मुर्मनुजेश्वरम्
Thus, by the king’s command, filled with joy and accompanied by various amusements, they came to the lord of men.
शेष उवाच। रघुनाथोऽपि सकलैर्दैवतैः स्वस्वयानगैः । परीतः प्रविवेशोच्चैः पुरीं रचितमोहनाम्
Śeṣa said: Surrounded by all the gods with their own vehicles, Raghunātha entered the splendid city built to enchant.
प्लवंगाः प्लवनैर्युक्ता आकाशपथचारिणः । स्वस्वशोभापरीतांगाश्चानुजग्मुः पुरोत्तमम्
The monkeys, endowed with the ability to leap and traversing the sky, their bodies adorned with their own splendor, followed the foremost city.
पुष्पकादवरुह्याशु नरयानमथारुहत् । सीतया सहितो रामः परिवारसमावृतः
Quickly descending from the Pushpaka, Rama, accompanied by Sita and surrounded by his retinue, mounted the human chariot.
अयोध्यां प्रविवेशाथ कृतकौतुकतोरणाम् । हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णामुत्सवैः परीभूषिताम्
Then he entered Ayodhya, adorned with festive arches, crowded with joyful and prosperous people, and decorated with celebrations.
वीणापणवभेर्यादिवादित्रैराहतैर्भृशम् । शोभमानः स्तूयमानः सूतमागधबंदिभिः
Resplendent and praised by bards, minstrels, and heralds, he was welcomed with the sounds of vīṇā, drums, and other instruments.
जय राघवरामेति जय सूर्यकुलांगद । जय दाशरथे देव जयताल्लोकनायकः
Victory to Rāghava Rama! Victory to the jewel of the solar dynasty! Victory to the divine son of Dasharatha! Victory to the lord of all worlds!