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!
इति शृण्वञ्छुभां वाचं पौराणां हर्षितांगिनाम् । रामदर्शनसंजात पुलकोद्भेद शोभिनाम्
Hearing these auspicious words from the delighted citizens, whose bodies shone with the thrill of seeing Rama,
प्रविवेश वरं मार्गं रथ्याचत्वरभूषितम् । चंदनोदकसंसिक्तं पुष्पपल्लवसंयुतम्
He entered the splendid road, adorned with decorated streets and squares, sprinkled with sandalwood water and strewn with flowers and leaves.
तदा पौरांगनाः काश्चिद्गवाक्षबिलमाश्रिताः । रघुनाथस्वरूपेक्षा जातकामा अथाब्रुवन्
At that time, some city women, taking refuge at the window openings, desiring to see Raghunātha’s form, spoke thus.
पौरांगना ऊचुः। धन्या अभूवन्बत भिल्लकन्या वनेषु या राममुखारविंदम् । स्वलोचनेंदीवरकैरथापिबन्स्वभाग्यसंजातमहोदया इमाः
The city women said: Blessed indeed were the forest-dwelling Bhilla maidens, who drank in the lotus-face of Rama with their own lotus-like eyes, their fortune bringing forth such joy.
धन्यं मुखं पश्यत वीरधाम्नः श्रीरामदेवस्य सरोजनेत्रम् । यद्दर्शनं धातृमुखाः सुरा अपि प्रापुर्महद्भाग्ययुता वयंत्वहो
Behold the blessed face of the heroic Rama, with lotus eyes; by seeing it, even the gods, creators of the world, attained great fortune—how fortunate are we!
एतन्मुखं पश्यत चारुहासं किरीटसंशोभिनिजोत्तमांगम् । बंधूकधिक्कारलसच्छविप्रदं दंतच्छदं बिभ्रतमुच्चनासम्
Behold this face, with a charming smile, crowned and adorned, its radiant hue surpassing the bandhūka flower, bearing shining teeth and a prominent nose.
इति गदितवतीस्ताः स्नेहभारेण रामा नलिनदलसदृक्षैर्नेत्रपातैर्निरीक्ष्य । निखिलगुरुरनूनप्रेमभारं नृलोकं जननिगृहमियेष प्रोषितांगेन हृष्टः
Thus, having spoken, those women, gazing at Rama with eyes resembling lotus petals, full of affection, perceived the entire world and the homes of men as filled with unmeasured love, and, with bodies thrilled, rejoiced.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। भुजगाधीश्वरेशान धराभारधरक्षम । शृण्वेकं संशयं मह्यं कृपया कथयस्व तम्
Vātsyāyana said: O lord of serpents, master of the earth’s burden, please listen to my question and kindly explain it to me.
रघुनाथस्य गमनं वनं प्रति यदा ह्यभूत् । तदा प्रभृति देहेन स्थिता शून्येन चेतसा
From the time Raghunatha departed for the forest, she remained with an empty heart, present only in body.
तद्विप्रयोगविधुरा कृशदेहातिदुःखिता । सुमुखान्मंत्रिणः श्रुत्वा रघुनाथं समागतम्
Distressed by separation, her body emaciated and overcome with sorrow, she heard from Sumukha, the minister, that Raghunatha had returned.