इत्येवं ते महाराजं ययुः सेनाचरा वराः । धनुर्धराः पाशधराः खड्गधाराः स्फुटक्रमाः
Thus, those excellent soldiers approached the great king: bowmen, those bearing nooses, sword-wielders, all with firm steps.
एवं शनैःशनैः प्राप्तो मंडपं यागचिह्नितम् । हयः खुरक्षततलां भूमिं कुर्वन्नभः प्लवन्
In this way, gradually, the horse arrived at the pavilion marked for the sacrifice, making the earth, wounded by its hooves, seem to fly in the sky.
रामो दृष्ट्वा हरिं प्राप्तं बहुसंतुष्टमानसः । वसिष्ठं प्रेरयामास क्रियाकर्तव्यतां प्रति
Rāma, seeing the horse arrive, was greatly pleased in his heart; he sent Vasiṣṭha to attend to the necessary rites.
वसिष्ठो राममाहूय स्वर्णपत्नीसमन्वितम् । प्रयोगं कारयामास ब्रह्महत्यापनोदनम्
Vasiṣṭha, summoning Rāma together with his golden wife, performed the ritual to remove the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतधरो मृगशृंगपरिग्रहः । तत्कर्म कारयामास रामः परपुरंजयः
Rāma, the conqueror of enemy cities, wearing the vow of celibacy and holding a deer’s horn, carried out that rite.
प्रारेभे यागकर्मार्थं कुंडं मण्डपसंमितम् । तत्राचार्योभवद्धीमान्वेदशास्त्रविचारवित्
He began the sacrificial work, establishing the altar within the pavilion; there, the wise teacher, skilled in Vedic scriptures, was present.
वसिष्ठो रघुनाथस्य कुलपूर्वगुरुर्मुनिः । ब्रह्मंस्तत्राचरद्ब्रह्मकर्मागस्त्यस्तपोनिधिः
Vasiṣṭha, the ancestral preceptor and sage of Raghunātha, performed the Brahmanical rites there; Agastya, the treasury of austerity, also did so.
वाल्मीकिर्मुनिरध्वर्युर्मुनिः कण्वस्तु द्वारपः । अष्टौ द्वाराणि तत्रासन्सतोरण शुभानि वै
Vālmīki, the sage, was the chief priest; Kaṇva was the doorkeeper; there were eight auspicious gates with arches.
द्वारि द्वारि द्वयं विप्र ब्राह्मणस्याधिमंत्रवित् । पूर्वद्वारि मुनिश्रेष्ठौ देवलासित संज्ञितौ
At each gate, two Brāhmaṇas versed in mantras were stationed; at the eastern gate, the foremost sages, named Devala and Asita, stood.
दक्षिणद्वारि भूमानौ कश्यपात्री तपोनिधी । पश्चिमद्वारि ऋषभौ जातूकर्ण्योऽथ जाजलिः
At the southern gate, the great ascetics Kaśyapa and Atri were present; at the western gate, the sages Jātūkarṇya and Jājali stood.
उत्तरद्वारि तु मुनी द्वौ द्वितैकत तापसौ । एवं द्वारविधिं कृत्वा वसिष्ठः कलशोद्भवः
At the northern gate, two ascetic sages, united in purpose, were stationed; thus, having arranged the gates, Vasiṣṭha, born from the pot, proceeded.
हयवर्यस्य सत्पूजां कर्तुमारभत द्विज । सुवासिन्यः स्त्रियस्तत्र वासोलंकारभूषिताः
The Brāhmaṇa began to perform the proper worship of the excellent horse; there, the noble women, adorned with garments and ornaments, were present.
हरिद्राक्षतगंधाद्यैः पूजयामासुरर्चितम् । नीराजनं ततः कृत्वा धूपयित्वागुरूक्षणैः
They worshipped the honored one with turmeric, rice, and fragrant substances; then, after performing the waving of lights, they offered incense with aloe wood and other scents.
वर्धापनं ततो वेश्याश्चक्रुस्ता वाडवाज्ञया । एवं संपूज्य विमले भाले चंदनचर्चिते
Then, by the command of the courtesan's mistress, the courtesans performed the ceremony of increasing the horse's strength; thus, having worshipped, they anointed the pure forehead with sandalwood.
कुंकुमादिकगंधाढ्ये सर्वशोभासमन्विते । बबंध भास्वरं पत्रं तप्तहाटकनिर्मितम्
Adorned with the fragrance of saffron and other perfumes, and endowed with every kind of beauty, they tied a shining leaf made of refined gold.
तत्रालिखद्दाशरथेः प्रतापबलमूर्जितम् । सूर्यवंशध्वजो धन्वी धनुर्दीक्षा गुरुर्गुरुः
There they inscribed: 'The banner of the Solar dynasty, the archer, the twice-initiated in archery, the teacher of teachers, the one endowed with the might and power of Dasharatha.'
यं देवाः सासुराः सर्वे नमंति मणिमौलिभिः । तस्यात्मजो वीरबलदर्पहारी रघूद्वहः
All the gods and asuras bow to him, their jeweled crowns lowered; his son, the destroyer of the pride of mighty heroes, the foremost of the Raghus—
रामचंद्रो महाभागः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः । तन्माता कोसलनृपपत्नीगर्भसमुद्भवा
Rama Chandra, greatly fortunate, the jewel among all valiant men, whose mother was born from the queen of the king of Kosala—
तस्याः कुक्षिभवं रत्नं रामः शत्रुक्षयंकरः । करोति हयमेधं वै ब्राह्मणेन सुशिक्षितः
Rama, the jewel born from her womb, the destroyer of enemies, performs the horse sacrifice, well-instructed by a learned Brahmin.
रावणाभिधविप्रेंद्र वधपापापनुत्तये । मोचितस्तेन वाहानां मुख्योऽसौ वाजिनां वरः
To remove the sin of killing the Brahmin named Ravana, he was released by him; he is the foremost among horses, the best of steeds.
महाबलपरीवार परिखाभिः सुरक्षितः । तद्रक्षकोऽस्ति तद्भ्राता शत्रुघ्नो लवणांतकः
Surrounded by a retinue of great strength, protected by moats, his guardian is his brother, Shatrughna, the destroyer of Lavana.
हस्त्यश्वरथपादात सेनासंघसमन्वितः । यस्य राज्ञ इति श्रेष्ठो मानः स्यात्स्वबलोन्मदात्
Accompanied by troops of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry, if any king, out of pride in his own strength, considers himself superior—
वयं धनुर्धराः शूराः श्रेष्ठा वयमिहोत्कटाः । ते गृह्णंतु बलाद्वाहं रत्नमालाविभूषितम्
We are archers, valiant and foremost here; let them seize the horse adorned with a garland of jewels, by force if they wish.
मनोवेगं कामजवं सर्वगत्यधिभास्वरम् । ततो मोचयिता भ्राता शत्रुघ्नो लीलया हयम्
Swift as the mind, born of desire, shining in all its movements—then his brother Shatrughna will release the horse with ease.
शरासनविनिर्मुक्त वत्सदंतैः शिखाशितैः
Released from the bowstring, with arrow-sharp teeth and crested heads—
इत्येवमादि विलिलेख महामुनींद्रः । श्रीरामचंद्र भुजवीर्यलसत्प्रतापम् । शोभानिधानमतिचंचलवायुवेगं । पातालभूतलविशेषगतिं मुमोच
Thus, the great sage inscribed these and other things: the splendor of Rama Chandra's mighty arms, the abode of beauty, his speed surpassing the restless wind, and his movement through the depths of the earth and the underworld.
शत्रुघ्नमादिदेशाथ रामः शस्त्रभृतां वरः । याहि वाहस्य रक्षार्थं पृष्ठतः स्वैरगामिनः
Then Rama, the best of those who bear arms, instructed Shatrughna: 'Go for the protection of the horse, following behind as it moves freely.'
शत्रुघ्न गच्छ वाहस्य मार्गं भद्रं भवेत्तव । भवेतां शत्रुविजयौ रिपुकर्षण ते भुजौ
'Shatrughna, go along the horse's path; may you fare well. May your arms, victorious over enemies and subduing foes, prevail.'
ये योद्धारः प्रतिरणगतास्ते त्वया वारणीया-। वाहं रक्ष स्वकगुणगणैः संयुतः सन्महोर्व्याम् । सुप्तान्भ्रष्टान्विगतवसनान्भीतभीतांस्तु नम्रां-। स्तान्मा हन्याः सुकृतकृतिनो येन शंसंति कर्म
'Those warriors who come to battle must be restrained by you. Guard the horse, endowed with your own virtues, on this great earth. Do not kill those who are sleeping, fallen, stripped of clothing, terrified, or bowing—those who have acted well, by whom your deeds are praised.'
विरथा भयसंत्रस्ता ये वदंति वयं तव । ते त्वया न हि हंतव्याः शत्रुघ्न सुकृतैषिणा
'Those who, dismounted and terrified, declare themselves yours—Shatrughna, you who seek virtue, must not slay them.'