हयरत्नेन संयुक्तस्तथा वीरैः सुशोभितः । राज्ञा पुरस्कृतो राजा शत्रुघ्नः प्राप मंदिरम्
Accompanied by the jewel-horse and shining warriors, Śatrughna, led by the king, entered the palace.
अर्घादिभिः पूजयित्वा रघुनाथानुजं तदा । सर्वं समर्पयामास रामचंद्राय धीमते
Then, after worshipping the younger brother of Raghunātha with arghya and other offerings, he devotedly offered everything to the wise Rāmacandra.
शेष उवाच। अथ स्वागतसंतुष्टं शत्रुघ्नं प्राह भूमिपः । रघुनाथकथां श्रेष्ठां शुश्रूषुः पुरुषर्षभः
Śeṣa spoke: Then, the king addressed Śatrughna, who was pleased with his welcome, eager to hear the noble tales of Raghunātha, the best among men.
सुमद उवाच। कच्चिदास्ते सुखं रामः सर्वलोकशिरोमणिः । भक्तरक्षावतारोऽयं ममानुग्रहकारकः
Sumada spoke: Is Rāma, the crown jewel of all worlds, well? He is the incarnation for the protection of devotees and the giver of grace to me.
धन्या लोका इमे पुर्यां रघुनाथमुखांबुजम् । ये पिबंत्यनिशं चाक्षिपुटकैः परिमोदिताः
Blessed are the people in this city who, delighted, drink in the lotus face of Raghunātha ceaselessly with their eyes.
अर्थजातं मदीयं च नितरां पुरुषर्षभ । कृतार्थं कुलभूम्यादि वस्तुजातं महामते
All my possessions, O best of men, and the wealth of my lineage and land, are truly fulfilled, O wise one.
कामाक्षया प्रसादो मे कृतः पूर्वं दयार्द्रया । रघुनाथमुखांभोजं द्रक्ष्येद्य सकुटुंबकः
By the exhaustion of my desires, mercy was previously shown to me; today, with my family, I will see the lotus face of Raghunātha.
इत्युक्तवति वीरे तु सुमदे पार्थिवोत्तमे । सर्वं तत्कथयामास रघुनाथगुणोदयम्
When the noble king Sumada had spoken thus to the hero, he narrated everything—the rise of Raghunātha's virtues.
त्रिरात्रं तत्र संस्थित्य रघुनाथानुजः परम् । गंतुं चकार धिषणां राज्ञा सह महामतिः
There, after staying for three nights, the wise younger brother of Raghunātha resolved to depart with the king.
तज्ज्ञात्वा सुमदः शीघ्रं पुत्रं राज्येऽभ्यषेचयत् । शत्रुघ्नेन महाराज्ञा पुष्कलेनानुमोदितः
Knowing this, Sumada quickly installed his son on the throne, with the approval of the great king Śatrughna and Puṣkala.
वासांसि बहुरत्नानि धनानि विविधानि च । शत्रुघ्नसेवकेभ्योऽसौ प्रादात्तत्र महामतिः
He gave to Śatrughna's attendants many garments adorned with gems and various kinds of wealth, the wise one.
ततो गमनमारेभे मंत्रिभिर्बहुवित्तमैः । पत्तिभिर्वाजिभिर्नागैः सदश्वैरथ कोटिभिः
Then he began the journey, accompanied by ministers rich in wealth, infantry, horses, elephants, and countless chariots.
शत्रुघ्नः सहितस्तेन सुमदेन धनुर्भृता । जगाम मार्गे विहसन्रघुनाथप्रतापभृत्
Śatrughna, together with Sumada and armed warriors, proceeded along the road, smiling, bearing the glory of Raghunātha.
पयोष्णीतीरमासाद्य जगाम स हयोत्तमः । पृष्ठतोऽनुययुः सर्वे योधा वै हयरक्षिणः
Reaching the bank of the Payoṣṇī river, he went forth with his excellent horse; all the soldiers and horse-guards followed behind.
आश्रमान्विविधान्पश्यन्नृषीणां सुतपोभृताम् । तत्रतत्र विशृण्वानो रघुनाथगुणोदयम्
Seeing various hermitages of sages devoted to austerity, he spread everywhere the glory of Raghunātha.
एष धीमान्हरिर्याति हरिणा परिरक्षितः । हरिभिर्हरिभक्तैश्च हरिवर्यानुगैर्मुहुः
This wise Hari travels, protected by monkeys, accompanied repeatedly by monkeys, monkey devotees, and the foremost among monkeys.
इति शृण्वञ्छुभा वाचो मुनीनां परितः प्रभुः । तुतोष भक्त्युत्कलितचित्तवृत्तिभृतां महान्
Thus, hearing auspicious words from the sages all around, the lord was pleased with those whose minds were stirred by devotion.
ददर्श चाश्रमं शुद्धं जनजंतुसमाकुलम् । वेदध्वनिहताशेषा मंगलं शृण्वतां नृणाम्
He saw a pure hermitage, crowded with living beings, where the sound of the Vedas dispelled all inauspiciousness for those who listened.
अग्निहोत्रहविर्धूम पवित्रितनभोखिलम् । मुनिवर्यकृतानेक यागयूपसुशोभितम्
The sky was purified by the smoke of sacrificial offerings; the place was adorned with many sacrificial posts made by eminent sages.
यत्र गावस्तु हरिणा पाल्यंते पालनोचिताः । मूषका न खनंत्यस्मिन्बिडालस्य भयाद्बिलम्
There, cows are protected by monkeys, as is proper; in this place, mice do not dig burrows for fear of cats.
मयूरैर्नकुलैः सार्द्धं क्रीडंति फणिनोनिशम् । गजैः सिंहैर्नित्यमत्र स्थीयते मित्रतां गतैः
The serpents play constantly with peacocks and mongooses; here, elephants and lions dwell together, having attained friendship.
एणास्तत्रत्य नीवारभक्षणेषु कृतादराः । न भयं कुर्वते कालाद्रक्षिता मुनिवृंदकैः
The antelopes there, intent on eating wild rice, feel no fear of time, protected by the groups of sages.
गावः कुंभसमोधस्का नंदिनी समविग्रहाः । कुर्वंति चरणोत्थेन रजसेलां पवित्रिताम्
The cows, with full udders and equal in form to Nandini, purify the sandy ground with the dust raised by their hooves.
मुनिवर्याः समित्पाणि पद्मैर्धर्मक्रियोचिताम् । दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छसुमतिं सर्वज्ञं राम मंत्रिणम्
The eminent sages, holding sacrificial sticks and lotuses suitable for religious rites, seeing this, questioned Sumati, the wise counselor of Rama.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। सुमते कस्य संस्थानं मुनेर्भाति पुरोगतम् । निर्वैरिजंतु संसेव्यं मुनिवृंदसमाकुलम्
Shatrughna said: O Sumati, whose hermitage is this, shining before us, filled with peaceful creatures and thronged with groups of sages?
श्रोष्यामि मुनिवार्तां च विदधामि पवित्रताम् । निजं वपुस्तदीयाभिर्वार्ताभिर्वर्णनादिभिः
I wish to hear the story of the sage and to enhance its sanctity by recounting and describing his deeds with my own words.
इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः । कथयामास सचिवो रघुनाथस्य धीमतः
Hearing these great words of the noble Shatrughna, the wise counselor of Raghunatha began to speak.
सुमतिरुवाच। च्यवनस्याश्रमं विद्धि महातापसशोभितम् । निर्वैरिजंतुसंकीर्णं मुनिपत्नीभिरावृतम्
Sumati said: Know this to be the hermitage of Cyavana, adorned by the great ascetic, crowded with peaceful creatures and surrounded by the wives of sages.
योऽसौ महामुनिः स्वर्गवैद्ययोर्भागमादधात् । स्वायंभुवमहायज्ञे शक्रमानविभेदनः
That great sage apportioned a share to the Ashvins in the Svayambhuva sacrifice, breaking the monopoly of Indra and the other gods.
महामुनेः प्रभावोऽयं न केनापि समाप्यते । तपोबलसमृद्धस्य वेदमूर्तिधरस्य ह
The power of that great sage cannot be measured by anyone, endowed as he is with the strength of asceticism and embodying the Vedas.