मम तावद्गतं चायुर्बहुरामवियोगिनः । स्वल्पमुर्वरितं तत्र कथं द्रक्ष्ये रघूत्तमम्
My life has mostly passed in separation from Rāma; only a little remains—how shall I see the best of the Raghu dynasty?
मह्यं दर्शयतं रामं यज्ञकर्मविचक्षणम् । यदंघ्रिरजसापूता शिलाभूता मुनिप्रिया
Show me Rāma, skilled in sacrificial rites, whose foot-dust sanctified the stone that became the sage’s beloved.
काकः परं पदं प्राप्तो यद्बाणस्पर्शनात्खगः । अनेके यस्य वक्त्राब्जं वीक्ष्य संख्ये पदं गताः
A crow attained the supreme state by the touch of his arrow; many, beholding his lotus face in battle, have reached that state.
ये त्वस्य रघुनाथस्य नाम गृह्णंति सादराः । ते यांति परमं स्थानं योगिभिर्यद्विचिंत्यते
Those who respectfully utter the name of this Lord of the Raghus attain the supreme abode, which is contemplated by yogis.
धन्यायोध्याभवा लोका ये राममुखपंजम् । स्वलोचनपुटैः पीत्वा सुखं यांति महोदयम्
Blessed are the people of Ayodhyā, who, drinking in the lotus face of Rāma with their own eyes, go happily to the highest prosperity.
इति संभाष्य नृपतिं वाहं राज्यं धनानि च । सर्वं समर्प्य चावोचत्किंकरोस्मि महीपते
Thus speaking to the king, I offered up the kingdom, the wealth, and everything, and declared: 'I am your servant, O lord of the earth.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य राज्ञः परपुरंजयः । प्रत्युवाचेति तं भूपं वाग्मी वाक्यविशारदः
Hearing these words, the conqueror of enemy cities, eloquent and skilled in speech, replied to the king.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कथं राजन्निदं ब्रूषे त्वं वृद्धो मम पूजितः । सर्वं त्वदीयं त्वद्राज्यं दमनो विदधात्वयम्
Śatrughna said: 'How is it, O king, that you speak thus, you who are aged and honored by me? All is yours, your kingdom—let Damanas manage it.'
क्षत्त्रियाणामिदं कृत्यं यत्संग्रामविधायकम् । सर्वं राज्यं धनं चेदं प्रतियातु ममाज्ञया
It is the duty of kṣatriyas to engage in battle; let all this kingdom and wealth return to you by my command.
यथा मे रघुनाथस्तु पूज्यो वाङ्मनसा सदा । तथा त्वमपि मत्पूज्यो भविष्यसि महीपते
As Rāma is always to be honored by my words and mind, so too, O king, you shall be honored by me.
भवान्सज्जो भवत्वद्य हयस्यानुगमं प्रति । सन्नद्धः कवची खड्गी गजाश्वरथसंयुतः
Be ready today, equipped with armor and sword, accompanied by elephants, horses, and chariots, to follow the horse.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतिः । पुत्रं राज्येऽभिषेच्यैव शत्रुघ्नेन सुपूजितः
Hearing these words of Śatrughna, the king, having installed his son on the throne, was duly honored by Śatrughna.
महारथैः परिवृतो निजं पुत्रं रणांगणे । पुष्कलेन हतं भूपः संस्कृत्य विधिपूर्वकम्
Surrounded by great chariot-warriors, the king performed the proper rites for his son Puṣkala, who had fallen on the battlefield.
क्षणं शुशोच तत्त्वज्ञो लोकदृष्ट्या महारथः । ज्ञानेनानाशयच्छोकं रघुनाथमनुस्मरन्
For a moment, the wise great chariot-warrior grieved, as is customary in the world; but by knowledge, remembering Raghunātha, he dispelled his sorrow.
सज्जीभूतो रथे तिष्ठन्महासैन्यसमावृतः । आजगाम स शत्रुघ्नं महारथिपुरस्कृतः
Ready for battle, standing on his chariot and surrounded by a great army, he approached Shatrughna, led by mighty warriors.
राजा तमागतं दृष्ट्वा सर्वसैन्यसमन्वितम् । गंतुं चकार धिषणां हयवर्यस्य पालने
Seeing him arrive with his entire army, the king resolved to set out, intent on protecting the noble horse.
सोऽश्वो विमोचितस्तेन भाले पत्रेण चिह्नितः । वामावर्तं भ्रमन्प्रायात्पौर्वाञ्जनपदान्बहून्
Then that horse was released, marked with a plate on its forehead, and, turning to the left, it proceeded through many eastern lands.
तत्रतत्रत्य भूपालैर्महाशूराभिपूजितैः । प्रणतिः क्रियते तस्य न कोपि तमगृह्णत
There, the local kings, honored by great heroes, offered their respects to it; but no one seized it.
केचिद्वासांसि चित्राणि केचिद्राज्यं स्वकं महत् । केचिद्धनं जनं केचिदानीय प्रणमंति तम्
Some brought splendid garments, some their vast kingdoms, others wealth or people, and all came to pay homage to it.
शेष उवाच। अथ तेजःपुरं प्राप्तस्तुरगः पत्रशोभितः । यस्यां पालयते राजा प्रजाः सत्येन सत्यवान्
Śeṣa said: Then the horse, adorned with the plate, reached Tejaspura, where the king, steadfast in truth, rules his people with righteousness.
अथ कोटिपरीवारो रघुनाथानुजस्ततः । हयानुगो ययौ तस्य पुरतः पुरधर्षणः
Then Shatrughna, the younger brother of Raghunātha, surrounded by countless followers, went ahead, following the horse and ready to conquer the city.
तद्दृष्ट्वा नगरं रम्यं चित्रप्राकारशोभितम् । कांचनैः कलशैस्तत्र परितः प्रतिभासितम्
Seeing that beautiful city, adorned with colorful ramparts and shining all around with golden spires,
देवायतनसाहस्रैः सर्वतश्च विराजितम् । यतीनां तु मठास्तत्र शोभंते यतिपूरिताः
Radiant on all sides with thousands of temples, and with monasteries filled with ascetics, it shone with the presence of holy men.
वहत्यत्र महादेवी शिखिलोचनमूर्धगा । हंसकारंडवाकीर्णामुनिवृंदनिषेविता
There, the great river flows, crowned with crested waves, filled with swans and cranes, and attended by groups of sages.
ब्राह्मणानां प्रत्यगारमग्निहोत्रभवः पुनः । धूमस्तत्र पुनात्यंग पातकाप्लुतमानसान्
At the homes of the Brahmins, the smoke from sacrificial fires rises, purifying even those whose minds are stained with sin.
उवाच सुमतिं राजा शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुतापनः । तत्पुरप्रेक्षणोद्भूतहर्षविस्मितमानसः
There, Shatrughna, the subduer of enemies, spoke to Sumati, his mind filled with wonder and joy at the sight of that city.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। मंत्रिन्कथय कस्येदं पुरं मे दृष्टिगोचरम् । करोति मानसाह्लादं धर्मेण प्रतिपालितम्
Shatrughna said: O minister, tell me whose city this is that has come into my view, which delights my heart and is governed by righteousness.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतेः । उवाच सुमतिः सर्वं यथातथमनुद्धतम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words of King Shatrughna, Sumati replied, recounting everything as it was, without exaggeration.
सुमतिरुवाच। शृणुष्वावहितः स्वामिन्वैष्णवस्य कथाः शुभाः । याः श्रुत्वा मुच्यते पापाद्ब्रह्महत्यासमादपि
Sumati said: Listen attentively, master, to these auspicious tales of a devotee of Vishnu; hearing them, one is freed from sin, even from the guilt of killing a Brahmin.
जीवन्मुक्तो वरीवर्ति रामांघ्र्यंबुजषट्पदः । सत्यवान्यज्ञयज्ञांग ज्ञाता कर्ताऽविता महान्
He, liberated while living, a bee at the lotus feet of Rāma, truthful, a limb of sacrifice, a knower, doer, and great protector.