यत्पादपंकजरजः श्रुतिमृग्यं सदैव हि । सोऽद्य मत्पादयोः पाथः पीत्वा पूतममन्यत
The dust of his lotus feet is always sought by the Vedas; today, having drunk the water from my own feet, he considered himself purified.
एवं प्रवदतस्तस्य ब्रह्मस्फोटोऽभवत्तदा । निर्गतं तद्भवं तेजो विवेश रघुनायके
As he spoke thus, a Brahmanic radiance arose; that essence departed and entered into Raghunāyaka.
पश्यतां सर्वलोकानां सरयूतीरमंडपे । सायुज्यमुक्तिं संप्राप दुर्ल्लभां योगिभिर्जनैः
In the pavilion on the banks of the Sarayu, before all the worlds, he attained union and liberation, rare even among yogis.
दिवि तूर्यनिनादोऽभूद्वीणानादोऽभवत्तदा । पुष्पवृष्टिः पपाताग्रे पश्यतां चित्रमद्भुतम्
At that moment, there was a sound of celestial drums and lutes in the sky; a shower of flowers fell in front, a marvelous and wondrous sight.
मुनयोऽप्येतदीक्षित्वा प्रशंसंतो मुनीश्वरम् । कृतार्थोयं मुनिश्रेष्ठो यद्रामवपुषीक्षितः
Even the sages, having witnessed this, praised the lord among ascetics, saying: 'This foremost sage has fulfilled his purpose, for he has beheld the form of Rama.'
सूत उवाच। एतदाख्यानकं श्रुत्वा वात्स्यायन उदारधीः । परमं हर्षमापेदे जगाद च फणीश्वरम्
Suta said: Upon hearing this tale, Vatsyayana, noble-minded, was filled with supreme joy and spoke to the lord of serpents.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। कथां संशृण्वते मह्यं तृप्तिर्नास्ति फणीश्वर । रघुनाथस्य भक्तार्तिहारिकीर्तिकरस्य वै
Vatsyayana said: O lord of serpents, as I listen to this story, I find no satisfaction; for it is about Raghunatha, whose fame removes the suffering of devotees.
धन्य आरण्यको नाम मुनिर्वेदधरः परः । रघुनाथं समालोक्य देहं तत्याज नश्वरम्
Blessed was the sage named Aranyaka, supreme knower of the Vedas; having beheld Raghunatha, he abandoned his perishable body.
ततो राज्ञो हयः कुत्र गतः केन नियंत्रितः । कथं तत्र रमानाथ कीर्तिर्जाता फणीश्वर
Then, where did the king's horse go, and by whom was it restrained? How did the fame of Ramānātha arise there, O lord of serpents?
सर्वं कथय मे तथ्यं सर्वज्ञोऽस्ति यतो भवान् । धराधरवपुर्धारी साक्षात्तस्य स्वरूपधृक्
Tell me everything truthfully, for you are all-knowing; you bear the form of the mountain and directly possess his true nature.
व्यास उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य प्रहृष्टेनांतरात्मना । उवाच रामचारित्रं तत्तद्गुणकथोदयम्
Vyasa said: Hearing these words, with his inner self delighted, he spoke of Rama's deeds, recounting the stories of his various virtues.
शेष उवाच। साधु पृच्छसि विप्रर्षे रघुनाथगुणान्मुहुः । श्रुता न श्रुतवत्कृत्वा तेषु लोलुपतां दधत्
Shesha said: You inquire well, O sage among Brahmins, repeatedly about the virtues of Raghunatha; though you have heard them, you act as if you have not, displaying eagerness for them.
ततो निरगमद्वाहः सैनिकैर्बहुभिवृतः । रेवातीरे मनोज्ञे तु मुनिवृंदनिषेविते
Then the horse departed, surrounded by many soldiers, to the charming bank of the Reva, frequented by groups of sages.
सेनाचरास्ततः सर्वे यत्र वाहस्ततस्ततः । प्रसर्पंति निरीक्षंतस्तन्मार्गं रणकोविदाः
All the army scouts then moved wherever the horse went, observing its path, skilled in the ways of battle.
वाजी गतोऽथ रेवाया ह्रदेऽगाधजलान्विते । भाले स्वर्णभवं पत्रं धारयन्पूजितांगकः
The steed went to the deep waters of the Reva, bearing a golden plate on its forehead, adorned and honored.
ततो जले ममज्जासौ रामचंद्र हयो वरः । तदा सर्वे महाशूरास्तत्र विस्मयमागताः
Then, in the water, that excellent horse of Rama sank; at that moment, all the mighty warriors there were struck with wonder.
तैः परस्परमेवोचे कथं हयसमागमः । कोऽत्र गंता जले वाहमानेतुं तं महोदयम्
They spoke among themselves: 'How shall we recover the horse? Who will go into the water to bring back that great one?'
इति यावत्समुद्विग्ना मंत्रयंते परस्परम् । तावद्वीरशतैः सार्धमाजगाम रघोः पतिः
While they were anxiously deliberating among themselves, the lord of the Raghu dynasty arrived, accompanied by hundreds of heroes.
तान्सर्वान्विमनस्कान्स दृष्ट्वा शत्रुघ्नसंज्ञितः । पप्रच्छ मेघगंभीरवाचा वीरशिरोमणिः
Seeing them all disheartened, Shatrughna, the jewel among warriors, addressed them with a voice deep as a cloud.
किं स्थितं निखिलैरद्य युष्माभिः संघशो जले । कुत्राश्वो रघुनाथस्य स्वर्णपत्रेण शोभितः
'Why are you all gathered here today, standing in the water? Where is the horse of Raghunatha, adorned with a golden plate?'
जले किं विनिमग्नोऽसौ हृतो वा केन मानिना । तन्मे कथयत क्षिप्रं कथं यूयं विमोहिताः
'Has it sunk in the water, or has it been taken by someone proud? Tell me quickly how you have become bewildered.'
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य राज्ञो रघुवरस्य हि । कथयामासुस्ते सर्वं वीराः शूरशिरोमणिम्
Shesha said: Hearing these words of the king, the best of the Raghu line, all the warriors began to recount everything to the foremost among heroes.
जना ऊचुः। स्वामिन्वयं न जानीमो मुहूर्तमभवज्जले । निममज्ज ततो नायाद्धयस्तव मनोहरः
The people said: Lord, we do not know; we were only in the water for a moment, then we submerged, and your splendid horse did not return.
त्वमेव तत्र गत्वेमं वाहमानय वेगतः । अस्माभिस्तत्र गंतव्यं त्वया सार्द्धं महामते
You alone should go there swiftly and bring back the horse; we must go there together with you, O wise one.
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां सैनिकानां रघूद्वहः । खेदं प्राप जनान्पश्यञ्जलसंतरणोद्यतान्
Hearing these words of the soldiers, the descendant of Raghu felt troubled, seeing the people preparing to cross the water.
उवाच मंत्रिमुख्यं स किं कर्तव्यमतः परम् । कथं वाहस्य संप्राप्तिर्भविष्यति वदस्व तत्
He spoke to the chief minister: What should be done now? Tell me how the horse can be retrieved.
के तत्र शूराः संयोज्या जलेऽन्वेषयितुं हयम् । को वा नयिष्यते वाहं केनोपायेन तद्वद
Who among us are the heroes fit to be sent to search for the horse in the water? Who will bring back the horse, and by what means? Tell me that.
इति राज्ञोवचः श्रुत्वा सुमतिर्मंत्रिसत्तमः । उवाच समये योग्यं शत्रुघ्नं हर्षयन्निव
Hearing the king's words, the excellent minister Sumati spoke at the right moment, as if gladdening Shatrughna.
स्वामिन्नस्ति तव श्रीमञ्छक्तिरद्भुतकर्मणः । पातालगमने शक्तिर्जलमध्यादिह स्फुटम्
Lord, you possess wondrous power for extraordinary deeds; you clearly have the ability to go even into the netherworld, and into the midst of water here.
अन्यच्च पुष्कलस्यापि शक्तिरस्ति महात्मनः । हनूमतोऽपि रामस्य पादसेवापरस्य च
Moreover, Pushkala, the great-souled one, also has power, as does Hanuman, ever devoted to serving Rama's feet.