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.
तस्माद्यूयं त्रयो गत्वा हयमानयत ध्रुवम् । यतो भवेद्वाहमेधो रघुनाथस्य धीमतः
Therefore, you three should go and certainly bring back the horse, for the horse-sacrifice of wise Raghunatha must be completed.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाश्रुत्य शत्रुघ्नः परवीरहा । स्वयं विवेश तोयांतर्हनुमत्पुष्कलान्वितः
Shesha said: Hearing these words, Shatrughna, destroyer of enemies, himself entered the water, accompanied by Hanuman and Pushkala.
यावज्जलं विवेशासौ तावत्पुरमदृश्यत । अनेकोद्यानशोभाढ्यममेयं पुटभेदनम्
As soon as he entered the water, a city appeared before him, adorned with many splendid gardens and countless wondrous mansions.
तत्र माणिक्यरचिते स्तंभे स्वर्णमये हयम् । बद्धं ददर्श रामस्य स्वर्णपत्रसुशोभितम्
There, on a golden pillar inlaid with jewels, he saw Rama's horse bound, shining with golden plates.
स्त्रियस्तत्र मनोहारि रूपधारिण्य उत्तमाः । सेवंते सुंदरीमेकां पर्यंके सुखमास्थिताम्
There, beautiful women of enchanting form were serving a lovely lady who was comfortably seated on a couch.
तान्दृष्ट्वा ताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः प्रावोचन्स्वामिनीं प्रति । एतेऽल्पवर्ष्मवयसो मांसपुष्टकलेवराः
Seeing them, all those women spoke to their mistress: These men are young, of small stature, but with well-nourished bodies.
भविष्यंति तव श्रेष्ठमाहारस्य फलं महत् । एतेषां शोणितं स्वादु पुरुषाणां गतायुषाम्
They will be the best and most fruitful food for you; the blood of these men, whose lives are ended, is sweet.
एतद्वचः समाकर्ण्य सेवकीनां वरांगना । जहास किंचिद्वदनं नर्तयंती भ्रुवानघा
Hearing these words of her attendants, the excellent lady smiled a little, moving her eyebrows as she danced her face.
तावत्त्रयस्ते संप्राप्ताः सन्नाहश्री विशोभिताः । शिरस्त्राणानि दधतः शौर्यवीर्यसमन्विताः
At that moment, those three arrived, adorned with armor, wearing helmets, endowed with courage and valor.
ता दृष्ट्वा महिलास्तत्र सौंदर्यश्रीसमन्विताः । प्रोचुस्ते विस्मयं विप्र किमिदं दृश्यते महत्
Seeing them, the women there, endowed with beauty and grace, said in amazement, 'Brahmin, what is this great sight we behold?'
नमश्चक्रुर्महात्मानः सर्वे देववरांगनाः । किरीटमणिविद्योतद्योतितांघ्रियुगास्ततः
All the noble divine women bowed in reverence, their pair of feet shining with the radiance of jeweled crowns.
सा तान्पप्रच्छ पुरुषान्सर्वश्रेष्ठा तु भामिनी । के यूयमत्र संप्राप्ताः कथं चापधरा नराः
That illustrious lady questioned those men, the foremost among all: 'Who are you who have arrived here, and how are you men bearing bows?'
मत्स्थलं सर्वदेवानामगम्यं मोहनं महत् । अत्र प्राप्तस्य तु क्वापि निवृत्तिर्न भवत्युत
This place of mine is inaccessible and enchanting to all the gods; once someone arrives here, there is truly no departure.
अश्वोऽयं कस्य राज्ञो वै कथं चामरवीजितः । स्वर्णपत्रेण शोभाढ्यः कथयंतु ममाग्रतः
Whose king does this horse belong to, and how has it been fanned with a yak-tail whisk? Adorned with a golden plate, let it be explained to me here.
शेष उवाच। इति तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा मोहनाचारसंयुतम् । हनूमांस्तां प्रत्युवाच गतभीः प्रहसन्निव
Śeṣa said: Hearing her words, filled with enchanting conduct, Hanuman replied to her, his fear gone, as if smiling.
वयं वै किंकरा राज्ञस्त्रैलोक्यस्य शिखामणेः । त्रिलोकीयं प्रणमते सर्वदेवशिरोमणिम्
We are servants of the king, the crest-jewel of the three worlds; all the gods bow to him, the crown-jewel among them.
रामभद्रस्य जानीहि हयमेधप्रवर्तितुः । प्रमुंच वाहमस्माकं कथं बद्धो वराङ्गने
Know that this is Rāmabhadra's horse, set forth for the horse-sacrifice; release our steed, O noble lady, why is it bound?
वयं सर्वास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदाः । नयिष्यामो बलाद्वाहं हत्वा तत्प्रतिरोधकान्
We are skilled in all weapons and adept in every missile; we shall take the steed by force, slaying those who resist.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य प्लवङ्गस्य वराङ्गना । विवरस्था प्रत्युवाच हसंती वाक्यकोविदा
Hearing the words of the monkey, the noble lady, standing in the opening, replied, smiling and skilled in speech.
मयानीतमिमं वाहं न कोमोचयितुं क्षमः । वर्षायुतेन निशितैर्बाणकोटिभिरुच्छिखैः
I have brought this steed, but am not able to release it; for ten thousand years, with sharp arrow-tips raised high.