चंपका यत्र बहुशः फुल्लकोरकशोभिताः । कुर्वंति कामिनां तत्र हृच्छयार्तिं विलोकिताः
There, champaka trees, resplendent with many blossoming buds, stirred the pangs of love in onlookers filled with longing.
चूताः फलादिभिर्नम्रा मंजरीकोटिसंयुताः । नागाः पुन्नागवृक्षाश्च शालास्तालास्तमालकाः
There were mango trees bowed with fruit, crowned with countless clusters of blossoms, as well as nāga, punnāga, śāla, tāla, and tamāla trees.
कोकिलानां समारावा यत्र च श्रुतिगोचराः । सदा मधुपझंकार गतनिद्राः सुमल्लिकाः
There, the calls of cuckoos reached the ear, and the ever-awake jasmine flowers, sleepless from the constant humming of bees, filled the air.
दाडिमानां समूहाश्च कर्णिकारैः समन्विताः । केतकीकानकीवन्यवृक्षराजिविराजिताः
Clusters of pomegranate trees mingled with karnikāra, and groves of ketakī and other forest trees stood in regal splendor.
तस्मिन्वने प्रमदसंयुतचित्तवृत्तिर्गायन्कलं मधुरवाग्विचिकीर्षयोच्चैः । उद्यत्कुचाभिरभितो वनिताभिरागाच्छोभानिधान वपुरुद्गतभीर्विवेश
In that forest, his mind absorbed in the company of women, he sang sweetly with melodious voice, wishing to delight them; surrounded by women with rising breasts, the treasure of beauty entered, though a little apprehensive.
काश्चित्तं नृत्यविद्याभिस्तोषयंति स्म शोभनम् । काश्चिद्गानकलाभिश्च काश्चिद्वाक्चतुरोचितैः
Some pleased him with the art of dance, others with the skill of song, and some with clever and fitting words.
भ्रूसंज्ञया पराः काश्चित्तोषयामासुरुन्मदाः । परिरंभणचातुर्यैस्तं हृष्टं विदधुः स्त्रियः
Others, intoxicated with love, delighted him with gestures of the eyebrows; with skillful embraces, the women made him joyful.
ताभिः पुष्पोच्चयं कृत्वा भूषयामास ताः स्त्रियः । वाण्या कोमलया शंसन्रेमे कामवपुर्धरः
After gathering flowers with them, those women adorned him; with gentle speech they praised the one who bore a form pleasing to desire.
एवं प्रवृत्ते समये राजराजस्य धीमतः । प्रायात्तद्वनदेशं स हयः परमशोभनः
While King Rukmāṅgada, the wise lord of kings, was thus engaged, that supremely splendid horse entered the forest region.
तं स्वर्णपत्ररचितैकललाटदेशं । गंगासमं घुसृणकुंकुम पिंजरांगम् । गत्यासमं पवनवेगतिरस्करिण्या । दृष्ट्वा स्त्रियः परमकौतुकधामदेहम्
The women saw that horse, whose forehead was adorned with a single plate of gold, whose body was as radiant as the Ganges, dusted with saffron, unmatched in gait, swift as the wind, and a wonder to behold.
ऊचुः पतिं कमलमध्यपिशंगवर्णा -। स्ताम्राधरप्रतिभयाहतविद्रुमाभाः । दंतव्रजप्रमितहास्यसुशोभिवक्त्राः । कामस्य बाणनयनादिविमोहनाभाः
They said to their lord, their faces shining with the hue of lotus filaments, lips red as copper, teeth like coral, and eyes enchanting as the arrows of Kāma, the god of love.
स्त्रिय ऊचुः। कांतकोयं महानर्वास्वर्णपत्रैकशोभितः । कस्य वा भाति शोभाढ्यो गृहाण स्वबलादिमम्
The women said: 'Beloved, what is this great horse, adorned with a single plate of gold? Whose is it, shining with such splendor? Take this, you who are foremost in strength.'
शेष उवाच। तदुक्तं वच आकर्ण्य लीलाललितलोचनः । जग्राह हयमेकेन करपद्मेन लीलया
Śeṣa said: Hearing those words, he whose eyes were playful and charming took the horse with one lotus-like hand, effortlessly.
वाचयित्वा स्वर्णपत्रं स्पष्टवर्णसमन्वितम् । जहास महिलामध्ये जगाद वचनं पुनः
After reading the golden plate, inscribed with clear letters, he laughed among the women and again spoke these words.
रुक्मांगद उवाच। पृथिव्यां नास्ति मे पित्रा समः शौर्येण च श्रिया । तस्मिन्कथं विधत्ते स उत्सेकं रामभूमिपः
Rukmangada said: On earth, there is no one equal to my father in valor and splendor; how then does the king of Rama's land show him disrespect?
यस्य रक्षां प्रकुरुते सदा रुद्रः पिनाकधृक् । यं देवा दानवा यक्षा नमंति मणिमौलिभिः
He whom Rudra, the wielder of Pinaka, always protects, and to whom gods, demons, and yakshas bow with jeweled crowns—
कुरुताद्वाजिमेधं वै जनको मे महाबलः । या त्वेष वाजिशालायां बध्नंतु मम वै भटाः
Let my mighty father Janaka perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice; but as for this horse in the stable, let my soldiers bind it.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य महिलास्ता मनोहराः । प्रहर्षवदना जाताः कांतं तु परिरेभिरे
Hearing these words, the charming women became radiant with joy and embraced their beloved.
गृहीत्वा च हयं पुत्रो राज्ञो वीरमणेर्महान् । पुरं पत्नीसमायुक्तो महोत्साहमवीविशत्
Taking the horse, the great son of King Viramani, accompanied by his wives and full of enthusiasm, entered the city.
मृदंगध्वनिषु प्रोच्चैराहतेषु समंततः । बंदिभिः संस्तुतः प्रागात्स्वपितुर्मंदिरं महत्
With the loud sound of drums resounding everywhere and praised by bards, he proceeded to his father's great palace.
तस्मै स कथयामास हयं नीतं रघोः पतेः । वाजिमेधाय निर्मुक्तं स्वच्छंदगतिमद्भुतम्
To him was reported that the horse, released for the Ashvamedha by the lord of Raghu, had been brought—an extraordinary horse, moving freely as it wished.
रक्षितं शत्रुसूदेन महाबलसमेतिना । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य नृपो वीरमणिर्महान्
Guarded by the mighty slayer of foes and a great army, upon hearing this report, the great King Viramani—
नातिप्रशंसयामास तत्कर्म सुमहामतिः । नीत्वा पुनः समायांतं चौरस्येव विचेष्टितम्
—did not excessively praise that deed, wise as he was; he considered the act, like that of a thief, to be questionable.
कथयामास जामात्रे शिवायाद्भुतकर्मणे । अर्धांगनाधरायांगभूषाय चंद्रधारिणे
He recounted it to his son-in-law, Shiva, the wondrous doer, the moon-crested, the half-female, the ornament of limbs.
तेन संमंत्रयामास नृपो वीरमणिर्महान् । पुत्रसृष्टं महत्कर्म विनिंद्यं महतां मतः
With him, the great king Viramani deliberated, deeming the great act done by his son as blameworthy in the eyes of the noble.
शिव उवाच। राजन्पुत्रेण भवतः कृतं कर्म महाद्भुतम् । यो जहार महावाहंरामचंद्रस्य धीमतः
Shiva said: O King, your son has accomplished a marvelous deed—he has seized the great horse of the wise Rama.
अद्य युद्धं महद्भाति सुरासुरविमोहनम् । शत्रुघ्नेन महाराज्ञा वीरकोट्येकरक्षिणा
Today a great battle will take place, bewildering gods and demons, with the mighty king Shatrughna, protector of a crore heroes.
मया यो ध्रियते स्वांते जिह्वया प्रोच्यते हि यः । तस्य रामस्ययज्ञांगं जहार तव पुत्रकः
He whom I hold in my heart, whose name is spoken by my tongue—your son has taken the sacrificial horse of that Rama.
परमत्र महाँल्लाभो भविष्यतितरां रणे । यद्रामचरणांभोजं द्रक्ष्यामः स्वीयसेवितम्
But here, supreme gain will come in battle, for we shall behold the lotus feet of Rama, worshipped by his own.
अत्र यत्नो महान्कार्यो हयस्य परिरक्षणे । नयिष्यंति बलाद्वाहं मया रक्षितमप्यमुम्
Here, great effort must be made to protect the horse; for even if I guard it, they will try to seize it by force.