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.
तस्मादिमं महाराज राज्येन सह सन्नतः । वाजिनं भोजनं दत्वा प्रेक्षस्वांघ्रियुगं ततः
Therefore, O great king, with humility, offer this horse along with your kingdom as food, and then behold his pair of feet.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शिवस्य स नृपोत्तमः । उवाच तं सुरेंद्रादिवंद्यपादांबुजद्वयम्
Hearing these words of Shiva, that foremost of kings replied to him, whose twin lotus feet are worshipped by Indra and the gods.
वीरमणिरुवाच। क्षत्रियाणामयं धर्मो यत्प्रतापस्य रक्षणम् । तदसौ क्रांतुमुद्युक्तः क्रतुना हयसंज्ञिना
Vīramaṇi said: This is the duty of kṣatriyas—to protect their own valor. Therefore, he set out to seize the horse meant for the sacrifice.
तस्माद्रक्ष्यः स्वप्रतापो येनकेनापि मानिना । यावच्छक्यं कर्म कृत्वा शरीरव्ययकारिणा
Therefore, one’s own valor must be protected by any means, as long as possible, by performing actions even at the cost of the body.
सर्वं कृतं सुतेनेदं गृहीतोऽश्व पुनर्यतः । कोपितं रामभूपालं समयार्हं कुरु प्रभो
All has been done by my son; the horse has been seized again. Since King Rāma has been angered, O lord, act as is proper for the situation.
क्षत्त्रियाणामिदं कर्म कर्तव्यार्हं भवेन्नहि । यदकस्माद्रिपोः पादौ प्रणमेद्भयविह्वलः
This is not a fitting act for kṣatriyas—that out of sudden fear, one should bow at the enemy’s feet, overwhelmed by terror.
रिपवो विहसंत्येनं कातरोऽयं नृपाधमः । क्षुद्रः प्राकृतवन्नीचो नतवान्भयविह्वलः
The enemies mock him, saying, 'This is a coward, the lowest of kings, base and common, bowing down like an ordinary man, overcome by fear.'
तस्माद्भवान्यथायोग्यं योद्धव्ये समुपस्थिते । यद्विधेयं विचार्यैव कर्तव्यं भक्तरक्षणम्
Therefore, when battle is at hand, you must act as is appropriate. After due consideration, you must protect your devotee.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य चंद्रचूडोवदद्वचः । प्रहसन्मेघगंभीरवाण्या संमोहयन्मनः
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words, Candracūḍa replied, smiling with a voice deep as thunder, bewildering the mind.
यदि देवास्त्रयस्त्रिंशत्कोटयः समुपस्थिताः । तथापि त्वत्तः केनाश्वो गृह्यते मम रक्षितुः
Even if the thirty-three crore gods were to assemble, still, who could seize the horse from you, my protector?