किं करोमि मया सत्यपालनार्थमिदं कृतम् । जानन्प्रभावं भवतो भक्तरक्षार्थमागतः
What can I do? I have done this to uphold truth; knowing your power, I have come for the protection of your devotee.
असौ पुरा उज्जयिन्यां महाकालनिकेतने । स्नात्वा शिप्राख्य सरिति तपस्तेपे महाद्भुतम्
Long ago, in Ujjayini, at the abode of Mahakala, he bathed in the river called Shipra and performed a wondrous austerity.
ततः प्रसन्नो जातोऽहं जगाद भूमिपं प्रति । याचस्वेति महाराज स वव्रे राज्यमद्भुतम्
Then, pleased, I spoke to the king: 'Ask, O great king.' He requested the marvelous boon of sovereignty.
मया प्रोक्तं देवपुरे तव राज्यं भविष्यति । यावद्रामहयः पुर्यामागमिष्यति याज्ञिकः
I declared in Devapura: 'Your reign will last until the sacrificial priest arrives in the city of Ramahaya.'
तावत्प्रभृत्यहं स्थास्ये तव रक्षार्थमुद्यतः । एतद्दत्तवरो राम किं करोमि स्वसत्यतः
From that time onward, I have remained ready for your protection; having granted this boon, Rama, what else can I do to uphold my truth?
घृणितोऽस्म्यधुना राज्ञा सपुत्रपशुबांधवः । हयं समर्प्यते पादसेवां राजा विधास्यति
Now, the king, along with his sons, cattle, and relatives, is humbled; the horse will be offered, and the king will render service at your feet.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य महेशस्य रघूत्तमः । उवाच धीरया वाचा कृपया पूर्णलोचनः
Shesha said: Hearing these words of Mahesha, the best of the Raghu lineage spoke with steady speech and eyes full of compassion.
राम उवाच। देवानामयमेवास्ति धर्मो भक्तस्य पालनम् । त्वया साधुकृतं कर्म यद्भक्तो रक्षितोऽधुना
Rama said: The duty of the gods is indeed the protection of the devotee; you have rightly acted in protecting the devotee now.
ममासि हृदये शर्व भवतो हृदये त्वहम् । आवयोरंतरं नास्ति मूढाः पश्यंति दुर्धियः
Sharva, you are in my heart, and I am in yours; there is no separation between us—only the foolish, those of poor understanding, see otherwise.
ये भेदं विदधत्यद्धा आवयोरेकरूपयोः । कुंभीपाकेषु पच्यंते नराः कल्पसहस्रकम्
Those who create division between us, who are of one form, are cooked in Kumbhipaka hell for a thousand aeons.
ये त्वद्भक्तास्त एवासन्मद्भक्ता धर्मसंयुताः । मद्भक्ता अपि भूयस्या भक्त्या तव नतिंकराः
Those who are your devotees are also mine, endowed with righteousness; and my devotees, by their devotion, bow to you even more.
शेष उवाच। इत्थं भाषितमाकर्ण्य शर्वो वीरमणिं नृपम् । मूर्च्छितं जीवयामास करस्पर्शादिना प्रभुः
Shesha said: Hearing thus spoken, Sharva revived the king Viramani, who had fainted, by the touch of his hand, O Lord.
अन्यानपि सुतानस्य मूर्च्छिताञ्छरपीडितान् । जीवयामास स मृडः समर्थः प्रभुरीश्वरः
That gracious Lord, capable and powerful, also revived the other sons who had fainted, afflicted by arrows.
सज्जं विधाय तं भूपं श्रीरामपदयोर्नतिम् । कारयामास भूतेशः पुत्रपौत्रैः परीवृतम्
Having made the king ready, Bhutesha caused him to bow at the feet of Shri Rama, surrounded by his sons and grandsons.
धन्यो राजा वीरमणिर्यो ददर्श रघूत्तमम् । योगिभिर्योगनिष्ठाभिर्दुष्प्रापमयुतायुतैः
Blessed is King Vīramaṇi, who beheld the best of the Raghus—whom even tens of thousands of yogis devoted to yoga find difficult to attain.
ते नत्वा रघुनाथं तं कृतार्थी कृतविग्रहाः । ब्रह्मादिभिः पूज्यतमा अभूवन्द्विजसत्तम
Having bowed to Raghunātha, those who had fulfilled their purpose and assumed their true forms became most worthy of worship by Brahmā and the others, O best of twice-born.
शत्रुघ्न हनुमद्भ्यां च पुष्कलादिभिरुद्भटैः । परिष्टुताय रामाय ददौ राजा हयोत्तमम्
To Rāma, who was extolled by Śatrughna, Hanumān, Puṣkala, and other eminent ones, the king offered the excellent horse.
राज्येन सहितं सर्वं सपुत्रपशुबांधवम् । शर्वेण प्रेरितः प्रादाद्भूपो वीरमणिस्तदा
At that time, King Vīramaṇi, prompted by Śiva, gave everything—his kingdom along with his sons, cattle, and relatives.
ततो रामो नुतः सर्वैर्वैरिभिर्निजसेवकैः । शत्रुघ्नादिभिरत्यंतमुत्सुकैश्च विशेषतः
Then Rāma, praised by all—by his enemies, his own attendants, and especially by Śatrughna and the others who were exceedingly eager—
रथे मणिमये तिष्ठन्बभूव स तिरोहितः । अंतर्हिते रामभद्रे सर्वे प्रापुः सुविस्मयम्
Standing upon a jeweled chariot, he vanished from sight; when Rāma the blessed disappeared, all were struck with great wonder.
मा जानीहि मनुष्यं तं रामं लोकैकवंदितम् । जले स्थले च सर्वत्र वर्तते संस्थितः सदा
Do not think of that Rāma, revered by the whole world, as a mere human; he abides everywhere, always present on water, on land, and in all places.
ततो वीरा अलं हृष्टा अन्योन्यं परिरेभिरे । तूर्यमंगलवादित्रैः सुमहानुत्सवोऽभवत्
Then the heroes, filled with joy, embraced one another; with the sounds of auspicious instruments and music, a great festival took place.
ततो मुक्तो हयः सर्वैर्वीरैः शस्त्रास्त्रकोविदैः । सर्वैरनुगतः प्रीतैर्विस्मयेन समन्वितैः
Then the horse was released by all the heroes skilled in weapons and missiles, followed by all, delighted and filled with wonder.
शर्वः सत्यप्रतिज्ञश्च तमनुज्ञाप्य सेवकम् । श्रीरामं शरणं प्रोच्य याहि लोकैकदुर्ल्लभम्
Śiva, steadfast in his vow of truth, after granting permission to his attendant, said, 'Take refuge in Śrī Rāma; go to him, who is exceedingly rare even in all the worlds.'
स्वयमंतर्हितस्तत्र प्रलयोत्पत्तिकारकः । कैलासमगमच्छर्वः सेवकैः परिशोभितः
Thereupon, Śiva himself, the cause of creation and dissolution, vanished there and went to Kailāsa, adorned by his attendants.
भूपो वीरमणिर्ध्यायञ्छ्रीरामचरणोदजम् । शत्रुघ्नेन ययौ साकं बलिना बलसंयुतः
King Vīramaṇi, meditating on the water from the feet of Śrī Rāma, departed together with the mighty Śatrughna, accompanied by his army.
एतद्रामस्य चरितं ये शृण्वंति नरोत्तमाः । तेषां संसारजं दुःखं न भविष्यति कर्हिचित्
Those noble men who listen to this account of Rāma will never experience the suffering born of worldly existence.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे हयप्रस्थानंनाम षट्चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Purāṇa, in the Pātāla section, in the dialogue of Śeṣa and Vātsyāyana, this is the forty-sixth chapter named 'The Departure of the Horse in Rāma's Aśvamedha.'
शेष उवाच। हयो गतो हेमकूटं भारतांते ततो द्विज । अनेकभटसाहस्रै रक्षितो बद्धचामरः
Śeṣa said: The horse then went to Hemakūṭa at the border of Bhārata, O twice-born, guarded by thousands of warriors, adorned with a bound yak-tail whisk.
यो वै विस्तरतो दैर्घ्याद्योजनानां समं ततः । अयुतेन सुशृङ्गैश्च राजतैः कांचनादिभिः
That mountain, vast in extent and length, measured ten thousand yojanas, and was adorned with beautiful peaks of silver, gold, and other metals.