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.
तत्रोद्यानं महच्छ्रेष्ठं पादपैः परिशोभितम् । शालैस्तालैस्तमालैश्च कर्णिकारैः समन्ततः
There, a great and excellent garden shone, adorned all around with trees—śāla, tāla, tamāla, and karṇikāra.
हिंतालैर्नागपुन्नागैः कोविदारैः सबिल्वकैः । चम्पकैर्बकुलैर्मेघैर्मदनैः कुटजादिभिः
With hiṃtāla, nāga, punnāga, kovidāra, and bilva trees, with campaka, bakula, megha, madana, kuṭaja, and others.
जातिकाभिर्यूथिकाभिर्नवमालिकया तथा । आम्रैर्माधवद्राक्षाभिर्दाडिमैः शोभितं वनम्
The forest was adorned with jasmine, yūthikā, fresh mālikā flowers, as well as mango, mādhava, grapevines, and pomegranate trees.
अनेकपक्षिसंघुष्टं भ्रमरैर्निनदीकृतम् । मयूरकेकारवितं सर्वर्तुसुखदं हयः
It resounded with the cries of many flocks of birds, was filled with the humming of bees, echoed with the calls of peacocks, and brought delight in every season, O horse.
प्रविवेश स शत्रुघ्नो मनोवेगसमन्वितः । स्वर्णपत्रं विशाले स्वे भाले बिभ्रन्मनोहरम्
There, Shatrughna entered, swift as thought, bearing a beautiful, wide golden plate upon his own forehead.
गच्छतस्तस्य वाहस्य हयमेधक्रतोस्तदा । अकस्मादभवच्चित्रं तच्छृणुष्व द्विजोत्तम
As the steed of the horse-sacrifice was proceeding at that time, something marvelous suddenly occurred—listen to this, best of twice-born.
गात्रस्तंभोऽभवत्तस्य न चचाल पथिस्थितः । हेमकूटइवाचाल्यो बभूव हयसत्तमः
The horse's body became rigid; it did not move from its place on the path. Like a mountain of gold, the noble steed stood unmoving.
तदा तद्रक्षकाः सर्वे कशाघातान्वितेनिरे । तदाहतेऽपि न ययौ स्तब्धगात्रो हयोत्तमः
Then all its guardians struck it with whips, but even when struck, the noble horse did not move, its body stiffened.
शत्रुघ्नं सविधे गत्वा चुक्रुशुर्वाहरक्षकाः । स्वामिन्वयं न जानीमः किमभूद्धयसत्तमे
Approaching Shatrughna, the horse's guardians cried out, 'Lord, we do not know what has happened to the noble steed.'
गच्छतो वाहवर्यस्य मनोवेगस्य भूपते । आकस्मिकोऽभवत्तस्य गात्रस्तंभो महामते
As the best of horses, swift as thought, was proceeding, O king, a sudden stiffness seized its body, O wise one.
कशाभिस्ताडितोऽस्माभिः परं तत्र चचाल न । एवं विचार्य यत्कर्म तत्कुरुष्व नृपोत्तम
'We struck it with whips, but still it did not move. Consider what should be done now, O best of kings.'
तदा विस्मयमापन्नो भूपतिः सह सैनिकैः । जगाम सहितः सर्वैर्हयस्य महतोऽन्तिके
Then the king, filled with wonder along with his soldiers, went together with all to the side of the great horse.
पुष्कलो बाहुना धृत्वा चरणौ तस्य भूतलात् । उत्पाटयामास तदा परं नो चेलतुस्ततः
Pushkala, grasping its feet with his arms, tried to lift them from the ground, but even then they did not move.
बलेन बलिनाक्रांतो नाकम्पत हयस्तदा । हनूमांस्तं समुद्धर्तुं मतिं चक्रे महामनाः
Though pressed with force by the strong, the horse did not stir. Hanuman, of great resolve, resolved to lift it up.
लांगूलेन समावेष्ट्य बलेन बलिनां वरः । आचकर्ष बलाद्वाहं न चचाल तथापि सः
Wrapping it with his tail, Hanuman, the best of the strong, pulled the steed with force, yet still it did not move.
तदोवाच कपिश्रेष्ठो हनूमान्विस्मयान्वितः । शत्रुघ्नं बलिनां श्रेष्ठं वीराणां परिशृण्वताम्
Then Hanuman, chief of monkeys, filled with wonder, spoke to Shatrughna, best of the strong, as the heroes listened.
मया द्रोणो लांगुलेन लीलयोत्पाटितोऽधुना । परमत्र महाश्चर्यं कम्पते न हयोऽल्पकः
'I have just now, with my tail, easily uprooted Drona, yet here, the horse—though small—does not move at all. This is truly marvelous.'
दृष्टमत्र निदानं हि वीरैर्बलिभिरुद्धतैः । आकृष्टोऽपि न च स्थानाच्चचाल तिलमात्रतः
'Even when pulled by bold and mighty heroes, the cause of this has not been seen; the horse has not shifted from its place even by a sesame seed.'
कपिभाषितमाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नो विस्मयान्वितः । सुमतिं मंत्रिणां श्रेष्ठमुवाच वदतां वरः
Hearing the words of the monkey, Shatrughna, filled with wonder, spoke to Sumati, the best of counselors, foremost among speakers.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। मंत्रिन्किमभवद्वाहे स्तंभनं वपुषोऽनघ । कोऽत्रोपायो विधेयः स्याद्येन वाहगतिर्भवेत्
Shatrughna said: 'Counselor, what has happened to the steed, that its body is paralyzed? What remedy should be undertaken so that the horse may proceed?'