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?'
सुमतिरुवाच। स्वामिन्कश्चिन्मुनिर्मृग्योऽखिलज्ञानविचक्षणः । देशोद्भवमहं जाने प्रत्यक्षं न परोक्षजम्
Sumati said: O Lord, there is a certain sage, skilled in all branches of knowledge, whom I seek. I know his place of origin directly, not by hearsay.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य सुमतेर्धर्मकोविदः । अन्वेषयामास मुनिं सेवकैः सह शोभनम्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these words of Sumati, who was learned in dharma, the king began to search for the sage, together with his attendants, in a fitting manner.
ते सर्वे सर्वतो गत्वा मुनिं धर्मविदं भटाः । व्यालोकयंतः सर्वत्र न चापश्यन्मुनीश्वरम्
All those warriors went everywhere, seeking the sage who knew righteousness, looking in all directions, but they did not see the lord among sages.
एकस्त्वनुचरो विप्र गतो योजनमात्रतः । पूर्वस्यां दिशि चोद्युक्तः पश्यति स्म महाश्रमम्
But one attendant, a brahmin, went about a yojana's distance to the east, and, being diligent, he saw a great hermitage.
यत्र निर्वैरिणः सर्वे पशवो जनतास्तथा । गंगास्नानहताशेषकिल्बिषाः सुमनोहराः
There, all the animals and people were without enmity, their sins washed away by bathing in the Ganges, delightful to behold.
यत्र केचित्तपः श्रेष्ठं कुर्वंति स्म हुताशनैः । धूमैरधोमुखाः पत्रैर्वायुभिः स्वोदरंभराः
There, some were performing supreme austerities with fire offerings, their faces blackened by smoke, sustaining themselves on leaves and air.
यत्राग्निहोत्रजो धूमः पवित्रयति सर्वदा । अनेकमुनिसंहृष्टो मुक्तपत्रलतोत्तमः
There, the smoke arising from the fire sacrifices always purified the place, where many joyful sages dwelled, adorned with the finest vines and leaves.
तमाश्रमं मुनेर्ज्ञात्वा शौनकस्य मनोहरम् । न्यवेदयन्नृपायासौ विस्मयाविष्टचेतसे
Recognizing that charming hermitage as belonging to the sage Śaunaka, he reported it to the king, whose mind was filled with wonder.
तच्छ्रुत्वा हर्षितोऽत्यंतं शत्रुघ्नः सह सेवकैः । हनूमत्पुष्कलाद्यैश्च सयुतोऽगात्तदाश्रमम्
Hearing this, Śatrughna was exceedingly delighted, and, together with his attendants, Hanuman, Puṣkala, and others, he went to that hermitage.
तत्र वीक्ष्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं सम्यग्घुतहुताशनम् । प्रणम्य दंडवत्तस्य चरणौ पापहारिणौ
There, seeing the foremost sage properly tending the sacred fire, he bowed down like a staff, touching the sage’s sin-destroying feet.