हसते कीर्त्यमानं यश्चरित्रं ज्ञानदुर्बलः । न तस्य नरकान्मुक्तिः कल्पांतेऽपि भविष्यति
He who mocks the narration of the Lord's deeds, being weak in understanding, will not attain liberation from hell even at the end of an age.
या हि राजन्विमोक्षार्थं हयस्यानुचरैः सह । श्रावय श्रीशचरितं यतो वाहगतिर्भवेत्
O King, for the sake of liberation, have the deeds of the Lord recited along with the attendants of the horse, so that the horse may attain a worthy destination.
शेष उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा प्रहृष्टोऽभूच्छत्रुघ्नः परवीरहा । प्रणम्य तं परिक्रम्य ययौ सेवकसंयुतः
Śeṣa said: Having heard this, Śatrughna, destroyer of enemy heroes, became delighted; after bowing and circling him, he departed with his attendants.
तत्र गत्वा स हनुमान्हयवर्यस्य पार्श्वतः । उवाच रामचरितं महादुर्गतिनाशकम्
Having gone there, Hanuman, standing by the noble horse, recited the deeds of Rama, which destroy great misfortune.
याहि देव विमानं स्वं रामकीर्तनपुण्यतः । स्वैरं चर स्वलोके त्वं मुक्तो भव कुयोनितः
Go now, O blessed one, to your own celestial vehicle by the merit of Rama's praise; roam freely in your own world, be liberated, O one of impure birth.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नो यावदास्थितः । तावद्ददर्श विमलं देवं वैमानिकं वरम्
Hearing these words, as long as Śatrughna stood there, he beheld a pure and excellent celestial being in an aerial chariot.
स उवाच विमुक्तोऽहं रामकीर्तनसंश्रुतेः । यामि स्वं भवनं राजन्नाज्ञापय महामते
He said: I am liberated by hearing the praise of Rama; I go to my own abode, O king—command me, O wise one.
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ देवो विमाने स्वे परिस्थितः । तदा विस्मयमापुस्ते शत्रुघ्नेन सहानुगाः
Having spoken thus, the deity departed, established in his own celestial vehicle; then, together with Śatrughna, the attendants were filled with wonder.
ततो वाहो विनिर्मुक्तो गात्रस्तंभाच्च भूतलात् । ययौ तद्विपिनं सर्वं भ्रमन्पक्षिसमाकुलम्
Then the steed, released from its bonds and the stiffness of its limbs, wandered through that entire forest, filled with flocks of birds.
शेष उवाच। मासाः सप्ताभवंस्तस्य हयवर्यस्य हेलया । चरतो भारतं वर्षमनेकनृपपूरितम्
Śeṣa said: Seven months passed for that noble horse as it roamed at ease through the land of Bhārata, crowded with many kings.
स पूजितो भूपवरैः परीत्य वरभारतम् । परीवृतो वीरवरैः शत्रुघ्नादिभिरुद्भटैः
Honored by the foremost kings, having traversed the splendid Bhārata, it was surrounded by mighty heroes like Śatrughna and others.
स बभ्राम बहून्देशान्हिमालयसमीपतः । न कोपि तं निजग्राह हयं रामबलं स्मरन्
It wandered through many regions near the Himalayas; no one seized that horse, remembering the power of Rāma’s army.
अंगवंगकलिंगानां राजभिः संस्तुतो हयः । जगाम राज्ञो नगरे सुरथस्य मनोहरे
Praised by the kings of Aṅga, Vaṅga, and Kaliṅga, the horse entered the delightful city of King Suratha.
कुंडलं नाम नगरमदितेर्यत्र कुंडलम् । कर्णयोः पतितं भूमौ हर्षभयसुकंपयोः
There is a city named Kuṇḍala, belonging to Aditi, where her earring fell to the ground from her ear in joy, fear, and trembling.
यत्र धर्मव्यतिक्रांतिं न करोति कदापिना । श्रीरामस्मरणं प्रेम्णा करोति जनतान्वहम्
There, no one ever commits a breach of righteousness; every day, the people lovingly remember Śrī Rāma.
अश्वत्थानां तु यत्रार्चा तुलस्याः प्रत्यहं नृभिः । क्रियते रघुनाथस्य सेवकैः पापवर्जितैः
There, the worship of aśvattha trees and tulasī is performed daily by the sinless servants of Raghunātha.
यत्र देवालया रम्या राघवप्रतिमायुताः । पूज्यंते प्रत्यहं शुद्धचित्तैः कपटवर्जितैः
There, beautiful temples filled with images of Rāghava are worshipped daily by pure-hearted people, free from deceit.
वाचि नाम हरेर्यत्र न वै कलहसंकथा । हृदि ध्यानं तु तस्यैव न च कामफलस्मृतिः
There, in the place called Vāci of Hari, there are no quarrelsome conversations; in their hearts is meditation on him alone, not thoughts of worldly rewards.
देवनं यत्र रामस्य वार्त्ताभिः पूतदेहिनाम् । न जातुचिन्नृणामस्ति सत्यव्यसनमानिनाम्
There, the worship of Rāma is performed with stories by purified souls; among those people, there is never any addiction to falsehood.
तस्मिन्वसति धर्मात्मा सुरथः सत्यवान्बली । रघुनाथपदस्मारहृष्टचित्तः परोन्मदः
In that place dwells Suratha, righteous, truthful, and strong, his heart delighted and intoxicated by remembrance of Raghunātha’s feet.
किं वर्णयामि रामस्य सेवकं सुरथं वरम् । यस्याशेषगुणा भूमौ विस्तृताः पावयंत्यघम्
How can I describe Suratha, the foremost servant of Rāma, whose countless virtues spread over the earth, purifying sin?
सेवकास्तस्य भूपस्य पर्यटंतः कदाचन । अपश्यन्हयमेधस्य हयं चंदनचर्चितम्
Once, the servants of that king, while wandering, saw the horse of the aśvamedha, adorned with sandal paste.
ते दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं प्राप्ता हयपत्रमलोकयन् । स्पष्टाक्षरसमायुक्तं चंदनादिकचर्चितम्
Seeing it, they were amazed, observing the horse’s banner inscribed with clear letters and decorated with sandal and other substances.
ज्ञात्वा रामेण संमुक्तं हयं नेत्रमनोहरम् । हृष्टा राज्ञे सभास्थाय कथयामासुरुत्सुकाः
Recognizing it as the horse released by Rāma, beautiful to behold, they joyfully went to the king’s assembly and eagerly reported it.
स्वामिन्नयोध्यानगरीपतिस्तस्यास्तु राघवः । हयमेधक्रतोर्योग्यो हयो मुक्तः परिभ्रमन्
‘Lord, the ruler of Ayodhyā, Rāghava, is the master of this horse, which is roaming free for the aśvamedha sacrifice.’
स ते पुरस्य निकटे प्राप्तः सेवकसंयुतः । गृहाण त्वं महाराज हयं तं सुमनोहरम्
That horse, accompanied by attendants, has now arrived near the city; O great king, seize that most splendid horse.
शेष उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा निजप्रोक्तं वाक्यं हर्षपरिप्लुतः । उवाच वीरान्बलिनो मेघगंभीरया गिरा
Śeṣa said: Hearing thus his own words, filled with great joy, he addressed the mighty heroes with a voice deep as thunderclouds.
सुरथ उवाच। धन्या वयं राममुखं पश्यामः सह सेवकाः । ग्रहीष्यामि हयं तस्य भटकोटिपरीवृतम्
Suratha said: Fortunate are we, together with our attendants, to behold Rāma’s face; I shall seize his horse, surrounded by a multitude of warriors.
तदा मोक्ष्यामि वाहं तं यदा रामः समाव्रजेत् । कृतार्थं मम भक्तस्य चिरं ध्यानरतस्य वै
Then I will release that steed when Rāma himself arrives, for my devoted servant, who has long been absorbed in meditation, will have his purpose fulfilled.
शेष उवाच। इत्थमुक्त्वा महीपालः सेवकान्स्वयमादिशत् । गृह्णंतु वाहं प्रसभं मोच्यो नाश्वोऽक्षिगोचरः
Śeṣa said: Having spoken thus, the king himself commanded his attendants: 'Seize the steed by force; the horse must not escape from sight.'