स राजा धार्मिको रामसेवकः परया मुदा । गृहीत्वाश्वं प्रत्युवाच सेवकान्हरिसेवकान्
That righteous king, a servant of Rama, filled with great joy, took the horse and addressed his attendants, the servants of Hari.
मया गृहीतो वाहोऽसौ राघवस्य महीपतेः । सज्जी भवंतु सर्वत्र यूयं रणविशारदाः
'I have seized the steed of Raghava, the lord of kings; all of you, skilled in battle, be ready everywhere.'
इति प्रोक्तास्तु ते सर्वे भटा राज्ञो महाबलाः । सज्जीभूताः क्षणादेव सभायां जग्मुरुत्सुकाः
Thus addressed, all those mighty warriors of the king became ready at once and eagerly entered the assembly.
राज्ञो वीरा दशसुताश्चंपको मोहकस्तथा । रिपुंजयोऽतिदुर्वारः प्रतापीबलमोदकः
The king's heroes, his ten sons—Champaka, Mohaka, Ripunjaya, Atidurvara, Pratapi, Balamodaka,
हर्यक्षः सहदेवश्च भूरिदेवः सुतापनः । इति राज्ञो दश सुताः सज्जीभूता रणांगणे
Haryaksha, Sahadeva, Bhurideva, and Sutapana—these ten sons of the king became ready for the battlefield.
यातुमिच्छामकुर्वंस्ते महोत्साहसमन्विताः । राजापि स्वरथं चित्रं हेमशोभाविनिर्मितम्
They, filled with great enthusiasm, prepared to set out; and the king too summoned his splendid chariot, adorned with gold.
आह्वयामास सुजवैर्वाजिभिः समलंकृतम् । रणोत्साहेन संयुक्तः सर्वसैन्यपरीवृतः
He called for it to be yoked with excellent, well-ornamented horses, and, filled with the zeal for battle, surrounded himself with his entire army.
सभायां सेवकान्सर्वान्दिशन्नास्ते महीपतिः
In the assembly, the king gave orders to all his attendants.
शेष उवाच। अथ रामानुजो वेगात्समागत्य स्वसेवकान् । पप्रच्छ कुत्र वाहोऽसौ याज्ञिकः सुमनोहरः
Shesha said: Then Lakshmana, with speed, came and asked his attendants, 'Where is that sacrificial horse, so beautiful to behold?'
तदा ते वचनं प्रोचुः शत्रुघ्नं सुमहाबलाः । न जानीमो भटाः केचिद्धयं नीत्वा गताः पुरे
Then those mighty warriors replied to Shatrughna, 'We do not know, O hero; some soldiers took the horse and went into the city.'
वयं च धिक्कृताः सर्वे बलिभी राजसेवकैः । अत्र प्रमाणं भगवानिति कर्तव्य तां प्रति
We have all been disgraced by the powerful royal servants; in this matter, the Lord must be regarded as the authority.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां शत्रुघ्नः कुपितो भृशम् । दशन्रोषात्स्वदशनाञ्जिह्वया लेलिहन्मुहुः
Hearing their words, Shatrughna became intensely angry, repeatedly licking his own teeth with his tongue out of fury.
उवाच वीरो मद्वाहं हृत्वा कुत्र गमिष्यसि । इदानीं पातये बाणैः पुरंजनसमन्वितम्
The hero spoke: 'Where will you go after taking my mount? Now I shall strike down the city, along with its inhabitants, with arrows.'
इत्युक्त्वा सुमतिं प्राह कस्येदं पुटभेदनम् । को वर्ततेऽस्याधिपतिर्यो मे वाहमजीहरत्
Having said this, he addressed Sumati: 'Whose is this breaking open of the enclosure? Who is the lord here, who has taken my mount?'
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य भूपतेः कोपसंयुतम् । जगाद मंत्री सुगिरा स्फुटाक्षरसमन्वितम्
Shesha said: Hearing these words, filled with the king's anger, the minister replied in clear, well-articulated speech.
विद्धीदं कुंडलं नाम नगरं सुमनोहरम् । अस्मिन्वसति धर्मात्मा सुरथः क्षत्त्रियो बली
Know that this is the city called Kundala, exceedingly beautiful; here dwells Suratha, a powerful Kshatriya devoted to righteousness.
नित्यं धर्मपरो रामचरणद्वंद्वसेवकः । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा हनूमानिव सेवकः
Always devoted to dharma, serving the feet of Rama; with mind, action, and speech, he is a servant like Hanuman.
चरितान्यस्य शतशो वर्तंते धर्मकारिणः । महाबलपरीवारः सुरथः सर्वशोभनः
His righteous deeds are counted by the hundreds; Suratha, surrounded by great strength, is entirely splendid.
महद्युद्धं भवेदत्र हृतश्चेद्वाहसत्तमः । अनेके प्रपतिष्यंति वीरा रणविशारदाः
A great battle will occur here if the excellent mount is taken; many skilled warriors will fall in combat.
एवमुक्तं समाश्रुत्य शत्रुघ्नः सचिवं प्रति । उवाच पुनरप्येवं वचनं वदतां वरः
Hearing this, Shatrughna addressed the minister again, the best among speakers, and spoke further words.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कथमत्र प्रकर्तव्यं रामाश्वोऽनेन चेद्धृतः । नायाति योद्धुं प्रबलं कटकं वीरसेवितम्
Shatrughna said: 'How should we proceed here, if Rama's horse has been taken by him? He does not come to fight the powerful army attended by heroes.'
सुमतिरुवाच। दूतः प्रेष्यो महाराज राजानं प्रति वाग्मिकः । यद्वाक्येन समायाति बलेन बलिनां वरः
Sumati said: 'A messenger skilled in speech should be sent, O great king, to the ruler; by his words, or by force, the strongest among the strong will come.'
नोचेदज्ञानतो वाहो धृतः केनापि मानिना । अर्पयिष्यति नः साधुमश्वं क्रतुवरं शुभम्
Otherwise, if the mount was taken unknowingly by some proud person, he will return to us the noble, auspicious horse, the best for the sacrifice.
इति श्रुत्वातु तद्वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नो बुद्धिमान्बली । अंगदं प्रत्युवाचेदं वचनं विनयान्वितम्
Hearing these words, Shatrughna, wise and strong, addressed Angada with words imbued with humility.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। याहि त्वं निकटस्थे वै सुरथस्य महापुरे । दूतत्वेन ततो गत्वा प्रब्रूहि नृपतिं प्रति
Shatrughna said: 'Go to the great city of Suratha, which is nearby; go as a messenger and speak to the king.'
त्वया धृतो रामवाहो ज्ञानतोऽज्ञानतोपि वा । अर्पयतु न वा यातु प्रधनं वीरसंयुतम्
'Whether the horse of Rama was taken by you knowingly or unknowingly, let him either return it to us or come forth with his band of heroes.'
रामस्य दौत्यं लंकायां रावणं प्रति यत्कृतम् । तथैव कुरु भूयिष्ठ बलसंयुतबुद्धिमन्
'Just as you carried out Rama's embassy to Ravana in Lanka, so now do likewise, with utmost strength and intelligence.'
शेष उवाच। एतच्छ्रुत्वांगदो वीर ओमिति प्रोच्य भूमिपम् । जगाम संसदो मध्ये वीरश्रेणिसमन्विते
Shesha said: Hearing this, Angada, the hero, replied 'Om' to the king, and went into the midst of the assembly, accompanied by a band of warriors.
ददर्श सुरथं भूपं तुलसीमंजरीधरम् । रामभद्रं रसनया ब्रुवंतं सेवकान्निजान्
He saw King Suratha, adorned with a garland of tulasī flowers, speaking with his tongue to his own attendants about Rāma.
राजापि दृष्ट्वा प्लवगं मनोहरवपुर्धरम् । शत्रुघ्नदूतं मत्वापि वालिजं प्रत्यभाषत
The king, seeing the monkey with a captivating form, though thinking him to be Śatrughna's messenger, addressed Vāli's son.