शेष उवाच। क्षणान्मूर्च्छां जहौ वीरः शत्रुघ्नः समरांगणे । अन्येऽपि वीराबलिनो मूर्च्छां प्राप्ताः सुजीविताः
Shesha said: In a moment, the heroic Shatrughna regained consciousness on the field of battle; other mighty warriors also revived from their swoon and lived.
शत्रुघ्नो वाजिनां श्रेष्ठं ददर्श पुरतः स्थितम् । आत्मानं च शिरस्त्राणरहितं सैन्यजीवितम्
Shatrughna saw before him the best of horses standing, and himself without a helmet, with the army restored to life.
वीक्ष्य चित्रमिदं स्वांते चकारच जगाद ह । सुमतिं मंत्रिणां श्रेष्ठं मूर्च्छाविरहितं तदा
Seeing this wondrous thing in his heart, he spoke to Sumati, the best of counselors, who was then free from faintness.
कृपां कृत्वा हयं प्रादाद्बालो यज्ञस्य पूर्तये । गच्छाम रामं तरसा हयागमनकांक्षिणम्
Out of compassion, he gave the horse, still a boy, for the completion of the sacrifice. 'Let us go swiftly to Rama, who longs for the horse's return.'
इत्युक्त्वा स रथे स्थित्वा हयमादाय वेगतः । ययौ तदाश्रमाद्दूरं भेरीशंखविवर्जितः
Having said this, he mounted the chariot, took the horse with speed, and departed far from that hermitage, without drum or conch.
तत्पृष्ठतो महासैन्यं चतुरंगसमन्वितम् । चचाल कुर्वन्संभग्नं स्वभारेण फणीश्वरम्
Behind him followed the great army, complete with four divisions, moving like the lord of serpents, burdened by its own weight.
जवेन जाह्नवीं तीर्त्वा कल्लोलजलशालिनीम् । जगाम विषये स्वीये स्वकीयजनशोभिते
With speed, he crossed the Jahnavi, rich with waves and water, and entered his own realm, adorned by his own people.
पुष्कलेन युतो राजा सुरथेन समन्वितः । रथे मणिमये तिष्ठन्महत्कोदंडधारकः
The king, accompanied by Pushkala and Suratha, stood on a jeweled chariot, bearing a great bow.
हयं तं पुरतः कृत्वा रत्नमालाविभूषितम् । श्वेतातपत्रं तस्यैव मूर्ध्नि चामरभूषितम्
Placing the horse, adorned with a garland of jewels, in front, and a white parasol and chowrie on its head,
अनेकरथसाहस्रैः परितो बलिभिर्नृपैः । उद्यत्कोदंडललितैर्वीरनादविभूषितैः
Surrounded on all sides by thousands of chariots and mighty kings, their bows raised, adorned with the cries of heroes.
क्रमेण नगरीं प्राप सूर्यवंशविभूषिताम् । अनेकैः केतुभिः श्रेष्ठैर्भूषितां दुर्गराजिताम्
Gradually he reached the city adorned by the Solar dynasty, embellished with many excellent banners and ruled over by a mighty fortress.
रामः श्रुत्वा हयं प्राप्तं शत्रुघ्नेन सहामुना । पुष्कलेन च वीरेण ययौ हर्षमनेकधा
Rama, hearing that the horse had arrived together with Shatrughna and the heroic Pushkala, went forth with great joy in many ways.
कटकं निर्दिदेशासौ चतुरंगं महाबलम् । लक्ष्मणं प्रेषयामास भ्रातरं बलिनां वरम्
He directed the great fourfold army encampment, and sent Lakshmana, his brother, foremost among the strong.
लक्ष्मणः सैन्यसहितो गत्वा भ्रातरमागतम् । परिरेभे मुदाक्रांतः क्षतशोभितगात्रकम्
Lakshmana, accompanied by the army, went and embraced his returning brother, whose body was marked by wounds, overcome with gladness.
सर्वत्र कुशलं पृष्टो वार्तां चात्र चकार सः । परमं हर्षमापन्नः शत्रुघ्नः संगतो मुदा
Everywhere he inquired after their welfare and exchanged news; Shatrughna, joined with him in happiness, attained supreme joy.
सौमित्रिः स्वरथे स्थित्वा भ्रात्रा सह महामनाः । सैन्येन महता वीरो ययौ स्वनगरीं प्रति
Saumitri, standing on his own chariot with his brother and great-hearted, went toward his own city with the mighty army.
सरयूः पुण्यसलिला पवित्रित जगत्त्रया । रामपादरजः पूता शरच्चंद्रसमप्रभा
The Sarayu, with its holy waters, purifier of the three worlds, sanctified by the dust of Rama's feet, shone with the radiance of the autumn moon.
हंसकारंडवाकीर्णा चक्रवाकोपशोभिता । विचित्रतरवर्णैश्च पक्षिभिर्नादिता भृशम्
Filled with swans and cranes, further beautified by chakravaka ducks, it resounded greatly with birds of the most varied and splendid colors.
मंडपास्तत्र बहुशो रामचंद्रेणकारिताः । ब्राह्मणानां वेदविदां पृथक्पाठनिनादकाः
There, many pavilions had been constructed by Rama Chandra, echoing with the recitation of Vedas by Brahmins learned in the scriptures.
क्षत्रियास्तत्र बहवो धनुःपाणि सुशोभिताः । ज्याटंकारेण बहुना नादयंतो महीतलम्
There were many Kshatriyas, splendid with bows in hand, making the earth resound with the loud twang of bowstrings.
भुंजते ब्राह्मणा यत्र विचित्रान्नैर्मनोहरैः । परस्परं प्रपश्यंतो वार्तां चक्रुर्मनोहराम्
There, Brahmins enjoyed delightful and varied foods, conversing with one another and exchanging pleasing news.
पायसान्नानि शुभ्राणि चंद्रकांतिसमानि च । क्षीराज्यबहुयुक्तानि शर्करामिश्रितानि च
There were pure rice puddings, shining like the moon's radiance, richly mixed with milk and ghee, and blended with sugar.
अपूपास्तत्र बहुलाश्चंद्रबिंबसमाः श्रिया । कर्पूरादिसुगंधेन वासिताः सुमनोहराः
There were abundant cakes, resplendent as the moon's disk, perfumed with camphor and other sweet scents, exceedingly delightful.
फेनिकाघटकाः स्निग्धाः शतच्छिद्रा विरंध्रकाः । शष्कुल्यो मंडकामृष्टा मधुरान्नसमन्विताः
There were soft balls of sweetmeats, porous and without hard spots, and fried cakes anointed with honey, accompanied by other sweet foods.
भक्तं कुमुदसंकाशं मुद्गदालिविमिश्रितम् । सुगंधेन समायुक्तमत्यंतं प्रीतिदायकम्
There was rice, white as the kumuda flower, mixed with mung beans, fragrant and exceedingly pleasing.
ओदनो दधिना युक्तो भीमसेनसमन्वितः । स्वादुपाककरैः सृष्टः पात्रे मुक्तः प्रवेषकैः
There was rice cooked with curds, accompanied by large beans, prepared with the best of cooks, and served in vessels by attendants.
तत्र केचिद्द्विजाः पात्रे निक्षिप्तं वीक्ष्य पायसम् । परस्परं ते प्रत्यूचुः किमिदं दृश्यतेऽद्भुतम्
There, some Brahmins, seeing the rice pudding placed in a vessel, said to each other, 'What is this wonderful thing we see?'
किं चंद्रबिंबं नभसः पतितं तमसो भयात् । अमृतं तु भवत्यत्र मृत्युनाशकमद्भुतम्
'Is it a moon-disk fallen from the sky out of fear of darkness? Or is it nectar, wondrous and death-destroying, appearing here?'
तच्छ्रुत्वा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रोवाचान्यो द्विजोत्तमः । नभवत्येव चंद्रस्य बिंबं त्वमृतविप्लुतम्
Hearing this, another eminent Brahmin, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke: 'The moon's disk does not exist, indeed, when it is overwhelmed by nectar.'
एकमिंदोर्वपुस्त्वेतद्दृश्यते सदृशं कथम् । ब्राह्मणानां सहस्रस्य पात्रे पात्रे पृथक्पृथक्
How can a single body of the moon appear similar in each separate vessel among a thousand Brahmins?