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?
ततो जानीहि कुमुदं कर्पूरं वा भविष्यति । मा जानीहि मृगांकस्य बिंबं शुभ्रश्रियान्वितम्
Therefore, know that it is a lotus or perhaps camphor; do not consider it the moon's disk, adorned with pure splendor.
तावदन्यो रुषाक्रांतो धुन्वन्स्वं मस्तकं तथा । न जानंति द्विजा मूढाः स्वादुज्ञाना विचक्षणाः
Then another, seized by anger, shook his own head and said: 'Foolish Brahmins do not know; only those wise in taste understand.'
इदं तु क्षौद्रकंदस्यरसेन परिपाचितम् । जानीहि शतपत्रस्य पुष्पाणि मधुराणि च
This, indeed, is honey matured with the essence of sugarcane; know that these are the sweet flowers of the hundred-petaled lotus.
एवं परस्परं विप्राः कंदमूलफलाशिनः । तर्कयंति मुने प्रीता रसज्ञानेऽतिलोलुपाः
Thus, the Brahmins, eating roots, tubers, and fruits, joyfully debated with one another, exceedingly eager in their knowledge of tastes.
तावदन्यो द्विजः प्राह क्षत्त्रियाणां वरं जनुः । भोक्ष्यंते तादृशं त्वन्नं महत्पुण्यैरुपस्कृतम्
Then another Brahmin spoke: 'The birth of Kshatriyas is excellent; they will partake of such food, sanctified by great merit.'
तदा तं प्राब्रवीद्विप्रो दत्तस्य फलमीदृशम् । ये ददत्यग्रजन्मभ्यः प्राप्नुवंति त ईप्सितम्
Then a Brahmin said to him: 'Such is the fruit of giving; those who give to the foremost of births attain what they desire.'
यैरर्चितो नैव हरिर्नैवेद्यैर्विविधैर्मुहुः । तेषामेतादृशं भोज्यं न भवेदक्षिगोचरम्
Those who have not worshipped Hari repeatedly with various offerings—such food as this will not appear before their eyes.
यैर्नरैरग्रजन्मानो भोजिता विविधै रसैः । भुंजते ते स्वादुरसं पापिनां चक्षुरुज्झितम्
Those men who have fed the foremost of births with various tastes—they enjoy sweet flavors, unseen by the eyes of sinners.
एवंविधैरसैर्मिष्टैर्भोजिता द्विजसत्तमाः । मंडपे विपठंतस्ते शब्दब्रह्मविचक्षणाः
Brahmins of highest excellence, fed with such delicious tastes, recited the Vedas in the pavilion, skilled in the knowledge of the word-Brahman.
नृत्यंत्येके हसन्त्येके नदन्त्येके प्रहर्षिताः । उत्सवो बहुरुद्भाति तत्र शत्रुघ्न आगमत्
Some danced, some laughed, some shouted in delight; a great festival arose there, and Shatrughna arrived.