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.
रामः शत्रुघ्नमायांतं पुष्कलेन समन्वितम् । निरीक्ष्यमुदमुद्भूतां रक्षितुं नाशकत्तदा
Rama, seeing Shatrughna approaching together with Pushkala, was filled with joy, but at that moment could not restrain it.
यावदुत्तिष्ठते रामो भ्रातरं हयपालकम् । तावद्रामपदेलग्नः शत्रुघ्नो भ्रातृवत्सलः
As Rama rose to greet his brother, the horse-keeper, Shatrughna, devoted to his brother, fell at Rama's feet.
पादयोः पतितं वीक्ष्य भ्रातरं विनयान्वितम् । परिरेभे दृढं प्रीतः क्षतसंशोभितांगकम्
Seeing his brother fallen at his feet, humble and respectful, Rama embraced him firmly with affection, his body adorned with wounds.
अश्रूणि बहुधा मुंचन्हर्षाच्छिरसि राघवः । अत्यंतं परमां प्राप मुदं वचनदूरगाम्
Raghava, shedding many tears of joy, attained supreme happiness, beyond words.
पुष्कलं स्वीयपदयोर्नम्रं विनयविह्वलः । सुदृढं भुजयोर्मध्ये विनीयापीडयद्भृशम्
Pushkala, bowed at his own feet, overwhelmed with humility, was drawn tightly into a strong embrace between Rama's arms.
हनूमंतं तथा वीरं सुग्रीवं चांगदं तथा । लक्ष्मीनिधिं जनकजं प्रतापाग्र्यं रिपुंजयम्
Likewise, Hanuman the hero, Sugriva, Angada, Lakshminidhi, Janaka's daughter, the foremost in valor, and the conqueror of enemies—
सुबाहुं सुमदं वीरं विमलं नीलरत्नकम् । सत्यवंतं वीरमणिं सुरथं रामसेवकम्
Subahu, Sumada, the valiant, pure, adorned with blue gems, truthful, a jewel among warriors, Suratha, devoted to Rama.
अन्यानपि महाभागान्रघुनाथः स्वयं तदा । परिरेभे दृढं स्निग्धान्पादयोः प्रणतान्नृपान्
At that time, Raghu's Lord himself warmly embraced the other noble kings, those who had bowed at his feet, with affection and firmness.
सुमतिः श्रीरघुपतिं भक्तानुग्रहकारकम् । परिरभ्य दृढं प्रीतः संमुखे तिष्ठदुन्नतः
Sumati, standing before Shri Raghupati, who bestows grace upon devotees, embraced him tightly, uplifted and joyful.
तदा रामो निजामात्यं वीक्ष्य सान्निध्यमागतम् । उवाच परमप्रीत्या मंत्रिणं वदतां वरः
Then Rama, seeing his minister who had arrived in his presence, spoke with utmost delight to the foremost among speakers.