सुमते मंत्रिणां श्रेष्ठ शंश मे वाग्मिनां वर । क एते भूमिपाः सर्वे कथमत्र समागताः
O Sumati, best of ministers, tell me, foremost among eloquent men: who are all these kings, and how have they assembled here?
कुत्रकुत्र हयः प्राप्तः केनकेन नियंत्रितः । कथं वै मोचितो भ्रात्रा महाबलसुशालिना
Where and by whom was the horse obtained, and how was it controlled? How was it freed by your mighty and skilled brother?
शेष उवाच। इत्युक्तो मंत्रिणां श्रेष्ठः सुमतिः प्राह राघवम् । प्रहसन्मेघगंभीर नादेन च सुबुद्धिमान्
Shesha said: Thus addressed, Sumati, the chief among ministers, replied to Raghava, smiling with a deep, thunderous voice, wise in understanding.
सुमतिरुवाच। सर्वज्ञस्य पुरस्तेऽद्य मया कथमुदीर्यते । पृच्छसि त्वं लोकरीत्या सर्वं जानासि सर्वदृक्
Sumati said: How can I speak before you, who are omniscient? You ask according to worldly custom, yet you know all, seeing everything.
तथापि तव निर्देशं शिरस्याधाय सर्वदा । ब्रवीमि तच्छृणुष्वाद्य सर्वराजशिरोमणे
Still, always placing your command upon my head, I will speak; listen now, O crown-jewel of all kings.
त्वत्प्रसादादहो स्वामिन्सर्वत्र जगतीतले । परिबभ्राम ते वाहो भालपत्रसुशोभितः
By your grace, O Lord, your steed, adorned with a shining forehead, wandered everywhere upon the earth.
न कश्चित्तं निजग्राह स्वनामबलदर्पितः । स्वं स्वं राज्यं समर्प्याथ प्रणेमुस्ते पदांबुजम्
No one seized it, proud of their own name and strength; each offered their kingdom and bowed at your lotus feet.
को वा रावण दैत्येंद्र निहंतुर्वाजिसत्तमम् । गृह्णाति विजयाकांक्षी जरामरणवर्जितः
Who, desiring victory and free from old age and death, would capture the excellent horse that slew Ravana, king of demons?
अहिच्छत्रां गतस्तावत्तव वाजी मनोरमः । तद्राजा सुमदः श्रुत्वा हयं प्राप्तं तव प्रभो
Your delightful horse reached Ahichhatra; hearing that your horse had arrived, King Sumada, O Lord,
सपुत्रः प्रबलः सर्वसैन्येन बलिना वृतः । सर्वं समर्पयामास राज्यं निहतकंटकम्
With his son, powerful, surrounded by his entire army, he offered his thornless kingdom, having removed all obstacles.
यो राजा जगतां नेत्रीं मातरं जगदंबिकाम् । प्रसाद्य चिरमायुष्यं लेभे राज्यमकंटकम्
That king, having pleased Jagadamba, the mother and leader of the world, obtained a long life and a kingdom free from troubles.
स एष त्वां प्रणमति सुमदः प्रभुसेवितम् । तं गृहाण कृपादृष्ट्या चिराद्दर्शनकांक्षकम्
This Sumada, devoted to you, bows before you; accept him with a compassionate gaze, for he has longed to see you.
ततः सुबाहुभूपस्य नगरे बलपूरिते । दमनस्तस्य वै पुत्रः प्रजग्राह हयोत्तमम्
Then, in the city of King Subahu, filled with strength, Daman, his son, seized the excellent horse.
तेन साकं महद्युद्धं बभूव दमनेन च । पुष्कलो जयमापेदे संमूर्छ्य सुभुजात्मजम्
A great battle arose between him and Daman; Pushkala achieved victory, having subdued Subahu's son.
ततः सुबाहुः संक्रुद्धो रणे पवनजं बलात् । युयुधे तव पादाब्जसेवकं बलिनां वरम्
Then Subahu, greatly enraged, forcefully fought in battle against the son of the Wind, your lotus-footed devotee and the best among the mighty.
तस्य पादाहतो ज्ञानं प्राप्य शापतिरस्कृतम् । तुभ्यं समर्प्य सकलं वाजिनः पालकोऽभवत्
Struck on the foot, he regained the knowledge that had been concealed by a curse, and, surrendering everything to you, became the guardian of the horse.
एष त्वां सुभुजो राजा प्रणमत्युन्नतांगकः । कृपादृष्ट्याभिषिंच त्वं सुबाहुं नयकोविदम्
Now this strong-armed king, with his limbs raised in reverence, bows to you; by your compassionate gaze, anoint Subahu, who is skilled in statecraft.
ततो मुक्तो हयो रेवाह्रदे स निममज्ज ह । तत्र प्राप्तं मोहनास्त्रं शत्रुघ्नेन बलीयसा
Then the freed horse plunged into the waters of the Revā river; there, the powerful Shatrughna obtained the bewildering missile.
ततो देवपुरे प्रागाच्छिववासविभूषिते । तत्रत्यं तु विजानासि यतस्त्वं तत्र चागतः
Afterwards, he went to the city of the gods, adorned with the dwellings of Shiva; you know what happened there, for you also arrived at that place.
विद्युन्माली हतो दैत्यः सत्यवान्संगतस्ततः । सुरथेन समं युद्धं जानासि त्वं महामते
The demon Vidyunmālī was slain, and Satyavān was joined; you, wise one, know of the battle that took place there together with Suratha.
ततः कुंडलकान्मुक्तो हयो बभ्राम सर्वतः । न कश्चित्तं निजग्राह स्ववीर्यबलदर्पितः
Then, freed from the earrings, the horse wandered everywhere; no one, proud of their own strength and power, was able to seize it.
वाल्मीकेराश्रमे रम्ये हयः प्राप्तो मनोरमः । तत्र यत्कुतुकं जातं तच्छृणुष्व नरोत्तम
The splendid horse reached the delightful hermitage of Vālmīki; listen, O best of men, to the wondrous events that took place there.
तत्रार्भस्तव सारूप्यं बिभ्रत्षोडशवार्षिकः । जग्राह वीक्ष्य पत्रांकं वाजिनं बलवत्तमः
There, a sixteen-year-old boy, bearing your likeness, saw the horse marked with a letter and seized that most powerful steed.
तत्र कालजिता युद्धं महज्जातं नरोत्तम । निहतस्तेन वीरेण शितधारेण हेतिना
There, O best of men, a great battle arose with Kālajit; by that heroic youth, wielding a sharp weapon, many were slain.
अनेके निहताः संख्ये पुष्कलाद्या महाबलाः । मूर्च्छितं चापि शत्रुघ्नं चक्रे वीरशिरोमणिः
Many mighty warriors, including Puṣkala and others, were slain in that conflict; and the foremost of heroes caused Shatrughna to fall unconscious.
तदा राजा महद्दुःखं विचार्य हृदिसंयुगे । कोपेन मूर्च्छितं चक्रे वीरो हि बलिनां वरः
Then the king, deeply pained in his heart, considered the matter; in his anger, the best among the strong made the hero fall unconscious.
स यावन्मूर्च्छितो राज्ञा तावदन्यः समागतः । तेनैतेन च संजीव्य नाशितं कटकं तव
While he was still unconscious from the king's blow, another arrived; by him, Shatrughna was revived, and your army was destroyed.
सर्वेषां मूर्च्छितानां तु शस्त्राण्याभरणानि च । गृहीत्वा वानरौ बद्धौ जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं प्रति
Taking the weapons and ornaments from all those who had fallen unconscious, the two sons of the Wind bound the monkeys and went back to their hermitage.
कृपां कृत्वा पुनस्तेन दत्तोऽश्वो यज्ञियो महान् । जीवनं प्रापितं सर्वं कटकं नष्टजीवितम्
Out of compassion, that great sacrificial horse was returned by him; all your army, whose lives had been lost, was restored to life.
वयं गृहीत्वा तं वाहं प्राप्तास्तव समीपतः । एतदेव मया ज्ञातं तदुक्तं ते पुरोवचः
We, having taken that steed, have now arrived near you; this is all I have known, and I have told you exactly as it happened.