मार्गानुगः शैलवनानुसारी सम्प्रस्थितो मेघरवं निशम्य। युद्धाभिकामः प्रतिनादशङ्की मत्तो गजेन्द्रः प्रतिसंनिवृत्तः
A great elephant, following its path through the mountains and forests, hears the thunder of clouds, and, eager for battle yet wary of the echo, turns back in intoxication.
क्वचित् प्रगीता इव षट्पदौघैः क्वचित् प्रनृत्ता इव नीलकण्ठैः। क्वचित् प्रमत्ता इव वारणेन्द्रै- र्विभान्त्यनेकाश्रयिणो वनान्ताः
In some places, the forest edges appear as if sung to by swarms of bees; in others, as if danced upon by blue-throated peacocks; elsewhere, as if intoxicated by lordly elephants—these forests display many forms of life.
कदम्बसर्जार्जुनकन्दलाढ्या वनान्तभूमिर्मधुवारिपूर्णा। मयूरमत्ताभिरुतप्रनृत्तै- रापानभूमिप्रतिमा विभाति
The forest floor, rich with kadamba, sāl, and arjuna shoots and filled with honeyed water, shines like a tavern floor, with peacocks intoxicated by the rain dancing and calling.
मुक्तासमाभं सलिलं पतद् वै सुनिर्मलं पत्रपुटेषु लग्नम्। हृष्टा विवर्णच्छदना विहंगाः सुरेन्द्रदत्तं तृषिताः पिबन्ति
The water, falling pure and clear like strings of pearls and caught in the cups of leaves, is eagerly drunk by thirsty birds with faded plumage, as if it were a gift from the lord of the gods.
षट्पादतन्त्रीमधुराभिधानं प्लवंगमोदीरितकण्ठतालम्। आविष्कृतं मेघमृदङ्गनादै- र्वनेषु संगीतमिव प्रवृत्तम्
The sweet sounds of the bees' strings, the rhythmic calls of monkeys, and the drumbeats of thunder in the clouds together reveal a music in the forests, as if a concert has begun.
क्वचित् प्रनृत्तैः क्वचिदुन्नदद्भिः क्वचिच्च वृक्षाग्रनिषण्णकायैः। व्यालम्बबर्हाभरणैर्मयूरै- र्वनेषु संगीतमिव प्रवृत्तम्
In the forests, with peacocks sometimes dancing, sometimes calling loudly, and sometimes perched atop trees with their trailing, jeweled tails, it seems as if music itself has arisen.
स्वनैर्घनानां प्लवगाः प्रबुद्धा विहाय निद्रां चिरसंनिरुद्धाम्। अनेकरूपाकृतिवर्णनादा नवाम्बुधाराभिहता नदन्ति
Awakened by the sounds of the clouds, the monkeys, leaving behind their long-held sleep, cry out in many forms, shapes, and voices, struck by the new torrents of rain.
नद्यः समुद्वाहितचक्रवाका- स्तटानि शीर्णान्यपवाहयित्वा। दृप्ता नवप्रावृतपूर्णभोगा- दृतं स्वभर्तारमुपोपयान्ति
The rivers, carrying away the sheldrakes that have taken refuge in them, sweep their banks clean and, swollen with the fresh rains, swiftly approach their ocean lord.
नीलेषु नीला नववारिपूर्णा मेघेषु मेघाः प्रतिभान्ति सक्ताः। दवाग्निदग्धेषु दवाग्निदग्धाः शैलेषु शैला इव बद्धमूलाः
On the blue mountains, the blue clouds, filled with new water, appear attached; on the forests scorched by wildfire, the clouds seem like fire; on the mountains, they stand rooted like the mountains themselves.
प्रमत्तसंनादितबर्हिणानि सशक्रगोपाकुलशाद्वलानि। चरन्ति नीपार्जुनवासितानि गजाः सुरम्याणि वनान्तराणि
The elephants roam the delightful forest interiors, fragrant with kadamba and arjuna blossoms, where the peacocks call out in intoxicated delight and the grass is thick with indragopa insects.
नवाम्बुधाराहतकेसराणि द्रुतं परित्यज्य सरोरुहाणि। कदम्बपुष्पाणि सकेसराणि नवानि हृष्टा भ्रमराः पिबन्ति
The bees, delighted, swiftly abandon the lotuses whose filaments have been struck by new torrents of rain, and drink from the fresh kadamba flowers with their filaments.
मत्ता गजेन्द्रा मुदिता गवेन्द्रा वनेषु विक्रान्ततरा मृगेन्द्राः। रम्या नगेन्द्राः निभृता नरेन्द्राः प्रक्रीडितो वारिधरैः सुरेन्द्रः
The lordly elephants are intoxicated, the cows are joyful, the lions are more vigorous in the forests, the great mountains are beautiful, the kings are at rest, and Indra himself sports with the clouds.
मेघाः समुद्भूतसमुद्रनादा महाजलौघैर्गगनावलम्बाः। नदीस्तटाकानि सरांसि वापी- र्महीं च कृत्स्नामपवाहयन्ति
The clouds, resounding with the roar of the ocean from which they arose, hang in the sky with great torrents of water, and carry away rivers, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and the whole earth.
वर्षप्रवेगा विपुलाः पतन्ति प्रवान्ति वाताः समुदीर्णवेगाः। प्रणष्टकूलाः प्रवहन्ति शीघ्रं नद्यो जलं विप्रतिपन्नमार्गाः
The powerful rains fall in torrents, the winds blow with increased force, the rivers, having lost their banks, flow swiftly, their courses changed, carrying away the water.
नरैर्नरेन्द्रा इव पर्वतेन्द्राः सुरेन्द्रदत्तैः पवनोपनीतैः। घनाम्बुकुम्भैरभिषिच्यमाना रूपं श्रियं स्वामिव दर्शयन्ति
The lordly mountains, like kings among men, being consecrated with great water-jars of clouds brought by the wind and given by Indra, display their own form and splendor.
घनोपगूढं गगनं न तारा न भास्करो दर्शनमभ्युपैति। नवैर्जलौघैर्धरणी वितृप्ता तमोविलिप्ता न दिशः प्रकाशाः
The sky, enveloped by clouds, reveals neither stars nor the sun; the earth, satisfied by new torrents of water, is veiled in darkness, and the directions are not visible.
महान्ति कूटानि महीधराणां धाराविधौतान्यधिकं विभान्ति। महाप्रमाणैर्विपुलैः प्रपातै- र्मुक्ताकलापैरिव लम्बमानैः
The great peaks of the mountains, washed by streams, shine even more, with vast, broad waterfalls hanging down like strings of pearls.
शैलोपलप्रस्खलमानवेगाः शैलोत्तमानां विपुलाः प्रपाताः। गुहासु संनादितबर्हिणासु हारा विकीर्यन्त इवावभान्ति
The broad waterfalls of the highest mountains, their force stumbling over rocks, appear scattered like garlands in caves resounding with the calls of peacocks.
शीघ्रप्रवेगा विपुलाः प्रपाता निर्धौतशृङ्गोपतला गिरीणाम्। मुक्ताकलापप्रतिमाः पतन्तो महागुहोत्सङ्गतलैर्ध्रियन्ते
The broad waterfalls, swift in their descent, cleanse the peaks and slopes of the mountains; falling like strings of pearls, they are held in the hollows of the great caves.
सुरतामर्दविच्छिन्नाः स्वर्गस्त्रीहारमौक्तिकाः। पतन्ति चातुला दिक्षु तोयधाराः समन्ततः
The streams of water, falling everywhere in all directions, resemble broken pearl necklaces of heavenly women, scattered in the passion of love.
विलीयमानैर्विहगैर्निमीलद्भिश्च पङ्कजैः। विकसन्त्या च मालत्या गतोऽस्तं ज्ञायते रविः
As the birds settle down and the lotuses close, while the jasmine blooms, it is known that the sun has set.
वृत्ता यात्रा नरेन्द्राणां सेना पथ्येव वर्तते। वैराणि चैव मार्गाश्च सलिलेन समीकृताः
The campaigns of the kings have ended, the armies remain on the roads, and both hostilities and paths have been made equal by the water.
मासि प्रौष्ठपदे ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणानां विवक्षताम्। अयमध्यायसमयः सामगानामुपस्थितः
In the month of Bhadrapada, O Brahman, for the Brahmins who wish to recite, the time for study and the singing of the Sāma hymns has arrived.
निवृत्तकर्मायतनो नूनं संचितसंचयः। आषाढीमभ्युपगतो भरतः कोसलाधिपः
Surely, Bharata, lord of Kosala, having completed his duties and gathered his resources, has now reached the month of Āṣāḍha.
नूनमापूर्यमाणायाः सरय्वा वर्धते रयः। मां समीक्ष्य समायान्तमयोध्याया इव स्वनः
Surely, as the Sarayu fills up, its current grows stronger, and its sound, as I imagine, resembles that of Ayodhyā as I return.
इमाः स्फीतगुणा वर्षाः सुग्रीवः सुखमश्नुते। विजितारिः सदारश्च राज्ये महति च स्थितः
Sugriva, endowed with abundant virtues, enjoys comfort, having conquered his enemies, reunited with his wife, and established in a great kingdom.
अहं तु हृतदारश्च राज्याच्च महतश्च्युतः। नदीकूलमिव क्लिन्नमवसीदामि लक्ष्मण
But I, Lakshmana, have lost my wife and been deprived of my vast kingdom; I am sinking, like a riverbank eroded by water.
शोकश्च मम विस्तीर्णो वर्षाश्च भृशदुर्गमाः। रावणश्च महाञ्छत्रुरपारः प्रतिभाति मे
My sorrow is vast, the rains are exceedingly difficult to traverse, and Ravana, the great and boundless enemy, appears before me.
अयात्रां चैव दृष्ट्वेमां मार्गांश्च भृशदुर्गमान्। प्रणते चैव सुग्रीवे न मया किंचिदीरितम्
Seeing this season unfit for campaigning and the paths extremely hard to cross, and with Sugriva bowed down, I have said nothing.
अपि चापि परिक्लिष्टं चिराद् दारैः समागतम्। आत्मकार्यगरीयस्त्वाद् वक्तुं नेच्छामि वानरम्
Moreover, since he has long suffered and is only recently reunited with his wife, and because my own purpose is weighty, I do not wish to speak to the vanara.