बलं च सुभृतं वीर हृष्टपुष्टमनुद्धतम् । सम्भाषासम्प्रदानेन रञ्जयस्व नगेत्तम ।। ७.६४.
And, O hero, delight the excellent city with a well-maintained, joyful, strong, and humble army, by means of conversation and gifts.
न ह्यर्थास्तत्र तिष्ठन्ति न दारा न च बान्धवाः । सुप्रीतो भृत्यवर्गश्च यत्र तिष्ठसि राघव ।। ७.६४.
For there, neither wealth nor wives nor relatives remain; only the well-pleased group of servants is where you, O Rāghava, abide.
ततो हृष्टजनाकीर्णां प्रस्थाप्य महतीं चमूम् । एक एव धनुष्पाणिर्गच्छ त्वं मधुनो वनम् ।। ७.६४.
Then, having dispatched the great army filled with joyful people, you alone, bearing your bow, go to the forest of Madhu.
यथा त्वां न प्रजानाति गच्छन्तं युद्धकाङ्क्षिणम् । लवणस्तु मधोः पुत्रस्तथा गच्छेरशङ्कितम् ।। ७.६४.
Just as no one knows of your departure, eager for battle, so too let Lavaṇa, the son of Madhu, go without suspicion.
न तस्य मूत्युरन्यो ऽस्ति कश्चिद्धि पुरुषर्षभ । दर्शनं यो ऽभिगच्छेत स वध्यो लवणेन हि ।। ७.६४.
There is no other death for him, O best of men; for whoever approaches him is surely slain by Lavaṇa.
स हि ग्रीष्मो ऽपयाते तु वर्षारात्र उपागते । हन्यास्त्वं लवणं सौम्य सहि कालो ऽस्य दुर्मतेः ।। ७.६४.
When summer has departed and the rainy season has arrived, then, gentle one, you should slay Lavaṇa; for that is the right time for this evil-minded one.
महर्षींस्तु पुरत्कृत्य प्रयान्तु तव सौनिकाः । यथा ग्रीष्मावशेषेण तरेयुर्जाह्नवीजलम् ।। ७.६४.
Let your soldiers, placing the great sages at the front, proceed so that, at the end of summer, they may cross the waters of the Jahnavi.
तत्र स्थाप्य बलं सर्वं नदीतीरे समाहितः । अग्रतो धनुषा सार्धं गच्छ त्वं लघुविक्रमः ।। ७.६४.
Station all your forces attentively on the riverbank, and you, swift in action, go ahead with your bow.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण शत्रुघ्नस्तान्महाबलान् । सेनामुख्यान्समानीय ततो वाक्यमुवाच ह ।। ७.६४.
Thus addressed by Rama, Shatrughna gathered those mighty leaders of the army and then spoke these words.
एते वो गणिता वासा यत्र तत्र निवत्स्यथ । स्थातव्यं चाविरोधेन यथा बाधा न कस्यचित् ।। ७.६४.
Here are your assigned lodgings; wherever you stay, remain without causing disturbance, so that no one is troubled.
तथा तांस्तु समाज्ञाप्य प्रस्थाप्य च महद्बलम् । कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च कैकेयीं चाभ्यवादयत् ।। ७.६४.
Having thus instructed them and dispatched the great army, he respectfully greeted Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikeyi.
रामं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य शिरसा ऽभिप्रणम्य च । रामेण चाभ्यनुज्ञातः शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुतापनः ।। ७.६४.
Circumambulating Rama and bowing his head in reverence, Shatrughna, destroyer of foes, took leave with Rama's permission.
लक्ष्मणं भरतं चैव प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः । पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च शत्रुघ्नः प्रयतात्मवान् । प्रदक्षिणमथो कृत्वा निर्जगाम महाबलः ।। ७.६४.
With joined palms, he bowed to Lakshmana, Bharata, and the priest Vasistha; then, after circumambulating them, the mighty Shatrughna departed.
प्रस्थाप्य सेनामथ सो ऽग्रतस्तदा गजेन्द्रवाजिप्रवरौघसङ्कुलाम् । उपास मासं तु नरेन्द्रपार्श्वतस्त्वथ प्रयातो रघुवंशवर्धनः ।। ७.६४.
Having set forth the army, which was crowded with the best of elephants and horses, he remained for a month at the king's side, and then the enhancer of the Raghu line set out.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुष्षष्टितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the sixty-fourth sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and illustrious Ramayana composed by the sage Valmiki.
प्रस्थाप्य च बलं सर्वं मासमात्रोषितः पथि । एक एवाशु शत्रुघ्नो जगाम त्वरितं तदा ।। ७.६५.
Having dispatched all the forces, Shatrughna stayed on the road for just a month, and then, alone and swiftly, he proceeded with haste.
द्विरात्रमन्तरे शूर उष्य राघवनन्दनः । वाल्मीकेराश्रमं पुण्यमगच्छद्वासमुत्तमम् ।। ७.६५.
After spending two nights on the way, the heroic delight of the Raghus reached the sacred and excellent hermitage of Valmiki.
सो ऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं वाल्मीकिं मुनिसत्तमम् । कृताञ्जलिरथो भूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.६५.
He respectfully greeted the great-souled Valmiki, foremost among sages, and, with joined palms, spoke these words.
भगवन्वस्तुमिच्छामि गुरोः कृत्यादिहागतः । श्वः प्रभाते गमिष्यामि प्रतीचीं वारुणीं दिशम् ।। ७.६५.
Revered one, I wish to stay here, having come on my teacher's business; tomorrow at dawn I will depart for the western, Varuna's, direction.
शत्रुघ्नस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गवः । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं स्वागतं ते महायशः ।। ७.६५.
Hearing Shatrughna's words, the eminent sage smiled and replied to the illustrious one, 'Welcome to you, O highly renowned!'
स्वमाश्रममिदं सौम्य राघवाणां कुलस्य हि । आसनं पाद्यमर्ध्यं च निर्विशङ्कः प्रतीच्छ मे ।। ७.६५.
This hermitage of mine, gentle one, truly belongs to the line of the Raghus; accept from me, without hesitation, a seat, water for washing, and hospitality.
प्रतिगृह्य तदा पूजां फलमूलं च भोजनम् । भक्षयामास काकुत्स्थस्तृप्तिं च परमां गतः ।। ७.६५.
Then Rāma accepted the offering, as well as the fruits and roots for food, and ate them, attaining the highest satisfaction.
स भुक्त्वा फलमूलं च महर्षिं तमुवाच ह । इयं यज्ञविभूतिस्ते कस्याश्रमसमीपतः ।। ७.६५.
Having eaten the fruits and roots, he spoke to the great sage: 'This sacrificial splendor of yours—whose hermitage is it near?'
तत्तस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । शत्रुघ्न शृणु यस्येदं बभूवायतनं पुरा ।। ७.६५.
Hearing his words, Vālmīki replied: 'Shatrughna, listen to whom this sanctuary once belonged.'
युष्माकं पूर्वको राजा सौदासस्तस्य भूपतेः । पुत्रो वीरसहो नाम वीर्यवानतिधार्मिकः ।। ७.६५.
Your ancestor, King Saudāsa, had a son named Vīrasaha, a mighty and supremely righteous man.
स बाल एव सौदासो मृगयामुपचक्रमे । चञ्चूर्यमाणं ददृशे स शूरो राक्षसद्वयम् ।। ७.६५.
Even as a boy, Saudāsa began to hunt, and that brave one saw two Rākṣasas disturbing the forest.
शार्दूलरूपिणौ घोरौ मृगान्बहुसहस्रशः । भक्षमाणावसन्तुष्टौ पर्याप्तिं नैव जग्मतुः ।। ७.६५.
Those two, fearsome and tiger-formed, were devouring thousands upon thousands of animals, yet were never satisfied.
स तु तौ राक्षसौ दृष्ट्वा निर्मृगं च वनं कृतम् । क्रोधेन महता ऽ ऽविष्टो जघानैकं महेषुणा ।। ७.६५.
Seeing those Rākṣasas and the forest emptied of animals, he was seized by great anger and struck one down with a mighty arrow.
विनिपात्य तमेकं तु सौदासः पुरुषर्षभः । विज्वरो विगतामार्षो हतं रक्षो ह्युदैक्षत ।। ७.६५.
Having felled one, Saudāsa, the best of men, stood free of fever and anger, gazing at the slain Rākṣasa.
निरीक्षमाणं तं दृष्ट्वा सहायं तस्य रक्षसः । सन्तापमकरोद्घोरं सौदासं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। ७.६५.
Seeing his companion dead, the other Rākṣasa looked at Saudāsa and, tormented with grief, spoke these words to him.