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.
यस्मादनपराधं त्वं सहायं मम जघ्निवान् । तस्मात्तवापि पापिष्ठ प्रदास्यामि प्रतिक्रियाम् ।। ७.६५.
'Because you have slain my companion, though he was without fault, therefore, O most wicked, I shall also give you a fitting return.'
एवमुक्त्वा तु तद्राक्षस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । कालपर्याययोगेन राजा मित्रसहो ऽभवत् ।। ७.६५.
Having spoken thus, that Rākṣasa vanished on the spot; and in the course of time, the king became known as Mitrasaha.
राजापि यजते यज्ञमस्याश्रमसमीपतः । अश्वमेधं महायज्ञं तं वसिष्ठो ऽभ्यपालयत् ।। ७.६५.
The king performed a great horse sacrifice near this hermitage, and Vasiṣṭha presided over that great sacrifice.
तत्र यज्ञो महानासीद्बहुवर्षगणायुतः । समृद्धः परया लक्ष्म्या देवयज्ञसमो ऽभवत् ।। ७.६५.
There, a great sacrifice was held, lasting many thousands of years, prosperous and supremely splendid, equal to a sacrifice for the gods.
अथावसाने यज्ञस्य पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् । वसिष्ठरूपी राजानमिति होवाच राक्षसः ।। ७.६५.
Then, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, recalling his former enmity, a Rākṣasa in the form of Vasiṣṭha spoke to the king.
अस्य यज्ञस्य जातो ऽन्तः सामिषं भोजनं मम । दीयतामिह शीघ्रं वै नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। ७.६५.
'At the end of this sacrifice, a meal with meat has been prepared for me; let it be given here quickly—there is no need for deliberation.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं रक्षसा ब्रह्मरूपिणा । भक्ष्यसंस्कारकुशलमुवाच पृथिवीपतिः ।। ७.६५.
Hearing these words spoken by the Rākṣasa in the form of a Brāhmaṇa, the king, skilled in the preparation of offerings, replied.
हविष्यं सामिषं स्वादु यथा भवति भोजनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शीघ्रं वै परितुष्येद्यथा गुरुः ।। ७.६५.
'Prepare the oblation with meat so that the food is delicious, just as the teacher desires—do it quickly, so that he may be satisfied.'
शासनात्पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सूदः सम्भ्रान्तमानसः । स राक्षसः पुनस्तत्र सूदवेषमथाकरोत् ।। ७.६५.
By the command of the king, the cook, his mind disturbed, began the preparations; and the Rākṣasa there assumed the form of a cook.
स मानुषमथो मांसं पार्थिवाय न्यवेदयत् । इदं स्वादु हविष्यं च सामिषं चान्नमाहृतम् ।। ७.६५.
Then he presented human flesh to the king, saying, 'Here is delicious food, an offering with meat, that has been brought.'