सा पुरा दिव्यसङ्काशा वर्षे द्वादशमे शुभे । निविष्टा शूरसेनानां विषयश्चाकुतोभयः ।। ७.७०.
That city, shining with divine splendor, was settled in the auspicious twelfth year, becoming the secure domain of the Shurasenas.
क्षेत्राणि सस्ययुक्तानि काले वर्षति वासवः । अरोगवीरपुरुषा शत्रुघ्नभुजपालिता ।। ७.७०.
The fields, rich with crops, flourished as Indra sent timely rains; the people, healthy and heroic, were protected by Shatrughna’s arm.
अर्धचन्द्रप्रतीकाशा यमुनातीरशोभिता । शोभिता गृहमुख्यैश्च चत्वरापणवीथिकैः । चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता नानावाणिज्यशोभिता ।। ७.७०.
Resembling a half-moon and adorned by the banks of the Yamuna, it was beautified with splendid houses, crossroads, markets, and streets, inhabited by all four orders and resplendent with diverse commerce.
यच्च तेन पुरा शुभ्रं लवणेन कृतं महत् । तच्छोभयति शत्रुघ्नो नानावर्णोपशोभिताम् ।। ७.७०.
Whatever great and splendid work had once been done there by Lavana, Shatrughna now made even more beautiful, adorned with people of many colors.
आरामैश्च विहारैश्च शोभमानं समन्ततः । शोभितां शोभनीयैश्च तथा ऽन्यैर्दैवमानुषैः ।। ७.७०.
With gardens and pleasure-grounds shining all around, it was further adorned by other splendid things, both divine and human.
तां पुरीं दिव्यसङ्काशां नानापण्योपशोभिताम् । नानादेशागतैश्चापि वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम् ।। ७.७०.
That city, radiant as the gods, was adorned with many kinds of merchandise and with merchants who had come from various regions.
तां समृद्धां समृद्धार्थः शत्रुघ्नो भरतानुजः । निरीक्ष्य परमप्रीतः परं हर्षमुपागमत् ।। ७.७०.
Beholding that prosperous city, Shatrughna, the prosperous younger brother of Bharata, was filled with the highest joy and supreme delight.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य मधुरां पुरीम् । रामपादौ निरीक्षे ऽहं वर्षे द्वादश आगते ।। ७.७०.
Then a thought arose in him: 'Having settled the city of Madhura, when the twelfth year is complete, I shall go to behold Rama’s feet.'
ततः स ताममरपुरोपमां पुरीं निवेश्य वै विविधजनाभिसंवृताम् । नराधिपो रघुपतिपाददर्शने दधे मतिं रघुकुलवंशवर्धनः ।। ७.७०.
Having established that city, rivaling the city of the immortals and filled with people of every kind, the king, the enhancer of the Raghu line, resolved to go and see the feet of Rama.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventieth sarga of the glorious Uttarakanda in the ancient and revered Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रघ्नो रामपालिताम् । अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः ।। ७.७१.
Then, in the twelfth year, Shatrughna, accompanied by a small retinue and force, desired to go to Ayodhya, ruled by Rama.
ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यान्निवर्त्य च । जगाम हयमुख्यैश्च रथानां च शतेन सः ।। ७.७१.
Then, after sending back his chief ministers and leading warriors, he departed with the best horses and a hundred chariots.
स गत्वा गणितान्वासान्सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः । वाल्मीक्याश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः ।। ७.७१.
Having traveled and spent seven or eight nights on the way, the illustrious descendant of Raghu arrived at Valmiki’s hermitage and stayed there.
सो ऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः । पाद्यमर्ध्यं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः ।। ७.७१.
Then, the foremost among men, having bowed to Vālmīki and touched his feet, received water for washing the feet and the honored offerings of hospitality from the sage’s hand.
बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः । कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने ।। ७.७१.
There, the sage recounted to the great-souled Śatrughna thousands of stories, diverse in form and exceedingly sweet.
उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम् । सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया ।। ७.७१.
And the sage spoke words concerning the slaying of Lavaṇa: 'A most difficult deed was accomplished by you in killing Lavaṇa.'
बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः । लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः ।। ७.७१.
Many kings, O gentle one, powerful and mighty, along with their armies and vehicles, were slain by Lavaṇa in battle.
स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ । जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा ।। ७.७१.
But that wicked one was slain by you with ease, O foremost among men; and the terror in the world was calmed by your brilliance.
रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृतः । इदं तु सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः ।। ७.७१.
The dreadful slaying of Rāvaṇa was accomplished with great effort; but this exceedingly great deed was done by you without exertion.
प्रीतिश्चास्मिन्परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते । भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम् ।। ७.७१.
Great joy arose among the gods when Lavaṇa was slain; and for all beings, as well as the world, you have done what is dear.
तच्च युद्धं मया दृष्टं यथावत्पुरुषर्षभ । सभायां वासवस्याथ उपविष्टेन राघव ।। ७.७१.
That battle, O foremost among men, I witnessed as it truly happened, while seated in the assembly of Indra, O descendant of Raghu.
ममापि परमा प्रीतिर्हृदि शत्रुघ्न वर्तते । उपाघ्रास्यामि ते मूर्ध्नि स्नेहस्यैषा परा गतिः ।। ७.७१.
Śatrughna, even in my heart, there is supreme affection for you; I will smell your head—this is the highest expression of love.
इत्युक्त्वा मूर्ध्नि शत्रुघ्नमुपाघ्राय महामुनिः । आतिथ्यमकरोत्तस्य ये च तस्य पदानुगाः ।। ७.७१.
Having spoken thus, the great sage smelled Śatrughna’s head, and extended hospitality to him and to all those who followed at his feet.
स भुक्तवान्नरश्रेष्ठो गीतमाधुर्यमुत्तमम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले यथाकृमम् ।। ७.७१.
Having eaten, the best among men listened to the supreme sweetness of song—the story of Rāma, recited in proper order at that time.
तन्त्रीलयसमायुक्तं त्रिस्थानकरणान्वितम् । संस्कृतं लक्षणोपेतं समतालसमन्वितम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले पुरा कृतम् ।। ७.७१.
He listened to the story of Rāma, composed long ago, accompanied by the harmony of strings and rhythm, performed with the threefold technique, refined and marked by proper features, and blended with equal measure of melody.
तान्यक्षराणि सत्यानि यथावृत्तानि पूर्वशः । श्रुत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलो विसञ्ज्ञो बाष्पलोचनः ।। ७.७१.
Hearing those words, true and as they had happened in the past, the tiger among men became bewildered, his eyes filled with tears.
स मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञो विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः । तस्मिन् गीते यथावृत्तं वर्तमानमिवाशृणोत् ।। ७.७१.
For a moment he was insensible, sighing again and again; in that song, he heard events as if they were presently unfolding.
पदानुगाश्च ये राज्ञस्तां श्रुत्वा गीतिसम्पदम् । अवाङ्मुखाश्च दीनाश्च ह्याश्चर्यमिति चाब्रुवन् ।। ७.७१.
Those who followed the king, upon hearing the excellence of the song, became downcast and distressed, and said, 'This is astonishing.'
परस्परं च ये तत्र सैनिकाः सम्बभाषिरे । किमिदं क्व च वर्तामः किमेतत्स्वप्नदर्शनम् ।। ७.७१.
And the soldiers there spoke among themselves: 'What is this? Where are we? Is this a vision seen in a dream?'
अर्थो यो नः पुरा दृष्टस्तमाश्रमपदे पुनः । शृणुमः किमिदं स्वप्नो गीतबन्धं श्रियो भवेत् ।। ७.७१.
'The meaning we once saw, we now hear again in this hermitage; is this a dream? Could the binding of song bring us prosperity?'