ततो धान्यधनोपेतान् दानशीलजनान् शिवान् । अकुतश्चिद्भयान् रम्याम् श्चैत्ययूपसमावृतान् ॥२-५०-
Then he saw prosperous villages, filled with grain and wealth, inhabited by generous and virtuous people, free from any fear, beautiful and surrounded by sacrificial posts.
उद्यानाम्रवनोपेतान् सम्पन्नसलिलाशयान् । तुष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णान् गोकुलाकुलसेवितान् ॥२-५०-
He saw them adorned with gardens and mango groves, blessed with abundant water, crowded with contented and healthy people, and served by herds of cattle.
लक्षणीयान्न रेम्द्राणाम् ब्रह्मघोषाभिनादितान् । रथेन पुरुषव्याघ्रः कोसलानत्यवर्तत ॥२-५०-
The tiger among men passed through the distinguished lands of the kings, resounding with the chants of Brahmins, in his chariot.
मध्येन मुदितम् स्फीतम् रम्योद्यानसमाकुलम् । राज्यम् भोग्यम् नरेन्द्राणाम् ययौ धृतिमताम् वरः ॥२-५०-
In the midst of that joyful, flourishing, and beautiful land, crowded with lovely gardens, the best among the steadfast journeyed through the kingdom, fit for the enjoyment of kings.
तत्र त्रिपथगाम् दिव्याम् शिव तोयाम् अशैवलाम् । ददर्श राघवो गन्गाम् पुण्याम् ऋषि निसेविताम् ॥२-५०-
There Rāghava beheld the divine Gaṅgā, flowing in three streams, holy, pure, free from weeds, and frequented by sages.
आश्रमैरविदूर्स्थैः श्रीमद्भिः समलम् कृताम् । कालेऽप्सरोभिर्हृष्टाभिः सेविताम्भोह्रदाम् शिवाम् ॥२-५०-
Adorned by splendid hermitages nearby, and graced by joyous Apsarases at the proper time, the sacred river was attended by lakes.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः किन्नरैरुपशोभिताम् । नागगन्धर्वपत्नीभिः सेविताम् सततम् शिवाम् ॥२-५०-
It was beautified by gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras, and constantly attended by the wives of Nāgas and Gandharvas.
देवाक्रीडशताकीर्णाम् देवोद्यानशतायुताम् । देवार्थमाकाशगमाम् विख्याताम् देवपद्मिनीम् ॥२-५०-
It was crowded with hundreds of divine playgrounds, adorned with tens of thousands of celestial gardens, famed as the divine lotus-lake, ascending to the heavens for the sake of the gods.
जलघाताट्टहासोग्राम् फेननिर्मलहासिनीम् । क्वचिद्वेणीकृतजलाम् क्वचिदावर्तशोभिताम् ॥२-५०-
At some places, the river laughed with the crashing of water, her smile pure as foam; elsewhere, her waters were braided, and in other spots, adorned with swirling eddies.
क्वचित्स्तिमितगम्भीराम् क्वचिद्वेगजलाकुलाम् । क्वचिद्गम्भीरनिर्घोषाम् क्वचिद्भैरवनिस्वनाम् ॥२-५०-
In some places she was calm and deep, elsewhere agitated by swift currents; here she resounded with a profound roar, there with a terrifying noise.
देवसम्घाप्लुतजलाम् निर्मलोत्पलशोभिताम् । क्वचिदाभोगपुलिनाम् क्वचिन्नर्मलवालुकाम् ॥२-५०-
In some stretches, gods bathed in her waters, and she shone with spotless lotuses; at times she spread out in broad sandbanks, elsewhere her shores were covered in pure sand.
हम्स सरस सम्घुष्टाम् चक्र वाक उपकूजिताम् । सदामदैश्च विहगैरभिसम्नादिताम् तराम् ॥२-५०-
Her banks resounded with the calls of swans and cranes, and the cries of chakravaka birds; she was always filled with the joyful songs of intoxicated birds.
क्वचित्तीररुहैर्वृक्षैर्मालाभिरिव शोभिताम् । क्वचित्फुल्लोत्पलच्छन्नाम् क्वचित्पद्मवनाकुलाम् ॥२-५०-
In some places she was adorned by riverside trees like garlands; elsewhere she was covered by blooming lotuses, and in some spots crowded with clusters of lotus plants.
क्वचित्कुमुदष्ण्डैश्च कुड्मलैरुपशोभिताम् । नानापुष्परजोध्वस्ताम् समदामिव च क्वचित् ॥२-५०-
In some places she was beautified by clusters of kumuda buds; in others, she appeared as if intoxicated, scattered with the pollen of many flowers.
व्यपेतमलसम्घाताम् मणिनिर्मलदर्शनाम् । दिशागजैर्वनगजैर्मत्तैश्च वरवारणैः ॥२-५०-
Free from muddy gatherings, she shone with the clarity of jewels; her banks were frequented by wild elephants and the finest tuskers of the directions and the forest.
देवोपवाह्यश्च मुहुः सम्नादितवनान्तराम् । प्रमदामिव यत्ने न भूषिताम् भूषणोत्तमैः ॥२-५०-
Often, she echoed with the trumpeting of divine elephants, her forests resounding; like a beloved woman not yet adorned with the finest ornaments, she was beautiful even without embellishment.
फलैः पुष्पैः किसलयैर्वऋताम् गुल्मैद्द्विजैस्तथा । शिम्शुमरैः च नक्रैः च भुजम्गैः च निषेविताम् ॥२-५०-
She was filled with fruits, flowers, and tender shoots, with thickets and birds; she was inhabited by porpoises, crocodiles, and serpents.
विष्णुपादच्युताम् दिव्यामपापाम् पापनाशिनीम् । ताम् शङ्करजटाजूटाद्भ्रष्टाम् सागरतेजसा ॥२-५०-
She was the divine Ganga, sprung from Vishnu's feet, sinless and destroyer of sin; fallen from the matted locks of Shankara, blazing with the radiance of the ocean.
समुद्रमहीषीम् गङ्गाम् सारसक्रौञ्चनादिताम् । आससाद महाबाहुः शृङ्गिबेरपुरम् प्रति ॥२-५०-
The mighty-armed one approached the Ganga, queen of rivers, whose banks echoed with the cries of cranes and waterfowl, as he neared the city of Shringibera.
ताम् ऊर्मि कलिल आवर्ताम् अन्ववेक्ष्य महा रथः । सुमन्त्रम् अब्रवीत् सूतम् इह एव अद्य वसामहे ॥२-५०-
Seeing her, swirling with waves and eddies, the great chariot-warrior said to Sumantra, 'Let us stay here tonight.'
अविदूरात् अयम् नद्या बहु पुष्प प्रवालवान् । सुमहान् इन्गुदी वृक्षो वसामः अत्र एव सारथे ॥२-५०-
'Not far from the river stands a great ingudi tree, abundant with flowers and leaves; let us stay right here, charioteer.'
द्रक्ष्यामः सरिताम् श्रेष्ठाम् सम्मान्यसलिलाम् शिवाम् । देवदानवगन्धर्वमृगमानुषपक्षिणाम् ॥२-५०-
'We will behold the best of rivers, sacred and honored by all, whose waters are revered by gods, demons, gandharvas, beasts, humans, and birds.'
लक्षणः च सुमन्त्रः च बाढम् इति एव राघवम् । उक्त्वा तम् इन्गुदी वृक्षम् तदा उपययतुर् हयैः ॥२-५०-
Lakshmana and Sumantra replied to Raghava, 'So be it,' and then brought the horses to that ingudi tree.
रामः अभियाय तम् रम्यम् वृक्षम् इक्ष्वाकु नन्दनः । रथात् अवातरत् तस्मात् सभार्यः सह लक्ष्मणः ॥२-५०-
Rama, the joy of the Ikshvakus, approached that lovely tree, and, together with his wife and Lakshmana, descended from the chariot.
सुमन्त्रः अपि अवतीर्य एव मोचयित्वा हय उत्तमान् । वृक्ष मूल गतम् रामम् उपतस्थे कृत अन्जलिः ॥२-५०-
Sumantra also dismounted, unyoked the noble horses, and, with hands joined in reverence, stood near Rama, who had gone to the foot of the tree.
तत्र राजा गुहो नाम रामस्य आत्म समः सखा । निषाद जात्यो बलवान् स्थपतिः च इति विश्रुतः ॥२-५०-
There, the king named Guha, Rama's friend equal to himself, renowned as the chief of the Nishadas and a man of great strength, approached.
स श्रुत्वा पुरुष व्याघ्रम् रामम् विषयम् आगतम् । वृद्धैः परिवृतः अमात्यैः ज्ञातिभिः च अपि उपागतः ॥२-५०-
Hearing that Rāma, the tiger among men, had entered his territory, Guha, surrounded by his aged ministers and accompanied by his kinsmen, came forth.
ततः निषाद अधिपतिम् दृष्ट्वा दूरात् अवस्थितम् । सह सौमित्रिणा रामः समागच्चद् गुहेन सः ॥२-५०-
Then, seeing the king of the Niṣādas standing at a distance, Rāma, together with Saumitri, approached Guha.
तम् आर्तः सम्परिष्वज्य गुहो राघवम् अब्रवीत् । यथा अयोध्या तथा इदम् ते राम किम् करवाणि ते ॥२-५०-
Distressed, Guha embraced Rāghava and said: 'This land is yours as much as Ayodhyā, Rāma; what can I do for you?'
ईदृशम् हि महाबाहो कः प्रप्स्यत्यतिथिम् प्रियम् । ततः गुणवद् अन्न अद्यम् उपादाय पृथग् विधम् । अर्घ्यम् च उपानयत् क्षिप्रम् वाक्यम् च इदम् उवाच ह ॥२-५०-
For who, O mighty-armed one, would gain such a beloved guest as this? Then, bringing various kinds of excellent food and drink, Guha quickly offered water for washing and spoke these words.