यूथबद्धांश्च पृषतान् मदोन्मत्तान् विषाणिनः। महिषांश्च वराहांश्च गजांश्च द्रुमवैरिणः
They saw herds of deer bound together, intoxicated and horned, as well as buffaloes, wild boars, elephants hostile to trees.
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे। ददृशुः सहिता रम्यं तटाकं योजनायुतम्
Having traveled a long distance as the sun was setting, they together saw a beautiful lake, ten yojanas wide.
पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधं गजयूथैरलंकृतम्। सारसैर्हंसकादम्बैः संकुलं जलजातिभिः
It was crowded with lotuses and water-lilies, adorned with herds of elephants, and filled with cranes, swans, and kadamba birds, teeming with aquatic species.
प्रसन्नसलिले रम्ये तस्मिन् सरसि शुश्रुवे। गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषो न तु कश्चन दृश्यते
In that charming lake with clear waters, the sound of singing and instruments was heard, yet no one was seen.
ततः कौतूहलाद् रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महारथः। मुनिं धर्मभृतं नाम प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे
Then, out of curiosity, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the great chariot-warrior, began to question the sage named Dharmabhṛt.
इदमत्यद्भुतं श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां नो महामुने। कौतूहलं महज्जातं किमिदं साधु कथ्यताम्
Hearing this most wondrous thing, all of us, O great sage, have become greatly curious; please tell us what this is.
तेनैवमुक्तो धर्मात्मा राघवेण मुनिस्तदा। प्रभावं सरसः क्षिप्रमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे
Thus addressed by Rāghava, the sage, whose soul was devoted to righteousness, promptly began to recount the power of the lake.
स हि तेपे तपस्तीव्रं माण्डकर्णिर्महामुनिः। दशवर्षसहस्राणि वायुभक्षो जलाशये
That great sage Māṇḍakarṇi performed intense austerity for ten thousand years, subsisting on air, while residing in the water.
ततः प्रव्यथिताः सर्वे देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः। अब्रुवन् वचनं सर्वे परस्परसमागताः
Then all the gods, led by Agni, became disturbed and, gathering together, spoke among themselves.
अस्माकं कस्यचित् स्थानमेष प्रार्थयते मुनिः। इति संविग्नमनसः सर्वे तत्र दिवौकसः
This sage desires a place among us, thus all the dwellers of heaven were troubled in mind.
ततः कर्तुं तपोविघ्नं सर्वदेवैर्नियोजिताः। प्रधानाप्सरसः पञ्च विद्युच्चलितवर्चसः
Then, to obstruct his austerity, all the gods appointed five chief apsarases, radiant as lightning.
अप्सरोभिस्ततस्ताभिर्मुनिर्दृष्टपरावरः। नीतो मदनवश्यत्वं देवानां कार्यसिद्धये
By those apsarases, the sage, who had seen the highest and lowest, was brought under the sway of passion, for the gods’ purpose to be fulfilled.
ताश्चैवाप्सरसः पञ्च मुनेः पत्नीत्वमागताः। तटाके निर्मितं तासां तस्मिन्नन्तर्हितं गृहम्
Those five apsarases became the wives of the sage; in the lake, a house was built for them, concealed within.
तत्रैवाप्सरसः पञ्च निवसन्त्यो यथासुखम्। रमयन्ति तपोयोगान्मुनिं यौवनमास्थितम्
There, the five apsarases dwell as they please, delighting the sage, who has embraced youth, with their ascetic practices and union.
तासां संक्रीडमानानामेष वादित्रनिःस्वनः। श्रूयते भूषणोन्मिश्रो गीतशब्दो मनोहरः
The sound of instruments, mixed with the jingling of ornaments, and enchanting songs, is heard from their playful activities.
आश्चर्यमिति तस्यैतद् वचनं भावितात्मनः। राघवः प्रतिजग्राह सह भ्रात्रा महायशाः
‘Wonderful!’—thus, the noble-minded Rāghava accepted the sage’s words, together with his illustrious brother.
एवं कथयमानः स ददर्शाश्रममण्डलम्। कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्म्या लक्ष्म्या समावृतम्
As he was speaking thus, he beheld the circle of hermitages, surrounded by kusa grass and bark garments, and filled with the divine radiance of Brahman.
प्रविश्य सह वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च राघवः। तदा तस्मिन् स काकुत्स्थः श्रीमत्याश्रममण्डले
Rāghava entered there together with Vaidehī and Lakṣmaṇa, into that splendid circle of hermitages.
उषित्वा स सुखं तत्र पूज्यमानो महर्षिभिः। जगाम चाश्रमांस्तेषां पर्यायेण तपस्विनाम्
He stayed there comfortably, honored by the great sages, and then visited the hermitages of those ascetics in turn.
येषामुषितवान् पूर्वं सकाशे स महास्त्रवित् । क्वचित् परिदशान् मासानेकसंवत्सरं क्वचित्
He, the master of mighty weapons, had previously dwelt among them, sometimes for several months, sometimes for a whole year.
क्वचिच्च चतुरो मासान् पञ्च षट् च परान् क्वचित्। अपरत्राधिकान् मासानध्यर्धमधिकं क्वचित्
At times he stayed four months, five, or six in other places; elsewhere, he remained for more months, sometimes more than half a year.
त्रीन् मासानष्टमासांश्च राघवो न्यवसत् सुखम्। तत्र संवसतस्तस्य मुनीनामाश्रमेषु वै
Rāghava lived happily for three months and eight months in those hermitages of the sages.
रमतश्चानुकूल्येन ययुः संवत्सरा दश। परिसृत्य च धर्मज्ञो राघवः सह सीतया
As he dwelled there in harmony, ten years passed; and Rāghava, knowledgeable in righteousness, journeyed about with Sītā.
सुतीक्ष्णस्याश्रमपदं पुनरेवाजगाम ह। स तमाश्रममागम्य मुनिभिः परिपूजितः
He again arrived at the hermitage of Suteekṣṇa, and upon reaching it, was honored by the sages.
तत्रापि न्यवसद् रामः किंचित् कालमरिंदमः। अथाश्रमस्थो विनयात् कदाचित् तं महामुनिम्
Even there, Rāma, the subduer of foes, stayed for some time; then, while residing in the hermitage, he respectfully approached the great sage.
उपासीनः स काकुत्स्थः सुतीक्ष्णमिदमब्रवीत्। अस्मिन्नरण्ये भगवन्नगस्त्यो मुनिसत्तमः
Seated, the descendant of Kakutstha spoke to Suteekṣṇa: 'O revered one, the eminent sage Agastya dwells in this forest.'
वसतीति मया नित्यं कथाः कथयतां श्रुतम्। न तु जानामि तं देशं वनस्यास्य महत्तया
'I have always heard tales of him being recounted, but I do not know the location of his hermitage, due to the vastness of this forest.'
कुत्राश्रमपदं रम्यं महर्षेस्तस्य धीमतः। प्रसादार्थं भगवतः सानुजः सह सीतया
'Where is the delightful hermitage of that wise great sage? For the sake of the revered one, I wish to approach him with my brother and Sītā.'
अगस्त्यमधिगच्छेयमभिवादयितुं मुनिम्। मनोरथो महानेष हृदि सम्परिवर्तते
'I wish to go to Agastya and pay respects to the sage; this great desire revolves in my heart.'
यदहं तं मुनिवरं शुश्रूषेयमपि स्वयम्। इति रामस्य स मुनिः श्रुत्वा धर्मात्मनो वचः
'That I might serve that foremost sage myself—' Hearing these words of Rāma, the righteous one, the sage replied.