सुमन्त्रे मित्रतां याते मनसीन्द्वंशुशीतले । विकासिहृदये जाते तत्काल इव पङ्कजे
Sumitra’s son, whose mind had become cool as moonbeams and whose heart had blossomed, stood there as a lotus does at that very moment.
तत्रस्थेषु तथान्येषु तदा मुनिषु राजसु । आधौतचित्तरत्नेषु प्रोच्छ्वसत्स्व् इव चेतसा
There, as the sages and kings stood, their minds purified like flawless jewels, it was as if their hearts were exhaling in relief.
उदभूत् पूरयन्न् आशाः कल्पाभ्ररवमांसलः । अथ मध्याह्नशङ्खानाम् अब्धिघोषसमस् स्वनः
Then arose a sound, filling all directions, deep as the rumble of thunderclouds at the world’s end, like the mighty roar of conches at midday, equal to the ocean’s tumult.
महता तेन शब्देन तिरोधानं मुनेर् गिरः । ययुर् जलदनादेन कोकिलध्वनयो यथा
By that great sound, the sage’s words were drowned out, just as the calls of cuckoos are overpowered by the rumble of thunderclouds.
मुनिर् अन्तरयां चक्रे स्वां वाचम् अथ संसदि । जितसारो गुणः केन महता समुदीर्यते
The sage then withheld his speech in the assembly; for who can make manifest a profound truth when its essence is lost amid great noise?
मुहूर्तमात्रम् अथ तं श्रुत्वा मध्याह्ननिस्स्वनम् । घने कोलाहले शान्ते रामं मुनिर् उवाच ह
After listening for a moment to that midday clamor, when the tumult had subsided, the sage addressed Rama.
रामाद्यतनम् एतावद् आह्निकं कथितं मया । प्रातर् अन्यत् प्रवक्ष्यामि वक्तव्यम् अरिमर्दन
Rama, I have recounted to you the events of this day; tomorrow morning, O destroyer of foes, I will speak further of what remains to be told.
इदं नियतितः प्राप्तं कर्तव्यं यद् द्विजन्मनाम् । मध्याह्नसवनं तन् नः कार्यम् आर्यावसीदति
Now it is time for the midday ritual, which is the prescribed duty of the twice-born; let us perform it, for the noble ones are waiting.
त्वम् अप्य् उत्तिष्ठ सुभग समस्तां सवनक्रियाम् । आचराचारचतुर स्नानदानार्चनादिकाम्
You too, fortunate one, arise and skillfully perform all the ritual acts—bathing, giving, worship, and the rest—properly and completely.
इत्य् उक्त्वा मुनिर् उत्तस्थौ समं दशरथेन सः । संसदस् सेन्दुर् आदित्य उदयाद्रितटाद् इव
Having spoken thus, the sage rose together with Dasharatha, and the assembly rose as the moon and sun rise from behind the eastern mountain.
तयोर् उत्थितयोस् सर्वा सभोत्थातुम् अकम्पत । मन्दवातपरामृष्टा नलिनीवालिलोचना
As the two rose, the entire assembly stirred to stand, their eyes, like lotus stalks, gently touched by a soft breeze.
उत्तस्थौ सावतंसोत्थभृङ्गमण्डलमण्डिता । करिसेनेव विन्ध्याद्राव् आलोलकरपुष्करा
She rose, adorned with a cluster of bees upon her ear-ornament, her lotus-like hand swaying, like an elephant troop on Mount Vindhya.
परस्परांससङ्घट्टचूर्णिताङ्गदमण्डला । रत्नचूर्णारुणाम्भोदसन्ध्यासमयसूचिनी
Her armlets were powdered and reddened from mutual contact, resembling the twilight sky tinged by clouds of crushed jewels.
पतदुत्तंसविभ्रान्तभृङ्गोपाहितघुङ्घुमा । मुकुटोद्दामविद्योतशक्रचापीकृताम्बरा
As her upper garment slipped, bees hovered and buzzed, while her towering crown shone, making the sky appear like Indra’s rainbow.
कान्तालताहस्तदलचलच्चामरमञ्जरी । वनलेखेव विक्षुब्धवरवारणमण्डला
Her beloved’s vine-like hand waved the chowrie fan, like a forest path stirred by the movement of a herd of noble elephants.
कचत्कटकरत्नाश्रिकृष्टान्योऽन्यातताम्बरा । वातव्याधूतपुष्पेव मन्दारवनमालिका
Her bracelets and jeweled bangles clashed and drew her garment aside, like a garland of mandara flowers tossed by the wind in a grove.
कस्तूरीकणनीहाररचितामलवारिदा । शरद्दिक्तटमालेव प्रसृताशेषभूमिपा
She was like a pure raincloud formed from musk mist, spreading over all the earth like the autumn sky’s expanse.
लोलमौलिमणिव्रातपाटलाम्बरकोटरा । सन्ध्येवाकुललोलाब्जकार्यसंहारकारिणी
Her hair was adorned with clusters of red-tinted jewels, her garment’s folds like the restless lotus at dusk, bringing about the close of day’s activities.
रत्नांशुसलिलापूरा मुखपद्मनिरन्तरा । पद्मिनीवालिवलिता नूपुरारावसारसा
Streams of jewel-light poured from her lotus face, as she moved with the grace of a lotus pond’s ripples, her anklets ringing in melodious waves.
सन्तता सा सभोत्तस्थौ भूभृच्छतसमाकुला । भूतसन्ततिसम्पूर्णा सृष्टिर् नवम् इवोदिता
That creation, ever-continuous, arose, crowded with hundreds of mountains, filled with multitudes of beings, as if newly manifested.
प्रणम्याथ नृपं भूपा निर्ययुर् नृपमन्दिरात् । शक्रचापीकृता रत्नैर् अम्भोधेर् इव वीचयः
Then, after bowing to the king, the lords departed from the royal palace, like waves adorned with jewels leaving the ocean, forming a rainbow.
सामन्ता मन्त्रिणश् चैव वसिष्ठम् अथ भूमिपम् । प्रणम्य जग्मुस् स्नानाय नयविज्ञानकोविदाः
The vassals and ministers, experts in the science of governance, after bowing to Vasiṣṭha and the king, went to bathe.
वामदेवादयश् चान्ये विश्वामित्रादयस् तथा । वसिष्ठं पुरतः कृत्वा तस्थुर् आमज्जनोन्मुखाः
Others, such as Vāmadeva and Viśvāmitra, placing Vasiṣṭha at the front, stood ready for the sacred bath.
राजा दशरथस् तत्र पूजयित्वा मुनिव्रजम् । तद्विसृष्टो जगामाथ स्वकार्यार्थम् अरिन्दमः
There, King Daśaratha, having honored the assembly of sages, was dismissed by them and then went to attend to his own duties, O destroyer of foes.
वनं वनास्पदा जग्मुर् व्योम व्योमनिवासिनः । नगरं नागराश् चैव प्रातर् आगमनाय ते
The forest-dwellers went to the forest, the sky-dwellers to the sky, and the city-dwellers to the city, all intending to return in the morning.
महीपतिवसिष्ठाभ्यां प्रणयात् प्रार्थितः प्रभुः । वसिष्ठसद्मनि निशां विश्वामित्रो ऽत्यवाहयत्
At the request of the king and Vasiṣṭha, out of affection, the sage Viśvāmitra spent the night at Vasiṣṭha’s residence.
वसिष्ठस् सह विप्रेन्द्रैः पार्थिवैर् मुनिभिस् तथा । उपास्यमानो रामाद्यैस् सर्वैर् दशरथात्मजैः
Vasiṣṭha, attended by the foremost brahmins, kings, and sages, was served by Rāma and all the sons of Daśaratha.
जगाम स्वाश्रमं श्रीमान् सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः । अनुयातस् सुरौघेन ब्रह्मलोकम् इवाब्जजः
The illustrious sage, honored by all the worlds, went to his own hermitage, followed by a host of gods, like Brahma returning to Brahmaloka.
तस्मात् प्रदेशाद् रामादीन् मुनिर् दशरथात्मजान् । सर्वान् विसर्जयाम् आस पादोपान्ते नतान् असौ
From that place, the sage dismissed Rama and the other sons of Dasaratha, who had bowed at his feet, sending them all away.
नभश्चरान् अवनिचराञ् जलेचरान् विसर्ज्य स स्तुतगुणगोचरांश् चरान् । यथाक्रमं स्वगृह उदारसन्मुनौ चकार ता द्विजजनवासरक्रियाः
He sent away those who move in the sky, on earth, and in water—those who dwell in the praise of his virtues—and, in due order, performed the daily rites for the twice-born at his noble hermitage.