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.
ते समेत्य गृहं वीरा राजपुत्राश् शशित्विषः । चक्रुस् सर्वम् अशेषेण स्वसद्मसु दिनक्रमम्
Those heroic princes, radiant as the moon, returned to their homes and fully carried out all their daily duties there.
वसिष्ठो राघवश् चैव राजानो मुनयो द्विजाः । इति चक्रुस् स्वकार्याणि तदा स्वगृहवीथिषु
Vasistha, Raghava, the kings, sages, and brahmins each attended to their own affairs then, in the streets of their own homes.
सस्नुः कमलकल्हारकुमुदोत्पलहारिषु । जलाशयेषु चक्राह्वहंससारसराविषु
They bathed in lakes adorned with lotuses, water lilies, and blue lilies, and in ponds frequented by chakravaka ducks, swans, and cranes.
गोभूतिलहिरण्यानि शयनान्य् आसनानि च । ददुर् दानानि विप्रेभ्यो भोजनान्य् अंशुकानि च
They gave cows, land, gold, beds, and seats as gifts to the brahmins, along with food and garments.
हेमरत्नविचित्रेषु स्वेषु चामरसद्मसु । आनर्चुर् अच्युतेशानहुताशार्कादिकान् सुरान्
In their own palaces, adorned with gold and jewels, they worshipped the gods—Acyuta, Isa, Agni, Surya, and others.
पुत्रपौत्रसुहृद्भृत्यबन्धुमित्रगणैस् सह । तत आस्वादयाम् आसुर् भोजनान्य् उचितानि ते
Together with their sons, grandsons, friends, servants, relatives, and companions, they then enjoyed appropriate meals.
एतस्मिन् समये चास्मिन् नगरे दिवसो ऽभवत् । तनुर् अष्टांशशेषत्वान् मृद्वातपमनोहरः
At that time, in that city, the day was pleasant, with only an eighth part of its duration left, gentle and delightful with a soft breeze.
सायन्तनविधिं ते ते तत्कालोचितयेच्छया । अनयन् बन्धुभिस् सार्धं यावद् अस्तं ययौ रविः
They spent the evening according to the custom of the time, along with their relatives, until the sun set.
सन्ध्यां ववन्दिरे सुष्ठु जेपुश् चैवाघमर्षणम् । पेठुस् स्तोत्राणि पुण्यानि जगुर् गाथा मनोरमाः
They reverently performed the evening worship, recited the Aghamarṣaṇa hymn, sang auspicious praises, and chanted charming songs.
ततश् चाभ्युदिते श्यामाकामिनीशोकहारिणि । क्षीरोदाद् इव माहेन्द्र्यां चन्द्रे ऽवश्यायदायिनि
Then, as the moon—remover of the sorrow of dark-eyed women—rose, spreading dew like the celestial moon from the ocean of milk,