The Binding of the Horse by Lava

Verse 1 (padma.5.54.1)

शेष उवाच। गतः प्रातःक्रियां कर्तुं समिधस्तत्क्रियार्हकाः । आनेतुं जानकीसूनुर्वृतो मुनिसुतैर्लवः

śeṣa uvāca gataḥ prātaḥkriyāṁ kartuṁ samidhastatkriyārhakāḥ ānetuṁ jānakīsūnurvṛto munisutairlavaḥ

Shesha said: Janaki's son Lava, going out to gather firewood fit for the morning rites, surrounded by the sons of the sage —

Verse 2 (padma.5.54.2)

ददर्श तत्र यज्ञाश्वं स्वर्णपत्रेण चिह्नितम् । कुंकुमागरुकस्तूरी दिव्यगंधेन वासितम्

dadarśa tatra yajñāśvaṁ svarṇapatreṇa cihnitam kuṁkumāgarukastūrī divyagaṁdhena vāsitam

— there beheld the sacrificial horse, marked with a golden plate, perfumed with saffron, aloe-wood, and musk, in a divine fragrance.

Verse 3 (padma.5.54.3)

विलोक्य जातकुतुको मुनिपुत्रानुवाच सः । अर्वा कस्य मनोवेगः प्राप्तो दैवान्मदाश्रमम्

vilokya jātakutuko muniputrānuvāca saḥ arvā kasya manovegaḥ prāpto daivānmadāśramam

Seeing it, filled with curiosity, he said to the sons of the sage: "Whose is this horse, swift as thought, that has come by fate to my own hermitage?"

Verse 4 (padma.5.54.4)

आगच्छंतु मया सार्धं प्रेक्षंतां मा भयं कृथाः । इत्युक्त्वा स लवस्तूर्णं वाहस्य निकटे गतः

āgacchaṁtu mayā sārdhaṁ prekṣaṁtāṁ mā bhayaṁ kṛthāḥ ityuktvā sa lavastūrṇaṁ vāhasya nikaṭe gataḥ

"Come with me, behold it, and be not afraid." Having spoken thus, Lava swiftly went to the horse's side.

Verse 5 (padma.5.54.5)

स रराज समीपस्थो वाहस्य रघुवंशजः । धनुर्बाणधरः स्कंधे जयंत इव दुर्जयः

sa rarāja samīpastho vāhasya raghuvaṁśajaḥ dhanurbāṇadharaḥ skaṁdhe jayaṁta iva durjayaḥ

Standing near, that scion of the Raghu line, bow and arrows upon his shoulder, shone forth unconquerable as Jayanta himself.

Verse 6 (padma.5.54.6)

गत्वा मुनिसुतैः सार्धं वाचयामास पत्रकम् । भालस्थितं स्पष्टवर्णराजिराजितमुत्तमम्

gatvā munisutaiḥ sārdhaṁ vācayāmāsa patrakam bhālasthitaṁ spaṣṭavarṇarājirājitamuttamam

Going with the sons of the sage, he read that excellent plate resting upon the horse's forehead, resplendent with its clear rows of lettering.

Verse 7 (padma.5.54.7)

विवस्वतो महान्वंशः सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुतः । यत्र कोपि पराबाधी न परद्रव्यलंपटः

vivasvato mahānvaṁśaḥ sarvalokeṣu viśrutaḥ yatra kopi parābādhī na paradravyalaṁpaṭaḥ

"Great is the lineage of Vivasvat, renowned throughout all the worlds, in which no one oppresses another, nor is greedy for another's wealth."

Verse 8 (padma.5.54.8)

सूर्यवंशध्वजो धन्वी धनुर्दीक्षा गुरुर्गुरुः । यं देवाः सामराः सर्वे नमंति मणिमौलिभिः

sūryavaṁśadhvajo dhanvī dhanurdīkṣā gururguruḥ yaṁ devāḥ sāmarāḥ sarve namaṁti maṇimaulibhiḥ

"Banner of the solar line, wielder of the bow, teacher of teachers in the discipline of archery, whom all the gods, together with the immortals, honor with their jewelled crowns —"

Verse 9 (padma.5.54.9)

तस्यात्मजो वीर बलदर्पहारी रघूद्वहः । रामचंद्रो महाभागः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः

tasyātmajo vīra baladarpahārī raghūdvahaḥ rāmacaṁdro mahābhāgaḥ sarvaśūraśiromaṇiḥ

"— his son, the hero who breaks the pride of the mighty, that upholder of the Raghus, Ramachandra, of great fortune, crest-jewel of every brave man —"

Verse 10 (padma.5.54.10)

तन्माता कोशलनृपपुत्रीरत्नसमुद्भवा । तस्याः कुक्षिभवं रत्नं रामः शत्रुक्षयंकरः

tanmātā kośalanṛpaputrīratnasamudbhavā tasyāḥ kukṣibhavaṁ ratnaṁ rāmaḥ śatrukṣayaṁkaraḥ

"— his mother, born as the jewel-daughter of the king of Kosala; and the jewel born of her own womb is this very Rama, destroyer of his foes."

Verse 11 (padma.5.54.11)

करोति हयमेधं स ब्राह्मणेन सुशिक्षितः । रावणाभिधविप्रेंद्र वधपापापनुत्तये

karoti hayamedhaṁ sa brāhmaṇena suśikṣitaḥ rāvaṇābhidhavipreṁdra vadhapāpāpanuttaye

"Well instructed by brahmins, he now performs a horse-sacrifice for the removal of the sin of slaying that foremost brahmin named Ravana."

Verse 12 (padma.5.54.12)

मोचितस्तेन वाहानां मुख्योऽसौ याज्ञिको हयः । महाबलपरीवारो परिखाभिः सुरक्षितः

mocitastena vāhānāṁ mukhyo'sau yājñiko hayaḥ mahābalaparīvāro parikhābhiḥ surakṣitaḥ

"Released by him, this finest and most excellent of sacrificial horses, chief among all horses, attended by a mighty escort, guarded well by trenches —"

Verse 13 (padma.5.54.13)

तद्रक्षकोऽस्ति मद्भ्राता शत्रुघ्नो लवणांतकः । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातसंघसेनासमन्वितः

tadrakṣako'sti madbhrātā śatrughno lavaṇāṁtakaḥ hastyaśvarathapādātasaṁghasenāsamanvitaḥ

"— its guardian is my own brother, Shatrughna, destroyer of Lavana, accompanied by hosts of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers."

Verse 14 (padma.5.54.14)

यस्य राज्ञ इति श्रेष्ठो मानो जायेत्स्वकान्मदात् । शूरा वयं धनुर्धारि श्रेष्ठा वयमिहोत्कटाः

yasya rājña iti śreṣṭho māno jāyetsvakānmadāt śūrā vayaṁ dhanurdhāri śreṣṭhā vayamihotkaṭāḥ

"Whatever king, out of his own pride, deems himself supreme — 'we are heroes, we are bowmen, we are the finest and fiercest here' —"

Verse 15 (padma.5.54.15)

ते गृह्णंतु बलाद्वाहं रत्नमालाविभूषितम् । मनोवेगं कामजवं सर्वगत्याधिभास्वरम्

te gṛhṇaṁtu balādvāhaṁ ratnamālāvibhūṣitam manovegaṁ kāmajavaṁ sarvagatyādhibhāsvaram

"— let him seize by force this horse, adorned with a garland of jewels, swift as thought, swift as desire, resplendent in its every motion."

Verse 16 (padma.5.54.16)

ततो मोचयिता भ्राता शत्रुघ्नो लीलया हठात् । शरासनविनिर्मुक्त वत्सदंतकृतव्यथात्

tato mocayitā bhrātā śatrughno līlayā haṭhāt śarāsanavinirmukta vatsadaṁtakṛtavyathāt

"Then my own brother, Shatrughna, its liberator, shall with ease win it back by force, from bodies that have felt the sting of the calf-tooth arrows loosed by his bow —"

Verse 17 (padma.5.54.17)

ये क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियकन्यकायां । जाताश्च सत्क्षेत्रकुलेषु सत्सु । गृह्णंतु ते तद्विपरीतदेहा । नमंतु राज्यं रघवे निवेद्य

ye kṣatriyāḥ kṣatriyakanyakāyāṁ jātāśca satkṣetrakuleṣu satsu gṛhṇaṁtu te tadviparītadehā namaṁtu rājyaṁ raghave nivedya

"— only such kshatriyas as are born of kshatriya women, in the noblest of good families, may claim it; whoever is born otherwise, let him bow and offer his kingdom in submission to Raghava."

Verse 18 (padma.5.54.18)

इति संवाच्य कुपितो लवः शस्त्रधनुर्धरः । उवाच मुनिपुत्रांस्तान्रोषगद्गदभाषितः

iti saṁvācya kupito lavaḥ śastradhanurdharaḥ uvāca muniputrāṁstānroṣagadgadabhāṣitaḥ

Having spoken thus, Lava, enraged, weapon and bow in hand, said to those sons of the sage, his voice choked with fury —

Verse 19 (padma.5.54.19)

पश्यत क्षिप्रमेतस्य धृष्टत्वं क्षत्रियस्य वै । लिलेख यो भालपत्रे स्वप्रतापबलं नृपः

paśyata kṣiprametasya dhṛṣṭatvaṁ kṣatriyasya vai lilekha yo bhālapatre svapratāpabalaṁ nṛpaḥ

"Behold at once the sheer audacity of this kshatriya, who has written of his own might and prowess upon the very plate at his horse's forehead!"

Verse 20 (padma.5.54.20)

कोऽसौ रामः कः शत्रुघ्नः कीटाः स्वल्पबलाश्रिताः । क्षत्रियाणां कुले जाता एते न वयमुत्तमाः

ko'sau rāmaḥ kaḥ śatrughnaḥ kīṭāḥ svalpabalāśritāḥ kṣatriyāṇāṁ kule jātā ete na vayamuttamāḥ

"Who is this Rama, who this Shatrughna — mere insects resting on their trifling strength! Are not we ourselves the finest, born as we are of a kshatriya line?"

Verse 21 (padma.5.54.21)

एतस्य वीरसूर्माता जानकी न कुशप्रसूः । या रत्नं कुशसंज्ञं तु दधाराग्निमिवारणिः

etasya vīrasūrmātā jānakī na kuśaprasūḥ yā ratnaṁ kuśasaṁjñaṁ tu dadhārāgnimivāraṇiḥ

"This hero's mother, Janaki, was no mere bearer of Kusha — it was she who bore that jewel named Kusha, as the fire-stick bears the very flame."

Verse 22 (padma.5.54.22)

इदानीं क्षत्रियत्वादि दर्शयिष्यामि सर्वतः । यदि क्षत्रियभूरेष भविष्यति च शत्रुहा

idānīṁ kṣatriyatvādi darśayiṣyāmi sarvataḥ yadi kṣatriyabhūreṣa bhaviṣyati ca śatruhā

"Now I shall show my kshatriya-hood in every way, if this one is truly born of kshatriya blood and a slayer of his foes."

Verse 23 (padma.5.54.23)

गृहीष्यति मया बद्धं वाहं यज्ञक्रियोचितम् । नोचेत्क्षत्रत्वमुन्मुच्य कुशस्य चरणार्चकः

gṛhīṣyati mayā baddhaṁ vāhaṁ yajñakriyocitam nocetkṣatratvamunmucya kuśasya caraṇārcakaḥ

"Let him come and seize this horse, fit for the rite of sacrifice, now bound by me — or else cast off his kshatriya-hood and become a worshipper at Kusha's feet."

Verse 24 (padma.5.54.24)

अधुना मद्धनुर्मुक्तैः शरैः सुप्तो भविष्यति । अन्ये ये च महावीरा रणमंडलभूषणाः

adhunā maddhanurmuktaiḥ śaraiḥ supto bhaviṣyati anye ye ca mahāvīrā raṇamaṁḍalabhūṣaṇāḥ

"Now, by the arrows loosed from my own bow, he shall be laid to sleep — and so too any other great heroes who are the very ornament of the battlefield."

Verse 25 (padma.5.54.25)

इत्यादिवाक्यमुच्चार्य लवो जग्राह तं हयम् । तृणीकृत्य नृपान्सर्वांश्चापबाणधरो वरः

ityādivākyamuccārya lavo jagrāha taṁ hayam tṛṇīkṛtya nṛpānsarvāṁścāpabāṇadharo varaḥ

Having spoken these and other such words, Lava, that finest of bowmen, reckoning every king as mere straw, seized hold of the horse.

Verse 26 (padma.5.54.26)

तदा मुनिसुताः प्रोचुर्लवं हयजिहीर्षकम् । अयोध्यानृपती रामो महाबलपराक्रमः

tadā munisutāḥ procurlavaṁ hayajihīrṣakam ayodhyānṛpatī rāmo mahābalaparākramaḥ

Then the sons of the sage said to Lava, eager as he was to seize the horse: "Rama, lord of Ayodhya, is mighty in strength and valor —"

Verse 27 (padma.5.54.27)

तस्य वाहं न गृह्णाति शक्रोऽपि स्वबलोद्धतः । मा गृहाण शृणुष्वेदं मद्वाक्यं हितसंयुतम्

tasya vāhaṁ na gṛhṇāti śakro'pi svabaloddhataḥ mā gṛhāṇa śṛṇuṣvedaṁ madvākyaṁ hitasaṁyutam

"— even Indra, proud though he is of his own strength, does not seize his horse. Do not take it; heed this word of ours, spoken for your own good."

Verse 28 (padma.5.54.28)

इत्युक्तं स श्रुतौ धृत्वा जगाद स द्विजात्मजान् । यूयं बलं न जानीथ क्षत्रियाणां द्विजोत्तमाः

ityuktaṁ sa śrutau dhṛtvā jagāda sa dvijātmajān yūyaṁ balaṁ na jānītha kṣatriyāṇāṁ dvijottamāḥ

Hearing this, taking it in with his ears, he said to those sons of brahmins: "You do not know the strength of kshatriyas, O foremost of brahmins."

Verse 29 (padma.5.54.29)

क्षत्रिया वीर्यशौंडीर्या द्विजा भोजनशालिनः । तस्माद्यूयं गृहे गत्वा भुंजंतु जननी हृतम्

kṣatriyā vīryaśauṁḍīryā dvijā bhojanaśālinaḥ tasmādyūyaṁ gṛhe gatvā bhuṁjaṁtu jananī hṛtam

"Kshatriyas take pride in their own valorous might; brahmins are given to their meals. Go home, then, and eat what your own mother has brought you."

Verse 30 (padma.5.54.30)

इत्युक्तास्तेऽभवंस्तूष्णीं प्रेक्षंतस्तत्पराक्रमम् । लवस्य मुनिपुत्रास्ते संतस्थुर्दूरतो बहिः

ityuktāste'bhavaṁstūṣṇīṁ prekṣaṁtastatparākramam lavasya muniputrāste saṁtasthurdūrato bahiḥ

Hearing this, they fell silent, watching his prowess; and the sons of the sage stood apart from Lava, at a distance.

Verse 31 (padma.5.54.31)

एवं व्यतिकरे वृत्ते सेवकास्तस्य भूपतेः । आयातास्तं हयं बद्धं दृष्ट्वा प्रोचुस्तदा लवम्

evaṁ vyatikare vṛtte sevakāstasya bhūpateḥ āyātāstaṁ hayaṁ baddhaṁ dṛṣṭvā procustadā lavam

As this affair thus unfolded, the king's own servants, arriving there and seeing the horse bound, said to Lava —

Verse 32 (padma.5.54.32)

बबंध को हयमहो रुष्टः कस्य च धर्मराट् । को बाणव्रजमध्यस्थः प्राप्स्यते परमां व्यथाम्

babaṁdha ko hayamaho ruṣṭaḥ kasya ca dharmarāṭ ko bāṇavrajamadhyasthaḥ prāpsyate paramāṁ vyathām

"Who has bound this horse? At whose anger, against whose righteousness? Whoever stands in the midst of this rain of arrows shall find only the greatest suffering."

Verse 33 (padma.5.54.33)

तदा लवो जगादाशु मया बद्धोऽश्व उत्तमः । यो मोचयति तस्याशु रुष्टो भ्राता कुशो महान्

tadā lavo jagādāśu mayā baddho'śva uttamaḥ yo mocayati tasyāśu ruṣṭo bhrātā kuśo mahān

Then Lava said at once: "This finest of horses has been bound by me; whoever comes to free it shall meet the instant fury of my great brother Kusha."

Verse 34 (padma.5.54.34)

यमः करिष्यति किमु ह्यागतोऽपि स्वयं प्रभुः । नत्वा गमिष्यति क्षिप्रं शरवृष्ट्या सुतोषितः

yamaḥ kariṣyati kimu hyāgato'pi svayaṁ prabhuḥ natvā gamiṣyati kṣipraṁ śaravṛṣṭyā sutoṣitaḥ

"What indeed could even Yama himself do? Even if the Lord came here in person, he would bow, well satisfied by a rain of my arrows, and swiftly go his way."

Verse 35 (padma.5.54.35)

शेष उवाच। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य बालोयमिति तेब्रुवन् । समागता मोचयितुं हयं बद्धं तु ये हरेः

śeṣa uvāca iti vākyaṁ samākarṇya bāloyamiti tebruvan samāgatā mocayituṁ hayaṁ baddhaṁ tu ye hareḥ

Shesha said: Hearing this speech, saying, "He is but a child," those servants of Hari who had come to free the bound horse —

Verse 36 (padma.5.54.36)

तान्वैमोचयितुं प्राप्ताञ्छत्रुघ्नस्य च सेवकान् । कोदंडं करयोर्धृत्वा क्षुरप्रान्सममूमुचत्

tānvaimocayituṁ prāptāñchatrughnasya ca sevakān kodaṁḍaṁ karayordhṛtvā kṣuraprānsamamūmucat

— seeing those servants of Shatrughna coming to release it, he took his bow in both hands and let loose at once a whole shower of crescent-headed arrows.

Verse 37 (padma.5.54.37)

ते छिन्नबाहवः शोकाच्छत्रुघ्नं प्रतिसंगताः । पृष्टास्ते जगदुः सर्वे लवात्स्वभुजकृंतनम्

te chinnabāhavaḥ śokācchatrughnaṁ pratisaṁgatāḥ pṛṣṭāste jagaduḥ sarve lavātsvabhujakṛṁtanam

Their arms severed, grieving, they returned to Shatrughna; and, questioned by him, they all told him how Lava had cut off their arms.