The Road to the Ganga

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.80.1)

अथ भूमि प्रदेशज्ञाः सूत्र कर्म विशारदाः। स्व कर्म अभिरताः शूराः खनका यन्त्रकाः तथा॥ 80.1 ॥

atha bhūmi pradeśajñāḥ sūtra karma viśāradāḥ| sva karma abhiratāḥ śūrāḥ khanakā yantrakāḥ tathā

Then those skilled in judging the nature of terrain, expert in the use of the measuring cord, valiant men devoted to their own tasks, diggers and machine-operators,

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.80.2)

कर्म अन्तिकाः स्थपतयः पुरुषा यन्त्र कोविदाः। तथा वर्धकयः चैव मार्गिणो वृक्ष तक्षकाः॥ 80.2 ॥

karma antikāḥ sthapatayaḥ puruṣā yantra kovidāḥ| tathā vardhakayaḥ caiva mārgiṇo vṛkṣa takṣakāḥ

labourers, master-builders, men skilled in machinery, carpenters, road-makers, and wood-cutters,

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.80.3)

कूप काराः सुधा कारा वंश कर्म कृतः तथा। समर्था ये च द्रष्टारः पुरतः ते प्रतस्थिरे॥ 80.3 ॥

kūpa kārāḥ sudhā kārā vaṃśa karma kṛtaḥ tathā| samarthā ye ca draṣṭāraḥ purataḥ te pratasthire

well-diggers, plasterers, bamboo-workers, and the capable overseers—all these set forth in advance.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.80.4)

स तु हर्षात् तम् उद्देशम् जन ओघो विपुलः प्रयान्। अशोभत महा वेगः सागरस्य इव पर्वणि॥ 80.4 ॥

sa tu harṣāt tam uddeśam jana ogho vipulaḥ prayān| aśobhata mahā vegaḥ sāgarasya iva parvaṇi

That vast flood of people, joyfully advancing toward that place, shone forth with mighty force, like the ocean surging on the day of the full moon.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.80.5)

ते स्व वारम् समास्थाय वर्त्म कर्माणि कोविदाः। करणैः विविध उपेतैः पुरस्तात् सम्प्रतस्थिरे॥ 80.5 ॥

te sva vāram samāsthāya vartma karmāṇi kovidāḥ| karaṇaiḥ vividha upetaiḥ purastāt sampratasthire

Those skilled in road-building, keeping to their own ranks and equipped with tools of every kind, marched ahead at the front.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.80.6)

लता वल्लीः च गुल्मामः च स्थाणून् अश्मनएव च। जनाः ते चक्रिरे मार्गम् चिन्दन्तः विविधान् द्रुमान्॥ 80.6 ॥

latā vallīḥ ca gulmāmaḥ ca sthāṇūn aśmanaeva ca| janāḥ te cakrire mārgam cindantaḥ vividhān drumān

Cutting down creepers and vines, thickets, tree-stumps, and rocks, and clearing away trees of every kind, those men carved out the road.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.80.7)

अवृक्षेषु च देशेषु केचित् वृक्षान् अरोपयन्। केचित् कुठारैअः टन्कैः च दात्रैः चिन्दन् क्वचित् क्वचित्॥ 80.7 ॥

avṛkṣeṣu ca deśeṣu kecit vṛkṣān aropayan| kecit kuṭhāraiaḥ ṭankaiḥ ca dātraiḥ cindan kvacit kvacit

In places bare of trees, some planted saplings; elsewhere, some cut through growth here and there with axes, hatchets, and sickles.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.80.8)

अपरे वीरण स्तम्बान् बलिनो बलवत्तराः। विधमन्ति स्म दुर्गाणि स्थलानि च ततः ततः॥ 80.8 ॥

apare vīraṇa stambān balino balavattarāḥ| vidhamanti sma durgāṇi sthalāni ca tataḥ tataḥ

Others, exceptionally strong, tore out tough clumps of virana grass and levelled the rugged ground here and there.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.80.9)

अपरे अपूरयन् कूपान् पांसुभिः श्वभ्रम् आयतम्। निम्न भागांस् तथा केचित् समामः चक्रुः समन्ततः॥ 80.9 ॥

apare apūrayan kūpān pāṃsubhiḥ śvabhram āyatam| nimna bhāgāṃs tathā kecit samāmaḥ cakruḥ samantataḥ

Others filled in pits and wide hollows with earth, while some levelled the low-lying stretches all around.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.80.10)

बबन्धुर् बन्धनीयामः च क्षोद्यान् संचुक्षुदुस् तदा। बिभिदुर् भेदनीयामः च तांस् तान् देशान् नराः तदा॥ 80.10 ॥

babandhur bandhanīyāmaḥ ca kṣodyān saṃcukṣudus tadā| bibhidur bhedanīyāmaḥ ca tāṃs tān deśān narāḥ tadā

Then the men dammed what could be dammed, pulverised what could be crushed, and broke through wherever a passage needed to be cut.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.80.11)

अचिरेण एव कालेन परिवाहान् बहु उदकान्। चक्रुर् बहु विध आकारान् सागर प्रतिमान् बहून्॥ 80.11 ॥

acireṇa eva kālena parivāhān bahu udakān| cakrur bahu vidha ākārān sāgara pratimān bahūn

In no long time they made many channels brimming with water, of many shapes, many of them resembling seas.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.80.12)

निर्जलेषु च देशेषु खानयामासुरुत्तमान्। उदपानान् बहुविधान् वेदिका परिमण्डितान्॥ 80.12 ॥

nirjaleṣu ca deśeṣu khānayāmāsuruttamān| udapānān bahuvidhān vedikā parimaṇḍitān

In waterless regions they had excellent wells of many kinds dug, each adorned round about with a platform.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.80.13)

ससुधा कुट्टिम तलः प्रपुष्पित मही रुहः। मत्त उद्घुष्ट द्विज गणः पताकाभिर् अलम्कृतः॥ 80.13 ॥

sasudhā kuṭṭima talaḥ prapuṣpita mahī ruhaḥ| matta udghuṣṭa dvija gaṇaḥ patākābhir alamkṛtaḥ

Its surface laid with plaster, lined with flowering trees, alive with the joyous cries of birds, and adorned with banners—

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.80.14)

चन्दन उदक संसिक्तः नाना कुसुम भूषितः। बह्व् अशोभत सेनायाः पन्थाः स्वर्ग पथ उपमः॥ 80.14 ॥

candana udaka saṃsiktaḥ nānā kusuma bhūṣitaḥ| bahv aśobhata senāyāḥ panthāḥ svarga patha upamaḥ

—sprinkled with sandal-scented water and decked with flowers of every kind, that road of the army shone forth greatly, like the very path of the celestials.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.80.15)

आज्ञाप्य अथ यथा आज्ञप्ति युक्ताः ते अधिकृता नराः। रमणीयेषु देशेषु बहु स्वादु फलेषु च॥ 80.15 ॥

ājñāpya atha yathā ājñapti yuktāḥ te adhikṛtā narāḥ| ramaṇīyeṣu deśeṣu bahu svādu phaleṣu ca

Then those officers appointed to the task, skilfully carrying out their instructions as directed, in charming spots abounding with sweet fruit—

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.80.16)

यो निवेशः तु अभिप्रेतः भरतस्य महात्मनः। भूयः तम् शोभयाम् आसुर् भूषाभिर् भूषण उपमम्॥ 80.16 ॥

yo niveśaḥ tu abhipretaḥ bharatasya mahātmanaḥ| bhūyaḥ tam śobhayām āsur bhūṣābhir bhūṣaṇa upamam

—further adorned, with rich decoration, the encampment intended for the high-souled Bharata, itself already like an ornament.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.80.17)

नक्षत्रेषु प्रशस्तेषु मुहूर्तेषु च तद्विदः। निवेशम् स्थापयाम् आसुर् भरतस्य महात्मनः॥ 80.17 ॥

nakṣatreṣu praśasteṣu muhūrteṣu ca tadvidaḥ| niveśam sthāpayām āsur bharatasya mahātmanaḥ

Under auspicious constellations and at propitious moments, those learned in such matters set up the encampment of the great-souled Bharata.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.80.18)

बहु पांसु चयाः च अपि परिखा परिवारिताः। तन्त्र इन्द्र कील प्रतिमाः प्रतोली वर शोभिताः॥ 80.18 ॥

bahu pāṃsu cayāḥ ca api parikhā parivāritāḥ| tantra indra kīla pratimāḥ pratolī vara śobhitāḥ

Those encampments, surrounded by high earthen ramparts and moats, adorned with splendid avenues bright as sapphire pillars,

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.80.19)

प्रासाद माला सम्युक्ताः सौध प्राकार सम्वृताः। पताका शोभिताः सर्वे सुनिर्मित महा पथाः॥ 80.19 ॥

prāsāda mālā samyuktāḥ saudha prākāra samvṛtāḥ| patākā śobhitāḥ sarve sunirmita mahā pathāḥ

joined by rows of mansions, enclosed with plastered ramparts, all decorated with banners, their great avenues finely built—

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.80.20)

विसर्पत्भिर् इव आकाशे विटन्क अग्र विमानकैः। समुच्च्रितैः निवेशाः ते बभुः शक्र पुर उपमाः॥ 80.20 ॥

visarpatbhir iva ākāśe viṭanka agra vimānakaiḥ| samuccritaiḥ niveśāḥ te babhuḥ śakra pura upamāḥ

—with their towering turrets seeming to glide across the sky, those encampments shone forth like the very city of Indra.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.80.21)

जाह्नवीम् तु समासाद्य विविध द्रुम काननाम्। शीतल अमल पानीयाम् महा मीन समाकुलाम्॥ 80.21 ॥

jāhnavīm tu samāsādya vividha druma kānanām| śītala amala pānīyām mahā mīna samākulām

The road at last reached the Ganga, flowing between forests of every kind of tree, its waters cool and clear, teeming with great fish.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.80.22)

सचन्द्र तारा गण मण्डितम् यथा। नभः क्षपायाम् अमलम् विराजते। नर इन्द्र मार्गः स तथा व्यराजत। क्रमेण रम्यः शुभ शिल्पि निर्मितः॥ 80.22 ॥

sacandra tārā gaṇa maṇḍitam yathā| nabhaḥ kṣapāyām amalam virājate| nara indra mārgaḥ sa tathā vyarājata| krameṇa ramyaḥ śubha śilpi nirmitaḥ

As the clear night sky shines, adorned with the moon and its host of stars, so too shone that royal road, gradually made beautiful by skilled craftsmen.