Vasishtha Summons the Assembly

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.81.1)

ततः नान्दी मुखीम् रात्रिम् भरतम् सूत मागधाः। तुष्टुवुर् वाग् विशेषज्ञाः स्तवैः मन्गल सम्हितैः॥ 81.1 ॥

tataḥ nāndī mukhīm rātrim bharatam sūta māgadhāḥ| tuṣṭuvur vāg viśeṣajñāḥ stavaiḥ maṅgala saṃhitaiḥ

Then, on that night before the Naandimukha rite, the bards and panegyrists, masters of speech, extolled Bharata with auspicious hymns of praise.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.81.2)

सुवर्ण कोण अभिहतः प्राणदद् याम दुन्दुभिः। दध्मुः शन्खामः च शतशो वाद्यामः च उच्च अवच स्वरान्॥ 81.2 ॥

suvarṇa koṇa abhihataḥ prāṇadad yāma dundubhiḥ| dadhmuḥ śaṅkhāmaḥ ca śataśo vādyāmaḥ ca ucca avaca svarān

The hour-drum, struck with a golden mallet, resounded, and hundreds of conches and instruments of every high and low pitch were sounded.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.81.3)

स तूर्य घोषः सुमहान् दिवम् आपूरयन्न् इव। भरतम् शोक सम्तप्तम् भूयः शोकैः अरन्ध्रयत्॥ 81.3 ॥

sa tūrya ghoṣaḥ sumahān divam āpūrayann iva| bharatam śoka saṃtaptam bhūyaḥ śokaiḥ arandhrayat

That mighty roar of instruments, as though filling the very sky, further afflicted Bharata—already burning with grief—with fresh anguish.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.81.4)

ततः प्रबुद्धो भरतः तम् घोषम् सम्निवर्त्य च। न अहम् राजा इति च अपि उक्त्वा शत्रुघ्नम् इदम् अब्रवीत्॥ 81.4 ॥

tataḥ prabuddho bharataḥ tam ghoṣam saṃnivartya ca| na aham rājā iti ca api uktvā śatrughnam idam abravīt

Then the awakened Bharata had that clamour stopped, and declaring, "I am not the king," spoke thus to Shatrughna:

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.81.5)

पश्य शत्रुघ्न कैकेय्या लोकस्य अपकृतम् महत्। विसृज्य मयि दुह्खानि राजा दशरथो गतः॥ 81.5 ॥

paśya śatrughna kaikeyyā lokasya apakṛtam mahat| visṛjya mayi duḥkhāni rājā daśaratho gataḥ

"Behold, Shatrughna, what a great wrong Kaikeyi has done to the world! King Dasharatha has departed, leaving all these sorrows upon me."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.81.6)

तस्य एषा धर्म राजस्य धर्म मूला महात्मनः। परिभ्रमति राज श्रीर् नौर् इव अकर्णिका जले॥ 81.6 ॥

tasya eṣā dharma rājasya dharma mūlā mahātmanaḥ| paribhramati rāja śrīr naur iva akarṇikā jale

This royal fortune, whose very foundation was the righteousness of that great and pious king, now drifts helplessly, like a rudderless boat upon the water.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.81.7)

यो हि नः सुमहान्नाथः सोऽपि प्रव्राजितो वनम्। अनया धर्ममुत्सृज्य मात्रा मे राघवः स्वयम्॥ 81.7 ॥

yo hi naḥ sumahānnāthaḥ so'pi pravrājito vanam| anayā dharmamutsṛjya mātrā me rāghavaḥ svayam

He who was our mighty protector—that very Raghava—has himself been driven out to the forest by this mother of mine, who cast off righteousness."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.81.8)

इति एवम् भरतम् प्रेक्ष्य विलपन्तम् विचेतनम्। कृपणम् रुरुदुः सर्वाः सस्वरम् योषितः तदा॥ 81.8 ॥

iti evam bharatam prekṣya vilapantam vicetanam| kṛpaṇam ruruduḥ sarvāḥ sasvaram yoṣitaḥ tadā

Seeing Bharata lamenting in this way, bereft of his senses and pitiable to behold, all the women there wept aloud together.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.81.9)

तथा तस्मिन् विलपति वसिष्ठो राज धर्मवित्। सभाम् इक्ष्वाकु नाथस्य प्रविवेश महा यशाः॥ 81.9 ॥

tathā tasmin vilapati vasiṣṭho rāja dharmavit| sabhām ikṣvāku nāthasya praviveśa mahā yaśāḥ

While he lamented thus, the illustrious Vasishtha, versed in the laws of kings, entered the assembly-hall of the lord of the Ikshvakus.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.81.10)

शात कुम्भमयीम् रम्याम् मणि रत्न समाकुलाम्। सुधर्माम् इव धर्म आत्मा सगणः प्रत्यपद्यत॥ 81.10 ॥

śāta kumbhamayīm ramyām maṇi ratna samākulām| sudharmām iva dharma ātmā sagaṇaḥ pratyapadyata

That righteous-souled sage, together with his followers, entered that lovely hall of gold, thronging with gems and jewels, as if it were Sudharma, the very assembly-hall of the gods.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.81.11)

स कान्चनमयम् पीठम् पर अर्ध्य आस्तरण आवृतम्। अध्यास्त सर्व वेदज्ञो दूतान् अनुशशास च॥ 81.11 ॥

sa kāñcanamayam pīṭham para ardhya āstaraṇa āvṛtam| adhyāsta sarva vedajño dūtān anuśaśāsa ca

He, the knower of all the Vedas, seated himself upon a golden throne spread with the richest of coverings, and gave his commands to the messengers:

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.81.12)

ब्राह्मणान् क्षत्रियान् योधान् अमात्यान् गण बल्लभान्। क्षिप्रम् आनयत अव्यग्राः कृत्यम् आत्ययिकम् हि नः॥ 81.12 ॥

brāhmaṇān kṣatriyān yodhān amātyān gaṇa ballabhān| kṣipram ānayata avyagrāḥ kṛtyam ātyayikam hi naḥ

"Quickly, yet calmly, bring here the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the warriors, the ministers, and the leaders of the troops; for there is an urgent task before us."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.81.13)

सराजभृत्यम् शत्रुघ्नम् भरतम् च यश्स्विनम्। युधाजितम् सुमन्त्रम् च ये च तत्र हिता जनाः॥ 81.13 ॥

sarājabhṛtyam śatrughnam bharatam ca yaśasvinam| yudhājitam sumantram ca ye ca tatra hitā janāḥ

"Bring Shatrughna together with the royal attendants, the illustrious Bharata, Yudhajit, Sumantra, and all those there who are well-wishers of the realm."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.81.14)

ततः हलहला शब्दो महान् समुदपद्यत। रथैः अश्वैः गजैः च अपि जनानाम् उपगच्चताम्॥ 81.14 ॥

tataḥ halahalā śabdo mahān samudapadyata| rathaiḥ aśvaiḥ gajaiḥ ca api janānām upagacchatām

Then a great tumult of sound arose, as people came flocking on chariots, on horses, and on elephants.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.81.15)

ततः भरतम् आयान्तम् शत क्रतुम् इव अमराः। प्रत्यनन्दन् प्रकृतयो यथा दशरथम् तथा॥ 81.15 ॥

tataḥ bharatam āyāntam śata kratum iva amarāḥ| pratyanandan prakṛtayo yathā daśaratham tathā

Then the subjects welcomed the arriving Bharata just as they once welcomed Dasharatha, and as the immortals welcome Indra, the lord of a hundred sacrifices.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.81.16)

ह्रदैव तिमि नाग सम्वृतः। स्तिमित जलो मणि शन्ख शर्करः। दशरथ सुत शोभिता सभा। सदशरथा इव बभौ यथा पुरा॥ 81.16 ॥

hrada iva timi nāga saṃvṛtaḥ| stimita jalo maṇi śaṅkha śarkaraḥ| daśaratha suta śobhitā sabhā| sadaśarathā iva babhau yathā purā

Like a lake of still waters, thronging with great fish and serpents, strewn with gems, shells, and sand, that assembly, made splendid now by Dasharatha's son, shone forth again as it once had in the presence of Dasharatha himself.