The Sight of Chitrakuta

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.93.1)

तया महत्या यायिन्या ध्वजिन्या वनवासिनः। अर्दिता यूथपा मत्ताः सयूथाः संप्रदुद्रुवुः॥ 93.1 ॥

tayā mahatyā yāyinyā dhvajinyā vanavāsinaḥ| arditā yūthapā mattāḥ sayūthāḥ saṃpradudruvuḥ

Harassed by that vast, marching, banner-decked army, the forest-dwelling herd-leaders, maddened, fled together with their herds.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.93.2)

ऋक्षाः पृषतसंघाः च रुरवः च समन्ततः। दृश्यन्ते वनराजीषु गिरिषु अपि नदीषु च॥ 93.2 ॥

ṛkṣāḥ pṛṣatasaṃghāḥ ca ruravaḥ ca samantataḥ| dṛśyante vanarājīṣu giriṣu api nadīṣu ca

Bears, herds of spotted deer, and ruru-deer could be seen everywhere — in the forest rows, on the hills, and by the rivers.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.93.3)

स संप्रतस्थे धर्मात्मा प्रीतो दशरथात्मजः। वृतो महत्या नादिन्या सेनया चतुरङ्गया॥ 93.3 ॥

sa saṃpratasthe dharmātmā prīto daśarathātmajaḥ| vṛto mahatyā nādinyā senayā caturaṅgayā

That righteous son of Dasharatha, joyful, marched onward, surrounded by his vast, thundering, four-fold army.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.93.4)

सागरौघनिभा सेना भरतस्य महात्मनः। महीम् संछादयाम् आस प्रावृषि द्याम् इव अम्बुदः॥ 93.4 ॥

sāgaraughanibhā senā bharatasya mahātmanaḥ| mahīm saṃchādayām āsa prāvṛṣi dyām iva ambudaḥ

The army of the great-souled Bharata, resembling the surge of the ocean, covered the earth as clouds cover the sky in the rainy season.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.93.5)

तुरंगौघैर् अवतता वारणैः च महाजवैः। अनालक्ष्या चिरं कालम् तस्मिन् काले बभूव भूः॥ 93.5 ॥

turaṃgaughair avatatā vāraṇaiḥ ca mahājavaiḥ| anālakṣyā ciraṃ kālam tasmin kāle babhūva bhūḥ

Overspread with floods of horses and swift-moving elephants, the earth became invisible for a long time.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.93.6)

स यात्वा दूरम् अध्वानम् सुपरिश्रान्तवाहनः। उवाच भरतः श्रीमान् वसिष्ठम् मन्त्रिणाम् वरम्॥ 93.6 ॥

sa yātvā dūram adhvānam supariśrāntavāhanaḥ| uvāca bharataḥ śrīmān vasiṣṭham mantriṇām varam

Having traveled a long stretch of the road, his mounts now thoroughly wearied, the glorious Bharata said to Vasishtha, the foremost of his counsellors:

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.93.7)

यादृशम् लक्ष्यते रूपम् यथा चैव श्रुतम् मया। व्यक्तम् प्राप्ताः स्म तम् देशम् भरद्वाजो यम् अब्रवीत्॥ 93.7 ॥

yādṛśam lakṣyate rūpam yathā caiva śrutam mayā| vyaktam prāptāḥ sma tam deśam bharadvājo yam abravīt

"Judging by the appearance before us and by what I have heard, it is clear that we have reached the very place Bharadwaja described."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.93.8)

अयम् गिरिः चित्रकूटः तथा मन्दाकिनी नदी। एतत् प्रकाशते दूरान् नीलमेघनिभम् वनम्॥ 93.8 ॥

ayam giriḥ citrakūṭaḥ tathā mandākinī nadī| etat prakāśate dūrān nīlameghanibham vanam

"This is the mountain Chitrakuta, and this the river Mandakini; from a distance, this forest shines like a dark blue cloud."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.93.9)

गिरेः सानूनि रम्याणि चित्रकूटस्य संप्रति। वारणैर् अवमृद्यन्ते मामकैः पर्वतोपमैः॥ 93.9 ॥

gireḥ sānūni ramyāṇi citrakūṭasya saṃprati| vāraṇair avamṛdyante māmakaiḥ parvatopamaiḥ

"Even now the lovely ridges of Chitrakuta mountain are being trampled by my own elephants, themselves like moving mountains."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.93.10)

मुन्चन्ति कुसुमान्य् एते नगाः पर्वतसानुषु। नीला इव आतपापाये तोयम् तोयधरा घनाः॥ 93.10 ॥

muncanti kusumāny ete nagāḥ parvatasānuṣu| nīlā iva ātapāpāye toyam toyadharā ghanāḥ

"These trees on the mountain-ridges are shedding their flowers, as dark, dense rain-clouds release their water when the sun's heat departs."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.93.11)

किन्नराचरितोद्देशम् पश्य शत्रुघ्न पर्वतम्। हयैः समन्ताद् आकीर्णम् मकरैर् इव सागरम्॥ 93.11 ॥

kinnarācaritoddeśam paśya śatrughna parvatam| hayaiḥ samantād ākīrṇam makarair iva sāgaram

"See, Shatrughna, this mountain once roamed by kinnaras, now covered all about with horses, as the ocean is filled with crocodiles."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.93.12)

एते मृगगणा भान्ति शीघ्रवेगाः प्रचोदिताः। वायुप्रविद्धाः शरदि मेघराज्य इव अम्बरे॥ 93.12 ॥

ete mṛgagaṇā bhānti śīghravegāḥ pracoditāḥ| vāyupraviddhāḥ śaradi megharājya iva ambare

"These herds of deer, startled into swift flight, look like masses of autumn clouds driven across the sky by the wind."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.93.13)

कुर्वन्ति कुसुमापीडान् शिरःसु सुरभीन् अमी। मेघप्रकाशैः फलकैर् दाक्षिणात्या यथा नराः॥ 93.13 ॥

kurvanti kusumāpīḍān śiraḥsu surabhīn amī| meghaprakāśaiḥ phalakair dākṣiṇātyā yathā narāḥ

"These trees, with their bright shield-like leaves, seem to wear fragrant flower-crowns upon their heads, like men of the southern lands."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.93.14)

निष्कूजम् इव भूत्वा इदम् वनम् घोरप्रदर्शनम्। अयोध्या इव जनाकीर्णा संप्रति प्रतिभाति मा॥ 93.14 ॥

niṣkūjam iva bhūtvā idam vanam ghorapradarśanam| ayodhyā iva janākīrṇā saṃprati pratibhāti mā

"This forest, once silent and terrible to behold, now seems to me like Ayodhya itself, thronging with people."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.93.15)

खुरैर् उदीरितो रेणुर् दिवम् प्रच्छाद्य तिष्ठति। तम् वहत्य् अनिलः शीघ्रम् कुर्वन्न् इव मम प्रियम्॥ 93.15 ॥

khurair udīrito reṇur divam pracchādya tiṣṭhati| tam vahaty anilaḥ śīghram kurvann iva mama priyam

"The dust raised by the hooves rises to cover the very sky, yet the wind sweeps it swiftly away, as though eager to please me."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.93.16)

स्यन्दनान् तुरगोपेतान् सूतमुख्यैर् अधिष्ठितान्। एतान् संपततः शीघ्रम् पश्य शत्रुघ्न कानने॥ 93.16 ॥

syandanān turagopetān sūtamukhyair adhiṣṭhitān| etān saṃpatataḥ śīghram paśya śatrughna kānane

"See, Shatrughna, these chariots yoked to horses, driven by master charioteers, rushing swiftly through this forest."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.93.17)

एतान् वित्रासितान् पश्य बर्हिणः प्रियदर्शनान्। एतम् आविशतः शैलम् अधिवासम् पतत्रिणाम्॥ 93.17 ॥

etān vitrāsitān paśya barhiṇaḥ priyadarśanān| etam āviśataḥ śailam adhivāsam patatriṇām

"See these lovely peacocks, startled, fleeing into the mountain, the very dwelling-place of birds."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.93.18)

अतिमात्रम् अयम् देशो मनोज्ञः प्रतिभाति मा। तापसानाम् निवासो अयम् व्यक्तम् स्वर्गपथो यथा॥ 93.18 ॥

atimātram ayam deśo manojñaḥ pratibhāti mā| tāpasānām nivāso ayam vyaktam svargapatho yathā

"This land seems to me exceedingly beautiful; it is clearly a dwelling of ascetics, and like the very path to heaven."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.93.19)

मृगा मृगीभिः सहिता बहवः पृषता वने। मनोज्ञरूपा लक्ष्यन्ते कुसुमैर् इव चित्रिताः॥ 93.19 ॥

mṛgā mṛgībhiḥ sahitā bahavaḥ pṛṣatā vane| manojñarūpā lakṣyante kusumair iva citritāḥ

"Many spotted deer, together with their does, of enchanting form, are seen in this forest, as if painted over with flowers."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.93.20)

साधु सैन्याः प्रतिष्ठन्ताम् विचिन्वन्तु च काननम्। यथा तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ दृश्येते रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ 93.20 ॥

sādhu sainyāḥ pratiṣṭhantām vicinvantu ca kānanam| yathā tau puruṣavyāghrau dṛśyete rāmalakṣmaṇau

"Let the soldiers now go forth well and search through this forest, so that those two tigers among men, Rama and Lakshmana, may be found."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.93.21)

भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पुरुषाः शस्त्रपाणयः। विविशुः तद् वनम् शूराः धूमम् च ददृशुः ततः॥ 93.21 ॥

bharatasya vacaḥ śrutvā puruṣāḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ| viviśuḥ tad vanam śūrāḥ dhūmam ca dadṛśuḥ tataḥ

Hearing Bharata's words, the brave men, weapons in hand, entered that forest, and there they saw a plume of smoke.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.93.22)

ते समालोक्य धूमाग्रम् ऊचुर् भरतम् आगताः। न अमनुष्ये भवत्य् अग्निः व्यक्तम् अत्र एव राघवौ॥ 93.22 ॥

te samālokya dhūmāgram ūcur bharatam āgatāḥ| na amanuṣye bhavaty agniḥ vyaktam atra eva rāghavau

Seeing that column of smoke, they returned and said to Bharata: "Fire does not burn in an uninhabited place — clearly, the two Raghavas are right here."

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.93.23)

अथ न अत्र नरव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रौ परन्तपौ। अन्ये रामोपमाः सन्ति व्यक्तम् अत्र तपस्विनः॥ 93.23 ॥

atha na atra naravyāghrau rājaputrau parantapau| anye rāmopamāḥ santi vyaktam atra tapasvinaḥ

"And if those two tigers among men, the foe-scorching princes, are not here, then clearly there are other ascetics here, the equal of Rama."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.93.24)

तत् श्रुत्वा भरतः तेषाम् वचनम् साधुसम्मतम्। सैन्यान् उवाच सर्वान् तान् अमित्रबलमर्दनः॥ 93.24 ॥

tat śrutvā bharataḥ teṣām vacanam sādhusammatam| sainyān uvāca sarvān tān amitrabalamardanaḥ

Hearing their well-reasoned words, Bharata, the crusher of enemy forces, said to all the soldiers:

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.93.25)

यत्र भवन्तः तिष्ठन्तु न इतो गन्तव्यम् अग्रतः। अहम् एव गमिष्यामि सुमन्त्रो गुरुर् एव च॥ 93.25 ॥

yatra bhavantaḥ tiṣṭhantu na ito gantavyam agrataḥ| aham eva gamiṣyāmi sumantro gurur eva ca

"Stay right where you are; none shall go further from here. I alone shall go on, together with Sumantra and my preceptor."

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.93.26)

एवम् उक्ताः ततः सर्वे तत्र तस्थुः समन्ततः। भरतो यत्र धूमाग्रम् तत्र दृष्टिम् समादधत्॥ 93.26 ॥

evam uktāḥ tataḥ sarve tatra tasthuḥ samantataḥ| bharato yatra dhūmāgram tatra dṛṣṭim samādadhat

So instructed, all of them halted there together, while Bharata fixed his gaze upon that column of smoke.

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.93.27)

व्यवस्थिता या भरतेन सा चमूः। निरीक्षमाणा अपि च धूमम् अग्रतः। बभूव हृष्टा नचिरेण जानती। प्रियस्य रामस्य समागमम् तदा॥ 93.27 ॥

vyavasthitā yā bharatena sā camūḥ| nirīkṣamāṇā api ca dhūmam agrataḥ| babhūva hṛṣṭā nacireṇa jānatī| priyasya rāmasya samāgamam tadā

That army, halted by Bharata's order, though only gazing at the smoke ahead, was already filled with joy, sensing that the meeting with their beloved Rama was now near at hand.