The Beauty of the Mandakini

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.95.1)

अथ शैलाद् विनिष्क्रम्य मैथिलीम् कोसलेश्वरः। अदर्शयत् शुभजलाम् रम्याम् मन्दाकिनीम् नदीम्॥ 95.1 ॥

atha śailād viniṣkramya maithilīm kosaleśvaraḥ| adarśayat śubhajalām ramyām mandākinīm nadīm

Then, coming down from the mountain, Rama, lord of Kosala, showed the princess of Mithila the lovely river Mandakini with its auspicious waters.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.95.2)

अब्रवीच् च वरारोहाम् चारुचन्द्रनिभाननाम्। विदेहराजस्य सुताम् रामो राजीवलोचनः॥ 95.2 ॥

abravīc ca varārohām cārucandranibhānanām| videharājasya sutām rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ

And lotus-eyed Rama spoke to that daughter of the king of Videha, of lovely form and a face like the graceful moon:

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.95.3)

विचित्रपुलिनाम् रम्याम् हंससारससेविताम्। कुसुमैर् उपसंपन्नाम् पश्य मन्दाकिनीम् नदीम्॥ 95.3 ॥

vicitrapulinām ramyām haṃsasārasasevitām| kusumair upasaṃpannām paśya mandākinīm nadīm

"See the river Mandakini, lovely, with its many-hued sandy banks, frequented by swans and cranes, and adorned with flowers."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.95.4)

नानाविधैः तीररुहैर् वृताम् पुष्पफलद्रुमैः। राजन्तीम् राजराजस्य नलिनीम् इव सर्वतः॥ 95.4 ॥

nānāvidhaiḥ tīraruhair vṛtām puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ| rājantīm rājarājasya nalinīm iva sarvataḥ

"Bordered on every side by trees of many kinds along its banks, laden with flowers and fruit, it shines everywhere like Kubera's own Nalini lake."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.95.5)

मृगयूथनिपीतानि कलुषाम्भांसि साम्प्रतम्। तीर्थानि रमणीयानि रतिम् संजनयन्ति मे॥ 95.5 ॥

mṛgayūthanipītāni kaluṣāmbhāṃsi sāmpratam| tīrthāni ramaṇīyāni ratim saṃjanayanti me

"These lovely fords, their waters now made turbid where herds of deer have drunk, awaken delight in me."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.95.6)

जटाजिनधराः काले वल्कलोत्तरवाससः। ऋषयः तु अवगाहन्ते नदीम् मन्दाकिनीम् प्रिये॥ 95.6 ॥

jaṭājinadharāḥ kāle valkalottaravāsasaḥ| ṛṣayaḥ tu avagāhante nadīm mandākinīm priye

"Dear one, at the proper hour, sages wearing matted locks and deerskins, clothed in bark garments, bathe in this river Mandakini."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.95.7)

आदित्यम् उपतिष्ठन्ते नियमाद् ऊर्ध्वबाहवः। एते अपरे विशालाक्षि मुनयः संशितव्रताः॥ 95.7 ॥

ādityam upatiṣṭhante niyamād ūrdhvabāhavaḥ| ete apare viśālākṣi munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

"O wide-eyed one, and here are other sages, of strict vows, who stand worshipping the sun, their arms raised, in accordance with their discipline."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.95.8)

मारुतोद्धूतशिखरैः प्रनृत्त इव पर्वतः। पादपैः पत्रपुष्पाणि सृजद्भिर् अभितो नदीम्॥ 95.8 ॥

mārutoddhūtaśikharaiḥ pranṛtta iva parvataḥ| pādapaiḥ patrapuṣpāṇi sṛjadbhir abhito nadīm

"With its treetops tossed by the wind, shedding leaves and flowers all around the river, the mountain seems as though it were dancing."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.95.9)

कच्चिन् मणिनिकाशोदाम् कच्चित् पुलिनशालिनीम्। कच्चित् सिद्धजनाकीर्णाम् पश्य मन्दाकिनीम् नदीम्॥ 95.9 ॥

kaccin maṇinikāśodām kaccit pulinaśālinīm| kaccit siddhajanākīrṇām paśya mandākinīm nadīm

"See how, in one place, the river Mandakini has water clear as crystal; in another, lovely sandbanks; and in yet another, is thronged with siddhas."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.95.10)

निर्धूतान् वायुना पश्य विततान् पुष्पसंचयान्। पोप्लूयमानान् अपरान् पश्य त्वम् जलमध्यगान्॥ 95.10 ॥

nirdhūtān vāyunā paśya vitatān puṣpasaṃcayān| poplūyamānān aparān paśya tvam jalamadhyagān

"See these heaps of flowers, shaken loose and scattered by the wind, and see others still, floating along there in the middle of the water."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.95.11)

तांश्च अतिवल्गुवचसो रथाङ्गाह्वयना द्विजाः। अधिरोहन्ति कल्याणि निष्कूजन्तः शुभा गिरः॥ 95.11 ॥

tāṃśca ativalguvacaso rathāṅgāhvayanā dvijāḥ| adhirohanti kalyāṇi niṣkūjantaḥ śubhā giraḥ

"And, O auspicious one, the ruddy geese, calling to one another in their sweet, murmuring voices, climb upon those very flowers onto the bank."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.95.12)

दर्शनम् चित्रकूटस्य मन्दाकिन्याः च शोभने। अधिकम् पुरवासाच् च मन्ये च तव दर्शनात्॥ 95.12 ॥

darśanam citrakūṭasya mandākinyāḥ ca śobhane| adhikam puravāsāc ca manye ca tava darśanāt

"O lovely one, I count this sight of Chitrakuta and of the Mandakini, together with the sight of you, as greater than dwelling in the city."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.95.13)

विधूतकलुषैः सिद्धैः तपोदमशमान्वितैः। नित्यविक्षोभितजलाम् विगाहस्व मया सह॥ 95.13 ॥

vidhūtakaluṣaiḥ siddhaiḥ tapodamaśamānvitaiḥ| nityavikṣobhitajalām vigāhasva mayā saha

"Enter with me these waters, forever stirred by siddhas free of all impurity, endowed with austerity, self-control and tranquillity."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.95.14)

सखीवच् च विगाहस्व सीते मन्दाकिनीम् इमाम्। कमलान्य् अवमज्जन्ती पुष्कराणि च भामिनि॥ 95.14 ॥

sakhīvac ca vigāhasva sīte mandākinīm imām| kamalāny avamajjantī puṣkarāṇi ca bhāmini

"Sita, bathe in this Mandakini as though it were a dear friend, O radiant one, plunging the lotuses and lilies beneath the water."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.95.15)

त्वम् पौरजनवद् व्यालान् अयोध्याम् इव पर्वतम्। मन्यस्व वनिते नित्यम् सरयूवद् इमाम् नदीम्॥ 95.15 ॥

tvam paurajanavad vyālān ayodhyām iva parvatam| manyasva vanite nityam sarayūvad imām nadīm

"Dear one, think of the wild creatures here as your own townsfolk, this mountain as Ayodhya itself, and this river always as the Sarayu."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.95.16)

लक्ष्मणः चैव धर्मात्मा मन्निदेशे व्यवस्थितः। त्वम् च अनुकूला वैदेहि प्रीतिम् जनयथो मम॥ 95.16 ॥

lakṣmaṇaḥ caiva dharmātmā mannideśe vyavasthitaḥ| tvam ca anukūlā vaidehi prītim janayatho mama

"The righteous Lakshmana stands ever obedient to my word, and you too, Vaidehi, being so devoted, fill my heart with joy."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.95.17)

उपस्पृशामः त्रिषवणम् मधुमूलफलाशनः। न अयोध्यायै न राज्याय स्पृहये अद्य त्वया सह॥ 95.17 ॥

upaspṛśāmaḥ triṣavaṇam madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ| na ayodhyāyai na rājyāya spṛhaye adya tvayā saha

"Bathing three times a day, living on honey, roots and fruit — with you beside me, I long neither for Ayodhya nor for the kingdom now."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.95.18)

इमाम् हि रम्याम् गजयूथलोलिताम्। निपीततोयाम् गजसिंहवानरैः। सुपुष्पितैः पुष्पधरैर् अलंकृताम्। न सो अस्ति यः स्यान् न गतक्रमः सुखी॥ 95.18 ॥

imām hi ramyām gajayūthalolitām| nipītatoyām gajasiṃhavānaraiḥ| supuṣpitaiḥ puṣpadharair alaṃkṛtām| na so asti yaḥ syān na gatakramaḥ sukhī

"There is no one who, coming to this lovely river — stirred by herds of elephants, its waters drunk by elephants, lions and monkeys, adorned with trees rich in blossom — would not walk away truly at peace."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.95.19)

इति एव रामो बहुसंगतम् वचः। प्रियासहायः सरितम् प्रति ब्रुवन्। चचार रम्यम् नयनाञ्जनप्रभम्। स चित्रकूटम् रघुवंशवर्धनः॥ 95.19 ॥

iti eva rāmo bahusaṃgatam vacaḥ| priyāsahāyaḥ saritam prati bruvan| cacāra ramyam nayanāñjanaprabham| sa citrakūṭam raghuvaṃśavardhanaḥ

Thus speaking these many fitting words about the river, in the company of his beloved, Rama, the increaser of the Raghu line, wandered over that lovely Chitrakuta, dark and gleaming as collyrium to the eye.