Yudhajit's Envoy and the Gandharva Campaign Proposed

Shloka 1 (uttara.100.1)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य युधाजित्केकयो नृपः । स्वगुरुं प्रेषयामास राघवाय महात्मने । गार्ग्यमङ्गिरसः पुत्रं ब्रह्मर्षिममितप्रभम् ।। ७.१००.१ ।।

kasyacit tv atha kālasya yudhājit kekayo nṛpaḥ | svaguruṃ preṣayām āsa rāghavāya mahātmane | gārgyam aṅgirasaḥ putraṃ brahmarṣim amitaprabham || 7.100.1 ||

After some time had passed, King Yudhajit of Kekaya sent his own preceptor to the great-souled Raghava -- the Brahmarshi Gargya, son of Angiras, of boundless splendor.

Shloka 2 (uttara.100.2)

दश चाश्वसहस्राणि प्रीतिदानमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.१००.२ ।।

daśa cāśvasahasrāṇi prītidānam anuttamam || 7.100.2 ||

Ten thousand horses too, a matchless gift of affection.

Shloka 3 (uttara.100.3)

कम्बलानि च रत्नानि चित्रवस्त्रमथोत्तमम् । रामाय प्रददौ राजा शुभान्याभरणानि च ।। ७.१००.३ ।।

kambalāni ca ratnāni citravastram athottamam | rāmāya pradadau rājā śubhāny ābharaṇāni ca || 7.100.3 ||

Blankets and gems, fine and excellent cloth, and auspicious ornaments too, that king sent to Rama.

Shloka 4 (uttara.100.4)

श्रुत्वा तु राघवो धीमान्महर्षिं गार्ग्यमागतम् । मातुलस्याश्वपतिनः प्रहितं तन्महाधनम् ।। ७.१००.४ ।।

śrutvā tu rāghavo dhīmān maharṣiṃ gārgyam āgatam | mātulasyāśvapatinaḥ prahitaṃ tan mahādhanam || 7.100.4 ||

When the wise Raghava heard that the great sage Gargya had arrived, bringing that great wealth sent by his maternal uncle, the lord of horses,

Shloka 5 (uttara.100.5)

प्रत्युद्गम्य च काकुत्स्थः क्रोशमात्रं सहानुजः । गार्ग्यं सम्पूजयामास यथा शक्रो बृहस्पतिम् ।। ७.१००.५ ।।

pratyudgamya ca kākutsthaḥ krośamātraṃ sahānujaḥ | gārgyaṃ sampūjayām āsa yathā śakro bṛhaspatim || 7.100.5 ||

Kakutstha, together with his brother, went out a full league to receive him, and honored Gargya just as Shakra honors Brihaspati.

Shloka 6 (uttara.100.6)

तथा सम्पूज्य तमृषिं तद्धनं प्रतिगृह्य च । पृष्ट्वा प्रतिपदं सर्वं कुशलं मातुलस्य च । उपविष्टं महाभागं रामः प्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे ।। ७.१००.६ ।।

tathā sampūjya tam ṛṣiṃ tad dhanaṃ pratigṛhya ca | pṛṣṭvā pratipadaṃ sarvaṃ kuśalaṃ mātulasya ca | upaviṣṭaṃ mahābhāgaṃ rāmaḥ praṣṭuṃ pracakrame || 7.100.6 ||

Having thus honored that sage and accepted the wealth, and having asked in every particular after his uncle's welfare, Rama, once the most fortunate Gargya had taken his seat, began to question him.

Shloka 7 (uttara.100.7)

किमाह मातुलो वाक्यं यदर्थं भगवानिह । प्राप्तो वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः साक्षादिव बृहस्पतिः ।। ७.१००.७ ।।

kim āha mātulo vākyaṃ yadarthaṃ bhagavān iha | prāpto vākyavidāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sākṣād iva bṛhaspatiḥ || 7.100.7 ||

"What word has my uncle sent, for the sake of which you, blessed one, foremost among those skilled in speech, as if Brihaspati himself, have come here?"

Shloka 8 (uttara.100.8)

रामस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा महर्षिः कार्यविस्तरम् । वक्तुमद्भुतसङ्काशं राघवायोपचक्रमे ।। ७.१००.८ ।।

rāmasya bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā maharṣiḥ kāryavistaram | vaktum adbhutasaṅkāśaṃ rāghavāyopacakrame || 7.100.8 ||

Hearing Rama's words, the great sage began to set forth to Raghava, in full, the wondrous business that had brought him.

Shloka 9 (uttara.100.9)

मातुलस्ते महाबाहो वाक्यमाह नरर्षभः । युधाजित्प्रीतिसंयुक्तं श्रूयतां यदि रोचते ।। ७.१००.९ ।।

mātulas te mahābāho vākyam āha nararṣabhaḥ | yudhājit prītisaṃyuktaṃ śrūyatāṃ yadi rocate || 7.100.9 ||

"O mighty-armed one, your uncle, that bull among men, Yudhajit, has sent this affectionate word; hear it, if it pleases you."

Shloka 10 (uttara.100.10)

अयं गन्धर्वविषयः फलमूलोपशोभितः । सिन्धोरुभयतः पार्श्वे देशः परमशोभनः ।। ७.१००.१० ।।

ayaṃ gandharvaviṣayaḥ phalamūlopaśobhitaḥ | sindhor ubhayataḥ pārśve deśaḥ paramaśobhanaḥ || 7.100.10 ||

"This land of the Gandharvas, adorned with fruits and roots, lying on both banks of the river Sindhu, is a most beautiful country."

Shloka 11 (uttara.100.11)

तं च रक्षन्ति गन्धर्वाः सायुधा युद्धकोविदाः । शैलूषस्य सुता वीर त्रिकोट्यो वै महाबलाः ।। ७.१००.११ ।।

taṃ ca rakṣanti gandharvāḥ sāyudhā yuddhakovidāḥ | śailūṣasya sutā vīra trikoṭyo vai mahābalāḥ || 7.100.11 ||

"But it is guarded, O hero, by the sons of Shailusha -- three crores of mighty Gandharvas, armed and skilled in war."

Shloka 12 (uttara.100.12)

तान्विनिर्जित्य काकुत्स्थ गन्धर्वनगरं शुभम् । निवेशय महाबोहो स्वे पुरे सुसमाहिते ।। ७.१००.१२ ।।

tān vinirjitya kākutstha gandharvanagaraṃ śubham | niveśaya mahābāho sve pure susamāhite || 7.100.12 ||

"Conquer them, O Kakutstha, and establish that fair Gandharva city, O mighty-armed one, as your own well-ordered domain."

Shloka 13 (uttara.100.13)

अन्यस्य न गतिस्तत्र देशः परमशोभनः । रोचतां ते महाबाहो नाहं त्वामहितं वदे ।। ७.१००.१३ ।।

anyasya na gatis tatra deśaḥ paramaśobhanaḥ | rocatāṃ te mahābāho nāhaṃ tvām ahitaṃ vade || 7.100.13 ||

"No other has access there; it is a most beautiful country. Let it please you, O mighty-armed one -- I would never counsel you anything unwholesome."

Shloka 14 (uttara.100.14)

तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवः प्रीतो महर्षेर्मातुलस्य च । उवाच बाढमित्येव भरतं चान्ववैक्षत ।। ७.१००.१४ ।।

tac chrutvā rāghavaḥ prīto maharṣer mātulasya ca | uvāca bāḍham ity eva bharataṃ cānvavaikṣata || 7.100.14 ||

Hearing this from the great sage, his uncle's word, Raghava, pleased, said only, "So be it," and looked toward Bharata.

Shloka 15 (uttara.100.15)

सो ऽब्रवीद्राघवः प्रीतः साञ्जलिप्रग्रहो द्विजम् । इमौ कुमारौ तं देशं ब्रह्मर्षे विचरिष्यतः ।। ७.१००.१५ ।।

so 'bravīd rāghavaḥ prītaḥ sāñjaliprāgraho dvijam | imau kumārau taṃ deśaṃ brahmarṣe vicariṣyataḥ || 7.100.15 ||

Raghava, pleased, folded his hands and said to the brahmin, "O Brahmarshi, these two princes shall range over that land."

Shloka 16 (uttara.100.16)

भरतस्यात्मजौ वीरौ तक्षः पुष्कल एव च । मातुलेन सुगुप्तौ तु धर्मेण सुसमाहितौ ।। ७.१००.१६ ।।

bharatasyātmajau vīrau takṣaḥ puṣkala eva ca | mātulena suguptau tu dharmeṇa susamāhitau || 7.100.16 ||

"Bharata's two heroic sons, Taksha and Pushkala, well protected by their uncle, steadfastly devoted to righteousness, shall go."

Shloka 17 (uttara.100.17)

भरतं चाग्रतः कृत्वा कुमारौ सबलानुगौ । निहत्य गन्धर्वसुतान्द्वे पुरे विभजिष्यतः ।। ७.१००.१७ ।।

bharataṃ cāgrataḥ kṛtvā kumārau sabalānugau | nihatya gandharvasutān dve pure vibhajiṣyataḥ || 7.100.17 ||

"With Bharata at their head, the two princes, with their forces and followers, having slain the sons of the Gandharvas, shall divide between them two cities."

Shloka 18 (uttara.100.18)

निवेश्य ते पुरवरे आत्मजौ सन्निवेश्य च । आगमिष्यति मे भूयः सकाशमतिधार्मिकः ।। ७.१००.१८ ।।

niveśya te puravare ātmajau sanniveśya ca | āgamiṣyati me bhūyaḥ sakāśam atidhārmikaḥ || 7.100.18 ||

"Having founded those two excellent cities and settled his sons there, that most righteous one, Bharata, shall come back once more into my presence."

Shloka 19 (uttara.100.19)

ब्रह्मर्षिमेवमुक्त्वा तु भरतं सबलानुगम् । आज्ञापयामास तदा कुमारौ चाभ्यषेचयत् ।। ७.१००.१९ ।।

brahmarṣim evam uktvā tu bharataṃ sabalānugam | ājñāpayām āsa tadā kumārau cābhyaṣecayat || 7.100.19 ||

Having spoken thus to the Brahmarshi, he then commanded Bharata, with his forces and followers, and consecrated the two princes.

Shloka 20 (uttara.100.20)

नक्षत्रेण च सौम्येन पुरस्कृत्याङ्गिरस्सुतम् । भरतः सह सैन्येन कुमाराभ्यां विनिर्ययौ ।। ७.१००.२० ।।

nakṣatreṇa ca saumyena puraskṛtyāṅgirassutam | bharataḥ saha sainyena kumārābhyāṃ viniryayau || 7.100.20 ||

Under an auspicious constellation, with the son of Angiras placed at the fore, Bharata set out together with his army and the two princes.

Shloka 21 (uttara.100.21)

सा सेना शक्रयुक्तेव नगरान्निर्ययावथ । राघवानुगता दूरं दुराधर्षा सुरैरपि ।। ७.१००.२१ ।।

sā senā śakrayukteva nagarān niryayāv atha | rāghavānugatā dūraṃ durādharṣā surair api || 7.100.21 ||

That army, as if joined with Indra's own, marched forth from the city -- proceeding far, under Raghava's sanction, unassailable even by the gods.

Shloka 22 (uttara.100.22)

मांसादानि च सत्त्वानि रक्षांसि सुमहान्ति च । अनुजग्मुर्हि भरतं रुधिरस्य पिपासया ।। ७.१००.२२ ।।

māṃsādāni ca sattvāni rakṣāṃsi sumahānti ca | anujagmur hi bharataṃ rudhirasya pipāsayā || 7.100.22 ||

Flesh-eating creatures too, and huge Rakshasas, followed after Bharata, thirsting for blood.

Shloka 23 (uttara.100.23)

भूतग्रामाश्च बहवो मांसभक्षाः सुदारुणाः । गन्धर्वपुत्रमांसानि भोक्तुकामाः सहस्रशः ।। ७.१००.२३ ।।

bhūtagrāmāś ca bahavo māṃsabhakṣāḥ sudāruṇāḥ | gandharvaputramāṃsāni bhoktukāmāḥ sahasraśaḥ || 7.100.23 ||

And many dreadful flesh-eating hosts of spirits too, by the thousand, eager to feast on the flesh of the Gandharva's sons.

Shloka 24 (uttara.100.24)

सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाणां खेचराणां च पक्षिणाम् । बहूनि वै सहस्राणि सेनाया ययुरग्रतः ।। ७.१००.२४ ।।

siṃhavyāghravarāhāṇāṃ khecarāṇāṃ ca pakṣiṇām | bahūni vai sahasrāṇi senāyā yayur agrataḥ || 7.100.24 ||

Many thousands of lions, tigers, and boars, and of birds that range the sky, went on ahead of that army.

Shloka 25 (uttara.100.25)

अध्यर्धमासमुषिता पथि सेना निरामया । हृष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णा केकयं समुपागमत् ।। ७.१००.२५ ।।

adhyardhamāsam uṣitā pathi senā nirāmayā | hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākīrṇā kekayaṃ samupāgamat || 7.100.25 ||

Having journeyed for a month and a half, that army, unafflicted and thronged with hale and hearty men, arrived at Kekaya.