The Morning After the Coronation

Shloka 1 (uttara.37.1)

अभिषिक्ते तु काकुत्स्थे धर्मेण विदितात्मनि । व्यतीता या निशा पूर्वा पौराणां हर्षवर्धिनी ।। 37.1 ।।

abhiṣikte tu kākutsthe dharmeṇa viditātmani | vyatītā yā niśā pūrvā paurāṇāṃ harṣavardhinī || 37.1 ||

When righteous, self-realized Kakutstha had been consecrated, that first night passed, swelling the joy of the citizens.

Shloka 2 (uttara.37.2)

तस्यां रजन्यां व्युष्टायां प्रातर्नृपतिबोधकाः । वन्दिनः समुपातिष्ठन्सौम्या नृपतिवेश्मनि ।। 37.2 ।।

tasyāṃ rajanyāṃ vyuṣṭāyāṃ prātarnṛpatibodhakāḥ | vandinaḥ samupātiṣṭhansaumyā nṛpativeśmani || 37.2 ||

When that night had passed, in the morning the gentle bards whose task it was to wake the king presented themselves at the palace.

Shloka 3 (uttara.37.3)

ते रक्तकण्ठिनः सर्वे किन्नरा इव शिक्षिताः । तुष्टुवुर्नपतिं वीरं यथावत् सम्प्रहर्षिणः ।। 37.3 ।।

te raktakaṇṭhinaḥ sarve kinnarā iva śikṣitāḥ | tuṣṭuvurnapatiṃ vīraṃ yathāvat sampraharṣiṇaḥ || 37.3 ||

All of them, sweet of voice, trained like Kinnaras, joyfully praised that heroic king in due manner.

Shloka 4 (uttara.37.4)

वीर सौम्य प्रबुध्यस्व कौसल्याप्रीतिवर्धन । जगद्धि सर्वं स्वपिति त्वयि सुप्ते नराधिप ।। 37.4 ।।

vīra saumya prabudhyasva kausalyāprītivardhana | jagaddhi sarvaṃ svapiti tvayi supte narādhipa || 37.4 ||

"O hero, O gentle one, awaken, increaser of Kausalya's joy! For when you sleep, O lord of men, the whole world sleeps."

Shloka 5 (uttara.37.5)

विक्रमस्ते यथा विष्णो रूपं चैवाश्विनोरिव । बुद्ध्या बृहस्पतेस्तुल्यः प्रजापतिसमो ह्यसि ।। 37.5 ।।

vikramaste yathā viṣṇo rūpaṃ caivāśvinoriva | buddhyā bṛhaspatestulyaḥ prajāpatisamo hyasi || 37.5 ||

"Your valour is like Vishnu's, your form like that of the Ashvins; in wisdom you are equal to Brihaspati, and you are like Prajapati."

Shloka 6 (uttara.37.6)

क्षमा ते पृथिवीतुल्या तेजसा भास्करोपमः । वेगस्ते वायुना तुल्यो गाम्भीर्यमुदधेरिव ।। 37.6 ।।

kṣamā te pṛthivītulyā tejasā bhāskaropamaḥ | vegaste vāyunā tulyo gāmbhīryamudadheriva || 37.6 ||

"Your patience equals the earth's, your splendour the sun's; your speed equals the wind's, your depth the ocean's."

Shloka 7 (uttara.37.7)

अप्रकम्प्यो यता स्थाणुश्चन्द्रे सौम्यत्वमीदृशम् । नेदृशाः पार्थिवाः पूर्वं भवितारो नराधिप ।। 37.7 ।।

aprakampyo yatā sthāṇuścandre saumyatvamīdṛśam | nedṛśāḥ pārthivāḥ pūrvaṃ bhavitāro narādhipa || 37.7 ||

"Immovable as a pillar, gentle as the moon — O lord of men, never before, nor ever hereafter, shall there be kings such as you."

Shloka 8 (uttara.37.8)

यथा त्वमतिदुर्धर्षो धर्मनित्यः प्रजाहितः । न त्वां जहाति कीर्तिश्च लक्ष्मीश्च पुरुषर्षभ ।। 37.8 ।।

yathā tvamatidurdharṣo dharmanityaḥ prajāhitaḥ | na tvāṃ jahāti kīrtiśca lakṣmīśca puruṣarṣabha || 37.8 ||

"O bull among men, as you are utterly unassailable, ever devoted to dharma, ever caring for your people's welfare, so fame and fortune never forsake you."

Shloka 9 (uttara.37.9)

श्रीश्च धर्मश्च काकुत्स्थ त्वयि नित्यं प्रतिष्ठितौ । एताश्चान्याश्च मधुरा वन्दिभिः परिकीर्तिताः ।। 37.9 ।।

śrīśca dharmaśca kākutstha tvayi nityaṃ pratiṣṭhitau | etāścānyāśca madhurā vandibhiḥ parikīrtitāḥ || 37.9 ||

"O Kakutstha, both Fortune and Righteousness are forever established in you." These and other sweet praises the bards proclaimed.

Shloka 10 (uttara.37.10)

सूताश्च संस्तवैर्दिव्यैर्बोधयन्ति स्म राघवम् । स्तुतिभिः स्तूयमानाभिः प्रत्यबुध्यत राघवः ।। 37.10 ।।

sūtāśca saṃstavairdivyairbodhayanti sma rāghavam | stutibhiḥ stūyamānābhiḥ pratyabudhyata rāghavaḥ || 37.10 ||

The court bards too kept waking Raghava with divine eulogies; and, awakened by the hymns of praise being sung, Raghava rose.

Shloka 11 (uttara.37.11)

स तद्विहाय शयनं पाण्डराच्छादनास्तृतम् । उत्तस्थौ नागशयनाद्धरिर्नारायणो यथा ।। 37.11 ।।

sa tadvihāya śayanaṃ pāṇḍarācchādanāstṛtam | uttasthau nāgaśayanāddharirnārāyaṇo yathā || 37.11 ||

Leaving that bed, spread with white coverings, he rose, as Hari Narayana rises from his serpent-couch.

Shloka 12 (uttara.37.12)

तमुत्थितं महात्मानं प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो नराः । सलिलं भाजनैः शुभ्रैरुपतस्थुः सहस्रशः ।। 37.12 ।।

tamutthitaṃ mahātmānaṃ prahvāḥ prāñjalayo narāḥ | salilaṃ bhājanaiḥ śubhrairupatasthuḥ sahasraśaḥ || 37.12 ||

Before that great-souled one, thus risen, thousands of men, bowing with joined palms, came bearing water in bright vessels.

Shloka 13 (uttara.37.13)

कृतोदकशुचिर्भूत्वा काले हुतहुताशनः । देवागारं जगामाशु पुण्यमिक्ष्वाकुसेवितम् ।। 37.13 ।।

kṛtodakaśucirbhūtvā kāle hutahutāśanaḥ | devāgāraṃ jagāmāśu puṇyamikṣvākusevitam || 37.13 ||

Purified with water, having offered oblation into the fire at the proper hour, he went swiftly to the sacred shrine of the gods frequented by the Ikshvakus.

Shloka 14 (uttara.37.14)

तत्र देवान्पितऽन्विप्रानर्चयित्वा यथाविधि । बाह्यकक्षान्तरं रामो निर्जगाम जनैर्वृतः ।। 37.14 ।।

tatra devānpita'nviprānarcayitvā yathāvidhi | bāhyakakṣāntaraṃ rāmo nirjagāma janairvṛtaḥ || 37.14 ||

There, having duly worshipped the gods, the ancestors, and the brahmins, Rama, surrounded by the people, came out into the outer hall.

Shloka 15 (uttara.37.15)

उपतस्थुर्महात्मानो मन्त्रिणः सपुरोहिताः । वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्वे दीप्यमाना इवाग्नयः ।। 37.15 ।।

upatasthurmahātmāno mantriṇaḥ sapurohitāḥ | vasiṣṭhapramukhāḥ sarve dīpyamānā ivāgnayaḥ || 37.15 ||

The great-souled ministers, together with the family priests, headed by Vasishtha, all blazing like fires, came before him.

Shloka 16 (uttara.37.16)

क्षत्रियाश्च महात्मानो नानाजनपदेश्वराः । रामस्योपाविशन्पार्श्वे शक्रस्येव यथा ऽमराः ।। 37.16 ।।

kṣatriyāśca mahātmāno nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | rāmasyopāviśanpārśve śakrasyeva yathā 'marāḥ || 37.16 ||

And the great-souled Kshatriyas, lords of many lands, sat beside Rama, as the immortals sit beside Shakra.

Shloka 17 (uttara.37.17)

भरतो लक्ष्मणश्चात्र शत्रुघ्नश्च महायशाः । उपासाञ्चक्रिरे हृष्टा वेदास्त्रय इवाध्वरम् ।। 37.17 ।।

bharato lakṣmaṇaścātra śatrughnaśca mahāyaśāḥ | upāsāñcakrire hṛṣṭā vedāstraya ivādhvaram || 37.17 ||

Bharata, Lakshmana, and the greatly renowned Shatrughna attended upon him there joyfully, as the three Vedas attend a sacrifice.

Shloka 18 (uttara.37.18)

याताः प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा किङ्करा मुदिताननाः । मुदिता नाम पार्श्वस्था बहवः समुपाविशन् ।। 37.18 ।।

yātāḥ prāñjalayo bhūtvā kiṅkarā muditānanāḥ | muditā nāma pārśvasthā bahavaḥ samupāviśan || 37.18 ||

The attendants too, joined-palmed and joyful-faced, came and stood by; and many, delighted, sat down at his side.

Shloka 19 (uttara.37.19)

वानराश्च महावीर्या विंशतिः कामरूपिणः । सुग्रीवप्रमुखा राममुपासन्ते महौजसः ।। 37.19 ।।

vānarāśca mahāvīryā viṃśatiḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ | sugrīvapramukhā rāmamupāsante mahaujasaḥ || 37.19 ||

Twenty monkeys of great valour, able to assume any form at will, headed by Sugriva, of immense might, attended upon Rama.

Shloka 20 (uttara.37.20)

विभीषणश्च रक्षोभिश्चतुर्भिः परिवारितः । उपासते महात्मानं धनेशमिव गुह्यकाः ।। 37.20 ।।

vibhīṣaṇaśca rakṣobhiścaturbhiḥ parivāritaḥ | upāsate mahātmānaṃ dhaneśamiva guhyakāḥ || 37.20 ||

And Vibhishana, surrounded by four demons, attended that great soul, as the Guhyakas attend Kubera, lord of wealth.

Shloka 21 (uttara.37.21)

तथा निगमवृद्धाश्च कुलीना ये च मानवाः । शिरसा ऽ ऽवन्द्य राजानमुपासन्ते विचक्षणाः ।। 37.21 ।।

tathā nigamavṛddhāśca kulīnā ye ca mānavāḥ | śirasā ' 'vandya rājānamupāsante vicakṣaṇāḥ || 37.21 ||

Likewise, elders learned in sacred lore, and men of good family, wise ones, bowing their heads to the king, attended upon him.

Shloka 22 (uttara.37.22)

तथा परिवृतो राजा श्रीमद्भिर्ऋषिभिर्वृतः । राजभिश्च महावीर्यैर्वानरैश्च सराक्षसैः ।। 37.22 ।।

tathā parivṛto rājā śrīmadbhirṛṣibhirvṛtaḥ | rājabhiśca mahāvīryairvānaraiśca sarākṣasaiḥ || 37.22 ||

Thus the king, surrounded by glorious sages, by kings of great valour, and by monkeys together with demons —

Shloka 23 (uttara.37.23)

यथा देवेश्वरो नित्यमृषिभिः समुपास्यते । अधिकस्तेन रूपेण सहस्राक्षाद्विरोचते ।। 37.23 ।।

yathā deveśvaro nityamṛṣibhiḥ samupāsyate | adhikastena rūpeṇa sahasrākṣādvirocate || 37.23 ||

shone forth as the lord of the gods is ever attended by sages; and by that splendour he outshone even the thousand-eyed Indra.

Shloka 24 (uttara.37.24)

तेषां समुपविष्टानां तास्ताः सुमधुराः कथाः । कथ्यन्ते धर्मसंयुक्ताः पुराणज्ञैर्महात्मभिः ।। 37.24 ।।

teṣāṃ samupaviṣṭānāṃ tāstāḥ sumadhurāḥ kathāḥ | kathyante dharmasaṃyuktāḥ purāṇajñairmahātmabhiḥ || 37.24 ||

As they all sat there together, those great souls, knowers of ancient lore, related many sweet stories bound up with dharma.