The Founding of Madhupuri

Shloka 1 (uttara.70.1)

हते तु लवणे देवाः सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः । ऊचुः सुमधुरां वाणीं शत्रुघ्नं शत्रुतापनम् ।। 70.1 ।।

hate tu lavaṇe devāḥ sendrāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ | ūcuḥ sumadhurāṃ vāṇīṃ śatrughnaṃ śatrutāpanam || 70.1 ||

When Lavana had been slain, the gods, headed by Indra and Agni, came forward and spoke in the sweetest tones to Shatrughna, the scourge of his foes.

Shloka 2 (uttara.70.2)

दिष्ट्या ते विजयो वत्स दिष्ट्या लवणराक्षसः । हतः पुरुषशार्दूल वरं वरय सुव्रत ।। 70.2 ।।

diṣṭyā te vijayo vatsa diṣṭyā lavaṇarākṣasaḥ | hataḥ puruṣaśārdūla varaṃ varaya suvrata || 70.2 ||

"By great good fortune, O child, is your victory; by great good fortune has the rakshasa Lavana been slain. O tiger among men, O one of noble vows, choose a boon.

Shloka 3 (uttara.70.3)

वरदास्तु महाबाहो सर्व एव समागताः । विजयाकाङ्क्षिणस्तुभ्यममोघं दर्शनं हि नः ।। 70.3 ।।

varadāstu mahābāho sarva eva samāgatāḥ | vijayākāṅkṣiṇastubhyamamoghaṃ darśanaṃ hi naḥ || 70.3 ||

O mighty-armed one, all of us have gathered here to grant you a boon, wishing for your victory; our presence is never without fruit.

Shloka 4 (uttara.70.4)

देवानां भाषितं श्रुत्वा शूरो मूर्ध्नि कृताञ्जलिः । प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुः शत्रुघ्नः प्रयतात्मवान् ।। 70.4 ।।

devānāṃ bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā śūro mūrdhni kṛtāñjaliḥ | pratyuvāca mahābāhuḥ śatrughnaḥ prayatātmavān || 70.4 ||

Hearing the words of the gods, that heroic, mighty-armed, self-composed Shatrughna, raising joined palms to his brow, replied.

Shloka 5 (uttara.70.5)

इयं मधुपुरी रस्या मधुरा देवनिर्मिता । निवेशं प्राप्नुयाच्छीघ्रमेष मे ऽस्तु वरः परः ।। 70.5 ।।

iyaṃ madhupurī rasyā madhurā devanirmitā | niveśaṃ prāpnuyācchīghrameṣa me 'stu varaḥ paraḥ || 70.5 ||

"This delightful and sweet city of Madhupuri was fashioned by the gods; may it swiftly attain fine settlement -- let this be my supreme boon.

Shloka 6 (uttara.70.6)

तं देवाः प्रीतमनसो बाढमित्येव राघवम् । भविष्यति पुरी रम्या शूरसेना न संशयः ।। 70.6 ।।

taṃ devāḥ prītamanaso bāḍhamityeva rāghavam | bhaviṣyati purī ramyā śūrasenā na saṃśayaḥ || 70.6 ||

The gods, their hearts glad, said to Raghava, "So be it" -- "This city shall become the delightful land of Shurasena, without doubt."

Shloka 7 (uttara.70.7)

ते तथोक्त्वा महात्मानो दिवमारुरुहुस्तदा । शत्रुघ्नो ऽपि महातेजास्तां सेनां समुपानयत् ।। 70.7 ।।

te tathoktvā mahātmāno divamāruruhustadā | śatrughno 'pi mahātejāstāṃ senāṃ samupānayat || 70.7 ||

Having said this, those great-souled gods ascended to heaven. And the greatly splendorous Shatrughna summoned his army there.

Shloka 8 (uttara.70.8)

सा सेना शीघ्रमागच्छच्छ्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नशासनम् । निवेशनं च शत्रुघ्नः श्रावणेन समारभत् ।। 70.8 ।।

sā senā śīghramāgacchacchrutvā śatrughnaśāsanam | niveśanaṃ ca śatrughnaḥ śrāvaṇena samārabhat || 70.8 ||

Hearing Shatrughna's command, that army came swiftly, and Shatrughna began the founding of the city in the month of Shravana.

Shloka 9 (uttara.70.9)

सा पुरा दिव्यसङ्काशा वर्षे द्वादशमे शुभे । निविष्टा शूरसेनानां विषयश्चाकुतोभयः ।। 70.9 ।।

sā purā divyasaṅkāśā varṣe dvādaśame śubhe | niviṣṭā śūrasenānāṃ viṣayaścākutobhayaḥ || 70.9 ||

That divinely radiant city was fully settled by the auspicious twelfth year, and the land of the Shurasenas became free from every fear.

Shloka 10 (uttara.70.10)

क्षेत्राणि सस्ययुक्तानि काले वर्षति वासवः । अरोगवीरपुरुषा शत्रुघ्नभुजपालिता ।। 70.10 ।।

kṣetrāṇi sasyayuktāni kāle varṣati vāsavaḥ | arogavīrapuruṣā śatrughnabhujapālitā || 70.10 ||

Its fields were rich with crops, for Vasava sent rain in due season; its people were healthy and valiant, and the whole land was guarded by Shatrughna's own arms.

Shloka 11 (uttara.70.11)

अर्धचन्द्रप्रतीकाशा यमुनातीरशोभिता । शोभिता गृहमुख्यैश्च चत्वरापणवीथिकैः । चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता नानावाणिज्यशोभिता ।। 70.11 ।।

ardhacandrapratīkāśā yamunātīraśobhitā | śobhitā gṛhamukhyaiśca catvarāpaṇavīthikaiḥ | cāturvarṇyasamāyuktā nānāvāṇijyaśobhitā || 70.11 ||

The city, shaped like a crescent moon, graced the bank of the Yamuna; it was adorned with fine mansions, squares, marketplaces, and streets, filled with people of all four classes, and rich with every kind of trade.

Shloka 12 (uttara.70.12)

यच्च तेन पुरा शुभ्रं लवणेन कृतं महत् । तच्छोभयति शत्रुघ्नो नानावर्णोपशोभिताम् ।। 70.12 ।।

yacca tena purā śubhraṃ lavaṇena kṛtaṃ mahat | tacchobhayati śatrughno nānāvarṇopaśobhitām || 70.12 ||

Whatever splendid and great work Lavana himself had once built there, Shatrughna now made yet more beautiful, adorning it with every kind of ornament.

Shloka 13 (uttara.70.13)

आरामैश्च विहारैश्च शोभमानं समन्ततः । शोभितां शोभनीयैश्च तथा ऽन्यैर्दैवमानुषैः ।। 70.13 ।।

ārāmaiśca vihāraiśca śobhamānaṃ samantataḥ | śobhitāṃ śobhanīyaiśca tathā 'nyairdaivamānuṣaiḥ || 70.13 ||

It was adorned on every side with gardens and pleasure-groves, and beautified further with other fine things, both divine and human in origin.

Shloka 14 (uttara.70.14)

तां पुरीं दिव्यसङ्काशां नानापण्योपशोभिताम् । नानादेशागतैश्चापि वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम् ।। 70.14 ।।

tāṃ purīṃ divyasaṅkāśāṃ nānāpaṇyopaśobhitām | nānādeśāgataiścāpi vaṇigbhirupaśobhitām || 70.14 ||

That divinely radiant city was graced with goods of every kind, and further adorned by merchants who had come from many different lands.

Shloka 15 (uttara.70.15)

तां समृद्धां समृद्धार्थः शत्रुघ्नो भरतानुजः । निरीक्ष्य परमप्रीतः परं हर्षमुपागमत् ।। 70.15 ।।

tāṃ samṛddhāṃ samṛddhārthaḥ śatrughno bharatānujaḥ | nirīkṣya paramaprītaḥ paraṃ harṣamupāgamat || 70.15 ||

Beholding that prosperous city, Shatrughna, Bharata's younger brother, himself now a man of ample means, was deeply pleased and filled with the greatest joy.

Shloka 16 (uttara.70.16)

तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य मधुरां पुरीम् । रामपादौ निरीक्षे ऽहं वर्षे द्वादश आगते ।। 70.16 ।।

tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā niveśya madhurāṃ purīm | rāmapādau nirīkṣe 'haṃ varṣe dvādaśa āgate || 70.16 ||

Having thus settled the sweet city of Madhura, this thought arose in his mind: "Now that the twelfth year has come, I shall go and behold the feet of Rama."

Shloka 17 (uttara.70.17)

ततः स ताममरपुरोपमां पुरीं निवेश्य वै विविधजनाभिसंवृताम् । नराधिपो रघुपतिपाददर्शने दधे मतिं रघुकुलवंशवर्धनः ।। 70.17 ।।

tataḥ sa tāmamarapuropamāṃ purīṃ niveśya vai vividhajanābhisaṃvṛtām | narādhipo raghupatipādadarśane dadhe matiṃ raghukulavaṃśavardhanaḥ || 70.17 ||

Thus, having founded that city, resembling a city of the immortals and filled with people of every kind, that king, the increaser of the Raghu line, set his heart wholly upon beholding the feet of the lord of the Raghus.