Shatrughna at Valmiki's Hermitage

Shloka 1 (uttara.71.1)

ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रुघ्नो रामपालिताम् । अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः ।। 71.1 ।।

tato dvādaśame varṣe śatrughno rāmapālitām | ayodhyāṃ cakame gantumalpabhṛtyabalānugaḥ || 71.1 ||

Then, in the twelfth year, Shatrughna—protected under Rama's rule—desired to go to Ayodhya, accompanied only by a small retinue of servants and troops.

Shloka 2 (uttara.71.2)

ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यान्निवर्त्य च । जगाम हयमुख्यैश्च रथानां च शतेन सः ।। 71.2 ।।

tato mantripurogāṃśca balamukhyānnivartya ca | jagāma hayamukhyaiśca rathānāṃ ca śatena saḥ || 71.2 ||

Then, sending back the ministers headed by the chief priest and the leaders of his forces, he set out with the finest horses and a hundred chariots.

Shloka 3 (uttara.71.3)

स गत्वा गणितान्वासान्सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः । वाल्मीक्याश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः ।। 71.3 ।।

sa gatvā gaṇitānvāsānsaptāṣṭau raghunandanaḥ | vālmīkyāśramamāgatya vāsaṃ cakre mahāyaśāḥ || 71.3 ||

That delighter of the Raghu line, of great renown, having journeyed a reckoned seven or eight nights, arrived at Valmiki's hermitage and made his stay there.

Shloka 4 (uttara.71.4)

सो ऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः । पाद्यमर्ध्यं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः ।। 71.4 ।।

so 'bhivādya tataḥ pādau vālmīkeḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ | pādyamardhyaṃ tathātithyaṃ jagrāha munihastataḥ || 71.4 ||

That bull among men, bowing at Valmiki's feet, then received from the sage's own hands the water for washing the feet, the offering of arghya, and hospitality.

Shloka 5 (uttara.71.5)

बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः । कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने ।। 71.5 ।।

bahurūpāḥ sumadhurāḥ kathāstatra sahasraśaḥ | kathayāmāsa sa muniḥ śatrughnāya mahātmane || 71.5 ||

There the sage told the great-souled Shatrughna countless sweet tales of many kinds, by the thousand.

Shloka 6 (uttara.71.6)

उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम् । सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया ।। 71.6 ।।

uvāca ca munirvākyaṃ lavaṇasya vadhāśritam | suduṣkaraṃ kṛtaṃ karma lavaṇaṃ nighnatā tvayā || 71.6 ||

And the sage spoke of the slaying of Lavana, saying: "A most arduous deed have you accomplished in killing Lavana."

Shloka 7 (uttara.71.7)

बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः । लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः ।। 71.7 ।।

bahavaḥ pārthivāḥ saumya hatāḥ sabalavāhanāḥ | lavaṇena mahābāho yudhyamānā mahābalāḥ || 71.7 ||

O gentle one, O mighty-armed one, many powerful kings, together with their armies and mounts, were slain by Lavana as they fought him.

Shloka 8 (uttara.71.8)

स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ । जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा ।। 71.8 ।।

sa tvayā nihataḥ pāpo līlayā puruṣarṣabha | jagataśca bhayaṃ tatra praśāntaṃ tava tejasā || 71.8 ||

That wicked one you slew as if in mere sport, O bull among men, and by your splendor the terror of the world was there stilled.

Shloka 9 (uttara.71.9)

रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृतः । इदं तु सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः ।। 71.9 ।।

rāvaṇasya vadho ghoro yatnena mahatā kṛtaḥ | idaṃ tu sumahatkarma tvayā kṛtamayatnataḥ || 71.9 ||

The dreadful slaying of Ravana was achieved through great exertion; but this exceedingly great deed you accomplished without effort at all.

Shloka 10 (uttara.71.10)

प्रीतिश्चास्मिन्परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते । भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम् ।। 71.10 ।।

prītiścāsminparā jātā devānāṃ lavaṇe hate | bhūtānāṃ caiva sarveṣāṃ jagataśca priyaṃ kṛtam || 71.10 ||

At Lavana's death, supreme delight has arisen among the gods; and this deed has brought benefit to all beings and to the whole world.

Shloka 11 (uttara.71.11)

तच्च युद्धं मया दृष्टं यथावत्पुरुषर्षभ । सभायां वासवस्याथ उपविष्टेन राघव ।। 71.11 ।।

tacca yuddhaṃ mayā dṛṣṭaṃ yathāvatpuruṣarṣabha | sabhāyāṃ vāsavasyātha upaviṣṭena rāghava || 71.11 ||

And that battle, O bull among men, O Raghava, I witnessed just as it happened, seated there in the assembly hall of Vasava.

Shloka 12 (uttara.71.12)

ममापि परमा प्रीतिर्हृदि शत्रुघ्न वर्तते । उपाघ्रास्यामि ते मूर्ध्नि स्नेहस्यैषा परा गतिः ।। 71.12 ।।

mamāpi paramā prītirhṛdi śatrughna vartate | upāghrāsyāmi te mūrdhni snehasyaiṣā parā gatiḥ || 71.12 ||

O Shatrughna, supreme joy dwells in my heart as well. I shall kiss your head in blessing—this is love's highest expression.

Shloka 13 (uttara.71.13)

इत्युक्त्वा मूर्ध्नि शत्रुघ्नमुपाघ्राय महामुनिः । आतिथ्यमकरोत्तस्य ये च तस्य पदानुगाः ।। 71.13 ।।

ityuktvā mūrdhni śatrughnamupāghrāya mahāmuniḥ | ātithyamakarottasya ye ca tasya padānugāḥ || 71.13 ||

Having spoken thus, the great sage kissed Shatrughna's head, and extended hospitality to him and to all who had come in his retinue.

Shloka 14 (uttara.71.14)

स भुक्तवान्नरश्रेष्ठो गीतमाधुर्यमुत्तमम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले यथाकृमम् ।। 71.14 ।।

sa bhuktavānnaraśreṣṭho gītamādhuryamuttamam | śuśrāva rāmacaritaṃ tasminkāle yathākṛmam || 71.14 ||

That best of men, having eaten, then listened to the surpassing sweetness of song, wherein the story of Rama's deeds was recounted in due order.

Shloka 15 (uttara.71.15)

तन्त्रीलयसमायुक्तं त्रिस्थानकरणान्वितम् । संस्कृतं लक्षणोपेतं समतालसमन्वितम् । शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले पुरा कृतम् ।। 71.15 ।।

tantrīlayasamāyuktaṃ tristhānakaraṇānvitam | saṃskṛtaṃ lakṣaṇopetaṃ samatālasamanvitam | śuśrāva rāmacaritaṃ tasminkāle purā kṛtam || 71.15 ||

He listened, at that hour, to the tale of Rama's deeds—composed long before—joined to the rhythm of the lute-strings, rich with the three registers of pitch, polished, marked with the proper technique, and set to even measure.

Shloka 16 (uttara.71.16)

तान्यक्षराणि सत्यानि यथावृत्तानि पूर्वशः । श्रुत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलो विसञ्ज्ञो बाष्पलोचनः ।। 71.16 ।।

tānyakṣarāṇi satyāni yathāvṛttāni pūrvaśaḥ | śrutvā puruṣaśārdūlo visañjño bāṣpalocanaḥ || 71.16 ||

Hearing those true words, which recounted events exactly as they had happened before, that tiger among men lost himself, his eyes brimming with tears.

Shloka 17 (uttara.71.17)

स मुहूर्तमिवासञ्ज्ञो विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः । तस्मिन् गीते यथावृत्तं वर्तमानमिवाशृणोत् ।। 71.17 ।।

sa muhūrtamivāsañjño viniḥśvasya muhurmuhuḥ | tasmin gīte yathāvṛttaṃ vartamānamivāśṛṇot || 71.17 ||

For a moment he seemed to lose his senses, sighing over and over; in that song he seemed to hear the past events unfolding as though they were happening before him now.

Shloka 18 (uttara.71.18)

पदानुगाश्च ये राज्ञस्तां श्रुत्वा गीतिसम्पदम् । अवाङ्मुखाश्च दीनाश्च ह्याश्चर्यमिति चाब्रुवन् ।। 71.18 ।।

padānugāśca ye rājñastāṃ śrutvā gītisampadam | avāṅmukhāśca dīnāśca hyāścaryamiti cābruvan || 71.18 ||

And those who followed the king, hearing that wealth of melody, bowed their faces low, grew mournful, and cried out, "What a wonder is this!"

Shloka 19 (uttara.71.19)

परस्परं च ये तत्र सैनिकाः सम्बभाषिरे । किमिदं क्व च वर्तामः किमेतत्स्वप्नदर्शनम् ।। 71.19 ।।

parasparaṃ ca ye tatra sainikāḥ sambabhāṣire | kimidaṃ kva ca vartāmaḥ kimetatsvapnadarśanam || 71.19 ||

And the soldiers there spoke to one another: "What is this? Where are we now? Is this some kind of dream?"

Shloka 20 (uttara.71.20)

अर्थो यो नः पुरा दृष्टस्तमाश्रमपदे पुनः । शृणुमः किमिदं स्वप्नो गीतबन्धं श्रियो भवेत् ।। 71.20 ।।

artho yo naḥ purā dṛṣṭastamāśramapade punaḥ | śṛṇumaḥ kimidaṃ svapno gītabandhaṃ śriyo bhavet || 71.20 ||

The very events we once witnessed with our own eyes, we now hear again, here at this hermitage, bound into song. Is this a dream? How could such a marvel come to be?

Shloka 21 (uttara.71.21)

विस्मयं ते परं गत्वा शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रुवन् । साधु पृच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ वाल्मीकिं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। 71.21 ।।

vismayaṃ te paraṃ gatvā śatrughnamidamabruvan | sādhu pṛccha naraśreṣṭha vālmīkiṃ munipuṅgavam || 71.21 ||

Overcome with the greatest wonder, they said this to Shatrughna: "O best of men, you should indeed ask Valmiki, foremost among sages, about this."

Shloka 22 (uttara.71.22)

शत्रुघ्नस्त्वब्रवीत्सर्वान्कौतूहलसमन्वितान् । सैनिका न क्षमो ऽस्माकं परिप्रष्टुमिहेदृशः ।। 71.22 ।।

śatrughnastvabravītsarvānkautūhalasamanvitān | sainikā na kṣamo 'smākaṃ paripraṣṭumihedṛśaḥ || 71.22 ||

But Shatrughna said to all of them, brimming with curiosity as they were: "O soldiers, it is not fitting for us to question one such as this in such a manner."

Shloka 23 (uttara.71.23)

आश्चर्याणि बहूनीह भवन्त्यस्याश्रमे मुनेः । न तु कौतूहलाद्युक्तमन्वेष्टुं तं महामुनिम् ।। 71.23 ।।

āścaryāṇi bahūnīha bhavantyasyāśrame muneḥ | na tu kautūhalādyuktamanveṣṭuṃ taṃ mahāmunim || 71.23 ||

Many wonders occur here in this sage's hermitage; but it is not proper to press that great sage merely out of curiosity.

Shloka 24 (uttara.71.24)

एवं तद्वाक्यमुक्त्वा च सैनिकान्रघुनन्दनः । अभिवाद्य महर्षिं तं स्वं निवेशं ययौ तदा ।। 71.24 ।।

evaṃ tadvākyamuktvā ca sainikānraghunandanaḥ | abhivādya maharṣiṃ taṃ svaṃ niveśaṃ yayau tadā || 71.24 ||

Having spoken thus to the soldiers, the delighter of the Raghus then bowed to that great sage and went to his own quarters.