Sloka & Translation

[Rama watches the splendour of the highway, listens to the words of his friends -- and enters his father's palace.]

sa rāmō rathamāsthāya samprahṛṣṭasuhṛjjanaḥ.

patākādhvajasampannaṅ mahārhāgarudhūpitam৷৷2.17.1৷৷

apaśyannagaraṅ śrīmānnānājanasamākulam.


śrīmān glorious, samprahṛṣṭasuhṛjjanaḥ friends rejoicing, saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, ratham chariot, āsthāya aboard, patākādhvajasampannam decorated with banners and pennants, mahārhāgarudhūpitam fragrant
with expensive incense and agaru, nānājanasamākulam crowded with a variety of people, nagaram city, apaśyat beheld.

Surrounded by friends overwhelmed with great joy, that glorious Rama aboard the chariot beheld the city decorated with banners and pennants and made fragrant with expensive incense and agaru and crowded with multitudes of people.
sa gṛhairabhrasaṅkāśaiḥ pāṇḍurairupaśōbhitam৷৷2.17.2৷৷

rājamārgaṅ yayau rāmō madhyēnāgarudhūpitam.


saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, abhrasaṅkaśai: resembling clouds, pāṇḍuraiḥ pale white, gṛhaiḥ houses, upaśōbhitam decorated, agarudhūpitam made fragrant with agaru, rājamārgaṅ madhyēna in the middle of the highway, yayau proceeded.

That Rama, proceeded down the middle of the highway made fragrant with agaru and incense, lined with houses gleaming pale white like clouds.
candanānāṅ ca mukhyānāmagarūṇāṅ ca sañcayaiḥ৷৷2.17.3৷৷

uttamānāṅ ca gandhānāṅ kṣaumakōśāmbarasya ca.

aviddhābhiśca muktābhiruttamaissphāṭikairapi৷৷2.17.4৷৷

śōbhamānamasaṅbādhaistaṅ rājapathamuttamam.

saṅvṛtaṅ vividhaiḥpuṣpairbhakṣyairuccāvacairapi৷৷2.17.5৷৷


candanānām by heaps of sandal, mukhyānām highest quality, agarūṇām of agaru, uttamānām excellent, gandhānāṅ fragrant substances, kṣaumakauśāmbarasya ca white silken cloth, sañcayaiḥ heaps, aviddhābhiḥ unholed, muktābhiḥ pearls, uttamaiḥ excellent, sphāṭikairapi also articles made of crystals, śōbhamānam splendid, asambādhaiḥ spacious, vividhaiḥ various, puṣpaiḥ flowers, uccāvacaiḥ of high and low quality, bhakṣyaiḥ articles of food, saṅvṛtam filled with, tam such, uttamam excellent, rājapatham highway.

The highway (Rama entered) was splendid and spacious with heaps of sandal and agaru of the highest quality, excellent fragrant substances and bundles of white silken cloth. It gleamed with unholed (pristine) pearls, articles made of crystals, flowers of every kind and articles of food of every variety.
dadarśa taṅ rājapathaṅ divi dēvapathaṅ yathā.

dadhyakṣatahavirlājairdhūpairagarucandanaiḥ৷৷2.17.6৷৷

nānāmālyōpagaṅdhaiśca sadā.bhyarcitacatvaram.


divi in heaven, dēvapathaṅ yathā like the pathway of the gods, dadhyakṣatahavirlājaiḥ curd, grains of rice laja (puffed rice) sacrificial libations, dhūpaiḥ with incense, agarucaṅdanaiḥ sandalwood and agaru, nānāmālyōpagaṅdhaiśca different kinds of garlands and fragrant substances, sadā always, abhyarcitacatvaram cross-roads worshipped, taṅ rājapatham that royal highway, dadarśa saw.

Rama beheld the highway resembling the pathway of gods in heaven. Here the cross-roads were always worshipped with curd, grains of rice, sacrificial libations, laja or puffed rice, fragrant substances like sandal wood, agaru and garlands of every kind.
aśīrvādānbahūn śṛṇvansuhṛdbhissamudīritān৷৷2.17.7৷৷

yathārhaṅ cāpi sampūjya sarvānēva narānyayau.


suhṛdbhi: by friends, samudīritān uttered, bahūn many, āśīrvādān blessings, śṛṇvan hearing, sarvānēva all, narān men, yathārham appropriately, sampūjya ca worshipping (honouring), yayau passed.

Hearing many words of blessings uttered by his friends and honouring each person according to his rank, he passed on.
pitāmahairācaritaṅ tathaiva prapitāmahaiḥ৷৷2.17.8৷৷

adyōpādāya taṅ mārgamabhiṣiktō.nupālaya.


adya today, abhiṣiktaḥ consecrated, pitāmahaiḥ by your grandfather, tathaiva also, prapitāmahaiḥ by greatgrandfathers, ācaritam followed by them, taṅ mārgam that path, upādāya after adopting (acquiring), anupālaya you may rule the kingdom.

(They said) Consecrated today, rule the kingdom by adopting the same path followed by your grandfathers and greatgrandfathers.
yathāsma pōṣitāḥ pitrā yathā sarvaiḥ pitāmahaiḥ৷৷2.17.9৷৷

tatassukhataraṅ rāmē vatsyāmassati rājani.


pitrā by father (Dasaratha), yathā as, pōṣitāḥ sma we were brought up (ruled), sarvaiḥ all, pitāmahaiḥ grandfathers, yathā as, rāmē Rama, rājani sati when he becomes king, tataḥ sukhataram with greater happiness, vatsyāmaḥ we shall live.

Once Rama assumes kingship, we shall all live in happiness greater than when we were ruled by his father and grandfather.
alamadya hi bhuktēna paramārthairalaṅ ca naḥ৷৷2.17.10৷৷

yadi paśyāma niryāntaṅ rāmaṅ rājyē pratiṣṭhitam.


adya today, rājyē in the kingdom, pratiṣṭhitam enthroned, niryāntam going in procession, rāmam Rama, paśyāma yadi if only we can see, bhuktēna with food, alam enough, paramārthaiḥ with ultimate object of life, alam enough to do.

If only we can see Rama enthroned today and going in a procession, there will be no need for food and no greater object of life to be accomplished.
atō hi naḥ priyataraṅ nānyatkiñcidbhaviṣyati৷৷2.17.11৷৷

yathā.bhiṣēkō rāmasya rājyēnāmitatējasaḥ.


amitatējasaḥ of undimmed brilliance, rāmasya Rama's, rājyēna kingdom, abhiṣēkaḥ consecration, yathā how much dear, ataḥ more than that, priyataram dearer, anyat other than, kiñcit
nothing, naḥ for us, na bhaviṣyati will not happen.

For us, there is nothing dearer in the kingdom than the consecration of Rama of undimmed brilliance.
ētāścānyāśca suhṛdāmudāsīnaḥ kathāśśubhāḥ৷৷2.17.12৷৷

ātmasampūjanīśśṛṇvanyayau rāmō mahāpatham.


rāmaḥ Rama, suhṛdām friends, ētāḥ these, anyāśca other, ātmasampūjanīḥ words praising him, śubhāḥ favourable, kathāḥ words, śṛṇvan hearing, udāsīnaḥ remaining indifferent, mahāpatham highway, yayau passed along.

Indifferent to such warm words by his friends in his favour Rama passed along the highway.
na hi tasmānmanaḥ kaściccakṣuṣī vā narōttamāt৷৷2.17.13৷৷

nara śśaknōtyapākraṣṭumatikrāntē.pi rāghavē.


rāghavē son of the Raghus (Rama), atikrāntē.pi even though he passed them, kaścit naraḥ
no man, tasmāt narōttamāt from that best of men, manaḥ mind, cakṣuṣī his eyes, apākraṣṭum to withdraw, na śaknōti hi was never able.

Even though Rama, the best among men had driven past them none was able to withdraw his mind or eyes from him. (They continued).
yaśca rāmaṅ na paśyēttu yaṅ ca rāmō na paśyati৷৷2.17.14৷৷

nindita ssarvallōkēṣu svātmā.pyēnaṅ vigarhatē.


yaśca who, rāmam Rama, na paśyēttu does not see, yaṅ ca whom, rāmaḥ Rama, na paśyati does not see, sarvalōkēṣu among all men, nindita: will be blamed, svātmā.pi his self also, ēnam him, vigarhatē will blame.

'Whoever does not see Rama or Rama does not see him, will be blamed by all men in the (three) worlds. Even his self will blame him.
sarvēṣu hi sa dharmātmā varṇānāṅ kurutē dayām৷৷2.17.15৷৷

caturṇāṅ hi vayaḥ sthānāṅ tēna tē tamanuvratāḥ.


dharmātmā righteous one, saḥ he, caturṇām four, varṇānām relating to castes, sarvēṣu in all people, vayaḥsthānām to the young and old, dayām compassion, kurutē does, tēna so, tē they, tam him, anuvratāḥ were devoted.

That righteous Rama shows compassion to all, to the four castes, to the young and the old. So they were devoted to him.
catuṣpathāndēvapathāṅścaityānyāyatanāni ca৷৷2.17.16৷৷

pradakṣiṇaṅ pariharan jagāma nṛpatē ssutaḥ.


nṛpatēḥ sutaḥ king's son (Rama), catuṣpathān junction of four roads, dēvapathān roads leading to temples, caityān monuments, āyatanāni ca also temples, pradakṣiṇam ensuring that they come on to his right, pariharan crossing, jagāma proceeded.

The son of the king proceeded, leaving on his right, squares (intersections of four roads), and roads leading to temples, monuments and shrines too.
sa rājakulamāsādya mēghasaṅghōpamai śśubhaiḥ৷৷2.17.17৷৷

prāsādaśṛṅgairvividhaiḥkailāsa śikharōpamaiḥ.

āvārayadbhirgaganaṅ vimānairiva pāṇḍuraiḥ৷৷2.17.18৷৷

vardhamānagṛhaiścāpi ratnajālapariṣkṛtaiḥ.

tatpṛthivyāṅ gṛhavaraṅ mahēndrasadanōpamam৷৷2.17.19৷৷

rājaputraḥ piturvēśma pravivēśa śriyā jvalan.


saḥ rājaputraḥ that king's son (Rama), rājakulam royal residence, āsādya having reached, mēghasaṅghōpamaiḥ resembling flakes of clouds, śubhaiḥ auspicious, kailāsaśikharōpamaiḥ resembling the peaks of Kailasa, pāṇḍuraiḥ pale white, vimānairiva like aerial chariots, gaganam sky, āvārayadbhiḥ covering, vividhaiḥ various, prāsādaśṛṅgai: on the top of the palace, ratnajālapariṣkṛtaiḥ decorated with clusters of gems, vardhamānagṛhaiścāpi with palaces not having doors to the south, pṛthivyām on this earth, mahēndrasadanōpamam comparable to the abode of Indra, gṛhavaram excellent residence, tat that, vēśma palace, śriyā with splendour, jvalan blazing, pravivēśa entered.

That prince (Rama) arrived at the excellent palace of the king, which looked like the abode of Indra on earth, blazing with splendour. The various towers of the palace touching the sky resembled clusters of white clouds, like auspicious peaks of Kailasa, and like white aerial chariots decorated with gems.
sa kakṣyā dhanvibhirguptāstisrō.tikramya vājibhiḥ৷৷2.17.20৷৷

padātiraparē kakṣyē dvē jagāma narōttamaḥ.


narōttamaḥ best among men(Rama), saḥ he, dhanvibhiḥ bowmen, guptāḥ protected, tisraḥ kakṣyāḥ three courtyards, vājibhiḥ on horses, atikramya having crossed over, aparē the remaining, dvē kakṣyē two courtyards, padātiḥ on foot, jagāma proceeded.

Rama, the best among men, crossed the first three courtyards which were protected by bowmen on horses and crossed the remaining two on foot.
sa sarvā ssamatikramya kakṣyā daśarathātmajaḥ.

sannivartya janaṅ sarvaṅ śuddhāntaḥ puramabhyagāt৷৷2.17.21৷৷


saḥ daśarathātmajaḥ that son of Dasaratha, sarvāḥ all, kakṣyāḥ enclosures, samatikramya having crossed over, sarvaṅ janam all followers, sannivartya having sent them, śuddhāntaḥpuram the private apartment, abhyagāt reached.

Crossing the courtyards on his way Rama sent back his followers and entered the
private apartment of the king.
tasmin praviṣṭē piturantikaṅ tadā jana ssa sarvō muditō nṛpātmajē.

pratīkṣatē tasya punaḥ sma nirgamaṅ yathōdayaṅ candramasassaritpatiḥ৷৷2.17.22৷৷


tasmin that, nṛpātmajē king's son, tadā then, pituḥ father's, antikam near, praviṣṭē having entered, saḥ those, sarvaḥ all, janaḥ people, muditaḥ were delighted, saritpatiḥ lord of rivers (ocean), candramasaḥ Moon's, udayaṅ yathā like the rise, tasya his, punaḥ nirgamam for his return, pratīkṣatē sma were waiting.

When the prince approached his father all the people were delighted and awaited his return like the ocean waiting for the rise of the Moon.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē saptadaśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the seventeenth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.