Sloka & Translation

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

स रामो रथमास्थाय सम्प्रहृष्टसुहृज्जनः।

पताकाध्वजसम्पन्नं महार्हागरुधूपितम्।।2.17.1।।

अपश्यन्नगरं श्रीमान्नानाजनसमाकुलम्।


श्रीमान् glorious, सम्प्रहृष्टसुहृज्जनः friends rejoicing, सः रामः that Rama, रथम् chariot, आस्थाय aboard, पताकाध्वजसम्पन्नम् decorated with banners and pennants, महार्हागरुधूपितम् fragrant
with expensive incense and agaru, नानाजनसमाकुलम् crowded with a variety of people, नगरम् city, अपश्यत् 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.
स गृहैरभ्रसङ्काशैः पाण्डुरैरुपशोभितम्।।2.17.2।।

राजमार्गं ययौ रामो मध्येनागरुधूपितम्।


सः रामः that Rama, अभ्रसङ्कशै: resembling clouds, पाण्डुरैः pale white, गृहैः houses, उपशोभितम् decorated, अगरुधूपितम् made fragrant with agaru, राजमार्गं मध्येन in the middle of the highway, ययौ proceeded.

That Rama, proceeded down the middle of the highway made fragrant with agaru and incense, lined with houses gleaming pale white like clouds.
चन्दनानां च मुख्यानामगरूणां च सञ्चयैः।।2.17.3।।

उत्तमानां च गन्धानां क्षौमकोशाम्बरस्य च।

अविद्धाभिश्च मुक्ताभिरुत्तमैस्स्फाटिकैरपि।।2.17.4।।

शोभमानमसंबाधैस्तं राजपथमुत्तमम्।

संवृतं विविधैःपुष्पैर्भक्ष्यैरुच्चावचैरपि।।2.17.5।।


चन्दनानाम् by heaps of sandal, मुख्यानाम् highest quality, अगरूणाम् of agaru, उत्तमानाम् excellent, गन्धानां fragrant substances, क्षौमकौशाम्बरस्य च white silken cloth, सञ्चयैः heaps, अविद्धाभिः unholed, मुक्ताभिः pearls, उत्तमैः excellent, स्फाटिकैरपि also articles made of crystals, शोभमानम् splendid, असम्बाधैः spacious, विविधैः various, पुष्पैः flowers, उच्चावचैः of high and low quality, भक्ष्यैः articles of food, संवृतम् filled with, तम् such, उत्तमम् excellent, राजपथम् 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.
ददर्श तं राजपथं दिवि देवपथं यथा।

दध्यक्षतहविर्लाजैर्धूपैरगरुचन्दनैः।।2.17.6।।

नानामाल्योपगंधैश्च सदाऽभ्यर्चितचत्वरम्।


दिवि in heaven, देवपथं यथा like the pathway of the gods, दध्यक्षतहविर्लाजैः curd, grains of rice laja (puffed rice) sacrificial libations, धूपैः with incense, अगरुचंदनैः sandalwood and agaru, नानामाल्योपगंधैश्च different kinds of garlands and fragrant substances, सदा always, अभ्यर्चितचत्वरम् crossroads worshipped, तं राजपथम् that royal highway, ददर्श saw.

Rama beheld the highway resembling the pathway of gods in heaven. Here the crossroads 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.
अशीर्वादान्बहून् शृण्वन्सुहृद्भिस्समुदीरितान्।।2.17.7।।

यथार्हं चापि सम्पूज्य सर्वानेव नरान्ययौ।


सुहृद्भि: by friends, समुदीरितान् uttered, बहून् many, आशीर्वादान् blessings, शृण्वन् hearing, सर्वानेव all, नरान् men, यथार्हम् appropriately, सम्पूज्य च worshipping (honouring), ययौ passed.

Hearing many words of blessings uttered by his friends and honouring each person according to his rank, he passed on.
पितामहैराचरितं तथैव प्रपितामहैः।।2.17.8।।

अद्योपादाय तं मार्गमभिषिक्तोऽनुपालय।


अद्य today, अभिषिक्तः consecrated, पितामहैः by your grandfather, तथैव also, प्रपितामहैः by greatgrandfathers, आचरितम् followed by them, तं मार्गम् that path, उपादाय after adopting (acquiring), अनुपालय you may rule the kingdom.

(They said) Consecrated today, rule the kingdom by adopting the same path followed by your grandfathers and greatgrandfathers.
यथास्म पोषिताः पित्रा यथा सर्वैः पितामहैः।।2.17.9।।

ततस्सुखतरं रामे वत्स्यामस्सति राजनि।


पित्रा by father (Dasaratha), यथा as, पोषिताः स्म we were brought up (ruled), सर्वैः all, पितामहैः grandfathers, यथा as, रामे Rama, राजनि सति when he becomes king, ततः सुखतरम् with greater happiness, वत्स्यामः we shall live.

Once Rama assumes kingship, we shall all live in happiness greater than when we were ruled by his father and grandfather.
अलमद्य हि भुक्तेन परमार्थैरलं च नः।।2.17.10।।

यदि पश्याम निर्यान्तं रामं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्।


अद्य today, राज्ये in the kingdom, प्रतिष्ठितम् enthroned, निर्यान्तम् going in procession, रामम् Rama, पश्याम यदि if only we can see, भुक्तेन with food, अलम् enough, परमार्थैः with ultimate object of life, अलम् 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.
अतो हि नः प्रियतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिद्भविष्यति।।2.17.11।।

यथाऽभिषेको रामस्य राज्येनामिततेजसः।


अमिततेजसः of undimmed brilliance, रामस्य Rama's, राज्येन kingdom, अभिषेकः consecration, यथा how much dear, अतः more than that, प्रियतरम् dearer, अन्यत् other than, किञ्चित्
nothing, नः for us, न भविष्यति will not happen.

For us, there is nothing dearer in the kingdom than the consecration of Rama of undimmed brilliance.
एताश्चान्याश्च सुहृदामुदासीनः कथाश्शुभाः।।2.17.12।।

आत्मसम्पूजनीश्शृण्वन्ययौ रामो महापथम्।


रामः Rama, सुहृदाम् friends, एताः these, अन्याश्च other, आत्मसम्पूजनीः words praising him, शुभाः favourable, कथाः words, शृण्वन् hearing, उदासीनः remaining indifferent, महापथम् highway, ययौ passed along.

Indifferent to such warm words by his friends in his favour Rama passed along the highway.
न हि तस्मान्मनः कश्चिच्चक्षुषी वा नरोत्तमात्।।2.17.13।।

नर श्शक्नोत्यपाक्रष्टुमतिक्रान्तेऽपि राघवे।


राघवे son of the Raghus (Rama), अतिक्रान्तेऽपि even though he passed them, कश्चित् नरः
no man, तस्मात् नरोत्तमात् from that best of men, मनः mind, चक्षुषी his eyes, अपाक्रष्टुम् to withdraw, न शक्नोति हि 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).
यश्च रामं न पश्येत्तु यं च रामो न पश्यति।।2.17.14।।

निन्दित स्सर्वल्लोकेषु स्वात्माऽप्येनं विगर्हते।


यश्च who, रामम् Rama, न पश्येत्तु does not see, यं च whom, रामः Rama, न पश्यति does not see, सर्वलोकेषु among all men, निन्दित: will be blamed, स्वात्माऽपि his self also, एनम् him, विगर्हते 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.
सर्वेषु हि स धर्मात्मा वर्णानां कुरुते दयाम्।।2.17.15।।

चतुर्णां हि वयः स्थानां तेन ते तमनुव्रताः।


धर्मात्मा righteous one, सः he, चतुर्णाम् four, वर्णानाम् relating to castes, सर्वेषु in all people, वयःस्थानाम् to the young and old, दयाम् compassion, कुरुते does, तेन so, ते they, तम् him, अनुव्रताः 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.
चतुष्पथान्देवपथांश्चैत्यान्यायतनानि च।।2.17.16।।

प्रदक्षिणं परिहरन् जगाम नृपते स्सुतः।


नृपतेः सुतः king's son (Rama), चतुष्पथान् junction of four roads, देवपथान् roads leading to temples, चैत्यान् monuments, आयतनानि च also temples, प्रदक्षिणम् ensuring that they come on to his right, परिहरन् crossing, जगाम 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.
स राजकुलमासाद्य मेघसङ्घोपमै श्शुभैः।।2.17.17।।

प्रासादशृङ्गैर्विविधैःकैलास शिखरोपमैः।

आवारयद्भिर्गगनं विमानैरिव पाण्डुरैः।।2.17.18।।

वर्धमानगृहैश्चापि रत्नजालपरिष्कृतैः।

तत्पृथिव्यां गृहवरं महेन्द्रसदनोपमम्।।2.17.19।।

राजपुत्रः पितुर्वेश्म प्रविवेश श्रिया ज्वलन्।


सः राजपुत्रः that king's son (Rama), राजकुलम् royal residence, आसाद्य having reached, मेघसङ्घोपमैः resembling flakes of clouds, शुभैः auspicious, कैलासशिखरोपमैः resembling the peaks of Kailasa, पाण्डुरैः pale white, विमानैरिव like aerial chariots, गगनम् sky, आवारयद्भिः covering, विविधैः various, प्रासादशृङ्गै: on the top of the palace, रत्नजालपरिष्कृतैः decorated with clusters of gems, वर्धमानगृहैश्चापि with palaces not having doors to the south, पृथिव्याम् on this earth, महेन्द्रसदनोपमम् comparable to the abode of Indra, गृहवरम् excellent residence, तत् that, वेश्म palace, श्रिया with splendour, ज्वलन् blazing, प्रविवेश 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.
स कक्ष्या धन्विभिर्गुप्तास्तिस्रोऽतिक्रम्य वाजिभिः।।2.17.20।।

पदातिरपरे कक्ष्ये द्वे जगाम नरोत्तमः।


नरोत्तमः best among men(Rama), सः he, धन्विभिः bowmen, गुप्ताः protected, तिस्रः कक्ष्याः three courtyards, वाजिभिः on horses, अतिक्रम्य having crossed over, अपरे the remaining, द्वे कक्ष्ये two courtyards, पदातिः on foot, जगाम 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.
स सर्वा स्समतिक्रम्य कक्ष्या दशरथात्मजः।

सन्निवर्त्य जनं सर्वं शुद्धान्तः पुरमभ्यगात्।।2.17.21।।


सः दशरथात्मजः that son of Dasaratha, सर्वाः all, कक्ष्याः enclosures, समतिक्रम्य having crossed over, सर्वं जनम् all followers, सन्निवर्त्य having sent them, शुद्धान्तःपुरम् the private apartment, अभ्यगात् reached.

Crossing the courtyards on his way Rama sent back his followers and entered the
private apartment of the king.
तस्मिन् प्रविष्टे पितुरन्तिकं तदा जन स्स सर्वो मुदितो नृपात्मजे।

प्रतीक्षते तस्य पुनः स्म निर्गमं यथोदयं चन्द्रमसस्सरित्पतिः।।2.17.22।।


तस्मिन् that, नृपात्मजे king's son, तदा then, पितुः father's, अन्तिकम् near, प्रविष्टे having entered, सः those, सर्वः all, जनः people, मुदितः were delighted, सरित्पतिः lord of rivers (ocean), चन्द्रमसः Moon's, उदयं यथा like the rise, तस्य his, पुनः निर्गमम् for his return, प्रतीक्षते स्म 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.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तदशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the seventeenth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.