Sloka & Translation

[Bharata's Journey to Chitrakuta -- Bharata observes signs of smoke and presumes it to be the hermitage of Rama -- Bharata, Vasistha and Satrughna move forward towards the hermitage.]

तया महत्या यायिन्या ध्वजिन्या वनवासिनः।

अर्दिता यूथपा मत्ताः सयूथास्सम्प्रदुद्रुवुः।।2.93.1।।


यायिन्या while on the march, महत्या by the great, तया that, ध्वजिन्या by the army, वनवासिनः foresters, मत्ताः exited, यूथपाः the leaders of herds, अर्दिताः were frightened, सयूथाः with
herds, सम्प्रदुद्रुवुः ran off.

On seeing the great army marching, the exited leaders of herds of elephants inhabiting the forest were frightened and ran off with their herds.
ऋक्षाः पृषतसङ्घाश्च रुरवश्च समन्ततः।

दृश्यन्ते वनराजीषु गिरिष्वपि नदीषु च।।2.93.2।।


वनराजीषु in the stretches of the forest, गिरिष्वपि also on the mountains, नदीषु च at the river banks, समन्ततः on all sides, ऋक्षाः bears, पृषतसङ्घाश्च herds of dappled gazelle, रुरवश्च antelopes, दृश्यन्ते could be seen

Bears, herds of dappled gazelle and antelopes could be seen everywhere in the stretches of the forest, also on the mountains and on the river banks.
स सम्प्रतस्थे धर्मात्मा प्रीतो दशरथात्मजः।

वृतो महत्या नादिन्या सेनया चतुरङ्गया।।2.93.3।।


धर्मत्मा the righteous, सः दशरथात्मजः that son of Dasaratha (Bharata), प्रीतः was delighted, नादिन्या clamouring, महत्या great, चतुरङ्गया of four divisions, सेनया with army, वृतः
surrounded by, सम्प्रतस्थे proceeded.

Bharata the righteous son of Dasaratha, proceeded with great delight in the company of the clamouring army of four divisions.
सागरौघनिभा सेना भरतस्य महात्मनः।

महीं सञ्छादयामास प्रावृषि द्यामिवाम्बुदः।।2.93.4।।


महात्मनः of the magnanimous one, भरतस्य Bharata's, सागरौघनिभा resembling the waves of ocean, सेना the army, प्रावृषि during the rainy season, अम्बुदः cloud, द्यामिव like the sky, महीम् the earth, सञ्छादयामास covered.

The army of the magnanimous Bharata, resembling the waves of the ocean, covered the earth as the clouds cover the sky during the rainy season.
तुरङ्गौघैरवतता वारणैश्च महाजवैः।

अनालक्ष्या चिरं कालं तस्मिन्काले बभूव भूः।।2.93.5।।


तस्मिन्काले at that moment, महाजवैः with great speed, तुरङ्गौघैः with multitude of horses, वारणैश्च with elephants, अवतता overspread, भूः the earth, चिरकालम् for a long time, अनालक्ष्या बभूव became invisible.

At that moment, a multiutde of swift horses and elephants spread out with great speed and the surface of the earth became invisible for a long time.
स यात्वा दूरमध्वानं सुपरिश्रान्तवाहनः।

उवाच भरत श्श्रीमान् वसिष्ठं मन्त्रिणां वरम्।।2.93.6।।


श्रीमान् the majestic one, सः भरतः that Bharata, दूरम् great, अध्वानम् distance, यात्वा having travelled, सुपरिश्रान्तवाहनः with draught animals extremely wearied, मन्त्रिणाम् among counsellors, वरम् the best, वसिष्ठम् addressing Vasistha, उवाच said.

With his draught animals extremely wearied by covering a great distance, the majestic Bharata said to Vasistha, the best of counsellors:
यादृशं लक्ष्यते रूपं यथा चैव श्रुतं मया।

व्यक्तं प्राप्ताः स्म तं देशं भरद्वाजो यमब्रवीत्।।2.93.7।।


यादृशम् whichever, रूपम् the appearance, लक्ष्यते is being observed, मया by me, यथा as, श्रुतं चैव has been heard, यम् about which region, भरद्वाजः Bharadwaja, अब्रवीत् spoke, तं देशम् that region, प्राप्ताः स्म we have reached, व्यक्तम् this is clear.

Looking at these surroundings and from what I had heard, it is clear that we have reached the region indicated by Bharadwaja.
अयं गिरिश्चित्रकूट इयं मन्दाकिनी नदी।

एतत्प्रकाशते दूरान्नीलमेघनिभं वनम्।।2.93.8।।


अयम् गिरिः this is the mountain, चित्रकूटः is Chitrakuta, इयं नदी this is the river, मन्दाकिनी Mandakini, दूरात् from a distance, एतत् this, नीलमेघनिभम् like a blue cloud, वनम् forest, प्रकाशते is shining.

This mountain is Chitrakuta and this river, Mandakini. The forest shines from a distance like a blue cloud.
गिरे स्सानूनि रम्याणि चित्रकूटस्य सम्प्रति।

वारणैरवमृद्यन्ते मामकै पर्वतोपमैः।।2.93.9।।


सम्प्रति now, मामकैः relating to me, पर्वतोपमैः resembling mountains, वारणैः with elephants, चित्रकूटस्य गिरेः Chitrkuta mountain's, रम्याणि enchanting, सानूनि ridges, अवमृद्यन्ते are being trampled.

The enchanting ridges of mount Chitrakuta are now trampled by my mountainlike elephants.
मुञ्चन्ति कुसुमान्येते नगाः पर्वतसानुषु।

नीला इवातपापाये तोयं तोयधरा घनाः।।2.93.10।।


पर्वतसानुषु on the mountain ridges, एते नगाः these trees, आतपापाये at the end of summer, नीलाः blue, घनाः dense, तोयधराः rainclouds, तोयम् इव like showers, कुसुमानि flowers, मुञ्चन्ति are shedding.

The trees on the mountain ridges are shedding flowers, like dense blue rainclouds showering water at the end of summer.
किन्नराचरितं देशं पश्य शत्रुघ्न पर्वतम्।

मृगैस्समन्तादाकीर्णं मकरैरिव सागरम्।।2.93.11।।


शत्रुघ्न O Satrughna, मकरैः with great crocodiles, सागरम् इव like ocean, समन्तात् everywhere, मृगैः with animals, आकीर्णम् abounding, किन्नराचरितम् frequented by kinneras, देशम् region, पर्वतम् mountain, पश्य behold.

O Satrughna, behold this mountain frequented by kinneras and abounding in animals like great crocodiles in the ocean.
एते मृगगणा भान्ति शीघ्रवेगाः प्रचोदिताः।

वायुप्रविद्धा श्शरदि मेघराजिरिवाम्बरे।।2.93.12।।


प्रचोदिताः incited, शीघ्रवेगाः swiftfooted, एते these, मृगगणाः herds of deer, शरदि autumnal, अम्बरे sky, वायुप्रविद्धा expelled, मेघराजिरिव like mass of clouds, भान्ति are appearing.

Incited by the clamour of the army, these swiftrunning herds of deer expelled from their retreats resemble mass of clouds in the autumnal sky shattered by the wind.
कुर्वन्ति कुसुमापीडान् शिरस्सु सुरभीनमी।

मेघप्रकाशैः फलकैर्दाक्षिणात्या यथा नराः।।2.93.13।।


अमी these mountain ridges, मेघप्रकाशैः looking brilliant like clouds, फलकैः shields, दाक्षिणात्याः belonging to southern region, नराः यथा like people, शिरस्सु on their heads, सुरभीन् fragrant, कुसुमापीडान् flower adornments, कुर्वन्ति are making.

Like the people of the south, the trees on the mountain ridges with branches, brilliant like clouds, are crowned with fragrant flowers as adornments.
निष्कूजमिव भूत्वेदं वनं घोरप्रदर्शनम्।

अयोध्येव जनाकीर्णा सम्प्रति प्रतिभाति मा।।2.93.14।।


घोरप्रदर्शनम् dreadful in appearance, इदं वनम् this forest, निष्कूजमिव भूत्वा devoid of any twittering of birds, सम्प्रति now, जनाकीर्णा thronged with people, अयोध्येव like Ayodhya, मा to me, प्रतिभाति it appears.

This forest, dreadful in appearance was devoid of twittering of birds. But now it appears to me like Ayodhya thronged with people.
खुरैरुदीरितो रेणुर्दावं प्रच्छाद्य तिष्ठति।

तं वहत्यनिल श्श्रीघ्रं कुर्वन्निव मम प्रियम्।।2.93.15।।


खुरैः by the hooves, उदीरितः kicked, रेणुः dust, दावम् the forest, प्रच्छाद्य having enveloped, तिष्ठति is set, अनिलः wind, मम to me, प्रियम् pleasure, कुर्वन् इव as if to give, शीघ्रम् quickly, तम् that dust, वहति transporting it.

While the dust kicked by the hooves of the horses enveloped the forest, the wind, as if to please me, is quickly blowing them away.
स्यन्दनांस्तुरगोपेतान्सूतमुख्यै रधिष्ठितान्।

एतान्सम्पततश्श्रीघ्रं पश्य शत्रुघ्न कानने।।2.93.16।।


शत्रुघ्न O Satrughna, कानने in the forest, शीघ्रम् quickly, सम्पततः flying, सूतमुख्यैः by excellent charioteers, अधिष्ठितान् commanded by, तुरगोपेतान् drawn by horses, एतान् these, स्यन्दनान् chariots, पश्य behold.

Behold, O Satrughna, these chariots, commanded by excellent charioteers, harnessed with horses are flying through the forest.
एतान्वित्रासितान्पश्यबर्हिणः प्रियदर्शनान्।

एतमाविशत श्श्रीघ्रमधिवासं पतत्रिणः।।2.93.17।।


प्रियदर्शनान् pleasant to look, वित्रासितान् frightened, एतम् अधिवासम् their nests, शीघ्रम्
hurriedly, आविशतः entering, एतान् these, बर्हिणः peacocks, पतत्रिणः birds, पश्य behold.

Behold, these lovely frightened peacocks and other birds hurriedly entering their nests.
अतिमात्रमयं देशो मनोज्ञः प्रतिभाति मे।

तापसानां निवासोऽयं व्यक्तं स्वर्गपथो यथा।।2.93.18।।


अयं देशः this region, अतिमात्रम् very, मनोज्ञः charming, मे to me, प्रतिभाति appears, स्वर्गपथो यथा like pathway to heaven, अयम् this one, व्यक्तम् clearly, तापसानाम् ascetics', निवासः abode.

Being the abode of ascetics, this region looks very charming like the pathway to heaven.
मृगा मृगीभिः सहिता बहवः पृषता वने।

मनोज्ञरूपा दृश्यन्ते कुसुमैरिव चित्रिताः।।2.93.19।।


वने in this forest, बहवः many, पृषताः मृगाः spotted deer, कुसुमैः with flowers, चित्रिता इव as if painted, मनोज्ञरूपाः of charming appearance, मृगीभिः does, सहिताः in the company of,
दृश्यन्ते are seen.

In this forest many a dappled deer with their mates looking as if painted with flowers are seen wandering about with a charming appearance.
साधु सैन्याः प्रतिष्ठन्तां विचिन्वन्तु च कानने।

यथा तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ दृश्येते रामलक्ष्मणौ।।2.93.20।।


पुरुषव्याघ्रौ best of men, तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ those Rama and Lakshmana, यथा how, दृश्येते they could be seen, सैन्याः soldiers, साधु properly, प्रतिष्ठन्ताम् let them proceed, कानने in the forest, विचिन्वन्तु च be searched.

Let the soldiers set out and properly search the forest till such time the best of men, Rama and Lakshmana, are found.
भरतस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा पुरुषाश्शस्त्रपाणयः।

विविशु स्तद्वनं शूरा धूमं च ददृशु स्ततः।।2.93.21।।


भरतस्य Bharata's, वचः words, श्रुत्वा having heard, शस्त्रपाणयः with weapons in their hands, शूराः valiant, पुरुषाः men, तत् that, वनम् forest, विविशुः entered, ततः then, धूमम् smoke, ददृशुश्च observed.

Hearing the words of Bharata, those valiant warriors with weapons in their hands entered the forest. Therafter, they observed a spiral of smoke rising.
ते समालोक्य धूमाग्रमूचुर्भरतमागताः।

नामनुष्ये भवत्यग्नि र्व्यक्तमत्रैव राघवौ।।2.93.22।।


ते they, धूमाग्रम् column of smoke, समालोक्य having seen, भरतम् to Bharata, आगताः returned, ऊचुः communicated, अमनुष्ये in a place bereft of men, अग्नि: fire, न भवति cannot exist, व्यक्तम् clearly, राघवौ Rama and Lakshmana, अत्रैव are here only.

Having seen the column of smoke, they returned and informed Bharata, saying, 'In a place bereft of men, fire cannot exist. Clearly Rama and Lakshmana must be here only.'
अथ नाऽत्र नरव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रौ परन्तपौ।

अन्ये रामोपमा स्सन्ति व्यक्तमत्र तपस्विनः।।2.93.23।।


अथ otherwise, नरव्याघ्रौ tigers among men, परन्तपौ subduers of enemies, राजपुत्रौ princes, अत्र न if they are not here, अत्र here, रामोपमाः resembling Rama, अन्ये other, तपस्विनः सन्ति ascetics are there, व्यक्तम् evident.

In case the two princes, Rama and Lakshmana, the best of men, and subduers of
enemies are not residing here then evidently it must be some other ascetics like Rama.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भरतस्तेषां वचनं साधुसम्मतम्।

सैन्यानुवाच सर्वांस्तानमित्रबलमर्दनः।।2.93.24।।


अमित्रबलमर्दनः who crushes the hostile armies, भरतः Bharata, तेषाम् their, साधुसम्मतम् acceptable to the pious, तत् वचनम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, सर्वान् entire, तान् सैन्यान् to that entire army, उवाच said.

Having heard these words acceptable to the pious, Bharata, the crusher of enemy forces, addressed the entire army:
यत्ता भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु नेतो गन्तव्यमग्रतः।

अहमेव गमिष्यामि सुमन्त्रो गुरुरेव च।।2.93.25।।


भवन्तः all of you, यत्ताः alertly, तिष्ठन्तु stay, इतः from here, अग्रतः forward, न गन्तव्यम् you should not proceed, अहमेव myself alone, गमिष्यामि I shall go, सुमन्त्रः Sumantra, गुरुरेव च preceptor Vasistha also.

All of you carefully watch here. Do not proceed any further. Sumantra, the preceptor and myself shall go forward.
एवमुक्ता स्ततस्सर्वे तत्र तस्थुः समन्तः।

भरतो यत्र धूमाग्रं तत्र दृष्टिं समादधात्।।2.93.26।।


ततः thereafter, एवम् thus, उक्ताः spoken, सर्वे all of them, समन्ततः everyside, तत्र there, तस्थुः halted, भरतः Bharata, धूमाग्रम् column of smoke, यत्र where it is seen, तत्र there, दृष्टिम् gaze, समादधात् fixed.

At this command, all of them halted. Then Bharata fixed his gaze on the source of the smoke.
व्यवस्थिता या भरतेन सा चमूर्निरीक्षमाणाऽपि च भूमिमग्रतः।

बभूव हृष्टा न चिरेण जानती प्रियस्य रामस्य समागमं तदा।।2.93.27।।


या the army, भरतेन by Bharata, व्यवस्थिता has been halted, चमूः army, अग्रतः in the forefront, भूमिम् the space, निरीक्षमाणाऽपि च even though gazing at, न चिरेण not long before, तदा then, प्रियस्य of the beloved, रामस्य Rama's, समागमम् union, जानती knowing, हृष्टा बभूव rejoiced.

The army thus halted by Bharata, gazing at the space before them rejoiced at the thought that not long before they would rejoin their beloved Rama.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रिनवतितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the ninetythird sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.