Sloka & Translation

[Rama describes to Sita the beauty of mountains, rivers, birds and animals at Chitrakuta.]

atha śailādviniṣkramya maithilīṅ kōsalēśvaraḥ.

adarśayacchubhajalāṅ ramyāṅ mandākinīṅ nadīm৷৷2.95.1৷৷


atha then, kōsalēśvaraḥ lord of Kosala (Rama), śailāt from the mountain, viniṣkramya having descended, śubhajalām of sacred water, ramyām charming, mandākinīṅ nadīm river Mandakini, maithilīm to Sita, adarśayat showed.

Then Rama, the lord of Kosala, descended from the mountain and showed Sita the charming river Mandakini of sacred waters.
abravīcca varārōhāṅ cārucandranibhānanām.

vidēharājasya sutāṅ rāmō rājīvalōcanaḥ৷৷2.95.2৷৷


rājīvalōcanaḥ lotus-eyed, rāmaḥ Rama, varārōhām to the heavy-hipped, cārucandranibhānanām to her whose face resembled the beauitiful Moon, vidēharājasya of the king of Videha, sutām daugher, abravīcca said.

Lotus-eyed Rama said to the heavy-hipped daughter of the king of Videha, whose face resembled the beauitiful Moon.
vicitrapulināṅ ramyāṅ haṅsasārasasēvitām.

kamalairupasampannāṅ paśya mandākinīṅ nadīm৷৷2.95.3৷৷


vicitrapulinām of variagated sandbanks, ramyām enchanting, haṅsasārasasēvitām frequented by geese and swans, kamalaiḥ with lotus, upasampannām adorned with, mandākinīṅ nadīm river Mandakini, paśya look.

Look at this enchanting river Mandakini with its variegated sandbanks frequented by geese and swans and adorned with lotuses.
nānāvidhaistīraruhai rvṛtāṅ puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ.

rājantīṅ rājarājasya nalinīmiva sarvataḥ৷৷2.95.4৷৷


sarvataḥ everywhere, nānāvidhaiḥ of various kinds, tīraruhaiḥ growing on its banks, puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ trees, laden with fruits and flowers, vṛtām surrounded by, rājarājasya Kubera's, nalinīm iva like fragrant lake Nalini, rājantīm sparkling.

See this river sparkling with trees of every kind laden with fruits and flowers growing on its banks. Everywhere it resembles the lake Nalini of Kubera.
mṛgayūthanipītāni kaluṣāmbhāṅsi sāmpratam.

tīrthāni ramaṇīyāni ratiṅ sañjanayanti mē৷৷2.95.5৷৷


sāmpratam just now, mṛgayūthanipītāni drunk by herds of deer, kaluṣāmbhāṅsi of turbid waters, ramaṇīyāni lovely, tīrthāni landing places, mē to me, ratim pleasure, sañjanayanti is producing.

The herds of deer have just drunk water by descending down the landing places and the waters are still turbid. This sight produces great pleasure in me.
jaṭājinadharāḥ kālē valkalōttaravāsasaḥ.

ṛṣaya stvavagāhantē nadīṅ mandākinīṅ priyē৷৷2.95.6৷৷


priyē O my beloved, jaṭājinadharāḥ with matted locks and wearing deer skins, valkalōttaravāsasaḥ bark as upper cloth, ṛṣayaḥ rishis, kālē at the appointed hour, mandākinīṅ nadīm the river Mandakini, avagāhantē are immersing.

O my beloved! rishis with matted locks and wearing deer skins and bark of trees as upper cloth bathe in the river Mandakini for performing morning ablutions in time.
ādityamupatiṣṭhantē niyamādūrdhvabāhavaḥ.

ētē parē viśālākṣi! munaya ssaṅśitavratāḥ৷৷2.95.7৷৷


viśālākṣi! O large-eyed Sita, saṅśitavratāḥ of rigid austerities, ētē parē some other, munayaḥ ascetics, niyamāt according to tradition, ūrdhvabāhavaḥ lifting up their arms, ādityam Sun-god, upatiṣṭhantē are worhipping.

O large-eyed Sita, some other ascetics of rigid austerities worship the sun-god according to tradition, lifting up their arms and invoking the Sun.
mārutōddhūtaśikharaiḥ pranṛtta iva parvataḥ.

pādapaiḥ patrapuṣpāṇi sṛjadbhirabhitō nadīm৷৷2.95.8৷৷


mārutōddhūtaśikharaiḥ tree tops swayed by the wind, nadīmabhitaḥ around the river, patrapuṣpāṇi leaves and flowers, sṛjadbhiḥ shedding, pādapaiḥ with trees, parvataḥ mountain, pranṛtta iva seems dancing.

With the trees whose tops are swayed by the wind, the mountain was as if dancing, shedding leaves and flowers all around the river.
cinmaṇinikāśōdāṅ kvacitpulinaśālinīm.

kvacitsiddhajanākīrṇāṅ paśya mandākinīṅ nadīm৷৷2.95.9৷৷


kvacit at some places, maṇinikāśōdām with water transparent as crystals, kvacit at some other places, pulinaśālinīm sparkling with sand dunes, kvacit at some places, siddhajanākīrṇām filled with siddhas (those acomplished in spiritual pursuits), mandākinīṅ nadīm river Mandakini, paśya see.

Behold this river Mandakini whose waters here are transparent like crystals, there sparkling with sand dunes and elsewhere crowded with siddhas.
nirdhūtānvāyunā paśya vitatānpuṣpasañcayān.

pōplūyamānānaparānpaśya tvaṅ jalamadhyagān৷৷2.95.10৷৷


vāyunā by the wind, nirdhūtān shaken off, vitatān scattered, puṣpasañcayān heaps of flowers, paśya see, jalamadhyagān in the midst of waters, pōplūyamānān floating, aparān other masses of flowers, tvam you, paśya see.

Look at the scattered heaps of flowers shaken off by the wind and large quantities of flowers floating on the waters.
tāṅścātivalguvacasō rathāṅgāhvayanā dvijāḥ.

adhirōhanti kalyāṇi niṣkūjanta śśubhā giraḥ৷৷2.95.11৷৷


kalyāṇi O my auspicious Sita, valguvacasaḥ of sweet-voiced, rathāṅgāhvayanāḥ birds named Chakravaka, dvijāḥ birds, śubhāḥ most pleasant, giraḥ tones, niṣkūjantaḥ uttering, tān on those (heaps of flowers), adhirōhanti alighting.

O my auspicious Sita, sweet-voiced Chakravaka birds singing in most pleasant tones are alighting on those heaps of flowers.
darśanaṅ citrakūṭasya mandākinyāśca śōbhanē.

adhikaṅ puravāsācca manyē tava ca darśanāt৷৷2.95.12৷৷


śōbhanē my lovely Sita, tava your, darśanāt in presence, citrakūṭasya Chitrakuta's, mandākinyāśca Mandakini's, darśanam viewing, puravāsāccha compared to living in Ayodhya, adhikam is greater, manyē I consider.

My lovely Sita, I consider watching this mount Chitrakuta and river Mandakini in your presence more delightful than living in Ayodhya.
vidhūtakaluṣai ssiddhaistapōdamaśamānvitaiḥ.

nityavikṣōbhitajalāṅ vigāhasva mayā saha৷৷2.95.13৷৷


vidhūtakaluṣaiḥ cleansed of sins, tapōdamaśamānvitaiḥ endowed with asceticism, self-restraint and tranquillity, siddhaiḥ with siddhas, nityavikṣōbhitajalām with perpetually agitated waters, mayā saha with me, vigāhasva enter.

The waters of river Mandakini is perpetually agitated by siddhas who are endowed with asceticism, self-restraint and tranquillity and who are cleansed of sins by taking bath in the river. Plunge with me into this river.
sakhīvacca vigāhasva sītē mandākinīṅ nadīm.

kamalānyavamajjantī puṣkarāṇi ca bhāmini৷৷2.95.14৷৷


bhāmini O lovely, sītē Sita, kamalāni red lotuses, puṣkarāṇi ca white lotuses, avamajjantī submerging, sakhīvat like a friend, mandākinīṅ nadīm Mandakini river, vigāhasva you may enter.

O lovely Sita, like a companion plunge into this river Mandakini, submerging the red and white lotuses, and enjoy sporting.
tvaṅ paurajanavadvyālānayōdhyāmiva parvatam.

manyasva vanitē! nityaṅ sarayūvadimāṅ nadīm৷৷2.95.15৷৷


vanitē! O my lovely lady, tvam you, vyālān wild animals, paurajanavat as inhabitants of Ayodhya, parvatam mountain, ayōdhyāmiva as Ayodhya, imām this, nadīm river, sarayūvat as Sarayu, nityam always, manyasva think of.

O my lovely lady! Always think this river Mandakini as Sarayu and this mount Chitrakuta as Ayodhya and these wild animals as its inhabitants.
lakṣmaṇaścāpi dharmātmā mannidēśē vyavasthitaḥ.

tvaṅ cānukūlā vaidēhi prītiṅ janayathō mama৷৷2.95.16৷৷


vaidēhi O Sita, dharmātmā righteous, lakṣmaṇaścāpi Lakshmana also, mannidēśē at my command, vyavasthitaḥ obedient, tvaṅ ca you also, anukūlā agreeable, mama to me, prītim pleasure, janayathaḥ are causing.

With righteous Lakshmana obedient and you, O Sita, agreeable to me, you both bring me great pleasure.
upaspṛśaṅstriṣavaṇaṅ madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ.

nāyōdhyāyaina rājyāya spṛhayē.dya tvayā saha৷৷2.95.17৷৷


triṣavaṇam thrice at the time of prayers, upaspṛśan bathing, madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ honey, roots and fruits, tvayā saha in your company, adya now, ayōdhyāyai for Ayodhya, na spṛhayē I do not yearn for, rājyāya na nor even the kingdom.

Bathing thrice in your company at the time of prayers and partaking honey, roots and fruits, I do not yearn either for Ayodhya or for the kingdom.
imāṅhi ramyāṅ mṛgayūthaśālinīṅ nipītatōyāṅ gajasiṅhavānaraiḥ.

supuṣpitāṅ puṣpabharairalaṅkṛtāṅ nasō.sti ya ssyānna gataklama ssukhī৷৷2.95.18৷৷


ramyām enchanting, mṛgayūthaśālinīm teeming with herds of deer, gajasiṅhavānaraiḥ with elephants, lions and monkeys, nipītatōyām its waters being drunk by, supuṣpitām in full bloom, puṣpabharaiḥ with multitude of flowers, alaṅkṛtām decorated, imām this (river Mandakini), yaḥ who, gataklamaḥ with fatigue gone, sukhī happy, na syāt will not find himself, saḥ that one, nāsti does not exist.

With this enchanting Mandakini teeming with herds of deer, whose waters are drunk by elephants, lions and monkeys, decorated with heaps of flowers fallen from the trees in full bloom, who will not feel happy and free from fatigue.
itīva rāmō bahusaṅgataṅ vacaḥ priyāsahāya ssaritaṅ prati bruvan.

cacāra ramyaṅ nayanāñjanaprabhaṅ sa citrakūṭaṅ raghuvaṅśavardhanaḥ৷৷2.95.19৷৷


raghuvaṅśavardhanaḥ perpetuator of Raghu dynasty, saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, itīva in this manner, saritaṅ prati about Mandakini river, bahu at length, saṅgatam appropriate, vacaḥ words, bruvan speaking, priyāsahāyaḥ in the company of his beloved, nayanāñjanaprabham resembling collyrium in hue, ramyam delightful, citrakūṭam Chitrakuta, cacāra wandered about.

Rama, the perpetuator of the Raghu dynasty, describing the river Mandakini at length appropriately in this manner, wandered in the company of his beloved consort on mount Chitrakuta looking black like collyrium.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē pañcanavatitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the ninetyfifth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.