Sloka & Translation

[Nature on the way to Kishkinda -- Sugriva describes the hermitage of the seven sages and the power of their penance]

ऋष्यमूकात्स धर्मात्मा किष्किन्धां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः।

जगाम सहसुग्रीवो वालिविक्रमपालिताम्4.13.1।।


धर्मात्मा righteous, सः he, लक्ष्मणाग्रजः Lakshmana's elder brother, सहसुग्रीवः along with Sugriva, ऋष्यमूकात् Rishyamuka, वालिविक्रमपालिताम् ruled by Vali's valour, किष्किन्धाम् Kishkinda, जगाम went.

Lakshmana's righteous elder brother left Rishyamuka with Sugriva for Kishkinda protected by Vali's valour.
समुद्यम्य महच्चापं रामः काञ्चनभूषितम्।

शरांश्चादित्यसङ्काशान्गृहीत्वा रणसाधकान्4.13.2।।


रामः Rama, काञ्चनभूषितम् adorned with gold, महत् great, चापम् bow, समुद्यम्य getting ready, आदित्यसङ्कशान् radiant as the Sun, रणसाधकान् potent in war, शरान् arrows, गृहीत्वा taking up.

Getting ready to go, Rama took up his great bow and arrows adorned with gold and potent in war looking (dazzling) like the Sun.
अग्रतस्तु ययौ तस्य राघवस्य महात्मनः।

सुग्रीवः संहतग्रीवो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः4.13.3।।


महात्मनः greatsoul, तस्य राघवस्य that Rama's, अग्रतः in front, संहतग्रीवः strongnecked, सुग्रीवः Sugriva, महाबलः powerful, लक्ष्मणश्च and Lakshmana, ययौ went.

The strongnecked Sugriva and mighty Lakshmana walked in front of the highsouled Rama.
पृष्ठतो हनुमान्वीरो नलो नीलश्च वानरः।

तारश्चैव महातेजा हरियूथपयूथपः4.13.4।।


पृष्ठतः behind them, वीरः courageous, हनुमान् Hanuman, नलः Nala, वानरः monkey, नीलश्च and Nila, महातेजाः brilliant, हरियूथपयूथपः the head of monkey leaders, तारश्चैव and Tara.

Brave and brilliant Hanuman, Nala, Nila, and Tara among the leaders of the monkeys walked behind.
ते वीक्षमाणा वृक्षांश्च पुष्पभारावलम्बिनः।

प्रसन्नाम्बुवहाश्चैव सरितस्सागरङ्गमाः4.13.5।।


ते they, वीक्षमाणा enjoying the view, पुष्पभारावलम्बिनः bending down due to the weight of the flowers, वृक्षांश्च trees, प्रसन्नाम्बुवहाः carrying pure waters, सागरंगमाः flowing into the sea, सरितः rivers.

They saw (on the way) trees bent down with the load of flowers, and rivers with pure water flowing into the sea.
कन्दराणि च शैलांश्च निर्दराणि गुहास्तथा।

शिखराणि च मुख्यानि दरीश्च प्रियदर्शनाः4.13.6।।


कन्दराणि valleys, शैलांश्च mountains, निर्दराणि caverns, तथा similarly, गुहाः caves, मुख्यानि prominent, शिखराणि peaks, प्रियदर्शनाः pleasing to look at, दरीश्च deep caves.

(They saw) beautiful valleys, mountains, caves, prominent peaks with deep caverns.
वैढूर्यविमलै:पर्णै पद्मैश्चाकोशकुट्मलैः।

शोभितांत्सजलान्मार्गे तटाकांश्च व्यलोकयन्4.13.7।।


मार्गे on the way, पर्णै with leaves, वैदूर्यविमलैः clear like Vaidurya, अकोशकुडमलैः buds, पद्मैश्च and lotuses, शोभितान् beautiful, सजलान् with water, तटाकान् tanks, अवलोकयन् observing

Observing on the way delightful lotus buds with leaves like Vaidurya, clear water and full tanks (They moved on).
कारण्डैस्सारसैर्हंसैर्वञ्जुलैर्जलकुक्कुटैः।

चक्रवाकै स्तथा चान्यैश्शकुनैः रुपनादितान्4.13.8।।


कारण्डैः with karandas (ducks), सारसैः with cranes, हंसैः with swans, वञ्जुलैः with vanjulas, जलकुक्कुटैः with water fowls, चक्रवाकैः with chakravakas, तथा similarly, अन्यैः with others, शकुनैः with birds, रुपनादितान् warbling melodiously

Ducks, cranes, swans, vanjulas, waterfowls, chakravakas and other birds warbling melodiously.
मृदुशष्पाङ्कुराहारान्निर्भयान्वनगोचरान्।

चरतस्सर्वतौऽपश्यन् स्थलीषु हरिणान् स्थितान्4.13.9।।


मृदुशष्पाङ्कुराहारान् feeding on tender grass, निर्भयान् without fear, वनगोचरान् roaming the forest, स्थलीषु on the ground, सर्वतः all around, चरतः roaming, स्थितान् standing, हरिणान् deer, अपश्यन् saw.

They observed deer feeding on tender grass on the ground around without fear, some standing and some roaming the forest
तटाकवैरिणश्चापि शुक्लदन्तविभूषितान्।

घोरानेकचरान्वन्यान्द्विरदान्कूलघातिनः4.13.10।।


तटाकवैरिणः destroyers of tanks, शुक्लदन्तविभूषितान् adorned with white tusks, घोरान् terrific, एकचरान् wandering alone, कूलघातिनः destroyers of the banks, द्विरदान् elephants (those that have two tusks).

Observing terrific elephants adorned with white tusks wandering alone destroying the tanks, shattering the banks.
मत्तान्गिरितटोत्कृष्टान्पर्वतानिव जङ्गमान्।

वारणान्वारिदप्रख्यान्महीरेणुसमुक्षितान्4.13.11।।


मत्तान् intoxicated, गिरितटोत्कृष्टान् that were knocking the edges of mountain slopes, जङ्गमान् moving, पर्वतानिव mountainlike, वारिदप्रख्यान् resembling (dark) rainbearing clouds, महीरेणुसमुक्षितान् covered with dust of the earth, वारणान् elephants.

(Observing) intoxicated elephants knocking the edges of mountain slopes, elephants resembling (dark) rainbearing clouds, elephants like moving mountains, elephants with dust covered all over the body.
वने वनचरांश्चान्यान्खेचरांश्च विहङ्गमान्।

पश्यन्तस्त्वरिता जग्मुस्सुग्रीववशवर्तिनः4.13.12।।


सुग्रीववशवर्तिनः faithful to Sugriva, वने in the forest, अन्यान् other, वनचरांश्च wild animals, खेचरान् those flying in the sky, विहङ्गमांश्च and birds, पश्यन्तः seeing, त्वरिताः fast, जग्मुः went.

Following Sugriva faithfully, they proceeded swiftly, observing animals of the forest and birds flying in the sky.
तेषां तु गच्छतां तत्र त्वरितं रघुनन्दनः।

द्रुमषण्डं वनं दृष्ट्वा रामस्सुग्रीवमब्रवीत्4.13.13।।


तेषाम् while they, त्वरितम् swiftly, गच्छताम् were going, रघुनन्दनः delight of the Raghu
family, रामः Rama, तत्र there, द्रुमषण्डवनम् dense forest dense with trees, दृष्ट्वा seeing, सुग्रीवम् Sugriva, अब्रवीत् said.

While walking fast, looking at the forest full of trees Rama, the delight of the Raghus said to Sugriva:
एष मेघ इवाकाशे वृक्षषण्डः प्रकाशते।

मेघसङ्घातविपुलः पर्यन्तकदलीवृतः4.13.14।।


मेघसङ्घातविपुलः vast like a collection of clouds, पर्यन्तकदलीवृतः surrounded by banana plants all over, एषः that, वृक्षषण्डः cluster of trees, आकाशे in the sky, मेघः cloud, इव like, प्रकाशते splendid.

'This cluster of trees surrounded by plantain groves look splendid like a vast collection of clouds in the sky.
किमेतत् ज्ञातुमिच्छामि सखे कौतूहलं हि मे।

कौतूहलापनयनं कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं त्वया4.13.15।।


सखे O friend, एतत् this, किम् what, ज्ञातुम् to know, इच्छामि wish, मम mine, कौतूहलम् curiosity, त्वया by you, कौतूहलापनयनम् clear to my curiosity, कर्तुम् do, इच्चामि I wish to.

'O friend I wish to know what this is? Could you answer my curiosity?'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः।

गच्छन्नेवाचचक्षेऽथ सुग्रीवस्तन्महद्वनम्4.13.16।।


महात्मनः great soul, तस्य राघवस्य that Raghava's, तत् वचनम् those words, श्रुत्वा hearing, सुग्रीवः Sugriva, अथ then, गच्छन्नेव walking, तत् that, महत् extensive, वनम् forest, आचचक्षे started narrating.

On hearing great Rama's words while walking in the extensive forest, Sugriva started
narrating:
एतद्राघव विस्तीर्णमाश्रमं श्रमनाशनम्।

उद्यानवनसम्पन्नं स्वादुमूलफलोदकम्4.13.17।।


राघव Raghava, उद्यानवनसम्पन्नम् beautiful gardens, स्वादुमूलफलोदकम् tasty roots fruits and water, विस्तीर्णम् vast, एतत् all this, श्रमनाशनम् relieves tiresomeness of wearied people, आश्रमम् hermitage.

'O Raghava this is a hermitage, enchanting with vast gardens and trees bearing sweet fruits, full of tasty roots and water that relieves tiresomeness (of travellers).
अत्र सप्तजना नाम मुनय स्संश्रितव्रताः।

सप्तैवासन्नधशशीर्षा नियतं जलशायिनः4.13.18।।


अत्र here, संश्रितव्रताः strict followers of austere practices, नियतम् highly disciplined, अधःशीर्षाः with head down, जलशायिनः immersed in water, सप्तजनाः नाम called seven ascetics (Saptajana), सप्तैव all the seven, मुनयः ascetics, आसन् were residing.

सप्तरात्रकृताहारा वायुनाचलवासिनः।

दिवं वर्षशतैर्याताः सप्तभिः सकलेबराः4.13.19।।


सप्तरात्रे on the seventh night, वायुना with air, कृताहाराः as food, अचलवासिनः without motion, सप्तभिः seven, वर्षशतैः hundred years, सकलेबराः with their bodies, दिवम् heaven, याताः attained.

'These seven sages used to live on air and that too once in seven nights. They lived for seven hundred years performing penance with motionlessness and attained heaven along with their bodies.
तेषामेवं प्रभावानां द्रुमप्राकारसंवृतम्।

आश्रमस्सुदुराधर्ष अपि सेन्द्रैस्सुरासुरैः4.13.20।।


द्रुमप्राकारसंवृतम् surrounded by a row of trees, एवं in this way, आश्रम् hermitage, तेषाम् their, प्रभावानां by virtue of their power of penance, सेन्द्रैः by those including Indra, सुरासुरैरपि gods and demons, सुदुराधर्षम् very difficult to enter.

'By virtue of the power of their penance, this hermitage surrounded by a row of trees is impenetrable even for demons and gods including Indra.
पक्षिणो वर्जयन्त्येतत्तथाऽन्ये वनचारिणः।

विशन्ति मोहाद्येऽप्यत्र निवर्तन्ते न ते पुनः4.13.21।।


पक्षिणः birds, तथा so also, अन्ये other, वनचारिणः wild animals, एतत् this place, वर्जयन्ति avoid, ये whoever, मोहात् by ignorance, अत्र there, विशन्ति enter, ते they, पुनः again, न निवर्तन्ति do not return.

'Birds and wild animals avoid the hermitage and whoever enters there out of ignorance never returns.
विभूषणरवास्तत्र श्रूयन्ते सकलाक्षराः।

तूर्यगीतस्वनाश्चात्र गन्धो दिव्यश्च राघव4.13.22।।


राघव Rama, अत्र here, सकलाक्षराः all words, विभूषणरवाश्च jingling of ornaments, तूर्यगीतस्वराश्चात्र sounds of songs and windinstruments (instruments that make a sound when wind passes through), श्रूयन्ते heard, दिव्यः divine, गन्धश्च fragrance also.

'O Rama, one can hear pleasant sounds of jingling ornaments (of nymphs), of songs and windinstruments here. One can inhale divine fragrance, too.
त्रेताग्नयोऽपि दीप्यन्ते दूमो ह्यत्र प्रकाशते।

वेष्टयन्निव वृक्षाग्रान्कपोताङ्गारुणो घनः4.13.23।।


त्रेताग्नयोऽपि three sacred fires (Dakshinagni, Ahavaniya, Garhapatya fires), दीप्यन्ते shining, वृक्षाग्रान् treetops, वेष्टयन्निव as if enveloping, कपोताङ्गारुणः red like the pigeon's feet, घनः thick,दूमो smoke, एषः this, प्रकाशते हि glows.

'The three sacred fires keep burning and the thick smoke they emit resembles the red feet of pigeons. It shines forth as if enveloping the treetops.
एते वृक्षाः प्रकाशन्ते धूमसंसक्तमस्तकाः।

मेघजालप्रतिच्छन्ना वैढूर्यगिरयो यथा4.13.24।।


धूमसंसक्तमस्तकाः treetops covered with thick smoke, वृक्षाः trees, मेघजालप्रतिच्छन्नाः concealed by clouds, यथा as, प्रकाशन्ते glowing, वैढूर्य Vaidurya, गिरियः a mountain, एते appears.

'These treetops covered with thick smoke glow like mountains of Vaidurya concealed by a cluster of clouds.
कुरु प्रणामं धर्मात्मंस्तेषामुद्दिश्य राघव।

लक्ष्मणेव सह भ्रात्रा प्रयन्तस्सयताञ्जलिः4.13.25।।


धर्मात्मन् O righteous one, राघव Rama, तेषाम् उद्दिश्य contemplating about them, भ्रात्रा brother, लक्ष्मणेन सह along with Lakshmana, प्रयतः humbly, सयताञ्जलिः with folded hands, प्रणामम् offer obeisance, कुरु do, ताम् them.

'O rigteous Rama you and your brother Lakshmana humbly offer obeisance to them(sacred hermitage and sages Saptajana) with folded hands and meditate on them.
प्रणमन्ति हि ये तेषां मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्।

न तेषामशुभं किञ्चिच्छरीरे राम दृश्यते4.13.26।।


राम Rama, भावितात्मनाम् sacred souls, तेषाम् मुनीनाम् to those sages, ये whoever, प्रणमन्ति offer obeisance, तेषाम् to them, शरीरे in body, किञ्चित् not even a little, अशुभम् inauspicious, न दृश्यते will not be seen.

'O Rama, nothing inauspicious happens to them who offer obeisance to those highly spiritual sacred sages.'
ततो रामस्सह भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणेन कृताञ्जलिः।

समुद्दिश्य महात्मानस्तानृषीनभ्यवादयत्4.13.27।।


ततः then, रामः Rama, भ्रात्रा with brother, लक्ष्मणेन सह along with Lakshmana, कृताञ्जलिः with folded hands offered obeisance, महात्मानः great souls, तान् them, ऋषीन् समुद्दिश्य thinking of the seers, अभ्यवादयत् saluted.

Rama and Lakshmana offered salutations with folded hands in memory of those great sages, great souls.
अभिवाद्य तु धर्मात्मा रामो भ्राता च लक्ष्मणः।

सुग्रीवो वानराश्चैव जग्मुसंहृष्टमानसाः4.13.28।।


धर्मात्मा righteous, रामः Rama, भ्राता brother, लक्ष्मणः Lakshmana, सुग्रीवः Sugriva, वानराश्चैव and monkeys, अभिवाद्य offered obeisance, संहृष्टमानसाः delighted at heart, जग्मुः went.

Righteous Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and all the monkeys offered obeisance and proceeded delighted at heart.
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं तस्मात्सप्तजनाश्रमात्।

ददृशुस्तां दुराधर्षां किष्किन्धां वालिपालिताम्4.13.29।।


ते they, तस्मात् from there, सप्तजनाश्रमात् the hermitage of seven seers, दूरम् long distance, अध्वानम् path, गत्वा on going, वालिपालिताम् ruled by Vali, दुराधर्षाम् unassailable, तां किष्किन्धाम् that Kishkinda, ददृशुः beheld

Walking a long distance from the hermitage of the seven seers, they beheld the unassailable Kishkinda ruled by Vali.
ततस्तु रामानुजरामवानराः

प्रगृह्य शस्त्राण्युदिताग्र्यतेजसः।

पुरीं सुरेशात्मजवीर्यपालितां

वधाय शत्रोः पुनरागतास्सह4.13.30।।


ततः then, उदितोग्रतेजसः possessed of fierce lustre, रामानुजरामवानराः Lakshmana, Rama and the monkeys, शस्त्राणि weapons, प्रगृह्य took, शत्रोः enemy, वधाय to kill, सुरेशात्मजवीर्यपालिताम् ruled by the valour of the son of Indra, पुरीम् capital, पुनः again, इह there, आगताः reached.

Rama and Lakshmana of fierce lustre, and the monkeys took hold of the weapons to kill the enemy and reached the capital ruled by the valour of Vali, son of Indra.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये किष्किन्धाकाण्डे त्रयोदशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the thirteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.