Sloka & Translation

[Messengers are sent to get Bharata and Satrughna --- Messengers reach Rajagrha the maternal home of Bharata]

tēṣāṅ hi vacanaṅ śrutvā vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca ha.

mitrāmātyagaṇānsarvānbrāhmaṇāṅstānidaṅ vacaḥ৷৷2.68.1৷৷


tēṣām their, vacanaṅ words, śrutvā having listened, vasiṣṭaḥ Vasistha, tān those, mitrāmātyagaṇān host of friends and counsellors (of the king), sarvān all, brāhmaṇān brahmins, idaṅ vacaḥ these words, pratyuvācaha said in reply.

Having listened to their (the counsellors') words, Vasistha replied to the host of friends and counsellors of the king and to all the brahmins:
yadasau mātulakulē dattarājyaṅ paraṅ sukhī.

bharatō vasati bhrātrā śatrughnēna samanvitaḥ৷৷2.68.2৷৷

tacchīghraṅ javanā dūtā gacchantu tvaritairhayaiḥ.

ānētuṅ bhrātarau vīrau kiṅ samīkṣāmahē vayam৷৷2.68.3৷৷


dattarājyam on whom the kingdom has been conferred, asau bharataḥ that Bharata, bhrātrā with his brother, śatrughnēna with Satrughna, samanvitaḥ accompanied by, yat since, mātulakulē in maternal uncle's house, param extremely, sukhī happy, vasati is living, tat for that reason, vīrau two valiant, bhrātarau brothers, ānētum to bring, javanāḥ swift ones, dūtāḥ messengers, tvaritaiḥ by high speed, hayaiḥ on horses, śīghram quickly, gacchantu let them go, vayam we, kim what, samīkṣāmahē shall we deliberate.

Bharata on whom the kingdom has been conferred is living comfortably in his maternal uncle's house. Let swift messengers go quickly on speeding horses and bring back the valiant brothers, Bharata and Satrughna. What is there to deliberate for us in this matter?
gacchantviti tata ssarvē vasiṣṭhaṅ vākyamabruvan.

tēṣāṅ tadvacanaṅ śrūtvā vasiṣṭhō vākyamabravīt৷৷2.68.4৷৷


tataḥ after that, gacchantu let them go, iti thus, sarvē all, vasiṣṭham addressing Vasistha, vākyam words, abruvan uttered, tēṣām their, tat those, vacanam words, śrutvā on hearing, vasiṣṭhaḥ Vasistha, vākyam words, abravīt said.

Let the messengers go, said all of them to Vasistha. On hearing this, Vasistha replied again.
ēhi siddhārtha! vijaya! jayantāśōka! nandana!.

śrūyatāmiti kartavyaṅ sarvānēva bravīmi vaḥ৷৷2.68.5৷৷


siddhārtha! O Siddhartha, vijaya! O Vijaya!, jayanta! O Jayanta, aśōka! O Asoka, nandana O Nandana, ēhi come, vaḥ us, sarvānēva addressing all of you, (aham I), bravīmi am telling, itikartavyam what is required to be done, śrūyātām hear.

Calling Siddhartha, Vijaya, Jayanta, Asoka and Nandana, Vasistha said, All of you listen to what is required to be done (by you)!.
puraṅ rājagṛhaṅ gatvā śīghraṅ śīghrajavai rhayaiḥ.

tyaktaśōkairidaṅ vācya śśāsanādbharatō mama৷৷2.68.6৷৷


(itaḥ from here), śīghrajavaiḥ go swiftly, hayaiḥ on horses, rājagṛham to Rajagrha, puram city, gatvā having gone, tyakta śōkaiḥ concealing signs of grief, bharataḥ Bharata, mama my, śāsanāt by command, idam these words, vācyaḥ should be told.

Go at once from here on swift horses to the city of Rajagrha and concealing signs of grief, convey these words to Bharata as my command:
purōhita stvāṅ kuśalaṅ prāha sarvē ca mantriṇaḥ.

tvaramāṇaśca niryāhi kṛtyamātyayikaṅ tvayā৷৷2.68.7৷৷


purōhitaḥ the family priest, tvām your, kuśalam welfare, prāha has wished, sarvē all, mantriṇaśca counsellors too, tvaramāṇaḥ ca in all haste, niryāhi return, tvayā by you, ātyayikam urgent,
kṛtyam task exists.

The family priest and all the counsellors wish your welfare. You must return in haste. There is an urgent task required to be done by you.
mā cāsmai prōṣitaṅ rāmaṅ mā cāsmai pitaraṅ mṛtam.

bhavanta śśaṅsiṣurgatvā rāghavāṇāmimaṅ kṣayam৷৷2.68.8৷৷


bhavantaḥ all of you, gatvā having gone, āsmai to him, rāmam Rama, prōṣitam been exiled to the forest, mā śaṅsiṣuḥ shall not be communicated, pitaram father's, mṛtam demise, rāghavāṇām of Raghus, imam this, kṣayam decline, mā śaṅsiṣuḥ shall not communicate.

All of you go there and do not communicate (to Bharata) about the exile of Rama or the demise of his father and the disaster that has befallen the Raghus.
kauśēyāni ca vastrāṇi bhūṣaṇāni varāṇi ca.

kṣipramādaya rājñaśca bharatasya ca gacchata৷৷2.68.9৷৷


rājñaśca the kings, bharatasya ca to Bharata, kauśēyāni vastrāṇi silk garments, varāṇi precious, bhūṣaṇāni ca ornaments, ādāya taking with you, kṣipram gacchata immediately go.

Take with you silk garments and precious ornaments for the king of Kekaya and Bharata and depart at once.
dattapathyaśanā dūtā jagmussvaṅ svaṅ nivēśanam.

kēkayāṅ stē gamiṣyantō hayānāruhya saṅmatān৷৷2.68.10৷৷


kēkayān to Kekaya kingdom, gamiṣyantaḥ departing, tē dūtāḥ those mesengers, dattapathyaśanāḥ necessaries for the journey, sammatān excellent, hayān horses, āruhya having mounted, svaṅ svam their respective, nivēśanam house, jagmuḥ went.

The messengers set to depart to Kekaya kingdom, carrying with them the necessaries
for their journey went to their respective homes mounted on excellent horses.
tataḥ prāsthānikaṅ kṛtvā kāryaśēṣamanantaram.

vasiṣṭhēnābhyanujñātā dūtā ssaṅtvaritā yayuḥ৷৷2.68.11৷৷


tataḥ then, dūtāḥ messengers, prāsthānikam for the journey, anantaram required to be done, kāryaśēṣam rest of the arrangements, kṛtvā having done, vasiṣṭhēna by Vasistha, abhyanujñātāḥ permitted, saṅtvaritāḥ in haste, yayuḥ went out.

Having completed the rest of the arrangements for the journey and permitted by Vasistha, the messengers left.
nyantēnāparatālasya pralambasyōttaraṅ prati.

niṣēvamāṇā stē jagmurnadīṅ madhyēna mālinīm৷৷2.68.12৷৷


tē those messengers, aparatālasya Aparatala mountain, nyantēna to the west of it, pralambasya Pralamba mountain, uttaraṅ prati to the north of, madhyēna in between, mālinīṅ nadīm river Malini, niṣēvamāṇāḥ serving, jagmuḥ went.

The messengers proceeded in westerly direction for some distance and then crossed the southern end of the Aparatala mountain. Thereafter, they travelled northward along the bank of Malini that flows in between Aparatala and Pralamba mountains.
tē hastināpurē gaṅgāṅ tīrtvā pratyaṅmukhā yayuḥ.

pāñcāladēśamāsādya madhyēna kurujāṅgalam৷৷2.68.13৷৷

sarāṅsi ca supūrṇāni nadīśca vimalōdakāḥ.

nirīkṣamāṇā stē jagmurdūtāḥ kāryavaśāddrutam৷৷2.68.14৷৷


tē dūtāḥ those messengers, hastināpurē at Hastinapura, gaṅgām Ganga, tīrtvā having crossed, pratyaṅmukhāḥ in the westerly direction, yayuḥ went, madhyēna kurujāṅgalam through the
middle of Kurujangala, pāñcāladēśam Panchala country, āsādya having reached, supūrṇāni filled with water, sarāṅsi ca lakes, vimalōdakāḥ of pellucid waters, nadīśca rivers, nirīkṣamāṇāḥ beholding, kāryavaśāt with a view to fulfil their mission, drutam fast, jagmuḥ went.

The messengers crossed Ganga at Hastinapura, and went in the westerly direction through the middle of Kurujangala and reached the country of Panchala. Beholding lakes full of water and rivers of pellucid waters there, they travelled fast with a view to fulfilling their mission.
tē prasannōdakāṅ divyāṅ nānāvihagasēvitām.

upātijagmurvēgēna śaradaṇḍāṅ janākulām৷৷2.68.15৷৷


tē those messengers, prasannōdakām of calm waters, divyām divine, nānāvihagasēvitām frequented by fowls of various species, janākulām thronged with people, śaradaṇḍām Saradanda river, upātijagmuḥ crossed and went.

The messengers crossed the divine Saradanda of calm waters frequented by fowls of various speices and thronged with people. And proceeded speedily.
nikūlavṛkṣamāsādya divyaṅ satyōpayācanam.

abhigamyābhivādyaṅ taṅ kuliṅgāṅ prāviśanpurīm৷৷2.68.16৷৷


divyam divine, satyōpayācanam Satyopayachana (a tree granting the wishes of those who pray for), nikūlavṛkṣam a tree on the bank, āsādya having reached, abhivādyam paying homage, tam that one, abhigamya having reached, kuliṅgāṅpurīm Kulinga city, prāviśan entered.

They reached a divine tree (of great powers) known as Satyopayachana tree and having gone round and paid homage they entered the Kulinga city.
ābhikālaṅ tataḥ prāpya tē bōdhibhavanāccyutām.

pitṛpaitāmahīṅ puṇyāṅ tērurikṣumatīṅ nadīm৷৷2.68.17৷৷


tataḥ from there, tē they, abhikālam a village known as Abhikala, prāpya having reached, bōdhibhavanāt from Bodhibhavana mountain, cyutām flowing, pitṛpaitāmahīm enjoyed by fathers and forefathers, puṇyām sacred, ikṣumatīm Ikshumati river, tēruḥ crossed.

From there they reached a village known as Abhikala and crossed the sacred Ikshumati flowing from Bodhibhavana mountain. This region was enjoyed by fathers and forefathers of Dasaratha.
avēkṣyāñjalipānāṅśca brāhmaṇānvēdapāragān.

yayurmadhyēna bāhlīkān sudāmānaṅ ca parvatam৷৷2.68.18৷৷


añjalipānān drinking water with cupped palms, vēdapāragān versed in the Vedas, brāhmaṇān brahmins, avēkṣaya having seen, bāhlīkān madhyēna in the middle of Bahlika country, sudāmānam known as Sudama, paryataṅ ca mountain, yayuḥ went.

There they saw the brahmins versed in the Vedas and drank water with cupped palms. Then they continued their journey through the middle of Bahlika country, and reached Sudama mountain.
viṣṇōḥ padaṅ prēkṣamāṇā vipāśāṅcāpi śālmalīm.

nadīrvāpī staṭākāni palvalāni sarāṅsi ca৷৷2.68.19৷৷

paśyantō vividhāṅścāpi siṅhāvyāghramṛga dvipān.

yayuḥ pathā.timahatā śāsanaṅ bharturīpsavaḥ৷৷2.68.20৷৷


viṣṇōḥ Visnu's, padam footprints, prēkṣamāṇāḥ beholding, vipāśāṅcāpi Vipasa river, śālmalīlaṅ cāpi Salmali also, nadīḥ rivers, vāpīḥ deep wells with steps to reach, taṭākāni tanks, palvalāni
pools, sarāṅsi ca large tanks, vividhān different, siṅhavyāghramṛga dvipān lions, tigers and elephants, paśyantaḥ seeing, bhartuḥ master's, śāsanam command, īpsavaḥ wishing to fulfil, atimahatā very long, pathā journey, yayuḥ went.

Beholding the footprints of Visnu (on Sudama mountain), and seeing Vipasa, and Salmali rivers, trees, streams, deep wells, ponds, pools, large tanks, different kinds of
lions, tigers and elephants, they travelled a long distance with the intention of fulfilling the command of their master.
tē śrāntavāhanā dūtā vikṛṣṇēna pathā tataḥ.

girivrajaṅ puravaraṅ śīghramāsēdurañjasā৷৷2.68.21৷৷


vikṛṣṇēna by prolonged, pathā journey, śrānta vāhanāḥ tired horses, tē dūtāḥ those mesengers, tataḥ then, śīghram swiftly, añjasā straight on, puravaram best of cities, girivrajam Girivrajam, āsēduḥ reached.

After a prolonged journey the messengers with their tired horses soon reached Girivraja, the (capital city of Kekaya kingdom) best of cities.
bhartuḥ priyārthaṅ kularakṣaṇārthaṅ bhartuśca vaṅśasya parigrahārtham.

ahēḍamānā stvarayā sma dūtā rātryāntu tē tatpuramēva yātāḥ৷৷2.68.22৷৷


tē dūtāḥ those messengers, bhartuḥ lord's, priyārtham to please, kularakṣaṇārtham to preserve the royal dynasty, bhartuḥ of the king's, vaṅśasya the house of the Ikshvakus, parigrahārtham for the protection of (royal honour), tvarayā quickly, ahēḍamānāḥ without negligence, rātyrām in the night, tat that, puramēva that city, yātāḥ reached.

To please their master (sage Vasistha) and to preserve the royal dynasty and also to protect the honour of the (race and people), the messengers soon reached their destination by night without any negligence of their duty.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē aṣṭaṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the sixtyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.