Sloka & Translation

[ Arrangements made for the journey to the forest.]

atha bhūmipradēśajñāssūtrakarmaviśāradāḥ.

svakarmābhiratāśśūrāḥ khanakā yantrakāstathā৷৷2.80.1৷৷

karmāntikāḥ sthapatayaḥ puruṣa yantrakōvidāḥ.

tathā vārdhakayaścaiva mārgiṇō vṛkṣatakṣakāḥ৷৷2.80.2৷৷

kūpakārāssudhākārārvaṅśakarmakṛtastathā.

samarthā yē ca draṣṭāraḥ puratastē pratasthirē৷৷2.80.3৷৷


atha thereafter, bhūmipradēśajñāḥ land surveyors, sūtrakarmaviśāradā: experts in measurement, svakarmābhiratāḥ zealous workers, śūrāḥ energetic, khanakāḥ excavators, tathā also, yantrakāḥ engineers, karmāntikāḥ skilled workers, sthapatayaḥ architects, yantrakōvidāḥ expert mechanics, puruṣāḥ men, tathā similarly, vārdhakayaḥ carpenters, mārgiṇa road workers, vṛkṣatakṣakāḥ wood-cutters, kūpakārāḥ well-drillers, sudhākārāḥ whitewashers, tathā also, vaṅśakarmakṛtaḥ bamboo-workers (basket-makers), samarthāḥ competent, yē those, draṣṭāraḥ supervisors, tē they, purataḥ in advance, pratasthirē set out.

Then surveyors, experts in measurment, energetic and zealous labourers, excavators, engineers, skilled workers, architects, craftsmen, carpenters, road-levellers, wood-cutters, well-diggers, whitewashers, basket-makers, competent supervisors were sent in advance.
atha bhūmipradēśajñāssūtrakarmaviśāradāḥ.

svakarmābhiratāśśūrāḥ khanakā yantrakāstathā৷৷2.80.1৷৷

karmāntikāḥ sthapatayaḥ puruṣa yantrakōvidāḥ.

tathā vārdhakayaścaiva mārgiṇō vṛkṣatakṣakāḥ৷৷2.80.2৷৷

kūpakārāssudhākārārvaṅśakarmakṛtastathā.

samarthā yē ca draṣṭāraḥ puratastē pratasthirē৷৷2.80.3৷৷


atha thereafter, bhūmipradēśajñāḥ land surveyors, sūtrakarmaviśāradā: experts in measurement, svakarmābhiratāḥ zealous workers, śūrāḥ energetic, khanakāḥ excavators, tathā also, yantrakāḥ engineers, karmāntikāḥ skilled workers, sthapatayaḥ architects, yantrakōvidāḥ expert mechanics, puruṣāḥ men, tathā similarly, vārdhakayaḥ carpenters, mārgiṇa road workers, vṛkṣatakṣakāḥ wood-cutters, kūpakārāḥ well-drillers, sudhākārāḥ whitewashers, tathā also, vaṅśakarmakṛtaḥ bamboo-workers (basket-makers), samarthāḥ competent, yē those, draṣṭāraḥ supervisors, tē they, purataḥ in advance, pratasthirē set out.

Then surveyors, experts in measurment, energetic and zealous labourers, excavators, engineers, skilled workers, architects, craftsmen, carpenters, road-levellers, wood-cutters, well-diggers, whitewashers, basket-makers, competent supervisors were sent in advance.
sa tu harṣāttamuddēśaṅ janaughō vipulaḥ prayān.

aśōbhata mahāvēgassamudra iva parvaṇi৷৷2.80.4৷৷


harṣāt with joy, tam uddēśam to the appointed region, prayān proceeding, saḥ that, vipulaḥ multitude, janaughaḥ people, parvaṇi on full-moon day, mahāvēgaḥ with great speed, samudraḥ iva like
an ocean, aśōbhata shone.

Like a swollen ocean on a full-moon day the multitude of people proceeded joyfully with great speed to the appointed place.
tē svavāraṅ samāsthāya vartmakarmaṇi kōvidāḥ.

karaṇairvividhōpētaiḥ purastātsampratasthirē৷৷2.80.5৷৷


vartmakarmaṇi in the construction of roads, kōvidāḥ skilled, tē those, vividhōpētaiḥ with different kinds of, karaṇaiḥ tools, svavāram their own group, samāsthāya taking up the place, purastāt ahead, sampratasthirē departed.

Those groups who were skilled in the construction of roads took up their places with every kind of tool and departed ahead of others.
latāvallī śca gulmāṅśca sthāṇūnaśmana ēva ca.

janāyāṅcakrirē mārgaṅ chindantō vividhāndrumān৷৷2.80.6৷৷


latāvallīḥ ca creepers, gulmāṅśca shrubs, sthāṇūn branchless trees, aśmana ēva ca boulders, vividhān various, drumān trees, chindanta hewing off, mārgam way, janāyāṅcakrirē paved by the (king's) men.

Clearing and cutting branches of various trees and creepers, shrubs, plants branchless trees and hewing boulders, the road was paved by the king's men.
avṛkṣēṣu ca dēśēṣu kēcidvṛkṣānarōpayan.

kēcitkuṭhāraiṣṭaṅkaiśca dātraiścindankvacitkvacit৷৷2.80.7৷৷


kēcit some of them, avṛkṣēṣu where there were no trees, dēśēṣu in places, vṛkṣān saplings, arōpayan planted, kēcit some, kvacit kvacit here and there, kuṭhāraiḥ with axes, ṭaṅkaiśca with hatchets, dātraiḥ ca with sickles, chindan severing.

Some of them, planted saplings in places where there were none, while some others severed trees here and there with axes, hatchets and sickles.
aparē vīraṇastambhānbalinō balavattarāḥ.

vidhamanti sma durgāṇi sthalāni ca tatastataḥ৷৷2.80.8৷৷


balavattarāḥ stronger men, aparē some others, balinaḥ strong-rooted, vīraṇastambhān tufts of fragrant grass, vidhamanti sma removed, tatastataḥ here and there, durgāṇi impassable terrains, sthalāni were made even.

Some other stronger men, plucked the strong-rooted tufts of fragrant grass. Here and there they made impassable terrains even.
aparē.pūrayankūpānpāṅsubhi śśvabhramāyatam.

nimnabhāgānstataḥ kēcitsamānścakru ssamantataḥ৷৷2.80.9৷৷


aparē some others, kūpān wells, āyatam wide, śvabhram chasm, pāṅsubhiḥ with loose soil, apūrayan filled, tataḥ thereafter, kēcit some, nimnabhāgān low level grounds, samantataḥ on all sides, samān evenly, cakruḥ made.

Some filled wells and chasms with loose soil, while others made low level grounds plain and wide on all sides.
babandhurbandhanīyāṅśca kṣōdyānsañcukṣudustadā.

bibhidurbhēdanīyāṅśca tāṅstāndēśānnarā stadā৷৷2.80.10৷৷


tadā then, narāḥ people, bandhanīyān required to be bridged, tāṅstān at such, dēśān places, babandhu: bridged, kṣōdyān required crushing, sañcukṣuduḥ pulverised, bhēdanīyān ca required to be split open, bibhiduḥ broke them.

People threw bridges at places that needed to be bridged. They pulverised stones that obstructed the path and split open big stones to drain out water.
acirēṇaiva kālēna parivāhānbahūdakān.

cakrurbahuvidhākārān sāgarapratimānbahūn৷৷2.80.11৷৷


acirēṇakālēnaiva in a short time, bahūdakān having large volumes of water, bahuvidhākārān of different shapes, sāgarapratimān like the sea, bahūn many, parivāhān water courses, cakruḥ constructed.

In a short time they constructed many water reservoirs of different shapes capable of holding large volumes of water like the sea.
nirjalēṣu ca dēśēṣu khānayāmāsuruttamān.

udapānānbahuvidhānvēdikāparimaṇḍitān৷৷2.80.12৷৷


nirjalēṣu where there was no water, dēśēṣu in places, uttamān best, bahuvidhān various, vēdikāparimaṇḍitān surrounded by circular dykes, udapānān drinking water wells, khānayāmāsuḥ were dug.

In arid places, various good drinking-water-wells surrounded by dykes were dug.
sasudhākuṭṭimatalaḥ prapuṣpitamahīruhaḥ.

mattōdghuṣṭa dvijagaṇaḥ patākābhiralaṅkṛtaḥ৷৷2.80.13৷৷

candanōdakasaṅsiktō nānākusumabhūṣitaḥ.

bahvaśōbhata sēnāyāḥ panthā ssurapathōpamaḥ৷৷2.80.14৷৷


sasudhākuṭṭimatalaḥ surface decorated with mosaic, prapuṣpitamahīruhaḥ avenue lined with blossoming trees, mattōdghuṣṭa dvijagaṇaḥ with flocks of birds intoxicated with singing, patākābhiḥ with banners, alaṅkṛtaḥ decorated, candanōdakasaṅsiktaḥ sprinkled with sandal water, nānākusumabhūṣitaḥ embellished with various kinds of flowers, sēnāyāḥ army's surapathōpamaḥ like the path of the gods, (saḥ) panthāḥ that highway, bahu brilliantly, aśōbhata shone.

The highway for the army was paved smooth, with its surface decorated with mosaic. It was lined with blossoming trees with flocks of birds intoxicated with singing. It was decked with banners and sprinkled with sandal water and a strewn with flowers of every kind. Like the path of gods, the highway shone with brilliance.
ājñāpyātha yathā.jñapti yuktāstē.dhikṛtā narāḥ.

ramaṇīyēṣu dēśēṣu bahusvāduphalēṣu ca৷৷2.80.15৷৷

yō nivēśastvabhiprētō bharatasya mahātmanaḥ.

bhūyastaṅ śōbhayāmāsurbhūṣābhirbhūṣaṇōpamam৷৷2.80.16৷৷


adhikṛtā authorised, tē narāḥ those persons, yathājñapti in accordance with the orders (of Bharata), yuktāḥ performing their work, ājñapya issued orders (to the artisans), atha thereafter, bahusvāduphalēṣu with varieties of sweet fruits, ramaṇīyēṣu lovely, dēśēṣu places, mahātmanaḥ of great, bharatasya Bharata, yaḥ nivēśaḥ resting-place, abhiprētaḥ selected, tam that place, bhūṣābhiḥ with ornaments, bhūṣaṇōpamam like ornaments , bhūyaḥ well, śōbhayāmāsuḥ shone.

Those authorised ordered the artisans to perform their respective tasks. Thereafter, they selected lovely tracts of land filled with trees bearing varieties of sweet fruits as resting-place for great Bharata and decorated them so splendidly, that they looked like ornaments themseleves.
nakṣatrēṣu praśastēṣu muhūrtēṣu ca tadvidaḥ.

nivēśān sthāpayāmāsurbharatasya mahātmanaḥ৷৷2.80.17৷৷


tadvidaḥ men well versed in the study of planetary positions relating to auspicious constellations and auspicious time (astrologers), praśastēṣu at auspicious, nakṣatrēṣu in the constellation, muhūrtēṣu at auspicious time, mahātmanaḥ high-souled, bharatasya for Bharata, nivēśān rest-place, sthāpayāmāsuḥ established.

Men well-versed in the study of planetary positions relating to auspicious constellations and auspicious times arranged different resting-places at different times
during the sojourn of great Bharata.
bahupāṅsucayāścāpi parikhāparivāritāḥ.

tatrēndrakīlapratimāḥ pratōlīvaraśōbhitāḥ৷৷2.80.18৷৷

prāsādamālāvitatā ssaudhaprākārasaṅvṛtāḥ.

patākāśōbhitā ssarvē sunirmitamahāpathāḥ৷৷2.80.19৷৷

visarpadbhirivā.kāśē viṭaṅkāgravimānakaiḥ.

samucchritairnivēśāstē babhuśśakrapurōpamāḥ৷৷2.80.20৷৷


tatra there, bahupāṅsucayāścapi heaps of sand, parikhāparivāritāḥ encircled by moats, indrakīlapratimāḥ comparable to mount Indrakeela, pratōlīvaraśōbhitāḥ adorned with broad highways, prāsādamālāvitatāḥ lined with mansions, saudhaprākārasaṅvṛtāḥ surrounded by walls, patākāśōbhitāḥ decorated with flags, sunirmita mahāpathāḥ with well-built, broad thoroughfares, tē nivēśāḥ those residences, ākāśē in the sky, visarpadbhiriva like one spreading, samucchritaiḥ tall, viṭaṅkāgravimānakaiḥ with the peaks of mansions, śakrapurōpamāḥ like the abode of Indra, babhuḥ shone.

They heaped sand and dug moats around the resting-place. It was adorned with well-built highways and broad thoroughfares, lined with mansions surrounded by walls as high as mount Indrakeela. The peaks of those tall residences decorated with flags which looked as if spreading into the sky. (Thus the resting-place) shone like the abode of Indra.
jāhnavīṅ tu samāsādya vividhadrumakānanām.

śītalāmalapānīyāṅ mahāmīnasamākulām৷৷2.80.21৷৷


vividhadrumakānanām with groves of various trees, śītalāmalapānīyām with cool and limpid waters, mahāmīnasamākulām abounding in large fishes, jāhnavīm the river Ganga, samāsādya having reached.

The reached Ganga with its cool and limpid waters abounding in large fishes, its bank lined with groves of various trees.
sacandratārāgaṇamaṇḍitaṅ yathā nabhaḥ kṣapāyāmamalaṅ virājatē.

narēndramārgassa tathā vyarājata kramēṇa ramyaḥ śubhaśilpinirmitaḥ৷৷2.80.22৷৷


sacandratārāgaṇamaṇḍitam decorated with the Moon and stars, amalam clear, nabhaḥ sky, kṣapāyām in the night, yāthā how, virājatē shines, kramēṇa orderly manner, śubhaśilpinirmitaḥ constructed by eminent craftsmen, ramyaḥ lovely, saḥ that, narēndramārgaḥ royal road, tathā that way, vyarājata shone.

The lovely royal road constructed in an orderly fashion by eminent craftsmen looked splendid like the clear sky decorated with by the Moon and clusters of stars.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē aśītitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the eightieth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.