Sloka & Translation

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

ṛṣyamūkātsa dharmātmā kiṣkindhāṅ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ.

jagāma sahasugrīvō vālivikramapālitām4.13.1৷৷


dharmātmā righteous, saḥ he, lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ Lakshmana's elder brother, sahasugrīvaḥ along with Sugriva, ṛṣyamūkāt Rishyamuka, vālivikramapālitām ruled by Vali's valour, kiṣkindhām Kishkinda, jagāma went.

Lakshmana's righteous elder brother left Rishyamuka with Sugriva for Kishkinda protected by Vali's valour.
samudyamya mahaccāpaṅ rāmaḥ kāñcanabhūṣitam.

śarāṅścādityasaṅkāśāngṛhītvā raṇasādhakān4.13.2৷৷


rāmaḥ Rama, kāñcanabhūṣitam adorned with gold, mahat great, cāpam bow, samudyamya getting ready, ādityasaṅkaśān radiant as the Sun, raṇasādhakān potent in war, śarān arrows, gṛhītvā 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.
agratastu yayau tasya rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ.

sugrīvaḥ saṅhatagrīvō lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ4.13.3৷৷


mahātmanaḥ great-soul, tasya rāghavasya that Rama's, agrataḥ in front, saṅhatagrīvaḥ strong-necked, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, mahābalaḥ powerful, lakṣmaṇaśca and Lakshmana, yayau went.

The strong-necked Sugriva and mighty Lakshmana walked in front of the high-souled Rama.
pṛṣṭhatō hanumānvīrō nalō nīlaśca vānaraḥ.

tāraścaiva mahātējā hariyūthapayūthapaḥ4.13.4৷৷


pṛṣṭhataḥ behind them, vīraḥ courageous, hanumān Hanuman, nalaḥ Nala, vānaraḥ monkey, nīlaśca and Nila, mahātējāḥ brilliant, hariyūthapayūthapaḥ the head of monkey leaders, tāraścaiva and Tara.

Brave and brilliant Hanuman, Nala, Nila, and Tara among the leaders of the monkeys walked behind.
tē vīkṣamāṇā vṛkṣāṅśca puṣpabhārāvalambinaḥ.

prasannāmbuvahāścaiva saritassāgaraṅgamāḥ4.13.5৷৷


tē they, vīkṣamāṇā enjoying the view, puṣpabhārāvalambinaḥ bending down due to the weight of the flowers, vṛkṣāṅśca trees, prasannāmbuvahāḥ carrying pure waters, sāgaraṅgamāḥ flowing into the sea, saritaḥ rivers.

They saw (on the way) trees bent down with the load of flowers, and rivers with pure water flowing into the sea.
kandarāṇi ca śailāṅśca nirdarāṇi guhāstathā.

śikharāṇi ca mukhyāni darīśca priyadarśanāḥ4.13.6৷৷


kandarāṇi valleys, śailāṅśca mountains, nirdarāṇi caverns, tathā similarly, guhāḥ caves, mukhyāni prominent, śikharāṇi peaks, priyadarśanāḥ pleasing to look at, darīśca deep caves.

(They saw) beautiful valleys, mountains, caves, prominent peaks with deep caverns.
vaiḍhūryavimalai:parṇai padmaiścākōśakuṭmalaiḥ.

śōbhitāṅtsajalānmārgē taṭākāṅśca vyalōkayan4.13.7৷৷


mārgē on the way, parṇai with leaves, vaidūryavimalaiḥ clear like Vaidurya, akōśakuḍamalaiḥ buds, padmaiśca and lotuses, śōbhitān beautiful, sajalān with water, taṭākān tanks, avalōkayan observing

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

cakravākai stathā cānyaiśśakunaiḥ rupanāditān4.13.8৷৷


kāraṇḍaiḥ with karandas (ducks), sārasaiḥ with cranes, haṅsaiḥ with swans, vañjulaiḥ with vanjulas, jalakukkuṭaiḥ with water fowls, cakravākaiḥ with chakravakas, tathā similarly, anyaiḥ with others, śakunaiḥ with birds, rupanāditān warbling melodiously

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

caratassarvatau.paśyan sthalīṣu hariṇān sthitān4.13.9৷৷


mṛduśaṣpāṅkurāhārān feeding on tender grass, nirbhayān without fear, vanagōcarān roaming the forest, sthalīṣu on the ground, sarvataḥ all around, carataḥ roaming, sthitān standing, hariṇān deer, apaśyan saw.

They observed deer feeding on tender grass on the ground around without fear, some standing and some roaming the forest;
taṭākavairiṇaścāpi śukladantavibhūṣitān.

ghōrānēkacarānvanyāndviradānkūlaghātinaḥ4.13.10৷৷


taṭākavairiṇaḥ destroyers of tanks, śukladantavibhūṣitān adorned with white tusks, ghōrān terrific, ēkacarān wandering alone, kūlaghātinaḥ destroyers of the banks, dviradān elephants (those that have two tusks).

Observing terrific elephants adorned with white tusks wandering alone destroying the tanks, shattering the banks.
mattāngiritaṭōtkṛṣṭānparvatāniva jaṅgamān.

vāraṇānvāridaprakhyānmahīrēṇusamukṣitān4.13.11৷৷


mattān intoxicated, giritaṭōtkṛṣṭān that were knocking the edges of mountain slopes, jaṅgamān moving, parvatāniva mountain-like, vāridaprakhyān resembling (dark) rain-bearing clouds, mahīrēṇusamukṣitān covered with dust of the earth, vāraṇān elephants.

(Observing) intoxicated elephants knocking the edges of mountain slopes, elephants resembling (dark) rain-bearing clouds, elephants like moving mountains, elephants with dust covered all over the body.
vanē vanacarāṅścānyānkhēcarāṅśca vihaṅgamān.

paśyantastvaritā jagmussugrīvavaśavartinaḥ4.13.12৷৷


sugrīvavaśavartinaḥ faithful to Sugriva, vanē in the forest, anyān other, vanacarāṅśca wild animals, khēcarān those flying in the sky, vihaṅgamāṅśca and birds, paśyantaḥ seeing, tvaritāḥ fast, jagmuḥ went.

Following Sugriva faithfully, they proceeded swiftly, observing animals of the forest and birds flying in the sky.
tēṣāṅ tu gacchatāṅ tatra tvaritaṅ raghunandanaḥ.

drumaṣaṇḍaṅ vanaṅ dṛṣṭvā rāmassugrīvamabravīt4.13.13৷৷


tēṣām while they, tvaritam swiftly, gacchatām were going, raghunandanaḥ delight of the Raghu
family, rāmaḥ Rama, tatra there, drumaṣaṇḍavanam dense forest dense with trees, dṛṣṭvā seeing, sugrīvam Sugriva, abravīt said.

While walking fast, looking at the forest full of trees Rama, the delight of the Raghus said to Sugriva:
ēṣa mēgha ivākāśē vṛkṣaṣaṇḍaḥ prakāśatē.

mēghasaṅghātavipulaḥ paryantakadalīvṛtaḥ4.13.14৷৷


mēghasaṅghātavipulaḥ vast like a collection of clouds, paryantakadalīvṛtaḥ surrounded by banana plants all over, ēṣaḥ that, vṛkṣaṣaṇḍaḥ cluster of trees, ākāśē in the sky, mēghaḥ cloud, iva like, prakāśatē splendid.

'This cluster of trees surrounded by plantain groves look splendid like a vast collection of clouds in the sky.
kimētat jñātumicchāmi sakhē! kautūhalaṅ hi mē.

kautūhalāpanayanaṅ kartumicchāmyahaṅ tvayā4.13.15৷৷


sakhē O friend!, ētat this, kim what, jñātum to know, icchāmi wish, mama mine, kautūhalam curiosity, tvayā by you, kautūhalāpanayanam clear to my curiosity, kartum do, iccāmi I wish to.

'O friend! I wish to know what this is? Could you answer my curiosity?'
tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ.

gacchannēvācacakṣē.tha sugrīvastanmahadvanam4.13.16৷৷


mahātmanaḥ great soul, tasya rāghavasya that Raghava's, tat vacanam those words, śrutvā hearing, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, atha then, gacchannēva walking, tat that, mahat extensive, vanam forest, ācacakṣē started narrating.

On hearing great Rama's words while walking in the extensive forest, Sugriva started
narrating:
ētadrāghava vistīrṇamāśramaṅ śramanāśanam.

udyānavanasampannaṅ svādumūlaphalōdakam4.13.17৷৷


rāghava Raghava, udyānavanasampannam beautiful gardens, svādumūlaphalōdakam tasty roots fruits and water, vistīrṇam vast, ētat all this, śramanāśanam relieves tiresomeness of wearied people, āśramam 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).
atra saptajanā nāma munaya ssaṅśritavratāḥ.

saptaivāsannadhaśaśīrṣā niyataṅ jalaśāyinaḥ4.13.18৷৷


atra here, saṅśritavratāḥ strict followers of austere practices, niyatam highly disciplined, adhaḥśīrṣāḥ with head down, jalaśāyinaḥ immersed in water, saptajanāḥ nāma called seven ascetics (Saptajana), saptaiva all the seven, munayaḥ ascetics, āsan were residing.

saptarātrakṛtāhārā vāyunācalavāsinaḥ.

divaṅ varṣaśatairyātāḥ saptabhiḥ sakalēbarāḥ4.13.19৷৷


saptarātrē on the seventh night, vāyunā with air, kṛtāhārāḥ as food, acalavāsinaḥ without motion, saptabhiḥ seven, varṣaśataiḥ hundred years, sakalēbarāḥ with their bodies, divam heaven, yātāḥ 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.
tēṣāmēvaṅ prabhāvānāṅ drumaprākārasaṅvṛtam.

āśramassudurādharṣa api sēndraissurāsuraiḥ4.13.20৷৷


drumaprākārasaṅvṛtam surrounded by a row of trees, ēvaṅ in this way, āśram hermitage, tēṣām their, prabhāvānāṅ by virtue of their power of penance, sēndraiḥ by those including Indra, surāsurairapi gods and demons, sudurādharṣam 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.
pakṣiṇō varjayantyētattathā.nyē vanacāriṇaḥ.

viśanti mōhādyē.pyatra nivartantē na tē punaḥ4.13.21৷৷


pakṣiṇaḥ birds, tathā so also, anyē other, vanacāriṇaḥ wild animals, ētat this place, varjayanti avoid, yē whoever, mōhāt by ignorance, atra there, viśanti enter, tē they, punaḥ again, na nivartanti do not return.

'Birds and wild animals avoid the hermitage and whoever enters there out of ignorance never returns.
vibhūṣaṇaravāstatra śrūyantē sakalākṣarāḥ.

tūryagītasvanāścātra gandhō divyaśca rāghava!4.13.22৷৷


rāghava Rama, atra here, sakalākṣarāḥ all words, vibhūṣaṇaravāśca jingling of ornaments, tūryagītasvarāścātra sounds of songs and wind-instruments (instruments that make a sound when wind passes through), śrūyantē heard, divyaḥ divine, gandhaśca fragrance also.

'O Rama, one can hear pleasant sounds of jingling ornaments (of nymphs), of songs and wind-instruments here. One can inhale divine fragrance, too.
trētāgnayō.pi dīpyantē dūmō hyatra prakāśatē.

vēṣṭayanniva vṛkṣāgrānkapōtāṅgāruṇō ghanaḥ4.13.23৷৷


trētāgnayō.pi three sacred fires (Dakshinagni, Ahavaniya, Garhapatya fires), dīpyantē shining, vṛkṣāgrān tree-tops, vēṣṭayanniva as if enveloping, kapōtāṅgāruṇaḥ red like the pigeon's feet, ghanaḥ thick,dūmō smoke, ēṣaḥ this, prakāśatē hi 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 tree-tops.
ētē vṛkṣāḥ prakāśantē dhūmasaṅsaktamastakāḥ.

mēghajālapraticchannā vaiḍhūryagirayō yathā4.13.24৷৷


dhūmasaṅsaktamastakāḥ tree-tops covered with thick smoke, vṛkṣāḥ trees, mēghajālapraticchannāḥ concealed by clouds, yathā as, prakāśantē glowing, vaiḍhūrya Vaidurya, giriyaḥ a mountain, ētē appears.

'These tree-tops covered with thick smoke glow like mountains of Vaidurya concealed by a cluster of clouds.
kuru praṇāmaṅ dharmātmaṅstēṣāmuddiśya rāghava!.

lakṣmaṇēva saha bhrātrā prayantassayatāñjaliḥ4.13.25৷৷


dharmātman O righteous one!, rāghava Rama, tēṣām uddiśya contemplating about them, bhrātrā brother, lakṣmaṇēna saha along with Lakshmana, prayataḥ humbly, sayatāñjaliḥ with folded hands, praṇāmam offer obeisance, kuru do, tām 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.
praṇamanti hi yē tēṣāṅ munīnāṅ bhāvitātmanām.

na tēṣāmaśubhaṅ kiñciccharīrē rāma! dṛśyatē4.13.26৷৷


rāma! Rama, bhāvitātmanām sacred souls, tēṣām munīnām to those sages, yē whoever, praṇamanti offer obeisance, tēṣām to them, śarīrē in body, kiñcit not even a little, aśubham inauspicious, na dṛśyatē will not be seen.

'O Rama, nothing inauspicious happens to them who offer obeisance to those highly spiritual sacred sages.'
tatō rāmassaha bhrātrā lakṣmaṇēna kṛtāñjaliḥ.

samuddiśya mahātmānastānṛṣīnabhyavādayat4.13.27৷৷


tataḥ then, rāmaḥ Rama, bhrātrā with brother, lakṣmaṇēna saha along with Lakshmana, kṛtāñjaliḥ with folded hands offered obeisance, mahātmānaḥ great souls, tān them, ṛṣīn samuddiśya thinking of the seers, abhyavādayat saluted.

Rama and Lakshmana offered salutations with folded hands in memory of those great sages, great souls.
abhivādya tu dharmātmā rāmō bhrātā ca lakṣmaṇaḥ.

sugrīvō vānarāścaiva jagmusaṅhṛṣṭamānasāḥ4.13.28৷৷


dharmātmā righteous, rāmaḥ Rama, bhrātā brother, lakṣmaṇaḥ Lakshmana, sugrīvaḥ Sugriva, vānarāścaiva and monkeys, abhivādya offered obeisance, saṅhṛṣṭamānasāḥ delighted at heart, jagmuḥ went.

Righteous Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva and all the monkeys offered obeisance and proceeded delighted at heart.
tē gatvā dūramadhvānaṅ tasmātsaptajanāśramāt.

dadṛśustāṅ durādharṣāṅ kiṣkindhāṅ vālipālitām4.13.29৷৷


tē they, tasmāt from there, saptajanāśramāt the hermitage of seven seers, dūram long distance, adhvānam path, gatvā on going, vālipālitām ruled by Vali, durādharṣām unassailable, tāṅ kiṣkindhām that Kishkinda, dadṛśuḥ beheld

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

pragṛhya śastrāṇyuditāgryatējasaḥ.

purīṅ surēśātmajavīryapālitāṅ

vadhāya śatrōḥ punarāgatāssaha4.13.30৷৷


tataḥ then, uditōgratējasaḥ possessed of fierce lustre, rāmānujarāmavānarāḥ Lakshmana, Rama and the monkeys, śastrāṇi weapons, pragṛhya took, śatrōḥ enemy, vadhāya to kill, surēśātmajavīryapālitām ruled by the valour of the son of Indra, purīm capital, punaḥ again, iha there, āgatāḥ 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.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē trayōdaśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the thirteenth sarga of Kishkindakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.