Chapter 124
Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे पञ्चम्यां लक्ष्मणाग्रजः
भरद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्य ववन्दे नियतो मुनिम्
pūrṇe caturdaśe varṣe pañcamyāṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ
bharadvājāśramaṃ prāpya vavande niyato munim
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
After completion of fourteen years of his exile and on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Ashvayuja (roughly corresponding to the month of September), Rama, who was disciplined even now, reaching the hermitage of the sage Bharadwaja, offered his salutation to the sage.
सो।अपृच्छदभिवाद्यैनं भरद्वाजं तपोधनम्
शृणोषि कच्चिद्भगवन् सुभिक्षानामयं पुरे
so|apṛcchadabhivādyainaṃ bharadvājaṃ tapodhanam
śṛṇoṣi kaccidbhagavan subhikṣānāmayaṃ pure
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having offered his obeisance to Bharadwaja, who was rich in asceticism, Rama enquired (of him): "Have you heard, O venerable one, of Ayodhya City having an abundance of food and free from disease? Is that Bharata attentive in his rule? I hope my mothers are still alive."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing the words of Rama, Bharadwaja the great sage, quite rejoiced as he was, smilingly replied to Rama (as follows):
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Bharata, with his mud-smeared limbs 9throwing the burden and blame ie. mud and with matted locks, as also placing your wooden-sandals before him, is looking forward for your arrival. All are safe at your home and in the city."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O Rama, the victorious in battles! Formerly, on seeing you penetrating deeply into the great forest on foot, with the sole intention of practicing virtue, clad in pieces of bark, going away from sovereignty, deprived of all enjoyments, like an immortal fallen from heaven, having renounced all your possession, with your spouse (Seetha) as the third (of your party besides Lakshmana and yourself), resolved in carrying out the behest of your father and intent on implementing the pledge given (by your father) to Kaikeyi and living on wild roots and fruits, pity arose in me earlier."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"But now, a great delight occurred to me, on seeing you, having fulfilled your purpose, that you have conquered your enemies and are accompanied by your host of friends and relatives."
सर्वं च सुखकुःखं ते विदितं ममम् राघव
यत्त्वया विपुलं प्राप्तं जनस्थाननिवासिना
sarvaṃ ca sukhakuḥkhaṃ te viditaṃ mamam rāghava
yattvayā vipulaṃ prāptaṃ janasthānanivāsinā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That joy and sorrow experienced by you in abundance while residing in Janasthana-forest in completely known to me, O Rama!"
ब्राह्मणार्थे नियुक्तस्य रक्षतः सर्वतापसान्
रावणेन हृता भार्या बभूवेयमनिन्दिता
brāhmaṇārthe niyuktasya rakṣataḥ sarvatāpasān
rāvaṇena hṛtā bhāryā babhūveyamaninditā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"While you were busy in protecting all the ascetics who prayed you for safeguarding the interests of Brahmanas, this irreproachable wife of yours was taken away by Ravana."
मारीचदर्शनं चैव सीतोन्मथनमेव च
कबन्धदर्शनं चैव पम्पाभिगमनं तथा
mārīcadarśanaṃ caiva sītonmathanameva ca
kabandhadarśanaṃ caiva pampābhigamanaṃ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O Rama, devoted to virtue! Even the appearance of Mareecha, the abduction of Seetha by Ravana, the sight of Kabandha, your arrival at the Pampa lake, your alliance with Sugreeva, how Vali was killed by you, the search-operation for Seetha, the exploit of Hanuma, the tracing of Seetha, how the bridge, Nalasetu was constructed (over the sea), how the City of Lanka was set fire by the rejoiced monkey-chiefs, how that Ravana who was the thorn in the side of gods and how was arrogant of his might, was killed in battle, with his sons kinsfolk and his ministers as the gods happened, how a boon was conferred by them on you- all this is known to me by virtue of my asceticism. My disciples, who were accustomed to report to me the news, used to go to Ayodhya-City from here."
मित्राणि धन धान्यानि प्रजानां सम्मतानिव
जननी नन्म भूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी
mitrāṇi dhana dhānyāni prajānāṃ sammatāniva
jananī nanma bhūmiśca svargādapi garīyasī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The friends, the riches and the grains are highly honoured in this world. Mother and mother-land are far superior to even the heaven."
तस्य तच्छिरसा वाक्यं प्रतिगृह्य नृपात्मजः
बाढमित्येव संहृष्टः श्रीमान्वरमयाचत
tasya tacchirasā vākyaṃ pratigṛhya nṛpātmajaḥ
bāḍhamityeva saṃhṛṣṭaḥ śrīmānvaramayācata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Bowing to the aforesaid statement of the sage with his head bent low, highly pleased as he was and saying, "By all means" the glorious prince (Rama) asked of him the following boon:
अकालफलिनो वृक्षाः सर्वे चापि मधुस्रवाः
फलान्यमृतगन्धीनि बहूनि विविधानि च
akālaphalino vṛkṣāḥ sarve cāpi madhusravāḥ
phalānyamṛtagandhīni bahūni vividhāni ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O venerable sir! Let all the trees on the way, even as I fly to Ayodhya, bear fruit even in the off-season and flow with honey. Let abundant fruits of various kinds, emitting the fragrance of nectar, appear on them."
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Once the consent of the sage was given in the words "be it so", the trees there grew to be closely like the heavenly trees.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then, for an extent of three Yojanas (twenty four miles) on all sides, in the direction of their travel, the trees that no longer bore fruit, were laden with fruit and those which had ceased to blossom looked charming with blossom. The withered trees were fully clothed with foliage and further began to flow with honey.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायने आदिकाव्ये युद्धकाण्डे चतुर्विंशत्यधिक शततमः सर्गः
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyane ādikāvye yuddhakāṇḍe caturviṃśatyadhika śatatamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Highly rejoiced who had conquered the heaven, those monkey-chiefs thereupon consumed at will, thousands of many of those wonderful fruits.
