---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 6"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-6"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 6

> गते पुरोहिते रामः स्नातो नियतमानसः।  
> सह पत्न्या विशालाक्ष्या नारायणमुपागमत्॥ १॥

Having bathed himself, when Vasiṣṭha (the family priest) had left, Śrī Rāma with a concentrated mind worshipped Lord Nārāyaṇa with the co-operation of his wife, Sītā, who had exceptionally large eyes. (1)

> प्रगृह्य शिरसा पात्रीं हविषो विधिवत् ततः।  
> महते दैवतायाज्यं जुहाव ज्वलितानले॥ २॥

Taking up with his head bent low in reverence the vessel containing ghee for being poured into the sacred fire as oblation, he then consigned the ghee to the lighted fire with due ceremony for the pleasure of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Deity. (2)

> शेषं च हविषस्तस्य प्राश्याशास्यात्मनः प्रियम्।  
> ध्यायन्नारायणं देवं स्वास्तीर्णे कुशसंस्तरे॥ ३॥  
> वाग्यतः सह वैदेह्या भूत्वा नियतमानसः।  
> श्रीमत्यायतने विष्णोः शिश्ये नरवरात्मजः॥ ४॥

Tasting the remainder of that offering and expecting in return what was dear to him, Śrī Rāma (son of Daśaratha, the foremost of men) silently lay down to sleep with his mind fully controlled, on a mat of Kuśa grass spread by himself in the hall of the glorious temple of Lord Viṣṇu* alongwith Sītā (a princess of the Videha kings) contemplating on Lord Nārāyaṇa. (3-4)

> एकयामावशिष्टायां रात्र्यां प्रतिविबुध्य सः।  
> अलंकारविधिं सम्यक् कारयामास वेश्मनः॥ ५॥

Waking up three hours before the close of night, he duly caused the temple hall to be decorated. (5)

> तत्र शृण्वन् सुखा वाचः सूतमागधवन्दिनाम्।  
> पूर्वां संध्यामुपासीनो जजाप सुसमाहितः॥ ६॥

Hearing there the delightful words of the Sūtas, who recited Paurāṇika stories, Māgadhas (who regularly recorded and recounted on festive occasions the genealogy of the families of their patrons) and Vandīs (panegyrists) and saying his Sandhyā prayers for the morning (in which the deity presiding over the morning twilight is invoked and prayed to), he repeated the Gāyatrī Mantra with a fully concentrated mind. (6)

> तुष्टाव प्रणतश्चैव शिरसा मधुसूदनम्।  
> विमलक्षौमसंवीतो वाचयामास स द्विजान्॥ ७॥

Clad in immaculate silk he glorified Lord Viṣṇu (the Destroyer of the demon Madhu) and saluted Him with his head bent low and urged the Brāhmaṇas to recite benedictory Mantras (Swasti-Vācana) and Mantras wishing him a propitious day (Puṇyāha-Vācana). (7)

> तेषां पुण्याहघोषोऽथ गम्भीरमधुरस्तथा।  
> अयोध्यां पूरयामास तूर्यघोषानुनादितः॥ ८॥

United with the echo of musical instruments the sound of their Puṇyāha-Vācana on that occasion, deep and melodious as it was, filled Ayodhya. (8)

> कृतोपवासं तु तदा वैदेह्या सह राघवम्।  
> अयोध्यानिलयः श्रुत्वा सर्वः प्रमुदितो जनः॥ ९॥

Hearing that Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) had fasted with Sītā (a princess of the king of the Videhas) on that day, the entire populace of Ayodhyā felt highly rejoiced. (9)

> ततः पौरजनः सर्वः श्रुत्वा रामाभिषेचनम्।  
> प्रभातां रजनीं दृष्ट्वा चक्रे शोभयितुं पुरीम्॥ १०॥

Hearing of Śrī Rāma’s installation and observing that the night had ended, all the citizens of Ayodhyā now began to decorate the city. (10)

> सिताभ्रशिखराभेषु देवतायतनेषु च।  
> चतुष्पथेषु रथ्यासु चैत्येष्वट्टालकेषु च॥ ११॥  
> नानापण्यसमृद्धेषु वणिजामापणेषु च।  
> कुटुम्बिनां समृद्धेषु श्रीमत्सु भवनेषु च॥ १२॥  
> सभासु चैव सर्वासु वृक्षेष्वालक्षितेषु च।  
> ध्वजाः समुच्छ्रिताः साधु पताकाश्चाभवंस्तथा॥ १३॥

Flags and buntings were set up aloft in a regular way on temples, which looked like mountain-peaks covered with white clouds, and at cross-roads, in the midst of streets, on sacrificial sheds and attics, as well as on the shops of merchants amply provided with commodities of various kinds, as also on the prosperous and splendid residences of householders, nay, on all public assembly halls as well as on tops of all prominent trees. (11—13)

> नटनर्तकसङ्घानां गायकानां च गायताम्।  
> मनःकर्णसुखा वाचः शुश्राव जनता ततः॥ १४॥

The populace of Ayodhyā then listened to the dialogues of actors and the verbal representation of the movements of dancers and the music of the singing musicians, which delighted the mind and ears of the listeners. (14)

> रामाभिषेकयुक्ताश्च कथाश्चक्रुर्मिथो जनाः।  
> रामाभिषेके सम्प्राप्ते चत्वरेषु गृहेषु च॥ १५॥

As the installation of Śrī Rāma approached, people meeting together in quadrangles and houses mutually indulged in talks bearing exclusively on the installation of Śrī Rāma. (15)

> बाला अपि क्रीडमाना गृहद्वारेषु सङ्घशः।  
> रामाभिषवसंयुक्ताश्चक्रुरेव कथा मिथः॥ १६॥

The boys too, playing in batches in front of the doorways of their houses, talked to one another on topics relating to the installation of Śrī Rāma alone. (16)

> कृतपुष्पोपहारश्च धूपगन्धाधिवासितः।  
> राजमार्गः कृतः श्रीमान् पौरै रामाभिषेचने॥ १७॥

On the occasion of Śrī Rāma’s installation the main road of Ayodhyā was strewn with offerings of flowers and perfumed with the odour of incense by the citizens and thus rendered charming. (17)

> प्रकाशकरणार्थं च निशागमनशङ्कया।  
> दीपवृक्षांस्तथा चक्रुरनुरथ्यासु सर्वशः॥ १८॥

Nay, in order to provide light in anticipation of nightfall by the time Śrī Rāma should move out in a procession through the streets of the city after installation as Prince Regent, the citizens also set up in every street throughout the city lamp-posts shaped like trees with lights on every bough. (18)

> अलंकारं पुरस्यैवं कृत्वा तत् पुरवासिनः।  
> आकांक्षमाणा रामस्य यौवराज्याभिषेचनम्॥ १९॥  
> समेत्य सङ्घशः सर्वे चत्वरेषु सभासु च।  
> कथयन्तो मिथस्तत्र प्रशशंसुर्जनाधिपम्॥ २०॥

Having decorated the city as aforesaid and coming together in batches in quadrangles as well as in the public assembly halls scattered throughout the city, all the residents of that city of Ayodhyā, longing as they did for the installation of Śrī Rāma in the office of Prince Regent, applauded Daśaratha, a ruler of men, while talking to one another on the spot : (19-20)

> अहो महात्मा राजायमिक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनः।  
> ज्ञात्वा वृद्धं स्वमात्मानं रामं राज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति॥ २१॥

“High-souled indeed is this King Daśaratha (the delight of Ikṣwāku’s race), who is going to install Śrī Rāma on the throne of Ayodhyā, perceiving himself to be aged ! (21)

> सर्वे ह्यनुगृहीताः स्म यन्नो रामो महीपतिः।  
> चिराय भविता गोप्ता दृष्टलोकपरावरः॥ २२॥

“We are all grateful indeed to God that as the ruler of the globe, Śrī Rāma, who has seen for himself what is noble and ignoble in the world, will be our protector for long. (22)

> अनुद्धतमना विद्वान् धर्मात्मा भ्रातृवत्सलः।  
> यथा च भ्रातृषु स्निग्धस्तथास्मास्वपि राघवः॥ २३॥

“Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, is unpresumptuous of mind, learned, pious, fond of his brothers, nay, as affectionate even to us as to his own brothers. (23)

> चिरं जीवतु धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथोऽनघः।  
> यत्प्रसादेनाभिषिक्तं रामं द्रक्ष्यामहे वयम्॥ २४॥

“Long live the sinless King Daśaratha, whose mind is given to piety and by whose grace we shall see Rāma installed as Prince Regent.” (24)

> एवंविधं कथयतां पौराणां शुश्रुवुः परे।  
> दिग्भ्यो विश्रुतवृत्तान्ताः प्राप्ता जानपदा जनाः॥ २५॥

Others, viz., people hailing from the countryside, who had heard the news of the projected installation and had flocked from all sides, heard the conversation of the citizens, who were uttering such remarks. (25)

> ते तु दिग्भ्यः पुरीं प्राप्ता द्रष्टुं रामाभिषेचनम्।  
> रामस्य पूरयामासुः पुरीं जानपदा जनाः॥ २६॥

Having poured into the city of Ayodhyā from all directions in order to witness the installation of Śrī Rāma as Prince Regent, the people from the countryside had flooded the prospective capital of Śrī Rāma. (26)

> जनौघैस्तैर्विसर्पद्भिः शुश्रुवे तत्र निःस्वनः।  
> पर्वसूदीर्णवेगस्य सागरस्येव निःस्वनः॥ २७॥

The noise in that city was heard by the aforesaid multitudes of men while moving here and there as the roaring of an ocean whose impetuosity is accelerated on the full moon. (27)

> ततस्तदिन्द्रक्षयसंनिभं पुरं  
> दिदृक्षुभिर्जानपदैरुपाहितैः।  
> समन्ततः सस्वनमाकुलं बभौ  
> समुद्रयादोभिरिवार्णवोदकम् ॥ २८॥

On that occasion the city of Ayodhyā—which was full of noise and vied in its splendour with Amarāvatī (the capital of Indra) and which was crowded on all sides with the people of the countryside, that had collected there in their eagerness to behold the capital—looked like the sea-water infested with aquatic creatures peculiar to the ocean. (28)

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