---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 93"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-93"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 93

> तया महत्या यायिन्या ध्वजिन्या वनवासिनः।  
> अर्दिता यूथपा मत्ताः सयूथाः सम्प्रदुद्रुवुः॥ १॥

Hard pressed by that huge moving army, the leaders of herds of wild elephants and so on in rut ran away helter-skelter alongwith their herds. (1)

> ऋक्षाः पृषतमुख्याश्च रुरवश्च समन्ततः।  
> दृश्यन्ते वनवाटेषु गिरिष्वपि नदीषु च॥ २॥

Bears, the leaders of spotted deer as well as the deer without spots known by the name of Rurus, were seen running everywhere on the tracks of the forest, on mountains as well as along river banks. (2)

> स सम्प्रतस्थे धर्मात्मा प्रीतो दशरथात्मजः।  
> वृतो महत्या नादिन्या सेनया चतुरङ्गया॥ ३॥

Followed by a huge army consisting of four limbs, viz., chariots, horsemen, elephants and foot soldiers and full of noise (caused by the rattling of chariot wheels, the neighing of horses and the trumpeting of elephants) Bharata (son of Daśaratha), whose mind was given to piety, delightfully proceeded alongwith others in the hope of meeting Śrī Rāma. (3)

> सागरौघनिभा सेना भरतस्य महात्मनः।  
> महीं संछादयामास प्रावृषि द्यामिवाम्बुदः॥ ४॥

The army of the high-souled Bharata, which resembled the high-tide of an ocean, overran the land even as a cloud over-spreads the sky during the monsoon. (4)

> तुरंगौघैरवतता वारणैश्च महाबलैः।  
> अनालक्ष्या चिरं कालं तस्मिन् काले बभूव सा॥ ५॥

Covered all over by hosts of horses and very mighty elephants, the ground at that time became invisible for a long period. (5)

> स गत्वा दूरमध्वानं सम्परिश्रान्तवाहनः।  
> उवाच वचनं श्रीमान् वसिष्ठं मन्त्रिणां वरम्॥ ६॥

Having covered a long distance, the glorious Bharata, whose animals were now fully exhausted, submitted as follows to Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of his counsellors : (6)

> यादृशं लक्ष्यते रूपं यथा चैव मया श्रुतम्।  
> व्यक्तं प्राप्ताः स्म तं देशं भरद्वाजो यमब्रवीत्॥ ७॥

“From the topography of this region as it is observed by us as well as from what has been heard by me about it, it is clear that we have reached that area of which Sage Bharadwāja spoke to us. (7)

> अयं गिरिश्चित्रकूटस्तथा मन्दाकिनी नदी।  
> एतत् प्रकाशते दूरान्नीलमेघनिभं वनम्॥ ८॥

“Here is the Citrakūṭa hill and there is the river Mandākinī. And here comes into view the forest looking like a blue cloud from a distance. (8)

> गिरेः सानूनि रम्याणि चित्रकूटस्य सम्प्रति।  
> वारणैरवमृद्यन्ते मामकैः पर्वतोपमैः॥ ९॥

“The lovely peaks of the Citrakūṭa mountain are being trampled at present by my elephants resembling so many hills. (9)

> मुञ्चन्ति कुसुमान्येते नगाः पर्वतसानुषु।  
> नीला इवातपापाये तोयं तोयधरा घनाः॥ १०॥

“Shaken by the elephants, the yonder trees shed flowers on the hill-tops even as dark rain-bearing clouds pour water at the end of summer.” (10)

> किंनराचरितं देशं पश्य शत्रुघ्न पर्वते।  
> हयैः समन्तादाकीर्णं मकरैरिव सागरम्॥ ११॥

Turning to Śatrughna, Bharata continued : “Behold, O Śatrughna, the region on the upper part of the mountain, frequented till now by Kinnaras, now overrun on all sides by horses even as a sea is infested by alligators. (11)

> एते मृगगणा भान्ति शीघ्रवेगाः प्रचोदिताः।  
> वायुप्रविद्धाः शरदि मेघजाला इवाम्बरे॥ १२॥

“Running with quick speed as urged forward by the troops, these herds of deer look charming like masses of clouds sailing in the sky when driven by the wind in autumn. (12)

> कुर्वन्ति कुसुमापीडान् शिरःसु सुरभीनमी।  
> मेघप्रकाशैः फलकैर्दाक्षिणात्या नरा यथा॥ १३॥

“Like men of the south, these troops distinguished by shields resembling clouds in hue wear fragrant floral ornaments on their heads. (13)

> निष्कूजमिव भूत्वेदं वनं घोरप्रदर्शनम्।  
> अयोध्येव जनाकीर्णा सम्प्रति प्रतिभाति मे॥ १४॥

“Getting crowded with men, this forest, which was noiseless and wore a terrifying look till now, now appears to me like Ayodhyā. (14)

> खुरैरुदीरितो रेणुर्दिवं प्रच्छाद्य तिष्ठति।  
> तं वहत्यनिलः शीघ्रं कुर्वन्निव मम प्रियम्॥ १५॥

“The dust raised by the hoofs of the horses and other animals hangs over the sky. The wind blows it away quickly as though doing a kindly act to me by making the landscape visible to me. (15)

> स्यन्दनांस्तुरगोपेतान् सूतमुख्यैरधिष्ठितान्।  
> एतान् सम्पततः शीघ्रं पश्य शत्रुघ्न कानने॥ १६॥

“Behold these chariots, drawn by horses and controlled by the best of charioteers, advancing rapidly through the forest eager as their occupants are to see Śrī Rāma, O Śatrughna ! (16)

> एतान् वित्रासितान् पश्य बर्हिणः प्रियदर्शनान्।  
> एवमापततः शैलमधिवासं पतत्त्रिणः॥ १७॥

“Behold these peacocks—which are so delightful to look at and are greatly frightened by the sight of the army—hastening thus towards the mountain, the abode of birds. (17)

> अतिमात्रमयं देशो मनोज्ञः प्रतिभाति मे।  
> तापसानां निवासोऽयं व्यक्तं स्वर्गपथोऽनघ॥ १८॥

“This region appears most enchanting to me. This home of ascetics is clearly a road to heaven, O sinless one ! (18)

> मृगा मृगीभिः सहिता बहवः पृषता वने।  
> मनोज्ञरूपा लक्ष्यन्ते कुसुमैरिव चित्रिताः॥ १९॥

“Many spotted deer accompanied by their hinds and endowed with enchanting forms appear as though decorated with flowers. (19)

> साधु सैन्याः प्रतिष्ठन्तां विचिन्वन्तु च काननम्।  
> यथा तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ दृश्येते रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ २०॥

“Let troops go forward in an unobtrusive manner and examine the forest, so that those two tigers among men, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, may be found out.” (20)

> भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा पुरुषाः शस्त्रपाणयः।  
> विविशुस्तद्वनं शूरा धूमाग्रं ददृशुस्ततः॥ २१॥

Hearing Bharata’s command, gallant troops with arms in their hands entered that forest and presently saw a column of smoke rising at some distance. (21)

> ते समालोक्य धूमाग्रमूचुर्भरतमागताः।  
> नामनुष्ये भवत्यग्निर्व्यक्तमत्रैव राघवौ॥ २२॥

Clearly perceiving a column of smoke they approached Bharata and submitted, “There can be no fire in a place uninhabited by human beings. Evidently Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the two scions of Raghu, dwell on this very spot. (22)

> अथ नात्र नरव्याघ्रौ राजपुत्रौ परंतपौ।  
> अन्ये रामोपमाः सन्ति व्यक्तमत्र तपस्विनः॥ २३॥

“If the two princes, who are veritable tigers among men and the scorchers of their enemy, are not here, obviously there are other ascetics like Śrī Rāma on this spot.” (23)

> तच्छ्रुत्वा भरतस्तेषां वचनं साधुसम्मतम्।  
> सैन्यानुवाच सर्वांस्तानमित्रबलमर्दनः॥ २४॥

Hearing the aforesaid submission of the soldiers, which was esteemed even by pious men, Bharata, who was capable of crushing a hostile army, spoke to all those troops as follows : (24)

> यत्ता भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु नेतो गन्तव्यमग्रतः।  
> अहमेव गमिष्यामि सुमन्त्रो धृतिरेव च॥ २५॥

“Let you remain vigilant where you are; you should not proceed farther than this place. I shall go myself to meet Śrī Rāma, as also Sumantra and Dhṛti, two trusted ministers of King Daśaratha.” (25)

> एवमुक्तास्ततः सैन्यास्तत्र तस्थुः समन्ततः।  
> भरतो यत्र धूमाग्रं तत्र दृष्टिं समादधत्॥ २६॥

Commanded thus by Bharata, the troops thereupon remained stationed all round on that very spot; while Bharata fixed his gaze on the spot where a column of smoke was visible. (26)

> व्यवस्थिता या भरतेन सा चमू-  
> र्निरीक्षमाणापि च भूमिमग्रतः।  
> बभूव हृष्टा नचिरेण जानती  
> प्रियस्य रामस्य समागमं तदा॥ २७॥

Even though perceiving the place (where Śrī Rāma was supposed to be) ahead, the aforesaid army, which was held up on that spot by Bharata, felt rejoiced even then anticipating (as they did) their meeting with their beloved Rāma at no distant hour. (27)

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