Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 95

Meaning

Then, turning away from the mountain, Śrī Rāma, the prospective ruler of the kingdom of Kosala, pointed out to Sītā, daughter of the king of Mithilā, the delightful river Mandākinī, carrying holy waters. (1)

Meaning

Nay, the lotus-eyed Śrī Rāma spoke as follows to Sītā, the daughter of the king of Videhas, of charming limbs and with a lovely countenance resembling the moon : (2)

Meaning

“Behold the beautiful river Mandākinī with its delightful banks—a stream inhabited by swans and cranes and rich in flowers, nay, hemmed in with trees of various kinds growing on its banks and laden with flowers and fruits—and spreading its charms all round like the lake Saugandhika of Kubera, the ruler of Yakṣas. (3-4)

Meaning

“The delightful fords, even though their waters are turbid just at present evidently because herds of deer have drunk their fill from them, exercise their charm on me. (5)

Meaning

“Sages, for their part, wearing matted locks and with deerskin wrapped about their loins and having the bark of trees for their upper garment take a dip in the river Mandākinī at the appointed hour, my darling ! (6)

Meaning

“Here are other ascetics of austere vows praying to the sun-god with uplifted arms according to the scriptural injunctions, O lady with big eyes ! (7)

Meaning

“With its trees—whose tops are shaken by the wind—shedding flowers and leaves all along the river, the mountain looks as if it has started dancing. (8)

Meaning

“Behold the river Mandākinī whose waters are sparkling like pearls at one place, nay, which looks charming with its sandy banks at another and which is crowded with Siddhas (a class of semi-divine beings endowed with mystic powers from their very birth) at a third place. (9)

Meaning

“Behold you heaps of flowers shaken down by the wind and scattered on both the banks of the river and other heaps continuously floating along the current, O lady with a slender waist ! (10)

Meaning

“Behold how these melodious Cakrawāka birds are ascending the banks uttering charming notes, O blessed lady ! (11)

Meaning

“I value the sight of Citrakūṭa as well as of the Mandākinī more than even residence in the capital particularly because of your sight, O charming lady ! (12)

Meaning

“Take a dip with me in this river, whose waters are ever agitated through daily bath by Siddhas endowed with austerity and control of the senses and mind and whose sins have been completely shaken off. (13)

Meaning

“Nay, freely take a dip in the river Mandākinī even as a friend would sport in the company of her friend, submerging out of fun the red and white lotuses in which the river abounds, O proud lady ! (14)

Meaning

“Esteem you ever the dwellers in the forest as you would the citizens of Ayodhyā, the mountain Citrakūṭa as the city of Ayodhyā, and this river Mandākinī as the Sarayū, my darling ! (15)

Meaning

“Not only is Lakṣmaṇa, whose mind is given to righteousness, fully determined to carry out my command, but you too, O princess of the Videha kingdom, favourably disposed towards me, causing delight to me. (16)

Meaning

“Bathing thrice a day (every morning, midday and evening) and living on honey, roots and fruits with you, I long neither for Ayodhyā nor for its sovereignty ! (17)

Meaning

“Surely there is no one who will not be relieved of his fatigue and feel refreshed on taking a dip in this delightful river which is churned by herds of elephants, whose waters are partaken of without interruption by elephants, lions and monkeys alike, which is hemmed with trees laden with blossom and as such remains decked with loads of flowers all through the year.” (18)

Meaning

Offering many such cogent remarks concerning the aforesaid river, the celebrated Śrī Rāma, the promoter of the race of Raghu, wandered in the company of his beloved spouse, Sītā, over the lovely Citrakūṭa, which shone like a heap of collyrium. (19)