---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 73"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-73"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 73

> ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रुघ्नो रामपालिताम्।  
> अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः॥ १॥

Then in the twelfth year Śatrughna, followed by a few attendants and the army, desired to proceed to Ayodhyā, ruled over by Śrī Rāma. (1)

> ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यान् निवर्त्य च।  
> जगाम हयमुख्येन रथानां च शतेन सः॥ २॥

Then making the army-chiefs and the councillors to retreat, he (Śatrughna) proceeded riding on a special horse, accompanied by a hundred chariots. (2)

> स गत्वा गणितान् वासान् सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः।  
> वाल्मीकाश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः॥ ३॥

Śatrughna, the descendant of the Raghus, possessed of fame, halting at seven to eight places on the way, reached the hermitage of Vālmīki and dwelt there. (3)

> सोऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः।  
> पाद्यमर्घ्यं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः॥ ४॥

Having paid obeisance at the feet of sage Vālmīki, the famous Śatrughna accepted ablutions, offerings and hospitality from the sage. (4)

> बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः।  
> कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने॥ ५॥

The sage, Vālmīki, narrated to the noble Śatrughna sweet tales of various themes. (5)

> उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम्।  
> सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया॥ ६॥

Referring to the killing of Lavaṇa, the sage said: ‘By killing Lavaṇa, a difficult task has been accomplished by you. (6)

> बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः।  
> लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः॥ ७॥

‘O gracious one, of long-arms, many powerful kings, together with their army and carriers had been killed by Lavaṇa, when they came in encounter with him. (7)

> स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ।  
> जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा॥ ८॥

‘O Bull among men, that evil one has been killed by you with ease, and by your prowess, the fright of worlds due to him has been dispelled. (8)

> रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृताः।  
> इदं च सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः॥ ९॥

‘The dreadful killing of Rāvaṇa by Śrī Rāma was achieved with great effort; this great task of killing Lavaṇa was performed by you without effort. (9)

> प्रीतिश्चास्मिन् परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते।  
> भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम्॥ १०॥

‘On Lavaṇa being killed, the gods are highly pleased. This admirable deed for all beings and the world has been performed by you. (10)

> तच्च युद्धं मया दृष्टं यथावत् पुरुषर्षभ।  
> सभायां वासवस्याथ उपविष्टेन राघव॥ ११॥

‘That encounter with Lavaṇa was indeed seen by me, as it ensued, while I was sitting in the assembly of Vāsava (Indra), O bull among men. (11)

> ममापि परमा प्रीतिर्हृदि शत्रुघ्न वर्तते।  
> उपाघ्रास्यामि ते मूर्ध्नि स्नेहस्यैषा परा गतिः॥ १२॥

‘My heart too, O Śatrughna, is filled with joy; I shall smell the crown of your head as this is the highest course of affection.’ (12)

> इत्युक्त्वा मूर्ध्नि शत्रुघ्नमुपाघ्राय महामतिः।  
> आतिथ्यमकरोत् तस्य ये च तस्य पदानुगाः॥ १३॥

Thus saying and smelling the crown of the head of Śatrughna, the wise one, Vālmīki, offered hospitality to him and all those who followed him. (13)

> स भुक्तवान् नरश्रेष्ठो गीतमाधुर्यमुत्तमम्।  
> शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन् काले यथाक्रमम्॥ १४॥  
> तन्त्रीलयसमायुक्तं त्रिस्थानकरणान्वितम्।  
> संस्कृतं लक्षणोपेतं समतालसमन्वितम्॥ १५॥

That jewel among men, Śatrughna, took the food offered by Vālmīki; then heard the deeds of Śrī Rāma, as they were performed by Him at that time melodiously, accompanied with the sound of the lute with proper beats and the three musical tunes manifested at proper beats, and at proper places, in Sanskrit, and according to the rules of music and also with the beat of drums at proper intervals. (14-15)

> शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन् काले पुरा कृतम्।  
> तान्यक्षराणि सत्यानि यथावृत्तानि पूर्वशः॥ १६॥

Śatrughna heard the deeds of Śrī Rāma as they were performed formerly, those words (comprising the song) were true and narrated as per the deeds performed in sequence. (16)

> श्रुत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलो विसंज्ञो बाष्पलोचनः।  
> स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः॥ १७॥

Having heard the story duly sung, the lion among men, Śatrughna, with tears in his eyes, was rendered unconscious, and fell into a swoon immediately taking deep sighs repeatedly. (17)

> तस्मिन् गीते यथावृत्तं वर्तमानमिवाशृणोत्।  
> पदानुगाश्च ये राज्ञस्तां श्रुत्वा गीतिसम्पदम्॥ १८॥  
> अवाङ्मुखाश्च दीनाश्च ह्याश्चर्यमिति चाब्रुवन्।  
> परस्परं च ये तत्र सैनिकाः सम्बभाषिरे॥ १९॥

Śatrughna heard the deeds sung as if they were performed in the present. The warriors, who followed him, on hearing the rich song, were overwhelmed and speechless, indeed, and exclaimed to each other—‘How wonderful it is’. (18-19)

> किमिदं क्व च वर्तामः किमेतत् स्वप्नदर्शनम्।  
> अर्थो यो नः पुरा दृष्टस्तमाश्रमपदे पुनः॥ २०॥

‘What is this, where are we, have we been in a dream, that thing, which we had seen formerly, we see again in the hermitage. (20)

> शृणुमः किमिदं स्वप्ने गीतबन्धनमुत्तमम्।  
> विस्मयं ते परं गत्वा शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रुवन्॥ २१॥

‘Do we hear in dream this beautifully composed song’ filled with great surprise, they said to Śatrughna: (21)

> साधु पृच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ वाल्मीकिं मुनिपुङ्गवम्।  
> शत्रुघ्नस्त्वब्रवीत् सर्वान् कौतूहलसमन्वितान्॥ २२॥  
> सैनिका न क्षमोऽस्माकं परिप्रष्टुमिहेदृशः।  
> आश्चर्याणि बहूनीह भवन्त्यस्याश्रमे मुनेः॥ २३॥  
> न तु कौतूहलाद् युक्तमन्वेष्टुं तं महामुनिम्।  
> एवं तद् वाक्यमुक्त्वा तु सैनिकान् रघुनन्दनः।  
> अभिवाद्य महर्षिं तं स्वं निवेशं ययौ तदा॥ २४॥

‘Please ask Vālmīki, O best among men, who composed this song? Śatrughna on his part, told all the warriors filled with surprise: ‘Here I am not able to ask Vālmīki in this manner, many wonders exist here in this hermitage of the sage, it is not proper to go and question the great sage out of curiosity.’ Thus having spoken to the warriors, the scion of the Raghus then having saluted the great sage, started for his apartment. (22—24)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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