Chapter [Sarga] 17

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 17

Introduction

This chapter further describes journey towards the royal palace. On the way Rama hears blessings and well meaning words of his friends and various people gathered there.

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sa raamaH ratham aasthaaya samprahRSTa suhRj janaH |
pataakaadhvajasaMpannaM mahaarhagurudhuupitam || 2-17-1
apashyan nagaram shriimaan naanaa jana samaakulam |

1. raamaH = Rama, sriimaan the glourious man, samprahR^ishhTa suhR^ijjanaH = having joyful friends, aasthaaya =ascended , ratham = the chariot, apashyat = saw, nagaram = the city, pataakaadhavaja sampannam = rich with flags and banners, mahaarhaguru dhuupitam = perfumed with excellent befitting wood, naanaajanasamanvitam = endowed with varied types of people.

Rama the glorious man, who was with his joyful friends, ascended the chariot and saw the city which was decorated with flags and banners, which was perfumed all around by burning excellent aloe wood and which was endowed with varied types of people.

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sa gRhaiH abhra samkaashaiH paaNDuraiH upashobhitam || 2-17-2
raaja maargam yayau raamaH madhyena agaru dhuupitam |

2. saH raamaH = that Rama, yayau = went, raajamaargam madhyena = through, middle of royal = passage, agarudhuupitam = which was incensed with aloe wood, upashobhitam = splendid, paN^duraiH grihaiH = with white houses, abhrasaN^kaashaiH = resembling like clouds.

That Rama went through the royal passage which was incensed with aloe wood. That royal street was splendid with white houses resembling clouds.

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chandanaanaam cha mukhyaanaamaguruuNaam cha samchayaiH || 2-17-3
uttamaanaam cha gandhaanaaM kshaumakaushaambarasya cha |
aviddhaabhishcha muktaabhiruttamaiH sphaaTikairapi || 2-17-4
shobhamaanam asambaadham tam raaja patham uttamam |
samvRtam vividhaiH paNyaiH bhakSyaiH ucca avacaiH api || 2-17-5

3,4,5. tam = that, uttamam = excellent, raajapatham = royal route, samvritam = filled with, chandanaanaam = sandal, mukhyaanaam = superior, aguruuNaam = aloe-wood, uttamaanaam = excellent, gandhaanaam = perfumes, kshhoumakaushaam barashya cha = silk and linen cloth, sanchayaiH = heeps of them, aviddhaabhiH = unpiereced, muktaabhiH = unpiereced, muktaabhiH = pearls, uttamaiH = excellent, sphatikairapi = things made of crystal, shobhamaanam = splendid with, vividhaiH = various kinds of, pusshpaiH = flowers, uchaavachaiH = various kinds of, bhakshhaiH = eatables.

Rama entered that excellent royal route, which was filled with sandal, superior aloe-wood, excellent perfumes, silk and linen cloth, heaps of them, unpierced pearls, excellent things made of crystal, splendid with various kinds of flowers and eatables and which was not congested.

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dadarsha taM raajapathaM divi devapatham yathaa |
dadhyakshatahavirlaajairdhuupairaguruchamdanaiH || 2-17-6
naanaamaalyopagaMdhaishcha sadaabhyarchitachatvaram |

6. dadarsha =(Rama) saw, tam raajapatham = that royal passage, devapatham yathaa = like divine passage, divi = in heaven, abhyarahita chatvaram = whose road junctions were worshipped, sadaa = perpetually, dadhyakshhata havirlaajaiH = with yoghurt, unbroken rice, clarified butter, fried grain, dhuupaiH = incense, aguruchandanaiH = aloe and sandal wood, naanaa maalyopagandhaishcha = and all types of garlands and perfumes.

Rama saw that royal route like divine passage in heaven. All the road junctions there were regularly worshipped with yoghurt, unbroken rice, clarified butter, fried grain, incense, aloe and sandal and all types of garlands and perfumes.

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aashiir vaadaan bahuun shRNvan suhRdbhiH samudiiritaan || 2-17-7
yathaa arham ca api sampuujya sarvaan eva naraan yayau |

7. shR^iNvan = hearing, bahuun = various, aashiirvaadaan = blessings, samudiiritaan = spoken, suhR^idbhiH = by friends, yayau = (he) went, sampuujyacha = acknowledging, sarvaanena = all, naraan = people, yathaarham = according to merit.

Hearing the various blessing words spoken by his friends, he went acknowledging all those people suitably.

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pitaamahaiH aacaritam tathaiva prapitaamahaiH || 2-17-8
adya upaadaaya tam maargam abhiSiktaH anupaalaya |

8. abhishhiktaH = get coronated, adya = today, upaadaaya = take, tam maargam = that path, aacharitam = followed pitaamahaiH = by grandfathers, tathaiva = and likewise, prapitaamahaiH = by greatgrandfathers, ampaalaya = and preserve(kingdom).

"Get coronated today, take the path followed by your grandfathers and great grandfathers and rule the kingdom."

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yathaa sma laalitaaH pitraa yathaa puurvaiH pitaamahaiH ||2-17-9
tataH sukhataram sarve raame vatsyaama raajani |

9. raame = Rama, raajanisati = being king, vatsyaamaH = (we shall) dwell, sukhataram = happily further, tataH = than that, pitraa = by father, yathaa = in which way, poshhitaasma = we were ruled, yathaa = by which way, sarvaiH = by all, pitaamahaiH = grandfathers.

"If Rama becomes king, we shall be more happy than when his father ruled and also when his grandfathers ruled.

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alamadya hi bhuktena parama arthaiH alam ca naH || 2-17-10
yathaa pashyaama niryaantam raamam raajye pratiSThitam |

10. pashyaamayadi = if we can see, raamam = Rama, niryaantam = going forth in city, pratisThitam = being established, raajye = in kingdom, adya = today, alam = it is enough, bhuktena = of eating, alam = it is enough, paramaarthaiH = of other concerns.

"If we can see Rama going forth in the city after getting coronated today, it is enough of eating or other activities."

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tataH hi na priyataram na anyat kimcit bhaviSyati || 2-17-11
yathaa abhiSeko raamasya raajyena amita tejasaH |

11. kimchit = "which anyat = other thing, nabhavishhyati = is not about to be, priyataram = dearer, natt = to us, yathaa = as, abhishhekaH = coronation, raajyena = in kingdom, raamasya = of Rama, annitachetasaH = of unbounded spleadour.

"There is no other dearer thing to us than coronation of Rama of unbounded splendour".

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etaaH ca anyaaH ca suhRdaam udaasiinaH kathaaH shubhaaH || 2-17-12
aatma sampuujaniiH shRNvan yayau raamaH mahaa patham |

12. raamaH = Rama, shriNvan = hearing, etaaH = these, anyaashcha = other, shubhaaH = good, kathaaH = tales , suhR^idaam = from friends, aatma sampuujaniiH = adoring oneself, udaasiinaH = was passive, yayau = went, mahaapatham = in royal route.

Rama, though hearing of these good, words spoken by his friends about himself was passive and went in royal route.

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na hi tasmaan manaH kashcic cakSuSii vaa nara uttamaat || 2-17-13
naraH shaknoti apaakraSTum atikraante api raaghave |

13. raaghave atikraante api = though Rama has gone distantly, kashchit naraH = which man, na shaknotihi = was not able, apaakrashhTum = to turn back, chakshhushhii = eyes, manaH = mind, tasmaat = that, narottamaat = best of men.

Though Rama became distant, no one could turn back one's eyes and mind from him, the best of men.

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yashcha raamaM na pashyettu yaM cha raamo na pashyati || 2-17-14
nindataH sarvalokeshhu svaatmaapyenam vigarhate |

14. yashcha = who, napashyethu = did not see, raamam = Rama, yamcha = and to whom, raamaH = Rama, napashyati = did not see, ninditaH = was blamed, sarvalokeshhu = among all people, svaatmaapi = one's mind also, vigarhate = yould blame, enam = oneself.

All the people blamed the one who did not see Rama and the one who was not seen by Rama. Such a person would blame himself of it.

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sarveSaam sa hi dharma aatmaa varNaanaam kurute dayaam || 2-17-15
caturNaam hi vayahsthaanaam tena te tam anuvrataaH |

15. saH = that Rama, dharmaatmaa = the virtuous, kurute dayaa = took pity on, sarveshhu = all men, chaturNaami = of four, varNaanaam = classes, vayasthaanam = towards the aged, tena = hence, te = they, anuvartaaH = were devoted, tam = to him.

Rama, the virtuous, had compassion towards all the four classes of men and towards the aged people. Hence, they were all devoted to him.

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chatpushhpathaan devapathaamshchaityaanyaayatanaani cha || 2-17-16
pradakshiNam pariharan jagaama nR^ipatessutaH |

16. nnapate sutaH = Rama, the prince jagaama = went, pariharam = by crossing, chatushhpathaan = road junctions, devapathaan = god's paths, chaityaan = sacred trees, aayatanaanicha = and temples, pradakshhiNam = keeping his, right side towards them.

Rama went by crossing road junction, god's paths, sacred trees and temples keeping his right side towards them.

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sa raaja kulam aasaadya mahaa indra bhavana upamam || 2-17-17
praasaadashpaN^gairvividhaiH kailaasashikharopamaiH |
aavaarayadbhi rganaM vimaanairiva paaNDuraiH || 2-17-18
vardhamaanagR^ihaishchaapi ratna jaalaparishhkR^itaiH |
tatpR^ithivyaaM gR^ihavaraM mahendrasadanopamam || 2-17-19
raaja putraH pitur veshma pravivesha shriyaa jvalan |

17,18,19. raajaputraH = that Rama, aasaadya = approached, raajakulam = royal abode, pravivesha = entered, tat = that, pituH veshma = father's palace, gR^ihavaram = which was the best palace, jvalan = blazing, shriyaa = with radiance, mahendra sadanopamam = like palace of Indra, the king of celestials pR^ithivyaam = on earth, vividhaiH = various types of , praasaada shR^iN^gaiH = turrets, shubhaiH = which were auspicious, kailaasa shikharo pamaiH = looking like mount Kailasa, maghasamghopamaiH = as group of clouds, paaNduraiH vimaanairiva = as white heavenly cars, aavaarayadbhiH = covering, gaganam = the sky, vardhamaanagR^ihaishchaapi = also with royal houses named vardhamana, ratnajaala parishhkR^itaiH = adorned with a net of jewels.

Rama approached the royal abode and entered his father's palace which was the best palace with blazing radiance like the palace of king of celestials on earth. All around the house, there were various types turrets looking like Mount Kailasa, as group of clouds, as white heavenly cars touching the sky. There were royal houses named vardhamana which were adorned with a net of precious stones.

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sa kakshyaa dhanvibhirguptaastisro.atikramya vaajibhiH || 2-17-20
padaatirapare kakshye dve jagaama narottamaH |

20. saH = that Rama, narottamaH = the best of men, atikramya = crossed vaajibhiH = with horses, tinraH kakshhyaaH = three enclosures, guptaaH = guarded, dhanvibhiH = by men armed with bows, jagaama = got, apare = other, dve kakshhye = two enclosures, guptaaH = guarded, dhanvibhiH = by men armed with bows, jagaama = got, apare = other, dve kakshhye = two enclosures, padaatiH = by foot.

Rama the best of men crossed with chariot three enclosures protected by men armed with bows and moved over the other two enclosures by foot.

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sa sarvaaH samatikramya kakSyaa dasharatha aatmajaH || 2-17-21
samnivartya janam sarvam shuddha antaH puram abhyagaat |

21. saH dasharathaatmajaH = that Rama, samatikramya = crossed, sarvaaH = all, kakshhyaaH = gates, samnivartya = sent back, sarvam janam = all people, abhyagaat = veached, shuddhaantaH puram = the palace.

That Rama passed over all the gates, sent all the people back and entered the palace.

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tasmin praviSTe pitur antikam tadaa |
janaH sa sarvo muditaH nRpa aatmaje |
pratiikSate tasya punaH sma nirgamam |
yathaa udayam candramasaH sarit patiH || 2-17-22

22. tadaa = then, tasmin = that, nR^ipaatmaje = prince, pravishhTe = went, antikam = nearer, pituH = to father, saH sarvaH = all those, janaH = people, muditaH = wer delighted, pratiikshhatesma = waited, punaH nirgamam = for exit again,chandramasaH udryam yathaa = as of rising of moon saritpatiH = the ocean.

When Rama went nearer to his father, all the people there were delighted waiting for his return as the ocean waits for raising of the moon.

|| ityaarshhe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe saptadashaH
sargaH ||

Thus completes the seventeenth sarga of Ayodhya Kanda of Srimad Ramayana.