Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 95

अथ शैलाद्विनिष्क्रम्य मैथिलीं कोसलेश्वरः। अदर्शयच्छुभजलां रम्यां मन्दाकिनीं नदीम्।।2.95.1।।

atha śailādviniṣkramya maithilīṃ kosaleśvaraḥ| adarśayacchubhajalāṃ ramyāṃ mandākinīṃ nadīm

Then Rama, the lord of Kosala, descended from the mountain and showed Sita the charming river Mandakini of sacred waters.

अब्रवीच्च वरारोहां चारुचन्द्रनिभाननाम्। विदेहराजस्य सुतां रामो राजीवलोचनः।।2.95.2।।

abravīcca varārohāṃ cārucandranibhānanām| videharājasya sutāṃ rāmo rājīvalocanaḥ

Lotus-eyed Rama said to the heavy-hipped daughter of the king of Videha, whose face resembled the beautiful Moon.

विचित्रपुलिनां रम्यां हंससारससेविताम्। कमलैरुपसम्पन्नां पश्य मन्दाकिनीं नदीम्।।2.95.3।।

vicitrapulināṃ ramyāṃ haṃsasārasasevitām| kamalairupasampannāṃ paśya mandākinīṃ nadīm

Look at this enchanting river Mandakini with its variegated sandbanks frequented by geese and swans and adorned with lotuses.

नानाविधैस्तीररुहै र्वृतां पुष्पफलद्रुमैः। राजन्तीं राजराजस्य नलिनीमिव सर्वतः।।2.95.4।।

nānāvidhaistīraruhai rvṛtāṃ puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ| rājantīṃ rājarājasya nalinīmiva sarvataḥ

See this river sparkling with trees of every kind laden with fruits and flowers growing on its banks. Everywhere it resembles the lake Nalini of Kubera.

मृगयूथनिपीतानि कलुषाम्भांसि साम्प्रतम्। तीर्थानि रमणीयानि रतिं सञ्जनयन्ति मे।।2.95.5।।

mṛgayūthanipītāni kaluṣāmbhāṃsi sāmpratam| tīrthāni ramaṇīyāni ratiṃ sañjanayanti me

The herds of deer have just drunk water by descending down the landing places and the waters are still turbid. This sight produces great pleasure in me.

जटाजिनधराः काले वल्कलोत्तरवाससः। ऋषय स्त्ववगाहन्ते नदीं मन्दाकिनीं प्रिये।।2.95.6।।

jaṭājinadharāḥ kāle valkalottaravāsasaḥ| ṛṣaya stvavagāhante nadīṃ mandākinīṃ priye

O my beloved rishis with matted locks and wearing deer skins and bark of trees as upper cloth bathe in the river Mandakini for performing morning ablutions in time.

आदित्यमुपतिष्ठन्ते नियमादूर्ध्वबाहवः। एते परे विशालाक्षि मुनय स्संशितव्रताः।।2.95.7।।

ādityamupatiṣṭhante niyamādūrdhvabāhavaḥ| ete pare viśālākṣi munaya ssaṃśitavratāḥ

O largeeyed Sita, some other ascetics of rigid austerities worship the sungod according to tradition, lifting up their arms and invoking the Sun.

मारुतोद्धूतशिखरैः प्रनृत्त इव पर्वतः। पादपैः पत्रपुष्पाणि सृजद्भिरभितो नदीम्।।2.95.8।।

mārutoddhūtaśikharaiḥ pranṛtta iva parvataḥ| pādapaiḥ patrapuṣpāṇi sṛjadbhirabhito nadīm

With the trees whose tops are swayed by the wind, the mountain was as if dancing, shedding leaves and flowers all around the river.

चिन्मणिनिकाशोदां क्वचित्पुलिनशालिनीम्। क्वचित्सिद्धजनाकीर्णां पश्य मन्दाकिनीं नदीम्।।2.95.9।।

cinmaṇinikāśodāṃ kvacitpulinaśālinīm| kvacitsiddhajanākīrṇāṃ paśya mandākinīṃ nadīm

Behold this river Mandakini whose waters here are transparent like crystals, there sparkling with sand dunes and elsewhere crowded with siddhas.

निर्धूतान्वायुना पश्य विततान्पुष्पसञ्चयान्। पोप्लूयमानानपरान्पश्य त्वं जलमध्यगान्।।2.95.10।।

nirdhūtānvāyunā paśya vitatānpuṣpasañcayān| poplūyamānānaparānpaśya tvaṃ jalamadhyagān

Look at the scattered heaps of flowers shaken off by the wind and large quantities of flowers floating on the waters.

तांश्चातिवल्गुवचसो रथाङ्गाह्वयना द्विजाः। अधिरोहन्ति कल्याणि निष्कूजन्त श्शुभा गिरः।।2.95.11।।

tāṃścātivalguvacaso rathāṅgāhvayanā dvijāḥ| adhirohanti kalyāṇi niṣkūjanta śśubhā giraḥ

O my auspicious Sita, sweetvoiced Chakravaka birds singing in most pleasant tones are alighting on those heaps of flowers.

दर्शनं चित्रकूटस्य मन्दाकिन्याश्च शोभने। अधिकं पुरवासाच्च मन्ये तव च दर्शनात्।।2.95.12।।

darśanaṃ citrakūṭasya mandākinyāśca śobhane| adhikaṃ puravāsācca manye tava ca darśanāt

My lovely Sita, I consider watching this mount Chitrakuta and river Mandakini in your presence more delightful than living in Ayodhya.

विधूतकलुषै स्सिद्धैस्तपोदमशमान्वितैः। नित्यविक्षोभितजलां विगाहस्व मया सह।।2.95.13।।

vidhūtakaluṣai ssiddhaistapodamaśamānvitaiḥ| nityavikṣobhitajalāṃ vigāhasva mayā saha

The waters of river Mandakini is perpetually agitated by siddhas who are endowed with asceticism, selfrestraint and tranquillity and who are cleansed of sins by taking bath in the river. Plunge with me into this river.

सखीवच्च विगाहस्व सीते मन्दाकिनीं नदीम्। कमलान्यवमज्जन्ती पुष्कराणि च भामिनि।।2.95.14।।

sakhīvacca vigāhasva sīte mandākinīṃ nadīm| kamalānyavamajjantī puṣkarāṇi ca bhāmini

O lovely Sita, like a companion plunge into this river Mandakini, submerging the red and white lotuses, and enjoy sporting.

त्वं पौरजनवद्व्यालानयोध्यामिव पर्वतम्। मन्यस्व वनिते नित्यं सरयूवदिमां नदीम्।।2.95.15।।

tvaṃ paurajanavadvyālānayodhyāmiva parvatam| manyasva vanite nityaṃ sarayūvadimāṃ nadīm

O my lovely lady Always think this river Mandakini as Sarayu and this mount Chitrakuta as Ayodhya and these wild animals as its inhabitants.

लक्ष्मणश्चापि धर्मात्मा मन्निदेशे व्यवस्थितः। त्वं चानुकूला वैदेहि प्रीतिं जनयथो मम।।2.95.16।।

lakṣmaṇaścāpi dharmātmā mannideśe vyavasthitaḥ| tvaṃ cānukūlā vaidehi prītiṃ janayatho mama

With righteous Lakshmana obedient and you, O Sita, agreeable to me, you both bring me great pleasure.

उपस्पृशंस्त्रिषवणं मधुमूलफलाशनः। नायोध्यायैन राज्याय स्पृहयेऽद्य त्वया सह।।2.95.17।।

upaspṛśaṃstriṣavaṇaṃ madhumūlaphalāśanaḥ| nāyodhyāyaina rājyāya spṛhaye'dya tvayā saha

Bathing thrice in your company at the time of prayers and partaking honey, roots and fruits, I do not yearn either for Ayodhya or for the kingdom.

इमांहि रम्यां मृगयूथशालिनीं निपीततोयां गजसिंहवानरैः। सुपुष्पितां पुष्पभरैरलङ्कृतां नसोऽस्ति य स्स्यान्न गतक्लम स्सुखी।।2.95.18।।

imāṃhi ramyāṃ mṛgayūthaśālinīṃ nipītatoyāṃ gajasiṃhavānaraiḥ| supuṣpitāṃ puṣpabharairalaṅkṛtāṃ naso'sti ya ssyānna gataklama ssukhī

With this enchanting Mandakini teeming with herds of deer, whose waters are drunk by elephants, lions and monkeys, decorated with heaps of flowers fallen from the trees in full bloom, who will not feel happy and free from fatigue.

इतीव रामो बहुसङ्गतं वचः प्रियासहाय स्सरितं प्रति ब्रुवन्। चचार रम्यं नयनाञ्जनप्रभं स चित्रकूटं रघुवंशवर्धनः।।2.95.19।।

itīva rāmo bahusaṅgataṃ vacaḥ priyāsahāya ssaritaṃ prati bruvan| cacāra ramyaṃ nayanāñjanaprabhaṃ sa citrakūṭaṃ raghuvaṃśavardhanaḥ

Rama, the perpetuator of the Raghu dynasty, describing the river Mandakini at length appropriately in this manner, wandered in the company of his beloved consort on mount Chitrakuta looking black like collyrium. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चनवतितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the ninetyfifth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.