Passage 1
एवं कृत्वा जलक्रीडां रामो रमणपण्डितः। वनक्रीडां समारेभे सह व्रजवधूजनैः॥१॥
Having thus completed the water sports, Rāma, master of amorous delight, began to sport in the forest with the women of Vraja.
Passage 2
पुष्पस्तवकरम्येषु लताविटपवेश्मसु। उच्चावचेषु गुल्मेषु भूरुहेषु च भूरिषु॥२॥
They played in vine-and-branch chambers lovely with clusters of flowers, among shrubs high and low, and amid the many trees.
Passage 3
काचिद्रघुपतेरंसमवलम्ब्य व्रजाङ्गना। पुष्पाण्यवचिनोति स्म तुङ्गवृक्षगतान्यपि॥३॥
One woman of Vraja leaned upon Raghupati’s shoulder and plucked even the flowers growing high in the trees.
Passage 4
एकाधिमालतीकुञ्जेऽहसत्केनापि हेतुना। अपराञ्जलिमुन्नीय तस्थौ पुष्पावलिप्सया॥४॥
One laughed for some reason within a jasmine bower; another stood with cupped hands raised, wishing to receive a shower of flowers.
Passage 5
चन्द्रिकानिचयस्थानैर्व्रजस्त्रीणां मुखेन्दुभिः। दधुः सुमनसां केलिं भूरि व्याकोशपुष्पताम्॥५॥
The moon-like faces of the women of Vraja became sources of accumulated moonlight, and hosts of flowers opened widely for their sport.
Passage 6
चम्पकानामभूद्ग्लानिस्तासां भूरितनुत्विषाम्। दूरात्प्रमत्तमधुपस्तोमैराद्रियमाणया॥६॥
The campaka flowers grew pale as swarms of intoxicated bees honored the women’s abundant bodily radiance from afar.
Passage 7
कण्टकप्रकराकीर्णस्वर्णकेतककाननम्। विहाय तासामङ्गानि भेजे भ्रमरमण्डली॥७॥
Abandoning the golden ketaka grove thick with masses of thorns, the swarm of bees chose the women’s limbs instead.
Passage 8
कर्णेषु रोचयामासुः कार्तस्वरगणानतः। अलयो व्रजकान्तानामङ्गसौरभ्यनिर्वृताः॥८॥
Delighted by the fragrance of the women’s limbs, the bees made golden clusters shine at the ears of the beauties of Vraja.
Passage 9
भूषयामासुरङ्गेषु रसालतरुमञ्जरीः। ताः सौरभ्यविशेषेण बभूवुः पूरितान्तराः॥९॥
They adorned their limbs with mango-tree blossoms and became inwardly filled with their exceptional fragrance.
Passage 10
स्थूलैः फलैः सवक्षोजा व्याकोशकुसुमान्विताः। स्त्रीभिः समाबभुः काश्चित्प्रमोदवनवल्लयः॥१०॥
Some vines of Pramoda Forest, their large fruits resembling breasts and covered in opening flowers, appeared equal to the women.
Passage 11
अवलम्ब्य प्रियस्यांसं चिन्वन्त्यः पुष्पधोरणीम्। विजिग्युर्लतिकाः कान्ता विटपान्तरसङ्गताः॥११॥
Leaning upon their beloved’s shoulder as they gathered festoons of flowers, the beautiful women surpassed the little vines entwined among the branches.
Passage 12
नानाविधानि पुष्पाणि स्मरचापशराकृतीः। अवचिक्युर्भूरुहेभ्यो लताभ्यश्च व्रजस्त्रियः॥१२॥
The women of Vraja gathered many kinds of flowers shaped like Love’s bow and arrows from trees and vines.
Passage 13
कदम्बगोलकग्राममवचीय व्रजस्त्रियः। वेणीर्विभूषयामासुः प्रान्तस्तवकशालिनीः॥१३॥
Gathering clusters of round kadamba blossoms, the women of Vraja adorned their braids so that bunches of flowers graced their ends.
Passage 14
सन्तानं मञ्जुलाकारा वञ्जुलद्रुममञ्जरीः। गण्डयोर्मण्डयामासुर्निबध्यालकरज्जुभिः॥१४॥
Lovely in form, they bound sprays of the vañjula tree with the cords of their curls and used them to adorn their cheeks.
Passage 15
रसालमञ्जरीरन्यालकपाशैर्निबध्य च। चक्रे कपोलयोर्भूषां स्मरदर्पणदीप्तयोः॥१५॥
Another bound mango blossoms with the mass of her curls and made them an ornament for her cheeks, which shone like mirrors of Love.
Passage 16
अन्याश्च कर्णिकारौघैश्चक्रुः कर्णेषु कर्णिकाः। मोहनं प्रियचित्तस्य तदुन्मानैव सेहिरे॥१६॥
Others made ear ornaments from masses of karṇikāra flowers, accepting their power to enchant the beloved’s heart as the only measure of their worth.
Passage 17
अतसीकुसुमैः काश्चिज्जुगुफुः कटिमेखलाः। गजमुक्ताफलस्थूलकिङ्किणीजालशालिनीः॥१७॥
Some wove waist-belts from flax flowers, splendid with networks of little bells as large as elephant pearls.
Passage 18
काञ्चीः प्रकल्पयामासुः काश्चिद्वकुलदामभिः। वलयानि प्रकोष्ठेषु भुजयोरङ्गदानि च॥१८॥
Some fashioned girdles from bakula garlands, bracelets for their wrists, and armlets for their upper arms.
Passage 19
अन्याश्च गुम्फनाभिज्ञाः कान्तस्वान्तनिवेशिनः। आकल्पान्कल्पयामासुर्नागपुन्नागकेसरैः॥१९॥
Others, skilled in weaving, fashioned from nāga and punnāga stamens complete adornments that entered their beloved’s heart.
Passage 20
काश्चित्प्रियङ्गुकलिकाः कदम्बकुसुमैः सह। सम्मेल्य मालिकां चक्रुस्तुङ्गवक्षोजयोः स्रजः॥२०॥
Some joined priyaṅgu buds with kadamba flowers and made garlands to rest upon their high breasts.
Passage 21
क्रीडापराजिताः काश्चिच्चाम्पेयकुसुमैः सह। सम्मेल्य मालिकां चक्रुः प्रियप्रेमविवर्द्धिनीम्॥२१॥
Some who had been defeated in play assembled campaka flowers into a garland that increased their beloved’s love.
Passage 22
मालतीकुसुमैरेव काश्चिद्भूषागणान्यधुः। काश्चिज्जपाभिरेवान्याश्चम्पकैरेव केवलम्॥२२॥
Some wore whole sets of ornaments made only from jasmine flowers, others only from hibiscus, and still others from campaka alone.
Passage 23
काश्चिदाकल्पमातेनुः पञ्चवर्णैः प्रसूनकैः। प्रेयांसं मोहयामासुरिन्द्रचापलता इव॥२३॥
Some extended their adornment with five-colored flowers and enchanted their beloved like vines formed from rainbows.
Passage 24
तासामाकल्पसामग्रीकल्पनाय समन्ततः। प्रमोदविपिने तत्राविरासीत्कुसुमाकरः॥२४॥
To provide all the materials for their adornment, Spring appeared throughout that Pramoda Forest.
Passage 25
अनेकवर्णकुसुमजातिभिः समलङ्कृतः। कूजत्कोकिलभृङ्गौघहृदुत्कण्ठाविवर्द्धनः॥२५॥
It was adorned with flower species of many colors, while calling cuckoos and swarms of bees increased the heart’s longing.
Passage 26
साद्य [सद्यः?] संफुल्लविविधपद्मजातिसुखप्रदः। मधूकपल्लवस्तोमरञ्जिताष्टदिगन्तरः॥२६॥
It brought delight through diverse lotuses suddenly in full bloom, while masses of madhūka shoots colored all eight directions.
Passage 27
स्मरप्रतापसङ्काशश्चलत्किंशुकराजिकः। निशातकरपत्राभविस्फुरत्केतकच्छदः॥२७॥
Rows of moving kiṃśuka flowers resembled the blazing power of Love, and ketaka leaves flashed like the blades of sharpened swords.
Passage 28
सुवर्णमालतीजालसञ्चरन्मत्तषट्पदः। केतकीकाननोद्भूतपरागापूरिताम्बरः॥२८॥
Intoxicated bees roamed through nets of golden jasmine, while pollen rising from the ketakī grove filled the sky.
Passage 29
रक्ताशोकलतासद्म सङ्गीतशुकसारिकः। प्रियालमञ्जरीधूलीधूसरीकृतदिक्तटः॥२९॥
Red aśoka vines formed its chambers, parrots and mynas made its music, and dust from priyāla blossoms turned the edges of the directions gray.
Passage 30
समन्ततः सम्प्रवृत्ते वनान्तः कुसुमाकरे। आस्फालयामास धनुरुन्मदो मनसः सुतः॥३०॥
When Spring had fully arisen throughout the forest’s interior, the intoxicated son of the mind—Love—twanged his bow.
Passage 31
रामारामा हृताकल्या रामेण सह सङ्गताः। वसन्ते रेमिरे रम्यं रतिरङ्गरसात्मकम्॥३१॥
The women of Rāma, freed from distress and united with Rāma, delighted in spring’s lovely essence of the theater of love.
Passage 32
रसालमञ्जरीवृन्दकल्पितोत्तंससुन्दरः। रेमे चात्मविहारेण रामो रमयतांवरः॥३२॥
Made beautiful by an ear ornament formed from a cluster of mango blossoms, Rāma, foremost among those who give delight, sported according to his own pleasure.
Passage 33
वनराजीः परिस्पृष्टा नीतमन्दसुगन्धयः। अलिझङ्कारभवनाः पवनास्तं सिषेविरे॥३३॥
Breezes that had touched the rows of forest trees, carried gentle fragrance, and become dwellings for the humming of bees attended him.
Passage 34
प्रमोदवनकुञ्जेषु कुसुमाकल्पमालिनीः। लता इव सिषेवेऽसौ कामिनीः कान्तभूरुहः॥३४॥
Within the bowers of Pramoda Forest, that lovely tree-like Lord attended the flower-adorned women as though they were vines.
Passage 35
सान्धकारेषु कुञ्जेषु दृङ्निमीलनलीलया। चौरो भूत्वा स्वयं रेमे रामो रामासुखप्रदः॥३५॥
In the darkened bowers Rāma, giver of joy to his beloved women, became the thief in a game played with closed eyes and enjoyed himself.
Passage 36
कदाचित्कामिनीवृन्दैर्दृङ्निमीलनकृत्प्रियः। अन्योन्यं रमयामास रमणीः कृतकौतुकाः॥३६॥
At times the beloved made the groups of women close their eyes and caused those playful women to delight one another.
Passage 37
इत्थं जलस्थलवनेषु विहारशाली व्यालीढकोटिललनासमुदायचित्तः। क्रीडां चकार रघुवंशविभूषणोऽसौ श्रीमान्प्रमोदवनकुञ्जलतातलेषु॥३७॥
Thus, rich in play through water, land, and forest, and having absorbed the hearts of hosts of tens of millions of women, the glorious ornament of Raghu’s line sported beneath the bower vines of Pramoda Forest.
Passage 38
इत्येतद्व्रजरमणीगणेन सार्धं यो विक्रीडितमनिशं शृणोति मर्त्यः। पूतात्मा स निजजनिं कृतार्थयित्वा चिल्लोके वसति सदा समुपैति रामभक्तिम्॥३८॥
Any mortal who constantly hears of these sports with the company of Vraja’s women becomes pure in soul, fulfills the purpose of his birth, forever dwells in the realm of consciousness, and attains devotion to Rāma. --- Thus ends the thirty-eighth chapter, “The Forest Sports,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa. Textual notes The chapter begins on source leaf 305, occupies leaves 305–308, and ends with passage 38 and its complete colophon on physical PDF page 309. All thirty-eight passage numbers are sequential in the edition. The scan controls the passage-14 opening सन्तानं against the auxiliary transcription’s unrelated सन्नाह; because the printed construction remains difficult, its English follows the verse’s clear act of fastening vañjula sprays into the hair and upon the cheeks. Passage 26 prints साद्य followed by the editor’s bracketed suggestion [सद्यः?]; both are preserved rather than silently choosing one. Compounds and sandhi are otherwise normalized only where word division introduces no textual choice.