Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— रामचन्द्रस्य तत्स्थानमापृच्छन्तो व्रजौकसः। तापसान् वनवृत्तींश्च तत्रैव समुपाययुः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Asking the ascetics and forest-dwellers where Rāmacandra was staying, the people of Vraja reached that very region.
Passage 2
पुरोगः सुखितस्तेषां व्रजवासिकुलैर्वृतः। रामस्यावासमापृच्छन् विचचार महीधरे॥२॥
Sukhita led them, surrounded by the families of Vraja, and roamed the mountain asking for Rāma's dwelling.
Passage 3
गोपा मन्दाकिनीं वीक्ष्य महोर्मिशतसङ्कुलाम्। तत्सङ्गिमरुदापृक्ता बभूवुर्लब्धविश्रमाः॥३॥
The cowherds saw the Mandākinī filled with hundreds of great waves. Touched by the breeze that accompanied her waters, they found relief from their weariness.
Passage 4
पुरः समूहशस्तेषां गोपानामुपसर्पताम्। सम्मर्दः सुमहानासौ चित्रकूटमहीधरे॥४॥
As the cowherds approached in groups, an immense press of people filled Citrakūṭa Mountain before them.
Passage 5
शुद्धवेणुभवं नादं तेषामाश्रुत्य पर्वते। रामः सम्प्रेषयामास किमेतदिति लक्ष्मणम्॥५॥
Hearing upon the mountain the clear sound born from their flutes, Rāma sent Lakṣmaṇa to learn what it was. Lakṣmaṇa Recognizes His Companions
Passage 6
पुरस्ताल्लक्ष्मणो वीक्ष्य सुखिताद्यान् व्रजौकसः। जहर्ष मनसा पूर्वप्रेमसंस्मरणातुरः॥६॥
Seeing before him Sukhita and the other residents of Vraja, Lakṣmaṇa rejoiced within, overwhelmed by remembrance of their former love.
Passage 7
स दूराद्गोपशार्दूलं सुखितं वीक्ष्य हर्षितः। शीघ्रं समुपसर्प्याथ सस्वजे प्रेमविह्वलः॥७॥
Delighted to see Sukhita, tiger among cowherds, from afar, he hurried forward and embraced him, overcome with love.
Passage 8
जटिलं वल्कलधरमजिनाम्बरधारिणम्। तं दृष्ट्वा साश्रुनयनो बभूव सुखितेश्वरः॥८॥
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa with matted hair, clad in bark and a deerskin garment, lord Sukhita's eyes filled with tears.
Passage 9
माङ्गल्याद्यास्ततो गोप्यो वात्सल्यरसनिर्भराः। पर्यष्वजत सौमित्रिः प्रत्येकं प्रेमविह्वलाः॥९॥
Then Sumitrā's son embraced Māṅgalyakā and each of the other cowherd women, who were filled with parental affection and overwhelmed with love.
Passage 10
व्रजदारान् समालोक्य लक्ष्मणः प्रेमविह्वलः। आलिलिङ्ग स रोमाञ्चस्विद्यच्छिथिलविग्रहः॥१०॥
Seeing the people of Vraja, Lakṣmaṇa embraced them in loving agitation, his body weakened by horripilation and perspiration. Everything Abandoned for Rāma
Passage 11
लक्ष्मण उवाच— अहो युष्माकमाभीराः सुमहानयमुद्यमः। यद्गृहान् सम्परित्यज्य सर्व एव समागताः॥११॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: “Cowherds, how immense is this undertaking of yours! You have all abandoned your homes and come here.
Passage 12
दारैः सुतैर्गृहैः प्राणैः सुहृद्भिर्बन्धुभिस्तथा। प्रपन्नाः सततं यूयं राममेवाखिलात्मना॥१२॥
“Together with spouses, children, homes, life-breaths, friends, and relatives, you have perpetually surrendered your entire selves to Rāma alone.
Passage 13
एतद्वो दुर्घटं किं नु सर्वं त्यक्त्वा यदागताः। येषां प्रियसुहृद्रामो वसत्यत्र गिरौ वने॥१३॥
“Yet what could be difficult for you in leaving everything and coming here, when your beloved friend Rāma dwells upon this forest mountain?”
Passage 14
गोपा ऊचुः— किमस्माकं व्रजे तत्र किं गृहैर्वापि किं धनैः। येषां सर्वस्वभूतो वां शैलेऽस्मिन्नधितिष्ठतः॥१४॥
The cowherds said: “What use have we for Vraja there, for homes, or for wealth, when you two, who are everything to us, reside upon this mountain?
Passage 15
यत्रैव कुशली रामस्तत्र सर्वात्मना वयम्। जीवामस्तत्पदच्छायामवलम्ब्य सुशीतलाम्॥१५॥
“Wherever Rāma is well, there we live with our entire being, sheltered beneath the deeply cooling shade of his feet.”
Passage 16
ततस्तेऽन्योन्यमापृच्छ्य कुशलं सङ्गतप्रियाः। क्षणं परस्परालोकनिर्वृता मौनमासिरे॥१६॥
The reunited loved ones then asked after one another's welfare. Satisfied for a moment simply by gazing at each other, they fell silent. Sukhita Questions the Forest Dress
Passage 17
ततः सुखितगोपालो निवार्यालपतः स्वकान्। इदमूचे परिष्वज्य रामानुजमुदारधीः॥१७॥
Then the noble-minded cowherd Sukhita quieted his people, embraced Rāma's younger brother, and spoke.
Passage 18
किमेतत्पुत्र भवतां राज्ञां विपिनसेवनम्। जटाधारणमेवापि वल्कलाजिनधारणम्॥१८॥
“Son, what is this forest life for you princes? Why do you wear matted hair, bark garments, and deerskin?
Passage 19
एनं वो वेषमालोक्य दीर्यतीव मनो मम। अपि क्व नः प्रियतमो रामो यं द्रष्टुमागताः॥१९॥
“Seeing you dressed this way, my heart seems to split. Where is our dearest Rāma, whom we have come to see?”
Passage 20
लक्ष्मण उवाच— सर्वं जानीथ नो वृत्तं कैकेय्या यदनुष्ठितम्। पुरो व्रजामि रामस्य वक्तुं युष्मत्समागमम्॥२०॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: “You know everything that happened to us through Kaikeyī's deed. I shall go ahead and tell Rāma of your arrival.” Lakṣmaṇa Announces Their Arrival
Passage 21
ततो हर्षसमुत्फुल्लहृदयः पुलकाञ्चितः। लक्ष्मणः पुरतो गत्वा रामायैतन्न्यवेदयत्॥२१॥
His heart blossoming with joy and his body covered with horripilation, Lakṣmaṇa went ahead and reported this to Rāma.
Passage 22
प्राप्तास्तेऽत्र प्रिया गोपाः प्रमोदवनवासिनः। सुखिताद्या महात्मानः प्रेम्णा खलु वशीकृताः॥२२॥
“Your beloved cowherds who dwell in Pramoda-vana have arrived here. The great-hearted Sukhita and the others are truly governed by love.
Passage 23
यावत्यो व्रजगोप्यश्च ता अत्रैव समागताः। दारैः सुतैर्धनैः स्वेष्टबान्धवैः सर्व आगताः॥२३॥
“Every cowherd woman of Vraja has also come here. All have arrived with spouses, children, wealth, and cherished relatives.
Passage 24
येषां भवान् प्रियतमः प्राणेभ्योऽप्यधिकः प्रभो। वने वसति ते किं वा गृहे तिष्ठेयुरातुराः॥२४॥
“Lord, you are dearer to them than life itself. When you dwell in the forest, how could those distressed devotees remain at home?
Passage 25
ये भवान् सरयूतीरे विजह्रे श्रीप्रमुद्वने। ते सखायः सुसम्प्राप्ताः सर्वेऽत्र पर्वते॥२५॥
“All the friends with whom you sported in glorious Pramuda-vana upon the Sarayū have now arrived here on the mountain.
Passage 26
पितरौ बान्धवाः सख्यः सखायः सुहृदस्तव। सर्व एवात्र सम्प्राप्तास्तान् गृहाण यथानयम्॥२६॥
“Your parents, relatives, female companions, male friends, and well-wishers have all come here. Please receive each of them in the proper way.”
Passage 27
सौमित्रेरितिवचनात्प्रमुद्वनस्थांस्तान् सर्वान् सुहृद उपागतान् स्वपार्श्वम्। विज्ञाय प्रमुदितमानसो रमेशः स्वन्नाङ्गपुलकितविग्रहो बभूव॥२७॥
From Sumitrā's son's words, Ramā's Lord learned that all his friends from Pramuda-vana had come near him. His heart filled with joy, and his beautiful body became covered with horripilation.