Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— तावत्सुखितगोपालो व्रजवासिजनैर्वृतः। हर्षोत्फुल्लाक्षिवदनः पुरस्तात्समदृश्यत॥१॥
Brahmā said: Then the cowherd Sukhita appeared before them, surrounded by the people of Vraja, his eyes and face blossoming with joy.
Passage 2
दृष्ट्वैव तं रघुवरः संस्मृतप्रेमविह्वलः। धावित्वा कतिचित्पादान् पर्यष्वजत साश्रुदृक्॥२॥
The moment Rāma saw him, remembrance of their love overwhelmed him. He ran several steps forward and embraced Sukhita with tear-filled eyes.
Passage 3
परिष्वज्य चिरं तेन गोपेनोदश्रुचक्षुषा। काञ्चिन्मुदमवाप्यान्तर्जानकीवल्लभः स्वयम्॥३॥
Jānakī's beloved held the tearful cowherd in a long embrace and himself tasted an inward joy beyond description.
Passage 4
ततो ज्येष्ठतमां सर्वगोपिमण्डलवर्तिनीम्। माङ्गल्यां समभिद्रुत्य पर्यष्वजत राघवः॥४॥
Rāghava then hurried to Māṅgalyā, the eldest of the whole circle of cowherd women, and embraced her.
Passage 5
सुखितं चैव माङ्गल्यां नत्वा नत्वातिविह्वलः। सर्वाञ्ज्येष्ठान् कनिष्ठांश्च सोऽग्रहीत् परमादृतः॥५॥
Overcome with emotion, he repeatedly bowed to Sukhita and Māṅgalyā. Showing the highest respect, he received all the elders and younger people as well.
Passage 6
दृष्ट्या सन्तोषयामास सर्वास्ता व्रजगोपिकाः। यासां प्रेमानुबन्धेन बद्ध एष निरन्तरम्॥६॥
With his gaze he delighted all the cowherd women of Vraja, by whose enduring bond of love he is forever held.
Passage 7
ता अप्यमुं स्वदयितं शुद्धप्रेमरसाक्तया। विरहोदीर्णया दृष्ट्या मोदयामासुरञ्जसा॥७॥
They too immediately delighted their beloved with gazes steeped in the nectar of pure love and intensified by separation.
Passage 8
तं वीक्ष्य तापसमनल्पजटाकलापं वल्काजिनाम्बरधरं रघुवंशकेतुम्। राजेन्द्रसूनुमखिलावनिभोगयोग्यं गोपालकाः किमपि दीनदृशो बभूवुः॥८॥
The cowherds looked upon the banner of Raghu's line as an ascetic, bearing a great mass of matted hair and dressed in bark and deerskin. Seeing the royal prince, fit to enjoy the whole earth, their eyes became inexpressibly mournful.
Passage 9
कैकेयीमभिसन्धाय हृदा सामर्षशोणया। ददृशुः स्तब्धनयनाः कोष्णोच्छ्वासा व्रजौकसः॥९॥
Thinking of Kaikeyī with hearts reddened by anger, the people of Vraja stared motionlessly and released warm, grieving sighs. Rāma Introduces His Beloved Companions to Sītā
Passage 10
ततो रामः पर्णशालां नीत्वा सर्वान् व्रजौकसः। महीयस्यजिरे तस्यां यथास्थानं न्यवेशयत्॥१०॥
Rāma then led all the people of Vraja into the spacious leaf-hut and seated each of them there in the proper place.
Passage 11
उवाच जानकीं देवि प्रिया मे व्रजवासिनः। प्रमोदवनवास्तव्यास्तानेतान् परमाहतान्॥११॥
He said to Jānakī, “Goddess, these dear people of mine dwell in Pramoda-vana. See how deeply afflicted they are.
Passage 12
गृहाण निमिवंशाब्धिचान्द्रके सुहृदो मम। मदर्थं त्यक्तभवनान् विनिष्क्रान्तान् समूहशः॥१२॥
“Moonlight upon the ocean of Nimi's dynasty, please receive my friends. For my sake they abandoned their homes and departed together in groups.
Passage 13
इमौ तौ पितरौ वृद्धौ माङ्गल्यासुखितौ मम। मद्वात्सल्योदश्रुदृशौ मत्प्रेमरसवारिधी॥१३॥
“These two elders, Māṅgalyā and Sukhita, are my parents. Their eyes overflow with tears of parental affection for me, and they are oceans of the nectar of love for me.
Passage 14
अमी जनाश्च सर्वे मे प्रमोदवनवासिनः। इमास्ता गोपिकाः सर्वा मे प्रियाः प्रेमभूषिताः॥१४॥
“All these people are mine and dwell in Pramoda-vana. Every one of these cowherd women is dear to me and adorned with love.”
Passage 15
इत्युक्ता परमोदारा मैथिली रुचिरस्मिता। संजगामतरां प्रेम्णा यथार्हं व्रजवासिभिः॥१५॥
Thus addressed, the supremely generous Maithilī smiled beautifully and met each resident of Vraja with deep love according to the honor due to them.
Passage 16
तेभ्यः प्रियेभ्यः सौमित्रिरुपकल्पितवान् पृथक्। आसनानि मनोज्ञानि वनवेत्रदलादिभिः॥१६॥
For those beloved guests, Sumitrā's son separately prepared delightful seats from forest cane, leaves, and other materials. News from Pramoda-vana
Passage 17
सुनिविष्टांश्च सुप्रीतान् विज्ञाय व्रजवासिनः। अपृच्छद् रघुशार्दूल इदं सुखितमाहृतः॥१७॥
When the people of Vraja were comfortably seated and content, the tiger of Raghu's line turned eagerly to Sukhita and asked this.
Passage 18
अप्यास्ते प्रमुदाटवीतरुलतागुल्मावलीनां शुभं गावो मे कुशलिन्य आत्तसरयूतीरावनीशाद्वलाः। नन्दिग्रामनिवासिनां च महतां गोपेश्वराणां शुभं पालीग्रामनिवासिनश्च किमपि श्रीनन्दनस्यास्ति शम्॥१८॥
“Is all well with Pramoda forest's rows of trees, vines, and thickets? Are my cows thriving upon the fresh grasses of the Sarayū's banks? Are the great cowherd lords of Nandigrāma well, and does glorious Nandana of Pāligrāma enjoy peace?
Passage 19
तेषां मदेकतानानामन्येषां च व्रजौकसाम्। शुभमस्ति महाभाग प्रमोदवनवासिनाम्॥१९॥
“Blessed one, is all well with those wholly absorbed in me and with the other people of Vraja who dwell in Pramoda-vana?”
Passage 20
आपृष्ट इति रामेण बभाषे सुखितेश्वरः। अस्ति सर्वत्र कुशलं प्रमोदविपिने प्रभो॥२०॥
Questioned in this way by Rāma, lord Sukhita replied, “Master, outwardly all is well throughout the forest of Pramoda.
Passage 21
त्वदधीनं सुखं किन्तु त्वया दत्तं भविष्यति। चिरेण त्वद्वियुक्तानां सुमन्त्रेण हृतात्मनाम्॥२१॥
“Yet our happiness rests entirely with you and can be restored only by you. When Sumantra carried you away, he carried away the hearts of those now long separated from you.
Passage 22
यदवधि भवनेश प्रस्थितं कोसलायां तदवधि वनवल्लीवृक्षगुल्मादयोऽपि। त्वदमितविरहाग्निप्रोत्थसन्तापभाजो ननु पिशुनविशीर्णाकीर्णपर्णा बभूवुः॥२२॥
“From the moment you departed your home in Kosala, the forest vines, trees, thickets, and all the rest have suffered the burning heat raised by the measureless fire of separation from you. Their fallen leaves lie scattered as visible witnesses to their grief.
Passage 23
गावश्च ते विरहदूनहृदो वितीर्ण- हंभारवा अनशिताच्छहरित्तृणाश्च। शुष्कौधसोऽतिकरुणं रुदतोऽपि वत्सान् नैवाद्रियन्त इति चेतसि विद्धि राम॥२३॥
“Rāma, know this in your heart: your cows are stricken by separation. They send forth long lowing cries, refuse the fresh green grass, and their udders have dried. They do not even attend to their calves, though the calves cry most piteously. Sukhita's Plea
Passage 24
येषां त्वदीयमुखचन्द्रसुधामवाप्य नित्यं दृशः परमनिर्वृतिभाग्यभाजः। तेषां प्रमोदवनवास्तुजुषां जनानां कल्पा इव प्रतिपदं दिवसाः प्रयान्ति॥२४॥
“The eyes of Pramoda-vana's inhabitants were always blessed with perfect delight from drinking the nectar of your moonlike face. Now every day passes for them like an aeon.
Passage 25
विज्ञाप्यमेतदधुना रघुवर्य किञ्चि- दस्माकमस्ति तव तीव्रवियोगभाजाम्। श्रीमन् पुनः प्रमुदकाननमेत्य वंशी- निर्घोषसान्द्रसुधया ननु सिञ्च दीनान्॥२५॥
“Best of Raghus, we who suffer the torment of separation have one request to place before you. Glorious Lord, return to Pramoda forest and bathe your stricken people again in the concentrated nectar of your flute's music.
Passage 26
ये दुर्गताः खगमृगद्रुमवल्लिलोकास्- त्वद्विप्रयोगरुजितं ततसोपतापाः। तान् पालयस्व शरणान् रघुसार्वभौम वक्त्रेन्दुमन्दहसितामृतपूरसेकैः॥२६॥
“Sovereign of the Raghus, protect the birds, deer, trees, vines, and people who have come to such misery, scorched everywhere by the sickness of separation from you. They have taken refuge in you; shower them with floods of nectar from the gentle smile upon your moonlike face.
Passage 27
किं दुर्लभं तव विभो यदि हेलितोऽसि कैकेयराजसुतयात्मसहेनगत्या। नैवास्तु ते धरणिराज्यमपारभारं श्रीमत्प्रमोदवनराज्यमिदं प्रशाधि॥२७॥
“Almighty Lord, what could be unattainable for you? If the daughter of the king of Kekaya has scorned you through her self-destructive course, then let the boundless burden of earthly kingship go. Rule instead this glorious realm of Pramoda-vana.
Passage 28
मूर्ध्नि जटाभिरहोऽमितभूतिलिप्तो वल्काजिनावृततनुर्वनगोचरस्त्वम्। स्वानन्दनिर्वृतिधरोऽपि निकाममीश प्रोद्वेजयस्यविरतं निजभक्तचेतः॥२८॥
“Your head bears a mass of matted hair, your body is thickly smeared with ash and covered in bark and deerskin, and you wander the forest. Lord, although you possess the repose of your own innate bliss, this appearance ceaselessly distresses the hearts of your devotees.
Passage 29
गाः कोटिशः किमपि कामदुघास्त्वदीयास्- ताः पालयन् प्रमुदकाननमध्यवर्ती। निःशङ्कमास्व विहरन् निजबन्धुवर्गैः स्वानां हरन्नमितमीश्वर चित्ततोषम्॥२९॥
“Live fearlessly in the heart of Pramoda forest, tending your countless wonderful wish-fulfilling cows and sporting with your own circle of kin. Lord, in this way grant your people immeasurable joy of heart.”