Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— श्रुत्वा रामस्य वचनं गोपराजो मुदान्वितः। चिरं विमृश्य विहसन्निदमाह महामतिः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Hearing Rāma's words, the wise cowherd king rejoiced, reflected for a long time, smiled, and spoke.
Passage 2
यथा वदसि मां राम तथा कार्यं मया किल। किंतु किं मे वदिष्यन्ति त्वद्वियुक्ता व्रजौकसः॥२॥
“Rāma, I must certainly act as you tell me. Yet what will the residents of Vraja, separated from you, say about me?
Passage 3
गतो रामं समानेतुं स तु तत्रैव संस्थितः। इति धैर्येण रहिताः खिद्यन्ते व्रजवासिनः॥३॥
“‘He went to bring Rāma back, but remained there himself.’ Bereft of patience, the people of Vraja will grieve in this way.
Passage 4
त्वं वादयित्वा मुरलीं मनोज्ञां गाः कोटिशः पुरतः संविधाय। युतो वयस्यैरुपयन् वनान्तात् कदा व्रजस्थान् सुखयिष्यतीश॥४॥
“Lord, when will you play your enchanting flute, arrange millions of cows before you, return from the forest with your companions, and delight those who remain in Vraja?
Passage 5
इत्युत्कलिकया युक्तास्तत्रत्या रघुनन्दन। त्वदागमनमत्यर्थमभिकाङ्क्षन्ति सर्वदा॥५॥
“Raghunandana, those who remain there are filled with this intense longing and always yearn deeply for your return.” Rāma Orders the Wider Community Summoned
Passage 6
श्रीराम उवाच— अहं ननु गमिष्यामि तत्र तात प्रमुद्वनम्। कांश्चित्तु दिवसान् स्थातुमिहैव मम मानसम्॥६॥
Śrī Rāma said: “Dear father, I shall indeed go there to Pramoda-vana, but my heart wishes to remain here for a few days.
Passage 7
अत्यन्तं रमणीयोऽयं चित्रकूटमहीधरः। अतो देवी जनकजा त्यक्तुं नोत्सहते क्षणम्॥७॥
“This mountain Citrakūṭa is exceedingly beautiful. Therefore the Goddess, Janaka's daughter, cannot bear to leave it even for a moment.
Passage 8
लक्ष्मणश्चात्र निवसन्मुदमाप्य निरन्तरम्। नातो विहातुकामोऽसौ गिरिमेनं मनोहरम्॥८॥
“Living here, Lakṣmaṇa too continually experiences joy and therefore does not wish to abandon this enchanting mountain.
Passage 9
अतो मद्वचनात्तात मित्रं श्रीनन्दनं तव। आकारयतरामत्र गोपमेकं निदेशय॥९॥
“Therefore, dear father, send one cowherd with my message and summon your friend Śrīnandana here without delay.
Passage 10
येऽन्ये च तत्र वर्तन्ते त्वत्प्रिया व्रजवासिनः। तान् सानुगान् सदारांश्चात्राकारय सगोधनान्॥१०॥
“Summon here as well the other Vraja residents dear to you, together with their wives, followers, and cattle.”
Passage 11
इत्युक्तः सुखिताधीशो रामचन्द्रस्य निश्चयम्। गिरिवासे प्रविज्ञाय शूरगोपमुवाच ह॥११॥
Thus addressed, Lord Sukhita understood Rāmacandra's determination to dwell on the mountain and spoke to the cowherd Śūra.
Passage 12
गच्छ त्वं शूर सहसा नियुक्तो मे प्रमुद्वनम्। गोधनैः सहितं मित्रं श्रीनन्दनमिहानय॥१२॥
“Śūra, go at once, commissioned by me, to Pramoda-vana. Bring my friend Śrīnandana here together with his cattle.
Passage 13
सदारं सपरीवारं सगोधनसुहृज्जनम्। वृद्धं श्रीनन्दनं गोपमिहानय महामते॥१३॥
“Wise one, bring the elder cowherd Śrīnandana here with his wife, household, cattle, relatives, and friends.”
Passage 14
इत्युक्तो गोपराजेन शूरगोपो व्रजं ययौ। गोपेन्द्रस्य तमादेशं श्रीनन्दने न्यवेदयत्॥१४॥
Thus instructed by the cowherd king, Śūra went to Vraja and conveyed the cowherd lord's command to Śrīnandana. Śūra Delivers Sukhita's Invitation
Passage 15
शूर उवाच— रामप्रेमपराधीनः सुखितेन्द्रो महामनाः। निवस्तुकामस्तत्रैव त्वामाहेदं व्रजाधिप॥१५॥
Śūra said: “Lord of Vraja, noble Sukhita, wholly governed by love for Rāma, wishes to reside there and sends you this message.
Passage 16
मन्मित्रं हि भवान् गोप श्रीनन्दन महामते। त्वां विना नैव शक्तोऽहं स्थातुमत्र क्षणं सुखी॥१६॥
“‘Wise cowherd Śrīnandana, you are my friend. Without you, I cannot remain happy here even for a moment.
Passage 17
रामोऽपि भवतः साधो दर्शनायाभिकाङ्क्षति। अत आकारितोऽसि त्वमिह वस्तुं व्रजेश्वर॥१७॥
“‘Good man, Rāma also longs to see you. Therefore, lord of Vraja, you have been summoned to dwell here.
Passage 18
सानुगः सपरीवारः सदारः ससुहृज्जनः। सगोधन इहागत्य चिरं वस महागिरौ॥१८॥
“‘Come here with your wife, followers, household, friends, and cattle, and reside for a long time upon this great mountain.
Passage 19
देशोऽयं विततः स्वच्छः सदा सुरभिसुन्दरः। फलपुष्पभरानम्रसुच्छायासुखदद्रुमः॥१९॥
“‘This broad and pure region is always fragrant and beautiful. Its comfort-giving trees bend beneath fruit and flowers and cast delightful shade.
Passage 20
सेवनीयतमः शैलः सुखवृद्धिर्भवापहः। अत्यन्तरमणीयोऽसौ चित्रसानुशतद्युतिः॥२०॥
“‘This mountain is eminently worthy of residence; it increases happiness and removes worldly distress. It is extraordinarily lovely, radiant with hundreds of variegated peaks.
Passage 21
न जातु चित्त्वमिह वसन् मनोहरे गिरौ मनस्यरतिमुपेष्यसि क्वचित्। सरिद्वरातरलतरङ्गधोरणी- सुशीतलैर्मृदुपवनैर्निषेवितः॥२१॥
“‘Dwelling upon this enchanting mountain, you will never experience discontent in your heart, for gentle breezes cooled by the excellent river's trains of rippling waves will continually serve you.’
Passage 22
सुखितस्य वचस्तस्मै सुनिवेद्य महामतिः। शूरोऽनुवर्णयामास स्वयं शिखरिणां वरम्॥२२॥
After faithfully delivering Sukhita's words, wise Śūra himself began to describe the finest of mountains. Śūra Describes Citrakūṭa
Passage 23
किं वर्णयामि तव तस्य गिरेः सुशोभां श्रीनन्दन स्वयमुपेत्य तु वेत्स्यसि त्वम्। सानूनि यस्य मणिहेममयानि शश्वद्- आभूषयन्ति गगनं विदिशो दिशश्च॥२३॥
“Śrīnandana, how can I describe that mountain's exquisite beauty? You will understand it when you arrive yourself. Its gem-and-gold peaks eternally adorn the sky, the intermediate quarters, and every direction.
Passage 24
कुञ्जानि नित्यमृतुराजनिषेवितानि संफुल्लभूरुहवशीकृतषट्पदानि। सद्मानि पुष्पधनुषो विरतं विभान्ति चित्रीकृतानि सुमनःफलपत्रलक्ष्म्या॥२४॥
“Its bowers are perpetually served by spring and their flowering trees entrance the bees. As mansions of the flower-bowed god, they shine without cease, variegated by the beauty of flowers, fruit, and leaves.
Passage 25
केकाधरैरिह निकुञ्जतले वसद्भिः प्रोद्घुष्यते मदनमन्त्रगणो मनोज्ञः। आकर्ण्य तत्समदचेतस उद्विलासा विद्याधरा जहति नैव कदापि यक्षाः॥२५॥
“Peacocks dwelling beneath the bowers loudly proclaim enchanting hosts of Love's mantras. Hearing them, the excited Vidyādharas and yakṣas never abandon their joyous play.
Passage 26
किन्नराः कनकसानुषु संस्थाः किन्नरीसहचरा विलसन्तः। सादरं खलु दृशा कलयन्ति क्ष्मामधोवननिकुञ्जविचित्राम्॥२६॥
“Kinnaras stationed upon the golden peaks sport with their Kinnarī companions and reverently behold the earth below, wondrous with forests and bowers.
Passage 27
पक्षिणो बहुविधाः परस्परस्पर्धयेव कलयन्ति कूजितैः। नित्यमत्र मुखरा दिशो दश स्वर्वधूमणितमःश्रुतं यथा॥२७॥
“Many kinds of birds seem to compete with one another in song, making all ten directions perpetually resonant, as though the song of heaven's women were being heard.
Passage 28
गण्डाचलान्निपततामिह निर्झराणामारादापतशिलातलपट्टिकासु। संव्याप्य कुञ्जभवनेषु तिरोदधाति प्रेयोगृहीततनुमुग्धवधूरुतानि॥२८॥
“Waterfalls descend from the mountain's cheeks and strike nearby stone slabs. Their sound fills the bower-houses and conceals the cries of lovely young women whose bodies are held in intimate union.
Passage 29
सीतारघूद्वहनिषेवणसौख्यहेतोः स्वस्वश्रिया षडृतवोऽत्र सदा वसन्ति। अन्योन्यसङ्गमसमुज्झितसंविरोधाः स्वस्वामिने युगपदेव मुदं वहन्ति॥२९॥
“To provide the joy of serving Sītā and the scion of Raghu, all six seasons continually dwell here in their own splendor. Their mutual conjunction removes every opposition, and together they bring delight to their Lord.” *Thus ends Chapter 71 of the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa, concerning the summoning of Śrīnandana.*