Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— तस्याः सार्धे विनिर्यातास्तिस्रः कोट्यो वराङ्गनाः। तथा लक्षाणि पञ्चाशत्सहस्राणि चतुर्दश॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: Together with her emerged three crores of beautiful women, as well as fifty lakhs and fourteen thousand more.
Passage 2
शतानि पञ्चदश च यथा लक्ष्मीस्तथैव ताः। वयोऽवस्थारूपगुणसौन्दर्याद्यैः समाः प्रिये॥२॥
There were also fifteen hundreds. Beloved, they resembled Lakṣmī herself, equal in age, stage of life, form, qualities, beauty, and more.
Passage 3
कन्याः श्रीरसमुद्रस्य लक्ष्मीपतिवरोत्सुकाः। ताः समादाय सलिलात्स्वयं सिन्धुर्विनिर्ययौ॥३॥
They were daughters of the ocean of divine splendor, eager that Lakṣmī should choose her lord. Bringing them with him, the ocean himself emerged from the water.
Passage 4
तासामुद्वहनार्थाय परया चिन्तयाऽऽकुलः॥४॥
He was deeply preoccupied with arranging their marriages.
Passage 5
सर्वास्ताः पीतकौशेयवासिन्यो निष्कभूषिताः। वरपङ्कजमालाभिर्भूषिताः पद्मपाणयः॥५॥
All wore yellow silk and golden neck ornaments. Adorned with excellent lotus garlands, they held lotuses in their hands.
Passage 6
ताः श्रियं भूषयाञ्चक्रू रत्नाकरसमुद्भवैः। वासोभिर्भूषणैर्दिव्यैर्हारस्रक्कुण्डलादिभिः॥६॥
They adorned Śrī with garments and divine ornaments born from the ocean of jewels—necklaces, garlands, earrings, and more.
Passage 7
स्वयं तस्याः पिता सिन्धुः पीतकौशेयवाससी। वैजयन्तीं स्रजं दिव्यां वरुणो यादसां पतिः॥७॥
Her father, the ocean, gave her two yellow silk garments, while Varuṇa, lord of aquatic beings, gave the celestial Vaijayantī garland.
Passage 8
तस्यास्तु सौरभोद्गारैः ककुभः सुरभीकृताः। दिङ्मुखेभ्यः समाजग्मुराहूता इव षट्पदाः॥८॥
The fragrance issuing from her perfumed every quarter. Bees came from the faces of the directions as though summoned.
Passage 9
मकरन्दभरस्राविपञ्चवर्णप्रसूनजाम्। वहन्ती तां स्रजं रेजे वसन्तश्रीरिवेन्दिरा॥९॥
Indirā shone like the splendor of spring as she wore that garland, born of five-colored flowers streaming abundant nectar.
Passage 10
उपाहरद्विश्वकर्मा प्रजापतिरथ स्वयम्। तस्यै रत्नविचित्राणि भूषणानि सहस्रशः॥१०॥
Viśvakarmā, the lord of creatures, personally presented her with thousands of ornaments varied with jewels.
Passage 11
सरस्वती रत्नहारं ब्रह्मा पद्मममुत्तमम्। शेषश्च कुण्डले दिव्ये मुदितः समुपाहरत्॥११॥
Sarasvatī offered a jeweled necklace, Brahmā an excellent lotus, and delighted Śeṣa a pair of celestial earrings.
Passage 12
तां पीतवसनां दिव्यरत्नभूषणभूषिताम्। वैजयन्तीस्रजोपेतां हरिद्राचूर्णरूषिताम्॥१२॥
She wore yellow garments and celestial jeweled ornaments, was graced by the Vaijayantī garland, and was anointed with turmeric powder.
Passage 13
विवाहोचितवेषाढ्यां श्यामां वयामोत्पलेक्षणाम्। उवाच जनकस्तस्या वात्सल्येन सगद्गदम्॥१३॥
She was richly dressed for marriage, dark in complexion, youthful, and lotus-eyed. Overcome with parental affection, her father spoke to her in a faltering voice. The Ocean Invites Her to Choose
Passage 14
गन्धर्वविद्याधरमर्त्यनागराट्सुरासुराणामियतीह मण्डले। त्वं पुत्रि यं कञ्चिदनुत्तमे गुणैरात्मानुरूपं वरमृच्छ सम्प्रति॥१४॥
“Daughter, in this vast assembly of Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, mortals, serpent kings, gods, and demons, now choose as husband anyone whose unsurpassed qualities match your own.
Passage 15
ममाङ्गजा सर्वगुणौघभाजनं त्रैलोक्यसम्पत्तिनिधानविग्रहा। गुणैरिहास्यप्रतिमा ततो वरं निरीक्ष्य चित्तेन विमृश्य यास्यसि॥१५॥
“My daughter is the vessel of every host of virtues and the embodied treasury of the three worlds' prosperity. No one here equals her in qualities; therefore inspect them, deliberate in your heart, and approach your chosen husband.”
Passage 16
इत्युक्तवति पाथोधौ तस्याः सख्यो वरस्त्रियः। ऊचिरे युगपत्सर्वास्तत्प्रेमवशिताशयाः॥१६॥
When the ocean had spoken, all her excellent companions, their hearts governed by love for her, replied together.
Passage 17
यमेषा तात पद्माक्षी वरिष्यति निजं प्रियम्। वरः स एव नो भूयान्नेतरं कामयामहे॥१७॥
“Father, whoever this lotus-eyed lady chooses as her beloved husband, let him be our husband as well. We desire no other.” Lakṣmī Surveys the Assembly
Passage 18
ततः सा हंसगमना समाकर्ण्य पितुर्वचः। कृतस्वस्त्ययना देवी सव्रीडहसितानना॥१८॥
Hearing her father's words, the goddess whose gait was like a swan performed the auspicious preliminaries, her face smiling modestly.
Passage 19
वरमालां समादाय गुञ्जद्भ्रमरमण्डिताम्। दिव्यपद्ममयीं पीठादुदतिष्ठद्वरार्थिनी॥१९॥
Seeking a husband, she rose from her seat holding a celestial lotus garland surrounded by humming bees.
Passage 20
ददर्श यक्षान् गन्धर्वानसुरान् सिद्धचारणान्। विद्याधरान् भूतपतीँल्लोकेशानपि दिक्पतीन्॥२०॥
She examined Yakṣas, Gandharvas, demons, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Vidyādharas, lords of beings, rulers of worlds, and guardians of the directions.
Passage 21
देवान् ब्रह्मशिवेन्द्रादीन् ग्रहनक्षत्रनायकान्। आदित्यांश्च वसून् रुद्रान् विश्वान् देवांश्च भास्वरान्॥२१॥
She saw gods such as Brahmā, Śiva, and Indra, the rulers of planets and stars, the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and the radiant Viśvadevas.
Passage 22
तुषिताननिलांश्चैव साध्यान् पितृगणांस्तथा। रक्षोभूतपिशाचादीन्सुरान् दैत्यदानवान्॥२२॥
She saw the Tuṣitas, winds, Sādhyas, hosts of ancestors, Rākṣasas, spirits, Piśācas and others, as well as gods, Daityas, and Dānavas.
Passage 23
यज्ञं संवत्सरं कालं वसन्ताद्यांस्तथा ऋतून्। नागानैरावतादींश्च वासुकिप्रमुखानहीन्॥२३॥
She considered sacrifice, the year, time, the seasons beginning with spring, serpents such as Airāvata, and snakes led by Vāsuki.
Passage 24
पुष्करावर्तकादींश्च घनान् नरपतीन् नरान्। नदांश्च शोणभद्रादीनश्वत्थाद्यान् वनस्पतीन्॥२४॥
She considered clouds such as Puṣkara and Āvartaka, kings and men, rivers such as Śoṇabhadra, and trees such as the sacred fig.
Passage 25
धर्मं चार्थं तथा कामं मोक्षं चापि चतुर्विधम्। निरूपयन्ती व्यचरत्स्वानुरूपवरार्थिनी॥२५॥
Seeking a husband suited to herself, she moved among them while considering dharma, prosperity, desire, and liberation in their fourfold forms. No Equal Is Found
Passage 26
स्वपूर्णगुणस्थानं सर्वदोषविवर्जितम्। ध्रुवं पुरुषधौरेयमिच्छन्ती पदमात्मनः॥२६॥
She desired as her own station a foremost person who was the abode of intrinsically complete virtues and entirely free from every fault.
Passage 27
विलोकयन्ती सर्वत्र त्रैलोक्ये नान्वविन्दत। ततश्च सा परावृत्ता परमानन्दरूपिणी॥२७॥
Though she looked everywhere, she found no such person in the three worlds. Then she, whose nature is supreme bliss, turned back.
Passage 28
दीप्यत्कोटिसखीयूथविद्युन्मण्डलवर्तिनी। बिभ्रती पद्मवदना करपद्मे वरस्रजम्॥२८॥
Lotus-faced and holding the bridal garland in her lotus hand, she moved within the lightning-like circle formed by her millions of radiant companions.
Passage 29
सदानवद्योऽखिलनित्यसद्गुणः क ईश्वरो मे प्रतिमो भवेदिति। मुहुर्विचिन्त्यैतदवोचतेन्दिरा निजां वयस्यां निभृतं सुचिस्मिता॥२९॥
“What Lord could be my equal—forever faultless and possessing every eternal virtue?” Reflecting on this repeatedly, pure-smiling Indirā quietly addressed her intimate companion. Colophon इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे दक्षिणखण्डे समुद्रमथने श्रीकृतवरान्वेषणे षडशीतितमोऽध्यायः ॥ ८६ ॥ Thus ends Chapter 86, “Śrī's Search for a Bridegroom during the Churning of the Ocean,” in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue between Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa. Witness control note Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa Chapter 86 begins below the Chapter 85 colophon on source leaf 334 and ends above the Chapter 87 heading on source leaf 336 (physical PDF pages 335–337). It contains 29 continuously numbered passages. All three scan pages were reviewed directly, and the English is a fresh translation from the scan-controlled Sanskrit.