Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— अथ दीर्घदरीरन्ध्रविस्फुरद्धोरगह्वरम्। विततोपत्यकाभूमिविरूढसरलद्रुमम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: The Lord then beheld Mālyavat, whose long caverns and fissures were lairs where fearsome serpents moved, and whose broad valley floors were overgrown with pine trees.
Passage 2
उन्नताधित्यकारूढतरुमण्डपमण्डितम्। नानावर्णशिलासंघसंशोभिकटकोन्नतम्॥२॥
Its high plateaus were adorned with canopies of trees, and its lofty ridges shone with masses of many-colored stone.
Passage 3
अनेकगण्डशोभाढ्यं परिणाहिशिलागिरम्। संफुल्लतरुकुञ्जाढ्यं लतामण्डपशोभितम्॥३॥
It was splendid with many rocky faces and encircling stone heights, rich in groves of trees in full bloom and beautiful with bowers of vines.
Passage 4
नारिकेलद्रुमवनसंछन्नमभितो दिशम्। नागपुन्नागचाम्पेयजम्बूपनसशोभितम्॥४॥
In every direction it was covered by coconut groves and adorned with nāga and punnāga trees, champak, rose-apple, and jackfruit.
Passage 5
रसालद्रुमसंछन्नप्रियालगहनावृतम्। क्रमुकद्रुमसंवीतं समन्तान्निर्झरावृतम्॥५॥
It was shaded by mango trees, enclosed by dense groves of priyāla, ringed with areca palms, and surrounded on all sides by waterfalls.
Passage 6
भृगुसंदेहनिपतन्नदीपातमनोहरम्। निरन्तरपयःसेकप्रत्यग्रकदलीवनम्॥६॥
It delighted the mind with cascades plunging from cliff-like heights, while continual sprays of water kept its plantain groves ever fresh.
Passage 7
लासैर्मनोरमं नित्यं मेघानाददानुलासिनाम्। प्रमत्तकोकिलालापप्रतिध्वनिसमन्वितम्॥७॥
It was always charming with the dances of creatures that danced in response to the clouds' thunder, and it echoed with the calls of intoxicated cuckoos.
Passage 8
सरोभिः फुल्लराजीवरजःपिञ्जरितोदकैः। कणत्कादम्बनिबहैरचक्रवाककुलाकुलैः॥८॥
Its lakes had waters tawny with pollen from blooming lotuses and were thronged by calling flocks of waterfowl and companies of cakravāka birds.
Passage 9
मत्तकण्ठै राजहंसैश्चञ्चूद्भिन्नमृणालकैः। उपर्यधः समन्ताच्च शोभमानं सुशीतलम्॥९॥
Lotus stalks were split by the beaks of excited swans and royal geese; above and below and on every side, the mountain was beautiful and exceedingly cool.
Passage 10
मरुल्लहरिनिर्ध्वानमहाकोचककाननम्। अरण्यमहिषानीकद्वन्द्वयुद्धकृतारवम्॥१०॥
Its great forest resounded with waves of wind and with the uproar of wild-buffalo herds locked in pairs of combat.
Passage 11
मत्तैणकुलसंयुद्धशृङ्गाघातरवान्वितम्। मुस्तोत्खननसावेशमत्तकोलकुलाकुलम्॥११॥
It rang with the clash of horns as rutting deer herds fought, and it swarmed with excited packs of wild boars intent on uprooting sedge.
Passage 12
सर्वर्तुफलितैस्तुङ्गनानाजातिमहीरुहैः। पुष्पस्तवकशोभाढ्यैर्लतामण्डपमण्डितैः॥१२॥
Tall trees of many species bore fruit in every season, splendid with clusters of flowers and adorned by pavilions of vines.
Passage 13
विश्रान्तविहगश्रेणीकलनादकुतूहलैः। ललत्पल्लवसंदोहैः सुच्छायैर्वारितातपैः॥१३॥
They delighted the ear with the soft calls of rows of resting birds; their swaying masses of young leaves cast deep shade that held off the sun.
Passage 14
समन्तादावृतं चारु सानुसाहससुन्दरम्। दिशो भुवं नभो व्याप्य संस्थितं स्वेन वर्ष्मणा॥१४॥
Beautifully enclosed on every side and lovely in its slopes and difficult heights, Mālyavat stood with its vast bulk filling the directions, earth, and sky.
Passage 15
सिद्धकिन्नरगन्धर्ववसतिं बहुकालतः। नानौषधिज्वलद्दीप्तिदीपिकादीपितं निशि॥१५॥
For ages it had been a dwelling of siddhas, kinnaras, and gandharvas, and at night it was illumined like a field of lamps by the blazing radiance of many herbs.
Passage 16
वनवारणसंदोहगण्डकण्डूतिघट्टितैः। सरस्तीरे विक्षतत्वग्भिः प्रस्रवद्द्रवबिन्दुभिः॥१६॥
Along the lake shores, trees whose bark had been wounded by the rubbing cheeks of forest-elephant herds exuded drops of fragrant sap.
Passage 17
अधऊर्ध्वं समन्ताच्च सुगन्धिततटावनिम्। तरुच्छायासमासीनगायद्गन्धर्वकन्यकम्॥१७॥
Above, below, and all around, its banks and woodland were perfumed, while daughters of the gandharvas sat in the shade of trees and sang.
Passage 18
दीर्घघोषैर्दरीद्वारविलम्बिभिरनारतम्। जलभारनतैर्मेघैः समन्तात् सुनिषेवितम्॥१८॥
Clouds heavy and bowed with water continually attended it on every side, lingering at the mouths of caves with long reverberating peals.
Passage 19
केतकीकाननोद्भूतपरागरजसावृतम्। तमालतालहिन्तालसालजालसमावृतम्॥१९॥
It was veiled in pollen-dust rising from ketakī groves and encircled by networks of tamāla, palm, hintāla, and śāla trees.
Passage 20
सर्वर्तुसुखभोगाढ्यं नानाकन्दसमुद्भवम्। नानाफललताकीर्णं नानाशाकसमन्वितम्॥२०॥
It abounded in the pleasures of every season, produced many kinds of roots, and was filled with fruit-bearing vines and manifold edible greens.
Passage 21
नानामुनिगणाकीर्णं नानाश्रमनिकेतनम्। सरित्सरःप्रस्रवणसुमिष्टसलिलोद्भवम्॥२१॥
It was populated by many companies of sages and housed many hermitages; rivers, lakes, and springs issued there with exceedingly sweet water.
Passage 22
माल्यवन्तं गिरिं नाम्ना सानुजोऽधिवसन् प्रभुः। वार्षिकांश्चतुरो मासान् निनाय विरहज्वरी॥२२॥
The Lord dwelt with his younger brother upon the mountain named Mālyavat and passed the four months of the rains fevered by separation. The Rains Intensify Rāma's Separation
Passage 23
स पश्यन् गगनं सान्द्रनवमेघघटावृतम्। उपतेपे प्रियातीव्रविरहव्याधिबाधितः॥२३॥
Seeing the sky covered by dense masses of new clouds, he suffered beneath the sickness of fierce separation from his beloved.
Passage 24
न सेहे गर्जितरवं नवमेघसमुद्भवम्। विद्युतां च चमत्कारं चतुर्दिकतटभासुरम्॥२४॥
He could not endure the thunder arising from the new clouds or the flashing of lightning that lit the horizons in all four directions.
Passage 25
कदम्बकुसुमान्येष हेमवर्णानि भूरिशः। स्मरस्य गुलिकाबाणान् मेने विरहकातरः॥२५॥
Tormented by separation, he regarded the many gold-colored kadamba blossoms as Kāma's pellet-arrows.
Passage 26
केतकानां मनोज्ञानि पत्राणि रघुपुङ्गवः। चेतसः करपत्राणि जजान विरहापदि॥२६॥
In the calamity of separation, the foremost Raghu knew the lovely ketakī leaves as saw-blades cutting at his heart.
Passage 27
दिवि मेघघटाघोरसंघट्टमयमातुरः। अमंस्त कामभूपालसेनामिव समन्ततः॥२७॥
Distressed by the terrible collision of cloud masses in the sky, he imagined all around him the army of King Kāma.
Passage 28
विद्युत्पताका रुचिरा गजा इव घना घनाः। वलाकापङ्क्तिदन्ताढ्या यत्र गर्जन्ति संततम्॥२८॥
There the splendid lightning was its banner, while dense clouds roared continually like elephants furnished with tusks made from rows of cranes.
Passage 29
कणन्ति चातका यत्र सेनासंसज्जका इव। सज्जमानामथ चमूं श्लाघन्ते केकिनो मुहुः॥२९॥
The cātaka birds cried like men mustering the army, while peacocks repeatedly acclaimed the force as it arrayed itself.
Passage 30
सूतमागधवन्दित्वे वर्तमानाः कृतारवाः। दीप्यन्ते शक्तयो यत्र केतवास्तडितामपि॥३०॥
The calling creatures served as charioteer-bards, Māgadhas, and panegyrists, while flashes of lightning shone there as both spears and standards.
Passage 31
दृश्यन्ते लोहयन्त्राणि नैव ध्वान्तघने पथि। तान्येव चानुमीयन्ते खद्योतैरग्निवर्तिभिः॥३१॥
No iron engines could be seen upon the road in the dense darkness; their presence could only be inferred from the firefly torches.
Passage 32
भटाश्च परितः सज्जा यत्र तापिच्छभूरुहाः। नवपल्लववर्माढ्याः कुसुमैर्निभृतालिभिः॥३२॥
All around, the tamāla trees stood ready like warriors, armored in fresh leaves, their flowers concealing ranks of bees.
Passage 33
बाणपूगभृतास्तूणीर्विभ्रतो मदनानुगाः। विटपैर्बाहुसदृशैः पल्लवैरङ्गुलीसमैः॥३३॥
As followers of Kāma, they bore quivers filled with masses of arrows, their branches resembling arms and their tender leaves resembling fingers.
Passage 34
तर्जयन्त इव स्वान्तं नित्यं विरहिणां नृणाम्। तुदन्ति वाक्शरैर्यत्र कोकिलाश्च महाभटाः॥३४॥
They seemed always to threaten the hearts of separated lovers, while the cuckoos, like great warriors, pierced them with arrow-like calls.
Passage 35
पश्यन्नेवमिमां चमूं रतिपतेः संसज्जमानां मनो- धैर्यध्वंसनहेतवे समुदितां रामः समन्ताद् गिरौ। सीतासह्यवियोगभूरिविपदि प्राणापहारोन्मुखीं सौमित्रिं सहसाब्रवीन्ननु रहः संगम्य सम्बोध्य च॥३५॥
Thus Rāma saw everywhere upon the mountain the army of the Lord of Love assembling to destroy the courage of his heart. In the immense calamity of unbearable separation from Sītā it seemed intent on taking his life; drawing Saumitri aside in private, he suddenly addressed him.