The gardens of Ayodhya
14. Stepwells, wells, and ponds have stairways made of jewels. They are filled with spotless water and covered by blooming, fragrant night-lotuses.
मूल पाठ 14 बावड़ी कूप तड़ाग रतन सोपान बनाये । रहे अमल जल पूरि विकसित कल्हार जु छाये ॥१४॥
Context and commentary
This work uses the form avadhi, while other works use avadh. There is a slight difference in meaning. Avadhi means the measure, summit, or limit of all cities, whereas avadh means that which cannot be slain or overcome by time and the other forces. Because these are vernacular forms, Avadhi sounds well with puri and Avadh with pur.
Throughout Avadh are stepwells, wells, and ponds with staircases fashioned from jewels. They are filled with utterly clear water and covered by blooming kalhara, fragrant night-blooming water-lilies. This is verse 14.
15. Birds sing sweetly beneath the cool shade of the trees. On every side, delightful gardens and pleasure-groves adorn the city.
मूल पाठ 15 सीतल तरु की छाँह विहंग कूजत मन भाये । चहुँ ओर आराम लगत उपवन जु सुहाये ॥१५॥
16. Peacocks, doves, parrots, and cuckoos call from the branches. It is as though the gods have assumed the bodies of birds and are proclaiming the Lord's glory.
मूल पाठ 16 तिन पर केकि कपोत कीर कोकिल किलकारत । सुर धरि तिनकी देह मनो प्रभु सुजस उचारत ॥१६॥
Commentary
Cool trees shade the banks of those stepwells and ponds. Birds of many colors sing beneath them in ways that charm minds steeped in rasa.
All around Avadh lie aramas - gardens, groves, and flower gardens. There are twelve principal forests and twelve principal groves, together with many other small and large ones. All appear exceedingly beautiful. This explains verse 15.
In the trees of these gardens, peacocks and peahens, male and female doves, parrots, and cuckoos all cry out and sing in joyful voices. The poet imagines that Indra, Brahma, and the other gods have assumed these birds' bodies and are proclaiming the lovely fame of Sri Ramachandra, the almighty Lord of lords. This is verse 16.
17. Branches sway beneath their heavy burden of fruit and flowers. They seem to stretch out their arms to offer fruit to travelers.
मूल पाठ 17 झूमि रहे लगि भार डार फल फूलन भारी । पथिक जनन फल देन मनहुँ तिन भुजा पसारी ॥१७॥
Context and commentary
The poet now describes the trees. Their great branches sway beneath the weight of fruit and flowers. The comparison is offered with poetic imagination: those trees seem to stretch out branch-like arms in order to give fruit to travelers on the road. This suggests that they are even more generous than wish-fulfilling trees, for their hands are already extended to give without being asked. This is verse 17.