प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं दण्डकारण्यमात्मवान्। रामो ददर्श दुर्धर्षस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम्॥ कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्मलक्ष्म्या समावृतम्। यथा प्रदीप्तं दुर्दर्श गगने सूर्यमण्डलम्॥ शरण्यं सर्वभूतानां सुसंमृष्टाजिरं सदा। मृगैर्बहुभिराकीर्णं पक्षिसंधैः समावृतम्॥ पूजितं चोपनृत्तं च नित्यमप्सरस गणैः। विशालैरग्निशरणैः स्रग्भाण्डैरजिनैः कुशैः॥ समिद्भिस्तोयकलशैः फलमूलैश्च शोभितम्। आरण्यैश्च महावृक्षैः पुण्यैः स्वादुफलैर्वृतम्॥ बलिहोमार्चितं पुण्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम्। पुष्पैश्चान्यैः परिक्षिप्तं पद्मिन्या च सपाया॥ फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरैः। सूर्यवैश्वानराभैश्च पुराणैर्मुनिभिर्युतम्।७।।
Entering the extensive forest of Dandaka, the irrepressible and self-composed Rāma saw the collection of asylums belonging to the ascetics, strewn with Kusa and bark, and environed by spiritual energy; incapable of being beheld; like the solar disc in the heavens, the refuge of all creatures with their ornamented yards; filled with a great many deer, and abounding in multitudes of birds; in which Apsaras always danced and which they held in respect; (asylums) beauteous with spacious rooms for fire sacrifice, with sacrificial necessaries, deer-skins, Kusa, faggots, water-pitchers, fruits and roots; surrounded by mighty and sacred fcrest-trees; crowned with lucious fruits; honoured with Bali and homa*; holy; resounding with the sounds of Vedic recitations; scattered with divers blossoms; and containing tanks filled with lotuses; with ancient ascetics living on fruits and roots, having their senses under control, wearing bark and black deer-skins, and possessing the splendour of the sun or fire; and adorued by great and holy sages living upon regulated fare.
पुण्यैश्च नियताहारैः शोभितं परमर्षिभिः। तद्ब्रह्मभवनप्रख्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम्॥ ब्रह्मविद्भिर्महाभागैाह्मणैरुपशोभितम्। तद् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमांस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम्॥ अभ्यगच्छन्महातेजा विज्यं कृत्वा महद् धनुः।
Beholding that collection of asylums belonging to the ascetics, resembling the regions of Brahmă, resonant with the voices of Vedic recitations; and grateful; with highly pious Brāhmaṇas versed in the Vedas, the exceedingly energetic and graceful Rāghava entered the same, having first unstrung his mighty bow.
दिव्यज्ञानोपपन्नास्ते रामं दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः॥ अभिजग्मुस्तदा प्रीता वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम्। ते तु सोममिवोद्यन्तं दृष्ट्वा वै धर्मचारिणम्॥ लक्ष्मणं चैव दृष्ट्वा तु वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम्। मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जानाः प्रत्यगृह्णन्दृढव्रताः॥
Thereupon, seeing the righteous Rāma resembling the moon risen, as well as Lakşmaņa and the illustrious Vaidehī, those . Maharsis endued with spiritual intuition, came forward (to meet the incomers); and, having uttered benedictions, those persons of rigid VOWS, received them.
रूपसंहननं लक्ष्मी सौकुमार्यं सुवेषताम्। ददृशुर्विस्मिताकारा रामस्य वनवासिनः॥
And those dwellers of the wood, struck with wonder, beheld Rāma's tender grace and loveliness and elegance of dress.
वैदेही लक्ष्मणं रामं नेत्रैरनिमिषैरिव। आश्चर्यभूतान्ददृशुः सर्वे ते वनवासिनः॥
And struck with astonishment, those inhabitants of the woods of pre-eminent piety saw Vaidehī, Lakşmaņa and Rāma, with winkless eyes.
अत्रैनं हि महाभागाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः। अतिथिं पर्णशालायां राघवं संन्यवेशयन्॥
And those persons of exalted virtue, engaged in the welfare of all creatures, made Rāghava, their guest, sit down in their thatched cottage.
ततो रामस्य सत्कृत्य विधिना पावकोपमाः। आजहुस्ते महाभागाः सललं धर्मचारिणः॥
Then, having received Rāma respectfully according to scriptural prescription, those virtuous ones of eminent piety, resembling fire, procured water (for Rāma).
मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जाना मुदा परमया युताः। मूलं पुष्पं फलं सर्वमाश्रमं च महात्मनः॥ निवेदयित्वा धर्मज्ञास्ते तु प्राञ्जलयोऽब्रुवन्। धर्मपालो जनस्यास्य शरण्यश्च महायशाः॥ पूजनीयश्च मान्यश्च राजा दण्डधरो गुरुः। इन्द्रस्यैव चतुर्भागः प्रजा रक्षति राघवः॥ राजा तस्माद् वरान् भोगान् रम्यान् भुङ्क्ते नमस्कृतः।
And, experiencing great delight, those highsouled ones, uttering benedictions, procured wild fruits, flowers and roots; and, having assigned an asylum (to Rāma), those persons cognizani of righteousness, said with joined hands, “Possessed of high fame, you, the protector of righteousness, are the refuge of these people. you should be honoured and worshipped, being their king, holding the rod, and their superior. O Rāghava, it is because he that governs his subjects, is a fourth part of Indra himself, that the king, being bowed down to by all, enjoys the choices things.
ते वयं भवता रक्ष्या भवद्विषयवासिनः। नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा त्वं नो राजा जनेश्वरः॥
And we, being in your dominions, ought to be protected by you. Whether living in the city or in the woods, you, lord of men, are our sovereign.
न्यस्तदण्डा वयं राजञ्जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः। रक्षणीयास्त्वया शश्वद् गर्भभूतास्तपोधनाः॥
We have renounced chastising others; and, O monarch, we have conquered our anger, and subdued our passions. Therefore, even as a child in its mother's womb (should be protected by her), should we be protected by you."
एवमुक्त्वा फलैर्मूलैः पुष्पैरन्यैश्च राघवम्। वन्यैश्च विविधाहारैः सलक्ष्मणमपूजयन्॥
Having said this, they entertained Rāghava, along with Laksmana, with fruits and roots and flowers and diverse other edibles procurable in the woods.
तथान्ये तापसाः सिद्धा रामं वैश्वानरोपमाः। न्यावृता यथान्यायं तर्पयामासुरीश्वरम् ॥
In the same way, other ascetics of accomplished purposes, living lives of integrity, duly pleased that lord, Rāma, resembling Vaisvānara.