Lord Rāmacandra Rules the World
VERSE 9.11.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
bhagavān ātmanātmānaṁ
rāma uttama-kalpakaiḥ
sarva-devamayaṁ devam
īje ’thācāryavān makhaiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātmanā — by Himself; ātmānam — Himself; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; uttama-kalpakaiḥ — with very opulent paraphernalia; sarva-deva-mayam — the heart and soul of all the demigods; devam — the Supreme Lord Himself; īje — worshiped; atha — thus; ācāryavān — under the guidance of an ācārya; makhaiḥ — by performing sacrifices.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thereafter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Rāmacandra, accepted an ācārya and performed sacrifices [yajñas] with opulent paraphernalia. Thus He Himself worshiped Himself, for He is the Supreme Lord of all demigods.
VERSE 9.11.2
hotre ’dadād diśaṁ prācīṁ
brahmaṇe dakṣiṇāṁ prabhuḥ
adhvaryave pratīcīṁ vā
uttarāṁ sāmagāya saḥ
SYNONYMS
hotre — unto the hotā priest, who offers oblations; adadāt — gave; diśam — direction; prācīm — the whole eastern side; brahmaṇe — unto the brahmā priest, who supervises what is done in the sacrificial arena; dakṣiṇām — the southern side; prabhuḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; adhvaryave — unto the adhvaryu priest; pratīcīm — the whole western side; vā — also; uttarām — the northern side; sāma-gāya — unto the udgātā priest, who sings the Sāma Veda; saḥ — He (Lord Rāmacandra).
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra gave the entire east to the hotā priest, the entire south to the brahmā priest, the west to the adhvaryu priest, and the north to the udgātā priest, the reciter of the Sāma Veda. In this way, He donated His kingdom.
VERSE 9.11.3
ācāryāya dadau śeṣāṁ
yāvatī bhūs tad-antarā
manyamāna idaṁ kṛtsnaṁ
brāhmaṇo ’rhati niḥspṛhaḥ
SYNONYMS
ācāryāya — unto the ācārya, the spiritual master; dadau — gave; śeṣām — the balance; yāvatī — whatever; bhūḥ — land; tat-antarā — existing between the east, west, north and south; manyamānaḥ — thinking; idam — all this; kṛtsnam — wholly; brāhmaṇaḥ — the brāhmaṇas; arhati — deserve to possess; niḥspṛhaḥ — having no desire.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, thinking that because the brāhmaṇas have no material desires they should possess the entire world, Lord Rāmacandra delivered the land between the east, west, north and south to the ācārya.
VERSE 9.11.4
ity ayaṁ tad-alaṅkāra-
vāsobhyām avaśeṣitaḥ
tathā rājñy api vaidehī
saumaṅgalyāvaśeṣitā
SYNONYMS
iti — in this way (after giving everything to the brāhmaṇas); ayam — Lord Rāmacandra; tat — His; alaṅkāra-vāsobhyām — with personal ornaments and garments; avaśeṣitaḥ — remained; tathā — as well as; rājñī — the Queen (mother Sītā); api — also; vaidehī — the daughter of the King of Videha; saumaṅgalyā — with only the nose ring; avaśeṣitā — remained.
TRANSLATION
After thus giving everything in charity to the brāhmaṇas, Lord Rāmacandra retained only His personal garments and ornaments, and similarly the Queen, mother Sītā, was left with only her nose ring, and nothing else.
VERSE 9.11.5
te tu brāhmaṇa-devasya
vātsalyaṁ vīkṣya saṁstutam
prītāḥ klinna-dhiyas tasmai
pratyarpyedaṁ babhāṣire
SYNONYMS
te — the hotā, brahmā and other priests; tu — but; brāhmaṇa-devasya — of Lord Rāmacandra, who loved the brāhmaṇas so much; vātsalyam — the paternal affection; vīkṣya — after seeing; saṁstutam — worshiped with prayers; prītāḥ — being very pleased; klinna-dhiyaḥ — with melted hearts; tasmai — unto Him (Lord Rāmacandra); pratyarpya — returning; idam — this (all the land given to them); babhāṣire — spoke.
TRANSLATION
All the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in the various activities of the sacrifice were very pleased with Lord Rāmacandra, who was greatly affectionate and favorable to the brāhmaṇas. Thus with melted hearts they returned all the property received from Him and spoke as follows.
VERSE 9.11.6
aprattaṁ nas tvayā kiṁ nu
bhagavan bhuvaneśvara
yan no ’ntar-hṛdayaṁ viśya
tamo haṁsi sva-rociṣā
SYNONYMS
aprattam — not given; naḥ — unto us; tvayā — by Your Lordship; kim — what; nu — indeed; bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; bhuvana-īśvara — O master of the whole universe; yat — because; naḥ — our; antaḥ-hṛdayam — within the core of the heart; viśya — entering; tamaḥ — the darkness of ignorance; haṁsi — You annihilate; sva-rociṣā — by Your own effulgence.
TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are the master of the entire universe. What have You not given to us? You have entered the core of our hearts and dissipated the darkness of our ignorance by Your effulgence. This is the supreme gift. We do not need a material donation.
VERSE 9.11.7
namo brahmaṇya-devāya
rāmāyākuṇṭha-medhase
uttamaśloka-dhuryāya
nyasta-daṇḍārpitāṅghraye
SYNONYMS
namaḥ — we offer our respectful obeisances; brahmaṇya-devāya — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who accepts the brāhmaṇas as His worshipable deity; rāmāya — unto Lord Rāmacandra; akuṇṭha-medhase — whose memory and knowledge are never disturbed by anxiety; uttamaśloka-dhuryāya — the best of very famous persons; nyasta-daṇḍa-arpita-aṅghraye — whose lotus feet are worshiped by sages beyond the jurisdiction of punishment.
TRANSLATION
O Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have accepted the brāhmaṇas as Your worshipable deity. Your knowledge and memory are never disturbed by anxiety. You are the chief of all famous persons within this world, and Your lotus feet are worshiped by sages who are beyond the jurisdiction of punishment. O Lord Rāmacandra, let us offer our respectful obeisances unto You.
VERSE 9.11.8
kadācil loka-jijñāsur
gūḍho rātryām alakṣitaḥ
caran vāco ’śṛṇod rāmo
bhāryām uddiśya kasyacit
SYNONYMS
kadācit — once upon a time; loka-jijñāsuḥ — desiring to know about the public; gūḍhaḥ — hiding Himself by a disguise; rātryām — at night; alakṣitaḥ — without being identified by anyone else; caran — walking; vācaḥ — speaking; aśṛṇot — heard; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; bhāryām — unto His wife; uddiśya — indicating; kasyacit — of someone.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Once while Lord Rāmacandra was walking at night incognito, hiding Himself by a disguise to find out the people’s opinion of Himself, He heard a man speaking unfavorably about His wife, Sītādevī.
VERSE 9.11.9
nāhaṁ bibharmi tvāṁ duṣṭām
asatīṁ para-veśma-gām
straiṇo hi bibhṛyāt sītāṁ
rāmo nāhaṁ bhaje punaḥ
SYNONYMS
na — not; aham — I; bibharmi — can maintain; tvām — you; duṣṭām — because you are polluted; asatīm — unchaste; para-veśma-gām — one who has gone to another man’s house and committed adultery; straiṇaḥ — a person who is henpecked; hi — indeed; bibhṛyāt — can accept; sītām — even Sītā; rāmaḥ — like Lord Rāmacandra; na — not; aham — I; bhaje — shall accept; punaḥ — again.
TRANSLATION
[Speaking to his unchaste wife, the man said] You go to another man’s house, and therefore you are unchaste and polluted. I shall not maintain you any more. A henpecked husband like Lord Rāma may accept a wife like Sītā, who went to another man’s house, but I am not henpecked like Him, and therefore I shall not accept you again.
VERSE 9.11.10
iti lokād bahu-mukhād
durārādhyād asaṁvidaḥ
patyā bhītena sā tyaktā
prāptā prācetasāśramam
SYNONYMS
iti — thus; lokāt — from persons; bahu-mukhāt — who can talk nonsensically in various ways; durārādhyāt — whom it is very difficult to stop; asaṁvidaḥ — who are without full knowledge; patyā — by the husband; bhītena — being afraid; sā — mother Sītā; tyaktā — was abandoned; prāptā — went; prācetasa-āśramam — to the hermitage of Prācetasa (Vālmīki Muni).
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Men with a poor fund of knowledge and a heinous character speak nonsensically. Fearing such rascals, Lord Rāmacandra abandoned His wife, Sītādevī, although she was pregnant. Thus Sītādevī went to the āśrama of Vālmīki Muni.
VERSE 9.11.11
antarvatny āgate kāle
yamau sā suṣuve sutau
kuśo lava iti khyātau
tayoś cakre kriyā muniḥ
SYNONYMS
antarvatnī — the pregnant wife; āgate — arrived; kāle — in due course of time; yamau — twins; sā — Sītādevī; suṣuve — gave birth to; sutau — two sons; kuśaḥ — Kuśa; lavaḥ — Lava; iti — thus; khyātau — celebrated; tayoḥ — of them; cakre — performed; kriyāḥ — the ritualistic ceremonies of birth; muniḥ — the great sage Vālmīki.
TRANSLATION
When the time came, the pregnant mother Sītādevī gave birth to twin sons, later celebrated as Lava and Kuśa. The ritualistic ceremonies for their birth were performed by Vālmīki Muni.
VERSE 9.11.12
aṅgadaś citraketuś ca
lakṣmaṇasyātmajau smṛtau
takṣaḥ puṣkala ity āstāṁ
bharatasya mahīpate
SYNONYMS
aṅgadaḥ — Aṅgada; citraketuḥ — Citraketu; ca — also; lakṣmaṇasya — of Lord Lakṣmaṇa; ātmajau — two sons; smṛtau — were said to be; takṣaḥ — Takṣa; puṣkalaḥ — Puṣkala; iti — thus; āstām — were; bharatasya — of Lord Bharata; mahīpate — O King Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Lord Lakṣmaṇa had two sons, named Aṅgada and Citraketu, and Lord Bharata also had two sons, named Takṣa and Puṣkala.
VERSE 9.11.13-14
subāhuḥ śrutasenaś ca
śatrughnasya babhūvatuḥ
gandharvān koṭiśo jaghne
bharato vijaye diśām
tadīyaṁ dhanam ānīya
sarvaṁ rājñe nyavedayat
śatrughnaś ca madhoḥ putraṁ
lavaṇaṁ nāma rākṣasam
hatvā madhuvane cakre
mathurāṁ nāma vai purīm
SYNONYMS
subāhuḥ — Subāhu; śrutasenaḥ — Śrutasena; ca — also; śatrughnasya — of Lord Śatrughna; babhūvatuḥ — were born; gandharvān — persons related with the Gandharvas, who are mostly pretenders; koṭiśaḥ — by the tens of millions; jaghne — killed; bharataḥ — Lord Bharata; vijaye — while conquering; diśām — all directions; tadīyam — of the Gandharvas; dhanam — riches; ānīya — bringing; sarvam — everything; rājñe — unto the King (Lord Rāmacandra); nyavedayat — offered; śatrughnaḥ — Śatrughna; ca — and; madhoḥ — of Madhu; putram — the son; lavaṇam — Lavaṇa; nāma — by the name; rākṣasam — a man-eater; hatvā — by killing; madhuvane — in the great forest known as Madhuvana; cakre — constructed; mathurām — Mathurā; nāma — by the name; vai — indeed; purīm — a great town.
TRANSLATION
Śatrughna had two sons, named Subāhu and Śrutasena. When Lord Bharata went to conquer all directions, He had to kill many millions of Gandharvas, who are generally pretenders. Taking all their wealth, He offered it to Lord Rāmacandra. Śatrughna also killed a Rākṣasa named Lavaṇa, who was the son of Madhu Rākṣasa. Thus He established in the great forest known as Madhuvana the town known as Mathurā.
VERSE 9.11.15
munau nikṣipya tanayau
sītā bhartrā vivāsitā
dhyāyantī rāma-caraṇau
vivaraṁ praviveśa ha
SYNONYMS
munau — unto the great sage Vālmīki; nikṣipya — giving in charge; tanayau — the two sons Lava and Kuśa; sītā — mother Sītādevī; bhartrā — by her husband; vivāsitā — banished; dhyāyantī — meditating upon; rāma-caraṇau — the lotus feet of Lord Rāmacandra; vivaram — within the earth; praviveśa — she entered; ha — indeed.
TRANSLATION
Being forsaken by her husband, Sītādevī entrusted her two sons to the care of Vālmīki Muni. Then, meditating upon the lotus feet of Lord Rāmacandra, she entered into the earth.
VERSE 9.11.16
tac chrutvā bhagavān rāmo
rundhann api dhiyā śucaḥ
smaraṁs tasyā guṇāṁs tāṁs tān
nāśaknod roddhum īśvaraḥ
SYNONYMS
tat — this (the news of Sītādevī’s entering the earth); śrutvā — hearing; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; rundhan — trying to reject; api — although; dhiyā — by intelligence; śucaḥ — grief; smaran — remembering; tasyāḥ — of her; guṇān — qualities; tān tān — under different circumstances; na — not; aśaknot — was able; roddhum — to check; īśvaraḥ — although the supreme controller.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the news of mother Sītā’s entering the earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was certainly aggrieved. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, upon remembering the exalted qualities of mother Sītā, He could not check His grief in transcendental love.
VERSE 9.11.17
strī-puṁ-prasaṅga etādṛk
sarvatra trāsam-āvahaḥ
apīśvarāṇāṁ kim uta
grāmyasya gṛha-cetasaḥ
SYNONYMS
strī-pum-prasaṅgaḥ — attraction between husband and wife, or man and woman; etādṛk — like this; sarvatra — everywhere; trāsam-āvahaḥ — the cause of fear; api — even; īśvarāṇām — of controllers; kim uta — and what to speak of; grāmyasya — of ordinary men of this material world; gṛha-cetasaḥ — who are attached to materialistic household life.
TRANSLATION
The attraction between man and woman, or male and female, always exists everywhere, making everyone always fearful. Such feelings are present even among the controllers like Brahmā and Lord Śiva and is the cause of fear for them, what to speak of others who are attached to household life in this material world.
VERSE 9.11.18
tata ūrdhvaṁ brahmacaryaṁ
dhāryann ajuhot prabhuḥ
trayodaśābda-sāhasram
agnihotram akhaṇḍitam
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; ūrdhvam — after mother Sītā’s going into the earth; brahmacaryam — complete celibacy; dhārayan — observing; ajuhot — performed a ritualistic ceremony and sacrifice; prabhuḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; trayodaśa-abda-sāhasram — for thirteen thousand years; agnihotram — the sacrifice known as Agnihotra-yajña; akhaṇḍitam — without ceasing.
TRANSLATION
After mother Sītā entered the earth, Lord Rāmacandra observed complete celibacy and performed an uninterrupted Agnihotra-yajña for thirteen thousand years.
VERSE 9.11.19
smaratāṁ hṛdi vinyasya
viddhaṁ daṇḍaka-kaṇṭakaiḥ
sva-pāda-pallavaṁ rāma
ātma-jyotir agāt tataḥ
SYNONYMS
smaratām — of persons who always think of Him; hṛdi — in the core of the heart; vinyasya — placing; viddham — pierced; daṇḍaka-kaṇṭakaiḥ — by thorns in the forest of Daṇḍakāraṇya (while Lord Rāmacandra was living there); sva-pāda-pallavam — the petals of His lotus feet; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; ātma-jyotiḥ — the rays of His bodily luster, known as the brahmajyoti; agāt — entered; tataḥ — beyond the brahmajyoti, or in His own Vaikuṇṭha planet.
TRANSLATION
After completing the sacrifice, Lord Rāmacandra, whose lotus feet were sometimes pierced by thorns when He lived in Daṇḍakāraṇya, placed those lotus feet in the hearts of those who always think of Him. Then He entered His own abode, the Vaikuṇṭha planet beyond the brahmajyoti.
VERSE 9.11.20
nedaṁ yaśo raghupateḥ sura-yācñayātta-
līlā-tanor adhika-sāmya-vimukta-dhāmnaḥ
rakṣo-vadho jaladhi-bandhanam astra-pūgaiḥ
kiṁ tasya śatru-hanane kapayaḥ sahāyāḥ
SYNONYMS
na — not; idam — all these; yaśaḥ — fame; raghu-pateḥ — of Lord Rāmacandra; sura-yācñayā — by the prayers of the demigods; ātta-līlā-tanoḥ — whose spiritual body is always engaged in various pastimes; adhika-sāmya-vimukta-dhāmnaḥ — no one is greater than or equal to Him; rakṣaḥ-vadhaḥ — killing the Rākṣasa (Rāvaṇa); jaladhi-bandhanam — bridging the ocean; astra-pūgaiḥ — with bow and arrows; kim — whether; tasya — His; śatru-hanane — in killing the enemies; kapayaḥ — the monkeys; sahāyāḥ — assistants.
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra’s reputation for having killed Rāvaṇa with showers of arrows at the request of the demigods and for having built a bridge over the ocean does not constitute the factual glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Rāmacandra, whose spiritual body is always engaged in various pastimes. Lord Rāmacandra has no equal or superior, and therefore He had no need to take help from the monkeys to gain victory over Rāvaṇa.
VERSE 9.11.21
yasyāmalaṁ nṛpa-sadaḥsu yaśo ’dhunāpi
gāyanty agha-ghnam ṛṣayo dig-ibhendra-paṭṭam
taṁ nākapāla-vasupāla-kirīṭa-juṣṭa-
pādāmbujaṁ raghupatiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye
SYNONYMS
yasya — whose (Lord Rāmacandra’s); amalam — spotless, free from material qualities; nṛpa-sadaḥsu — in the assembly of great emperors like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; yaśaḥ — famous glories; adhunā api — even today; gāyanti — glorify; agha-ghnam — which vanquish all sinful reactions; ṛṣayaḥ — great saintly persons like Mārkaṇḍeya; dik-ibha-indra-paṭṭam — as the ornamental cloth covering the elephant that conquers the directions; tam — that; nāka-pāla — of heavenly demigods; vasu-pāla — of earthly kings; kirīṭa — by the helmets; juṣṭa — are worshiped; pāda-ambujam — whose lotus feet; raghu-patim — unto Lord Rāmacandra; śaraṇam — surrender; prapadye — I offer.
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra’s spotless name and fame, which vanquish all sinful reactions, are celebrated in all directions, like the ornamental cloth of the victorious elephant that conquers all directions. Great saintly persons like Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi still glorify His characteristics in the assemblies of great emperors like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Similarly, all the saintly kings and all the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, worship the Lord by bowing down with their helmets. Let me offer my obeisances unto His lotus feet.
VERSE 9.11.22
sa yaiḥ spṛṣṭo ’bhidṛṣṭo vā
saṁviṣṭo ’nugato ’pi vā
kosalās te yayuḥ sthānaṁ
yatra gacchanti yoginaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — He, Lord Rāmacandra; yaiḥ — by which persons; spṛṣṭaḥ — touched; abhidṛṣṭaḥ — seen; vā — either; saṁviṣṭaḥ — eating together, lying together; anugataḥ — followed as servants; api vā — even; kosalāḥ — all those inhabitants of Kosala; te — they; yayuḥ — departed; sthānam — to the place; yatra — wherein; gacchanti — they go; yoginaḥ — all the bhakti-yogīs.
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra returned to His abode, to which bhakti-yogīs are promoted. This is the place to which all the inhabitants of Ayodhyā went after they served the Lord in His manifest pastimes by offering Him obeisances, touching His lotus feet, fully observing Him as a fatherlike King, sitting or lying down with Him like equals, or even just accompanying Him.
VERSE 9.11.23
puruṣo rāma-caritaṁ
śravaṇair upadhārayan
ānṛśaṁsya-paro rājan
karma-bandhair vimucyate
SYNONYMS
puruṣaḥ — any person; rāma-caritam — the narration concerning the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Rāmacandra; śravaṇaiḥ — by aural reception; upadhārayan — simply by this process of hearing; ānṛśaṁsya-paraḥ — becomes completely free from envy; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; karma-bandhaiḥ — by the bondage of fruitive activities; vimucyate — one becomes liberated.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, anyone who aurally receives the narrations concerning the characteristics of Lord Rāmacandra’s pastimes will ultimately be freed from the disease of envy and thus be liberated from the bondage of fruitive activities.
VERSE 9.11.24
śrī-rājovāca
kathaṁ sa bhagavān rāmo
bhrātṝn vā svayam ātmanaḥ
tasmin vā te ’nvavartanta
prajāḥ paurāś ca īśvare
SYNONYMS
śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired; katham — how; saḥ — He, the Lord; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; bhrātṝn — unto the brothers (Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna); vā — either; svayam — personally; ātmanaḥ — expansions of His person; tasmin — unto the Lord; vā — either; te — they (all the inhabitants and the brothers); anvavartanta — behaved; prajāḥ — all the inhabitants; paurāḥ — the citizens; ca — and; īśvare — unto the Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: How did the Lord conduct Himself, and how did He behave in relationship with His brothers, who were expansions of His own self? And how did His brothers and the inhabitants of Ayodhyā treat Him?
VERSE 9.11.25
śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
athādiśad dig-vijaye
bhrātṝṁs tri-bhuvaneśvaraḥ
ātmānaṁ darśayan svānāṁ
purīm aikṣata sānugaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; atha — hereafter (when the Lord accepted the throne on the request of Bharata); ādiśat — ordered; dik-vijaye — to conquer all the world; bhrātṝn — His younger brothers; tri-bhuvana-īśvaraḥ — the Lord of the universe; ātmānam — personally, Himself; darśayan — giving audience; svānām — to the family members and the citizens; purīm — the city; aikṣata — supervised; sa-anugaḥ — with other assistants.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: After accepting the throne of the government by the fervent request of His younger brother Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra ordered His younger brothers to go out and conquer the entire world, while He personally remained in the capital to give audience to all the citizens and residents of the palace and supervise the governmental affairs with His other assistants.
VERSE 9.11.26
āsikta-mārgāṁ gandhodaiḥ
kariṇāṁ mada-śīkaraiḥ
svāminaṁ prāptam ālokya
mattāṁ vā sutarām iva
SYNONYMS
āsikta-mārgām — the streets were sprinkled; gandha-udaiḥ — with perfumed water; kariṇām — of elephants; mada-śīkaraiḥ — with particles of perfumed liquor; svāminam — the master or proprietor; prāptam — present; ālokya — seeing personally; mattām — very opulent; vā — either; sutarām — highly; iva — as if.
TRANSLATION
During the reign of Lord Rāmacandra, the streets of the capital, Ayodhyā, were sprinkled with perfumed water and drops of perfumed liquor, thrown about by elephants from their trunks. When the citizens saw the Lord personally supervising the affairs of the city in such opulence, they appreciated this opulence very much.
VERSE 9.11.27
prāsāda-gopura-sabhā-
caitya-deva-gṛhādiṣu
vinyasta-hema-kalaśaiḥ
patākābhiś ca maṇḍitām
SYNONYMS
prāsāda — in palaces; gopura — palace gates; sabhā — assembly houses; caitya — raised platforms; deva-gṛha — temples wherein deities are worshiped; ādiṣu — and so on; vinyasta — placed; hema-kalaśaiḥ — with golden waterpots; patākābhiḥ — by flags; ca — also; maṇḍitām — bedecked.
TRANSLATION
The palaces, the palace gates, the assembly houses, the platforms for meeting places, the temples and all such places were decorated with golden waterpots and bedecked with various types of flags.
VERSE 9.11.28
pūgaiḥ savṛntai rambhābhiḥ
paṭṭikābhiḥ suvāsasām
ādarśair aṁśukaiḥ sragbhiḥ
kṛta-kautuka-toraṇām
SYNONYMS
pūgaiḥ — by trees of betel nut; sa-vṛntaiḥ — with bunches of flowers and fruits; rambhābhiḥ — with banana trees; paṭṭikābhiḥ — with flags; su-vāsasām — decorated with colorful cloth; ādarśaiḥ — with mirrors; aṁśukaiḥ — with cloths; sragbhiḥ — with garlands; kṛta-kautuka — made auspicious; toraṇām — possessing reception gates.
TRANSLATION
Wherever Lord Rāmacandra visited, auspicious welcome gates were constructed, with banana trees and betel-nut trees, full of flowers and fruits. The gates were decorated with various flags made of colorful cloth and with tapestries, mirrors and garlands.
VERSE 9.11.29
tam upeyus tatra tatra
paurā arhaṇa-pāṇayaḥ
āśiṣo yuyujur deva
pāhīmāṁ prāk tvayoddhṛtām
SYNONYMS
tam — unto Him, Lord Rāmacandra; upeyuḥ — approached; tatra tatra — wherever He visited; paurāḥ — the inhabitants of the neighborhood; arhaṇa-pāṇayaḥ — carrying paraphernalia to worship the Lord; āśiṣaḥ — blessings from the Lord; yuyujuḥ — came down; deva — O my Lord; pāhi — just maintain; imām — this land; prāk — as before; tvayā — by You; uddhṛtām — rescued (from the bottom of the sea in Your incarnation as Varāha).
TRANSLATION
Wherever Lord Rāmacandra visited, the people approached Him with paraphernalia of worship and begged the Lord’s blessings. “O Lord,” they said, “as You rescued the earth from the bottom of the sea in Your incarnation as a boar, may You now maintain it. Thus we beg Your blessings.”
VERSE 9.11.30
tataḥ prajā vīkṣya patiṁ cirāgataṁ
didṛkṣayotsṛṣṭa-gṛhāḥ striyo narāḥ
āruhya harmyāṇy aravinda-locanam
atṛpta-netrāḥ kusumair avākiran
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; prajāḥ — the citizens; vīkṣya — by seeing; patim — the King; cira-āgatam — returned after a long time; didṛkṣayā — desiring to see; utsṛṣṭa-gṛhāḥ — vacating their respective residences; striyaḥ — the women; narāḥ — the men; āruhya — getting on top of; harmyāṇi — great palaces; aravinda-locanam — Lord Rāmacandra, whose eyes are like the petals of a lotus; atṛpta-netrāḥ — whose eyes were not fully satisfied; kusumaiḥ — by flowers; avākiran — showered the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, not having seen the Lord for a long time, the citizens, both men and women, being very eager to see Him, left their homes and got up on the roofs of the palaces. Being incompletely satiated with seeing the face of the lotus-eyed Lord Rāmacandra, they showered flowers upon Him.
VERSE 9.11.31-34
atha praviṣṭaḥ sva-gṛhaṁ
juṣṭaṁ svaiḥ pūrva-rājabhiḥ
anantākhila-koṣāḍhyam
anarghyoruparicchadam
vidrumodumbara-dvārair
vaidūrya-stambha-paṅktibhiḥ
sthalair mārakataiḥ svacchair
bhrājat-sphaṭika-bhittibhiḥ
citra-sragbhiḥ paṭṭikābhir
vāso-maṇi-gaṇāṁśukaiḥ
muktā-phalaiś cid-ullāsaiḥ
kānta-kāmopapattibhiḥ
dhūpa-dīpaiḥ surabhibhir
maṇḍitaṁ puṣpa-maṇḍanaiḥ
strī-pumbhiḥ sura-saṅkāśair
juṣṭaṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇaiḥ
SYNONYMS
atha — thereafter; praviṣṭaḥ — He entered; sva-gṛham — His own palace; juṣṭam — occupied; svaiḥ — by His own family members; pūrva-rājabhiḥ — by the previous members of the royal family; ananta — unlimited; akhila — everywhere; koṣa — treasury; āḍhyam — prosperous; anarghya — priceless; uru — high; paricchadam — paraphernalia; vidruma — of coral; udumbara-dvāraiḥ — with the two sides of the doors; vaidūrya-stambha — with pillars of vaidūrya-maṇi; paṅktibhiḥ — in a line; sthalaiḥ — with floors; mārakataiḥ — made of marakata stone; svacchaiḥ — very cleanly polished; bhrājat — dazzling; sphaṭika — marble; bhittibhiḥ — foundations; citra-sragbhiḥ — with varieties of flower garlands; paṭṭikābhiḥ — with flags; vāsaḥ — clothing; maṇi-gaṇa-aṁśukaiḥ — by various effulgent and valuable stones; muktā-phalaiḥ — with pearls; cit-ullāsaiḥ — increasing celestial pleasure; kānta-kāma — fulfilling one’s desires; upapattibhiḥ — by such paraphernalia; dhūpa-dīpaiḥ — with incense and lamps; surabhibhiḥ — very fragrant; maṇḍitam — decorated; puṣpa-maṇḍanaiḥ — by bunches of various flowers; strī-pumbhiḥ — by men and women; sura-saṅkāśaiḥ — appearing like the demigods; juṣṭam — full of; bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇaiḥ — whose bodies beautified their ornaments.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Lord Rāmacandra entered the palace of His forefathers. Within the palace were various treasures and valuable wardrobes. The sitting places on the two sides of the entrance door were made of coral, the yards were surrounded by pillars of vaidūrya-maṇi, the floor was made of highly polished marakata-maṇi, and the foundation was made of marble. The entire palace was decorated with flags and garlands and bedecked with valuable stones, shining with a celestial effulgence. The palace was fully decorated with pearls and surrounded by lamps and incense. The men and women within the palace all resembled demigods and were decorated with various ornaments, which seemed beautiful because of being placed on their bodies.
VERSE 9.11.35
tasmin sa bhagavān rāmaḥ
snigdhayā priyayeṣṭayā
reme svārāma-dhīrāṇām
ṛṣabhaḥ sītayā kila
SYNONYMS
tasmin — in that celestial palace; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra; snigdhayā — always pleased by her behavior; priyayā iṣṭayā — with His dearmost wife; reme — enjoyed; sva-ārāma — personal pleasure; dhīrāṇām — of the greatest learned persons; ṛṣabhaḥ — the chief; sītayā — with mother Sītā; kila — indeed.
TRANSLATION
Lord Rāmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, chief of the best learned scholars, resided in that palace with His pleasure potency, mother Sītā, and enjoyed complete peace.
VERSE 9.11.36
bubhuje ca yathā-kālaṁ
kāmān dharmam apīḍayan
varṣa-pūgān bahūn nṝṇām
abhidhyātāṅghri-pallavaḥ
SYNONYMS
bubhuje — He enjoyed; ca — also; yathā-kālam — as long as required; kāmān — all enjoyment; dharmam — religious principles; apīḍayan — without transgressing; varṣa-pūgān — duration of years; bahūn — many; nṝṇām — of the people in general; abhidhyāta — being meditated upon; aṅghri-pallavaḥ — His lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
Without transgressing the religious principles, Lord Rāmacandra, whose lotus feet are worshiped by devotees in meditation, enjoyed with all the paraphernalia of transcendental pleasure for as long as needed.