Ayodhya Kanda: Chapter 89

व्युष्य रात्रिं तु तत्रैव गङ्गाकूले स राघवः। काल्यमुत्थाय शत्रुघ्नमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Having spent the night there on the banks of the Gangā, that descendant of Raghu rising early in the morning, said these words to Satrughna.

शत्रुघ्नोत्तिष्ठ किं शेषे निषादाधिपतिं गुहम्। शीघ्रमानय भद्रं ते तारयिष्यति वाहिनीम्॥
O Śatrughna, arise! Why sleepest you? Bring you at once that lord of the Nisādhas, Guha, Good betide you! he will take the army (over the stream.)

जागर्मि नाहं स्वपिमि तथैवार्यं विचिन्तयन्। इत्येवमब्रवीद् भ्राता शत्रुघ्नो विप्रचोदितः॥
Thus urged by his brother, Śatrughna said, "Thinking of that noble one (Rāma), I have not slept, but have remained awake in a like manner. *i.e., as you have done.

इति संवदतोरेवमन्योन्यं नरसिंहयोः। आगम्य प्राञ्जलिः काले गुहो वचनमब्रवीत्।।४।
As those chiefs of men were thus conversing with each other, Guha appearing in time with joined hands, remarked.

कच्चित् सुखं नदीतीरेऽवात्सी: काकुत्स्थ शर्वरीम्। कच्चिच्च सहसैन्यस्य तव नित्यमनामयम्॥
O Kākutstha, have you spent the night happily on the banks of the river? And is it continuous good fortune with you along with your forces?

गुहस्य तत् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा स्नेहादुदीरितम्। रामस्यानुवशो वाक्यं भरतोऽपीदमब्रवीत्॥ सुखा नः शर्वरी धीमन् पूजिताश्चापि ते वयम्। गङ्गां तु नौभिर्बह्वीभिर्दासाः संतारयन्तु नः॥
Hearing Guha's speech fraught with affection, Bharata ever obedient to Rāma, spoke on his pare, saying. "Happily have we spent the night; and we have also been well received by you. Now let your servants take us over by means of many boats."

ततो गुहः संत्वरितः श्रुत्वा भरतशासनम्। प्रतिप्रविश्य नगरं तं ज्ञातिजनमब्रवीत्॥
Thereat, hearing Bharata's mandate, Guha, bestirring himself, re-entered the city and addressed his kinsfolk, saying.

उत्तिष्ठत प्रबुध्यध्वं भद्रमस्तु हि वः सदा। नावः समुपकर्षध्वं तारयिष्यामि वाहिनीम्॥
Arise you! Awake! May good always attend you! Do you draw up the boats; I shall ferry the forces over.

ते तथोक्ताः समुत्थाय त्वरिता राजशासनात्। पञ्च नावां शतान्येव समानिन्युः समन्ततः॥
Thus asked, they arising and bestirring themselves in consequence of the king's command, brought up five hundred boats around.

अन्याः स्वस्तिकविज्ञेया महाघण्टाधराधराः। शोभमानाः पताकिन्यो युक्तवाहाः सुसंहताः॥
Others also known by the name of Swastika, bearing large bells on their prows, and banners, well decked out, furnished with oars, and manned by bargemen, with their joints firmly constructed, (were brought up).

ततः स्वस्तिकविज्ञेयां पाण्डुकम्बलसंवृताम्। सनन्दिघोषां कल्याणी गुहो नावमुपाहरत्॥
And Guha himself brought a graceful barge called Swastika, covered with pale woollen cloth, and resounding with music.

तामारुरोह भरतः शत्रुघ्नश्च महाबलः। कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च याश्चान्या राजयोषितः॥ पुरोहितश्च तत् पूर्वं गुरवो ब्राह्मणाश्च ये। अनन्तरं राजदारास्तथैव शकटापणाः॥
On this boat ascended Bharata, the mighty Śatrughna, Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and other wives of the king. The priests, and preceptors belonging to the Brāhmaṇa order, has already ascended. After (Bharata and others had got up), ascended the wives of auxiliary princes, and cars and provisions were got on board.

आवासमादीपयतां तीर्थं चाप्यवगाहताम्। भाण्डानि चाददानानां घोषस्तु दिवमस्पृशत्॥
And the uproar consequent of the troops burning down dwellings, pressing down descents to the river, and loading goods, spread on all sides.

पताकिन्यस्तु ता नावः स्वयं दाशैरधिष्ठिताः। वहन्त्यो जनमारूढं तदा सम्पेतुराशुगाः॥
Then those boats hung with pennons, managed by the kinsfolk (of Guha), set off at speed with the teeming folks that had got on board.

नारीणामभिपूर्णास्तु काश्चित् काश्चित्तु वाजिनाम्। काश्चित् तत्र वहन्ति स्म यानयुग्ये महाधनम्॥
And some of these were filled with women, and some with horses, and some conveyed cars and cattle of great value.

तास्तु गत्वा परं तीरमवरोप्य च तं जनम्। निवृत्ता काण्डचित्राणि कियन्ते दासबन्धुभिः॥
And going to the other bank and landing the crowds on the shore, the friends and slaves (of Guha) while returning, movements (of the boats).

सवैजयन्तास्तु गजा गजारोहैः प्रचोदिताः। तरन्तः स्म प्रकाशन्ते सपक्षा इव पर्वताः॥
And elephants graced with flags ing spurred on by their riders, began to cross the stream, appearing like (so many) winged hills.

नावश्चारुरुहुस्त्वन्ये प्लवैस्तेरुस्तथापरे। अन्ये कुम्भघटैस्तेरुरन्ये तेरुश्च बाहुभिः॥
Others ascended boats, and others crossed on rafts, others crossed by means of reversed pitchers, and others by their arms alone.

सा पुण्या ध्वजिनी गङ्गां दासैः संतारिता स्वयम्। मैत्रे मुहूर्ते प्रययौ प्रयागवनमुत्तमम्॥
Ferried over the Gangā by the servants (of Guha), that beautiful army graced with streamers, at the third Muhurta arrived at the romantic woods of Prayāga.

आश्वासयित्वा च चमूं महात्मा निवेशयित्वा च यथोपजोषम्। मृत्विक्सदस्यैर्भरतः प्रतस्थे॥ स ब्राह्मणस्याश्रममभ्युपेत्य महात्मनो देवपुरोहतस्य। ददर्श रम्योटजवृक्षदेशं महद्वनं विप्रवरस्य रम्यम्॥
Having made the army take rest at its ease, and encamped it (at the woods of Prayāga), that magnanimous one, Bharata, for the purpose of seeing the asylum of the ascetic Bharadvāja, went thither, accompanied by Rtvijas and Sadasyas (members).