ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रुघ्नो रामपालिताम्। अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः॥
There upon on the completion of the twelfth year, Satrughna, with few servants, soldiers and followers, desired to proceed to Ayodhyā protected by Rama.
ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यानिवर्त्य च। जगाम हयमुख्येन रथानां च शतेन सः॥
Having prevented his minister and leading generals he proceeded with one hundred chariots and cavalry.
स गत्वा गणितान्वासान्सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः। वाल्मीकाश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः॥
And having counted seven halting stations on his way, the highly illustrious descendant of Raghu, Satrughna, arrived at the hermitage of Valmiki.
सोऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः। पाद्यमयं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः॥
And having bowed to the feet of the leading Muni, that foremost of men took from his hands water to wash feet and Arghya and accepted his hospitality.
बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः। कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने॥
The great ascetic Valmiki addressed to the high-souled Śatrughna many sweet word.
उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम्। सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया॥
Having referred first Lavana's destruction, he said: Having slain Lavana you have performed a very hard work.
बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः। लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः।७।।
O gentle one, O foremost of men, Lavana had slain in conflict many hundred highly powerful kings with their army and conveyances. at to
स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ। जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा॥
And you have easily slain that vicious-souled Rākşasa, Lavaņa. By your prowess the whole world has been divested of fear.
रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृतः। इदं च सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः॥
With great difficulty Rāma had slain Rāvana but without any trouble whatsoever you have accomplished this mighty work,
प्रीतिश्चास्मिन्परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते। भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम्॥
Lavaņa being slain, the celestials have been greatly delighted-what more the well-being of the whole universe and all creatures has been brought about.
तच्च युद्धं मया दृष्टं यथावत्पुरुषर्षभ। सभायां वासवस्याथ उपविष्टेन राघव॥
O Rāghava, O foremost of men, being present in the assemblage of Vāsava I duly witnessed your combat.
ममापि परमा प्रीतिर्हदि शत्रुघ्न वर्तते। उपाघ्रास्यामि ते मूर्ध्नि स्नेहस्यैषा परा गतिः॥
O Śatrughna, I too have been greatly delighted I therefore smell your crown for this is the best expression of love.
इत्युक्त्वा मूर्ध्नि शत्रुघ्नमुपाघ्राय महामतिः। आतिथ्यमकरोत्तस्य ये च तस्य पदानुगाः॥
Saying this the high-minded Vālmīki smelled his crown and made arrangements for his reception as well as that of his followers.
स भुक्तवान्नर श्रेष्ठो गीतामाधुर्यमुत्तमम्। शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले यथा कृतम्॥ तन्त्रीलयसमायुक्तं त्रिस्थानकरणान्वितम्। संस्कृतं लक्षणोपेतं समतालसमन्वितम्।।१५।
After meals, Satrughna, the foremost of men, listened to themes relating to Rāma and set musical notes. Those themes were composed describing the early actions of Rāma. They were composed in Sanskrit, set to the tune of a musical instrument, adorned with all the marks of vocal music and arranged in accompaniment with notes.
शुश्राव रामचरितं तस्मिन्काले पुरा कृतम्। तान्यक्षराणि सत्यानि यथावृत्तानि पूर्वशः॥
Śatrughna, the foremost of men, heard them from the beginning to the end, pregnant with truth and composed of those words. And on hearing it he was beside himself with joy and his eyes were full of tears.
श्रुत्वा पुरुषशार्दूलो विसंज्ञो बाष्पलोचनः। स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः॥
And remaining stunned for some time and regaining his sense afterwards he began to breathe hard out of excess of surprise. He heard in that song, of pasi events as things passing on.
तस्मिन्गीते यथावृत्तं वर्तमानमिवाशृणोत्। पदानुगाश्च ये राज्ञस्तां श्रुत्वा गीतिसंपदम्॥ अवाङ्मुखाश्च दीनाश्च ह्याश्चर्यमिति चाब्रुवन्। परस्परं च ये तत्र सैनिकाः संबभाषिरे॥ किमिदं क्व च वर्तामः किमेतत्स्वप्नदर्शनम्। अर्थो यो नः पुरा दृष्टस्तमाश्रमपदे पुनः॥
And hearing it, his followers, with their heads down and sorrowfully said: Wonder; and saying this they began to converse with one another: Alas! Where are we? Is this a dream? WE have been hearing at this hermitage what we had not seen before.
शृणुमः किमिदं स्वप्ने गीतबन्धनमुत्तमम्। विस्मयं ते परं गत्वा शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रुवन्॥
What wonder, that in a dream we hear such an excellent song. Being in this wise greatly surprised they said to Satrughna.
साधु पृच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ वाल्मीकिं मुनिपुङ्गवम्। शत्रुघ्नस्त्वब्रवीत्सर्वान्कौतूहलसमन्वितान्॥ सैनिकानक्षमोऽस्माकं परिप्रष्टुमिहेदृशः। आश्चर्याणि बहूनीह भवन्त्यस्याश्रमे मुनेः॥
O foremost of men, do you ask particularly, about this, Vālmīki, the foremost of ascetics. They being all thus struck with curiosity, Satrughna said: It is not proper for us, O You soldiers, to question him in this way. There are many such wonders in the hermitage of this ascetic.
न तु कौतूहलाद्युक्तमन्वेष्टं तं महामुनिम्। एवं तद्वाक्यमुक्त्वा तु सैनिकान् रघुनन्दनः। अभिवाद्य महर्षि तं स्वं निवेशं ययौ तदा॥
It is not therefore becoming to ask him about this our of curiosity. Having thus addressed the soldiers and bowed to the ascetic, Satrughna, the descendant of Raghu, entered his own quarter.