Paumacariya 38

English (machine translation) 38

Language: English

38.1

Then Vijayanatha gave his own sister, named Ratimālā, / who possessed beauty like the wife of a god, to the abode of Lakṣmī [Padma].

38.2

Having accepted that maiden, both set out accompanied by Sītā; / having arrived at Vijayapura, they dwelt there at their pleasure.

38.3

Hearing that Ativīrya had renounced, when Bharata saw Śatrughna / laughing on account of a dancer, he, clever in intellect, restrained him:

38.4

"Blessed is that Ativīrya! Prince, do not laugh out of delusion! / He who, abandoning worldly pleasures, has attained Jina initiation!"

38.5

While this conversation was going on, Vijayanatha arrived with his army, / entered the palace of the king, and beheld Bharata.

38.6

Having made an obeisance with his head, he sat down at his feet; / having received respect and an opportunity [to speak], Vijayanatha addressed the king:

38.7

"The younger sister of Ratimālā is a maiden named Vijayasundarī; / she is given to you by me. Celebrate the auspicious [wedding] without obstacle!"

38.8

Having taken her hand [in marriage] with supreme splendour, / Bharata went swiftly on horses into the presence of Ativīrya.

38.9

Having arrived, the bull among men beheld that lion of an ascetic in a mountain cave, / whose heart viewed enemy and kin alike, who regarded pleasure and pain alike, free from fear.

38.10

Falling at his feet, Bharata, accompanied by his feudatories and countrymen, / sat down a short distance away and proclaimed his virtues:

38.11

"Lord! You alone are Ativīrya [of exceeding valor] here in the entire three worlds, / who, setting aside your own royal splendour, have renounced the world!

38.12

O steadfast one, you have attained the fruit of human birth without remainder! / Therefore, O noble man, forgive whatever misconduct I have done!"

38.13

Having bowed to that ascetic, Bharata returned while praising him; / cheered and acclaimed by the citizens, he entered his own city.

38.14

Together with Vijayasundarī, Bharata enjoyed the kingdom of great virtue / like a god in heaven, having a circle of feudatories bowing to him.

38.15

Having spent some time in Vijayapura, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: / "We must surely depart for a region desired by our hearts."

38.16

Hearing that they were prepared to depart, the innocent Vanamālā said to Lakṣmaṇa: / "O noble man, fulfill my desires that were made previously!"

38.17

Lakṣmaṇa said: "Do not abandon yourself to sorrow! / Having made a resolve, [remain here] until I return.

38.18

O moon-faced one, whatever state is destined for men devoid of right view, / to that state may I go, my beloved, if I do not come back to your side!

38.19

We must protect the word of our father with firm minds; / having merely gone there, I will surely return."

38.20

Having consoled Vanamālā there with thousands of such words, / Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, went to the presence of Rāghava.

38.21

Then, while the people were asleep, they departed quietly with Sītā / and proceeded along a forest path, eating excellent fruits of trees.

38.22

Having crossed that forest, they arrived here in the middle of a district / at the city of Kṣemañjalī, and settled comfortably in its garden.

38.23

Having eaten at their pleasure the food brought by Lakṣmaṇa, / Rāma, armed with a plough, remained in the village together with the daughter of Janaka.

38.24

Then Lakṣmaṇa, having asked permission from his brother, / entered the city of Kṣemañjalī, crowded with excellent mansions.

38.25

There Lakṣmaṇa heard a man naturally saying these words: / "Who can endure the blow of a spear hurled by the king for the sake of a woman?"

38.26

Hearing these words, Lakṣmaṇa asked that man: / "Who indeed strikes the blow? What spear? Or who is that woman?"

38.27

He said: "In this city there is a king named Śatrudaṃana, and his wife is Kanakābhā; / they have a daughter named Jitapadmā, who is a poison-maiden.

38.28

To whoever endures the blow of a spear hurled from the hard hand of this king, / this Jitapadmā is indeed given. Have you not heard?"

38.29

Hearing that, Lakṣmaṇa, furious and amazed at heart, quickly / entered the king's palace for the sake of that excellent maiden.

38.30

Seeing the abode of Śrī [Lakṣmaṇa], dark as a dense blue lotus, / Śatrughāta [Śatrudaṃana] said: "Quickly bring an excellent seat here for him!"

38.31

And he was addressed by the king: "Whence have you come? What is your name? / For what reason do you wander the earth alone?"

38.32

"I am a messenger of Bharata, arrived here due to a purpose; / I shall break the pride of your daughter who carries arrogance."

38.33

"A man who endures the blow of my spear hurled from my firm palm, / he alone breaks her pride, there is no doubt in this."

38.34

Then Lakṣmaṇa said: "What is the use of just one spear to me? / Hurl five spears, O lord of men! Do not delay!"

38.35

While this conversation was going on, Jitapadmā, through the window, / giving up her hatred of men, gazed upon Lakṣmaṇa.

38.36

Having joined her palms, she made an obeisance with a delighted heart; / by a gesture Lakṣmaṇa indeed said: "Abandon fear, O large-eyed one!"

38.37

He was addressed by Lakṣmaṇa: "Why do you still preserve your composure today? / O tamer of enemies, hurl your spears against the broad expanse of my chest!"

38.38

Spoken to thus, the king grew angry, and adopting an archer's stance, / he then hurled a great spear resembling a blazing fire.

38.39

Having assumed the vaiśākha posture, Śatrudaṃana hurled the spear; / and he [Lakṣmaṇa] seized the spear effortlessly with his right hand.

38.40

With his left hand [he caught] the second, and held two others under his armpits; / he shone like Airāvata himself, who has four tusks.

38.41

The fifth great spear arrived like an enraged serpent; / he caught that too with his teeth, as a lion or a śarabha catches meat.

38.42

Then the gods situated in the sky released a rain of choice flowers; / making shouts of victory, others beat kettle-drums.

38.43

And the king was addressed by Lakṣmaṇa: "Tamer of enemies! Receive my blow of a spear!" / Hearing these words, the king along with his people was terrified.

38.44

Then that Jitapadmā stood beside Lakṣmaṇa, / shining with divine beauty like the queen of the lord of gods.

38.45

In front of the warriors, the people, and Śatrudaṃana, / Lakṣmaṇa, whose limbs were of handsome form, was chosen by the maiden in svayaṃvara.

38.46

Bowing low in modesty, Saumitri said: "O king, pardon us / for whatever misdeed we have committed, uncle!"

38.47

And Śatrudamana too, having pardoned him with sweet words, / said: "Grant the supreme blessing here to my daughter."

38.48

Then Saumitri said: "My elder brother stays in the excellent garden; / he understands what is best. Go and ask him, O king!"

38.49

Having mounted a noble chariot, Jitapadmā accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, / and the king with his ministers, went to the presence of Padma.

38.50

Together with Jitapadmā, Saumitri descended from the noble chariot; / having bowed to lord Rāma, he sat down beside Sītā.

38.51

King Śatrudamana too, accompanied by attendants, vassals, and kinsmen, / bowed down to the pair of Padma's feet and sat down right there.

38.52

Having stayed there a moment and inquired about bodily welfare, / Padma along with Sītā was escorted into the city by the king.

38.53

And a great, delightful festivity was produced by the monarch with joyful and contented mind, / while people danced to the beating of thousands of musical instruments.

38.54

Having stayed there for some time, pampered with pleasures, / the noble princes, making their journey, set their hearts on departing.

38.55

Seeing Jitapadmā terrified of the fire of separation, Saumitri spoke; / he set about consoling her: "Just as Vanamālā, so also you."

38.56

Accompanied by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, Padma went forth from the city at night, / having bestowed safety upon all the people of the city.

Through merit from previous lives, though those great and powerful ones wandered to different regions, / nevertheless, having produced spotless fame, Rāma and the son of Sumitrā enjoyed bliss, honor, and generosity.

38.58

Thus ends the thirty-eighth section, entitled 'The Story of Jitapadmā', in the Paümacariya.

Linked texts (1)

Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit