॥ अथ बालकाण्डे पञ्चमः सर्गः ॥
१.५.४
तदिदं वर्तयिष्यामि सर्वं निखिलमादितः ।
धर्मकामार्थसहितं श्रोतव्यमनसूयया ॥
Summary AI I shall narrate this entire story from the beginning, encompassing the goals of dharma, kāma, and artha; it should be heard without envy.
M N Dutt We shall now chant the entire history of that dynasty from the beginning. Do you, with minds free from ill will, listen to that story conferring merit, profit and pleasure.
१.५.५
कोसलो नाम मुदितः स्फीतो जनपदो महान् ।
निविष्टः सरयूतीरे प्रभूतधनधान्यवान् ॥
Summary AI On the banks of the Sarayū river, there was a joyful, prosperous, and vast kingdom named Kosala, abounding in wealth and grain.
M N Dutt There is on the banks of the Sarayū a great and flourishing country called Kośala abounding in corn and wealth, in which the inhabitants passed their days pleasantly.
१.५.६
अयोध्या नाम नगरी तत्रासील्लोकविश्रुता ।
मनुना मानवेन्द्रेण या पुरी निर्मिता स्वयम् ॥
Summary AI Within that kingdom was the world-renowned city named Ayodhyā, which was personally built by Manu, the lord of men.
M N Dutt The capital of that country was Ayodhyā famed among men, which was founded by Manu himself that foremost of men.
१.५.७
आयता दश च द्वे च योजनानि महापुरी ।
श्रीमती त्रीणि विस्तीर्णा सुविभक्तमहापथा ॥
Summary AI This majestic city was twelve yojanas long and three yojanas wide, featuring well-demarcated grand highways.
M N Dutt That beautiful and mighty city was twelve Yojanas in length and Three in breadth; and was intersected outside with spacious roads laid out orderly.
१.५.८
राजमार्गेण महता सुविभक्तेन शोभिता ।
मुक्तपुष्पावकीर्णेन जलसिक्तेन नित्यशः ॥
Summary AI It shone with a great, well-laid royal highway that was constantly sprinkled with water and strewn with fresh flowers.
M N Dutt And scattered with blown blossoms, and regularly sprinkled with water; the well-arranged broad high-ways looked beautiful.
१.५.९
तां तु राजा दशरथो महाराष्ट्रविवर्धनः ।
पुरीमावासयामास दिवि देवपतिर्यथा ॥
Summary AI King Daśaratha, who increased the prosperity of the great kingdom, resided in that city just as the lord of gods, Indra, dwells in heaven.
M N Dutt That one bringing prosperity into great kingdoms, King Dasaratha, lived in that city, like that of the lord of the deities inhabiting the celestial regions.
१.५.१०
कपाटतोरणवतीं सुविभक्तान्तरापणाम् ।
सर्वयन्त्रायुधवतीमुपेतां सर्वशिल्पिभिः ॥
Summary AI The city was adorned with massive gates and arches, possessed well-arranged marketplaces, was equipped with all kinds of machines and weapons, and inhabited by all types of artisans.
M N Dutt And the city was furnished with doors and gates, and well-arranged rows of shops. And it contained all kinds of instruments and arms, and was inhabited by all classes of artizans.
१.५.११
सूतमागधसंबाधां श्रीमतीमतुलप्रभाम् ।
उच्चाट्टालध्वजवतीं शतघ्नीशतसंकुलाम् ॥
Summary AI It was filled with bards and panegyrists, possessed incomparable splendor, and featured high towers with flags and hundreds of śataghnī weapons.
M N Dutt And that graceful and matchlessly brilliant city abounded in eulogists and genealogists. And it was crowned with stately edifices with flags, and guarded by hundreds of Satāghnis. (A weapon commonly described as a stone set round with iron spiles).
१.५.१२
वधूनाटकसङ्घैश्च संयुक्तां सर्वतः पुरीम् ।
उद्यानाम्रवणोपेतां महतीं सालमेखलाम् ॥
Summary AI Everywhere, the great city was filled with groups of female dancers and actors, graced with gardens and mango groves, and encircled by protective walls like a girdle.
M N Dutt And the mighty city contained theatres for females, and gardens, and mango-groves; and was enclosed by a wall of såla trees.
१.५.१३
दुर्गगम्भीरपरिखां दुर्गामन्यैर्दुरासदाम् ।
वाजिवारणसंपूर्णां गोभिरुष्ट्रैः खरैस्तथा ॥
Summary AI It was protected by deep, inaccessible moats, making it difficult for enemies to approach. It was filled with horses, elephants, cattle, camels, and donkeys.
M N Dutt And encircled by a deep moat, the city was not accessible for enemies. And it abounded with elephants and horses, and kine and camels and asses.
१.५.१४
सामन्तराजसङ्घैश्च बलिकर्मभिरावृताम् ।
नानादेशनिवासैश्च वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम् ॥
Summary AI It was surrounded by groups of tributary kings offering tributes and adorned with merchants residing there from various countries.
M N Dutt It was thronged with neighbouring kings come to pay tribute, and inhabited by merchants from various countries.
१.५.१५
प्रसादै रत्नविकृतैः पर्वतैरुपशोभिताम् ।
कूटागारैश्च संपूर्णामिन्द्रस्येवामरावतीम् ॥
Summary AI It was beautified by mountain-like palaces inlaid with gems and filled with multi-storied mansions, resembling Indra’s city, Amarāvatī.
M N Dutt And adorned with mountain like palaces glittering with gems, and filled with sportingplaces for females, and like to Indra's Amarāvati.
१.५.१६
चित्रामष्टापदाकारां वरनारीगणैर्युताम् ।
सर्वरत्नसमाकीर्णां विमानगृहशोभिताम् ॥
Summary AI It was colorful and shaped like a chessboard, populated by groups of beautiful women, filled with all kinds of jewels, and adorned with palatial houses.
M N Dutt The city was wonderful to behold, gleaming with gold-burnished ornaments, and inhabited by troops of courtezans, and abounding in all kinds of gems, and graced with royal palaces.
१.५.१७
गृहगाढामविच्छिद्रां समभूमौ निवेशिताम् ।
शालितण्डुलसंपूर्णामिक्षुकाण्डरसोदकाम् ॥
Summary AI The city was densely packed with houses built on level ground, leaving no gaps. It was well-stocked with fine rice and had water as sweet as sugarcane juice.
M N Dutt And it abounded in paddy and rice, and its water was sweet as the juice of the sugar-cane.
१.५.१८
दुन्दुभीभिर्मृदङ्गैश्च वीणाभिः पणवैस्तथा ।
नादितां भृशमत्यर्थं पृथिव्यां तामनुत्तमाम् ॥
Summary AI That unsurpassed city on earth constantly resounded with the music of kettledrums, mṛdaṅgas, lutes, and small drums.
M N Dutt And it resounded with the sounds of Dundubhis and Mrdargas and Viņās and Panavas.
१.५.१९
विमानमिव सिद्धानां तपसाधिगतं दिवि ।
सुनिवेशितवेश्मान्तां नरोत्तमसमावृताम् ॥
Summary AI Like a celestial chariot attained by the Siddhas through penance, it had well-constructed mansions and was inhabited by the best of men.
M N Dutt And that foremost spot of all the earth was like an aerial car obtained in heaven by the Siddhas, through force of ascetic austerities, and thronged with the best specimens of humanity.
१.५.२०
ये च बाणैर्न विध्यन्ति विविक्तमपरापरम् ।
शब्दवेध्यं च विततं लघुहस्ता विशारदाः ॥
Summary AI In that city lived skilled, swift-handed archers who would not strike a solitary person, a fleeing enemy, or use sound-based targeting against the defenseless.
१.५.२१
सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाणां मत्तानां नदतां वने ।
हन्तारो निशितैः शस्त्रैर्बलाद्बाहुबलैरपि ॥
Summary AI The city was home to warriors capable of slaying roaring and intoxicated lions, tigers, and boars in the forest, either by using sharpened weapons or through the sheer might of their bare arms.
१.५.२३
तामग्निमद्भिर्गुणवद्भिरावृतां
द्विजोत्तमैर्वेदषडङ्गपारगैः ।
सहस्रदैः सत्यरतैर्महात्मभि
र्महर्षिकल्पैरृषिभिश्च केवलैः ॥
Summary AI The city was filled with virtuous Brāhmaṇas who maintained sacred fires and were masters of the Vedas and their six Vedāṅgas. These great-souled, charitable, and truth-abiding individuals were comparable to great maharṣis and pure sages.
M N Dutt It abounded mostly in excellent Brāhmaṇas, lighting the sacrificial fire, and crowned with qualities, and versed in the Vedas and the Vedāngas, and giving away thousands, and ever abiding by truth, and high-souled, and resembling might ascetics.
॥ इति बालकाण्डे पञ्चमः सर्गः ॥
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Sanskrit Sahitya is a free, open-access digital library of classical Sanskrit literature with AI-powered tools and translations.