The engineers construct a comfortably high-way from Ayodhya to the River Ganga, by clearing off shrubs and stones on the way and excellent wells were dug. Beautiful tents were also built on the path.
atha bhuumi pradeshaGYaaH suutra karma vishaaradaaH |
sva karma abhirataaH shuuraaH khanakaa yantrakaaH tathaa || 2-80-1
karma antikaaH sthapatayaH puruShaa yantra kovidaaH |
tathaa vardhakayaH caiva maargiNo vR^ikSha takShakaaH || 2-80-2
kuupa kaaraaH sudhaa kaaraa va.nsha karma kR^itaH tathaa |
samarthaa ye ca draShTaaraH purataH te pratasthire || 2-80-3
1; 2; 3. atha = then; bhuumipradeshajJNaH = those able to advise on the nature of soils; suutrakarmavishaaradaaH = those skilled in thread-holding for levelling purposes; shuuraaH = those who were energetic; courageous; svakarmaabhirataaH = interested in doing their own jobs; khanakaaH = excavators; tathaa = and yantrakaaH = mechanics; karmaantikaaH = labourers; sthapatayaH = engineers; puruSaaH = men; yantrakovidaaH = skilled in machines; tathaa = and vaardhakayaH = carpenters; margiNaH = road- menders; vR^ikshatakSakaaH = wood-cutters; kuupakaaraaH = hallow-makers; sudhaakaaraaH = men skilled in plastering and white washing; tathaa = and vamshacharma kR^itaH = basket-makers and tanner; yet = those who; samarthaaH = were skilled; draSTaaraH = supervisors; pratasthire = sallied forth; purataH = in advance.
Then, those able to advise on the nature of soils, those skilled in thread-holding for leveling purposes, those who were energetic courageous and attentive in doing their jobs, excavators, mechanics, labourers, carpenters, road-menders, wood-cutters, hollow-makers, men skilled in plastering and white washing, basket makers, tanners and skilled supervisors of work sallied forth in advance.
sa tu harShaat tam uddesham jana ogho vipulaH prayaan |
ashobhata mahaa vegaH saagarasya iva parvaNi || 2-80-4
4. saH = that; vipulaH = mighty; janaughaH = assembly of men; harSaat = gladly; prayaan = setting out; tam uddesham = to that place; ashobhata = was splendid; samudraH iva = like an ocean; mahaavegaH = with a giagantic commotion; parvaNi = on the day of the full moon.
That mighty assembly of men gladly setting out to that forest was splendid like an ocean on the day of the full moon having a gigantic commotion.
te sva vaaram samaasthaaya vartma karmaaNi kovidaaH |
karaNaiH vividha upetaiH purastaat sampratasthire || 2-80-5
5. te = those; kovidaaH = skilled; vartmakarmaNi = in making roads; karaNaiH = (furnished) with tools; vividhopetaiH = of every kind; samaasthaaya = seeking the company; svavaaram = of their own proper place; purastaat = ahead.
Men skilled in making roads, furnished with tools of every kin, seeking the company of men of their own proper place, marched ahead.
lataa valliiH ca gulmaamH ca sthaaNuun ashmanaeva ca |
janaaH te cakrire maargam chindantaH vividhaan drumaan || 2-80-6
6. chhindataH = clearing away; lataavaliiH cha = rows of creepers; gulmaamshcha = and shrubs; sthaaNuun = timber; ashmana evacha = and big rocks; vividhaan = and various kinds; drumaan = of trees.
Clearing away rows of creepers and shrubs timber and big rocks as well as variours kinds of trees (which obstructed the way), they carved out a path.
avR^ikSheShu ca desheShu kecit vR^ikShaan aropayan |
kecit kuThaaraiaH TankaiH ca daatraiH chindan kvacit kvacit || 2-80-7
7. kechit = some men; aropayan = planted; vR^ikshaan = trees; avR^iksheSu = in tree-less; desheSu = areas; kechit = some others; chiindan = chopped; (the existing trees); kvachit kvachit = here and there; kuThaaraiH = by means of axes; TaN^kaishcha = hatchests; daatraiH cha = and sickles.
Some men planted trees in tree-less areas. Some others chopped the existing trees here and there by means of axes, hatchets and sickles.
apare viiraNa stambaan balino balavattaraaH |
vidhamanti sma durgaaNi sthalaani ca tataH tataH || 2-80-8
8. apare = some others; balavattaraaH = having better strength; vidhamantisma = removed; balinaH = sturdy; viiraNa stambhaan = tufts of Virana grass; sthalaami = and leveled; durgaaNi = the uneven places; tatastataH = here and there.
Some other strong men removed sturdy tufts of Virana grass and leveled the uneven places here and there.
apare apuurayan kuupaan paa.nsubhiH shvabhram aayatam |
nimna bhaagaa.ns tathaa kecit samaamH cakruH samantataH || 2-80-9
9. apare = some others; apuurayan = filled up; kuupaan = wells; aayatam = and extensive; shvabhram = pits; paamsubhiH = with earth; tataH = then; kechit = some; samaan chakruH = leveled; nimnabhaagaan = low-lying places; samantataH = all around.
Some others filled up wells and extensive pits with earth. Some men leveled low-lying places all around.
babandhur bandhaniiyaamH ca kShodyaan sa.ncukShudus tadaa |
bibhidur bhedaniiyaamH ca taa.ns taan deshaan naraaH tadaa || 2-80-10
10. tadaa = then; naraaH = some men; babanduH = bridged; deshaan = the s; bandhaniiyaan = could be bridged; samchukSuduH = pulverized (the rocks); kSodyaan = that could be pulverized; bibhiduH = and smashed (the impediments); bhedamiiyaan cha = that could be smashed.
Then, some men bridged the steams that could be bridged, pulverised the rocks that could be pulverised and smashed (the impediments that blocked the flow of water) those which could be smashed.
acireNa eva kaalena parivaahaan bahu udakaan |
cakrur bahu vidha aakaaraan saagara pratimaan bahuun || 2-80-11
11. achireNa kaalenaiva = within a short time; bahuun = many; pariivaahaan = water-courses; bahuvidhaakaaraan = in various kinds of shape; bahuudakaan = with plenty of water; saagara pratimaan = resembling a sea; chakruH = were built.
Many ponds, in various sizes and shapes containing plenty of water resembling seas were built (by constructing dams on rivulets).
nirjaleShu ca desheShu khaanayaamaasuruttamaan |
udapaanaan bahuvidhaan vedikaa parimaNDitaan || 2-80-12
12. nirjaleSu = In water-scarece; desheSu = areas; uttamaan = excellent; udapaanaan = wells; khaanayaamaasuH = were dug; bahuvidhaan = in various shapes; vedkaaparimaNDitaan = decorated all around with platforms.
In water-scarce areas, excellent wells in various shapes were dug duly decorated all around with platforms (to rest).
sasudhaa kuTTima talaH prapuShpita mahii ruhaH |
matta udghuShTa dvija gaNaH pataakaabhir alamkR^itaH || 2-80-13
candana udaka sa.nsiktaH naanaa kusuma bhuuShitaH |
bahv ashobhata senaayaaH panthaaH svarga patha upamaH || 2-80-14
13; 14. saH panthaaH = that track; senaayaaH = of the troops; sudhaakuTTimatalaH = having its surface inlaid with cement; prapuSpita mahiiruhaH = with flowering trees (on both sides); mattodghuSTa dvijagaNaH = having birds in excitement making their sounds; alaNkR^itaH = adorned; pataakaabhiH = with flags (on either side); chandanodaka samsiktaH = sprinkled with sandalwood flavoured water; naanaakusuma bhuuSitaH = decorated with various kinds of flowers; bahu ashobhata = looked very much splendid; sura pathopamaH = resembling the path of celestials.
That track of the troops, having its surface inlaid with cement, with flowering trees inlaid with cement, with flowering trees on both sides, inhabited with birds in excitement making their sounds, adorned with flags on its either side with its surface sprinkled with water of sandal-wood fragrance, and decorated with various kinds of flowers, looked very much splendid like the path of celestials.
aaGYaapya atha yathaa aaGYapti yuktaaH te adhikR^itaa naraaH |
ramaNiiyeShu desheShu bahu svaadu phaleShu ca || 2-80-15
yo niveshaH tu abhipretaH bharatasya mahaatmanaH |
bhuuyaH tam shobhayaam aasur bhuuShaabhir bhuuShaNa upamam || 2-80-16
15; 16. te naraaH = those men; adhikR^itaaH = appointed for execution of the work; yathaaj^Napti = as ordered by Bharata; yuktaaH = skillfully; aajJNapya = instructed their work-men; atha = and thereafter; (erected); niveshaH = tent; yaH = which was; abhipretaH = intended; mahaatmanaH = for the great-souled; bharatasya = Bharata; ramaNiiyeSu = in beautiful; desheSu = places; bahusvaadu phaleSu = abundant with tasty fruits; (they_; shobhaayamaanuH = adorned; bhuuyaH = profusely; bhuuSaabhiH = with decorations; tam = the tent; bhuuSaNopamam = which resembled an ornament.
Those officers appointed for execution of the work, as ordered by Bharata, skillfully instructed their work-men and erected a tent which was intended for the great-souled Bharata, in a beautiful place abundant with tasty fruits. They further adorned profusely with decorations, the tent which itself resembled on ornament.
nakShatreShu prashasteShu muhuurteShu ca tadvidaH |
nivesham sthaapayaam aasur bharatasya mahaatmanaH || 2-80-17
17. tadvidaH = the connoisseurs; sthaapayaamaasuH = erected; niveshaan = the tents; mahaatmanaH = of the high-souled; bharatasya = Bharata; prashasteSu = in auspicious; nakshatreSu = stars; muhuurteSu = and moments.
The connoisseurs erected the tents of the high-souled Bharata at auspicious hours in days when the stars were propitious.
bahu paa.nsu cayaaH ca api parikhaa parivaaritaaH |
tantra indra kiila pratimaaH pratolii vara shobhitaaH || 2-80-18
praasaada maalaa samyuktaaH saudha praakaara samvR^itaaH |
pataakaa shobhitaaH sarve sunirmita mahaa pathaaH || 2-80-19
visarpatbhir iva aakaashe viTanka agra vimaanakaiH |
samucchritaiH niveshaaH te babhuH shakra pura upamaaH || 2-80-20
18; 19; 20. tatra = there; te = those; niveshaaH = camps; bahupaamsuchayaashcha api = with may moats surrounding them; pratoLiivara shobhitaaH = and streets as resplendent; indrakiilapratimaaH = as sapphires; praasaada malaavitataaH = the crown of terrets; soudha praakaara samvR^itaaH = the ramparts covered with stucco to protect them; pataakaashobhitaaH = the splendid banners; sunirmita mahaapathaaH = the skillfully laid out avenues; samuchhritraiH = lofty; viTaNkaagra vimaanakaiH = mansions; the tops of which were provided with dove-cots; sura visarpardhirva = which flew about; aakaashe = as it were in the air; babhuH = and in splendour; shakrapuropamaaH = resembled capitals of Indra.
Those camps, with many breast works of sand, moats surrounding each of them, streets as resplendent as sapphires, their crowns of terrets, the ramparts covered with stucco to protect then, the splendid banners, the skillfully laidout avenues, lofty mansions the tops of which were provided with dove-cots, which flew about as it were in the air and in splendour, resembled the capitals of Indra.
jaahnaviim tu samaasaadya vividha druma kaananaam |
shiitala amala paaniiyaam mahaa miina samaakulaam || 2-80-21
21. (the route thus prepared) samaasaadya = extended; jaahnaviim = upto the Ganga River; shitalamala paaniiyaam = whose pure and limpid waters; mahaamiinasamaakulaam = abounding in great fish; vividha drumakaananaam = (flowed) between woods and forests of every kind.
The route thus prepared, extended upto the Ganga River, whose pure and limpid waters, abounding in great fish, flowed between woods and forests of every kind.
sacandra taaraa gaNa maNDitam yathaa |
nabhaH kShapaayaam amalam viraajate |
nara indra maargaH sa tathaa vyaraajata |
krameNa ramyaH shubha shilpi nirmitaH || 2-80-22
22. saH = that; ramyaH = beautiful; narendramaargaH = royal high way; shubha shilpinirmitaH = which was built gradually by excellent engineers; vyaraajata tathaa = appeared as resplendent; yathaa = as; kSapaayaam = as a night; amalam = in a clear; nabhaH = sky; viraajate = illumined; sachandra taraagaNamaNDitam = by the moon with its procession of stars.
That beautiful royal high way, which was built gradually by efficient engineers, appeared as resplendent as a night in a clear sky, illumined by the moon with its procession of stars.
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ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe ashiititamah sargaH
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© June 2003, K. M. K. Murthy