Ayodhya Kanda — Sarga 80

अथ भूमिप्रदेशज्ञाः सूत्रकर्मविशारदाः। स्वकर्माभिरताः शूराः खनका यन्त्रकास्तथा॥ कर्मान्तिकाः स्थपतयः पुरुषा यन्त्रकोविदाः। तथा वर्धकयश्चैव मार्गिणो वृक्षतक्षकाः॥ सूपकाराः सुधाकारा वंशचर्मकृतस्तथा। समर्था ये च द्रष्टारः पुरतश्च प्रतस्थिरे॥

Then set out in advance persons having a knowledge of the humidity or otherwise of the soil, men skilled in making tents, brave delivers engaged on their proper work; those capable of constructing canals and water courses, people on pay, car-makers, men preparing machines, carpenters, those intended to guard the ways, pioneers, cooks, perfumers, makers of wickerware and able guides.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.1

स तु हर्षात् तमुद्देशं जनौघो विपुलः प्रयान्। अशोभत महावेगः सागरस्येव पर्वणि॥

And as the mighty throng began to proceed, it resembled the swell of the sea on the occasion of a parva.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.2

ते स्ववारं समास्थाय वर्मकर्मणि कोविदाः। करणैर्विविधोपेतैः पुरस्तात् सम्प्रतस्थिरे॥

And number of men skilled in roadconstructing went before furnished with various implements.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.3

लता वल्लीश्च गुल्मांश्च स्थाणूनश्मन एव च। जनास्ते चक्रिरे मार्ग छिन्दन्तो विविधान् दुमान्॥

And hewing away boughs, plants and shrubs and woody projections, stones, and diverse trees, they went on preparing a road.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.4

अवृक्षेषु च देशेषु केचिद् वृक्षानरोपयन्। केचित् कुठारैष्टकैश्च दात्रैश्छिन्दन् क्वचित्क्वचित्।७।। अपरे वीरणस्तम्बान् बलिनो बलवत्तराः। विधमन्ति स्म दुर्गाणि स्थलानि च ततस्ततः॥ अपरेऽपूरयन् कूपान् पांसुभिः श्वभ्रमायतम्। निम्नभागांस्तथैवाशु समांश्चक्रुः समन्ततः॥

They set up trees where there were none, and at places they felled trees by means of axes, tankas, and daos, others possessed of greater strength and more powerful, with their hands uprooted masses of Vīrana and here and there levelled a rising ground. And other filled up with dust wells and capacious hollows, and speedily levelled deep places all around.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.5

बबन्धुर्बन्धनीयांश्च क्षोद्यान् संवुक्षुदुस्तथा। बिभिदुर्भेदनीयांश्च तांस्तान् देशान् नरास्तदा॥

And those men threw bridges wherever they became necessary, and broke the earth wherever such a process was required, and excavated whenever such a process was required, and excavated whenever it was necessary.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.6

अचिरेण तु कालेन परिवाहान् बहूदकान्। चक्रुर्बहुविधाकारान् सागरप्रतिमान् बहून्॥

In a short time, they made places poor of water overflow with many and various expanses resembling the ocean.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.7

निर्जलेषु च देशेषु खानयामासुरुत्तमान्। उदपानान् बहुविधान् वेदिकापरिमण्डितान्॥

And in tracts void of water, they digged divers receptacles of water, decorated with daises.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.8

ससुधाकुट्टिमतलः प्रपुष्पितमहीरुहः। मत्ता ष्टद्विजगणः पताकाभिरलंकृतः॥ चन्दनोदकसंसिक्तो नानाकुसुमभूषितः। बहशोभत सेनायाः पन्थाः सुरपथोपमः॥

And the way of the army, furnished with pavements of bricks and clay, with trees bearing blossoms, eloquent with the tunes of birds, decorated with pennons, sprinkled with sandal showers, and garnished with flowers of various kinds, looked exceedingly beautiful, like to the way of the celestials.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.9

आज्ञाप्याथ यथाज्ञप्ति युक्तास्तेऽधिकृता नराः। रमणीयेषु देशेषु बहुस्वादुफलेषु च ॥ यो निवेशस्त्वभिप्रेतो भरतस्य महात्मनः। भूयस्तं शोभयामासुभूषाभिभूषणोपमम् ॥

Then having received the command of Bharata, the men that were in charge of the tents, ordered (the workmen) to pitch the tents, and when they had been pitched at a romantic spot filled with tasteful fruits, in consonance with the injunction of the high-souled Bharata, the men decorated splendidly the tents which themselves were like the ornaments of the road.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.10

नक्षत्रेषु प्रशस्तेषु मुहूर्तेषु च तद्विदः। निवेशान् स्थापयामासुर्भरतस्य महात्मनः॥

Under an auspicious star and at a favourable hour, men well up in the work set the encampment of the high-souled Bharata.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.11

बहुपांसुचयाश्चापि परिखाः परिवारिताः। तत्रेन्द्रनीलप्रतिमाः प्रतोलीवरशोभिताः॥ प्रासादमालासंयुक्ताः सौधप्राकारसंवृताः। पताकाशोभिताः सर्वे सुनिर्मितमहापथाः॥ विसर्पद्भिरिवाकाशे विटङ्काग्रविमानकैः। समुच्छ्रितैर्निवेशास्ते बभुः शक्रपुरोपमाः॥

And the tents surrounded by an entrenchment paved with dust, containing images made of sapphires, graced with goodly thoroughfares, lined with edifices, encircled by towers and walls, decorated with streamers, having wellmade high-ways, and appearing like celestial daises and containing stately mansions dovecotes, resembled the metropolis of Śakra himself.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.12

जाह्नवीं तु समासाद्य विविधदुमकाननाम्। शीतलामलपानीयां महामीनसमाकुलाम्॥ सचन्द्रतारागणमण्डितं यथा नभः क्षपायाममलं विराजते। नरेन्द्रमार्गः स तदा व्यराजत क्रमेण रम्यः शुभशिल्पिनिर्मितः॥

And passing by the Jāhnavi abounding in various trees and woods, of cool and crystal waters, and filled with mighty fishes, that way of the chief of men constructed by artizans, looked more and more lovely as it proceeded, as the unclouded sky looks beautiful at night, adorned with innumerable stars.

Ayodhya Kanda 80.13