Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 121 of 128 · 30 verses
The Pushpaka Is Brought
When Rama, tamer of foes, has spent the night and risen refreshed, Vibhishana, with joined palms, wishes him victory and says: here are baths, ointments, clothes and ornaments, sandalwood and many kinds of heavenly garlands; and these lotus-eyed women, skilled in adornment, are ready to bathe you according to custom, Raghava. Kakutstha answers: invite the monkeys led by Sugriva to bathe. That righteous one, raised in comfort, delicate, mighty-armed Bharata, devoted to truth, is suffering for my sake; without Kaikeyi’s son Bharata, who walks in dharma, I do not care for bathing, clothes or ornaments. See to it that we return quickly to that city; the road to Ayodhya is very hard to travel. Vibhishana answers: I will bring you to that city in a single day, prince. The aerial chariot named Pushpaka, bright as the sun, which mighty Ravana took from my brother Kubera by defeating him in battle, heavenly, excellent, going wherever one wishes, has been kept for you and is waiting, you of matchless valour; this cloud-like chariot stands here, and in it you will go to Ayodhya free of fever. But if I deserve your favour, if you remember my good qualities, if you have friendship for me, stay here a while, wise one, with your brother Lakshmana and your wife the Vaidehi; honoured with every desire, you will go after that, Rama. Accept the hospitality I have prepared in my affection, with your army and band of friends. Out of love, respect and friendship I entreat you, Raghava, as your servant; I do not command you.
In the hearing of all the rakshasas and monkeys, Rama replies: you have honoured me, hero, with the highest counsel, with all your heart, with your efforts and with the highest friendship. I would not refuse your words, lord of the rakshasas, but my heart hurries to see my brother Bharata, who came to Chitrakuta to bring me back, and whose request I did not grant, though he begged with his head bowed; and Kausalya, Sumitra and glorious Kaikeyi, my friend Guha, and the people of the city and the country. Give me leave, gentle Vibhishana; I have been honoured. Do not be offended, friend; I ask your consent. Bring the aerial chariot quickly, lord of the rakshasas; now that my work is done, how could I agree to stay here? Then Vibhishana hurriedly summons the sun-bright chariot, its body decorated with gold, with platforms of beryl and gems, surrounded with pavilions, silver-bright all over, adorned with white pennants and banners, beautified with golden mansions decorated with golden lotuses, strewn with nets of bells, with windows of pearls and gems, hung all round with nets of sweet-sounding bells, shaped like a peak of Meru, made by Vishvakarman, adorned with great mansions bright with pearls and silver, with floors of inlaid crystal and fine seats of beryl, furnished with costly coverings. When the unassailable chariot, swift as thought, is ready, Vibhishana announces it to Rama and stands by. Seeing the Pushpaka, which goes wherever one wishes, standing there like a mountain, noble-hearted Rama with Saumitri is filled with wonder.
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तां रात्रिमुषितं रामं सुखोदितमरिंदमम् । अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं जयं पृष्ट्वा विभीषणः ॥ १ ॥
To Rama, tamer of enemies, who had spent that night and risen happily, Vibhishana, with joined palms, having wished him victory, said:
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स्नानानि चाङ्गरागाणि वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च । चन्दनानि च माल्यानि दिव्यानि विविधानि च ॥ २ ॥
“Baths and ointments, clothes and ornaments, sandalwood and garlands, heavenly, of many kinds,
अलंकारविदश्चैता नार्यः पद्मनिभेक्षणाः । उपस्थितास्त्वां विधिवत् स्नापयिष्यन्ति राघव ॥ ३ ॥
“and these women, skilled in adornment, with eyes like lotuses, are at hand; they will bathe you according to rule, Raghava.”
एवमुक्तस्तु काकुत्स्थः प्रत्युवाच विभीषणम् । हरीन् सुग्रीवमुख्यांस्त्वं स्नानेनोपनिमन्त्रय ॥ ४ ॥
Spoken to so, Kakutstha replied to Vibhishana: “Invite the monkeys led by Sugriva to bathe.
स तु ताम्यति धर्मात्मा मम हेतोः सुखोचितः । सुकुमारो महाबाहुर्भरतः सत्यसंश्रयः ॥ ५ ॥
“But that righteous one, used to comfort, suffers for my sake: delicate, mighty-armed Bharata, devoted to truth.
तं विना कैकयीपुत्रं भरतं धर्मचारिणम् । न मे स्नानं बहु मतं वस्त्राण्याभरणानि च ॥ ६ ॥
“Without Kaikeyi’s son Bharata, who walks in dharma, bathing is not esteemed by me, nor clothes and ornaments.
एतत् पश्य यथा क्षिप्रं प्रतिगच्छाम तां पुरीम् । अयोध्यां गच्छतो ह्येष पन्थाः परमदुर्गमः ॥ ७ ॥
“See to this, how we may quickly go back to that city; for this road for one going to Ayodhya is very hard to travel.”
एवमुक्तस्तु काकुत्स्थं प्रत्युवाच विभीषणः । अह्ना त्वां प्रापयिष्यामि तां पुरीं पार्थिवात्मज ॥ ८ ॥
Spoken to so, Vibhishana replied to Kakutstha: “In a single day I will bring you to that city, son of a king.
पुष्पकं नाम भद्रं ते विमानं सूर्यसंनिभम् । मम भ्रातुः कुबेरस्य रावणेन बलीयसा ॥ ९ ॥
“The aerial chariot named Pushpaka, bless you, like the sun, of my brother Kubera, by mighty Ravana
हृतं निर्जित्य संग्रामे कामगं दिव्यमुत्तमम् । त्वदर्थं पालितं चेदं तिष्ठत्यतुलविक्रम ॥ १० ॥
“was taken after conquering him in battle; going wherever one wishes, heavenly, excellent, it has been kept for your sake and is here, you of matchless valour.
तदिदं मेघसंकाशं विमानमिह तिष्ठति । येन यास्यसि यानेन त्वमयोध्यां गतज्वरः ॥ ११ ॥
“This aerial chariot, like a cloud, stands here; by that vehicle you will go to Ayodhya free of fever.
अहं ते यद्यनुग्राह्यो यदि स्मरसि मे गुणान् । वस तावदिह प्राज्ञ यद्यस्ति मयि सौहृदम् ॥ १२ ॥
“If I am to be favoured by you, if you remember my good qualities, stay here a while, wise one, if you have friendship for me.
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा वैदेह्या भार्यया सह । अर्चितः सर्वकामैस्त्वं ततो राम गमिष्यसि ॥ १३ ॥
“With your brother Lakshmana and with your wife the Vaidehi, honoured with all desires, then you will go, Rama.
प्रीतियुक्तस्य विहितां ससैन्यः ससुहृद्गणः । सत्क्रियां राम मे तावद् गृहाण त्वं मयोद्यताम् ॥ १४ ॥
“With your army, with your band of friends, Rama, accept first the hospitality arranged by me, filled with love, offered by me.
प्रणयाद् बहुमानाच्च सौहार्देन च राघव । प्रसादयामि प्रेष्योऽहं न खल्वाज्ञापयामि ते ॥ १५ ॥
“From love, from great respect and from friendship, Raghava, I entreat you as a servant; I certainly do not command you.”
एवमुक्तस्ततो रामः प्रत्युवाच विभीषणम् । रक्षसां वानराणां च सर्वेषामेव शृण्वताम् ॥ १६ ॥
Spoken to so, Rama then replied to Vibhishana, while all the rakshasas and monkeys listened:
पूजितोऽस्मि त्वया वीर साचिव्येन परेण च । सर्वात्मना च चेष्टाभिः सौहार्देन परेण च ॥ १७ ॥
“I have been honoured by you, hero, with the highest counsel, with your whole self, with your efforts and with the highest friendship.
न खल्वेतन्न कुर्यां ते वचनं राक्षसेश्वर । तं तु मे भ्रातरं द्रष्टुं भरतं त्वरते मनः ॥ १८ ॥
“It is certainly not that I would not do your bidding, lord of the rakshasas; but my mind hurries to see that brother of mine, Bharata,
मां निवर्तयितुं योऽसौ चित्रकूटमुपागतः । शिरसा याचतो यस्य वचनं न कृतं मया ॥ १९ ॥
“who came to Chitrakuta to bring me back, whose word, though he begged with his head bowed, was not done by me;
कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च कैकेयीं च यशस्विनीम् । गुहं च सुहृदं चैव पौराञ्जानपदैः सह ॥ २० ॥
“and Kausalya, and Sumitra, and glorious Kaikeyi, and my friend Guha, and the citizens with the country people.
अनुजानीहि मां सौम्य पूजितोऽस्मि विभीषण । मन्युर्न खलु कर्तव्यः सखे त्वां चानुमानये ॥ २१ ॥
“Give me leave, gentle Vibhishana; I have been honoured. Surely you should not be offended, friend; I ask your consent.
उपस्थापय मे शीघ्रं विमानं राक्षसेश्वर । कृतकार्यस्य मे वासः कथं स्यादिह सम्मतः ॥ २२ ॥
“Bring the aerial chariot to me quickly, lord of the rakshasas; with my work done, how could staying here be approved?”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण राक्षसेन्द्रो विभीषणः । विमानं सूर्यसंकाशमाजुहाव त्वरान्वितः ॥ २३ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, Vibhishana, lord of the rakshasas, full of haste, summoned the aerial chariot, bright as the sun.
ततः काञ्चनचित्राङ्गं वैदूर्यमणिवेदिकम् । कूटागारैः परिक्षिप्तं सर्वतो रजतप्रभम् ॥ २४ ॥
Then, its body decorated with gold, with platforms of beryl and gems, surrounded with pavilions, silver-bright on every side,
पाण्डुराभिः पताकाभिर्ध्वजैश्च समलंकृतम् । शोभितं काञ्चनैर्हर्म्यैर्हेमपद्मविभूषितैः ॥ २५ ॥
well adorned with white pennants and banners, beautified with golden mansions decorated with golden lotuses,
प्रकीर्णं किङ्किणीजालैर्मुक्तामणिगवाक्षकम् । घण्टाजालैः परिक्षिप्तं सर्वतो मधुरस्वनम् ॥ २६ ॥
strewn with nets of little bells, with windows of pearls and gems, surrounded on every side with nets of bells, of sweet sound,
तं मेरुशिखराकारं निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा । बृहद्भिर्भूषितं हर्म्यैर्मुक्तारजतशोभितैः ॥ २७ ॥
shaped like a peak of Meru, made by Vishvakarman, adorned with great mansions shining with pearls and silver,
तलैः स्फटिकचित्राङ्गैर्वैदूर्यैश्च वरासनैः । महार्हास्तरणोपेतैरुपपन्नं महाधनैः ॥ २८ ॥
furnished with floors with bodies of inlaid crystal, and with fine seats of beryl, with very costly coverings, very rich:
उपस्थितमनाधृष्यं तद् विमानं मनोजवम् । निवेदयित्वा रामाय तस्थौ तत्र विभीषणः ॥ २९ ॥
when that unassailable aerial chariot, swift as thought, was ready, having announced it to Rama, Vibhishana stood there.
तत् पुष्पकं कामगमं विमान- मुपस्थितं भूधरसंनिकाशम् । दृष्ट्वा तदा विस्मयमाजगाम रामः ससौमित्रिरुदारसत्त्वः ॥ ३० ॥
Seeing then that aerial chariot Pushpaka, going where one wishes, standing ready, like a mountain, Rama with Saumitri, of noble spirit, was filled with wonder.