Summary
In this chapter Valmiki narrates various rituals undertaken by Rama the crown prince, along with his wife Seetha, on the eve of his anointment ceremony. The festivities in Ayodhya, the happiness of the people with King Dasaratha's decision to anoint Rama are also described here. Also, people from different directions arrive in Ayodhya to be there on the grand occasion.
Chapter [Sarga] 6 in Detail
gate purohite raamah snaato niyatamaanasah |
saha patnyaa vishaalaakshyaa naaraayanamupaagamat || 2-6-1
After Vasistha left, Rama took bath and meditated on Lord Narayana with undistracted mind along with his wide-eyed wife, Seetha.
pragrihya shirasaa paatram havishho vidhivattadaa |
mahate daivataayaajyam juhaava jvalitaanale || 2-6-2
Taking the vessel with clarified butter on his head as per scriptures, he offered to Lord Vishnu the clarified butter, by dropping it into the blazing fire.
sheshham cha havishhastasya praashyaashaasyaatmanah priyam |
dhyaayannaaraayanam devam svaastiirne kushasamstare || 2-6-3
vaagyatah saha vaidehyaa bhuutvaa niyatamaanasah |
shriimatyaayatane vishhnoh shishye naravaraatmajah || 2-6-4
Rama ate the remainder of clarified butter after finishing the sacrifice, which he performed for his own good, silently meditated on Lord Narayana with controlled mind and slept along with Seetha on a properly laid bed of Kusa grass in a splendid temple of Lord Vishnu.
ekayaamaavashishhtaayaam raatryaam prativibudhya sah |
alajnkaaravidhim kritsnam kaarayaamaasa veshmanah || 2-6-5
Rama woke up three hours before dawn and caused to complete the entire decoration of the house.
tatra shrinvan sukhaa vaachah suutamaagadhavandinaam |
puurvaam sandhyaamupaasiino jajaapa yatamaanasah || 2-6-6
Listening to the pleasing verses of professional reciters, he worshipped the early sunrise and meditated on Gayatri with an undistracted mind.
tushhtaava pranatashchaiva shirasaa madhusuudanam |
vimalakshaumasamviito vaachayaamaasa cha dvijaan || 2-6-7
He praised Lord Vishnu by bowing his head before Him. By wearing pure silk clothes, he got valedictory text recited by Brahmans.
teshhaam punyaahaghoshho.adha gambhiiramadhurastadaa |
ayodhyaam puurayaamaasa tuuryaghoshhaanunaaditah || 2-6-8
Their deep and sweet chorus of the valedictory, united with the accompanying musical instruments, then filled the city of Ayodhya.
kritopavaasam tu tadaa vaidehyaa saha raaghavam |
ayodhyaanilayah shrutvaa sarvah pramudito janah || 2-6-9
All the people residing in Ayodhya were delighted when they heard that Rama and Seetha had observed fast for the ensuing anointment ceremony.
tatah paurajanah sarvah shrutvaa raamaabhishhechanam |
prabhaataam rajaniim drishhtvaa chakre shobhayitum puriim || 2-6-10
All the citizens decorated the town for coronation function of Rama, soon before sunrise.
sitaabhrashikharaabheshhu devataayataneshhu cha |
 chatushhpadheshhu radhyaasu chaityeshhvattaala keshhu cha || 2-6-11
naanaapanyasamriddheshhu vanijaamaapaneshhu cha |
kutumbinaam samriddheshhu shriimatsu bhavaneshhu cha || 2-6-12
sabhaasu chaiva sarvaasu vriksheshhvaalakshiteeshu cha |
dhvajaah samuchchhritaashchitraah pataakaashchaabhavamstadaa || 2-6-13
Banners and colorful flags were hoisted on temples, which looked brilliantly like the silver lining of cloud, at road junctions, in streets, on big trees situated in temple compounds, from watching towers at city gates, on shops of wealthy merchants, on buildings of rich family persons, on all assembly halls and all visible trees.
natanartakasamghaanaam gaayakaanaam cha gaayataam |
manahkarnasukhaa vaachah shushruvushcha tatastatah || 2-6-14
From different sides, actors were showing their talents, dancers were performing dance. Singers were singing and sweet voices were heard, pleasing the minds and ears.
raamaabhishhekayuktaashcha kathaashchakrurmitho janaah |
raamaabhishheke samprapte chatvareshhu griheshhu cha || 2-6-15
With Rama's anointment ceremony approaching, people were engaged in mutual conversations in their houses and at road junctions, about the ceremony.
baalaa api kriidamaanaa gri hadvaareshhu samghashah |
raamaabhishhavasamyuktaashchakrurevam mithah kathaah || 2-6-16
Even children playing together before gateways of houses were telling each other, narratives of Rama's anointment ceremony.
kritapushhpopahaarashcha dhuupagandhaadhivaasitah |
raajamaargah kritah shriimaan paurai raamaabhishhechane || 2-6-17
The citizens made king's road splendid, by sprinkling flowers on it and by making it good smelling with burning of incense and perfumes, on the occasion of Rama's anointment ceremony.
prakaashakaranaardham cha nishaagamanashajnkayaa |
diipavrikshaam stathaachakru ranurthyasu sarvashah || 2-6-18
On a doubt of approach of night on completion of the ceremony, they arranged lamps in the shape of trees to illuminate all the streets.
alakaaram purastyavam kritvaa tatpuravaasinah |
aakaakshamaanaa raamasya yauvaraajyaabhishhechanam || 2-6-19
sametya samghashah sarve chatvareshhu sabhaasu cha |
kathayanto mithastatra prashashamsurjanaadhipam || 2-6-20
All the citizens residing in Ayodhya, having thus decorated the city desiring Rama's coronation, gathered together in groups at road junctions and in assembly halls, mutually talking about this matter there and praising king Dasaratha.
ahoo mahaatmaa raajaayamikshvaakukulanandanah |
jjnaatvaa yo vriddha maatmaanam raamam raajye.abhishhekshyati || 2-6-21
"O! This king Dasaratha, who delights Ikshvaaku dynasty, having known himself that he became aged, is going to anoint Rama for the kingdom. What a great man he is!"
sarveapyanugrihiitaah sma yanno raamo mahiipatih |
chiraaya bhavitaa goptaa drishhtalokaparaavarah || 2-6-22
"Rama; who has seen the totality of the world is going to become our protector for long. We have all been blessed by king Dasaratha."
aanuddhatamanaa vidvaan dharmaatmaa bhraatrivatsalah |
yadhaa cha bhraatrishhu snigdhastathaasmaasvapi raaghavah || 2-6-23
"Rama is modest, knowledgeable and righteous. He is as compassionate to us as to his brothers."
chiram jiivatu dharmaatmaa raajaa dasharatho.anaghah |
yatprasaadenaabhishhiktam raamam drakshyaamahe vayam || 2-6-24
"Let the faultless and righteous king Dasaratha live long! Due to his blessings, we are going to see Rama as being anointed for the kingdom."
evamvidham kathayataam pauraanaam shushruvustadaa |
digbhyo.api shrutavrittaantaah praaptaajaanapadaa naraah || 2-6-25
The villagers, who came from different directions after hearing the news of coronation ceremony of Rama, listened to the narration of the citizens of Ayodhya.
te tu digbhyah puriim praaptaa drashhtum raamaabhishhechanam |
raamasya puurayaamaasuh puriim jaanapadaa janaah || 2-6-26
The city of Ayodhya was filled with villagers who came from different directions to see the anointment ceremony of Rama.
janaughai stairvisarpadbhih shushruve tatra nisvanah |
parvasuudiirnavegasya saagarasyeva nisvanah || 2-6-27
The noise in the city was heard by the groups of those people, while moving here and there, as the roaring of an impetuous ocean on full moon days.
tatastadindrakshayasannibham puram |
didrikshubhirjaanapadai rupaagataih |
samantatah sasvanamaakulam babhau |
samudrayaadobhi rivaarnavodakam || 2-6-28
That city of Ayodhya equal to the residence of the celestial god Indra, disturbed with the sound being made all over by the villagers who came with the desire to see the ceremony, shone like a roaring ocean filled with sea animals.
|| ityaarshhe shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyakaande shhashhthah sargah ||
Thus completes 6th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate