Ayodhya KandaSarga 8022 Verses

Sarga 80

मर्गनिर्माणम् (Roadworks and the Royal Route Prepared for Bharata)

अयोध्याकाण्ड

Sarga 80 presents a logistical and architectural interlude: authorized officials dispatch specialized guilds—surveyors, measurers, excavators, engineers, architects, carpenters, road-workers, woodcutters, well-diggers, plasterers/whitewashers, bamboo-workers, and supervisors—to prepare Bharata’s route and encampments in advance. The workforce clears vegetation and boulders, levels impassable ground, fills wells and chasms, bridges necessary crossings, crushes and splits obstructive stones to manage drainage, and rapidly constructs water-courses/reservoirs. In arid stretches they dig ornamented drinking wells with circular embankments. The road is then aestheticized as a royal processional way: mosaic paving, blossoming avenues, birdsong, banners, sandal-water sprinkling, and floral strewing—likened to a divine path and to a night sky adorned with moon and stars. Resting-places (nivēśa) are selected in fertile, pleasant tracts and established at astrologically auspicious constellations and muhūrtas; fortified camp-features appear—sand-heaps, moats, walls, mansions, and flag-topped peaks—making the encampments resemble Indra’s city. The sequence culminates as the party reaches the river Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), described with cool clear waters, abundant fish, and wooded banks, anchoring the narrative in a concrete sacred geography.

Shlokas

Verse 2.80.1

अथ भूमिप्रदेशज्ञास्सूत्रकर्मविशारदाः।स्वकर्माभिरताश्शूराः खनका यन्त्रकास्तथा।।।।कर्मान्तिकाः स्थपतयः पुरुष यन्त्रकोविदाः।तथा वार्धकयश्चैव मार्गिणो वृक्षतक्षकाः।।।।कूपकारास्सुधाकारार्वंशकर्मकृतस्तथा।समर्था ये च द्रष्टारः पुरतस्ते प्रतस्थिरे।।।।

Thereafter, land-surveyors and expert measurers set out in advance—brave men devoted to their tasks: excavators and engineers, skilled craftsmen, architects and mechanics; carpenters, road-makers and tree-cutters; well-diggers, plasterers and whitewashers, bamboo-workers, and competent overseers—moving ahead at the front.

Verse 2.80.2

अथ भूमिप्रदेशज्ञास्सूत्रकर्मविशारदाः।स्वकर्माभिरताश्शूराः खनका यन्त्रकास्तथा।।2.80.1।।कर्मान्तिकाः स्थपतयः पुरुष यन्त्रकोविदाः।तथा वार्धकयश्चैव मार्गिणो वृक्षतक्षकाः।।2.80.2।।कूपकारास्सुधाकारार्वंशकर्मकृतस्तथा।समर्था ये च द्रष्टारः पुरतस्ते प्रतस्थिरे।।2.80.3।।

That immense throng of people, moving joyfully toward the appointed place, surged with great speed—splendid like the ocean swelling on a festival full-moon tide.

Verse 2.80.3

It was lined with rows of mansions and enclosed by lofty walls; everywhere flags added splendor, and the great roads were broad and well constructed.

Verse 2.80.4

स तु हर्षात्तमुद्देशं जनौघो विपुलः प्रयान्।अशोभत महावेगस्समुद्र इव पर्वणि।।।।

With their lofty mansions and peaked rooftops seeming to spread into the sky, those residences stood exalted—like Śakra’s own celestial city.

Verse 2.80.5

ते स्ववारं समास्थाय वर्त्मकर्मणि कोविदाः।करणैर्विविधोपेतैः पुरस्तात्सम्प्रतस्थिरे।।।।

Reaching the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), whose banks held groves of many kinds of trees, whose waters were cool and clear, and which teemed with great fish, they arrived at the river’s side.

Verse 2.80.6

लतावल्ली श्च गुल्मांश्च स्थाणूनश्मन एव च।जनायांचक्रिरे मार्गं छिन्दन्तो विविधान्द्रुमान्।।।।

As the pure night-sky shines adorned with the moon and clusters of stars, so too the king’s road—lovely, orderly in due sequence, and fashioned by skilled artisans—shone in splendor.

Verse 2.80.7

अवृक्षेषु च देशेषु केचिद्वृक्षानरोपयन्।केचित्कुठारैष्टङ्कैश्च दात्रैश्चिन्दन्क्वचित्क्वचित्।।।।

Some planted saplings in places without trees, while others, here and there, cut away the growth that hindered the way with axes, hatchets, and sickles.

Verse 2.80.8

अपरे वीरणस्तम्भान्बलिनो बलवत्तराः।विधमन्ति स्म दुर्गाणि स्थलानि च ततस्ततः।।।।

Others—strong men, stronger still—uprooted the tough clumps of vīraṇa grass and, here and there, leveled the difficult stretches of ground.

Verse 2.80.9

अपरेऽपूरयन्कूपान्पांसुभि श्श्वभ्रमायतम्।निम्नभागान्स्ततः केचित्समान्श्चक्रु स्समन्ततः।।।।

Some filled in wells and broad chasms with loose earth; thereafter others leveled the low-lying ground, making it even on all sides.

Verse 2.80.10

बबन्धुर्बन्धनीयांश्च क्षोद्यान्सञ्चुक्षुदुस्तदा।बिभिदुर्भेदनीयांश्च तांस्तान्देशान्नरा स्तदा।।।।

Then the men bridged what needed bridging, crushed what had to be crushed, and split open what required splitting—clearing and opening up those stretches of the route.

Verse 2.80.11

अचिरेणैव कालेन परिवाहान्बहूदकान्।चक्रुर्बहुविधाकारान् सागरप्रतिमान्बहून्।।।।

In a short time they made many water-courses and reservoirs—of varied designs—abundant with water, vast in capacity like the sea.

Verse 2.80.12

निर्जलेषु च देशेषु खानयामासुरुत्तमान्।उदपानान्बहुविधान्वेदिकापरिमण्डितान्।।।।

And in waterless regions they had excellent wells dug—many kinds of drinking-water wells—encircled and finished with raised platforms and protective embankments.

Verse 2.80.13

ससुधाकुट्टिमतलः प्रपुष्पितमहीरुहः।मत्तोद्घुष्ट द्विजगणः पताकाभिरलङ्कृतः।।।।चन्दनोदकसंसिक्तो नानाकुसुमभूषितः।बह्वशोभत सेनायाः पन्था स्सुरपथोपमः।।।।

The army’s highway shone in splendor—its surface paved and smoothly plastered, lined with trees in bloom, resonant with the joyous cries of flocks of birds; adorned with banners, sprinkled with sandal-scented water, and decked with flowers of many kinds—like a pathway of the gods.

Verse 2.80.14

ससुधाकुट्टिमतलः प्रपुष्पितमहीरुहः।मत्तोद्घुष्ट द्विजगणः पताकाभिरलङ्कृतः।।2.80.13।।चन्दनोदकसंसिक्तो नानाकुसुमभूषितः।बह्वशोभत सेनायाः पन्था स्सुरपथोपमः।।2.80.14।।

The army’s highway shone splendidly—paved and plaster-finished, lined with flowering trees, vibrant with singing birds, adorned with banners; sprinkled with sandal-water and strewn with many kinds of flowers—like a road of the gods.

Verse 2.80.15

आज्ञाप्याथ यथाऽज्ञप्ति युक्तास्तेऽधिकृता नराः।रमणीयेषु देशेषु बहुस्वादुफलेषु च।।।।यो निवेशस्त्वभिप्रेतो भरतस्य महात्मनः।भूयस्तं शोभयामासुर्भूषाभिर्भूषणोपमम्।।।।

Then the appointed officers, acting exactly as instructed, chose delightful places rich in sweet fruits as the great-souled Bharata’s resting-stations, and adorned them again and again with decorations, so that the camps themselves looked like ornaments.

Verse 2.80.16

आज्ञाप्याथ यथाऽज्ञप्ति युक्तास्तेऽधिकृता नराः।रमणीयेषु देशेषु बहुस्वादुफलेषु च।।2.80.15।।यो निवेशस्त्वभिप्रेतो भरतस्य महात्मनः।भूयस्तं शोभयामासुर्भूषाभिर्भूषणोपमम्।।2.80.16।।

Then the authorized officers, working precisely as directed, selected charming regions abundant in sweet fruits for the great Bharata’s resting-place, and adorned it so well with decorations that it appeared like an ornament itself.

Verse 2.80.17

नक्षत्रेषु प्रशस्तेषु मुहूर्तेषु च तद्विदः।निवेशान् स्थापयामासुर्भरतस्य महात्मनः।।।।

Experts in auspicious timing established the great-souled Bharata’s resting-camps under favorable constellations and at proper muhūrtas, aligning each stage of the journey with auspicious celestial conditions.

Verse 2.80.18

बहुपांसुचयाश्चापि परिखापरिवारिताः।तत्रेन्द्रकीलप्रतिमाः प्रतोलीवरशोभिताः।।।।प्रासादमालावितता स्सौधप्राकारसंवृताः।पताकाशोभिता स्सर्वे सुनिर्मितमहापथाः।।।।विसर्पद्भिरिवाऽकाशे विटङ्काग्रविमानकैः।समुच्छ्रितैर्निवेशास्ते बभुश्शक्रपुरोपमाः।।।।

Then skilled workmen—architects and experts in devices—along with carpenters, road-builders, and wood-cutters, were dispatched to go ahead and prepare the way.

Verse 2.80.19

बहुपांसुचयाश्चापि परिखापरिवारिताः।तत्रेन्द्रकीलप्रतिमाः प्रतोलीवरशोभिताः।।2.80.18।।प्रासादमालावितता स्सौधप्राकारसंवृताः।पताकाशोभिता स्सर्वे सुनिर्मितमहापथाः।।2.80.19।।विसर्पद्भिरिवाऽकाशे विटङ्काग्रविमानकैः।समुच्छ्रितैर्निवेशास्ते बभुश्शक्रपुरोपमाः।।2.80.20।।

Well-diggers, plasterers, and bamboo-workers too—together with capable overseers—set out in advance to supervise and complete the preparations.

Verse 2.80.20

Those skilled in road-work took their assigned positions in their respective teams and, equipped with diverse tools, set out ahead.

Verse 2.80.21

जाह्नवीं तु समासाद्य विविधद्रुमकाननाम्।शीतलामलपानीयां महामीनसमाकुलाम्।।।।

Cutting down creepers and shrubs, removing stumps and even boulders, and felling various trees, the king’s men made a clear road for the people.

Verse 2.80.22

सचन्द्रतारागणमण्डितं यथा नभः क्षपायाममलं विराजते।नरेन्द्रमार्गस्स तथा व्यराजत क्रमेण रम्यः शुभशिल्पिनिर्मितः।।।।

There, heaps of sand had been raised and the ground was encircled by moats; splendid gateways adorned it, and the ramparts rose like Mount Indrakīla.