Shloka 1.51.27
शतानन्दोपदेशः — Śatānanda’s Welcome to Rāma and the Prelude to Viśvāmitra’s History
नगराणि सराष्ट्राणि सरितश्च तथा गिरीन्।आश्रमान्क्रमशो राम विचरन्नाजगाम ह।।1.51.22।।वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्।नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्।।1.51.23।।देवदानवगन्धर्वै: किन्नरैरुपशोभितम्।प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णं द्विजसङ्घनिषेवितम्।।1.51.24।।ब्रह्मर्षिगणसङ्कीर्णं देवर्षिगणसेवितम्।तपश्चरणसंसिद्धैरग्निकल्पैर्महात्मभि:।।1.51.25।।अब्भक्षैर्वायुभक्षैश्च शीर्णपर्णाशनैस्तथा।फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैर्जितरोषैर्जितेन्द्रियै:।।1.51.26।।ऋषिभिर्वालखिल्यैश्च जपहोमपरायणै:।अन्यैर्वैखानसैश्चैव समन्तादुपशोभितम्।।1.51.27।।
ṛṣibhir vālakhilyaiś ca japa-homa-parāyaṇaiḥ |
anyair vaikhānasaiś caiva samantād upaśobhitam || 1.51.27 ||
On every side it was adorned by sages—by the Vālakhilyas devoted to japa and homa, and by other Vaikhānasas as well—so that the whole hermitage shone in all directions.
Rama while Viswamitra was wandering about kingdoms, cities, rivers, mountains and hermitages, he gradually reached the ashram of Vasishta. That hermitage afounded in a variety of trees, species of animals, siddhas, charanas, devatas, danavas, gandharvas and kinnaras, multitudes of birds and resting deer. It was inhabited by brahmarshis and devarishis, by sages who had attained perfection through austerities, by those resembling fire in brightness, by the magnanimous and the selfrestrained, by those who had conquered anger and controlled their senses, who was devoted to prayers and offerings of libations. Some of them subsisted on water, some on air. Some lived on fallen leaves, some on fruits and roots. The hermitage looked bedecked with valakhilyas (born from Vala of Brahma ) and vaikhanasas (born from the nails of Brahma).
Dharma is upheld through faithful practice—japa (disciplined speech) and homa (sacrificial offering)—showing that truth and righteousness are sustained by daily sacred duties performed with steadiness.
The description culminates by naming specific ascetic groups whose presence and practices make Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage radiant and authoritative.
Niṣṭhā (steadfast devotion) to sacred practice—continuous commitment to mantra-recitation and ritual offering.