समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः — Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing
सेविते वारिधाराभिः पतगैश्च निषेविते।चरिते कैशिकाचार्यैरैरावतनिषेविते।।5.1.174।।सिंहकुञ्जरशार्दूलपतगोरगवाहनैः।विमानैः सम्पतद्भिश्च विमलैः समलङ्कृते।।5.1.175।।वज्राशनिसमाघातैः पावकैरुपशोभिते।कृतपुण्यैर्महाभागैः स्वर्गजिद्भिरलङ्कृते।।5.1.176।।वहता हव्यमत्यर्धं सेविते चित्रभानुना।ग्रहनक्षत्रचन्द्रार्कतारागण विभूषिते।।5.1.177।।महर्षिगणगन्धर्वनागयक्षसमाकुले।विविक्ते विमले विश्वे विश्वावसुनिषेविते।।5.1.178।।देवराजगजाक्रान्ते चन्द्रसूर्यपथे शिवे।विताने जीवलोकस्य वितते ब्रह्मनिर्मिते।।5.1.179।।बहुशः सेविते वीरैर्विद्याधरगणैर्वरैः।जगाम वायुमार्गे तु गरुत्मानिव मारुतिः।।5.1.180।।
vahatā havyam atyardhaṁ sevite citrabhānunā |
grahanakṣatra-candrārka-tārāgaṇa-vibhūṣite ||5.1.177||
It was attended by Citrabhānu, the Fire-god, bearing the oblation in great abundance, and it was adorned with the planets, the constellations, the moon and the sun, and with multitudes of stars.
Hanuman passed through the path of wind like Garuda. The region was refreshed with clouds that released torrents of rain and frequented by birds. The great masters of music (Tumburu, Narada and Gandharvas) trained in Kasika moved there driven by lions, elephants, tigers, birds and serpents and were moving in different aerial vehicles. It was splendid with god at fire who strikes fiercely like thunderbolt. It was inhabited by great sages who had acquired merit. The region was traversed by firegod who carried havis in large quantities earnestly. It was decorated with planets, constellations, Moon, Sun and clusters of stars. It was filled with groups of greal sages, gandharvas, nagas and yakshas. It was isolated part of the universe traversed by the king of gandharvas like Vishvavasu. It was an auspicious path for Moon and Sun, a sporting ground for Airavata, the vehicle of lord Indra. It was an extensive world of living beings created by Brahma. It was frequented by many heroes ascending to heaven and blocked by vidyadharas.
By depicting Agni carrying havya (sacrificial offerings), the verse points to the Vedic order where rightful action (yajña, duty) sustains harmony between worlds—an image of dharma as cosmic and moral maintenance.
Satya is implied as the dependable order of reality: the fixed courses and presence of Sun, Moon, planets, and stars symbolize a truthful, lawful cosmos—mirroring the Ramayana’s ideal that righteous beings move within an ordered moral universe.