Shloka 9
Trikūṭa Mountain, Ṛtumat Garden, and the Beginning of Gajendra’s Crisis
तस्य द्रोण्यां भगवतो वरुणस्य महात्मन: । उद्यानमृतुमन्नाम आक्रीडं सुरयोषिताम् ॥ ९ ॥ सर्वतोऽलङ्कृतं दिव्यैर्नित्यपुष्पफलद्रुमै: । मन्दारै: पारिजातैश्च पाटलाशोकचम्पकै: ॥ १० ॥ चूतै: पियालै: पनसैराम्रैराम्रातकैरपि । क्रमुकैर्नारिकेलैश्च खर्जूरैर्बीजपूरकै: ॥ ११ ॥ मधुकै: शालतालैश्च तमालैरसनार्जुनै: । अरिष्टोडुम्बरप्लक्षैर्वटै: किंशुकचन्दनै: ॥ १२ ॥ पिचुमर्दै: कोविदारै: सरलै: सुरदारुभि: । द्राक्षेक्षुरम्भाजम्बुभिर्बदर्यक्षाभयामलै: ॥ १३ ॥
tasya droṇyāṁ bhagavato varuṇasya mahātmanaḥ udyānam ṛtuman nāma ākrīḍaṁ sura-yoṣitām
Di sebuah lembah Trikūṭa terdapat taman bernama Ṛtumat milik Varuṇa, mahātmā dan bhakta agung; taman itu menjadi tempat bersuka ria para bidadari dewa. Ia dihiasi pepohon surgawi yang sentiasa berbunga dan berbuah sepanjang musim: mandāra, pārijāta, pāṭala, aśoka, campaka; cūta, piyāla, panasa, mangga, āmrātaka, kramuka, kelapa, kurma, delima; madhuka, śāla, palma, tamāla, asana, arjuna, ariṣṭa, uḍumbara, plakṣa, beringin, kiṁśuka, cendana; serta picumarda, kovidāra, sarala, deodara, anggur, tebu, pisang, jambu, badarī, akṣa, abhayā dan āmalakī.
FAQs
Ṛtumat is described as a famous pleasure-garden in a valley belonging to Lord Varuṇa, where the wives of the demigods would sport.
He sets the scene for the events leading to Gajendra’s crisis—describing the divine environment where the elephant later enters and encounters danger.
Even the most beautiful, comfortable surroundings can change suddenly; lasting shelter is found through remembrance and surrender to the Supreme.