# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 13 — The abhiṣeka awaits Daśaratha *Priests and dignitaries gather with the sacred waters, the King fails to appear and Sumantra is sent for Rāma* Portion: Rāma accepts the exile · Verses: 28 · Ref format: 2.13. ## Sequence - The narrative returns to the people waiting for the ceremony: priests, ministers, commanders, and civic leaders assemble after the night has passed (13.1–2) - sacred waters, including water from the Gaṅgā–Yamunā confluence, are gathered with the offerings; the throne, tiger skin, white parasol, fan, ceremonial animals, maidens, and musicians are ready (13.3–12) - when Daśaratha fails to appear, the gathering asks who will announce them, and Sumantra approaches the inner apartments (13.13–19) - Daśaratha says he has not been asleep and again orders Rāma brought to him (13.20–23) - Sumantra proceeds through the decorated city to Rāma's crowded residence (13.24–28). ## Verses **2.13.1** te tu tāṃ rajanīm uṣya brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ upatasthur upasthānaṃ saharājapurohitāḥ Having passed that night, those brahmins, masters of the Vedas, together with the royal chaplains, came to the assembly-hall. **2.13.2** amātyā balamukhyāś ca mukhyā ye nigamasya ca rāghavasyābhiṣekārthe prīyamāṇās tu saṃgatāḥ The ministers, the chief army-commanders, and those who were foremost of the town gathered together, rejoicing, for the sake of Rāghava's consecration. **2.13.3** udite vimale sūrye puṣye cābhyāgate 'hani abhiṣekāya rāmasya dvijendrair upakalpitam When the spotless sun had risen and the day had come with the moon in Puṣya, everything was prepared by the chief brahmins for Rāma's consecration: **2.13.4** kāñcanā jalakumbhāś ca bhadrapīṭhaṃ svalaṃkṛtam rāmaś ca samyagāstīrṇo bhāsvarā vyāghracarmaṇā golden water-jars, and a well-adorned auspicious throne, delightful and well spread over with a gleaming tiger-skin; **2.13.5** gaṅgāyamunayoḥ puṇyāt saṃgamād āhṛtaṃ jalam yāś cānyāḥ saritaḥ puṇyā hradāḥ kūpāḥ sarāṃsi ca water brought from the holy confluence of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā, and whatever other holy rivers there were, and lakes, wells, and ponds— **2.13.6** prāgvāhāś cordhvavāhāś ca tiryagvāhāḥ samāhitāḥ tābhyaś caivāhṛtaṃ toyaṃ samudrebhyaś ca sarvaśaḥ those flowing eastward, those flowing upward, and those flowing crosswise, duly gathered—from these, and from the oceans on every side, water too was brought. **2.13.7** kṣaudraṃ dadhighṛtaṃ lājā dharbhāḥ sumanasaḥ payaḥ salājāḥ kṣīribhiś channā ghaṭāḥ kāñcanarājatāḥ padmotpalayutā bhānti pūrṇāḥ paramavāriṇā Honey, curds and ghee, parched grain, darbha grass, flowers, milk; and gold and silver jars, holding parched grain and covered over with branches of milk-trees, furnished with lotuses and water-lilies and brimming with the finest water, gleamed. **2.13.8** candrāṃśuvikacaprakhyaṃ pāṇḍuraṃ ratnabhūṣitam sajjaṃ tiṣṭhati rāmasya vālavyajanam uttamam An excellent yak-tail fan, white and adorned with gems, gleaming like the opened rays of the moon, stands ready for Rāma. **2.13.9** candramaṇḍalasaṃkāśam ātapatraṃ ca pāṇḍuram sajjaṃ dyutikaraṃ śrīmad abhiṣekapuraskṛtam And a white parasol, resembling the disc of the moon, radiant and splendid, stands ready, set foremost for the consecration. **2.13.10** pāṇḍuraś ca vṛṣaḥ sajjaḥ pāṇḍurāśvaś ca susthitaḥ prasrutaś ca gajaḥ śrīmān aupavāhyaḥ pratīkṣate A white bull stands ready, and a white horse stands firmly in place; and a splendid rutting elephant, fit to be ridden, waits in attendance. **2.13.11** aṣṭau kanyāś ca maṅgalyāḥ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ vāditrāṇi ca sarvāṇi bandinaś ca tathāpare And eight auspicious maidens, adorned with every ornament, and all the musical instruments, and likewise the other bards (were ready). **2.13.12** ikṣvākūṇāṃ yathā rājye saṃbhriyetābhiṣecanam tathā jātīyām ādāya rājaputrābhiṣecanam Just as, in the kingdom of the Ikṣvākus, a consecration is customarily furnished, so, taking up (materials) of that same kind, the prince's consecration was made ready. **2.13.13** te rājavacanāt tatra samavetā mahīpatim apaśyanto 'bruvan ko nu rājño naḥ prativedayet Assembled there at the king's command and not seeing him, they said: “Who now will announce us to the king?” **2.13.14** na paśyāmaś ca rājānam uditaś ca divākaraḥ yauvarājyābhiṣekaś ca sajjo rāmasya dhīmataḥ “We do not see the king, and the sun has risen, and the consecration of wise Rāma to the heir-apparency is all ready.” **2.13.15** iti teṣu bruvāṇeṣu sārvabhaumān mahīpatīn abravīt tān idaṃ sarvān sumantro rājasatkṛtaḥ While they were speaking thus, Sumantra, honored by the king, said this to all those sovereign lords of the earth: **2.13.16** ayaṃ pṛcchāmi vacanāt sukham āyuṣmatām aham rājñaḥ saṃpratibuddhasya yac cāgamanakāraṇam “At (your) word, I here go to ask the now-awakened king after the welfare of you long-lived ones, and what the reason of your coming is.” **2.13.17** ity uktvāntaḥpuradvāram ājagāma purāṇavit āśīrbhir guṇayuktābhir abhituṣṭāva rāghavam Having spoken thus, the knower of ancient lore came to the door of the inner apartments and extolled the Rāghava (king) with fitting benedictions. **2.13.18** gatā bhagavatī rātrirahaḥ śivam upasthitam budhyasva nṛpaśārdūla kuru kāryam anantaram “The blessed night has passed, the auspicious day has come; awake, O tiger among kings, and do next what must be done. **2.13.19** brāhmaṇā balamukhyāś ca naigamāś cāgatā nṛpa darśanaṃ pratikāṅkṣante pratibudhyasva rāghava The brahmins, the chief commanders, and the townsmen have come, O king; they await an audience—awake, O Rāghava.” **2.13.20** stuvantaṃ taṃ tadā sūtaṃ sumantraṃ mantrakovidam pratibudhya tato rājā idaṃ vacanam abravīt Then the king, awaking, spoke these words to that charioteer Sumantra, skilled in counsel, as he was extolling him: **2.13.21** na caiva saṃprasuto 'ham ānayed āśu rāghavam iti rājā daśarathaḥ sūtaṃ tatrānvaśāt punaḥ “I am not asleep at all; let one quickly bring the Rāghava (Rāma)”—thus King Daśaratha again commanded the charioteer there. **2.13.22** sa rājavacanaṃ śrutvā śirasā pratipūjya tam nirjagāma nṛpāvāsān manyamānaḥ priyaṃ mahat Hearing the king's command and honoring him with a bow of his head, he went forth from the king's dwelling, deeming it a great favor. **2.13.23** prapanno rājamārgaṃ ca patākā dhvajaśobhitam sa sūtas tatra śuśrāva rāmādhikaraṇāḥ kathāḥ Reaching the royal highway, adorned with pennants and banners, the charioteer there heard talk that had Rāma for its subject. **2.13.24** tato dadarśa ruciraṃ kailāsasadṛśaprabham rāmaveśma sumantras tu śakraveśmasamaprabham Then Sumantra beheld Rāma's lovely mansion, whose splendor was like Kailāsa's, radiant as the palace of Indra: **2.13.25** mahākapāṭapihitaṃ vitardiśataśobhitam kāñcanapratimaikāgraṃ maṇividrumatoraṇam closed with great door-panels, adorned with hundreds of raised terraces, its foremost points crowned with golden images, its archways of gems and coral, **2.13.26** śāradābhraghanaprakhyaṃ dīptaṃ meruguhopamam dāmabhir varamālyānāṃ sumahadbhir alaṃkṛtam resembling a dense autumn cloud, gleaming, like a cavern of Mount Meru, adorned with very great festoons of the finest garlands. **2.13.27** sa vājiyuktena rathena sārathir narākulaṃ rājakulaṃ vilokayan tataḥ samāsādya mahādhanaṃ mahat prahṛṣṭaromā sa babhūva sārathiḥ That charioteer, in his horse-yoked chariot, gazing at the royal palace thronged with people, then reaching that great and richly furnished mansion, became thrilled, his body-hair bristling with joy. **2.13.28** tad adrikūṭācalameghasaṃnibhaṃ mahāvimānottamaveśmasaṃghavat avāryamāṇaḥ praviveśa sārathiḥ prabhūtaratnaṃ makaro yathārṇavam The charioteer entered, unhindered, that mansion—resembling a mountain-peak or a motionless cloud, holding a cluster of great and splendid palatial buildings and abounding in gems—as a sea-monster enters the gem-filled ocean.