Hari Om.
Let us begin the eightieth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The royal assembly meets for the first time after the twin tragedies struck ayOdhyA under the leadership of prince bharata. The prince was requested to anoint himself as the king in the absence of rAma and take the reigns in his hand so as to ensure the safety of the kingdom. The graceful prince, well versed in the traditions of the hallowed ikshvAkus, flatly and outright refuses any such intention in him and says, he intends to go and bring back rAma from the forest and that he should anointed by the king. In fact, he orders construction of a highway right away so that the four fold forces can go and bring rAma back with due ceremony. They could crown him rAma in the forest itself by going there with all the paraphernalia needed for the crowning ceremony! The council applauds bharata’s move. Their desire to see rAma as the king found spontaneous and magnified expression in the sincere statement of the prince bharata. Onwards…
Upon the orders of bharata, immediately land surveyors, planning experts, expert excavators, engineers, laborers, architects, expert mechanics, carpenters, civil workers, tree cutters, well drillers, painters, able supervisors and those skilled in bamboo work swung into action and proceeded from the city to work on laying the road to the forest to bring rAma back.
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।।
A large number of skilled people enthusiastically rushed to do the work of laying the road. The road layers left ahead of other workers along with their tools. Their swift movement was reminiscent of the hightide in the ocean on the days of full moon and no moon. Then those experts in pruning and cutting of trees and shrubs followed to work on paving the road. As they laid road, some cut trees that were on the way while others planted trees where there were none. Some among them, who were energetic plucked deep rooted grass from the way while yet others worked on the terrain to make it pliable. Some of them filled the potholes with soil while others broke the boundaries of small water pools to drain the water and lay the road. Some of them made bridges across water bodies. In a short time they made large reservoirs of water on the way that looked like the sea! In arid places, they made provisions of water by building sumps and ponds filled with drinking water for people as well as the horses and elephants. They built nice platforms nearby for resting. The surface of the road was reinforced with mosaic and was curated with scented water. There were trees on either side fully blossomed and where variety of birds perched and chirped sweetly. Colorful banners sported on the roads and flowers were strewn making it resemble the way of the gods! Inns were built on the way for people to rest and they were decorated beautifully to appeal to the tastes of prince bharata.
The resting places for prince bharata that were built on the way were decked tastefully by experts and those places were fixed taking into account the comfort and planetary positions of the prince during his movement. These resting places were large and well made. They had comfortable thoroughfares within them and high rise buildings. They were decorated with fluttering flags and these sky scrapers looked like the abode of lord indra.
Thus laying the roads, making amenities for the comfort of travelers, building resting places for the commoners and the royal family, the glorious workers of ayOdhyA reached all the way to river gangA home of large fishes and cool waters; it’s banks replete with groves and forests. The road that these able men laid looked splendid and pleasing like the sky decorated with the moon and stars.
Here we conclude the eightieth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 2.81. bharata can’t be distracted
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 