महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

35] Act II, Daṇḍakā Revisited — Translation [—ii. 9²
these is commissioned the son of Lakshmaṇa, Chandraketu by name, who
has been initiated into the [traditional] knowledge of celestial missiles and
who is leading an army [fully] equipped in all its four divisions (aṅga).¹
Vāsantī, in curiosity and with tears of affection—Even Prince Lakshmaṇa
has a son, and I, O mother, am [still] living [to see it]!
Ātreyī—Meantime a Brahman lays down his dead son at the royal gate and
beating his breast proclaims that an outrage has been committed against
a Brahman. Then, since in the absence of some failing of the king himself
no untimely death can overtake any one of his people, our dear Rāma
mournfully began to examine [his past conduct to diseover] some fault of
his own: when all of a sudden an incorporeal voice broke forth—
'Tis Śambūka by name—a Śūdra—who on [this] earth is practising
penance. His head it behoves thee, O Rāma, to cut off: by killing
him bring thou the Brahman [boy] to life. 8
Hearing this, sword in hand and mounting his aerial car, Pushpaka,² the
Lord of the World [Rāma] has [now], in search of that Śūdra aseetic, begun
to traverse all the cardinal and intermediate points.
Vāsantī—A Śūdra, Śambūka by name, who inhales the smoke,³—in this
very Janasthāna does he practise penance. Can it then be that Rāma
dear⁴ will once again grace this forest [by his presence]?
Ātreyī—Kind lady, let me go now.
Vāsantī—So be it, honoured Ātreyī; for, the day has grown oppressive—
As the itching elephants⁵ rub their rounded temples against them,
[the trees] shaken violently shower down their flowers, [already]
through heat loosened from the stalks, and [with this shower] pay
[their midday] offering [as it were] to the [river] Godāvarī.
In their shade [are] these birds that, as they scrape [for food],
peck with their beak and drag forth insects [hidden] under the
bark; [perched] on their [tops are] these troops of fine pigeons
and [wild] fowl cooing [in languor]: such [now], along this
bank, are [all] these nesting-trees. 9
They move about and exeunt [severally].
END OF INTERLUDE.
¹ Elephants, horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers.
² Lit. '[light as] a flower'. It came into Rāma's possession after the victory of Laṅkā. The car was as swift as the mind, and obeyed automatically all the wishes of the rider.
³ By hanging from a tree head downwards.
⁴ He has become 'Rāma dear' again!
⁵ Their temples itch when they are in rut.