Entering the extensive forest of Dandaka, the irrepressible and self-composed Rāma saw the collection of asylums belonging to the ascetics, strewn with Kusa and bark, and environed by spiritual energy; incapable of being beheld; like the solar disc in the heavens, the refuge of all creatures with their ornamented yards; filled with a great many deer, and abounding in multitudes of birds; in which Apsaras always danced and which they held in respect; (asylums) beauteous with spacious rooms for fire sacrifice, with sacrificial necessaries, deer-skins, Kusa, faggots, water-pitchers, fruits and roots; surrounded by mighty and sacred fcrest-trees; crowned with lucious fruits; honoured with Bali and homa*; holy; resounding with the sounds of Vedic recitations; scattered with divers blossoms; and containing tanks filled with lotuses; with ancient ascetics living on fruits and roots, having their senses under control, wearing bark and black deer-skins, and possessing the splendour of the sun or fire; and adorued by great and holy sages living upon regulated fare.
प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं दण्डकारण्यमात्मवान्। रामो ददर्श दुर्धर्षस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम्॥ कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्मलक्ष्म्या समावृतम्। यथा प्रदीप्तं दुर्दर्श गगने सूर्यमण्डलम्॥ शरण्यं सर्वभूतानां सुसंमृष्टाजिरं सदा। मृगैर्बहुभिराकीर्णं पक्षिसंधैः समावृतम्॥ पूजितं चोपनृत्तं च नित्यमप्सरस गणैः। विशालैरग्निशरणैः स्रग्भाण्डैरजिनैः कुशैः॥ समिद्भिस्तोयकलशैः फलमूलैश्च शोभितम्। आरण्यैश्च महावृक्षैः पुण्यैः स्वादुफलैर्वृतम्॥ बलिहोमार्चितं पुण्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम्। पुष्पैश्चान्यैः परिक्षिप्तं पद्मिन्या च सपाया॥ फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरैः। सूर्यवैश्वानराभैश्च पुराणैर्मुनिभिर्युतम्।७।।