Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 26: Rāma Meets Sītā and Instructs Her
Text 2.26.15
चतुर्भिर्वेगसम्पन्नैर्हयैः काञ्चनभूषितैः।
मुख्यः पुष्यरथो युक्तः किं न गच्छति तेऽग्रतः॥
caturbhir vega-sampannair hayaiḥ kāñcana-bhūṣitaiḥ
mukhyaḥ puṣya-ratho yuktaḥ kiṁ na gacchati te ’grataḥ
caturbhiḥ = with four; vega-sampannaiḥ = fast-paced; hayaiḥ = horses; kāñcana-bhūṣitaiḥ = decorated in gold; mukhyaḥ = an excellent; puṣya-rathaḥ = festival chariot; yuktaḥ = and yoked; kim = why; na gacchati = doesn’t come; te = of You; agrataḥ = in front.
“Why doesn’t an excellent festival chariot decorated in gold and yoked with four fast-paced horses come in front of You?
Puṣya-rathaḥ (“festival chariot”) refers to one constructed for a festival. It is used only for travel, not in war: asau puṣya-rathaś cakra-yānaṁ na samarāya yat (Amara). Such a chariot is drawn before the king’s chariot.