Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 83: Bharata Reaches Śṛṅgiberapura
Text 2.83.3
नवनागसहस्राणि कल्पितानि यथाविधि।
अन्वयुर्भरतं यान्तमिक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनम्॥
nava-nāga-sahasrāṇi kalpitāni yathā-vidhi
anvayur bharataṁ yāntam ikṣvāku-kula-nandanam
nava-nāga-sahasrāṇi = nine thousand elephants; kalpitāni = that had been prepared for the journey; yathā-vidhi = according to Bharata’s instructions; anvayuḥ = followed; bharatam yāntam = as He was proceeding; ikṣvāku-kula-nandanam = that beloved son of the Ikṣvāku dynasty.
Nine thousand elephants that had been prepared for the journey according to Bharata’s instructions followed that beloved son of the Ikṣvāku dynasty as He was proceeding.
Nava-nāga-sahasrāṇi indicates that only nine thousand elephants in the city were prepared for the journey.