The topic of River Godavari came up for discussion 
recently in another forum. That brought memories of 
Kalidasa to me. After the victory over Ravana, 
Rama, Sita and Lakshmana were returning to Ayodhya in the 
Pushpaka vimaana. Then when they were flying over the river 
Godaavari, Rama uttered the following shlokaas. [The 
transliteration scheme is for Sanskrit.] These are some 
of the most beautiful shlokas in Raghuvamsha. Enjoy!

amuur-vimaana+a.ntara-la.mbineenaaM
shR^itvaa svanaM kaa.nchana-ki.nkiNeenaam.h
prati+udvraja.nti+iva kham-utpa.ntayo-
godaavaree-saarasa-pa.nktayastvaam.h

In the inner recesses of the plane, 
the golden bells are ringing; 
may be they have listened to the sounds, 
the cranes of godaavari are flying to greet us!

eshhaa tvayaa peshala-madhya-yaapi
ghataa.mbu-saMvardhita-baala-chuutaa
aana.ndayati+unmukha-kR^ishhNa-saaraa
dR^ishhTaa chiraat-pa.nchavaTee mano me

Though frail and thin-waisted, you still carried 
the pot and watered the young mango plants;
Do you see them and those deer with raised heads?
O, there's the panchavati that we haven't seen 
for a long long time!

atra+anugodaM mR^igayaa nivR^ittaH+
tara.nga-vaatena vineeta-khedaH
rahaH+tvat+utsa.nga-nishhaNNa-muurdhaa
smaraami vaaneera-gR^iheshhu suptaH

In those days, after hunting, I used to get tired;
the moist breeze of Godaavari soothed me then; 
Do you remember, in that bamboo grove, 
I used to doze off with my head in your laps!