Chapter 72
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
तम् उक्तवंतम् वैदेहम् विश्ह्वामित्रो महामुनिः
उवाछ वछनम् वीरम् वसिष्ह्ठ सहितो नृपम्
tam uktavaṃtam vaideham viśhvāmitro mahāmuniḥ
uvācha vachanam vīram vasiṣhṭha sahito nṛpam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then the eminent-saint Vishvamitra together with Vashishta said these words to Janaka, the valiant king of Videha, who has just said about his lineage. [1-72-1]
अछिंत्यानि अप्रमेयाणि कुलानि नरपुंगव
इक्ष्ह्वाकूणाम् विदेहानाम् न एष्हाम् तुल्यो अस्ति कश्ह्छन
achiṃtyāni aprameyāṇi kulāni narapuṃgava
ikṣhvākūṇām videhānām na eṣhām tulyo asti kaśhchana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The Ikshvaku-s and Videha-s are unimaginably admirable and immeasurably distinguished dynasties, oh, Janaka, the best one among all men, there is no single king comparable to one from these dynasties... [1-72-2]
सदृश्हो धर्म संबन्धः सदृश्हो रूप संपदा
राम लक्ष्ह्मणयो राजन् सीता छ ऊर्मिलया सह
sadṛśho dharma saṃbandhaḥ sadṛśho rūpa saṃpadā
rāma lakṣhmaṇayo rājan sītā cha ūrmilayā saha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, king Janaka, these espousals of Seetha with Rama and Urmila with Lakshmana is behovely to each other's dynastical prestige and even it is befitting to the winsome charms of the brides and bridegrooms, but that being so... [1-72-3]
वक्तव्यम् छ नर श्ह्रेष्ह्ठ श्ह्रूयताम् वछनम् मम
भ्राता यवीयान् धर्मज्ञ एष्ह राजा कुश्हध्वजः
vaktavyam cha nara śhreṣhṭha śhrūyatām vachanam mama
bhrātā yavīyān dharmajña eṣha rājā kuśhadhvajaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, grand sire, you may listen to my words of advise... this younger brother of yours, king Kushadhvaja, is at home in every kind of probity... [1-72-4]
अस्य धर्मात्मनो राजन् रूपेण अप्रतिमम् भुवि
सुता द्वयम् नरश्ह्रेष्ह्ठ पत्नि अर्थम् वरयामहे
asya dharmātmano rājan rūpeṇa apratimam bhuvi
sutā dvayam naraśhreṣhṭha patni artham varayāmahe
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, king, the pair of daughters of this right-minded Kushadhvaja is nonpareil in comeliness in this world, hence, oh, grand sire, we choose to pair them off with Bharata and Shatrughna... [1-72-5]
भरतस्य कुमारस्य श्हत्रुघ्नस्य छ धीमतः
वरयेम सुते राजन् तयोः अर्थे महात्मनोः
bharatasya kumārasya śhatrughnasya cha dhīmataḥ
varayema sute rājan tayoḥ arthe mahātmanoḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, king, for the sake of those two honourable boys, for that young man Bharata and for that smart man Shatrughna, we opt your brother's daughters... [1-72-6]
पुत्रा दश्हरथस्य इमे रूप यौवन श्हालिनः
लोक पाल समाः सर्वे देव तुल्य पराक्रमाः
putrā daśharathasya ime rūpa yauvana śhālinaḥ
loka pāla samāḥ sarve deva tulya parākramāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"All these four sons of Dasharatha have handsomeness and youthfulness, and they are equal to the four rulers of the world from four quarters, and their valour vies with the valour of God Vishnu... [1-72-7]
उभयोः अपि राजेन्द्र संबन्धेन अनुबध्यताम्
इक्ष्ह्वाकु कुलम् अव्यग्रम् भवतः पुण्य कर्मणः
ubhayoḥ api rājendra saṃbandhena anubadhyatām
ikṣhvāku kulam avyagram bhavataḥ puṇya karmaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, best king, let both theses dynasties of yours, the impeccable dynasty of Ikshvaku-s and the immaculate dynasty of yours as well, be interlocked by these wedlock-s..." Thus Vishvamitra advised Janaka. [1-72-8]
विश्ह्वामित्र वछः श्ह्रुत्वा वसिष्ह्ठस्य मते तदा
जनकः प्रांजलिः वाक्यम् उवाछ मुनिपुंगवौ
viśhvāmitra vachaḥ śhrutvā vasiṣhṭhasya mate tadā
janakaḥ prāṃjaliḥ vākyam uvācha munipuṃgavau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On hearing the words of Vishvamitra that have the concurrence of Vashishta then Janaka reverently said this to those two eminent-saints. [1-72-9]
कुलम् धन्यम् इदम् मन्ये येष्हाम् तौ मुनिपुंगवौ
सदृश्हम् कुल संबन्धम् यत् आज्ञापयथः स्वयम्
kulam dhanyam idam manye yeṣhām tau munipuṃgavau
sadṛśham kula saṃbandham yat ājñāpayathaḥ svayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"By which reason you two eminent-saints personally bid fair to this befitting proposal, thereby I opine that my dynasty is highly honoured... [1-72-10]
एवम् भवतु भद्रम् वः कुश्हध्वज सुते इमे
पत्न्यौ भजेताम् सहितौ श्हत्रुघ्न भरतौ उभौ
evam bhavatu bhadram vaḥ kuśhadhvaja sute ime
patnyau bhajetām sahitau śhatrughna bharatau ubhau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"So be it! Safe betides you all! Let the pair of Kushdhvaja's daughters, namely Maandavi, Shrutakiirti, devout themselves as a pair of wives to the paired brothers, namely Bharata and Shatrughna, respectively... [1-72-11]
एक अह्ना राज पुत्रीणाम् छतसॄणाम् महामुने
पाणीन् गृह्णन्तु छत्वारो राज पुत्रा महाबलाः
eka ahnā rāja putrīṇām chatasṝṇām mahāmune
pāṇīn gṛhṇantu chatvāro rāja putrā mahābalāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, eminent-saint Vishvamitra, let the palms of four princesses be taken in the palms of these four mettlesome princes in marriage, in the light of one day... [1-72-12]
उत्तरे दिवसे ब्रह्मन् फल्गुनीभ्याम् मनीष्हिणः
वैवाहिकम् प्रश्हंसन्ति भगो यत्र प्रजापतिः
uttare divase brahman phalgunībhyām manīṣhiṇaḥ
vaivāhikam praśhaṃsanti bhago yatra prajāpatiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Brahman, the savants acclaim that part of the day as the best for wedding ceremonies when both of the pre-Phalguni and post-Phalguni stars are available, and on such a time where post-Phalguni is ruling, for which Bhaga is the presiding deity for progeny..." So said Janaka to the marriage party. [1-72-13]
PURPORT
एवम् उक्त्वा वछः सौंयम् प्रत्युत्थाय कृतांजलिः
उभौ मुनि वरौ राजा जनको वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
evam uktvā vachaḥ sauṃyam pratyutthāya kṛtāṃjaliḥ
ubhau muni varau rājā janako vākyam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On saying those gracious words thus, king Janaka got up from his throne and coming nigh of both of the eminent-saints, Vishvamitra and Vashishta, reverently said this sentence. [1-72-14]
परो धर्मः कृतो मह्यम् श्हिष्ह्यो अस्मि भवतोः सदा
इमानि आसन मुख्यानि आस्यताम् मुनिपुंगवौ
paro dharmaḥ kṛto mahyam śhiṣhyo asmi bhavatoḥ sadā
imāni āsana mukhyāni āsyatām munipuṃgavau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You two, oh, eminent-saints, have done an excellent generous act in my respect, thus I will ever remain your proselyte... you may please preside over these thrones, that of mine, my brother's, and that of Dasharatha... [1-72-15]
PURPORT
यथा दश्हरथस्य इयम् तथा अयोध्या पुरी मम
प्रभुत्वे न अस्ति सन्देहो यथा अर्हम् कर्तुम् अर्हथः
yathā daśharathasya iyam tathā ayodhyā purī mama
prabhutve na asti sandeho yathā arham kartum arhathaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"As to how this city Mithila appertains to Dasharatha, in the same way city of Ayodhya is mine... and there shall be no hesitancy for you two sages in governance on these three kingdoms, thus it will be apt of you to make the marriages happen as aptly as you can..." So said Janaka to the sages. [1-72-16]
तथा ब्रुवति वैदेहे जनके रघु नंदनः
राजा दश्हरथो हृष्ह्टः प्रत्युवाछ मही पतिम्
tathā bruvati vaidehe janake raghu naṃdanaḥ
rājā daśharatho hṛṣhṭaḥ pratyuvācha mahī patim
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The legatee of Raghu-s king Dasharatha is gladdened while the legatee of Videha is talking in such a hobnobbing way, and he replied king Janaka in this way. [1-72-17]
युवाम् असंख्येय गुणौ भ्रातरौ मिथिलेश्ह्वरौ
ऋष्हयो राज संघाः छ भवद्भ्याम् अभिपूजिताः
yuvām asaṃkhyeya guṇau bhrātarau mithileśhvarau
ṛṣhayo rāja saṃghāḥ cha bhavadbhyām abhipūjitāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, kings of Mithila, Janaka and Kushadhvaja, you two brothers have reverenced inestimable sages and coteries of kings, as such inestimable good manners are treasured in both of you... [1-72-18]
PURPORT
स्वस्ति प्राप्नुहि भद्रम् ते गमिष्ह्यामः स्वम् आलयम्
श्ह्राद्ध कर्माणि विधिवत् विधास्य इति छ अब्रवीत्
svasti prāpnuhi bhadram te gamiṣhyāmaḥ svam ālayam
śhrāddha karmāṇi vidhivat vidhāsya iti cha abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Enjoy that blessedness! Let safe betide you! We now depart to our visitatorial-palace, and we shall customarily carry out the tributary rituals..." Dasharatha said thus. [1-72-19]
तम् आपृष्ह्ट्वा नर पतिम् राजा दश्हरथः तदा
मुनीन्द्रौ तौ पुरस्कृत्य जगाम आश्हु महायश्हाः
tam āpṛṣhṭvā nara patim rājā daśharathaḥ tadā
munīndrau tau puraskṛtya jagāma āśhu mahāyaśhāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On seeking leave of absence from the sovereign of people, Janaka, that highly renowned king Dasharatha promptly departed from there, keeping both of the eminent-saints afore, namely Vishvamitra and Vashishta. [1-72-20]
स गत्वा निलयम् राजा श्ह्राद्धम् कृत्वा विधानतः
प्रभाते काल्यम् उत्थाय छक्रे गो दानम् उत्तमम्
sa gatvā nilayam rājā śhrāddham kṛtvā vidhānataḥ
prabhāte kālyam utthāya chakre go dānam uttamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
King Dasharatha on going to his visitatorial-palace has procedurally undertaken the tributary rituals, and on getting up in the next morning, he carried out the initiatory rituals of marriages, in a grand way, in which donation of cows is a part. [1-72-21]
गवाम् श्हत सहस्रम् छ ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नराधिपः
एक एकश्हो ददौ राजा पुत्रान् उद्धिश्ह्य धर्मतः
gavām śhata sahasram cha brāhmaṇebhyo narādhipaḥ
eka ekaśho dadau rājā putrān uddhiśhya dharmataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That lord of people king Dasharatha has righteously donated hundred thousand cows to Brahman-s, in the name of each of his four sons. [1-72-22]
सुवर्ण श्हृंगयः संपन्नाः स वत्साः कांस्य दोहनाः
गवाम् श्हत सहस्राणि छत्वारि पुरुष्ह ऋष्हभः
suvarṇa śhṛṃgayaḥ saṃpannāḥ sa vatsāḥ kāṃsya dohanāḥ
gavām śhata sahasrāṇi chatvāri puruṣha ṛṣhabhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In that cow donation ceremony intended for his sons, he that best one among men and the one who is affectionate towards his sons, Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, has donated on behalf of each of his sons, four hundred thousand cows, that are abundant milkers, and that have golden casings on their horns, and that are with their calves, and along with milking jugs made with bell metal, and he even donated very many other kinds of assets to Brahmans. [1-72-23, 24]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे द्वि सप्ततितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe dvi saptatitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On performing the cow donations and samaavartna, snaataka , the initiatory ceremonies of his sons, as well, he that serene king Dasharatha who is amidst the quartet of his sons, shone forth like serene Brahma, who is quartet-faced, with the quartet of Veda-s, and who is the overlord of mankind, amidst the quartet of presiding deities in the quartet of the world. [1-72-25]