अथ नारदो मिथिलां तदानीमेवागच्छत्
Then Nārada arrived in Mithilā at that very time.
विदेहोऽपि देवर्षिमभिपूज्य स्वागतं दृष्ट्वा भोजनं कारयित्वा। सुखासीनाय मुनये सघनसारं तांबूलं दत्वा व्यज्ञापयत्
Videha, honoring the divine sage, welcomed him, arranged a meal, and, after seating the sage comfortably, offered him fragrant betel and made a request.
श्वो विवाहे भवान्स्थातुमर्हति कारयितुं विवाहम्
Tomorrow, you should remain for the wedding and conduct the ceremony.
श्वो हि नक्षत्रं सूर्यनक्षत्रदर्शनं तत्र विवाहो न कर्तव्य इति
Tomorrow is the conjunction with the solar nakṣatra; the wedding should not be performed then.
अथ मौहूर्तिकं वृद्धगार्ग्यमाहूय राजा पप्रच्छ क्व विवाहमुहूर्तः
Then the king summoned the aged Gārgya, the astrologer, and asked, 'When is the auspicious moment for the wedding?'
श्व इति गार्ग्य उवाच
Gārgya replied, 'Tomorrow.'
राजा च नारदं गार्ग्यं चोदीक्ष्य भो इदमित्थमिति पप्रच्छ
The king, having looked at Nārada and Gārgya, asked them, 'Is it thus?'
अथ नारदो गार्ग्यमुवाच
Then Nārada spoke to Gārgya.
कथमुक्तं लग्नं दास्यसि
How will you declare the auspicious moment?
अथ गार्ग्यो विषघटिकाश्च विहाय लग्नं दास्यामि इत्युवाच
Then Gārgya said, 'Having set aside the inauspicious periods, I will declare the auspicious moment.'
नारदोपि ब्रह्मवचनानि किं न जानासीत्युक्तवान्गार्ग्यम्
Nārada also said to Gārgya, 'Do you not know the words of Brahmā?'
गार्ग्यस्तुष्टस्तान्दोषानपठत्
Gārgya, being pleased, recited those faults.
उल्का च ब्रह्मदंडश्च मोघः कंपस्तथैव च । सर्वकार्यविनाशाय दृष्टा वै ब्रह्मणा पुरा
A meteor, the staff of Brahmā, futility, and trembling—these have all been seen by Brahmā in the past as causes of the destruction of all undertakings.
प्रतिष्ठासु विवाहेषु मौंजीबंधाभिषेकतः । अन्येषु सर्वकार्येषु विषनाडीर्विवर्जयेत्
At installations, marriages, investitures with the sacred thread, consecrations, and all other undertakings, one should avoid the inauspicious periods.
अतः परं तु कार्य्याणां करणेन च दोषभाक् । विवाहादिषु कार्येषु दोषमेव वदाम्यतः
Therefore, in the performance of actions, one incurs fault; in works such as marriage, I declare only the fault.
उल्का दहेत्कुलं सर्वं ब्रह्मदंडो विनाशयेत् । मोघस्तु मरणा यस्यात्कंपः कंपाय कर्म्मणः
A meteor burns up the whole family; the staff of Brahmā brings destruction; futility causes death; trembling brings disturbance to the action.
इति नारदोक्तमाकर्ण्य गार्ग्यो मुनिर्मौनपरोऽभवत्
Hearing this statement of Nārada, the sage Gārgya became silent.
दध्यौ रविं ग्रहपतिं विहाय विषनाडीर्विवाहः क्रियतमिति
He meditated on the Sun, the lord of the planets, and said, 'Let the marriage be performed, setting aside the inauspicious periods.'
नारद उवाच- कथं ब्रह्मवचनम्
Nārada said: 'How is this the word of Brahmā?'
सूर्य उवाच- देशभेदेन व्यवस्थोदिता तदस्मिन्देशे विवाहो विषघटिकां विहाय कर्तव्य एव
The Sun said: 'The rule is established according to the region; in this land, the marriage must indeed be performed, setting aside the inauspicious period.'
नारदोप्यनुमेने
Nārada also agreed.
उवाच श्वः पराह्णे च क्षत्त्रविवाहश्च भवेदतः स्वयं वरार्थं नृपा आगच्छंतु तन्नृपदूतान्प्रेषय
He said, 'Tomorrow or the day after, let the kṣatriya marriage take place; therefore, let the kings themselves come for the sake of the bridegroom. Send messengers to those kings.'
अथ राजा दशरथानुमतेन सर्वानेव नृपानागमय्याचिंतयत् कथं सर्वानेव तिरस्कृत्य वैदेही रामाय देयेति
Then the king, with Daśaratha's approval, summoned all the kings and considered how, setting aside all others, to give Sītā to Rāma.
अथ रात्रौ मुहुर्मुहुर्निःश्वस्य निद्रालुरपि न निद्रामाप
Then, throughout the night, sighing again and again, though overcome by sleep, he did not obtain rest.
अथ मध्ये निशं राजा शुचिर्भूत्वा त्र्यंबकं सांबिकं मंगलदुकूलधारिणं कमलभवपुरुषोत्तमशक्र-प्रमुखनिखिलदेवैर्भृगुप्रमुखमुनिवरैर्हाहाप्रमुखगंधर्वैस्तुंबुरुप्रमुखैश्च श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहासपुराणैर्मूर्तिमद्भिश्च सिद्धविद्याधरादिमातृकागणैश्च नंदीप्रमुखगणैश्च सेव्यमान पादकमलं सर्वामंगलपरिमोचकमतिपुण्यसलिलया गंगया निष्कलं केन चंद्रमसा सेव्यमान शिरोभागं वामांकारूढया गिरिजया प्रदीयमानवीटिं सहासं सकामं सहावेक्षणमाददानं गोक्षीरसदृशं प्रतिकूलकस्तूरिकासदृशकंठं मृदुसूक्ष्मस्निग्धजटाभिर्विरचितकपर्दं विशुद्धकार्तस्वरकुंडलोपशोभितगंडभागं द्विरष्टवर्षवयसं गोक्षीरसदृश स्थूलमुक्ताफलकौसुंभवर्णांचलेनावेष्टितशिरोभागं विविधरत्नविरचितकार्तस्वरभूषितवक्षःस्थलमतिधवलोपवीतेनोपशोभितशरीरमंबिकानुलग्नकुंकुमारुणसुगंधिशरीरमीक्षमाणं तर्जमानकाममार्गणं कोटिकंदर्पसदृशं मनसाचिंतयत्
Then, in the middle of the night, the king, having purified himself, meditated upon Tryambaka, the Lord with Ambika, adorned in auspicious garments, worshipped by all the gods led by Brahma, Vishnu, and Indra, by the foremost sages headed by Bhrigu, by the Gandharvas led by Haha and Tumburu, by the personified Vedas, Smritis, Itihasas, and Puranas, by Siddhas, Vidyadharas, the groups of Mothers, by the Ganas led by Nandi, whose lotus feet are served, who is the remover of all misfortune, whose head is worshipped by the pure Ganga with her supremely meritorious waters and by the moon, who is attended by Girija seated on his left thigh, who is offered betel leaf, who smiles, who looks with desire and laughter, whose complexion is like cow's milk, whose throat is dark as musk, whose matted locks are soft, fine, and oily, forming a crest, whose cheeks are adorned with pure golden earrings, who appears as a youth of sixteen, whose head is wrapped with a cloth the color of thick pearls and saffron, whose chest is decorated with various jewel-encrusted golden ornaments, whose body shines with a pure white sacred thread, whose body is fragrant with the red saffron powder from Ambika, who glances at the threatening arrows of Kama, whose mind is as proud as a crore of Cupids—the king contemplated him thus.
जजाप शतरुद्रियं जुहाव च तेनैव कामाहुतीः प्रास्तुवच्च पुरुषसूक्तेन
He recited the Śatarudriya hymn, offered oblations to desire with it, and praised with the Puruṣa Sūkta.
अथ तादृश एव महेश्वरस्तत्र प्रादुरभूत्
Then, just so, Maheshvara manifested there.
अथ राजा नमस्कृत्यास्तुवीत
Then the king, having bowed, began to praise him.
राजोवाच- क्षितिसलिलगगनपवनदहनरविशशियजमानमूर्तिभिरष्टमूर्ते विश्वमूर्ते लोकमूर्त्ते त्रिभुवनमूर्ते वेदपुराणमूर्त्ते यज्ञमूर्ते स्तोत्रमूर्त्ते शास्त्रमूर्त्तेस्वधामूर्त्ते नारायणमूर्त्ते सर्वदेवतामूर्त्ते त्रयीमयत्रयीप्रमाणत्रयीनेत्रसा-मप्रियवसुधाराप्रियभक्तिप्रियभक्तसुलभाभक्तविदूरस्तुतिप्रिय धूपप्रिय दीपप्रिय घृतक्षीरप्रिय द्रो णकरवीरप्रिय श्रीपत्रप्रिय कमलकह्लारप्रिय नंद्यावर्तप्रिय बकुलप्रिय यूथिकाप्रिय कोकनदप्रिय ग्रीष्मजलावासप्रिय यमनियमप्रिय नियतेंद्रियप्रिय जपप्रिय श्राद्धप्रिय गायनप्रिय गायत्रीप्रिय पंचब्रह्मप्रिय सदाचारप्रिय गोत्रोत्सादिकमलभवहरिहरनयनसमर्चित पादकमलजयप्रद हरिप्रार्थितजलोत्पादितचक्रप्रदर्शकृत्स्मृतियुक्तिप्रद स्मृतमंगलप्रद मृत्युञ्जय नमस्ते नमस्ते
The king said: O Lord of eight forms—earth, water, sky, wind, fire, sun, moon, and sacrificer! O form of the universe, form of the worlds, form of the three worlds, form of the Vedas and Puranas, form of sacrifice, form of praise, form of scripture, form of offering, form of Narayana, form of all the gods! Embodiment of the three Vedas, measure of the three Vedas, three-eyed one, beloved of the earth, dear to devotion, easily attained by devotees, distant from the non-devoted, fond of praise, incense, lamps, clarified butter, milk, droṇa measure, Śrī-patra, lotus, water-lily, Nandyāvarta flower, bakula, jasmine, red lotus, fond of summer water, fond of yama and niyama, fond of controlled senses, fond of recitation, fond of śrāddha, fond of singing, fond of Gāyatrī, fond of the five Brahmas, fond of good conduct, whose lotus feet are worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, bestower of victory, who showed the discus produced from water at Hari's request, giver of memory and wisdom, bestower of auspicious remembrance, conqueror of death—I bow to you, I bow to you!
इति स्तोत्रमाकर्ण्य भगवान्भवो राजानमुवाच वरदोऽहं वरं वृणु
Hearing this hymn, the blessed Bhava said to the king: 'I am the granter of boons—choose your boon.'