शेष उवाच। इत्युक्तवंतं तं रामं जगाद स तपोनिधिः । सुरासुरनमन्मौलि मणिनीराजितांघ्रिकम्
Śeṣa said: Thus addressed, that Rāma was spoken to by the sage, whose feet were adorned by the jewels of gods and demons bowing in reverence.
शृणु राम महावीर लोकानुग्रहकारक । विप्रहत्यापनोदाय तव यद्वचनं ब्रुवे
Hear, O Rāma, great hero, benefactor of the worlds, the instruction I give for the removal of your brahmin-killing sin.
सर्वं स पापं तरति योऽश्वमेधं यजेत वै । तस्मात्त्वं यज विश्वात्मन्वाजिमेधेन शोभिना
Whoever performs the Aśvamedha sacrifice crosses over all sin; therefore, O soul of the universe, you should perform the glorious horse sacrifice.
सप्ततंतुर्महीभर्त्रा त्वया साध्यो मनीषिणा । महासमृद्धियुक्तेन महाबलसुशालिना
The sacrifice with seventy threads must be performed by you, ruler of the earth, endowed with great prosperity and supreme strength, as determined by the wise.
स वाजिमेधो विप्राणां हत्यायाः पापनोदनः । कृतवान्यं महाराजो दिलीपस्तव पूर्वजः
That Aśvamedha sacrifice, O Brahmins, destroys the sin of killing a Brahmin; your ancestor, the great king Dilīpa, performed it.
शतक्रतुः शतं कृत्वा क्रतूनां पुरुषर्षभः । पदमापामरावत्यां देवदैत्यसुसेवितम्
Indra, the best among men, having performed a hundred sacrifices, attained the abode in Amarāvatī, well served by gods and demons.
मनुश्च सगरो राजा मरुत्तो नहुषात्मजः । एते ते पूर्वजाः सर्वे यज्ञं कृत्वा पदं गताः
Manu, King Sagara, Marutta the son of Nahuṣa—all these your ancestors, having performed sacrifice, attained that state.
तस्मात्त्वं कुरु राजेंद्र समर्थोऽसि समंततः । भ्रातरो लोकपालाभा वर्तंते तव भावुकाः
Therefore, O king, you should do likewise; you are fully capable. Your brothers, noble in spirit, stand by you like guardians of the world.
इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य मुनेः स भाग्यवान् रघूत्तमो ब्राह्मणघातभीतः । पप्रच्छ यागे सुमतिं चिकीर्षन्विधिं पुरावित्परिगीयमानः
Hearing this from the sage, the fortunate best of the Raghus, fearful of the sin of killing a Brahmin, asked about the proper procedure for the sacrifice, wishing to act as praised in ancient times.
श्रीराम उवाच। कीदृशोऽश्वस्तत्र भाव्यः को विधिस्तत्र पूजने । कथं वा शक्यते कर्तुं के जेयास्तत्र वैरिणः
Śrī Rāma said: What kind of horse should be there? What is the procedure for its worship? How can it be accomplished, and who are the enemies to be conquered there?
अगस्त्य उवाच। गंगाजलसमानेन वर्णेन वपुषा शुभः । कर्णे श्यामो मुखे रक्तः पीतः पुच्छे सुलक्षितः
Agastya said: The horse should be beautiful, with a color like Ganges water; dark at the ears, red at the mouth, yellow at the tail, and clearly marked.
मनोवेगः सर्वगतिरुच्चैःश्रवस्समप्रभः । वाजिमेधे हयः प्रोक्तः शुभलक्षणलक्षितः
Swift as the mind, able to go everywhere, resplendent like Uccaiḥśravas—the horse for the Aśvamedha is described as possessing auspicious marks.
वैशाखपूर्णमास्यां तु पूजयित्वा यथाविधि । पत्रं लिखित्वा भाले तु स्वनामबलचिह्नितम्
On the full moon of Vaiśākha, after worshipping it according to rule, a document bearing your name and insignia should be written and placed on its forehead.
मोचनीयः प्रयत्नेन रक्षकैः परिरक्षितः । यत्र गच्छति यज्ञाश्वस्तत्र गच्छेत्सुरक्षकः
The horse should be released with care, guarded by protectors; wherever the sacrificial horse goes, its guardians must follow.
यस्तंबलान्निबध्नाति स्ववीर्यबलदर्पितः । तस्मात्प्रसभमानेयः परिरक्षाकरैर्हयः
Whoever seizes it by force, proud of his own strength and power, must be subdued; the horse should be defended by its protectors.
कर्त्रा तावत्सुविधिना स्थातव्यं नियमादिह । मृगशृंगधरो भूत्वा ब्रह्मचर्यसमन्वितः
The performer must observe proper discipline here, remaining steadfast, bearing a deer’s horn, and practicing celibacy.
व्रतं पालयमानस्य यावद्वर्षमतिक्रमेत् । तावद्दीनांधकृपणाः परितोष्या धनादिभिः
While maintaining the vow for a year, the poor, the blind, and the distressed should be satisfied with wealth and other gifts.
अन्नं तु बहुशो देयं धनं वा भूरि मारिष । यद्यत्प्रार्थयते धीमांस्तत्तदेव ददाति हि
Food should be given in abundance, and wealth generously, O noble one; whatever the wise request, that indeed should be given.
एवं प्रकुर्वतः कर्म यज्ञः संपूर्णतां गतः । करोति सर्वपापानां नाशनं रिपुनाशन
By performing the rite in this way, the sacrifice is completed; it destroys all sins and vanquishes enemies.
तस्माद्भवान्समर्थोऽस्ति करणे पालनेऽर्चने । कृत्वा कीर्तिं सुविमलां पावयान्याञ्जनान्नृप
Therefore, you are capable of performing, protecting, and worshipping; having established pure fame, purify other people, O king.
श्रीराम उवाच। विलोकय द्विजश्रेष्ठ वाजिशालां ममाधुना । तादृशाः संति नो वाश्वाः शुभलक्षणलक्षिताः
Śrī Rāma said: Now, O best of Brahmins, look at my stable; are there horses present with such auspicious marks, or not?
इति श्रुत्वा तु तद्वाक्यमगस्त्यः करुणाकरः । उत्तस्थौ वीक्षमाणोऽयं यागार्हान्वाजिनः शुभान्
Hearing these words, Agastya, full of compassion, rose and began to examine those excellent horses fit for sacrifice.
गत्वाथ तत्र शालायां रामचंद्रसमन्वितः । ददर्शाश्वान्विचित्रांगान्मनोवेगान्महाबलान्
Then, having gone there with Rāmacandra, he saw horses of various colors, swift as the mind, and of great strength.
अवनितलगताः किं वाजिराजस्य वंश्याः किमथ रघुपतीनामेकतः कीर्तिपिंडाः । किमिदममृतराशिर्वाहरूपेण सिंधोर्मुनिरिति मनसोंतर्विस्मयं प्राप पश्यन्
Are these, standing on the ground, the descendants of the king of horses? Or are they the embodied glory of the Raghus? Or is this a heap of nectar from the ocean, appearing in the form of horses? Thus the sage, seeing them, was filled with wonder in his heart.
एकतः शोणदेहानां वाजिनां पंक्तिरुत्तमा । एकतः श्यामकर्णाश्च कस्तूरीकांतिसप्रभाः
On one side was a foremost row of red-bodied horses; on another, those with dark ears, shining with the luster of musk.
एकतः कनकाभाश्च त्वन्यतो नीलवर्णिनः । एकतः शबलैर्वर्णैर्विशिष्टैर्वाजिभिर्वृताः
On one side were those with a golden hue, elsewhere those of blue color; on another side were horses adorned with variegated, distinguished colors.
एवं पश्यन्मुनिः सर्वान्कौतुकाविष्टमानसः । ययावन्यत्र तान्द्रष्टुं यागयोग्यान्हयान्मुनिः
Thus, as the sage beheld them all, his mind seized by curiosity, he went elsewhere to see the horses fit for the sacrifice.
ददर्श तत्र शतशो बद्धांस्तादृशवर्णकान् । दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमापेदे स मुनिर्हर्षितांगकः
There he saw hundreds of horses bound, of such colors; seeing them, the sage, his body filled with joy, was struck with wonder.
एकतः श्यामकर्णांश्च सर्वांगैः क्षीरसन्निभान् । पीतपुच्छान्मुखे रक्ताञ्छुभलक्षणलक्षितान्
On one side were dark-eared horses, their bodies all like milk, with yellow tails, red faces, and marked by auspicious signs.
निरीक्ष्य परितोऽनघान्विमलनीरधारानिभान्मनोजवनशोभितान्विमलकीर्तिपुंजप्रभान् । पयोनिधिविशोषको मुनिरुवाचसीतापतिं विचित्रहयदर्शनाद्धृषितनेत्रवक्त्रप्रभः
Beholding the faultless ones all around, shining like pure streams of water, adorned with the speed of the mind, radiant with spotless fame, the sage, whose face and eyes were bright with delight at seeing the wondrous horses, spoke to Sītā's lord, the one who dries up the ocean's waters.