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.
अगस्त्य उवाच। हयमेधक्रतौ योग्यान्वाहांस्ते बहुशः शुभान् । पश्यतो नेत्रयोर्मेऽद्य तृप्तिर्नास्ति रघूत्तम
Agastya said: These many excellent horses, fit for the horse sacrifice, O best of the Raghus, even as I behold them today, my eyes are not yet satisfied.
रामचंद्र महाभाग सुरासुरनमस्कृत । यज्ञं कुरु महाराज हयमेधं सुविस्तरम्
O Rāmacandra, greatly fortunate, honored by gods and demons, perform the great horse sacrifice, O king, in all its fullness.
सुरपतिरिव सर्वान्यज्ञसंघान्करिष्यंस्तपन इव सुपर्वारातितोयं विशोष्यन् । हतरिपुगणमुख्यं सांपरायं विजित्य क्षितितलसुखभोगं कुर्विदं भूरिभाग
Like the lord of the gods performing all sacrifices, or the sun drying up the water at the end of the season, having conquered the foremost of enemy hosts in battle, enjoy the happiness of the earth, O king, possessing great fortune.
इत्येवं वाक्यवादेन परितुष्टाखिलेंद्रियः । सर्वान्वै यज्ञसंभारानाजहार मनोहरान्
Thus, by these words, his senses completely satisfied, he gathered all the delightful materials for the sacrifice.
मुन्यन्वितो महाराजः सरयूतीरमागतः । सुवर्णलांगलैर्भूमिं विचकर्ष महीयसीम्
Accompanied by sages, the great king came to the bank of the Sarayū, and with golden ploughs, he plowed the great earth.
विलिख्य भूमिं बहुशश्चतुर्योजनसंमिताम् । मंडपान्रचयामास यज्ञार्थं स नरोत्तमः
Having marked out the ground many times, measuring four yojanas, that best of men constructed pavilions for the sacrifice.
कुंडं तु विधिवत्कृत्वा योनिमेखलयान्वितम् । अनेकरत्नरचितं सर्वशोभासमन्वितम्
He made the sacrificial pit according to rule, furnished with a girdle and womb, adorned with many jewels and all kinds of splendor.
मुनीश्वरो महाभागो वसिष्ठः सुमहातपाः । सर्वं तत्कारयामास वेदशास्त्रविधिश्रितम्
The great sage, the illustrious Vasiṣṭha, of immense austerity, caused all this to be done according to the injunctions of the Vedas and scriptures.
प्रेषितास्तेन मुनिना शिष्या मुनिवराश्रमान् । कथयामासुरुद्युक्तं हयमेधे रघूत्तमम्
By that sage, disciples were sent to the hermitages of the great sages, and they informed the best of the Raghus that the horse sacrifice was being prepared.
आकारितास्तदा सर्वे ऋषयस्तपतां वराः । आजग्मुः परमेशस्य दर्शने त्वतिलालसाः
Then all the sages, foremost among ascetics, were summoned; they came, exceedingly eager for the vision of the Supreme Lord.
नारदोसितनामा च पर्वतः कपिलो मुनिः । जातूकर्ण्योंऽगिरा व्यास आर्ष्टिषेणोऽत्रिरासुरिः
There were Nārada, Ōsita, Nāma, Parvata, Kapila the sage, Jātūkarṇya, Aṅgirā, Vyāsa, Ārṣṭiṣeṇa, Atri, and Āsuri.
हारीतो याज्ञवल्क्यश्च संवर्तः शुकसंज्ञितः । इत्येवमादयो राम हयमेधवरं ययुः
Hārīta, Yājñavalkya, Saṃvarta, and the one named Śuka—these and others, O Rāma, came to the great horse sacrifice.
तान्सर्वान्पूजयामास रघुराजो महामनाः । प्रत्युत्थानाभिवादाभ्यामर्घ्यविष्टरकादिभिः
King Raghu, of great mind, honored them all with rising to greet them, salutations, offering of water, seats, and other rites.
गां हिरण्यं ददौ तेभ्यः प्रायशो दृष्टविक्रमः । महद्भाग्यं त्वद्यमेऽस्ति यद्यूयं दर्शनं गताः
He gave them cows and gold, as was proper, and said: 'Great fortune is yours today, since you have come to be seen.'
शेष उवाच। एवं समाकुले ब्रह्मन्नृषिवर्य समागमे । धर्मवार्ता बभूवाहो वर्णाश्रमसुसंमता
Śeṣa said: Thus, when the assembly of the best sages had gathered, O Brāhman, there arose a discussion of dharma, well-regarded by all varṇas and āśramas.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। का धर्मवार्ता तत्रासीत्किं वा कथितमद्भुतम् । साधवः सर्वलोकानां कारुण्यात्किमुताब्रुवन्
Vātsyāyana said: What was the discussion of dharma there? What marvelous things were spoken? Out of compassion for all beings, what did those noble ones say?
शेष उवाच। तान्समेतान्मुनीन्दृष्ट्वा रामो दाशरथिर्महान् । पप्रच्छ सर्वधर्मांश्च सर्ववर्णाश्रमोचितान्
Śeṣa said: Seeing all those great sages assembled, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, asked them about all the dharmas appropriate to every varṇa and āśrama.
ते तु पृष्टा हि रामेण धर्मान्प्रोचुर्महागुणान् । तान्प्रवक्ष्यामि ते सर्वान्यथाविधि शृणुष्व तान्
When questioned by Rāma, those sages spoke of the great virtues of dharma. I will now tell you all of them in proper order—listen.
ऋषय ऊचुः। ब्राह्मणेन सदा कार्यं यजनाध्ययनादिकम् । वेदान्पठित्वा विरजो नैव गार्हस्थ्यमाविशेत्
The sages said: A brāhmaṇa should always perform sacrifices, study, and similar acts. Having studied the Vedas and become pure, he should not enter household life.
ब्राह्मणेन सदा त्याज्यं नीचसेवानुजीवनम् । आपद्गतोऽपि जीवेत न श्ववृत्त्या कदाचन
A brāhmaṇa must always avoid serving the lowly for livelihood. Even in distress, he should never live by a dog's way of life.