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.
ऋतुकालाभिगमनं धर्मोऽयं गृहिणः परः । स्त्रीणां वरमनुस्मृत्याऽपत्यकामोथवा भवेत्
Approaching one's wife at the proper season is the highest dharma for a householder; remembering the rule for women, it is for the sake of offspring or as desired.
दिवाभिगमनं पुंसामनायुष्यकरं मतम् । श्राद्धाहः सर्वपर्वाणि यतस्त्याज्यानि धीमता
It is considered that intercourse by day shortens a man's life. The wise should always avoid forbidden days, such as śrāddha and festival days.
तत्र गच्छेत्स्त्रियं मोहाद्धर्मात्प्रच्यवते परात् । ऋतुकालाभिगामी यः स्वदारनिरतश्च यः
If one approaches a woman out of delusion at the wrong time, he falls from dharma; but he who approaches at the proper season and is devoted to his own wife is praised.
सर्वदा ब्रह्मचारी ह विज्ञेयः स गृहाश्रमी । ऋतुः षोडशयामिन्यश्चतस्रस्ता सुगर्हिताः
Such a householder, always observing self-restraint, should be known as a true brahmacārī. There are sixteen nights in a season, of which four are especially praised.
पुत्रदास्तासु या युग्मा अयुग्माः कन्यकाप्रदाः । त्यक्त्वा चंद्रमसं दुष्टं मघां मूलं विहाय च
Of these, those that are paired grant sons; the unpaired grant daughters. One should avoid the polluted night of the moon, as well as Maghā and Mūla.
शुचिः सन्निर्विशेत्पत्नीं पुंनामर्क्षे विशेषतः । शुचिं पुत्रं प्रसूयेत पुरुषार्थप्रसाधनम्
Being pure, a man should approach his wife especially under a male constellation; she will bear a pure son, a fulfiller of human aims.
आर्षे विवाहे गोद्वंद्वं यदुक्तं तत्प्रशस्यते । शुल्कमण्वपि कन्यायाः कन्याक्रेतुस्तु पापकृत्
In the ṛṣi marriage, the giving of a pair of cows is praised as the bride-price; but even a small price for a maiden in purchase-marriage is sinful.
वाणिज्यं नृपतेः सेवा वेदानध्ययनं तथा । कुविवाहः क्रियालोपः कुलपातनहेतवः
Trade, service to a king, study of the Vedas, improper marriage, and neglect of rites—all these cause the downfall of a family.
अन्नोदक पयो मूलफलैर्वापि गृहाश्रमी । गोदानेन तु यत्पुण्यं पात्राय विधिपूर्वकम्
A householder who gives food, water, milk, roots, or fruits, or who donates a cow according to prescribed rules, gains merit from such offerings to a worthy recipient.
अनर्चितोऽतिथिर्गेहाद्भग्नाशो यस्य गच्छति । आजन्मसंचितात्पुण्यात्क्षणात्स हि बहिर्भवेत्
If a guest, unhonored, leaves a house disappointed, then in an instant, the host loses the merit accumulated since birth.