श्वेतातपत्ररचितः सितचामरशोभितः । बहुशोभापरीतांगो निर्ययौ हयराट्ततः
Adorned with a white parasol and beautiful white fly-whisks, its body covered with many splendid ornaments, the king of horses then set forth.
अग्रतो मध्यतश्चैके पृष्ठतः सैनिकास्तथा । देवा हरिं यथापूर्वं सेवंते सेवनोचितम्
Soldiers stood in front, in the middle, and behind, just as the gods once served Hari in the past, in a manner appropriate for service.
अथ सैन्यं समाहूय सर्वमाज्ञापयत्तदा । हस्त्यश्वरथपादातवृन्दैः सुबहुसंकुलम्
Then, having summoned the entire army, he gave orders at that time; the hosts of elephants, horses, chariots, and infantry were assembled in great numbers.
ततस्ततः समेतानां सैन्यानां श्रूयते ध्वनिः । ततो दुंदुभिनादोऽभूत्तस्मिन्पुरवरे तदा
Then, from the assembled armies, a sound arose; at that time, in that excellent city, the sound of drums was heard.
तन्निनादेन शूराणां प्रियेण महता तदा । कंपंति गिरिशृंगाणि प्रासादा विचलंति च
At that time, by the beloved and mighty sound of the heroes, the mountain peaks trembled and the palaces shook.
हेषारवो महानासीद्वाजिनां मुह्यतां नृप । रथांगघातसंघुष्टा धरा संचलतीव सा
A great neighing arose from the horses, bewildering the king; the earth seemed to move, resounding with the clatter of chariot wheels.
चलितैर्गजयूथैश्च पृथ्वी रुद्धा समंततः । रजस्तु प्रचलत्तत्र जनांतर्द्धानमादधात्
With the herds of elephants moving about, the earth was blocked on all sides; there, the dust stirred and concealed the people.
निर्जगाम महासैन्यं छत्रैः संछाद्य भास्करम् । सेनान्याकालजिन्नाम्ना प्रेरितं जनसंकुलम्
The vast army marched forth, covering the sun with its banners; commanded by the general named Kālajin, it was crowded with people.
गर्जंतस्तलवीराग्र्याः कुर्वंतो रणसंभ्रमम् । रघुनाथस्य यागाय सज्जास्ते प्रययुर्मुदा
The foremost warriors, roaring and creating tumult for battle, joyfully proceeded, prepared for Raghunātha’s sacrifice.
मृगमदमयमंगेष्वंगरागं दधानाः कुसुमविमलमालाशोभितस्वोत्तमांगाः । मुकुटकटकभूषाभूषितांगाः समस्ताः प्रययुरवनिनाथप्रेरितास्तेऽपि सर्वे
Adorned with fragrant musk on their limbs, wearing pure garlands of flowers, their heads shining, all were decorated with crowns and bracelets; sent by the lord of the earth, they too all departed.
इत्येवं ते महाराजं ययुः सेनाचरा वराः । धनुर्धराः पाशधराः खड्गधाराः स्फुटक्रमाः
Thus, those excellent soldiers approached the great king: bowmen, those bearing nooses, sword-wielders, all with firm steps.
एवं शनैःशनैः प्राप्तो मंडपं यागचिह्नितम् । हयः खुरक्षततलां भूमिं कुर्वन्नभः प्लवन्
In this way, gradually, the horse arrived at the pavilion marked for the sacrifice, making the earth, wounded by its hooves, seem to fly in the sky.
रामो दृष्ट्वा हरिं प्राप्तं बहुसंतुष्टमानसः । वसिष्ठं प्रेरयामास क्रियाकर्तव्यतां प्रति
Rāma, seeing the horse arrive, was greatly pleased in his heart; he sent Vasiṣṭha to attend to the necessary rites.
वसिष्ठो राममाहूय स्वर्णपत्नीसमन्वितम् । प्रयोगं कारयामास ब्रह्महत्यापनोदनम्
Vasiṣṭha, summoning Rāma together with his golden wife, performed the ritual to remove the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतधरो मृगशृंगपरिग्रहः । तत्कर्म कारयामास रामः परपुरंजयः
Rāma, the conqueror of enemy cities, wearing the vow of celibacy and holding a deer’s horn, carried out that rite.
प्रारेभे यागकर्मार्थं कुंडं मण्डपसंमितम् । तत्राचार्योभवद्धीमान्वेदशास्त्रविचारवित्
He began the sacrificial work, establishing the altar within the pavilion; there, the wise teacher, skilled in Vedic scriptures, was present.
वसिष्ठो रघुनाथस्य कुलपूर्वगुरुर्मुनिः । ब्रह्मंस्तत्राचरद्ब्रह्मकर्मागस्त्यस्तपोनिधिः
Vasiṣṭha, the ancestral preceptor and sage of Raghunātha, performed the Brahmanical rites there; Agastya, the treasury of austerity, also did so.
वाल्मीकिर्मुनिरध्वर्युर्मुनिः कण्वस्तु द्वारपः । अष्टौ द्वाराणि तत्रासन्सतोरण शुभानि वै
Vālmīki, the sage, was the chief priest; Kaṇva was the doorkeeper; there were eight auspicious gates with arches.
द्वारि द्वारि द्वयं विप्र ब्राह्मणस्याधिमंत्रवित् । पूर्वद्वारि मुनिश्रेष्ठौ देवलासित संज्ञितौ
At each gate, two Brāhmaṇas versed in mantras were stationed; at the eastern gate, the foremost sages, named Devala and Asita, stood.
दक्षिणद्वारि भूमानौ कश्यपात्री तपोनिधी । पश्चिमद्वारि ऋषभौ जातूकर्ण्योऽथ जाजलिः
At the southern gate, the great ascetics Kaśyapa and Atri were present; at the western gate, the sages Jātūkarṇya and Jājali stood.
उत्तरद्वारि तु मुनी द्वौ द्वितैकत तापसौ । एवं द्वारविधिं कृत्वा वसिष्ठः कलशोद्भवः
At the northern gate, two ascetic sages, united in purpose, were stationed; thus, having arranged the gates, Vasiṣṭha, born from the pot, proceeded.
हयवर्यस्य सत्पूजां कर्तुमारभत द्विज । सुवासिन्यः स्त्रियस्तत्र वासोलंकारभूषिताः
The Brāhmaṇa began to perform the proper worship of the excellent horse; there, the noble women, adorned with garments and ornaments, were present.
हरिद्राक्षतगंधाद्यैः पूजयामासुरर्चितम् । नीराजनं ततः कृत्वा धूपयित्वागुरूक्षणैः
They worshipped the honored one with turmeric, rice, and fragrant substances; then, after performing the waving of lights, they offered incense with aloe wood and other scents.
वर्धापनं ततो वेश्याश्चक्रुस्ता वाडवाज्ञया । एवं संपूज्य विमले भाले चंदनचर्चिते
Then, by the command of the courtesan's mistress, the courtesans performed the ceremony of increasing the horse's strength; thus, having worshipped, they anointed the pure forehead with sandalwood.
कुंकुमादिकगंधाढ्ये सर्वशोभासमन्विते । बबंध भास्वरं पत्रं तप्तहाटकनिर्मितम्
Adorned with the fragrance of saffron and other perfumes, and endowed with every kind of beauty, they tied a shining leaf made of refined gold.
तत्रालिखद्दाशरथेः प्रतापबलमूर्जितम् । सूर्यवंशध्वजो धन्वी धनुर्दीक्षा गुरुर्गुरुः
There they inscribed: 'The banner of the Solar dynasty, the archer, the twice-initiated in archery, the teacher of teachers, the one endowed with the might and power of Dasharatha.'
यं देवाः सासुराः सर्वे नमंति मणिमौलिभिः । तस्यात्मजो वीरबलदर्पहारी रघूद्वहः
All the gods and asuras bow to him, their jeweled crowns lowered; his son, the destroyer of the pride of mighty heroes, the foremost of the Raghus—
रामचंद्रो महाभागः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः । तन्माता कोसलनृपपत्नीगर्भसमुद्भवा
Rama Chandra, greatly fortunate, the jewel among all valiant men, whose mother was born from the queen of the king of Kosala—
तस्याः कुक्षिभवं रत्नं रामः शत्रुक्षयंकरः । करोति हयमेधं वै ब्राह्मणेन सुशिक्षितः
Rama, the jewel born from her womb, the destroyer of enemies, performs the horse sacrifice, well-instructed by a learned Brahmin.
रावणाभिधविप्रेंद्र वधपापापनुत्तये । मोचितस्तेन वाहानां मुख्योऽसौ वाजिनां वरः
To remove the sin of killing the Brahmin named Ravana, he was released by him; he is the foremost among horses, the best of steeds.