पूर्वं प्रतिज्ञा विदिता वीर्यशुल्का ममात्मजा। राजानश्च कृतामर्षा निर्वीर्या विमुखीकृताः
You know of my earlier vow: my daughter would be won by prowess; the kings, having failed and grown resentful, have been turned away, their strength found lacking.
सेयं मम सुता राजन् विश्वामित्रपुरस्कृतैः। यदृच्छयागतै राजन् निर्जिता तव पुत्रकैः
This daughter of mine, O king, has, by chance, been won by your sons, who came here accompanied by Viśvāmitra and others.
तच्च रत्नं धनुर्दिव्यं मध्ये भग्नं महात्मना। रामेण हि महाबाहो महत्यां जनसंसदि
That precious, divine bow was broken in the midst of a great assembly by mighty-armed Rāma, the high-souled one.
अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्यशुल्का महात्मने। प्रतिज्ञां तर्तुमिच्छामि तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
Therefore, I must give Sītā, won by prowess, to this great-souled one; I wish to fulfill my vow—please grant your consent.
सोपाध्यायो महाराज पुरोहितपुरस्कृतः। शीघ्रमागच्छ भद्रं ते द्रष्टुमर्हसि राघवौ
O great king, together with your priests and teachers, come quickly and safely; you ought to see the two sons of Raghu.
प्रतिज्ञां मम राजेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि। पुत्रयोरुभयोरेव प्रीतिं त्वमुपलप्स्यसे
O king of kings, you should fulfill my vow; you will gain the affection of both your sons.
एवं विदेहाधिपतिर्मधुरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। विश्वामित्राभ्यनुज्ञातः शतानन्दमते स्थितः
Thus, the lord of Videha, with the approval of Viśvāmitra and in agreement with Śatānanda, spoke these sweet words.
दूतवाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा परमहर्षितः। वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च मन्त्रिणश्चैवमब्रवीत्
Hearing this message, the king was exceedingly delighted and spoke to Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, and his ministers as follows.
गुप्तः कुशिकपुत्रेण कौसल्यानन्दवर्धनः। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विदेहेषु वसत्यसौ
Protected by the son of Kuśika, Rāma, the joy of Kausalyā, together with his brother Lakṣmaṇa, is staying among the Videhas.
दृष्टवीर्यस्तु काकुत्स्थो जनकेन महात्मना। सम्प्रदानं सुतायास्तु राघवे कर्तुमिच्छति
Having witnessed Rāma's prowess, the high-souled Janaka wishes to give his daughter to Rāghava.
यदि वो रोचते वृत्तं जनकस्य महात्मनः। पुरीं गच्छामहे शीघ्रं मा भूत् कालस्य पर्ययः
If the conduct of the noble Janaka pleases you, let us go swiftly to his city, so that no time is lost.
मन्त्रिणो बाढमित्याहुः सह सर्वैर्महर्षिभिः। सुप्रीतश्चाब्रवीद् राजा श्वो यात्रेति च मन्त्रिणः
The ministers, along with all the great sages, replied, 'Certainly.' The pleased king then told his ministers, 'We shall depart tomorrow.'
मन्त्रिणस्तु नरेन्द्रस्य रात्रिं परमसत्कृताः। ऊषुः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे गुणैः सर्वैः समन्विताः
The king's ministers, honored greatly, spent the night there, all delighted and endowed with every virtue.
thumb|एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the sixty-ninth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः। राजा दशरथो हृष्टः सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्
Then, when the night had passed, King Daśaratha, joyful, together with his teachers and relatives, spoke to Sumantra as follows:
अद्य सर्वे धनाध्यक्षा धनमादाय पुष्कलम्। व्रजन्त्वग्रे सुविहिता नानारत्नसमन्विताः
Today, let all the treasurers, bringing abundant wealth adorned with various precious gems, proceed ahead, well-prepared.
चतुरंगबलं चापि शीघ्रं निर्यातु सर्वशः। ममाज्ञासमकालं च यानं युग्यमनुत्तमम्
Let the fourfold army quickly set out in full, and at my command, have the finest chariot yoked without delay.
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ कश्यपः। मार्कण्डेयस्तु दीर्घायुर्ऋषिः कात्यायनस्तथा
Let Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, Kaśyapa, and the long-lived sage Mārkaṇḍeya, as well as Kātyāyana, be present.
एते द्विजाः प्रयान्त्वग्रे स्यन्दनं योजयस्व मे। यथा कालात्ययो न स्याद् दूता हि त्वरयन्ति माम्
Let these Brāhmaṇas go ahead, and yoke my chariot, so that there is no delay, for the messengers are urging me.
वचनाच्च नरेन्द्रस्य सेना च चतुरंगिणी। राजानमृषिभिः सार्धं व्रजन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात्
By the king’s order, the fourfold army followed behind the king, who went together with the sages.
गत्वा चतुरहं मार्गं विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान्। राजा च जनकः श्रीमान् श्रुत्वा पूजामकल्पयत्
Having traveled for four days, he reached the land of Videha, and King Janaka, upon hearing of his arrival, arranged a reception.
ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम्। मुदितो जनको राजा प्रहर्षं परमं ययौ
Then, approaching the aged King Daśaratha, King Janaka, filled with joy, experienced the highest delight.
उवाच वचनं श्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदान्वितम्। स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव
The noble king, filled with happiness, spoke these words to the best of men: 'Welcome to you, O foremost of men! By good fortune you have arrived, O Rāghava.'
पुत्रयोरुभयोः प्रीतिं लप्स्यसे वीर्यनिर्जिताम्। दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो महातेजा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः
You shall obtain the joy of both sons, won by their valor; by good fortune, the illustrious sage Vasiṣṭha has arrived.
सह सर्वैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुः। दिष्ट्या मे निर्जिता विघ्ना दिष्ट्या मे पूजितं कुलम्
Together with all the foremost Brāhmaṇas, like Indra with the gods, by good fortune my obstacles are overcome, and by good fortune my lineage is honored.
राघवैः सह सम्बन्धाद् वीर्यश्रेष्ठैर्महाबलैः। श्वः प्रभाते नरेन्द्र त्वं संवर्तयितुमर्हसि
Through alliance with the Raghavas, who are supreme in valor and might, O king, you should arrange the ceremony tomorrow at dawn.
यज्ञस्यान्ते नरश्रेष्ठ विवाहमृषिसत्तमैः। तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिपः
At the conclusion of the sacrifice, O best of kings, let the marriage be performed in the presence of the foremost sages; hearing these words among the sages, the lord of men replied.
वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्। प्रतिग्रहो दातृवशः श्रुतमेतन्मया पुरा
The best among those skilled in speech replied to the king: 'Acceptance depends on the giver; I have heard this before.'
यथा वक्ष्यसि धर्मज्ञ तत् करिष्यामहे वयम्। तद् धर्मिष्ठं यशस्यं च वचनं सत्यवादिनः
'As you say, O knower of righteousness, so shall we do; your words, righteous and renowned, are those of a speaker of truth.'
श्रुत्वा विदेहाधिपतिः परं विस्मयमागतः। ततः सर्वे मुनिगणाः परस्परसमागमे
Hearing this, the lord of Videha was filled with great wonder; then all the groups of sages, meeting together,