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,
हर्षेण महता युक्तास्तां रात्रिमवसन् सुखम्। अथ रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणेन समं ययौ
Spent that night happily, filled with great joy; then Rāma, of great splendor, went together with Lakṣmaṇa.
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य पितुः पादावुपस्पृशन्। राजा च राघवौ पुत्रौ निशाम्य परिहर्षितः
With Viśvāmitra leading, they touched their father's feet; and the king, hearing his sons, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, was overjoyed.
उवास परमप्रीतो जनकेनाभिपूजितः। जनकोऽपि महातेजाः क्रिया धर्मेण तत्त्ववित्। यज्ञस्य च सुताभ्यां च कृत्वा रात्रिमुवास ह
He stayed there, greatly pleased, honored by Janaka; and Janaka, of great splendor, versed in dharma, after performing the rites for the sacrifice and for his daughters, spent the night there.
thumb|सप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Here ends the seventieth sarga of the Bālakāṇḍa in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
ततः प्रभाते जनकः कृतकर्मा महर्षिभिः। उवाच वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञः शतानन्दं पुरोहितम्
Then, at dawn, Janaka, having completed his morning duties, spoke to Śatānanda, the learned family priest, in the presence of the great sages.
भ्राता मम महातेजा वीर्यवानतिधार्मिकः। कुशध्वज इति ख्यातः पुरीमध्यवसच्छुभाम्
My brother, renowned as Kuśadhvaja, is a man of great energy, valor, and virtue, and he dwells in the auspicious city.
वार्याफलकपर्यन्तां पिबन्निक्षुमतीं नदीम्। सांकाश्यां पुण्यसंकाशां विमानमिव पुष्पकम्
He resides in Sāṃkāśya, a city as pure as merit itself, drinking the waters of the Kṣumatī river, which is bordered by groves and fruit trees, like the celestial Puṣpaka chariot.
तमहं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि यज्ञगोप्ता स मे मतः। प्रीतिं सोऽपि महातेजा इमां भोक्ता मया सह
I wish to see him, for I consider him the protector of the sacrifice; that great and radiant one, too, will share in this joy with me.
एवमुक्ते तु वचने शतानन्दस्य संनिधौ। आगताः केचिदव्यग्रा जनकस्तान् समादिशत्
When these words were spoken in the presence of Śatānanda, some attendants arrived, and Janaka gave them instructions.
शासनात् तु नरेन्द्रस्य प्रययुः शीघ्रवाजिभिः। समानेतुं नरव्याघ्रं विष्णुमिन्द्राज्ञया यथा
By the king's command, they departed swiftly on fast horses, to bring Kuśadhvaja, the tiger among men, just as Viṣṇu is summoned by Indra's order.
सांकाश्यां ते समागम्य ददृशुश्च कुशध्वजम्। न्यवेदयन् यथावृत्तं जनकस्य च चिन्तितम्
Arriving in Sāṃkāśya, they saw Kuśadhvaja and reported to him all that had happened and what Janaka had in mind.
तद्वृत्तं नृपतिः श्रुत्वा दूतश्रेष्ठैर्महाजवैः। आज्ञया तु नरेन्द्रस्य आजगाम कुशध्वजः
Hearing the message from the excellent, swift envoys, the king Kuśadhvaja came at the command of King Janaka.
स ददर्श महात्मानं जनकं धर्मवत्सलम्। सोऽभिवाद्य शतानन्दं जनकं चातिधार्मिकम्
He saw the great-souled Janaka, devoted to righteousness, and, after greeting both Śatānanda and the supremely righteous Janaka, paid them homage.
राजार्हं परमं दिव्यमासनं सोऽध्यरोहत। उपविष्टावुभौ तौ तु भ्रातरावमितद्युती
He ascended the splendid, royal seat worthy of kings; and the two brothers, equal in brilliance, sat together.
प्रेषयामासतुर्वीरौ मन्त्रिश्रेष्ठं सुदामनम्। गच्छ मन्त्रिपते शीघ्रमिक्ष्वाकुममितप्रभम्
Then the two mighty brothers sent the foremost minister, Sudāman, saying: 'Go quickly, chief of ministers, to the illustrious Ikṣvāku.'
आत्मजैः सह दुर्धर्षमानयस्व समन्त्रिणम्। औपकार्यां स गत्वा तु रघूणां कुलवर्धनम्
Bring him here, along with his sons and counselors, the unconquerable one, the enhancer of the Raghu lineage, to the place of hospitality.
ददर्श शिरसा चैनमभिवाद्येदमब्रवीत्। अयोध्याधिपते वीर वैदेहो मिथिलाधिपः
Having gone there, he saw him and, bowing his head, addressed him: 'O lord of Ayodhyā, the king of Mithilā, Janaka, wishes to see you.'
स त्वां द्रष्टुं व्यवसितः सोपाध्यायपुरोहितम्। मन्त्रिश्रेष्ठवचः श्रुत्वा राजा सर्षिगणस्तथा
'He is resolved to meet you, together with your preceptors and priests.' Hearing the words of the chief minister, the king, along with the sages, likewise—
सबन्धुरगमत् तत्र जनको यत्र वर्तते। राजा च मन्त्रिसहितः सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः
With his relatives, the king went there, where Janaka was; the king, accompanied by his ministers, preceptors, and kin, proceeded.
वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठो वैदेहमिदमब्रवीत्। विदितं ते महाराज इक्ष्वाकुकुलदैवतम्
Then the best among those skilled in speech addressed this word to Janaka: 'O great king, you know well the tutelary deity of the Ikṣvāku line.'