यथा दशरथस्येयं तथायोध्या पुरी मम। प्रभुत्वे नास्ति संदेहो यथार्हं कर्तुमर्हथ
As Ayodhyā is to Daśaratha, so is this city to me; there is no doubt in authority—please act as you see fit.
तथा ब्रुवति वैदेहे जनके रघुनन्दनः। राजा दशरथो हृष्टः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्
As Janaka of Videha spoke thus, Rāghava Daśaratha, delighted, replied to the lord of the earth.
युवामसंख्येयगुणौ भ्रातरौ मिथिलेश्वरौ। ऋषयो राजसङ्घाश्च भवद्भ्यामभिपूजिताः
You two brothers, kings of Mithilā, are young and possess countless virtues; sages and assemblies of kings have been honored by you both.
स्वस्ति प्राप्नुहि भद्रं ते गमिष्यामः स्वमालयम्। श्राद्धकर्माणि विधिवद्विधास्य इति चाब्रवीत्
May you attain well-being and prosperity; we shall return to our abode and duly perform the ancestral rites.
तमापृष्ट्वा नरपतिं राजा दशरथस्तदा। मुनीन्द्रौ तौ पुरस्कृत्य जगामाशु महायशाः
Having asked the king, then King Dasharatha, renowned for his greatness, proceeded swiftly, placing those two chief sages at the forefront.
स गत्वा निलयं राजा श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः। प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय चक्रे गोदानमुत्तमम्
The king, having reached his residence, performed the śrāddha ceremony according to the prescribed rites; rising early in the morning, he carried out the finest gifting of cows.
गवां शतसहस्रं च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नराधिपः। एकैकशो ददौ राजा पुत्रानुद्दिश्य धर्मतः
The ruler of men, for the sake of his sons and in accordance with dharma, gave to the Brahmins one hundred thousand cows, each individually.
सुवर्णशृङ्ग्यः सम्पन्नाः सवत्साः कांस्यदोहनाः। गवां शतसहस्राणि चत्वारि पुरुषर्षभः
The supreme man gave four hundred thousand cows, furnished with golden horns, with calves, and fit for milking with bronze vessels.
वित्तमन्यच्च सुबहु द्विजेभ्यो रघुनन्दनः। ददौ गोदानमुद्दिश्य पुत्राणां पुत्रवत्सलः
Raghunandana, affectionate toward his sons, gave much wealth besides to the twice-born, offering the gifting of cows for the sake of his sons.
स सुतैः कृतगोदानैर्वृतः सन्नृपतिस्तदा। लोकपालैरिवाभाति वृतः सौम्यः प्रजापतिः
Then the king, surrounded by his sons who had performed the gifting of cows, shone like the gentle Prajāpati surrounded by the guardians of the worlds.
thumb|त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the seventy-third sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.
यस्मिंस्तु दिवसे राजा चक्रे गोदानमुत्तमम्। तस्मिंस्तु दिवसे वीरो युधाजित् समुपेयिवान्
On the day when the king performed the supreme gifting of cows, the heroic Yudhājit arrived.
पुत्रः केकयराजस्य साक्षाद्भरतमातुलः। दृष्ट्वा पृष्ट्वा च कुशलं राजानमिदमब्रवीत्
He was the son of the king of Kekaya, the direct maternal uncle of Bharata; having seen and enquired about the king's welfare, he spoke these words.
केकयाधिपती राजा स्नेहात् कुशलमब्रवीत्। येषां कुशलकामोऽसि तेषां सम्प्रत्यनामयम्
The king of Kekaya, out of affection, has sent greetings of well-being; for those whose welfare you desire, he conveys that all is well.
स्वस्रीयं मम राजेन्द्र द्रष्टुकामो महीपतिः। तदर्थमुपयातोऽहमयोध्यां रघुनन्दन
O king, my maternal uncle, the lord of the earth, wishes to see his sister's son; for that purpose, I have come to Ayodhyā, O descendant of Raghu.
श्रुत्वा त्वहमयोध्यायां विवाहार्थं तवात्मजान्। मिथिलामुपयातांस्तु त्वया सह महीपते
Having heard that your sons have come to Mithilā for marriage, together with you, O king, I have come to Ayodhyā.
त्वरयाभ्युपयातोऽहं द्रष्टुकामः स्वसुः सुतम्। अथ राजा दशरथः प्रियातिथिमुपस्थितम्
I have hastened here, desiring to see the son of my sister; then King Dasharatha welcomed his dear guest.
दृष्ट्वा परमसत्कारैः पूजनार्हमपूजयत्। ततस्तामुषितो रात्रिं सह पुत्रैर्महात्मभिः
Having seen him, he honored him with the highest hospitality, worthy of worship; then, together with his noble sons, he spent the night there.
प्रभाते पुनरुत्थाय कृत्वा कर्माणि तत्त्ववित् । ऋषींस्तदा पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञवाटमुपागमत्
Rising again in the morning, having performed the rites, the wise king, placing the sages at the forefront, went to the sacrificial enclosure.
युक्ते मुहूर्ते विजये सर्वाभरणभूषितैः। भ्रातृभिः सहितो रामः कृतकौतुकमंगलः
At the auspicious hour of victory, adorned with all ornaments, Rāma, together with his brothers, performed the festive and auspicious rites.
वसिष्ठं पुरतः कृत्वा महर्षीनपरानपि। वसिष्ठो भगवानेत्य वैदेहमिदमब्रवीत्
Placing Vasiṣṭha at the front, along with other great sages, the venerable Vasiṣṭha approached and spoke to the king of Videha.
राजा दशरथो राजन् कृतकौतुकमंगलैः। पुत्रैर्नरवरश्रेष्ठो दातारमभिकाङ्क्षते
King Dasharatha, O king, together with his sons who have performed the festive and auspicious rites, the foremost among men, desires the giver.
दातृप्रतिग्रहीतृभ्यां सर्वार्थाः सम्भवन्ति हि। स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व कृत्वा वैवाह्यमुत्तमम्
Indeed, all purposes are accomplished through the giver and the receiver; follow your own duty, having performed this excellent marriage.
इत्युक्तः परमोदारो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा वाक्यं परमधर्मवित्
Thus addressed by the exceedingly generous and high-souled Vasiṣṭha, the illustrious knower of supreme dharma replied with these words.
कः स्थितः प्रतिहारो मे कस्याज्ञां सम्प्रतीक्षते। स्वगृहे को विचारोऽस्ति यथा राज्यमिदं तव
Who stands as my doorkeeper, waiting for whose command? What deliberation exists in my own house, as if this kingdom were yours?
कृतकौतुकसर्वस्वा वेदिमूलमुपागताः। मम कन्या मुनिश्रेष्ठ दीप्ता बह्नेरिवार्चिषः
Having completed all the festive preparations, my daughters have approached the altar, O best of sages, shining like flames of blazing fire.
सद्योऽहं त्वत्प्रतीक्षोऽस्मि वेद्यामस्यां प्रतिष्ठितः। अविघ्नं क्रियतां सर्वं किमर्थं हि विलम्ब्यते
I am now awaiting you, standing at this altar; let everything proceed without obstacle—why is there delay?
तद् वाक्यं जनकेनोक्तं श्रुत्वा दशरथस्तदा। प्रवेशयामास सुतान् सर्वानृषिगणानपि
Hearing those words spoken by Janaka, then Daśaratha brought in all his sons and the groups of sages.
ततो राजा विदेहानां वसिष्ठमिदमब्रवीत्। कारयस्व ऋषे सर्वामृषिभिः सह धार्मिक
Then the king of the Videhas spoke to Vasiṣṭha: 'O righteous sage, have all the rites performed together with the sages.'
रामस्य लोकरामस्य क्रियां वैवाहिकीं प्रभो। तथेत्युक्त्वा तु जनकं वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः
The marriage ceremony of Rāma, delight of the world, is to be performed, O lord. Having said 'So be it' to Janaka, the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha...