कर्दमेनैवमुक्तास्तु सर्व एव द्विजर्षभाः । रोचयन्ति स्म तं यज्ञं रुद्रस्याराधनं प्रति ।। ७.९०.
Thus addressed by Kardama, all the foremost twice-born agreed to that sacrifice for the worship of Rudra.
संवर्तस्य तु राजर्षेः शिष्यः पुरपुरञ्जयः । मरुत्त इति विख्यातस्तं यज्ञं समुपाहरत् ।। ७.९०.
The disciple of the royal sage Saṃvarta, famed as Marutta, brought forth that sacrifice.
ततो यज्ञो महानासीद्बुधाश्रमसमीपतः । रुद्रश्च परमं तोषमाजगाम महायशाः ।। ७.९०.
Then a great sacrifice was performed near the hermitage of Budha, and Rudra, the illustrious one, became supremely pleased.
अथ यज्ञे समाप्ते तु प्रीतः परमया मुदा । उमापतिर्द्विजान्सर्वानुवाच इलसन्निधौ ।। ७.९०.
When the sacrifice was completed, the delighted Lord of Uma spoke to all the Brahmins in the presence of Ila.
प्रीतो ऽस्मि हयमेधेन भक्त्या च द्विजसत्तमाः । अस्य बाह्लिपतेश्चैव किं करोमि प्रियं शुभम् ।। ७.९०.
I am pleased by the Aśvamedha and your devotion, O best of Brahmins. What good and pleasing thing shall I do for this king of Bahlika?
तथा वदति देवेशे द्विजास्ते सुसमाहिताः । प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं यथा स्यात्पुरुषस्त्विला ।। ७.९०.
As the Lord of the gods spoke thus, the Brahmins, with concentrated minds, entreated him so that Ila might become a man.
ततः प्रीतो महादेवः पुरुषत्वं ददौ पुनः । इलायै सुमहातेजा दत्त्वा चान्तरधीयत ।। ७.९०.
Then the greatly radiant Mahadeva, being pleased, restored manhood to Ila and, having granted this, vanished.
निवृत्ते हयमेधे च गतश्चादर्शनं हरः । यथागतं द्विजाः सर्वे ह्यगच्छन्दीर्घदर्शिनः ।। ७.९०.
When the Aśvamedha was concluded and Hara had disappeared, all the far-seeing Brahmins departed as they had come.
राजा तु बाह्लिमुत्सृज्य मध्यदेशे ह्यनुत्तमम् । निवेशयामास पुरं प्रतिष्ठानं यशस्करम् ।। ७.९०.
The king, leaving Bahlika, established the renowned city of Pratiṣṭhāna in the central region.
शशबिन्दुश्च राजर्षिर्बाह्लिं पुरपुरञ्जयः । प्रतिष्ठाने इलो राजा प्रजापतिसुतो बली ।। ७.९०.
The royal sage Śaśabindu ruled Bahlika, and the powerful Ila, son of Prajapati, was king at Pratiṣṭhāna.
स काले प्राप्तवाँल्लोकमिलो ब्राह्ममनुत्तमम् । ऐलः पुरूरवा राजा प्रतिष्ठानमवाप्तवान् ।। ७.९०.
In due course, Ila attained the supreme Brahman world, and King Pururavas, son of Ila, obtained Pratiṣṭhāna.
ईदृशो ह्यश्वमेधस्य प्रभावः पुरुषर्षभौ । स्त्रीभूतः पौरुषं लेभे यच्चान्यदपि दुर्लभम् ।। ७.९०.
Such is the power of the Aśvamedha, O best of men: one who became a woman regained manhood, and also attained other rare blessings.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे नवतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the ninetieth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
एतदाख्याय काकुत्स्थो भ्रातृभ्याममितप्रभः । लक्ष्मणं पुनरेवाह धर्मयुक्तमिदं वचः ।। ७.९१.
Having related this, the illustrious descendant of Kakutstha, radiant as ever, again spoke these righteous words to Lakṣmaṇa in the presence of his brothers.
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ कश्यपम् । द्विजांश्च सर्वप्रवरानश्वमेधपुरस्कृतान् ।। ७.९१.
Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, Kaśyapa, and all the foremost twice-born who had presided over the Aśvamedha—
एतान्सर्वान्समानीय मन्त्रयित्वा च लक्ष्मण । हयं लक्षणसम्पन्नं विमोक्ष्यामि समाधिना ।। ७.९१.
Gathering all these together and consulting with them, O Lakṣmaṇa, I will release the horse marked with auspicious signs with full concentration.
तद्वाक्यं राघवेणोक्तं श्रुत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः । द्विजान्सर्वान्समाहूय दर्शयामास राघवम् ।। ७.९१.
Hearing these words spoken by Rāghava, swift in action, he summoned all the Brahmins and presented them to Rāghava.
ते दृष्ट्वा देवसङ्काशं कृतपादाभिवन्दनम् । राघवं सुदुराधर्षमाशीर्भिः समपूजयन् ।। ७.९१.
Seeing Rāghava, radiant as the gods and having bowed at their feet, they honored him, who is exceedingly difficult to approach, with blessings.
प्राञ्जलिः स तदा भूत्वा राघवो द्विजसत्तमान् । आचचक्षे ऽश्वमेधस्य ह्यभिप्रायं महायशाः ।। ७.९१.
Then Rāghava, renowned for his great fame, with joined palms, spoke to the foremost of the twice-born about his intention to perform the horse sacrifice.
ते तु रामस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्वा वृषध्वजम् । अश्वमेधं द्विजाः सर्वे पूजयन्ति स्म सर्वशः ।। ७.९१.
Hearing this from Rāma, all the twice-born, after bowing to the bull-bannered one, began to worship the horse sacrifice in every way.
स तेषां द्विजमुख्यानां वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् । अश्वमेधाश्रितं श्रुत्वा भृशं प्रीतो ऽभवत्तदा ।। ७.९१.
Upon hearing the wondrous words of the chief among the twice-born, which pertained to the horse sacrifice, he became exceedingly pleased at that moment.
विज्ञाय कर्म तत्तेषां रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् । प्रेषयस्व द्रुतं दूतान् सुग्रीवाय महात्मने ।। ७.९१.
Understanding their ritual, Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa: 'Send messengers quickly to the great-souled Sugrīva.'
यथा महद्भिर्हरिभिर्बहुभिश्च वनौकसाम् । सार्धमागच्छ भद्रं ते ह्यनुभोक्तुं महोत्सवम् ।। ७.९१.
'Let him come with many mighty monkeys and forest dwellers, so that together they may partake in the great festival. May it be auspicious for you.'
बिभीषणश्च रक्षोभिः कामगैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । अश्वमेधं महायज्ञमायात्वतुलविक्रमः ।। ७.९१.
Bibhīṣaṇa, of incomparable valor, should arrive at the horse sacrifice, the great ritual, surrounded by many wish-fulfilling rākṣasas.
राजानश्च महाभागा ये मे प्रियचिकीर्षवः । सानुगाः क्षिप्रमायान्तु यज्ञं द्रष्टुमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.९१.
And those illustrious kings who wish to do me favor, along with their retinues, should come swiftly to witness the supreme sacrifice.
देशान्तरगता ये च द्विजा धर्मसमाहिताः । आमन्त्रयस्व तान्सर्वानश्वमेधाय लक्ष्मण ।। ७.९१.
Lakṣmaṇa, invite all the twice-born who are devoted to righteousness and who reside in distant lands to the horse sacrifice.
ऋषयश्च महाबाहो आहूयन्तां तपोधनाः । देशान्तरगताः सर्वे सदाराश्च द्विजातयः । तथैव तालावचरास्तथैव नटनर्तकाः ।। ७.९१.
O mighty-armed, summon all the ascetics rich in austerity, all twice-born with their wives from distant lands, as well as those dwelling in Tāla forests, and likewise actors and dancers.
यज्ञवाटश्च सुमहान्गोमत्या नैमिशे वने । आज्ञाप्यतां महाबाहो तद्धि पुण्यमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.९१.
Let the great sacrificial enclosure be established in the Naimisha forest on the banks of the Gomati, O mighty-armed; for it is supremely auspicious.
शान्तयश्च महाबाहो प्रवर्त्यन्तां समन्ततः ।। ७.९१.
Let the peaceful ones, O mighty-armed, be engaged everywhere.
शतशश्चापि धर्मज्ञाः क्रतुमुख्यमनुत्तमम् । अनुभूय महायज्ञं नैमिशे रघुनन्दन ।। ७.९१.
Hundreds of those who know righteousness, having experienced the supreme sacrifice, should gather at Naimisha, O descendant of Raghu.