क्षत्रं ब्रह्ममुखं चासीद् वैश्याः क्षत्रमनुव्रताः । शूद्राः स्वधर्मनिरतास्त्रीन् वर्णानुपचारिणः ॥१-६-
The kṣatriyas were the support of the brāhmaṇas, the vaiśyas were devoted to the kṣatriyas, and the śūdras were intent on their own duties, serving the three higher castes.
सा तेनेक्ष्वाकुनाथेन पुरी सुपरिरक्षिता । यथा पुरस्तान्मनुना मानवेन्द्रेण धीमता ॥१-६-
That city was well protected by the lord of the Ikṣvāku line, just as it had been in ancient times by Manu, the wise king of men.
योधानामग्निकल्पानां पेशलानाममर्षिणाम् । सम्पूर्णा कृतविद्यानां गुहा केसरिणामिव ॥१-६-
It was filled with warriors like fire, skilled, gracious, and unyielding, accomplished in their arts, like a cave full of lions.
काम्बोजविषये जातैर्बाह्लीकैश्च हयोत्तमैः । वनायुजैर्नदीजैश्च पूर्णा हरिहयोत्तमैः ॥१-६-
It was filled with the best horses born in the lands of the Kāmbojas and Bāhlīkas, and with excellent forest and river horses.
विन्ध्यपर्वतजैर्मत्तैः पूर्णा हैमवतैरपि । मदान्वितैरतिबलैर्मातङ्गैः पर्वतोपमैः ॥१-६-
It was filled with intoxicated elephants from the Vindhya mountains and the Himalayas, mighty and powerful, resembling mountains.
ऐरावतकुलीनैश्च महापद्मकुलैस्तथा । अञ्जनादपि निष्क्रान्तैर्वामनादपि च द्विपैः ॥१-६-
There were elephants descended from the Airāvata and Mahāpadma lineages, and those emerging from Añjana and Vāmana mountains.
भदैर्मन्द्रैर्मृगैश्चैव भद्रमन्द्रमृगैस्तथा । भद्रमन्द्रैर्भद्रमृगैर्मृगमन्द्रैश्च सा पुरी ॥१-६-
That city was also filled with bhadra, mandra, mṛga, bhadramandra, bhadramṛga, and mṛgamandra elephants.
नित्यमत्तैः सदा पूर्णा नागैरचलसंनिभैः । सा योजने द्वे च भूयः सत्यनामा प्रकाशते । यस्यां दशरथो राजा वसञ्जगदपालयत् ॥१-६-
Always filled with intoxicated elephants resembling mountains, that city, known as Satyanāmā, extended for more than two yojanas, where King Daśaratha dwelled and protected the world.
तां पुरीं स महातेजा राजा दशरथो महान् । शशास शमितामित्रो नक्षत्राणीव चन्द्रमाः ॥१-६-
That great and radiant king Daśaratha ruled that city, subduing his enemies, like the moon among the stars.
तां सत्यनामां दृढतोरणार्गलाम् ::गृहैर्विचित्रैरुपशोभितां शिवाम् । पुरीमयोध्यां नृसहस्रसंकुलां ::शशास वै शक्रसमो महीपतिः ॥१-६-
That city of Ayodhyā, named Satyanāmā, with strong gates and bars, adorned with splendid houses, auspicious, and crowded with thousands of men, was ruled by the king, equal to Indra.
thumb|सप्तमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तमः सर्गः ॥१-
Thus ends the seventh sarga in the Bālakāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
तस्यामात्या गुणैरासन्विक्ष्वाकोः सुमहात्मनः । मन्त्रज्ञाश्चेङ्गितज्ञाश्च नित्यं प्रियहिते रताः ॥१-७-
His ministers, endowed with virtues, served the great-souled Ikshvaku; they were skilled in counsel, perceptive of gestures, and always devoted to what was pleasing and beneficial.
अष्टौ बभूवुर्वीरस्य तस्यामात्या यशस्विनः । शुचयश्चानुरक्ताश्च राजकृत्येषु नित्यशः ॥१-७-
That illustrious and valiant king had eight ministers, pure in conduct and loyal, who constantly attended to royal duties.
धृष्टिर्जयन्तो विजयः सुराष्ट्रो राष्ट्र्वर्धनः । अकोपो धर्मपालश्च सुमन्त्रश्चाष्टमोऽर्थवित् ॥१-७-
Dhṛṣṭi, Jayanta, Vijaya, Surāṣṭra, Rāṣṭravardhana, Akopa, Dharmapāla, and Sumantra, the eighth, who was wise in affairs.
ऋत्विजौ द्वावभिमतौ तस्यास्तामृषिसत्तमौ । वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च मन्त्रिणश्च तथापरे ॥१-७-
He had two chief priests, eminent among seers: Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva; and there were other counselors as well.
सुयज्ञोऽप्यथ जाबालिः काश्यपोऽप्यथ गौतमः । मार्कण्डेयस्तु दीर्घायुस्तथा कात्यायनो द्विजः ॥१-७-
Also Suyajña, Jābāli, Kāśyapa, Gautama, the long-lived Mārkaṇḍeya, and the sage Kātyāyana.
एतैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिर्नित्यमृत्विजस्तस्य पौर्वकाः । विद्याविनीता ह्रीमन्तः कुशला नियतेन्द्रियाः ॥१-७-
These brahmarṣis, always his former priests, were learned, disciplined, modest, skilled, and self-controlled.
तेजःक्षमायशःप्राप्ताः स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषिणः । क्रोधात् कामार्थहेतोर्वा न ब्रूयुरनृतं वचः ॥१-७-
They possessed energy, patience, and fame, spoke with a gentle smile, and would never utter a false word, whether out of anger, desire, or self-interest.
तेषामविदितं किंचित् स्वेषु नास्ति परेषु वा । क्रियमाणं कृतं वापि चारेणापि चिकीर्षितम् ॥१-७-
Nothing, whether among their own or others, done, being done, or intended, even in secret, was unknown to them.
कुशला व्यवहारेषु सौहृदेषु परीक्षिताः । प्राप्तकालं यथा दण्डं धारयेयुः सुतेष्वपि ॥१-७-
They were skilled in conduct, proven in friendship, and would impose timely punishment even on their own sons.
कोशसंग्रहणे युक्ता बलस्य च परिग्रहे । अहितं चापि पुरुषं न हिंस्युरविदूषकम् ॥१-७-
They were adept in collecting revenue and managing the army, and would not harm an innocent person, even if he were an enemy.
वीराश्च नियतोत्साहा राजशास्त्रमनुष्ठिताः। शुचीनां रक्षितारश्च नित्यं विषयवासिनाम् ॥१-७-
Brave and ever-energetic, they upheld royal law and always protected the pure citizens of the realm.
ब्रह्मक्षत्रमहिंसन्तस्ते कोशं समपूरयन् । सुतीक्ष्णदण्डाः सम्प्रेक्ष्य पुरुषस्य बलाबलम् ॥१-७-
By not harming Brahmins or Kshatriyas, they filled the treasury, and imposed strict punishments after considering a person's strength and weakness.
शुचीनामेकबुद्धीनां सर्वेषां सम्प्रजानताम् । नासीत्पुरे वा राष्ट्रे वा मृषावादी नरः क्वचित् ॥१-७-
Among those pure and single-minded, all were discerning; nowhere in the city or kingdom was there anyone who spoke falsely.
क्वचिन्न दुष्टस्तत्रासीत् परदाररतिर्नरः । प्रशान्तं सर्वमेवासीद् राष्ट्रं पुरवरं च तत् ॥१-७-
Nowhere there was a wicked man or one who coveted another's wife; the entire kingdom and its chief city were peaceful.
सुवाससः सुवेशाश्च ते च सर्वे शुचिव्रताः । हितार्थाश्च नरेन्द्रस्य जाग्रतो नयचक्षुषा ॥१-७-
All of them wore clean garments, were well-dressed, observed pure vows, and, with wakeful discernment, sought the king's welfare.
गुरोर्गुणगृहीताश्च प्रख्याताश्च पराक्रमैः । विदेशेष्वपि विज्ञाताः सर्वतो बुद्धिनिश्चयाः ॥१-७-
They had acquired their teacher's virtues, were renowned for their valor, known even in foreign lands, and everywhere firm in their understanding.
अभितो गुणवन्तश्च न चासन् गुणवर्जिताः । सन्धिविग्रहतत्वज्ञाः प्रकृत्या सम्पदान्विताः ॥१-७-
They were all endowed with virtues, none lacking in merit, experts in the principles of alliance and conflict, and by nature possessed of prosperity.
मंत्रसंवरणे शक्ताः शक्ताः सूक्ष्मासु बुद्धिषु । नीतिशास्त्रविशेषज्ञाः सततं प्रियवादिनः ॥१-७-
They were able to keep counsel, skilled in subtle reasoning, always speaking pleasantly, and well-versed in the science of polity.
ईदृशैस्तैरमात्यैश्च राजा दशरथोऽनघः । उपपन्नो गुणोपेतैरन्वशासद् वसुन्धराम् ॥१-७-
King Daśaratha, faultless and endowed with ministers of such qualities and virtues, ruled over the earth.