यज्ञार्थं प्रसवार्थं च स्वर्गार्थं च नरेश्वरः । लभते च स तं कामं द्विजमुख्याद् विशाम्पतिः ॥१-११-
That lord of men, for the sake of sacrifice, progeny, and heaven, will obtain his desired goal from that foremost Brahmin.
पुत्राश्चास्य भविष्यन्ति चत्वारोऽमितविक्रमाः । वंशप्रतिष्ठानकराः सर्वभूतेषु विश्रुताः ॥१-११-
And to him there will be four sons of immeasurable valor, who will establish the lineage and be renowned among all beings.
स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल समानय सुसत्कृतम् । स्वयमेव महाराज गत्वा सबलवाहनः ॥१-११-
Therefore, O tiger among men, personally go with proper honor, O great king, with your army and vehicles.
सुमन्त्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हृष्टो दशरथोऽभवत् । अनुमान्य वसिष्ठं च सूतवाक्यं निशाम्य च ॥१-११-
Hearing Sumantra’s words, Dasharatha became delighted; having taken counsel with Vasishta and listened to the charioteer’s speech.
सान्तःपुरः सहामात्यः प्रययौ यत्र स द्विजः । वनानि सरितश्चैव व्यतिक्रम्य शनैः शनैः ॥१-११-
With his inner court and ministers, he set out to where that Brahmin was, slowly passing through forests and rivers.
अभिचक्राम तं देशं यत्र वै मुनिपुङ्गवः । आसाद्य तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं रोमपादसमीपगम् ॥१-११-
He approached that place where the eminent sage was, and, coming near the best of Brahmins, who was close to Romapada.
ऋषिपुत्रं ददर्शाथो दीप्यमानमिवानलम् । ततो राजा यथायोग्यं पूजां चक्रे विशेषतः ॥१-११-
Dasharatha saw the sage’s son, blazing like fire; then the king performed the appropriate honors for him, especially.
सखित्वात्तस्य वै राज्ञः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । रोमपादेन चाख्यातमृषिपुत्राय धीमते ॥१-११-
Because of his friendship with that king, Romapada, with great inner joy, told the wise sage’s son everything.
सख्यं सम्बन्धकं चैव तदा तं प्रत्यपूजयत् । एवं सुसत्कृतस्तेन सहोषित्वा नरर्षभः ॥१-११-
He honored him with the bonds of friendship and kinship; thus, having been well received by him, the best of men stayed there.
सप्ताष्टदिवसान् राजा राजानमिदमब्रवीत् । शान्ता तव सुता राजन् सह भर्त्रा विशाम्पते ॥१-११-
After seven or eight days, the king spoke to the king: 'O lord of men, Shanta, your daughter, is here with her husband.'
मदीयं नगरं यातु कार्यं हि महदुद्यतम् । तथेति राजा संश्रुत्य गमनं तस्य धीमतः ॥१-११-
'Let her go to my city, for a great task is at hand.' The king, having agreed, promised the wise one to depart.
उवाच वचनं विप्रं गच्छ त्वं सह भार्यया । ऋषिपुत्रः प्रतिश्रुत्य तथेत्याह नृपं तदा ॥१-११-
He spoke to the Brahmin, 'Go with your wife.' The sage’s son, having promised, then said to the king, 'So be it.'
स नृपेणाभ्यनुज्ञातः प्रययौ सह भार्यया । तावन्योन्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा स्नेहात्संश्लिष्य चोरसा ॥१-११-
Permitted by the king, he departed with his wife; both, out of affection, joined their palms and embraced each other.
ननन्दतुर्दशरथो रोमपादश्च वीर्यवान् । ततः सुहृदमापृच्छ्य प्रस्थितो रघुनन्दनः ॥१-११-
Dasharatha and the mighty Romapada rejoiced; then, having taken leave of his friend, the descendant of Raghu set out.
पौरेषु प्रेषयामास दूतान् वै शीघ्रगामिनः । क्रियतां नगरं सर्वं क्षिप्रमेव स्वलंकृतम् ॥१-११-
He sent swift messengers among the citizens, saying, 'Let the entire city be quickly and splendidly adorned.'
धूपितं सिक्तसम्मृष्टं पताकाभिरलंकृतम् । ततः प्रहृष्टाः पौरास्ते श्रुत्वा राजानमागतम् ॥१-११-
Let it be perfumed, sprinkled, and cleaned, adorned with flags; then the delighted citizens, hearing the king had come, rejoiced.
तथा चक्रुश्च तत् सर्वं राज्ञा यत् प्रेषितं तदा । ततः स्वलंकृतं राजा नगरं प्रविवेश ह ॥१-११-
They did everything as the king had ordered at that time; then the king entered the beautifully decorated city.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्ह्रादैः पुरस्कृत्वा द्विजर्षभम् । ततः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा वै नागरा द्विजम् ॥१-११-
With the blaring of conches and drums, they led the foremost of Brahmins at the front; then, all the citizens, seeing the Brahmin, became greatly delighted.
प्रवेश्यमानं सत्कृत्य नरेन्द्रेणेन्द्रकर्मणा । यथा दिवि सुरेन्द्रेण सहस्राक्षेण काश्यपम् ॥१-११-
Honored by the king, who acted with the might of Indra, he was brought in just as Kasyapa is brought in by thousand-eyed Indra in heaven.
अन्तःपुरं प्रवेश्यैनं पूजां कृत्वा तु शास्त्रतः । कृतकृत्यं तदात्मानं मेने तस्योपवाहनात् ॥१-११-
After bringing him into the inner chambers and performing the prescribed worship according to the scriptures, the king considered himself fulfilled by having brought him there.
अन्तःपुराणि सर्वाणि शान्तां दृष्ट्वा तथागताम् । सह भर्त्रा विशालाक्षीं प्रीत्यानन्दमुपागमन् ॥१-११-
Seeing all the inner apartments peaceful and thus arrived, the wide-eyed queen, together with her husband, felt joy and happiness.
पूज्यमाना तु ताभिः सा राज्ञा चैव विशेषतः । उवास तत्र सुखिता कञ्चित् कालं सहद्विजा ॥१-११-
Honored by those women and especially by the king, she stayed there happily for some time along with the Brahmin.
thumb|द्वादशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the twelfth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.
ततः काले बहुतिथे कस्मिंश्चित् सुमनोहरे । वसन्ते समनुप्राप्ते राज्ञो यष्टुं मनोऽभवत् ॥१-१२-
Then, after much time had passed, in a certain delightful season, when spring had arrived, the king desired to perform a sacrifice.
ततः प्रणम्य शिरसा तं विप्रं देववर्णिनम् । यज्ञाय वरयामास संतानार्थं कुलस्य च ॥१-१२-
Then, bowing his head to that Brahmin of divine radiance, he requested him to perform a sacrifice for the sake of progeny and the family's continuation.
तथेति च स राजानमुवाच वसुधाधिपम् । सम्भाराः सम्भ्रियन्तां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम् ॥१-१२-
The Brahmin replied, 'So be it,' and said to the lord of the earth, 'Let the preparations be made, and let the horse be released.'
सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् । ततोऽब्रवीनृपो वाक्यं ब्राह्मणान् वेदपारगान् ॥१-१२-
'Let the sacrificial ground be prepared on the northern bank of the Sarayu.' Then the king spoke to the Brahmins who were well-versed in the Vedas.
सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रमृत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिनः । सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम् ॥१-१२-
'Summon quickly, Sumantra, the officiating priests who are learned in the Vedas: Suyajña, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, and Kāśyapa.'
पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमाः । ततः सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितं गत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः ॥१-१२-
'And the family priest Vasiṣṭha, and all other excellent Brahmins.' Then Sumantra, swift and energetic, went quickly.
समानयत् स तान् सर्वान् समस्तान् वेदपारगान् । तान् पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथस्तदा ॥१-१२-
He brought all those Brahmins, all who were learned in the Vedas; and then the righteous king Daśaratha honored them.