स्वयमेव हि धर्मात्मा प्रयातो मुनिशासनात् । सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितो भूत्वा समानेतुं महामतिः ॥१-१३-
Obeying the sage’s instruction, the righteous Sumantra himself, swift and wise, set out to gather them.
ते च कर्मान्तिकाः सर्वे वसिष्ठाय महर्षये । सर्वं निवेदयन्ति स्म यज्ञे यदुपकल्पितम् ॥१-१३-
All those in charge of the preparations reported everything that had been arranged for the sacrifice to the great sage Vasiṣṭha.
ततः प्रीतो द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तान् सर्वान् मुनिरब्रवीत् । अवज्ञया न दातव्यं कस्यचिल्लीलयापि वा ॥१-१३-
Then the delighted best of twice-born sages addressed them all: ‘Let nothing be given with disrespect or carelessness to anyone.’
अवज्ञया कृतं हन्याद् दातारं नात्र संशयः । ततः कैश्चिदहोरात्रैरुपयाता महीक्षितः ॥१-१३-
If anything is given with disrespect, it destroys the giver—of this there is no doubt. Then, within a few days and nights, the kings arrived.
बहूनि रत्नान्यादाय राज्ञो दशरथस्य ह । ततो वसिष्ठः सुप्रीतो राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥१-१३-
Bringing many jewels for King Daśaratha, Vasiṣṭha, well pleased, spoke to the king.
उपयाता नरव्याघ्र राजानस्तव शासनात् । मयापि सत्कृताः सर्वे यथार्हं राजसत्तमाः ॥१-१३-
‘O tiger among men, the kings have come at your command; I have honored them all as is fitting, O best of kings.’
यज्ञियं च कृतं सर्वं पुरुषैः सुसमाहितैः । निर्यातु च भवान् यष्टुं यज्ञायतनमन्तिकात् ॥१-१३-
All the sacrificial preparations have been properly completed by the attentive men; you may proceed from your residence to the sacrificial ground to perform the rite.
सर्वकामैरुपहृतैरुपेतं वै समन्ततः । द्रष्टुमर्हसि राजेन्द्र मनसेव विनिर्मितम् ॥१-१३-
Surrounded on all sides by offerings of every desired thing, you should behold, O king, the sacrificial site, crafted as if by the mind itself.
तथा वसिष्ठवचनादृशष्यशृङ्गस्य चोभयोः । दिवसे शुभनक्षत्रे निर्यातो जगतीपतिः ॥१-१३-
Thus, following the words of both Vasiṣṭha and Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the lord of the earth set out on an auspicious day under a favorable star.
ततो वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्व एव द्विजोत्तमाः । ऋष्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञकर्मारभंस्तदा ॥१-१३-
Then all the foremost Brahmins, led by Vasiṣṭha and with Ṛśyaśṛṅga at their head, began the sacrificial rites.
यज्ञवाटं गताः सर्वे यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि । श्रीमांश्च सह पत्नीभी राजा दीक्षामुपाविशत् ॥१-१३-
All went to the sacrificial enclosure, performing every act according to scripture and proper rule; and the illustrious king, together with his wives, undertook the vow of consecration.
thumb|चतुर्दशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे चतुर्दशः सर्गः ॥१-
This is the fourteenth sarga; listen.
अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे तस्मिन् प्राप्ते तुरङ्गमे । सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञोऽभ्यवर्तत ॥१-१४-
When the year was complete and the horse had arrived, the king’s sacrifice began on the northern bank of the Sarayū.
ऋष्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य कर्म चक्रुर्द्विजर्षभाः । अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः ॥१-१४-
With Ṛśyaśṛṅga at their head, the foremost Brahmins performed the great Aśvamedha sacrifice for this high-souled king.
कर्म कुर्वन्ति विधिवद् याजका वेदपारगाः । यथाविधि यथान्यायं परिक्रामन्ति शास्त्रतः ॥१-१४-
The officiating priests, learned in the Vedas, performed the rites properly, moving about according to scripture and established custom.
प्रवर्ग्यं शास्त्रतः कृत्वा तथैवोपसदं द्विजाः । चक्रुश्च विधिवत् सर्वमधिकं कर्म शास्त्रतः ॥१-१४-
Having performed the Pravargya and Upasada rites according to the scriptures, the twice-born carried out all the additional rituals as prescribed by the texts.
अभिपूज्य ततो हृष्टाः सर्वे चक्रुर्यथाविधि । प्रातःसवनपूर्वाणि कर्माणि मुनिपुङ्गवाः ॥१-१४-
Then, after duly honoring them, all the eminent sages, filled with joy, performed the morning Soma-pressing rites as prescribed.
ऐन्द्रश्च विधिवत् दत्तो राजा चाभिषुतोऽनघः । मध्यन्दिनं च सवनं प्रावर्तत यथाक्रमम् ॥१-१४-
The Indra offering was duly given, and the sinless king was consecrated; then, in due order, the midday Soma-pressing commenced.
तृतीयसवनं चैव राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः । चक्रुस्ते शास्त्रतो दृष्ट्वा यथा ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवाः ॥१-१४-
The third Soma-pressing for this great-souled king was also performed, as seen in the scriptures, by the foremost of the Brahmins.
आह्वायाञ्चक्रिरे तत्र शक्रादीन् विबुधोत्तमान् । ऋष्यशृङ्गादयो मन्त्रैः शिक्षाक्षरसमन्वितैः ॥१-१४-
There, R̥śyaśr̥ṅga and the others, skilled in mantras with precise pronunciation, invited the best of the gods, beginning with Indra.
गीतिभिर्मधुरैः स्निग्धैर्मन्त्राह्वानैर्यथार्हतः । होतारो ददुरावाह्य हविर्भागान् दिवौकसाम् ॥१-१४-
With sweet and gentle chants, as appropriate, the Hotṛ priests, having invoked the gods, offered the shares of oblations to the dwellers of heaven.
न चाहुतमभूत् तत्र स्खलितं वा न किञ्चन । दृश्यते ब्रह्मवत् सर्वं क्षेमयुक्तं हि चक्रिरे ॥१-१४-
There, not a single oblation was omitted or mistaken; everything was seen to be conducted flawlessly, as if by Brahmā himself, and with complete security.
न तेष्वहःसु श्रान्तो वा क्षुधितो वा न दृश्यते । नाविद्वान् ब्राह्मणः कश्चिन्नाशतानुचरस्तथा ॥१-१४-
On those days, no one was seen weary or hungry; no Brahmin was ignorant, nor was there anyone who was not a proper attendant.
ब्राह्मणा भुञ्जते नित्यं नाथवन्तश्च भुञ्जते । तापसा भुञ्जते चापि श्रमणाश्चैव भुञ्जते ॥१-१४-
The Brahmins always ate, those with patrons ate, the ascetics ate, and the mendicants also ate.
वृद्धाश्च व्याधिताश्चैव स्त्रीबालाश्च तथैव च । अनिशं भुञ्जमानानां न तृप्तिरुपलभ्यते ॥१-१४-
The elderly, the sick, women, and children likewise ate; yet, though they ate constantly, no sense of fullness was found.
अन्नकूटाश्च दृश्यन्ते बहवः पर्वतोपमाः । दिवसे दिवसे तत्र सिद्धस्य विधिवत् तदा ॥१-१४-
Heaps of food, as vast as mountains, were seen there every day, all properly prepared at that time.
नानादेशादनुप्राप्ताः पुरुषाः स्त्रीगणास्तथा । अन्नपानैः सुविहितास्तस्मिन् यज्ञे महात्मनः ॥१-१४-
Men and groups of women who had come from various regions were well provided with food and drink at that great sacrifice.
अन्नं हि विधिवत्स्वादु प्रशंसन्ति द्विजर्षभाः । अहो तृप्ताः स्म भद्रं ते इति शुश्राव राघवः ॥१-१४-
The foremost of the twice-born praised the food, saying it was properly prepared and delicious; Rāghava heard them say, 'Ah, we are satisfied—may you be blessed!'
स्वलंकृताश्च पुरुषा ब्राह्मणान् पर्यवेषयन् । उपासन्ते च तानन्ये सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः ॥१-१४-
Well-adorned men served the Brahmins, while others, with well-polished jeweled earrings, attended upon them.
कर्मान्तरे तदा विप्रा हेतुवादान् बहूनपि । प्राहुः सुवाग्मिनो धीराः परस्परजिगीषया ॥१-१४-
At that time, during intervals between rituals, the wise and eloquent Brahmins engaged in many debates on reasoning, each wishing to surpass the other.