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.
दिवसे दिवसे तत्र संस्तरे कुशला द्विजाः । सर्वकर्माणि चक्रुस्ते यथाशास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः ॥१-१४-
Day after day, the skilled twice-born, prompted as prescribed, performed all the rites at the sacrificial ground according to the scriptures.
नाषडङ्गविदत्रासीन्नाव्रतो नाबहुश्रुतः । सदस्यास्तस्य वै राज्ञो नावादकुशलो द्विजः ॥१-१४-
Among the king's officiants, there was none ignorant of the six Vedāṅgas, none undisciplined, none unlearned, and no Brahmin unskilled in debate.
प्राप्ते यूपोच्छ्रये तस्मिन् षड् बैल्वाः खादिरास्तथा । तावन्तो बिल्वसहिताः पर्णिनश्च तथा परे ॥१-१४-
When the sacrificial posts were raised, six were made of Bilva wood, and likewise of Khadira; the same number with Bilva wood, and others with leafy branches.
श्लेष्मातकमयो दिष्टो देवदारुमयस्तथा । द्वावेव तत्र विहितौ बाहुव्यस्तपरिग्रहौ ॥१-१४-
One was prescribed to be made of śleṣmātaka wood, and another of devadāru wood; only these two were established there, each with arms outstretched for grasping.
कारिताः सर्व एवैते शास्त्रज्ञैर्यज्ञकोविदैः । शोभार्थं तस्य यज्ञस्य काञ्चनालंकृता भवन् ॥१-१४-
All these were constructed by those skilled in the scriptures and in sacrificial rites; for the sake of the sacrifice’s splendor, they were adorned with gold.
एकविंशतियूपास्ते एकविंशत्यरत्नयः । वासोभिरेकविंशद्भिरेकैकं समलंकृताः ॥१-१४-
There were twenty-one sacrificial posts, each set with twenty-one jewels, and each was decorated with twenty-one garments.
विन्यस्ता विधिवत् सर्वे शिल्पिभिः सुकृता दृढाः । अष्टाश्रयः सर्व एव श्लक्ष्णरूपसमन्विताः ॥१-१४-
All were firmly and skillfully made by craftsmen, set in their proper places according to rule, eight-sided and possessing a smooth form.
आच्छादितास्ते वासोभिः पुष्पैर्गन्धैश्च पूजिताः । सप्तर्षयो दीप्तिमन्तो विराजन्ते यथा दिवि ॥१-१४-
They were covered with garments, worshipped with flowers and fragrances, and shone forth like the radiant Seven Sages in the sky.
इष्टकाश्च यथान्यायं कारिताश्च प्रमाणतः । चितोऽग्निर्ब्राह्मणैस्तत्र कुशलैः शुल्बकर्मणि ॥१-१४-
Bricks were made according to proper measure and rule; the altar fire was laid there by Brahmins skilled in the art of constructing altars.
स चित्यो राजसिंहस्य संचितः कुशलैर्द्विजैः । गरुडो रुक्मपक्षो वै त्रिगुणोऽष्टादशात्मकः ॥१-१४-
That altar for the lion among kings was constructed by learned Brahmins; it was in the form of Garuḍa with golden wings, triple-layered, and composed of eighteen parts.
नियुक्तास्तत्र पशवस्तत्तदुद्दिश्य दैवतम् । उरगाः पक्षिणश्चैव यथाशास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः ॥१-१४-
There, animals were assigned for each deity as prescribed; serpents and birds were also designated according to the scriptures.
शामित्रे तु हयस्तत्र तथा जलचराश्च ये । ऋषिभिः सर्वमेवैतन्नियुक्तं शास्त्रतस्तदा ॥१-१४-
There, a horse and aquatic creatures were also assigned by the sages, all in accordance with the scriptures at that time.
पशूनां त्रिशतं तत्र यूपेषु नियतं तदा । अश्वरत्नोत्तमं तत्र राज्ञो दशरथस्य ह ॥१-१४-
Three hundred animals were then fixed at the sacrificial posts, and the best jewel among horses for King Daśaratha.
कौसल्या तं हयं तत्र परिचर्य समन्ततः । कृपाणैर्विससारैनं त्रिभिः परमया मुदा ॥१-१४-
There, Kausalyā attended to that horse in every way, and with great joy, she released it with three knives.
पतत्रिणा तदा सार्धं सुस्थितेन च चेतसा । अवसद् रजनीमेकां कौसल्या धर्मकाम्यया ॥१-१४-
With a steady mind, together with the bird, Kausalyā, desiring righteousness, spent a whole night there.
होताध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता हस्तेन समयोजयन् । महिष्या परिवृत्त्याथ वावातामपरां तथा ॥१-१४-
The Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ joined the queen’s wives by hand, and then led another around as well.
पतत्रिणस्तस्य वपामुद्धृत्य नियतेन्द्रियः । ऋत्विक्परमसम्पन्नः श्रपयामास शास्त्रतः ॥१-१४-
The officiating priest, self-controlled and highly accomplished, took the fat of the bird and, according to the scriptures, poured it into the fire.
धूमगन्धं वपायास्तु जिघ्रति स्म नराधिपः । यथाकालं यथान्यायं निर्णुदन् पापमात्मनः ॥१-१४-
The king inhaled the smoke-scent of the fat, at the proper time and in the proper way, dispelling sin from himself.
हयस्य यानि चाङ्गानि तानि सर्वाणि ब्राह्मणाः । अग्नौ प्रास्यन्ति विधिवत् समस्ताः षोडशर्त्विजः ॥१-१४-
All the priests, sixteen in number, cast all the limbs of the horse into the fire according to rule.
प्लक्षशाखासु यज्ञानामन्येषां क्रियते हविः । अश्वमेधस्य चैकस्य वैतसो भाग इष्यते ॥१-१४-
For other sacrifices, the oblation is made on branches of the plakṣa tree, but for the Aśvamedha, a vessel of reeds is prescribed.
त्र्यहोऽश्वमेधः संख्यातः कल्पसूत्रेण ब्राह्मणैः । चतुष्टोममहस्तस्य प्रथमं परिकल्पितम् ॥१-१४-
The Aśvamedha is declared to last three days, according to the Kalpasūtra by the Brahmins; the first is arranged as the Catuṣṭoma rite.
उक्थ्यं द्वितीयं संख्यातमतिरात्रं तथोत्तरम् । कारितास्तत्र बहवो विहिताः शास्त्रदर्शनात् ॥१-१४-
The second Ukthya, the enumerated Atirātra, and the subsequent rites—many were performed there, as prescribed by the scriptures.
ज्योतिष्टोमायुषी चैवमतिरात्रौ च निर्मितौ । अभिजिद्विश्वजिच्चैवमाप्तोर्यामौ महाक्रतुः ॥१-१४-
Jyotiṣṭoma, Āyuṣī, and Atirātra were conducted; likewise, Abhijit, Viśvajit, Āptoryāma, and the great sacrifice.
प्राचीं होत्रे ददौ राजा दिशं स्वकुलवर्धनः । अध्वर्यवे प्रतीचीं तु ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां दिशम् ॥१-१४-
The king, enhancer of his lineage, gave the eastern direction to the Hotṛ, the western to the Adhvaryu, and the southern to the Brahman.
उद्गात्रे तु तथोदीचीं दक्षिणैषा विनिर्मिता । अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे स्वयम्भूविहिते पुरा ॥१-१४-
To the Udgātṛ, he likewise gave the northern direction; this is the prescribed donation at the great horse sacrifice, established long ago by Svayambhū.
क्रतुं समाप्य तु तदा न्यायतः पुरुषर्षभः । ऋत्विग्भ्यो हि ददौ राजा धरां तां कुलवर्धनः ॥१-१४-
Having properly completed the sacrifice, the foremost among men, the king, enhancer of his lineage, gave that land to the officiating priests.