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.
एवम् दत्त्वा प्रहृष्टोऽभूच्छ्रीमाननिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । ऋत्विजस्त्वब्रुवन् सर्वे राजानं गतकिल्बिषम् ॥१-१४-
Having given thus, the illustrious descendant of Ikṣvāku became joyful; and all the priests addressed the king, now freed from sin.
भवानेव महीं कृत्स्नामेको रक्षितुमर्हति । न भूम्या कार्यमस्माकं नहि शक्ताः स्म पालने ॥१-१४-
You alone are worthy to protect the entire earth; we have no use for the land, nor are we capable of its governance.
रताः स्वाध्यायकरणे वयं नित्यं हि भूमिप । निष्क्रयं किञ्चिदेवेह प्रयच्छतु भवानिति ॥१-१४-
We are always devoted to the practice of self-study, O ruler of the earth; let Your Majesty grant us some other compensation here.
मणिरत्नं सुवर्णं वा गावो यद्वा समुद्यतम् । तत् प्रयच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ धरण्या न प्रयोजनम् ॥१-१४-
Give us a jewel, a precious gem, gold, or cows—whatever is available, O best of men; we have no need for the land.
एवमुक्तो नरपतिर्ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः । गवां शतसहस्राणि दश तेभ्यो ददौ नृपः ॥१-१४-
Thus addressed by the Brahmins, masters of the Vedas, the king gave them ten hundred thousand cows.
दशकोटिं सुवर्णस्य रजतस्य चतुर्गुणम् । ऋत्विजस्तु ततः सर्वे प्रददुः सहिता वसु ॥१-१४-
He gave ten crores of gold and four times that in silver; then all the priests distributed the wealth among themselves.
ऋष्यशृङ्गाय मुनये वसिष्ठाय च धीमते । ततस्ते न्यायतः कृत्वा प्रविभागं द्विजोत्तमाः ॥१-१४-
To the sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and the wise Vasiṣṭha, the foremost Brahmins made a proper division of the gifts.
सुप्रीतमनसः सर्वे प्रत्यूचुर्मुदिता भृशम् । ततः प्रसर्पकेभ्यस्तु हिरण्यं सुसमाहितः ॥१-१४-
All, with hearts well pleased, responded joyfully; then, to those who assisted, he gave gold with great care.
जाम्बूनदं कोटिसंख्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ तदा । दरिद्राय द्विजायथ हस्ताभरणमुत्तमम् ॥१-१४-
He gave to the Brahmins gold from Jāmbūnada in the count of crores; and to a poor Brahmin, the finest hand ornaments.
कस्मैचित् याचमानाय ददौ राघवनन्दनः । ततः प्रीतेषु विधिवत् द्विजेषु द्विजवत्सलः ॥१-१४-
To one who requested, the descendant of Raghu gave; then, when the Brahmins were properly satisfied, he, who cherished them, acted accordingly.
प्रणाममकरोत् तेषां हर्षव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः । तस्याशिषोऽथ विविधा ब्राह्मणैः समुदाहृताः ॥१-१४-
He bowed to them, his senses overwhelmed with joy; then various blessings were pronounced upon him by the Brahmins.
उदारस्य नृवीरस्य धरण्यां पतितस्य च । ततः प्रीतमना राजा प्राप्य यज्ञमनुत्तमम् ॥१-१४-
For the generous, heroic king who had given up the earth, the king, with a delighted mind, attained the supreme sacrifice.
पापापहं स्वर्नयनं दुस्तरं पार्थिवर्षभैः । ततोऽब्रवीदृशष्यशृङ्गं राजा दशरथस्तदा ॥१-१४-
The sin-removing, heaven-leading, difficult-to-accomplish rite for kings—then King Daśaratha addressed Ṛṣyaśṛṅga.
कुलस्य वर्धनं तत् तु कर्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत तथेति च स राजानमुवाच द्विजसत्तमः भविष्यन्ति सुता राजंश्चत्वारस्ते कुलोद्वहाः ॥१-१४-
You, of noble vows, ought to perform that which will increase your lineage. And so, the foremost among twice-born spoke to the king: 'O King, you will have four sons who will bring glory to your family.'