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.'
स तस्य वाक्यं मधुरं निशम्य प्रणम्य तस्मै प्रयतो नृपेन्द्रः । जगाम हर्षं परमं महात्मा तमृष्यशृङ्गं पुनरप्युवाच ॥१-१४-
Hearing those sweet words, the great-souled king, reverently bowing to him, experienced supreme joy and again spoke to Sage Rishyasringa.
thumb|पञ्चदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे पञ्चदशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the fifteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
मेधावी तु ततो ध्यात्वा स किञ्चिदिदमुत्तरम् । लब्धसंज्ञस्ततस्तं तु वेदज्ञो नृपमब्रवीत् ॥१-१५-
Then, the wise one, after contemplating for a moment, having regained his composure, spoke to the king, knowledgeable in the Vedas.
इष्टिं तेऽहं करिष्यामि पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात् । अथर्वशिरसि प्रोक्तैर्मन्त्रैः सिद्धां विधानतः ॥१-१५-
I will perform for you a sacrificial rite for the sake of sons, using mantras prescribed in the Atharvaśirsa, accomplished according to proper procedure.
ततः प्राक्रमदिष्टिं तां पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात् । जुहावाग्नौ च तेजस्वी मन्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥१-१५-
Then, he began that sacrificial rite for the purpose of sons, and the radiant sage offered oblations into the fire, performing the ritual as prescribed by the mantras.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । भागप्रतिग्रहार्थं वै समवेता यथाविधि ॥१-१५-
Then, the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and eminent sages, assembled according to the proper rites to receive their shares.