Dasharatha readies to perform Ashvamedha ritual

ततः काले बहुतिथे कस्मिंश्चित्सुमनोहरे | वसन्ते समनुप्राप्ते राज्ञो यष्टुं मनोऽभवत् ||१-१२-१

tataH kaale bahu tithe kasmin cit sumanohare |vasante samanupraapte raaj~no yaShTum mano.abhavat ||1-12-1

After a lapse some time when spring season has come the king Dasharatha desired to perform the Vedic ritual. [1-12-1]

ततः प्रसाद्य शिरसा तं विप्रं देववर्णिनम् | यज्ञाय वरयामास संतानार्थं कुलस्य च || १-१२-२

tataH praNaMya shirasaa tam vipram deva varNinam |yaj~naaya varayaamaasa saMtaana artham kulasya ca || 1-12-2tatha iti ca sa raajaanam uvaaca vasudha adhipam |

Then bowing his head before that Brahmana sage Rishyasringa whose is glow is like that of a deity, King Dasharatha verily beseeched that sage to conduct Vedic ritual on his behalf as he wished to beget progeny to maintaining his family line. [1-12-2]

तथेति च स राजानमुवाच च सुसत्कृतः | संभाराः संभ्रियन्तां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम् || १-१२-३ सरव्याश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् |

saMbhaaraaH saMbhriyantaam te turagashca vimucyataam || 1-12-3saravyaaH cha uttare tiire yaj~na bhuumiH vidhiiyataam |

Sage Rishyasringa who by now is well-honoured by the king said to the king, "So it shall be, let the paraphernalia for ritual be garnered and let your ritual horse be released as a prerogative and let the ritual place be decided on the northern banks of Sarayu River...." [1-12-3]

ततो नृपोऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम् || १-१२-४ सुमंत्रावाहय क्षिप्रमृत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिनः | सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम् || १-१२-५ पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमाः |

tato abraviit nR^ipaH vaakyam braahmaNaan veda paaragaan || 1-12-4sumaMtra aavaahaya kshShipram R^itvijo brahma vaadinaH |suyaj~nam vaamadevam ca jaabaalim atha kaashyapam || 1-12-5purohitam vasiShTham ca ye ca anye dvija sattamaaH |

Then King Dasharatha said to his best minister Sumantra, "Let the Vedic scholars and ritual conductors like Sages Suyajna, Vaamadeva, Jaabaali, and Kaashyapa, along with the family priest Vashishta, as well as other Vedic Brahmans that are there, they all be invited swiftly..." [1-12-4, 5, 6a]

ततः सुमंत्रस्त्वरितं गत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः || १-१२-६ समानयत्स तान्सर्वान् समस्तान्वेदपारगान् | तान् पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथस्तदा || १-१२-७ धर्मार्थसहितं युक्तं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत् |

mama taatapya maanasya putraartham naasti vai sukham || 1-12-8putraartham hayamedhena yakshayaami iti matirmama |tat aham yaShTum icChaami hayamedhena karmaNaa || 1-12-9R^iShiputra prabhaaveNa kaamaan praapsyaami ca api aham |

Then Sumantra being a quickest person went quickly and fetched all those Vedic scholars and clergymen. Then the virtuous king Dasharatha having offered due worships to all the sages and saints brought in by Sumantra, uttered these words which are with virtue and meaning, in an impressible manner. [1-12-6, 7, 8a]

मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम् || १-१२-८ तदर्थं हयमेधेन यक्ष्यामीति मतिर्मम | तदहं यष्टुमिच्छामि शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा || १-१२-९ ऋषिपुत्रप्रभावेण कामान्प्राप्स्यामि चाप्यहम् |

saMbhaaraaH saMbhriyamtaam te turagaH ca vimucyataam |saravyaaH cha uttare tiire yaj~na bhuumiH vidhiiyataam || 1-12-12sarvathaa praapyase putraam chaturo amita vikramaan |yasya te dharmikii buddhiH iyam putraartham aagataa || 1-12-13

"My mind is tumultuous without quietude for I have no sons... hence I am thinking of performing the Vedic Horse Ritual for progeny... I wish to perform the ritual as enshrined in the scriptures and by strict observances... I wish to get my desires fulfilled through the divine influence of the Sage's son, Rishyasringa... [1-12-8, 9, 10a]

ततः साध्विति तद्वाक्यं ब्राह्मणाः प्रत्यपूजयन् || १-१२-१० वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्वे पार्थिवस्य मुखाच्च्युतम् | ऋष्यशृङ्गपुरोगाश्च प्रत्यूचुर्नृपतिं तदा || १-१२-११

gurUNaam vachanaat shiighram saMbhaaraaH saMbhriyantu me |samartha adhishhTitaH cha ashvaH saH upaadhyaayo vimuchyataam || 1-12-15sarayavyaaH cha uttare tiire yaj~na bhUmiH vidhIyataam |shaaMtayaH cha abhivarthantaam yathaa kalpam yathaa vidhi || 1-12-16shakyaH kartum ayam yaj~naH sarveNa api mahiikshitaa |na aparaatho bhavet kashhTo yadya asmin kratu sattame || 1-12-17chhidram hi mR^igayanta ete vidvaanso brahma raakshasaaH |vidhihiinasya yaj~nasya sadyaH kartaa vinashyati || 1-12-18tad yathaa vidhi puurvam kratuH eSha samaapyate |tathaa vidhaanam kriyataam samarthaaH karaNeShu iha || 1-12-19

Then "Splendid, splendid is this idea," said the Brahmana scholars blessing the king. Then Sage Vashishta along with all other important personalities have applauded the idea that has come out of the king's voice, and all those Vedic scholars and clerj~nmen keeping Rishyasringa at helm of affairs said this to the king, in appreciation of that idea. [1-12-10b, 11]

संभाराः संभ्रियन्तां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम् | सरव्याश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् || १-१२-१२ सर्वथा प्राप्यसे पुत्रांश्चतुरोऽमितविक्रमान् | यस्य ते धार्मिकी बुद्धिरियं पुत्रार्थमागता || १-१२-१३

tato dvijaaH te dharmaj~nam astuvan paarthivarShabham |anuj~naataaH tataH sarve punaH jagmuH yathaa aagatam || 1-12-21

"Because a virtuous thinking of begetting sons through Vedic ritual has come to you, you will by all means get four sons with boundless valour... let ritual paraphernalia be garnered and let your ritual-horse be released and let the ritual place be decided on the northern banks of Sarayu River...." The Vedic seers thus blessed Dasharatha. [1-12-12, 13]

ततः प्रीतोऽभवद्राजा श्रुत्वा तत् द्विजभाषितम् | अमात्यांश्चाब्रवीद्राजा हर्षेणेदं शुभाक्षरम् || १-१२-१४

Then the king is gladdened to hear the blessing advises of the Vedic scholars, and he spoke to the other ministers of his court, with happiness derived from those good words. [1-12-14]

गुरूणां वचनाच्छीघ्रं संभाराः संभ्रियन्तु मे | समर्थाधिष्ठितश्चाश्वः सोपाध्यायो विमुच्यताम् || १-१२-१५ सरयव्याश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् | शांतयश्चाभिवर्धन्तां यथाकल्पं यथाविधि || १-१२-१६ शक्यः कर्तुमयं यज्ञः सर्वेणापि महीक्षिता | नापराधो भवेत्कष्टो यद्यस्मिन् क्रतुसत्तमे || १-१२-१७ छिद्रं हि मृगयन्तेऽत्र विद्वांसो ब्रह्मराक्षसाः | विघ्नितस्य हि यज्ञस्य सद्यः कर्ता विनश्यति || १-१२-१८ तद्यथा विधिपूर्वं मे क्रतुरेष समाप्यते | तथा विधानं क्रियतां समर्थाः करणेष्विह || १-१२-१९

The king said to his executives, "As advised by my Vedic teachers, let the paraphernalia for my ritual be procured... let the ritual-horse be released, guarded well by gallant men in its journey... and let religious teachers follow that horse as per tradition... let the ritual place be decided on the northern banks of Sarayu River... let the peace invocations be prevailing and prospering throughout as ordained in the scriptures and tradition... all the kings on this earth would have performed this Horse Ritual, if only they can perform this without a mistake... thus, this is a great and difficult ritual... the Brahma-demons will be hunting for the faults performed in the rituals whereat they can inteject themselves in to the proceedings of the ritual in order to ruin it... further, the performer of the ritual also gets ruined if there were be to be faults... that is why this ritual shall be conducted faultlessly till its conclusion, and with absolute adherence to the scriptures... since all of you assembled here are efficient ones in conducting such rituals without faults, I hope you all will organise carefully.... [1-12-15,16,17,18, 19]

तथेति च ततः सर्वे मंत्रिणः प्रत्यपूजयन् | पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तद्वाक्यं यथाज्ञप्तमकुर्वत || १-१२-२०

In appreciation of his orders all the ministers replied the king saying "it will be done accordingly..." and indeed they have faultlessly carried out works as ordered. [1-12-20]

ततो द्विजास्ते धर्मज्ञमस्तुवन्पार्थिवर्षभम् | अनुज्ञातास्ततः सर्वे पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम् || १-१२-२१

Then all the Brahmans applauded the virtuous king and who is like a Sacred Bull among the kings for his virtuous endeavour of undertaking the Vedic ritual, and with his permission all of them returned from there as they have come. [1-12-21]

गतेष्वथ द्विजाग्र्येषु मंत्रिणस्तान्नराधिपः | विसर्जयित्वा स्वं वेश्म प्रविवेश महाद्युतिः ||१-१२-२२

On the departure of the prominent Brahmans, King Dasharatha sent off those ministers who are still available there for further orders from the king, and then he the great resplendent king has entered his own palace. [1-12-22]