ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः | राजा दशरथो हृष्टः सुमंत्रमिदमब्रवीत् || १-६९-१
tato raatryaam vyatiitaayaam sa upaadhyaayaH sa baandhavaH | raajaa dasharatho hR^iShTaH sumaMtram idam abraviit || 1-69-1
On the next dawn that heartened king Dasharatha who is with his teachers and his relatives then said this to his minister Sumantra. [1-69-1]
अद्य सर्वे धनाध्यक्षा धनमादाय पुष्कलम् | व्रजंत्वग्रे सुविहिता नानारत्नसमन्विताः || १-६९-२
adya sarve dhana adhyakShaa dhanam aadaaya puShkalam | vrajaMti agre su vihitaa naanaa ratna samanvitaaH || 1-69-2
Now let the chancellors of exchequers draw ample riches, gems and numerous other items that are used in the marriage from bridegroom's side, all-inclusively, and let them travel in advance and let them be well-prepared for any exigency... [1-69-2]
चतुरंगबलं चापि शीघ्रं निर्यातु सर्वशः | ममाज्ञा समकालं च यानं युग्ममनुत्तमम् || १-६९-३
caturaMga balam ca api shiighram niryaatu sarvashaH | mama aaj~naa samakaalam ca yaanam yugmam anuttamam || 1-69-3
Let the quadruple forces start off in a trice from everywhere at my order, and others shall start with unexcelled vehicles like palanquins, sedan chairs, litters etc., and with those that can be yoked with horses, like cabined-coaches and horse-carriages... [1-69-3]
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ काश्यपः | मार्कण्डेयश्च दीर्घायुर्ऋषिः कात्यायनस्तथा || १-६९-४ एते द्विजाः प्रयान्त्वग्रे स्यंदनं योजयस्व मे | यथा कालात्ययो न स्याद्दूता हि त्वरयन्ति माम् || १-६९-५
vasiShTho vaamadevaH ca jaabaaliH atha kaashyapaH | maarkaNDeyaH ca diirghaayuH R^iShiH kaatyaayanaH tathaa || 1-69-4 ete dvijaaH prayaantu agre syaMdanam yojayasva me | yathaa kaala atyayo na syaat duutaa hi tvarayanti maam || 1-69-5
"Vashishta, Vaamadeva, Jaabaali and Kaashyapa, and the long-lived Maarkandeya, and Sage Kaatyaayana... let these Brahmans travel in forefront... and let horses be yoked to my royal-cariole, and as the messengers of Janaka are hastening me arrange for the travel without time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha ordered. [1-69-4, 5]
वचनाच्च नरेन्द्रस्य सेना च चतुरंगिणी | राजानमृषिभिः सार्धं व्रजंतं पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात् || १-६९-६
gatvaa catur aham maargam videhaan abhyupeyivaan | raajaa tu janakaH shriimaan shrutvaa puujaam akalpayat || 1-69-7
On the word of that best king the fourfold opulence, and even the fourfold forces up to some extent followed rearward of the king who is going after the sages who are going afore of him. [1-69-6]
गत्वा चतुरहं मार्गं विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान् | राजा तु जनकः श्रीमान् श्रुत्वा पूजामकल्पयत् || १-६९-७
tato raajaanam aasaadya vR^iddham dasharatham nR^ipam | janako mudito raajaa harSham ca paramam yayau || 1-69-8
Travelling on a four-day-route Dasharatha reached the fringes of Videha kingdom, and on hearing this, the illustrious king Janaka arranged for welcome ceremonies at the outskirts of the city. [1-69-7]
ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम् | जनको मुदितो राजा हर्षं च परमं ययौ || १-६९-८
uvaaca vacanam shreShTho narashreShTham mudaa anvitam | svaagatam te narashreShThaH diShTyaa praapto asi raaghava || 1-69-9 putrayoH ubhayoH priitim lapsyase viirya nirjitaam |
Then the king Janaka who is by far gladdened went into a state of ecstatic elation when he met the senescent king and paladin of people, namely Dasharatha, as the pace for the marriage celebrations is quickened because of the immediate arrival of Dasharatha. [1-69-8]
उवाच वचनं श्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदान्वितम् | स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठः दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव || १-६९-९ पुत्रयोरुभयोः प्रीतिं लप्स्यसे वीर्यनिर्जिताम् |
diShTyaa praapto mahaatejaa vasiShTho bhagavaan R^iShiH || 1-69-10 saha sarvaiH dvija shreSh.hThaiH devaiH iva shatakratuH |
And the best one among men, king Janaka, gleefully said this commendable sentence to Dasharatha, the best legatee of Raghu, "oh, king, a hearty welcome to you. Oh, legatee of Raghu, your arrival to my city is just by my providence... you will now get delectation on seeing your sons who won accolades just by their valorousness in the act of raising and breaking Shiva's bow..." [1-69-9, 10a]
दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो महातेजा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः || १-६९-१० सह सर्वैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुः |
diShTyaa me nirjitaa vighnaa diShTyaa me puujitam kulam || 1-69-11 raaghavaiH saha saMbaMdhaat viirya shreShThaiH mahaatmabhiH |
Providentially bechanced is the arrival of this great-resplendent and godly sage Vashishta, who arrived here with all of these eminent Brahmans, like Indra himself with all gods... [1-69-10b, 11a]
दिष्ट्या मे निर्जिता विघ्ना दिष्ट्या मे पूजितं कुलम् || १-६९-११ राघवैः सह संबंधाद्वीर्यश्रेष्ठैर्महात्मभिः |
shvaH prabhaate narendra tvam samvar.htayitum ar.hhasi || 1-69-12 yaj~nasya ante narashreShTha vivaaham R^iShi sattamaiH |
Providentially my hindrances are overcome by the arrival of godlike sages, and providentially my lineage too is gloried owing to this hymeneal engagement with noble-souled Raghava-s, who are the most valorous among all the valorous people... [1-69-11b, 12a]
श्वः प्रभाते नरेन्द्र त्वम् सम्वर्तयितुमर्हसि || १-६९-१२ यज्ञस्यान्ते नरश्रेष्ठ विवाहमृषिसत्तमैः |
tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa R^iShi madhye naraadhipaH || 1-69-13 vaakyam vaakyavidaam shreShThaH pratyuvaaca mahiipatim |
Because you are born in first and foremost Ikshvaku dynasty, hence you are the Indra of Indra-like kings on earth... and hence, it will be apt of you to initiate the celebrations of marriage tomorrow, and the marriage itself after the culmination of the Vedic-ritual in three or four days, and the date and time for the marriage, that which is agreeable to the best sages can be decided, and you can get it performed on that date, through those great sages... [1-69-12b, 13a]
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिपः || १-६९-१३ वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् |
pratigraho daatR^i vashaH shrutam etat mayaa puraa || 1-69-14 yathaa vakShyasi dharmaj~na tat kariShyaamahe vayam |
On hearing that sentence of king Janaka the sententious king Dasharatha replied the king Janaka from amongst the sages. [1-69-13b, 14a]
प्रतिग्रहो दातृवशः श्रुतमेतन्मया पुरा || १-६९-१४ यथा वक्ष्यसि धर्मज्ञ तत् करिष्यामहे वयम् |
tat dharmiShTham yashasyam ca vacanam satya vaadinaH || 1-69-15 shrutvaa videha adhipatiH param vismayam aagataH |
"Recipiency rests with the restitutor..." so I have heard earlier. Hence, whatever you say, for you are the knower of probity and nothing goes amiss in your astute thinking, that we will do... [1-69-14b, 15a]
तद्धर्मिष्ठं यशस्यं च वचनं सत्यवादिनः || १-६९-१५ श्रुत्वा विदेहाधिपतिः परं विस्मयमागतः |
tataH sarve muni gaNaaH paraspara samaagame || 1-69-16 harSheNa mahataa yuktaaH taam nishaam avasan sukham |
On listening that sentence of that affirmer of principles, namely Dasharatha, that which is conformable to the principles of marriages and familial glory, a thrill of joy came over the king of Videha. [1-69-15b. 16a]
ततः सर्वे मुनिगणाः परस्परसमागमे || १-६९-१६ हर्षेण महता युक्तास्तां निशामवसन् सुखम् |
atha raamo mahaatejaa lakshmaNena samam yayau || 1-69-17 vishvaamitram puraskR^itya pituH paadau upaspR^ishan |
Then, on the foregathering of sages from Vashishta's side with the sages of Mithila all the sages have attained extreme joy and they spent that night happily. [1-69-16b, 17a]
अथ रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणेन समं ययौ || १-६९-१७ विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य पितुः पादावुपस्पृशन् |
raajaa ca raaghavau putrau nishaaMya pariharShitaH || 1-69-18 uvaasa parama priito janakena supuujitaH |
Then that most brilliant Rama, keeping Vishvamitra ahead, and strutting in step with Lakshmana, strutted to touch the feet of his father Dasharatha. [1-69-17]
राजा च राघवौ पुत्रौ निशाम्य परिहर्षितः || १-६९-१८ उवास परमप्रीतो जनकेन सुपूजितः |
janako api mahaatejaaH kriyaa dharmeNa tattvavit | yaj~nasya ca sutaabhyaam ca kR^itvaa raatrim uvaasa ha || 1-69-19
On seeing his two sons, the super medallists in Raghu's dynasty, King Dasharatha is highly rejoiced and he resided in Mithila with a high contentment, for the reverence of Janaka is that high. [1-69-18]
जनकोऽपि महातेजाः क्रियां धर्मेण तत्त्ववित् | यज्ञस्य च सुताभ्यां च कृत्वा रात्रिमुवास ह || १-६९-१९
Even the great-resplendent Janaka on performing ritual acts according to scriptures for the Vedic-ritual on hand, and the preparatory rituals for handing out both of his daughters in marriage, went into the sleep of the just, with his palm on his chest. [1-69-19]
