King Dasharatha proposes Vedic ritual for progeny

तस्य चैवंप्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः | सुतार्थं तप्यमानस्य नासीद्वंशकरः सुतः || १-८-१

tasya ca evam prabhaavasya dharmaj~nasya mahaatmanaH | sutaartham tapya maanasya na asiit vaMshakaraH sutaH || 1-8-1

To him, to such an effectual and virtuously great-souled King Dasharatha, a dynasty-enriching son is not begotten though his heart is burning to beget children. [1-8-1]

चिन्तयानस्य तस्यैवं बुद्धिरासीन्महात्मनः | सुतार्थं वाजिमेधेन किमर्थं न यजाम्यहम् || १-८-२

chintayaanasya tasya evam buddhiH aasiin mahaatmanaH | sutaartham vaajimedhena kim artham na yajaami aham || 1-8-2

To that anguished great-soul, a thought occurred this way, "To beget sons, why should not I perform Horse ritual...[and thus appease the gods in order to beget worthy sons..."] [1-8-2]

स निश्चितां मतिं कृत्वा यष्टव्यमिति बुद्धिमान् | मंत्रिभिः सह धर्मात्मा सर्वैरपि कृतात्मभिः || १-८-३ ततोऽब्रवीदिदं राजा सुमन्त्रं मंत्रिसत्तमम् | शीघ्रमानय मे सर्वान् गुरूंस्तान्सपुरोहितान् || १-८-४

sa nishchitaam matim kR^itvaa yaShTavyam iti buddhimaan | maMtribhiH saha dharmaatmaa sarvaiH api kR^ita aatmabhiH || 1-8-3 tato.abraviit mahaatejaaH sumaMtram maMtri sattamam | shiighram aanaya me sarvaan guruun taan sa purohitaan || 1-8-4

That intellectual and a conscientious king having resolved with all of his sagacious ministers that such a Vedic ritual is performable, then addressed best ne among ministers, namely Sumantra, "fetch all my teachers and clerics, quickly.." [1-8-3,4]

ततः सुमंत्रः त्वरितं गत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः | समानयत्स तान्सर्वान्समस्तान्वेदपारगान् || १-८-५ सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम् | पुरोहितं वशिष्ठं च ये चाप्यन्ये द्विजोत्तमाः || १-८-६

taan pUjayitvaa dharmaatmaa raajaa dasharathaH tadaa | idam dharma artha sahitam shlakShNam vachanam abraviit ||1-8-7

Then Sumantra gone quickly, for he in quickness is a dauntless one, and fetched all of the clerics like Suyajna, Vaama Deva, Jaabala, Kashyapa, and even Sage Vashishta, and also those other eminent Brahman that are Vedic scholars. [1-8-5,6]

तान्पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथस्तदा | इदं धर्मार्थसहितं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत् ||१-८-७

tat aham yaShTum icchhami shaastra dR^iShTena karmaNaa | katham praapsyaami aham kaamam buddhiH atra vichintyataam || 1-8-9

Then on adoring them virtuous King Dasharatha spoke this impressible sentence that included justification and meaning. [1-8-7]

मम लालप्यमानस्य सुतार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम् | तदर्थं हयमेधेन यक्ष्यामीति मतिर्मम || १-८-८

tataH saadhu iti tadvaakyam braahmaNaaH pratyapUjayan | vashishhTha pramukhaaH sarve paarthivasya mukheritam || 1-8-10

"My mind is tumultuous without quietude for I have no sons... for that reason, I wish perform Aswamedha, Vedic Horse Ritual... this is my thinking... [1-8-8]

तदहं यष्टुमिच्छमि शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा | कथं प्राप्स्याम्यहं कामं बुद्धिरत्र विचिन्त्यताम् || १-८-९

uuchuH cha parama priitaaH sarve dasharatham vachaH | saMbhaaraaH saMbhriyaMtaam te turagaH cha vimuchyataam || 1-8-11

"Therefore, I contemplate to perform that ritual as enshrined in the scriptures and as a rite-oriented one as well... let this contemplation of mine be well thought of... and as to how my desire to beget sons will be fulfilled... [1-8-9]

ततः साध्विति तद्वाक्यं ब्राह्मणाः प्रत्यपूजयन् | वशिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्वे पार्थिवस्य मुखेरितम् || १-८-१०

sarayvaaH ca uttare tiire yaj~na bhuumir vidhiiyataam | sarvathaa praapsyase putraan abhipretaan cha paarthiva || 1-8-12 yasya te dharmikii buddhiH iyam putraartham aagataa |

Then the Brahman scholars along with Sage Vashishta and all other important personalities in their turn have blessed and honoured him, saying that "splendid is this idea..." thus, for that which is voiced by the king. [1-8-10]

ऊचुश्च परमप्रीताः सर्वे दशरथं वचः | संभाराः संभ्रियंतां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम् || १-८-११

tataH tuShTo.abhavat raajaa shrutvaa tad dvija bhaaShitam || 1-8-13 amaatyaan abraviit raajaa harshha paryaakula lochana | saMbhaaraaH saMbhriyaMtaam me guruuNaam vachanaat iha || 1-8-14

All of them becoming happy have also said to King Dasharatha, "let the paraphernalia be provided, and your ritual-horse be released... [1-8-11]

सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् | सर्वथा प्राप्स्यसे पुत्रानभिप्रेतांश्च पार्थिव || १-८-१२ यस्य ते धर्मिकी बुद्धिरियं पुत्रार्थमागता |

samartha adhiShThitaH cha ashvaH saH upaadhyaayo vimuchyataam | sarayvaaH cha uttare tiire yaj~na bhUmir vidhiiyataam || 1-8-15

"Oh, king, by all means you will beget sons as you desired, since you, to whom an upright thinking has suggested itself... let the ritual ground be arranged on the northern banks of River Sarayu..." So said the scholars. [1-8-12, 13a]

ततस्तुष्टोऽभवद्राजा श्रुत्वैतद् द्विजभाषितम् || १-८-१३ अमात्यांश्चाब्रवीद्राजा हर्षपर्याकुलेक्षणः | संभाराः संभ्रियंतां मे गुरूणां वचनादिह || १-८-१४

shaantayaH cha api vardhantaam yathaa kalpam yathaa vidhi | shakyaH praaptum ayam yaj~naH sarveNa api mahiikshitaa | na aparaadho bhavet kaShTo yadi asmin kratu sattame | 1-8-16|

" Then King Dasharatha is gladdened on hearing the sayings of those Brahmans. And with happiness lurching on his eyes the king spoke to the ministers, "As advised by my Vedic teachers let the paraphernalia be procured... [1-8-13b, 14]

समर्थाधिष्ठितश्चाश्वः सोपाध्यायो विमुच्यताम् | सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् || १-८-१५

tadyathaa vidhi puurvam me kratureSha samaapyate | tathaa vidhaanam kriyataam samarthaaH saadhaneShu iti || 1-8-18

"On the northern banks of River Sarayu the ritual ground be arranged... and the Ritual-Horse be released monitored by capable warriors, along with the religious teachers..." So said the king. [1-8-15]

शान्तयश्चापि वर्धन्तां यथाकल्पं यथाविधि | शक्यः प्राप्तुमयं यज्ञः सर्वेणापि महीक्षिता | नापराधो भवेत् कष्टो यद्यस्मिन् क्रतुसत्तमे || १-८-१६

tathaa iti cha abruvan sarve maMtriNaH pratipuujitaa | paarthivendrasya tad vaakyam yathaa puurvam nishaMya te || 1-8-19

"Let peace invocations be prevailing and prospering, as ordained in the scriptures and tradition...if it is possible for the correct performance to obtain results of this ritual, and if it is possible to conduct this ritual without any difficult faults during its performance, then all the kings on earth would have performed it... [1-8-16]

छिद्रं हि मृगयन्तेऽत्र विद्वांसो ब्रह्मराक्षसाः | विधिहीनस्य यज्ञस्य सद्यः कर्ता विनश्यति || १-८-१७

tathaa dvijaaH te dharmaj~naa varthayato nR^ipottamam | anuj~naataaH tataH sarve punar jagmur yathaa aagatam || 1-8-20

"Scholarly Brahma-demons will be hunting for the faults alone in the course of this ritual... should the procedure of this ritual be depraved of its set rules, the performer gets ruined... [1-8-17]

तद्यथा विधिपूर्वं मे क्रतुरेष समाप्यते | तथा विधानं क्रियतां समर्थाः साधनेष्विति || १-८-१८

visarjayitvaa taan vipraan sachivaan idam abraviit | R^itvigbhiH upasaMdiShTo yathaavat kratur aapyataam || 1-8-21

"Therefore, you all shall see as to how this ritual of mine be conducted and concluded procedurally, and all of you are evidently experts in conducting such rituals... isn't it! [1-8-18]

तथेति चाब्रुवन्सर्वे मंत्रिणः प्रतिपूजिता | पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तद्वाक्यं यथापूर्वं निशम्य ते || १-८-१९

iti uktvaa nR^ipa shaardUlaH sachivaan samupasthitaan | visarjayitvaa svam veshma pravivesha mahaamatiH || 1-8-22

On listening the words of the king all the ministers adored and assured him saying, 'It will be conducted faultlessly as has been conducted earlier...' [1-8-19]

तथा द्विजास्ते धर्मज्ञा वर्धयन्तो नृपोत्तमम् | अनुज्ञातास्ततः सर्वे पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम् || १-८-२०

tataH sa gatvaa taaH patniir narendro hR^idayaMgamaaH | uvaacha diikshaam vishata yaxe.aham suta kaaraNaat || 1-8-23

On hearing those words of that best king, and what that is spoken earlier, then the virtue knowing Brahman scholars hailing that best king took leave of him and went away as they have come. [1-8-20]

विसर्जयित्वा तान्विप्रान् सचिवानिदमब्रवीत् | ऋत्विग्भिरुपसंदिष्टो यथावत् क्रतुराप्यताम् || १-८-२१

taasaam tena ati kaantena vachanena suvarchasaam | mukha padmaan ashobhanta padmaaniiva himaatyaye || 1-8-24

Then on sending off those Brahman scholars, the king spoke this way to the ministers... "As advised by the Vedic scholars this ritual shall be conducted, procedurally..." [1-8-21]

इत्युक्त्वा नृपशार्दूलः सचिवान्समुपस्थितान् | विसर्जयित्वा स्वं वेश्म प्रविवेश महामतिः || १-८-२२

Tha tigerly-king and highly intellectual Dasharatha, on saying thus to his ministers who are still in his audience, sent away those ministers also, and he entered his palace. [1-8-22]

ततः स गत्वा ताः पत्नीर्नरेन्द्रो हृदयंगमाः | उवाच दीक्षां विशत यक्ष्येऽहं सुतकारणात् || १-८-२३

And on approaching his wives, that best king's heartily dear ones, he said to them, " I am performing a Vedic ritual for the reason of begetting sons, and you all shall enter a vow..." [1-8-23]

तासां तेनातिकान्तेन वचनेन सुवर्चसाम् | मुखपद्मान्यशोभन्त पद्मानीव हिमात्यये || १-८-२४

On hearing those words of the king, the lustrous countenances of the queens have become more gleaming, like the blooming lotuses after the clearance of dew-fall. [1-8-24]