---
title: "Bala Kanda, Sarga 69"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/bala-kanda/sarga-69"
lang: "en"
---

# Bala Kanda, Sarga 69

> ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः।  
> राजा दशरथो हृष्टः सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

Then, on the night being over, King Daśaratha, who was closeted with his preceptor and relations, joyously summoned and addressed Sumantra, his favourite and trusted minister, as follows : (1)

> अद्य सर्वे धनाध्यक्षा धनमादाय पुष्कलम्।  
> व्रजन्त्वग्रे सुविहिता नानारत्नसमन्विताः॥ २॥

“Taking with them abundant riches and richly provided with various kinds of precious stones and duly protected by armed guards, let all treasury officers proceed ahead today. (2)

> चतुरंगबलं चापि शीघ्रं निर्यातु सर्वशः।  
> ममाज्ञासमकालं च यानं युग्यमनुत्तमम्॥ ३॥

“Let the army consisting of all its four limbs (viz., the horse, chariots, elephants and infantry) sally forth, as soon as they receive my order, as also the whole lot of palanquins etc., as well as other conveyances, chariots etc., superbly appinted. (3)

> वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ कश्यपः।  
> मार्कण्डेयस्तु दीर्घायुर्ऋषिः कात्यायनस्तथा॥ ४॥  
> एते द्विजाः प्रयान्त्वग्रे स्यन्दनं योजयस्व मे।  
> यथा कालात्ययो न स्याद् दूता हि त्वरयन्ति माम्॥ ५॥

“Let these Brāhmaṇas—Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva as well as Jābāli, Kaśyapa as also the long-lived Mārkaṇḍeya and Sage Kātyāyana go ahead in palanquins or chariots; and also get ready my chariot so that there may be no delay, since the envoys are urging me to make haste.” (4-5)

> वचनाच्च नरेन्द्रस्य सेना च चतुरंगिणी।  
> राजानमृषिभिः सार्धं व्रजन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात्॥ ६॥

In pursuance of the royal command the army consisting of all its four limbs marched close behind the king himself driving alongwith the sages, each in his own conveyance. (6)

> गत्वा चतुरहं मार्गं विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान्।  
> राजा च जनकः श्रीमान् श्रुत्वा पूजामकल्पयत्॥ ७॥

Driving along the road for four days, he entered the territory of the Videhas. The moment the glorious King Janaka heard of Daśaratha’s advent, he set about preparing for his reception. (7)

> ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम्।  
> मुदितो जनको राजा प्रहर्षं परमं ययौ॥ ८॥

Then, approaching the aged King Daśaratha, a protector of men, King Janaka, already full of joy, experienced supreme felicity. (8)

> उवाच वचनं श्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदान्वितम्।  
> स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव॥ ९॥

The extremely noble Janaka submitted as follows to the delighted Daśaratha, the foremost among men : “Welcome is your advent to my capital, O jewel among men ! It is through my good luck that you have come, O scion of Raghu ! (9)

> पुत्रयोरुभयोः प्रीतिं लप्स्यसे वीर्यनिर्जिताम्।  
> दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो महातेजा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः॥ १०॥  
> सह सर्वैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुः।  
> दिष्ट्या मे निर्जिता विघ्ना दिष्ट्या मे पूजितं कुलम्॥ ११॥  
> राघवैः सह सम्बन्धाद् वीर्यश्रेष्ठैर्महाबलैः।  
> श्वः प्रभाते नरेन्द्र त्वं संवर्तयितुमर्हसि॥ १२॥  
> यज्ञस्यान्ते नरश्रेष्ठ विवाहमृषिसत्तमैः।  
> तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिपः॥ १३॥  
> वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।  
> प्रतिग्रहो दातृवशः श्रुतमेतन्मया पुरा॥ १४॥

“You will witness here the joyous mood of both your sons, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, acquired through personal prowess. It is through my good fortune again that the highly glorious and exceedingly powerful sage Vasiṣṭha has come alongwith all the jewels among Brāhmaṇas even as Indra, who attained the rulership of gods by virtue of his having performed a full one hundred horse sacrifices in his past life, would in the company of gods. Fortunately enough all obstacles that stood in the way of Sītā’s marriage have been thoroughly overcome and luckily for me, my race has been exalted through matrimonial alliance with the very mighty scions of Raghu, distinguished for their valour. The following morning, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, O ruler of men, you ought to celebrate the wedding with the help of the foremost of sages, O jewel among men !” Hearing the aforesaid submission of Janaka in the midst of the Ṛṣis, Daśaratha, the paramount ruler of men, the foremost of those who know how to speak, replied as follows to king Janaka : “The execution of a gift depends on the donor: this has been heard by me in the past. (10—14)

> यथा वक्ष्यसि धर्मज्ञ तत् करिष्यामहे वयम्।  
> तद् धर्मिष्ठं यशस्यं च वचनं सत्यवादिनः॥ १५॥  
> श्रुत्वा विदेहाधिपतिः परं विस्मयमागतः।  
> ततः सर्वे मुनिगणाः परस्परसमागमे॥ १६॥  
> हर्षेण महता युक्तास्तां रात्रिमवसन् सुखम्।  
> अथ रामो महातेजा लक्ष्मणेन समं ययौ॥ १७॥  
> विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य पितुः पादावुपस्पृशन्।  
> राजा च राघवौ पुत्रौ निशाम्य परिहर्षितः॥ १८॥  
> उवास परमप्रीतो जनकेनाभिपूजितः।  
> जनकोऽपि महातेजाः क्रिया धर्मेण तत्त्ववित्।  
> यज्ञस्य च सुताभ्यां च कृत्वा रात्रिमुवास ह॥ १९॥

“We shall do as you will bid us do, O knower of what is right !” Janaka, the ruler of the territory of the Videhas, was filled with great astonishment to hear that most pious reply of the truthful monarch, which was conducive to glory. Filled with great delight at their meeting with one another, all the hosts of sages assembled there thereupon spent that night happily. Placing Viśwāmitra at his head, the highly glorious Śrī Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa then proceeded to touch the feet of his father. Greatly delighted to behold his two sons, the ornaments of Raghu’s race, and honoured in every way by Janaka, king Daśaratha retired for the night full of great joy. Having concluded with piety the rites connected with the sacrifice which was being performed by him as well as those positively conducive to the good of his two daughters, Sītā and Ūrmilā, who were now going to be married, Janaka, a knower of the truth, retired for the night: so the tradition goes. (15—19)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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