Bala Kanda, Sarga 70

Meaning

Having gone through the concluding rites connected with the sacrifice undertaken by him with the help of eminent Ṛṣis, the following morning, Janaka, who knew how to articulate, spoke to his family priest, Śatānanda, as follows : (1)

Meaning

“My highly glorious, valiant and extremely pious younger brother, known by the name of Kuśadhwaja, has taken up his abode in the blessed city of Sāṅkāśyā—vying with heaven (the reward of virtue) and extensive as the aerial car Puṣpaka (belonging to Kubera, the god of riches), nay, whose boundaries are marked out by a defensive wall mounted by engines—and drinks the water of the river Ikṣumatī. (2-3)

Meaning

“He is the guardian of my sacrifice (inasmuch as it is he who procured materials for the sacrifice though living in Sāṅkāśyā); hence I long to see him. That highly glorious brother of mine too will share with me this delight of witnessing the wedding of my two daughters.” (4)

Meaning

When these words were uttered by Janaka in the presence of Śatānanda, some level-headed messengers turned up and Janaka duly instructed them. (5)

Meaning

“Like Indra’s men proceeding under his orders to bring his younger brother Upendra or the divine Dwarf, they rode at the king’s command on swift horses to bring Kuśadhwaja, a tiger among men.” (6)

Meaning

Reaching Sāṅkāśyā they met Kuśadhwaja and correctly made known to him the tidings at Mithilā as well as what was contemplated by Janaka. (7)

Meaning

Hearing the story of Janaka as told by the foremost of his envoys, who were very swift-footed, Kuśadhwaja turned up immediately in obedience to the king’s command. (8)

Meaning

He saw the high-souled Janaka, who was a lover of righteousness; and greeting Śatānanda as well as the most pious Janaka, he took his seat on a most wonderful throne worthy of kings. Having both sat down, the valiant brothers, who were possessed of infinite glory, called and commanded Sudāmana, the foremost of their counsellors, in the following words : “Proceed quickly, O chief of counsellors, to the formidable King Daśaratha, a scion of Ikṣwāku, of limitless glory and bring him alongwith his sons and counsellors.” Going to the lodging of King Daśaratha, of course he saw Daśaratha, the promoter of the race of the Raghus, and, greeting him with his head bent low, submitted as follows : “The celebrated King Janaka, belonging to the line of the Videhas, the ruler of Mithilā, O heroic king of Ayodhyā, is eager to see you alongwith your preceptor and family priest.” Hearing the submission of Sudāmana, the chief of the counsellors of Janaka, the king Daśaratha, accompanied by a multitude of sages as well as by his relations, called where Janaka was. Taking his seat alongwith his counsellors, preceptors and relations, Daśaratha, the foremost of those who know how to speak, spoke to Janaka, who belonged to the line of the Videhas, as follows : “It may be known to you, O great king, that the very powerful sage Vasiṣṭha, the adored of the house of Ikṣwāku, is our spokesman in all matters. Seated by the side of all great seers, the aforesaid Vasiṣṭha, whose mind is given to piety, will with the approval of Viśwāmitra recount my pedigree in order of sequence.” When Daśaratha became silent, the very powerful and omniscient Vasiṣṭha, who knows how to speak, spoke to Janaka, the ornament of the Videhas, and his family priest as follows : “Born of the Unmanifest Prakṛti, Brahmā, the creator of the universe, is immortal, eternal (in the sense that he lives to an age of two Parārdhas or 31,10,40,00,00,00,000 human years) and free from decay. (9—19)

Meaning

“To him was born Sage Marīci, Marīci’s son was Sage Kaśyapa. Vivaswān (the sun-god) was born to Kaśyapa. Vivaswān’s son was known as Manu. (20)

Meaning

“Manu was a Prajāpati, a lord of created beings, in the past and Ikṣwāku was the son of Manu. Know the aforesaid Ikṣwāku to have been the very first ruler of Ayodhyā. (21)

Meaning

“Nay, Ikṣwāku’s glorious son was widely known by the name of Kukṣi and the illustrious Vikukṣi was born as a son to Kukṣi. (22)

Meaning

“The highly glorious and mighty Bāṇa, again, was the son of Vikukṣi, and even so Anaraṇya was the highly glorious and mighty son of Bāṇa. (23)

Meaning

“From the lions of Anaraṇya sprang up Pṛthu and from Pṛthu was born Triśaṅku. The highly illustrious Dhundhumāra was the son of Triśaṅku. (24)

Meaning

“From Dhundhumāra sprang up the highly glorious Yuvanāśwa, a great car-warrior, and King Māndhātā was the son of Yuvanāśwa. (25)

Meaning

“The glorious Susandhi, again, was born as a son to Māndhātā, while Dhruvasandhi and Prasenjit were the two sons of Susandhi. (26)

Meaning

“The illustrious son of Dhruvasandhi, again, as is well known, was Bharata by name; and from Bharata sprang up a highly glorious son, Asita by name, against whom the Haihayas, the Tālajaṅghas and the valiant Śaśabindus—these rival princes stood as enemies. (27-28)

Meaning

“While confronting them in battle, of course, the said king was routed and banished from his kingdom by the enemy, who usurped his throne. Retiring to the Himālayas alongwith his two consorts then, King Asita, who had a small force left with him met his death, a necessary adjunct of Time. His two wives, of course, happened to be enceinte at that time: so it is heard. (29-30)

Meaning

“One of them gave food mixed with poison to her co-wife in order to get rid of her foetus. At that time an ascetic, Cyavana by name, a descendant of Sage Bhṛgu, who had taken up his abode on the Himālayas, got enamoured of that delightful and excellent peak and made his appearance there. Desirous of bearing an excellent son, one of those two widows, the highly blessed Kālindī, who had been given poison with food by her co-wife and who had eyes big as the petals of a lotus, saluted Cyavana, a scion of Bhṛgu, who possessed the splendour of god. Nay, approaching the aforesaid seer, she greeted him once more. (31—33)

Meaning

As regards the birth of a son to her the aforesaid Brāhmaṇa said to her, eager as she was to have a healthy son, “From your womb, O highly fortunate lady, will be born with poison not long afterwards a noble and charming son possessing unique strength, exceedingly powerful and highly glorious. Do not grieve, O lotus-eyed lady !” (34—35)

Meaning

Having saluted Cyavana, the widowed princess, who was solely devoted to her husband, returned to her cottage and through the grace of the sage the glorious lady safely delivered a son. (36)

Meaning

“Poison was administered to her by her co-wife, it will be remembered, with the intention of killing the foetus. The boy was named Sagara inasmuch as he was born alongwith that very poison (गरेण सह). (37)

Meaning

“Sagara’s son was Asamañja and from Asamañja, again, sprang up Aṁśumān. Dilīpa was the son of Aṁśumān. Dilīpa’s son was Bhagīratha. (38)

Meaning

“From Bhagīratha sprang up Kakutstha and from Kakutstha likewise sprang up Raghu; while Raghu’s son was the glorious Pravṛddha, who later on turned out to be an ogre under the curse of his preceptor, Vasiṣṭha, and also became known as Kalmāṣapāda (because of his speckled feet). Again, from the latter sprang up Śaṅkhaṇa. Sudarśana was the son of Śaṅkhaṇa; from Sudarśana sprang up Agnivarṇa. (39-40)

Meaning

“Śīghraga was the son of Agnivarṇa and Śīghraga’s son was Maru. Maru’s son was Praśuśruka, while from Praśuśruka sprang up Ambarīṣa. (41)

Meaning

Ambarīṣa’s son, again, was King Nahuṣa and Nahuṣa’s son was Yayāti; while Nābhāga was the son of Yayāti. (42)

Meaning

“Nābhāga’s son was Aja, from Aja sprang up Daśaratha. To this Daśaratha3 (present before you) were born the two brothers, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, alongwith their two other brothers, Bharata and Śatrughna. (43)

Meaning

“On behalf of King Daśaratha, as his family priest, I sue for your two daughters, O protector of men, for the sake of Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, belonging as they do to the line of exceedingly pious, valiant and truthful monarchs born in the race of Ikṣwāku and absolutely pure of descent from the very beginning. Be pleased, O jewel among men, to give away your worthy daughters to the two equally worthy princes.” (44-45)