---
title: "Bala Kanda, Sarga 71"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/bala-kanda/sarga-71"
lang: "en"
---

# Bala Kanda, Sarga 71

> एवं ब्रुवाणं जनकः प्रत्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः।  
> श्रोतुमर्हसि भद्रं ते कुलं नः परिकीर्तितम्॥ १॥  
> प्रदाने हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुलं निरवशेषतः।  
> वक्तव्यं कुलजातेन तन्निबोध महामते॥ २॥

To Vasiṣṭha, who was speaking as aforesaid, Janaka with folded hands replied as follows : “Be pleased to hear our genealogy, which is going to be recounted by us. May God bless you.” On the eve of giving away one’s daughter to a bridegroom, O jewel among sages, one’s pedigree needs must be exhaustively recited by one coming of a respectable family. Therefore, hear my pedigree as is being narrated by us, O Brāhmaṇa of great wisdom ! (1-2)

> राजाभूत् त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः स्वेन कर्मणा।  
> निमिः परमधर्मात्मा सर्वसत्त्ववतां वरः॥ ३॥

“There was a most pious-minded king, Nimi by name, who was the foremost of all powerful men and celebrated in all the three worlds for his deeds. (3)

> तस्य पुत्रो मिथिर्नाम जनको मिथिपुत्रकः।  
> प्रथमो जनको राजा जनकादप्युदावसुः॥ ४॥

“His son was Mithi by name; Mithi’s son was Janaka, the first ruler bearing the title of Janaka. From Janaka, again, sprang up Udāvasu. (4)

> उदावसोस्तु धर्मात्मा जातो वै नन्दिवर्धनः।  
> नन्दिवर्धसुतः शूरः सुकेतुर्नाम नामतः॥ ५॥

“From Udāvasu indeed sprang up Nandivardhana, whose mind was really given to piety. Nandivardhana’s gallant son, as is well known, was Suketu by name. (5)

> सुकेतोरपि धर्मात्मा देवरातो महाबलः।  
> देवरातस्य राजर्षेर्बृहद्रथ इति स्मृतः॥ ६॥

“From Suketu, again, sprang up the pious-minded and very mighty Devarāta; the son of the royal sage Devarāta was known as Bṛhadratha. (6)

> बृहद्रथस्य शूरोऽभून्महावीरः प्रतापवान्।  
> महावीरस्य धृतिमान् सुधृतिः सत्यविक्रमः॥ ७॥

“The gallant and glorious Mahāvīra was the son of Bṛhadratha. Mahāvīra’s steadfast and truly valiant son was Sudhṛti. (7)

> सुधृतेरपि धर्मात्मा धृष्टकेतुः सुधार्मिकः।  
> धृष्टकेतोश्च राजर्षेर्हर्यश्व इति विश्रुतः॥ ८॥

“Sudhṛti’s son, again, was the highly pious Dhṛṣṭaketu, whose mind was given to righteousness; and the son of the royal sage Dhṛṣṭaketu was widely known by the name of Haryaśwa. (8)

> हर्यश्वस्य मरुः पुत्रो मरोः पुत्रः प्रतीन्धकः।  
> प्रतीन्धकस्य धर्मात्मा राजा कीर्तिरथः सुतः॥ ९॥

“Haryaśwa’s son was Maru, Maru’s son was Pratīndhaka and Pratīndhaka’s pious-minded son was King Kīrtiratha. (9)

> पुत्रः कीर्तिरथस्यापि देवमीढ इति स्मृतः।  
> देवमीढस्य विबुधो विबुधस्य महीध्रकः॥ १०॥

“Kīrtiratha’s son, again, was known as Devamīḍha. Devamīḍha’s son was Vibudha and Vibudha’s Mahīdhraka. (10)

> महीध्रकसुतो राजा कीर्तिरातो महाबलः।  
> कीर्तिरातस्य राजर्षेर्महारोमा व्यजायत॥ ११॥

“Mahīdhraka’s son was very mighty King Kīrtirāta. Mahāromā was born as the son of the royal sage Kīrtirāta. (11)

> महारोम्णस्तु धर्मात्मा स्वर्णरोमा व्यजायत।  
> स्वर्णरोम्णस्तु राजर्षेर्ह्रस्वरोमा व्यजायत॥ १२॥

“From Mahāromā indeed sprang up the pious-minded Swarṇaromā and from the royal sage Swarṇaromā sprang up Hraswaromā. (12)

> तस्य पुत्रद्वयं राज्ञो धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः।  
> ज्येष्ठोऽहमनुजो भ्राता मम वीरः कुशध्वजः॥ १३॥

“A couple of sons were born to that high-souled king, who knew what is right, myself being the elder and my valiant brother, Kuśadhwaja, the younger. (13)

> मां तु ज्येष्ठं पिता राज्ये सोऽभिषिच्य नराधिपः।  
> कुशध्वजं समावेश्य भारं मयि वनं गतः॥ १४॥

“Installing me, the elder one, on the throne and entrusting Kuśadhwaja to me as my charge, the king (my father) retired to the forest. (14)

> वृद्धे पितरि स्वर्याते धर्मेण धुरमावहम्।  
> भ्रातरं देवसंकाशं स्नेहात् पश्यन् कुशध्वजम्॥ १५॥

“My aged father having ascended to heaven, I bore the burden of kingship put by him on my shoulders in conformity with the principles of righteousness, looking after with affection my brother Kuśadhwaja, who shines like a god. (15)

> कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य सांकाश्यादागतः पुरात्।  
> सुधन्वा वीर्यवान् राजा मिथिलामवरोधकः॥ १६॥

“Some time later the powerful King Sudhanvā came all the way from the town of Sāṅkāśya and besieged Mithilā. (16)

> स च मे प्रेषयामास शैवं धनुरनुत्तमम्।  
> सीता च कन्या पद्माक्षी मह्यं वै दीयतामिति॥ १७॥

“He sent word to me saying, ‘The superb bow belonging to Lord Śiva as well as your lotus-eyed daughter, Sītā, may kindly be given away to me.’ (17)

> तस्याप्रदानान्महर्षे युद्धमासीन्मया सह।  
> स हतोऽभिमुखो राजा सुधन्वा तु मया रणे॥ १८॥

“On my refusal, O great seer, he fought with me, with the result that fighting face to face with me on the battlefield, the aforesaid King Sudhanvā was eventually killed by me. (18)

> निहत्य तं मुनिश्रेष्ठ सुधन्वानं नराधिपम्।  
> सांकाश्ये भ्रातरं शूरमभ्यषिञ्चं कुशध्वजम्॥ १९॥

“Having got rid of the said King Sudhanvā, O jewel among sages, I enthroned my valiant brother, Kuśadhwaja, at Sāṅkāśya. (19)

> कनीयानेष मे भ्राता अहं ज्येष्ठो महामुने।  
> ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुंगव॥ २०॥  
> सीतां रामाय भद्रं ते ऊर्मिलां लक्ष्मणाय वै।  
> वीर्यशुल्कां मम सुतां सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम्॥ २१॥  
> द्वितीयामूर्मिलां चैव त्रिर्वदामि न संशयः।  
> ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुंगव॥ २२॥

“This younger brother of mine as well as I, the elder, most delightfully offer to you my two daughters as your daughters-in-law, Sītā for Śrī Rāma and Ūrmilā for Lakṣmaṇa, O eminent sage ! May prosperity attend on you, O jewel among sages ! I repeat thrice: full of supreme delight I offer as your daughters-in-law my daughter, Sītā, who resembles a daughter of the gods and has been won by Śrī Rāma through personal valour, as also Ūrmilā, my second daughter. There is no doubt about it, O jewel among sages ! (20—22)

> रामलक्ष्मणयो राजन् गोदानं कारयस्व ह।  
> पितृकार्यं च भद्रं ते ततो वैवाहिकं कुरु॥ २३॥

“(Turning to Daśaratha) please get (the formality of) Samāvartana (the ceremony of returning to one’s own parents’ home after completing one’s studies at the residence of one’s teacher, marked with the shaving* of one’s hair on the head as well as on the arm-pits) gone through by Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with delight, and then perform the Nāndīśrāddha, a ceremony intended to propitiate one’s departed ancestors, preliminary to matrimony. May good betide you, O king ! (23)

> मघा ह्यद्य महाबाहो तृतीयदिवसे प्रभो।  
> फल्गुन्यामुत्तरे राजंस्तस्मिन् वैवाहिकं कुरु।  
> रामलक्ष्मणयोरर्थे दानं कार्यं सुखोदयम्॥ २४॥

Indeed, the constellation Maghā is in the ascendant today, O mighty-armed king ! On the third day, when the celebrated Uttarā Phālgunī mansion is in the ascendant, my lord, perform the wedding ceremony. Gifts, which are calculated to bring happiness in its wake, should be made for the welfare of Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. (24)

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

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