Uttara Kanda, Sarga 92

Meaning

On Śrī Rāma describing Purūravā’s wonderful birth, Lakṣmaṇa and Bharata, the famous one, said again : ‘O best among men, please tell us what Ilā did after staying a year with the son of Soma (Budha).’ (1-2)

Meaning

Hearing those sweet words of those two, Lakṣmaṇa and Bharata, who eagerly asked him, Śrī Rāma again described the story of the son of Prajāpati, Ila. (3)

Meaning

When Ila, had regained manhood for a month, the very wise one and possessed of fame, Budha, invited the very noble Saṁvarta Ṛṣi. (4)

Meaning

He also invited Cyavana, the son of Bhṛgu, and the sage Ariṣṭanemi, the humorous Pramodana, Modakara and also the sage Durvāsā. (5)

Meaning

Budha, skilled in conversation and truthful, addressed them all, who were friendly to him and were full of patience. (6)

Meaning

That king of long arms is Ila, the son of Kardama : know what happened to him, do whatever is good for him here.’ (7)

Meaning

While the Brāhmaṇas conversed with the sages, Kardama, the mighty one, came to that hermitage. (8)

Meaning

Pulastya, Kratu and also Vaṣaṭkāra, Oṁkāra, the mighty one, too entered the hermitage. (9)

Meaning

All those, happy at meeting each other, desirous of doing good to the lord of Bāhlīka, then spoke separately. (10)

Meaning

Kardama, on his part, said that was best for his son, ‘O Brāhmaṇas, listen to me, which shall be for the welfare of the King. (11)

Meaning

‘I do not see any other cure except the pleasure of Rudra with the bull as emblem and no sacrifice other than the Aśvamedha is dearer to Śiva, the noble one. (12)

Meaning

‘Therefore, all of us, bulls among Brāhmaṇas, will perform a Yajña for the sake of the king’. (13)

Meaning

They (Brāhmaṇas) approved of that sacrifice indeed for the appeasement of God Rudra (Śiva). A Ṛṣi among kings, well-known as Marutta, destroyer of enemies, who was the pupil of Saṁvarta, made necessary arrangements for that sacrifice. A great sacrifice was performed close to the hermitage of Budha. (14-15)

Meaning

The mighty Rudra was extremely pleased at the completion of the sacrifice. Śiva, the lord of Umā, pleased and happy, spoke to all of them in the presence of Ila: ‘O best among Brāhmaṇas, I am pleased by the horse-sacrifice performed with devotion. (16-17)

Meaning

‘What good and auspicious act may I do for the lord of Bāhlīka.’ On the lord of gods speaking thus, those Brāhmaṇas, well-composed, propitiated the lord of gods, Śiva, in a manner that Ilā may turn into a man’. Then pleased, the great lord Śiva granted to Ilā perpetual manhood again. (18-19)

Meaning

‘The powerful Śiva, having granted manhood to Ilā, disappeared; and the horse-sacrifice being completed and Hara having disappeared, all the farsighted Brāhmaṇas went away as they came. The king, Ila, leaving Bāhlīka established the famous and unequalled Pratiṣṭhāna in the central region; Śaśabindu too the conqueror of fortresses of enemies re-established Bāhlīka. (20—22)

Meaning

‘At Pratiṣṭhāna, the king, son of Prajāpati, the powerful one, Ila in time attained the world of Brahmā. (23)

Meaning

The king, Purūravā, son of Ila, obtained Pratiṣṭhāna, such is the power of Aśvamedha, O bull among men, one who was formerly a woman, achieved manhood—all that was difficult to obtain.’ (24)