पुनः प्राप्ते वसन्ते तु पूर्णः संवत्सरोऽभवत्। प्रसवार्थं गतो यष्टुं हयमेधेन वीर्यवान्॥
When after a full one year, spring had again appeared on the face of the earth, the puissant king, intent upon getting offspring through the horse-sacrifice, sough Vasistha's side.
अभिवाद्य वसिष्ठं च न्यायतः प्रतिपूज्य च। अब्रवीत् प्रश्रितं वाक्यं प्रसवार्थं द्विजोत्तमम्॥
Having saluted Vasiştha and duly paid him homage, he humbly spoke to that best of twiceborn ones, with the intention of having offspring.
यज्ञो मे क्रियतां ब्रह्मन् यथोक्तं मुनिपुङ्गव। यथा न विघ्नाः क्रियन्ते यज्ञाङ्गेषु विधीयताम्॥
O Brahman, undertake to perform this sacrifice of mine, according to the ordinance, O foremost of ascetics! do you order so that no impediment may happen to the sacrifice!.
भवान् स्निग्धः सुहृन्मह्यं गुरुश्च परमो महान्। वोढव्यो भवता चैव भारो यज्ञस्य चोद्यतः॥
You are my kind friend, and prime and mighty spiritual guide. Engaged in it, you will have to bear the entire burden of the ceremony.
तथेति च स राजानमब्रवीद् द्विजसत्तमः। करिष्ये सर्वमेवैतद् भवता यत् समर्थितम्॥
Thereupon that best of Brāhmaṇas said to the king, 'So be it! I will do all that you asked.
ततोऽब्रवीद् द्विजान् वृद्धान् यज्ञकर्मसु निष्ठितान्। स्थापत्ये निष्ठितांश्चैव वृद्धान् परमधार्मिकान्॥ कर्मान्तिकाशिल्पकारान् वर्धकीन् खनकानपि। गणकाशिल्पिनश्चैव तथैव नटनर्तकान्॥ तथा शुचीशास्त्रविदः पुरुषान् सुबहुश्रुतान्। यज्ञकर्म समीहन्तां भवन्तो राजशासनात्॥
He then said to the old Brāhmaṇas well-up in sacrificial affairs, and experienced car-makers, and highly pious aged people, and servants, carrying on the ceremonial operations till the end, and artists, and carpenters, and diggers, and astrologers, and artizans, and dancers, and conductors of theatres, and pure and learned persons variously versed in knowledge, Do you, in obedience to the royal mandate, engage in the sacrificial work!
इष्टका बहुसाहस्री शीघ्रमानीयतामिति। उपकार्याः क्रियन्तां च राज्ञो बहुगुणान्विताः॥
And fetch bricks by thousands. And do raise structures for the kings, commanding every convenience.
ब्राह्मणावसथाश्चैव कर्तव्याः शतशः शुभाः। भक्ष्यान्नपानैर्बहुभिः समुपेताः सुनिष्ठिताः॥
Do you rear goodly and comfortable buildings by hundreds for the Brāhmaṇas, replenished with various meats and drinks.
तथा पौरजनस्यापि कर्तव्याश्च सुविस्तराः। आगतानां सुदूराच्च पार्थिवानां पृथक् पृथक् ॥ वाजिवारणशालाश्च तथा शय्यागृहाणि च। भटानां महदावासा वैदेशिकनिवासिनाम्॥
You should provide spacious apartments for the citizens and the dwellers, of provinces, and separate quarters for the princes, coming from foreign parts. And stables and sleeping apartments be raised for warriors coming from foreign countries.
आवासा बहुभक्ष्या वै सर्वकामैरुपस्थिताः। तथा पौरजनस्यापि जनस्य बहुशोभनम्॥ दातव्यमनं विधिवत् सत्कृत्य न तु लीलया। सर्वे वर्णा यथा पूजां प्राप्नुवन्ति सुसत्कृताः॥ न चावज्ञा प्रयोक्तव्या कामक्रोधवशादपि।
And dwellings filled with diverse kinds of viands, and commanding everything desirable, and mansions for the lower orders of the citizens, exceedingly beautiful to behold. And meats should be duly dispensed with all hospitality, and not in the indifference of festive occasions, so that all may regard themselves as honourably entertained. And none should be disregarded out of lust or passion.
यज्ञकर्मसु ये व्यग्राः पुरुषाः शिल्पिनस्तथा॥ तेषामपि विशेषेण पूजा कार्या यथाक्रमम्।
Those persons, and artizans, that will labour eagerly in the sacrifice, should by turns, be especially entertained.
ये स्युः सम्पूजिताः सर्वे वसुभिर्भोजनेन च॥ यथा सर्वं सुविहितं न किंचित् परिहीयते। तथा भवन्तः कुर्वन्तु प्रीतियुक्तेन चेतसा ।१७।।
And servants, who being entertained with gifts, do everything completely, and omit nothing. And do you, with hearts mollified by love, act so, that all our friends be well pleased with us.
ततः सर्वे समागम्य वसिष्ठमिदमब्रुवन्। यथेष्ठं तत् सुविहितं न किंचित् परिहीयते॥ यथोक्तं तत् करिष्यामो न किंचित् परिहास्यते। ततः सुमन्त्रमाहूय वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ निमन्त्रयस्व नृपतीन् पृथिव्यां ये च धार्मिकाः। ब्राह्मणान् क्षत्रियान् वैश्याशूद्रांश्चैव सहस्रशः॥
Then they approached Vasistha, saying, Everything has been performed properly, without anything being left out. And what you say shall be performed, and nothing words, Do you invite all those kings that are pious, and Brāhmaṇas, and Kșatriyas and Sūdras, by thousands. And do you with due honours bring people from all countries.
समानयस्व सत्कृत्य सर्वदेशेषु मानवान्। मिथिलाधिपतिं शूरं जनकं सत्यवादिनम्॥ तमानय महाभागं स्वयमेव सुसत्कृतम्। पूर्वं सम्बन्धिनं ज्ञात्वा ततः पूर्वं ब्रवीमि ते॥
With proper honour yourself bring the righteous, truthful, and heroic Janaka, lord of Mithilā. And it is because he is our old friend that I first mention him.
तथा काशिपति स्निग्धं सततं प्रियवादिनम्। सद्वृत्तं देवसंकाशं स्वयमेवानयस्व ह ॥
Then do yourself bring the amiable and ever fair-spoken lord of Kāśī, of excellent character, resembling a celestial.
तथा केकयराजानं वृद्धं परमधार्मिकम्। श्वशुरं राजसिंहस्य सपुत्रं तमिहानय॥
Then do you bring here along with his son, the highly-pious, old king of Kekaya, who is the father-in-law of this tiger of a monarch.
अङ्गेश्वरं महेष्वासं रोमपादं सुसत्कृतम्। वयस्यं राजसिंहस्य सपुत्रं तमिहानय॥
Then also bring with due honours the king of Anga, and that mighty archer, the illustrious Romapada, the friend of that lion among the kings, along with his son.
तथा कोसलराजानं भानुमन्तं सुसत्कृतम्। मगधाधिपति शूरं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम्॥ प्राप्तिज्ञं परमोदारं सत्कृतं पुरुषर्षभम्। राज्ञः शासनमादाय चोदयस्व नृपर्षभान्। प्राचीनान् सिन्धुसौवीरान्सौराष्ट्रेयांश्च पार्थिवान्॥ दाक्षिणात्यान् नरेन्द्रांश्च समस्तानानयस्व ह। सन्ति स्निग्धाश्च ये चान्ये राजानः पृथिवीतले ॥ तानानय यथा क्षिप्रं सानुगान् सहबान्धवान्। एतान् दूतैर्महाभागैरानयस्व नृपाज्ञया॥
Also bring with due respect the puissant king of Kosala. The heroic, and highly generous lord of Magadha, versed in all branches of learning. And in accordance with the mandate of the king, do invite the foremost monarchs! And summon the king, of the East, of the Sindhu and Sauvīra countries, and of Saurastra, and of the South! And speedily bring those monarchs that are attached to us, together with their friends and followers, the mandate of the monarch, bring over these, despatching dignified emissaries.
वसिष्ठवाक्यं तच्छ्रुत्वा सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितं तदा। व्यादिशत् पुरुषांस्तत्र राज्ञामानयने शुभान्॥
Having heard those words of Vasistha, Sumantra speedily ordered the emissaries to bring the kings.
स्वयमेव हि धर्मात्मा प्रयातो मुनिशासनात्। सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितो भूत्वा समानेतुं महामतिः॥
The virtuous Sumantra, in accordance with the injunction of the ascetic, himself speedily set out for the purpose of bringing the monarchs.
ते च कर्मान्तिकाः सर्वे वसिष्ठाय महर्षये। सर्वं निवेदयन्ति स्म यज्ञे यदुपकल्पितम्॥
Then the servants came and informed the intelligent Vasiştha as to the articles that had been got ready for the sacrifice.
ततः प्रीतो द्विजश्रेष्ठस्तान् सर्वान् मुनिरब्रवीत्। अवज्ञया न दातव्यं कस्याचिल्लीलयापि वा॥ अवज्ञया कृतं हन्याद् दातारं नात्र संशयः।
Then well pleased that best of twice-born ones, the ascetic Vasistha, said to them, Do not give away disrespectfully or lightly. A gift bestowed with disrespect, indubitably destroy the giver.
ततः कैश्चिदहोरात्रैरुपयाता महीक्षितः॥ बहूनि रत्नान्यादाय राज्ञो दशरथस्य ह।
Then for several days, kings began to pour into Dasaratha's city daily and nightly, bringing with them various kinds of gems.
ततो वसिष्ठः सुप्रीतो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्॥ उपयाता नरव्याघ्र राजानस्तव शासनात्। मयापि सत्कृताः सर्वे यथार्ह राजसत्तम॥
Thereupon Vasiştha well-pleased said to the king, O tiger among men, obeying your mandate the kings have come here; and I too according to merit, have received those excellent kings with respect.
यज्ञियं च कृतं सर्वं पुरुषैः सुसमाहितैः। निर्यातु च भवान् यष्टुं यज्ञायतनमन्तिकात्॥
Everything has been carefully made ready for the sacrifice by the persons concerned. Do you, therefore, repair to the sacrificial ground, for performing the sacrifice.
सर्वकामैरुपहतैरुपेतं वै समन्ततः। द्रष्टुमर्हसि राजेन्द्र मनसेव विनिर्मितम्॥
O foremost of monarchs, it behove you to view the place, filled with all desirable objects, and looking as if prepared by imagination herself.
तथा वसिष्ठवचनादृष्यशृङ्गस्य चोभयोः। दिवसे शुभनक्षत्रे निर्यातो जगतीपतिः॥
Then in accordance with the injunctions of both Vasiştha and Rşyasſga, the king came to the sacrificial spot on a day presided over by an auspicious star.
ततो वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्व एव द्विजोत्तमाः। ऋष्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञकर्मारभंस्तदा॥ यज्ञवाटं गताः सर्वे यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि। श्रीमांश्च सह पत्नीभी राजा दीक्षामुपाविशत्॥
Then, with, Rsyasrriga at their head, Vasistha and the other principal Brāhmaṇas wending to the sacrificial ground, began the ceremony, according to the ordinance; and in due form. And the auspicious king, in company with his wives, was initiated into the ceremony.