अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे तस्मिन् प्राप्ते तुरङ्गमे। सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे राज्ञो यज्ञोऽभ्यवर्तत ॥
After the expiry of full one year, when the sacrificial horse had returned, the sacrifice, of the king commenced on the north bank of the Sarayu.
ऋष्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य कर्म चकुर्द्विजर्षभाः। अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः॥
And with Rşyasſága at their head, the principal twice-born ones began the proceedings in that mighty horse-sacrifice of that high-souled monarch.
कर्म कुर्वन्ति विधिवद् याजका वेदपारगाः। यथाविधि यथान्यायं परिक्रामन्ति शास्त्रतः॥
And the priests, each duly and according to the ordinance performing his proper part, engaged in the ceremony in consonance with the scriptures.
प्रवर्यं शास्त्रतः कृत्वा तथैवोपसदं द्विजाः। चक्रुश्च विधिवत् सर्वमधिकं कर्म शास्त्रतः॥ अभिपूज्य तदा हृष्टाः सर्वे चक्रुर्यथाविधि। प्रातः सवनपूर्वाणि कर्माणि मुनिपुङ्गवाः॥
And the regenerate ones, having performed the pravargya as well as the upasada according to the ordinance, duly completed the additional ceremonies. Then, worshipping the deities with glad hearts, those foremost of ascetics duly performed the morning ablutions and the other prescribed rites.
ऐन्द्रश्च विधिवद् दत्तो राजा चाभिषुतोऽनघः। मध्यंदिनं च सवनं प्रावर्तत यथाक्रमम्॥
The oblations of clarified butter first having been offered to Indra, according to the ritual, the king with a purified heart performed his ablutions. And then the mid-day ablutions took place in proper sequence.
तृतीयसवनं चैव राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः। चकुस्ते शास्त्रतो दृष्ट्वा यथा ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवाः ॥
Those foremost of Brahmanas, in due form, and according to the ordinance, officiated at the third bath of that high-souled monarch.
आह्वयाञ्चक्रिरे तत्र शक्रादीन् विबुधोत्तमान्। ऋष्यशृङ्गादयो मन्त्रैः शिक्षाक्षरसमन्वितैः॥
The priests presided over by Rşyasſiga, invoked Śakra and the other deities, reciting measured mantras.
गीतिभिर्मधुरैः स्निग्धैमन्त्राबानैर्यथार्हतः। होतारो ददुरावाह्य हविर्भागान् दिवौकसाम्॥
The sacrificial priests, chanting sweet Samans and soft mantras, duly invoking the dwellers of the celestial regions, offered each his share of the oblations.
न चाहुतमभूत् तत्र स्खलितं वा न किंचन। दृश्यते ब्रह्मवत् सर्व क्षेमयुक्तं हि चक्रिरे॥
And no part of the ceremony was performed improperly, or left out, and every thing was satisfactorily celebrated with mantras.
न तेष्वहःसु श्रान्तो वा क्षुधितो वा न दृश्यते। नाविद्वान् ब्राह्मणः कश्चिन्नाशतानुचरस्तथा॥
And on that day no Brāhmaṇa ever felt tired, or hungry and there was none that was not learned, or that was not followed by an hundred persons.
ब्राह्मणा भुञ्जते नित्यं नाथवन्तश्च भुञ्जते। तापसा भुञ्जते चापि श्रमणाश्चैव भुञ्जते॥ वृद्धाश्च व्याधिताश्चैव स्त्रीबालाश्च तथैव च। अनिशं भुञ्जमानानां न तृप्तिरुपलभ्यते॥
Brāhmaṇas, and Śūdras having among them ascetics, and Sramanas, and the aged, and the infirm, and women, and children, were continually fed. And although they ate their fill, yet they know no repletion.
दीयतां दीयतामन्नं वासांसि विविधानि च। इति संचोदितास्तत्र तथा चक्रनेकशः॥
And Give food, and clothes of various kinds (was heard all around) And those employed in the task gave away profusely.
अन्नकूटाश्च दृश्यन्ते बहवः पर्वतोपमाः। दिवसे दिवसे तत्र सिद्धस्य विधिवत् तदा॥
And every day food dressed properly in due form was to be seen in countless heaps resembling hills.
नानादेशादनुप्राप्ताः पुरुषाः स्त्रीगणास्तथा। अन्नपानैः सुविहितास्तस्मिन् यज्ञे महात्मनः॥
And men and women coming from various countries to the sacrifice of that high-souled one were excellently entertained with meats and drinks.
अन्नं हि विधिवत्स्वादु प्रशंसन्ति द्विजर्षभाः। अहो तृप्ताः स्म भद्रं ते इति शुश्राव राघवः॥
The foremost regenerate ones said, The viands have been prepared in the prescribed form, and they taste excellent. We have been gratified. God bless you! All this was heard by the descendant of Raghu.
स्वलंकृताश्च पुरुषा ब्राह्मणान् पर्यवेषयन्। उपासन्ते च तानन्ये सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डलाः॥
Persons adorned with ornaments distributed the victuals among the Brāhmaṇas, and they were assisted by others wearing jewelled pendants.
कर्मान्तरे तदा विप्रा हेतुवादान् बहूनपि। प्राहुः सुवाग्मिनो धीराः परस्परजिगीषया॥
In the interval between the completion of one bath and the beginning of the next, mild and eloquent Vipras, desirous of victory, engaged in various disputations.
दिवसे दिवसे तत्र संस्तरे कुशला द्विजाः। सर्वकर्माणि चक्रुस्ते यथाशास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः॥
Every day in that sacrifice, skilful Brāhmaṇas, engaged in the ceremony, did everything, according to the ritual.
नाषडङ्गविदत्रासीन्नाव्रतो नाबहुश्रुतः। सदस्यास्तस्य वै राज्ञो नावादकुशलो द्विजः॥
There was no twice-born one that was not versed in the Vedas and the Vedāngas, or that did not observe vows, or that was not profoundly learned, nor did any assist at the sacrifice that could not argue ably.
प्राप्ते यूपाच्छ्ये तस्मिन् षड्बैल्वाः खादिरास्तथा। तावन्तो बिल्वसहिताः पर्णिनश्च तथा परे॥ श्लेष्मातकमयो दिष्टो देवदारुमयस्तथा। द्वावेव तत्र विहितौ बाहुव्यस्तपरिग्रहो॥
And when the time came for planting the Yüpas of bilva, as many of catechu, and as many of Palasa, and one of Sleşmätaka, and two of Devadāru well-made and measuring two outstretched arms.
कारिताः सर्व एवैते शास्त्रज्ञैर्यज्ञकोविदः शोभार्थं तस्य यज्ञस्य काञ्चनालङ्कृता भवन्॥ एकविंशतियूपास्ते एकविंशत्यरत्नयः। वासोभिरेकविंशद्भिरेकैकं समलङ्कृताः॥ विन्यस्ता विधिवत् सर्वे शिल्पिभिः सुकृता दृढाः। अष्टास्रयः सर्व एव श्लक्ष्णरूपसमन्विताः॥
Persons versed in the arts and science of sacrifice constructed these Yüpas. And at the time of throwing up the Yüpas for embellishing the sacrifice, these one and twenty Yüpas, each measuring one and twenty Aratnis, having eight angles, and smooth-faced, were decked out in one and twenty pieces of cloth, and were firmly planted with due ceremonies by artisans.
आच्छादितास्ते वासोभिः पुष्पैर्गन्धैश्च पूजिताः। सप्तर्षयो दीप्तिमन्तो विराजन्ते यथा दिवि॥
And being wrapped up in cloths, and worshipped with flowers, they looked like the seven Rșis appearing in the welkin.
इष्टकाश्च यथान्यायं कारिताश्च प्रमाणतः। चितोऽग्निर्ब्राह्मणैस्तत्र कुशलैः शिल्पकर्मणि॥
And an adequate number of bricks was also duly made (for the ceremony.) And Brāhmaṇas accomplished in the arts constructed the sacrificial fire-place with those bricks.
स चित्यो राजसिंहस्य संचितः कुशलैर्द्विजैः। गरुडो रुक्मपक्षो वै त्रिगुणोऽष्टादशात्मकः॥ नियुक्तास्तत्र पशवस्तत्तदुद्दिश्य दैवतम्। उरगाः पक्षिणश्चैव यथाशास्त्रं प्रचोदिताः॥ शामित्रे तु हयस्तत्र तथा जलचराश्च ये। ऋषिभिः सर्वमेवैतन्नियुक्तं शास्त्रतस्तदा॥
That fire-place of that lion among kings, set by skilful Brāhmaṇas, consisting on three sides of eighteen bricks, looked like the goldenwinged Garuda. And for the purpose of sacrificing them to the respective deities were collect beasts and reptiles, and birds, and horses, and aquatic animals. And the priests sacrificed all these in proper form.
पशूनां त्रिशतं तत्र यूपेषु नियतं तदा। अश्वरत्नोत्तमं तत्र राज्ञो दशरथस्य ह ॥
And to these Yūpas were bound, three hundred beasts, as well as the foremost of the best horses belonging to king Dasaratha.
कौसल्या तं हयं तत्र परिचर्य समन्ततः। कृपाणैर्विससारैनं त्रिभिः परमया मुदा॥
Then Kausalyā, having performed the preliminary rites, with three strokes slew that horse, experiencing great glee.
पतत्त्रिणा तथा सार्धं सुस्थितेन च चेतसा। अवसद् रजनीमेकां कौसल्या धर्मकाम्यया।॥
And with the view of reaping merit, Kausalyā, with an undisturbed heart passed one night with that horse furnished with wings.
होताध्वर्युस्तथोद्गाता हयेन समयोजयन्। महिष्या परिवृत्त्याथ वावातामपरां तथा॥ पतत्रिणस्तस्य वपामुद्धृत्य नियतेन्द्रियः। ऋत्विकपरमसम्पन्नः श्रपयामास शास्त्रतः॥
Hotás and Adhvaryus, and the Udgatás joined the king's Vāvātā along with his Mahișī and Parivrtti.* And priests of subdued senses, wellup in sacrificial rites, began to offer oblations with the fat of the winged-horse, according to the ordinance. *The Kșatriya kings could marry wives from among Kșatriyas, Vaişyas and Śūdras. The Kșatriya wife is called Mahiși, the Vaişya wife Vávātā and the Śūdra wife Parivrtti.
धूमगन्धं वपायास्तु जिघ्रति स्म नराधिपः। यथाकालं यथान्यायं निर्गुदन् पापमात्मनः॥
The lord of men, desirous of removing his sins, at the proper time smelt the odour of the smoke arising from the fat, agreeably to the scriptures.
हयस्य यानि चाङ्गानि तानि सर्वाणि ब्राह्मणाः। अग्नौ प्रास्यन्ति विधिवत् समस्ताः षोडशर्विजः॥
Then sixteen sacrificial priests in the prescribed form offered the various parts of the horse to the fire.
प्लक्षशाखासु यज्ञानामन्येषां क्रियते हविः। अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य वैतसो भाग इष्यते॥ त्र्यहोऽश्वमेधः संख्यातः कल्पसूत्रेण ब्राह्मणैः। चतुष्टोममहस्तस्य प्रथमं परिकल्पितम्॥ उक्थ्यं द्वितीयं संख्यातमतिरात्रं तथोत्तरम्। कारितास्तत्र बहवो विहिताः शास्त्रदर्शनात् ॥
It is customary in other sacrifices to offer the oblations by means of a Plaksa bough; but in the horse-sacrifice a cane is used instead. The horsesacrifice, according to the Kalpa-Sūtras and the Brahmanas, extend over three days. Thereafter, on the first day was the Catuștoma celebrated; and on the second, the Uktha, and on the third the Atirâtra.
ज्योतिष्ठोमायुषी चैवमतिरात्रो च निर्मितौ। अभिजिद्विश्वजिच्चैवमाप्तोर्यामौ महाक्रतुः।॥
And then the jyotisloma, and then Āyuştoma, and the Atirātra, and the Abhijit, and the Visvajit, and the Āptoryāma, all these various great sacrifices were celebrated with due rites.
प्राचीं होने ददौ राजा दिशं स्वकुलवर्धनः। अध्वर्यवे प्रतीची तु ब्रह्मणे दक्षिणां दिशम्॥ उद्गात्रे तु तथोदीची दक्षिणैषा विनिर्मिता। अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे स्वयंभूविहिते पुरा ॥
And in this mighty horse-sacrifice founded of yore by Svayambhū, that perpetuator of his line, the king, bestowed the Eastern quarter on his chief sacrificial priest, the Western on his Adhvaryu, the Southern on Brahmă, and the Northern on the Udgātā, as Daksinās.
क्रतुं समाप्य तु तदा न्यायत: पुरुषर्षभः। ऋत्विग्भ्यो हि ददौ राजा धरां तां कुलवर्धनः॥ एवं दत्त्वा प्रहृष्टोऽभूच्छीमानिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। ऋत्विजस्त्वब्रुवन् सर्वे राजानं गतकिल्विषम्॥
Having completed that sacrifice, that perpetuator of his race, and foremost of men, the king, conferied on the priests the earth; and having conferred it, that auspicious descendant of Ikşvāku experienced high delight. And then the priests spoke to that monarch, who had all his sins purged off saying.
भवानेव महीं कृत्स्नामेको रक्षितुमर्हति। न भूम्या कार्यमस्माकं नहि शक्तां स्म पालने॥ रताः स्वाध्यायकरणे वयं नित्यं हि भूमिप। निष्क्रयं किञ्चिदेवेह प्रयच्छतु भवानिति॥
You alone are worthy to protect the entire world. We do not want the earth; nor can we rule it, being, O lord of Earth, constantly engaged in Vedic studies. Do you, therefore, confer upon us something instead, as the price thereof.
मणिरत्नं सुवर्णं वा गावो यद्वा समुद्यतम्। तत् प्रयच्छ नृपश्रेष्ठ धरण्या न प्रयोजनम्॥
Do you confer upon us gems, or gold, or kine, or anything else, for, O foremost of monarchs, we do not want earth.
एवमुक्तो नरपतिर्ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः। गवां शतसहस्राणि दश तेभ्यो ददौ नृपः॥ दशकोटिं सुवर्णस्य रजतस्य चतुर्गुणम्।
Thus addressed by the Brāhmaṇas versed in the Veda, that best of kings bestowed upon them ten lace of kine, and ten Koțis of gold, and forty of silver.
ऋत्विजस्तु ततः सर्वे प्रददुः सहिता वसु।५१।। ऋष्यशृङ्गाय मुनये वसिष्ठाय च धीमते। ततस्ते न्यायतः कृत्वा प्रविभागं द्विजोत्तमाः॥ सुप्रीतमनसः सर्वे प्रत्यूचुर्मुदिता भृशम्।
Then those priests in a body, accepting the wealth, brought it to the ascetic Rșyaśộnga and the intelligent Vasiştha. Then having received each his share, those foremost of regenerate ones were exceedingly pleased, and said, We have been highly gratified.
ततः प्रसर्पकेभ्यस्तु हिरण्यं सुसमाहितः॥ जाम्बूनदं कोटिसंख्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ तदा।
Then to those Brāhmaṇas that had come there, the king with due regard gave Koțis of gold.
दरिद्राय द्विजायाथ हस्ताभरणमुत्तमम्॥ कस्मैचिद् याचमानाय ददौ राघवनन्दनः।
Then to a certain poor twice-born one that asked for gifts, the descendant of Raghu gave an excellent ornament from his own arm.
ततः प्रीतेषु विधिवत् द्विजेषु द्विजवत्सलः॥ प्रणाममकरोत् तेषां हर्षव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः।
When the regenerate ones were thus properly gratified, that one cherishing the Brāhmaṇas, with senses intoxicated by excess of joy, reverentially bowed to them.
तस्याशिषोऽथ विविधा ब्राह्मणैः समुदाहृताः॥ उदारस्य नृवीरस्य धरण्यां पतितस्य च।
Thereupon the Brāhmaṇas uttered various blessings upon that generous king, bending low to the earth.
ततः प्रीतमना राजा प्राप्य यज्ञमनुत्तमम्॥ पापापहं स्वर्नयनं दुस्तरं पार्थिवर्षभैः। ततोऽब्रवीदृष्यशृङ्ग राजा दशरथस्तदा॥ कुलस्य वर्धनं तत् तु कर्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत।
Then having celebrated that excellent and sindestroying sacrifice, bringing heaven, and incapable of being celebrated by foremost monarchs, king Dasaratha, well pleased, spoke to Rsyasriga, saying, Oyou of excellent vows, it behove you to do that whereby my line may increase.
तथेति च स राजानमुवाच द्विजसत्तमः। भविष्यन्ति सुता राजश्चत्वारस्ते कुलोद्वहाः॥
Thereupon the best of Brāhmaṇas told the king that he would have four sons, born to him, as perpetuators of his race.
स तस्य वाक्यं मधुरं निशम्य प्रणम्य तस्मै प्रयतो नृपेन्द्रः। जगाम हर्ष परमं महात्मा तमृष्यशृङ्ग पुनरप्युवाच॥
Hearing these sweet words of his, that foremost of monarchs bended low to him with controlled faculties, and experienced the excess of joy. And then that high-souled one again spoke to Rşyaśțnga.