ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः। राजा दशरथो हृष्टः सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्॥
Then when the night had been spent, king Dasaratha accompanied with his priests and adherents, well pleased spoke to Sumantra, saying,
अद्य सर्वे धनाध्यक्षा धनमादाय पुष्कलम्। व्रजन्त्वग्रे सुविहिता नानारत्नसमन्विताः॥
To-day let the officers in charge of the treasury, taking plenty of excellent wealth, and furnished with various gems, go in advance under proper escort.
चतुरङ्गबलं चापि शीघ्रं निर्यातु सर्वशः। ममाज्ञासमकालं च यानं युग्यमनुत्तमम्॥
And let the fore-fold forces sally out with speed. And at my command let horses and conveyances and elegant vehicles march out
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ कश्यपः। मार्कण्डेयस्तु दीर्घायुर्ऋषिः कात्यायनस्तथा॥ एते द्विजाः प्रयान्त्वने स्यन्दनं योजयस्व मे। यथा कालात्ययो न स्याद् दूता हि त्वरयन्ति माम्।।५।
And let Vasiştha and Vamadeva and Jābāli and Kasyapa and Mārkandeya endowed with long life and the saint Katyāyana-let these regenerate ones go forward. And do you also yoke my car. Let not the proper time pass away; for the envoys urge speed upon me.
वचनाच्च नरेन्द्रस्य सेना च चतुरङ्गिणी। राजानमृषिभिः सार्धं व्रजन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वयात्॥
At these words of the king, the four-fold forces together with the saints went in the wake of the monarch.
गत्वा चतुरहं मार्ग विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान्। राजा च जनकः श्रीमाऽश्रुत्वा पूजामकल्पयत्॥ ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम्। मुदितो जनको राजा प्रहर्षं परमं ययौ॥
After having passed four days on the way, they arrived at Videha. And bearing of Dasaratha's arrival, the auspicious king Janaka experienced great delight, and having obtained the aged king Dasaratha, he honoured him duly.
उवाच वचनं श्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदान्वितम्। स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव॥
That chief of men well pleased, spoke these words, Have your journey been a pleasant one, O best of men? By luck have I obtained you, O descendant of Raghu.
पुत्रयोरुभयोः प्रीतिं लप्स्यसे वीर्यनिर्जिताम्। दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो महातेजा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः॥ सह सर्वैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतुः।
Do you experience the joy earned by the prowess of your sons. And by luck it is that I have obtained the highly energetic and worshipful saint Vasistha accompanied by the foremost regenerate ones, like him of an hundred sacrifices, by the celestials.
दिष्ट्या मे निर्जिता विघ्ना दिष्ट्या मे पूजितं कुलम्।।११ राघवैः सह सम्बन्धाद् वीर्यश्रेष्ठर्महाबलैः।
By luck it is that I have overcome the obstacle; by luck it is that my race has attained renown, in consequence of alliance with those endowed with prowess, the exceedingly potent Rāghavas.
श्वः प्रभाते नरेन्द्र त्वं संवर्तयितुमर्हसि ॥ यज्ञस्यान्ते नरश्रेष्ठ विवाहमृषिसत्तमैः।
O lord of men, to-morrow morning after the completion of the sacrifice, do you perform the nuptials, in company with the foremost of the saints.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिपः॥ वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।
Hearing his speech in the midst of the saints, that best of those conversant with words, the lord of men, replied to the monarch, saying,
प्रतिग्रहो दातृवशः श्रुतमेतन्मया पुरा॥ यथा वक्ष्यसि धर्मज्ञ तत् करिष्यामहे वयम्।
A gift should be accepted, this I heard formerly. And what you say, O you cognizant of duty, will we accomplish.
तद् धर्मिष्ठं यशस्यं च वचनं सत्यवादिनः॥ श्रुत्वा विदेहाधिपतिः परं विस्मयमागतः।
Hearing these words of the truthful (king), chiming in with morality and conducive to fame, the lord of Videha was filled with admiration.
ततः सर्वे मुनिगणाः परस्परसमागमे॥ हर्षेण महता युक्तास्तां रात्रिमवसन् सुखम्।
Then the ascetics experiencing great delight, passed the night in each other's company.
राजा च राघवौ पुत्रौ निशाम्य परिहर्षितः॥ उवास परमप्रीतो जनकेनाभिपूजितः।
And the king, overjoyed on beholding his sons, the Rāghavas passed (the night) in exceeding delight, splendidly entertained of Janaka.
जनकोऽपि महातेजाः क्रिया धर्मेण तत्त्ववित्। यज्ञस्य च सुताभ्यां च कृत्वा रात्रिमुवास ह॥
And the exceedingly energetic Janaka also, versed in men and things, having in accordance with the ordinance completed the sacrifice and performed all the preliminary rites relative to the nuptials of his daughters, reposed for the night.