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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 68: Vivāha: Daśaratha arrives in Mithilā

Summary. Daśaratha arrives with wealth, ṛṣis and the army, Janaka welcomes the alliance and completes preparations while Daśaratha reunites with his sons

Sequence

  1. At dawn Daśaratha orders the treasurers to travel ahead with wealth and jewels and the fourfold army to prepare → Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, Kāśyapa, Mārkaṇḍeya, and Kātyāyana are to lead the company of brāhmaṇas (1.68.1–5)
  2. he sets out with the ṛṣis and army → after four days they reach the Videhas, and Janaka comes to welcome them (1.68.6–8)
  3. Janaka rejoices in the family alliance and proposes the marriage after the sacrifice's conclusion (1.68.9–12)
  4. Daśaratha replies that the giver determines the occasion and that he will follow Janaka's arrangements (1.68.13–15)
  5. the munis enjoy their reunion → Daśaratha spends the night delighted to see Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa again → Janaka completes the necessary sacrificial and family preparations. (1.68.16–18)

Verses 1.68.1–18

1.68.1

tato rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ sopādhyāyaḥ sabāndhavaḥ
rājā daśaratho hṛṣṭaḥ sumantram idam abravīt

Then, when the night had passed, King Daśaratha, together with his teachers and kinsmen, delighted, said this to Sumantra:

Words: tato — then; rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ — when the night had passed; sopādhyāyaḥ — together with (his) teachers; sabāndhavaḥ — together with (his) kinsmen; rājā — king; daśaratho — Daśaratha; hṛṣṭaḥ — delighted; sumantram — to Sumantra; idam — this; abravīt — said

1.68.2

adya sarve dhanādhyakṣā dhanam ādāya puṣkalam
vrajantv agre suvihitā nānāratnasamanvitāḥ

“Today let all the treasurers, taking abundant wealth, well-arranged and provided with various jewels, go in front.

Words: adya — today; sarve — all; dhanādhyakṣā — the treasurers; dhanam — wealth; ādāya — having taken; puṣkalam — abundant; vrajantv — let them go; agre — in front; suvihitā — well-arranged, well-equipped; nānāratnasamanvitāḥ — provided with various jewels

1.68.3

caturaṅgabalaṃ cāpi śīghraṃ niryātu sarvaśaḥ
mamājñāsamakālaṃ ca yānayugyam anuttamam

And let the four-membered army set out quickly in full; and at the very moment of my command (let) unsurpassed conveyances and vehicles (be ready).

Words: caturaṅgabalaṃ — the four-membered army; cāpi — and also; śīghraṃ — quickly; niryātu — let it set out; sarvaśaḥ — in full, entirely; mamājñāsamakālaṃ — at the very time of my command; ca — and; yānayugyam — conveyances and draught-vehicles; anuttamam — unsurpassed

1.68.4

vasiṣṭho vāmadevaś ca jābālir atha kāśyapaḥ
mārkaṇḍeyaś ca dīrghāyur ṛṣiḥ kātyāyanas tathā

Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva, Jābāli and Kāśyapa, and the long-lived Mārkaṇḍeya, and likewise the sage Kātyāyana —

Words: vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; vāmadevaś ca — and Vāmadeva; jābālir — Jābāli; atha — and, then; kāśyapaḥ — Kāśyapa; mārkaṇḍeyaś ca — and Mārkaṇḍeya; dīrghāyur — the long-lived; ṛṣiḥ — the sage; kātyāyanas — Kātyāyana; tathā — likewise

1.68.5

ete dvijāḥ prayāntv agre syandanaṃ yojayasva me
yathā kālātyayo na syād dūtā hi tvarayanti mām

let these brahmins go in front; yoke my chariot, so that there be no delay, for the messengers are urging me on.”

Words: ete — these; dvijāḥ — brahmins (twice-born); prayāntv — let them go forth; agre — in front; syandanaṃ — the chariot; yojayasva — yoke, harness; me — my; yathā — so that; kālātyayo — lapse of time, delay; na syād — there be not; dūtā — the messengers; hi — for; tvarayanti — urge on, hasten; mām — me

1.68.6

vacanāc ca narendrasya sā senā caturaṅgiṇī
rājānam ṛṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ vrajantaṃ pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt

And at the king's word, that four-membered army followed behind the king as he journeyed with the sages.

Words: vacanāc ca — and at the word; narendrasya — of the king; sā — that; senā — army; caturaṅgiṇī — four-membered; rājānam — the king; ṛṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ — together with the sages; vrajantaṃ — going, journeying; pṛṣṭhato — behind; 'nvagāt — followed

1.68.7

gatvā caturahaṃ mārgaṃ videhān abhyupeyivān
rājā tu janakaḥ śrīmāñ śrutvā pūjām akalpayat

Having traveled a four-day journey, he reached the Videhas; and the illustrious king Janaka, hearing of it, arranged a reception.

Words: gatvā — having traveled; caturahaṃ — of four days; mārgaṃ — the road, journey; videhān — the Videhas; abhyupeyivān — reached, came to; rājā — the king; tu — and; janakaḥ — Janaka; śrīmāñ — the illustrious; śrutvā — having heard; pūjām — honor, reception; akalpayat — arranged, prepared

1.68.8

tato rājānam āsādya vṛddhaṃ daśarathaṃ nṛpam
janako mudito rājā harṣaṃ ca paramaṃ yayau
uvāca na naraśreṣṭho naraśreṣṭhaṃ mudānvitam

Then, approaching the aged king Daśaratha, King Janaka, delighted, attained supreme joy; and the best of men (Janaka) spoke to the best of men (Daśaratha), who was filled with joy:

Words: tato — then; rājānam — the king; āsādya — having approached; vṛddhaṃ — aged; daśarathaṃ — Daśaratha; nṛpam — king; janako — Janaka; mudito — delighted; rājā — king; harṣaṃ — joy; ca — and; paramaṃ — supreme; yayau — attained, went to; uvāca — spoke; na — (particle; the sense here is 'then, and'); naraśreṣṭho — the best of men; naraśreṣṭhaṃ — to the best of men; mudānvitam — filled with joy

1.68.9

svāgataṃ te mahārāja diṣṭyā prāpto 'si rāghava
putrayor ubhayoḥ prītiṃ lapsyase vīryanirjitām

“Welcome to you, O great king; by good fortune you have arrived, O Rāghava; you will gain the joy of both your sons, won by their valor.

Words: svāgataṃ te — welcome to you; mahārāja — O great king; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; prāpto 'si — you have arrived; rāghava — O Rāghava; putrayor — of the two sons; ubhayoḥ — of both; prītiṃ — joy; lapsyase — you will gain; vīryanirjitām — won by valor

1.68.10

diṣṭyā prāpto mahātejā vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
saha sarvair dvijaśreṣṭhair devair iva śatakratuḥ

By good fortune the greatly resplendent venerable sage Vasiṣṭha has come, together with all the best of brahmins, like Śatakratu (Indra) with the gods.

Words: diṣṭyā — by good fortune; prāpto — has come; mahātejā — the greatly resplendent; vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; bhagavān — the venerable; ṛṣiḥ — sage; saha — together; sarvair — with all; dvijaśreṣṭhair — the best of brahmins; devair iva — like with the gods; śatakratuḥ — Śatakratu (Indra)

1.68.11

diṣṭyā me nirjitā vighnā diṣṭyā me pūjitaṃ kulam
rāghavaiḥ saha saṃbandhād vīryaśreṣṭhair mahātmabhiḥ

By good fortune my obstacles are overcome; by good fortune my line is honored through alliance with the Rāghavas, the most valorous, great-souled ones.

Words: diṣṭyā — by good fortune; me — my; nirjitā — overcome, conquered; vighnā — obstacles; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; me — my; pūjitaṃ — honored; kulam — line, family; rāghavaiḥ saha — together with the Rāghavas; saṃbandhād — through alliance, kinship; vīryaśreṣṭhair — the most valorous; mahātmabhiḥ — the great-souled

1.68.12

śvaḥ prabhāte narendrendra nirvartayitum arhasi
yajñasyānte naraśreṣṭha vivāham ṛṣisaṃmatam

Tomorrow at dawn, O supreme lord of kings, you should carry out, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, the marriage approved by the sages, O best of men.”

Words: śvaḥ — tomorrow; prabhāte — at dawn; narendrendra — O supreme lord of kings; nirvartayitum — to carry out, accomplish; arhasi — you should; yajñasyānte — at the end of the sacrifice; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; vivāham — the marriage; ṛṣisaṃmatam — approved by the sages

1.68.13

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā ṛṣimadhye narādhipaḥ
vākyaṃ vākyavidāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pratyuvāca mahīpatim

Hearing those words of his amid the sages, the king (Daśaratha), best of those skilled in speech, replied to the king (Janaka):

Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; ṛṣimadhye — amid the sages; narādhipaḥ — the king; vākyaṃ — word; vākyavidāṃ — of those skilled in speech; śreṣṭhaḥ — the best; pratyuvāca — replied; mahīpatim — to the king

1.68.14

pratigraho dātṛvaśaḥ śrutam etan mayā purā
yathā vakṣyasi dharmajña tat kariṣyāmahe vayam

“The receiving of a gift depends on the giver — this I have heard of old; as you shall direct, O knower of dharma, that we shall do.”

Words: pratigraho — the receiving (of a gift), acceptance; dātṛvaśaḥ — depends on the giver; śrutam — heard; etan — this; mayā — by me; purā — of old, formerly; yathā — as; vakṣyasi — you will say, direct; dharmajña — O knower of dharma; tat — that; kariṣyāmahe — we shall do; vayam — we

1.68.15

tad dharmiṣṭhaṃ yaśasyaṃ ca vacanaṃ satyavādinaḥ
śrutvā videhādhipatiḥ paraṃ vismayam āgataḥ

Hearing that most righteous and glorious speech of the truthful one, the lord of Videha was struck with the greatest wonder.

Words: tad — that; dharmiṣṭhaṃ — most righteous; yaśasyaṃ — glorious, honorable; ca — and; vacanaṃ — speech; satyavādinaḥ — of the truthful one; śrutvā — having heard; videhādhipatiḥ — the lord of Videha; paraṃ — supreme, greatest; vismayam — wonder; āgataḥ — came to, was struck with

1.68.16

tataḥ sarve munigaṇāḥ parasparasamāgame
harṣeṇa mahatā yuktās tāṃ niśām avasan sukham

Then all the throngs of sages, filled with great joy at their mutual meeting, passed that night happily.

Words: tataḥ — then; sarve — all; munigaṇāḥ — the throngs of sages; parasparasamāgame — at the mutual meeting; harṣeṇa mahatā — with great joy; yuktās — filled, joined; tāṃ niśām — that night; avasan — dwelt, passed; sukham — happily

1.68.17

rājā ca rāghavau putrau niśāmya pariharṣitaḥ
uvāsa paramaprīto janakena supūjitaḥ

And the king (Daśaratha), gazing upon his two Rāghava sons, greatly delighted, dwelt there supremely pleased, well honored by Janaka.

Words: rājā — the king; ca — and; rāghavau — the two Rāghavas; putrau — the two sons; niśāmya — having beheld; pariharṣitaḥ — greatly delighted; uvāsa — dwelt, stayed; paramaprīto — supremely pleased; janakena — by Janaka; supūjitaḥ — well honored

1.68.18

janako 'pi mahātejāḥ kriyā dharmeṇa tattvavit
yajñasya ca sutābhyāṃ ca kṛtvā rātrim uvāsa ha

And Janaka too, of great splendor, the knower of truth, having performed according to dharma the rites of the sacrifice and (the rites) for his two daughters, passed the night.

Words: janako — Janaka; 'pi — too; mahātejāḥ — of great splendor; kriyā — the rites, ceremonies; dharmeṇa — according to dharma; tattvavit — the knower of truth; yajñasya — of the sacrifice; ca — and; sutābhyāṃ — for the two daughters; ca — and; kṛtvā — having performed; rātrim — (through) the night; uvāsa — dwelt, passed; ha — indeed

← 1.67 Vivāha: Envoys seek Daśaratha’s consent · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.69 Vivāha: Kuśadhvaja’s arrival and the Ikṣvāku lineage →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

Plain text: /text/1/68.md · JSON: /data/1/68.json