# Bāla Kāṇḍa 69 — Vivāha: Kuśadhvaja’s arrival and the Ikṣvāku lineage *Kuśadhvaja joins the assembly, Vasiṣṭha recounts the Ikṣvāku lineage and asks for Janaka’s two daughters for Rāma & Lakṣmaṇa* Portion: The marriages at Mithilā · Verses: 32 · Ref format: 1.69. ## Sequence - At daybreak Janaka tells Śatānanda that he wants his younger brother Kuśadhvaja, ruler of Sāṃkāśyā beside the Ikṣumatī, to share the celebration (69.1–4) - swift messengers fetch him → Kuśadhvaja salutes Janaka and Śatānanda and takes his seat (69.5–8) - the brothers send their minister Sudāman to invite Daśaratha with his sons, advisers, and priests → Daśaratha joins the assembly and identifies Vasiṣṭha as his family’s spokesman in all undertakings → with Viśvāmitra’s leave and the other ṛṣis present, Vasiṣṭha addresses Janaka and his priest to declare Daśaratha’s lineage (69.9–16). - Vasiṣṭha traces the ancestry from Brahmā through Marīci, Kaśyapa, Vivasvat, Manu, and Ikṣvāku, the first King of Ayodhyā (69.17–19) - the succession continues through Vikukṣi, Bāṇa, Anaraṇya, Pṛthu, Triśaṅku, Dhundhumāra, Yuvanāśva, Māndhātṛ, and Susaṃdhi → Susaṃdhi has two sons, Dhruvasaṃdhi and Prasenajit, and the line continues through Dhruvasaṃdhi's son Bharata and Bharata's son Asita (69.19–24) - the account next names Sagara, describing him as born with poison, and continues through Asamañja, Aṃśumat, Dilīpa, Bhagīratha, Kakutstha, and Raghu (69.25–26) - Raghu's son Pravṛddha becomes the man-eater Kalmāṣapāda → the succession continues through Śaṅkhaṇa, Sudarśana, Agnivarṇa, Śīghraga, Maru, Praśuśruka, Ambarīṣa, Nahuṣa, Yayāti, Nābhāga, Aja, and Daśaratha (69.27–30) - Vasiṣṭha describes their royal ancestry as pure from its beginnings, righteous, heroic, and truthful → he asks for Janaka’s two daughters for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, saying the daughters and princes are fitting equals (69.30–32). ## Verses **1.69.1** tataḥ prabhāte janakaḥ kṛtakarmā maharṣibhiḥ uvāca vākyaṃ vākyajñaḥ śatānandaṃ purohitam Then at daybreak Janaka, having performed his rites with the great sages, and skilled in speech, spoke these words to Śatānanda his priest: **1.69.2** bhrātā mama mahātejā yavīyān atidhārmikaḥ kuśadhvaja iti khyātaḥ purīm adhyavasac chubhām My brother of great splendour, younger than me and exceedingly righteous, known as Kuśadhvaja, dwells in a lovely city. **1.69.3** vāryāphalakaparyantāṃ pibann ikṣumatīṃ nadīm sāṃkāśyāṃ puṇyasaṃkāśāṃ vimānam iva puṣpakam (That city) Sāṃkāśyā, ringed round with rows of defensive planks and drinking from (skirting) the river Ikṣumatī, holy to behold like the Puṣpaka aerial car. **1.69.4** tam ahaṃ draṣṭum icchāmi yajñagoptā sa me mataḥ prītiṃ so 'pi mahātejā iṃmāṃ bhoktā mayā saha I wish to see him; he is regarded by me as the protector of my sacrifice; and he too, of great splendour, will share this joy together with me. **1.69.5** śāsanāt tu narendrasya prayayuḥ śīghravājibhiḥ samānetuṃ naravyāghraṃ viṣṇum indrājñayā yathā At the king's command (the messengers) set out with swift horses to fetch the tiger among men, as at Indra's command (the gods go to fetch) Viṣṇu. **1.69.6** ājñayā tu narendrasya ājagāma kuśadhvajaḥ ājagāma kuśadhvajaḥ And at the king's command Kuśadhvaja came. **1.69.7** sa dadarśa mahātmānaṃ janakaṃ dharmavatsalam so 'bhivādya śatānandaṃ rājānaṃ cāpi dhārmikam He saw the great-souled Janaka, devoted to dharma; and having saluted Śatānanda and also the righteous king, **1.69.8** rājārhaṃ paramaṃ divyam āsanaṃ cādhyarohata upaviṣṭāv ubhau tau tu bhrātarāv amitaujasau ...he mounted a supreme, divine seat fit for a king; and the two brothers of immeasurable might were seated. **1.69.9** preṣayām āsatur vīrau mantriśreṣṭhaṃ sudāmanam gaccha mantripate śīghram aikṣvākam amitaprabham ātmajaiḥ saha durdharṣam ānayasva samantriṇam The two heroes sent the best of counsellors, Sudāman: “Go quickly, chief of counsellors, and bring the unassailable descendant of Ikṣvāku of boundless splendour, together with his sons and his counsellors.” **1.69.10** aupakāryāṃ sa gatvā tu raghūṇāṃ kulavardhanam dadarśa śirasā cainam abhivādyedam abravīt Going to the guest-lodging, he saw the augmenter of the Raghus' line, and bowing to him with his head, he said this: **1.69.11** ayodhyādhipate vīra vaideho mithilādhipaḥ sa tvāṃ draṣṭuṃ vyavasitaḥ sopādhyāyapurohitam “O hero, lord of Ayodhyā, the Videha king, lord of Mithilā, has resolved to see you together with your teachers and priests.” **1.69.12** mantriśreṣṭhavacaḥ śrutvā rājā sarṣigaṇas tadā sabandhur agamat tatra janako yatra vartate Hearing the words of the chief counsellor, the king, together with the host of sages and his kinsmen, then went to where Janaka was. **1.69.13** sa rājā mantrisahitaḥ sopādhyāyaḥ sabāndhavaḥ vākyaṃ vākyavidāṃ śreṣṭho vaideham idam abravīt That king, accompanied by his counsellors, his teachers, and his kinsmen, best of those skilled in speech, spoke these words to the Videha king: **1.69.14** viditaṃ te mahārāja ikṣvākukuladaivatam vaktā sarveṣu kṛtyeṣu vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ It is known to you, great king, that the venerable seer Vasiṣṭha, the tutelary deity of the Ikṣvāku line, is our spokesman in all undertakings. **1.69.15** viśvāmitrābhyanujñātaḥ saha sarvair maharṣibhiḥ eṣa vakṣyati dharmātmā vasiṣṭho me yathākramam With Viśvāmitra's leave and together with all the great sages, this righteous Vasiṣṭha will relate my (lineage) in due order. **1.69.16** tūṣṇīṃbhūte daśarathe vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ uvāca vākyaṃ vākyajño vaidehaṃ sapurohitam When Daśaratha had fallen silent, the venerable seer Vasiṣṭha, skilled in speech, spoke to the Videha king together with his priest: **1.69.17** avyaktaprabhavo brahmā śāśvato nitya avyayaḥ tasmān marīciḥ saṃjajñe marīceḥ kaśyapaḥ sutaḥ From the Unmanifest arose Brahmā, eternal, everlasting, imperishable; from him was born Marīci; Marīci's son was Kaśyapa. **1.69.18** vivasvān kaśyapāj jajñe manur vaivaivataḥ smṛtaḥ manuḥ prajāpatiḥ pūrvam ikṣvākus tu manoḥ sutaḥ From Kaśyapa was born Vivasvān; Manu is remembered as the son of Vivasvat (Vaivasvata); Manu was formerly a Prajāpati (lord of creatures), and Ikṣvāku was Manu's son. **1.69.19** tam ikṣvākum ayodhyāyāṃ rājānaṃ viddhi pūrvakam ikṣvākos tu sutaḥ śrīmān vikukṣir udapadyata Know that Ikṣvāku to have been the first king in Ayodhyā; and Ikṣvāku's illustrious son Vikukṣi was born. **1.69.20** vikukṣes tu mahātejā bāṇaḥ putraḥ pratāpavān bāṇasya tu mahātejā anaraṇyaḥ pratāpavān Vikukṣi's son was the majestic, valorous Bāṇa; and Bāṇa's (son) was the majestic, valorous Anaraṇya. **1.69.21** anaraṇyāt pṛthur jajñe triśaṅkus tu pṛthoḥ sutaḥ triśaṅkor abhavat putro dhundhumāro mahāyaśāḥ From Anaraṇya was born Pṛthu; Triśaṅku was Pṛthu's son; and Triśaṅku's son was the greatly renowned Dhundhumāra. **1.69.22** dhundhumārān mahātejā yuvanāśvo mahārathaḥ yuvanāśvasutaḥ śrīmān māndhātā pṛthivīpatiḥ From Dhundhumāra (came) the majestic, great chariot-warrior Yuvanāśva; Yuvanāśva's illustrious son was Māndhātṛ, lord of the earth. **1.69.23** māndhātus tu sutaḥ śrīmān susaṃdhir udapadyata susaṃdher api putrau dvau dhruvasaṃdhiḥ prasenajit Māndhātṛ's illustrious son Susaṃdhi was born; and Susaṃdhi had two sons, Dhruvasaṃdhi and Prasenajit. **1.69.24** yaśasvī dhruvasaṃdhes tu bharato nāma nāmataḥ bharatāt tu mahātejā asito nāma jāyata Dhruvasaṃdhi's (son) was the illustrious one named Bharata; and from Bharata was born the majestic one named Asita. **1.69.25** saha tena gareṇaiva jātaḥ sa sagaro 'bhavat sagarasyāsamañjas tu asamañjād athāṃśumān Born together with that very poison, he became (known as) Sagara; Sagara's (son) was Asamañja, and from Asamañja (came) Aṃśumān. **1.69.26** dilīpo 'ṃśumataḥ putro dilīpasya bhagīrathaḥ bhagīrathāt kakutsthaś ca kakutsthasya raghus tathā Dilīpa was the son of Aṃśumat; Dilīpa's (son) was Bhagīratha; from Bhagīratha (came) Kakutstha; and Kakutstha's (son) was Raghu. **1.69.27** raghos tu putras tejasvī pravṛddhaḥ puruṣādakaḥ kalmāṣapādo hy abhavat tasmāj jātas tu śaṅkhaṇaḥ Raghu's energetic son Pravṛddha became a man-eater — indeed he was (the one called) Kalmāṣapāda; and from him was born Śaṅkhaṇa. **1.69.28** sudarśanaḥ śaṅkhaṇasya agnivarṇaḥ sudarśanāt śīghragas tv agnivarṇasya śīghragasya maruḥ sutaḥ Śaṅkhaṇa's (son) was Sudarśana; from Sudarśana (came) Agnivarṇa; Agnivarṇa's (son) was Śīghraga; and Śīghraga's son was Maru. **1.69.29** maroḥ praśuśrukas tv āsīd ambarīṣaḥ praśuśrukāt ambarīṣasya putro 'bhūn nahuṣaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ Maru's (son) was Praśuśruka; from Praśuśruka (came) Ambarīṣa; Ambarīṣa's son was Nahuṣa, lord of the earth. **1.69.30** nahuṣasya yayātis tu nābhāgas tu yayātijaḥ nābhāgasya bhabhūvāja ajād daśaratho 'bhavat tasmād daśarathāj jātau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau Nahuṣa's (son) was Yayāti; Nābhāga was Yayāti's son; from Nābhāga came Aja; from Aja was born Daśaratha; and from that Daśaratha were born the two brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. **1.69.31** ādivaṃśaviśuddhānāṃ rājñāṃ paramadharmiṇām ikṣvākukulajātānāṃ vīrāṇāṃ satyavādinām (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are descended) from kings pure in their ancient lineage, supremely righteous, born in the Ikṣvāku line, heroic and truthful. **1.69.32** rāmalakṣmaṇayor arthe tvatsute varaye nṛpa sadṛśābhyāṃ naraśreṣṭha sadṛśe dātum arhasi For the sake of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa I ask for your two daughters, O king; O best of men, you ought to give the two (girls), their equals, to the two (princes) who are worthy of them.