# Bāla Kāṇḍa 70 — Vivāha: The Videha lineage and the wedding date *Janaka recounts the Videha lineage and Kuśadhvaja’s accession, offers Sītā & Ūrmilā and appoints the wedding day and preparatory rites* Portion: The marriages at Mithilā · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 1.70. ## Sequence - Janaka says that the bride's family must likewise declare its ancestry (70.1–2) - he begins with Nimi, Mithi, the first Janaka, Udāvasu, Nandivardhana, Suketu, Devarāta, Bṛhadratha, Mahāvīra, Sudhṛti, Dhṛṣṭaketu, and Haryaśva (70.3–8) - the line continues through Maru, Pratīndhaka, Kīrtiratha, Devamīḍha, Vibudha, Mahīdhraka, Kīrtirāta, Mahāromā, Svarṇaromā, and Hrasvaromā → Hrasvaromā was the father of himself and Kuśadhvaja (70.9–13). Janaka recalls that his father installed him as King, entrusted the younger brother to his care, and retired to the forest - after his father's death, Janaka continued ruling and protecting Kuśadhvaja (70.14–15) - later Sudhanvan of Sāṃkāśyā besieged Mithilā and demanded both Śiva's bow and Sītā → Janaka refused, fought and killed him, and installed Kuśadhvaja in Sāṃkāśyā (70.16–19) - he now formally offers Sītā to Rāma and Ūrmilā to Lakṣmaṇa, repeating his commitment (70.20–22) - he requests godāna and pitṛkarman (ancestral rites) → with the moon currently in Maghā, he appoints the wedding for the third day, under Uttara Phalgunī (70.23–24). ## Verses **1.70.1** evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ janakaḥ pratyuvāca kṛtāñjaliḥ śrotum arhasi bhadraṃ te kulaṃ naḥ kīrtitaṃ param To him as he spoke thus Janaka replied, his palms joined: “Be pleased to hear — blessings on you — of our lineage too, once it has been proclaimed. **1.70.2** pradāne hi muniśreṣṭha kulaṃ niravaśeṣataḥ vaktavyaṃ kulajātena tan nibodha mahāmune For in giving (a daughter), O best of sages, one born of a family must declare his lineage in full; learn it, great sage. **1.70.3** rājābhūt triṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ svena karmaṇā nimiḥ paramadharmātmā sarvasattvavatāṃ varaḥ There was a king renowned throughout the three worlds by his own deeds — Nimi, supremely righteous of soul, the best of all beings endowed with strength. **1.70.4** tasya putro mithir nāma janako mithi putrakaḥ prathamo janako nāma janakād apy udāvasuḥ His son was named Mithi; Janaka was Mithi's son — the first (king) named Janaka; and from that Janaka (came) Udāvasu. **1.70.5** udāvasos tu dharmātmā jāto vai nandivardhanaḥ nandivardhana putras tu suketur nāma nāmataḥ From Udāvasu was born the righteous Nandivardhana; and Nandivardhana's son was named Suketu. **1.70.6** suketor api dharmātmā devarāto mahābalaḥ devarātasya rājarṣer bṛhadratha iti śrutaḥ Suketu's (son) too was the righteous Devarāta of great strength; and of the royal seer Devarāta (the son) was known as Bṛhadratha. **1.70.7** bṛhadrathasya śūro 'bhūn mahāvīraḥ pratāpavān mahāvīrasya dhṛtimān sudhṛtiḥ satyavikramaḥ Bṛhadratha's (son) was the hero Mahāvīra, valorous; Mahāvīra's steadfast (son) was Sudhṛti, whose valour was true. **1.70.8** sudhṛter api dharmātmā dhṛṣṭaketuḥ sudhārmikaḥ dhṛṣṭaketos tu rājarṣer haryaśva iti viśrutaḥ Sudhṛti's (son) too was the righteous Dhṛṣṭaketu, most dutiful; and of the royal seer Dhṛṣṭaketu (the son) was renowned as Haryaśva. **1.70.9** haryaśvasya maruḥ putro maroḥ putraḥ pratīndhakaḥ pratīndhakasya dharmātmā rājā kīrtirathaḥ sutaḥ Haryaśva's son was Maru; Maru's son was Pratīndhaka; and Pratīndhaka's righteous son was King Kīrtiratha. **1.70.10** putraḥ kīrtirathasyāpi devamīḍha iti smṛtaḥ devamīḍhasya vibudho vibudhasya mahīdhrakaḥ Kīrtiratha's son too was remembered as Devamīḍha; Devamīḍha's (son) was Vibudha; and Vibudha's (son) was Mahīdhraka. **1.70.11** mahīdhrakasuto rājā kīrtirāto mahābalaḥ kīrtirātasya rājarṣer mahāromā vyajāyata Mahīdhraka's son was King Kīrtirāta of great strength; and of the royal seer Kīrtirāta was born Mahāromā. **1.70.12** mahāroṃṇas tu dharmātmā svarṇaromā vyajāyata svarṇaroṃṇas tu rājarṣer hrasvaromā vyajāyata From Mahāromā was born the righteous Svarṇaromā; and from the royal seer Svarṇaromā was born Hrasvaromā. **1.70.13** tasya putradvayaṃ jajñe dharmajñasya mahātmanaḥ jyeṣṭho 'ham anujo bhrātā mama vīraḥ kuśadhvajaḥ To him, that great-souled knower of dharma, were born two sons: I am the elder, and my younger brother is the hero Kuśadhvaja. **1.70.14** māṃ tu jyeṣṭhaṃ pitā rājye so 'bhiṣicya narādhipaḥ kuśadhvajaṃ samāveśya bhāraṃ mayi vanaṃ gataḥ My father the king, having anointed me, the elder, to the kingship, and having placed Kuśadhvaja (in my care) and laid the burden upon me, went to the forest. **1.70.15** vṛddhe pitari svaryāte dharmeṇa dhuram āvaham bhrātaraṃ devasaṃkāśaṃ snehāt paśyan kuśadhvajam When my aged father had gone to heaven, I bore the yoke (of kingship) righteously, looking with affection on my brother Kuśadhvaja, who resembled a god. **1.70.16** kasya cit tv atha kālasya sāṃkāśyād agamat purāt sudhanvā vīryavān rājā mithilām avarodhakaḥ Then after some time, from the city of Sāṃkāśyā, came the valiant king Sudhanvan, laying siege to Mithilā. **1.70.17** sa ca me preṣayām āsa śaivaṃ dhanur anuttamam sītā kanyā ca padmākṣī mahyaṃ vai dīyatām iti And he sent word to me: “Let Śiva's peerless bow and the lotus-eyed maiden Sītā be given to me.” **1.70.18** tasyāpradānād brahmarṣe yuddham āsīn mayā saha sa hato 'bhimukho rājā sudhanvā tu mayā raṇe Because I did not give them to him, O brahmin seer, there was war between me and him; and King Sudhanvan, facing me, was slain by me in battle. **1.70.19** nihatya taṃ muniśreṣṭha sudhanvānaṃ narādhipam sāṃkāśye bhrātaraṃ śūram abhyaṣiñcaṃ kuśadhvajam Having slain that king Sudhanvan, O best of sages, I anointed my heroic brother Kuśadhvaja (as king) in Sāṃkāśyā. **1.70.20** kanīyān eṣa me bhrātā ahaṃ jyeṣṭho mahāmune dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te munipuṃgava This is my younger brother, and I am the elder, O great sage; most gladly I give you two brides, O bull among sages. **1.70.21** sītāṃ rāmāya bhadraṃ te ūrmilāṃ lakṣmaṇāya ca vīryaśulkāṃ mama sutāṃ sītāṃ surasutopamām Sītā for Rāma — blessings on you — and Ūrmilā for Lakṣmaṇa: my daughter Sītā, whose bride-price was valour, the equal of a daughter of the gods. **1.70.22** dvitīyām ūrmilāṃ caiva trir vadāmi na saṃśayaḥ dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te raghunandana And Ūrmilā as the second — I say it thrice, there is no doubt; most gladly I give you two brides, O delight of the Raghus. **1.70.23** rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan godānaṃ kārayasva ha pitṛkāryaṃ ca bhadraṃ te tato vaivāhikaṃ kuru For Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, O king, have the cow-gift (tonsure ceremony) performed, and the rite to the ancestors — blessings on you — and then perform the wedding. **1.70.24** maghā hy adya mahābāho tṛtīye divase prabho phalgunyām uttare rājaṃs tasmin vaivāhikaṃ kuru rāmalakṣmaṇayor arthe dānaṃ kāryaṃ sukhodayam For today, O mighty-armed lord, is (the lunar mansion) Maghā; on the third day, O king, under the latter Phalgunī, perform the wedding on that (day); the giving (of the brides) for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa should be done, ushering in happiness.