# Bāla Kāṇḍa 71 — Vivāha: Four matches, śrāddha and godāna *Two additional matches unite all four brothers with brides, Janaka affirms shared ownership and the munis’ authority, Daśaratha performs śrāddha and godāna* Portion: The marriages at Mithilā · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 1.71. ## Sequence - Viśvāmitra, with Vasiṣṭha, praises the fitness of the two dynasties' alliance (71.1–3) - he proposes that Kuśadhvaja's two daughters marry Bharata and Śatrughna, binding the families still more closely (71.4–8) - Janaka agrees with Vasiṣṭha's approval → all four weddings will take place together on the appointed Phalgunī day (71.9–12) - Janaka rises with joined palms, declares himself always the disciple of Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra, and offers them seats of honor → he declares that his city belongs to Daśaratha just as Ayodhyā belongs to him, and assures the two munis of their authority to act as is fitting → Daśaratha praises both brothers' hospitality and asks leave to perform śrāddha rites (71.13–18) - returning to his lodging with the munis, he performs the śrāddha and, at dawn, godāna (the pre-marital rite accompanied by gifts of cows) (71.19–20) - on behalf of each son he gives a hundred thousand cows, four hundred thousand in all, each with gilded horns, a calf, and a bronze milk pail → he adds other gifts and stands among his prepared sons like Prajāpati among the guardians of the world (71.21–24). ## Verses **1.71.1** tam uktavantaṃ vaidehaṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ uvāca vacanaṃ vīraṃ vasiṣṭhasahito nṛpam To the Videha king who had thus spoken, the great sage Viśvāmitra, together with Vasiṣṭha, addressed these words — to that heroic king: **1.71.2** acintyāny aprameyāni kulāni narapuṃgava ikṣvākūṇāṃ videhānāṃ naiṣāṃ tulyo 'sti kaś cana Beyond thought and beyond measure, O bull among men, are the lineages of the Ikṣvākus and the Videhas; there is none equal to them. **1.71.3** sadṛśo dharmasaṃbandhaḥ sadṛśo rūpasaṃpadā rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan sītā cormilayā saha Fitting is this union in dharma, fitting in wealth of beauty, O king — of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with Sītā and Ūrmilā. **1.71.4** vaktavyaṃ na naraśreṣṭha śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama Something more must be said, O best of men; let my words be heard. **1.71.5** bhrātā yavīyān dharmajña eṣa rājā kuśadhvajaḥ asya dharmātmano rājan rūpeṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi sutā dvayaṃ naraśreṣṭha patnyarthaṃ varayāmahe Your younger brother, this King Kuśadhvaja, knower of dharma — of this righteous one, O king, we ask, O best of men, for the two daughters, unmatched in beauty on earth, to be wives (for our princes). **1.71.6** bharatasya kumārasya śatrughnasya ca dhīmataḥ varayema sute rājaṃs tayor arthe mahātmanoḥ For the prince Bharata and for the wise Śatrughna, O king, we would ask the two daughters, for the sake of those two great-souled ones. **1.71.7** putrā daśarathasyeme rūpayauvanaśālinaḥ lokapālopamāḥ sarve devatulyaparākramāḥ These sons of Daśaratha, endowed with beauty and youth, are all like the guardians of the worlds, their prowess equal to the gods'. **1.71.8** ubhayor api rājendra saṃbandhenānubadhyatām ikṣvākukulam avyagraṃ bhavataḥ puṇyakarmaṇaḥ By the union of both (families), O lord of kings, let the Ikṣvāku house be bound firmly to you, whose deeds are meritorious. **1.71.9** viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā vasiṣṭhasya mate tadā janakaḥ prāñjalir vākyam uvāca munipuṃgavau Hearing Viśvāmitra's words, then with Vasiṣṭha's approval, Janaka, his palms joined, spoke these words to the two bulls among sages: **1.71.10** sadṛśaṃ kulasaṃbandhaṃ yad ājñāpayathaḥ svayam evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ vaḥ kuśadhvajasute ime patnyau bhajetāṃ sahitau śatrughnabharatāv ubhau Since you yourselves ordain this fitting family union, so let it be — blessings on you: let these two daughters of Kuśadhvaja become the wives of the two, Śatrughna and Bharata, together. **1.71.11** ekāhnā rājaputrīṇāṃ catasḥṇāṃ mahāmune pāṇīn gṛhṇantu catvāro rājaputrā mahābalāḥ On one and the same day, O great sage, let the four mighty princes take the hands of the four princesses. **1.71.12** uttare divase brahman phalgunībhyāṃ manīṣiṇaḥ vaivāhikaṃ praśaṃsanti bhago yatra prajāpatiḥ On the latter day, O brahmin, under the two Phalgunīs, the wise commend (holding) the wedding, when Bhaga the Prajāpati (presides). **1.71.13** evam uktvā vacaḥ saumyaṃ pratyutthāya kṛtāñjaliḥ ubhau munivarau rājā janako vākyam abravīt Having spoken these gracious words, rising up with his palms joined, King Janaka spoke (further) words to the two excellent sages: **1.71.14** paro dharmaḥ kṛto mahyaṃ śiṣyo 'smi bhavatoḥ sadā imāny āsanamukhyāni āsetāṃ munipuṃgavau A supreme kindness has been done to me; I am ever your disciple; here are the seats of honour — be seated, O bulls among sages. **1.71.15** yathā daśarathasyeyaṃ tathāyodhyā purī mama prabhutve nāsit saṃdeho yathārhaṃ kartum arhathaḥ As this city Ayodhyā is Daśaratha's, so it is mine; over its lordship let there be no doubt — you two may act in it as you see fit. **1.71.16** tathā bruvati vaidehe janake raghunandanaḥ rājā daśaratho hṛṣṭaḥ pratyuvāca mahīpatim As the Videha king Janaka spoke thus, the delight of the Raghus, King Daśaratha, delighted, replied to the lord of the earth: **1.71.17** yuvām asaṃkhyeya guṇau bhrātarau mithileśvarau ṛṣayo rājasaṃghāś ca bhavadbhyām abhipūjitāḥ You two brothers, lords of Mithilā, are of incalculable virtues; by you the seers and the assemblies of kings have been fittingly honoured. **1.71.18** svasti prāpnuhi bhadraṃ te gamiṣyāmi svam ālayam śrāddhakarmāṇi sarvāṇi vidhāsya iti cābravīt “May you prosper — blessings on you; I shall go to my own lodging and perform all the śrāddha rites,” he said. **1.71.19** tam āpṛṣṭvā narapatiṃ rājā daśarathas tadā munīndrau tau puraskṛtya jagāmāśu mahāyaśāḥ Taking leave of that king, the greatly renowned King Daśaratha then, placing those two chief sages before him, went off at once. **1.71.20** sa gatvā nilayaṃ rājā śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ prabhāte kālyam utthāya cakre godānam uttamam Having gone to his lodging, the king performed the śrāddha according to rule, and rising at dawn's due time, carried out the excellent cow-gift (tonsure) rite. **1.71.21** gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi brāhmaṇebhyo narādhipaḥ ekaikaśo dadau rājā putrān uddhiśya dharmataḥ The king gave hundreds of thousands of cows to the brahmins, one hundred thousand for each (son), dedicating them righteously on behalf of his sons. **1.71.22** suvarṇaśṛṅgāḥ saṃpannāḥ savatsāḥ kāṃsyadohanāḥ gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi catvāri puruṣarṣabhaḥ Golden-horned, well-favoured, each with a calf and a bronze milk-pail — four hundred thousand cows (did) that bull among men (give). **1.71.23** vittam anyac ca subahu dvijebhyo raghunandanaḥ dadau godānam uddiśya putrāṇāṃ putravatsalaḥ And much other wealth the delight of the Raghus, fond of his sons, gave to the twice-born, dedicating it as part of the cow-gift rite on his sons' behalf. **1.71.24** sa sutaiḥ kṛtagodānair vṛtaś ca nṛpatis tadā lokapālair ivābhāti vṛtaḥ saumyaḥ prajāpatiḥ Surrounded by his sons for whom the cow-gift rite had been performed, that king then shone like the gentle Prajāpati surrounded by the guardians of the worlds.