# Bāla Kāṇḍa 8 — Daśaratha seeks sons: Sumantra’s prophecy *Daśaratha proposes a sacrifice for sons, Sumantra recalls Sanatkumāra’s prophecy and the story of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga’s arrival in drought-stricken Aṅga* Portion: Ṛṣyaśṛṅga · Verses: 23 · Ref format: 1.8. ## Sequence - Despite his power and prosperity, Daśaratha has no son to continue his line → he decides to undertake a horse-sacrifice for offspring and tells Sumantra to summon the teachers and priests (8.1–4) - privately, Sumantra recalls a prophecy he heard Sanatkumāra tell the ṛṣis (8.5–6). In Sumantra's account, Vibhāṇḍaka, son of Kaśyapa, raises his son, the muni Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, entirely in the forest, where he knows only his father, the sacred fire, and their disciplined way of life (8.7–10) - a transgression by Romapāda, King of Aṅga, brings a terrible drought → the distressed King asks learned brāhmaṇas how to make amends (8.11–14) - they advise bringing Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and marrying him to the King's daughter Śāntā (8.15–16) - the King and ministers consider how to fetch him, but the proposed envoys fear Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and initially refuse (8.17–19) - they devise another means: courtesans bring Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, rain falls, and Śāntā becomes his wife (8.20–21) - Sumantra says that this same Ṛṣyaśṛṅga will obtain sons for Daśaratha → delighted, Daśaratha asks to hear exactly how the young tapasvin was brought (8.22–23). ## Verses **1.8.1** tasya tv evaṃ prabhāvasya dharmajñasya mahātmanaḥ sutārthaṃ tapyamānasya nāsīd vaṃśakaraḥ sutaḥ But of him of such might, that righteous, great-souled one who tormented himself for the sake of a son, there was no son to continue his line. **1.8.2** cintayānasya tasyaivaṃ buddhir āsīn mahātmanaḥ sutārthaṃ vājimedhena kimarthaṃ na yajāmy aham As that great-souled one pondered thus, a thought came to him: “Why do I not sacrifice with a horse-sacrifice for the sake of a son?” **1.8.3** sa niścitāṃ matiṃ kṛtvā yaṣṭavyam iti buddhimān mantribhiḥ saha dharmātmā sarvair eva kṛtātmabhiḥ Having firmly made up his mind that a sacrifice must be held, that wise and righteous one, together with all his ministers, every one accomplished in soul, **1.8.4** tato 'bravīd idaṃ rājā sumantraṃ mantrisattamam śīghram ānaya me sarvān gurūṃs tān sapurohitān then the king said this to Sumantra, the best of ministers: “Quickly bring me all those gurus, together with the family priests.” **1.8.5** etac chrutvā rahaḥ sūto rājānam idam abravīt ṛtvigbhir upadiṣṭo 'yaṃ purāvṛtto mayā śrutaḥ Hearing this, the charioteer spoke this to the king in private: “This story, taught by the ṛtvij-priests, an event of ancient times, was heard by me. **1.8.6** sanatkumāro bhagavān pūrvaṃ kathitavān kathām ṛṣīṇāṃ saṃnidhau rājaṃs tava putrāgamaṃ prati The venerable Sanatkumāra formerly told a story, in the presence of the seers, O king, concerning the coming of a son to you. **1.8.7** kāśyapasya tu putro 'sti vibhāṇḍaka iti śrutaḥ ṛṣyaśṛṅga iti khyātas tasya putro bhaviṣyati “Kāśyapa has a son known as Vibhāṇḍaka; to him will be born a son renowned as Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. **1.8.8** sa vane nityasaṃvṛddho munir vanacaraḥ sadā nānyaṃ jānāti viprendro nityaṃ pitranuvartanāt That sage, ever reared in the forest, always a forest-dweller, that best of brahmins knows no other way of life, for he ever follows his father. **1.8.9** dvaividhyaṃ brahmacaryasya bhaviṣyati mahātmanaḥ lokeṣu prathitaṃ rājan vipraiś ca kathitaṃ sadā There will come to be a two-fold nature to the celibacy of that great-souled one — a thing famed in the worlds, O king, and ever spoken of by the brahmins. **1.8.10** tasyaivaṃ vartamānasya kālaḥ samabhivartata agniṃ śuśrūṣamāṇasya pitaraṃ ca yaśasvinam As he lived thus, tending the sacred fire and his illustrious father, time went on. **1.8.11** etasminn eva kāle tu romapādaḥ pratāpavān aṅgeṣu prathitā rājā bhaviṣyati mahābalaḥ At this very time there will be Romapāda, majestic, a renowned and mighty king among the Aṅgas. **1.8.12** tasya vyatikramād rājño bhaviṣyati sudāruṇā anāvṛṣṭiḥ sughorā vai sarvabhūtabhayāvahā Through a transgression of that king there will come a most terrible, dreadful drought, bringing terror to all beings. **1.8.13** anāvṛṣṭyāṃ tu vṛttāyāṃ rājā duḥkhasamanvitaḥ brāhmaṇāñ śrutavṛddhāṃś ca samānīya pravakṣyati When the drought has set in, the king, filled with sorrow, having gathered the brahmins who are aged in sacred learning, will say: **1.8.14** bhavantaḥ śrutadharmāṇo loke cāritravedinaḥ samādiśantu niyamaṃ prāyaścittaṃ yathā bhavet “You who know the revealed law and are versed in right conduct in the world, ordain some rite of restraint, so that an expiation may be made.” **1.8.15** vakṣyanti te mahīpālaṃ brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ vibhāṇḍakasutaṃ rājan sarvopāyair ihānaya Those brahmins, masters of the Vedas, will say to that protector of the earth: “O king, bring the son of Vibhāṇḍaka here by every means.” **1.8.16** ānāyya ca mahīpāla ṛṣyaśṛṅgaṃ susatkṛtam prayaccha kanyāṃ śāntāṃ vai vidhinā susamāhitaḥ “And O protector of the earth, having had Ṛṣyaśṛṅga brought and well honoured, give him your daughter Śāntā according to rule, with full attentiveness.” **1.8.17** teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā rājā cintāṃ prapatsyate kenopāyena vai śakyam ihānetuṃ sa vīryavān Hearing their words, the king will fall to pondering: “By what means indeed can that heroic one be brought here?” **1.8.18** tato rājā viniścitya saha mantribhir ātmavān purohitam amātyāṃś ca preṣayiṣyati satkṛtān Then the self-possessed king, having resolved together with his ministers, will send the family priest and his honoured counsellors. **1.8.19** te tu rājño vacaḥ śrutvā vyathitā vanatānanāḥ na gacchema ṛṣer bhītā anuneṣyanti taṃ nṛpam But they, hearing the king's words, distressed and with faces cast down, afraid of the seer, saying “We cannot go,” will seek to win over that king. **1.8.20** vakṣyanti cintayitvā te tasyopāyāṃś ca tān kṣamān āneṣyāmo vayaṃ vipraṃ na ca doṣo bhaviṣyati Having thought it over, they will declare those suitable means for it: “We shall bring the brahmin, and no fault will arise.” **1.8.21** evam aṅgādhipenaiva gaṇikābhir ṛṣeḥ sutaḥ ānīto 'varṣayad devaḥ śāntā cāsmai pradīyate Thus by the very lord of the Aṅgas, through courtesans, the seer's son was brought; the god rained, and Śāntā was given to him. **1.8.22** ṛṣyaśṛṅgas tu jāmātā putrāṃs tava vidhāsyati sanatkumārakathitam etāvad vyāhṛtaṃ mayā And Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, as your son-in-law, will procure sons for you. This much, as told by Sanatkumāra, has been declared by me.” **1.8.23** atha hṛṣṭo daśarathaḥ sumantraṃ pratyabhāṣata yatharṣyaśṛṅgas tv ānīto vistareṇa tvayocyatām Then, delighted, Daśaratha replied to Sumantra: “Let it be told by you in detail how Ṛṣyaśṛṅga was brought.”