Rishyashringa Comes to Ayodhya

Shloka 1 (bala.11.1)

भूय एव हि राजेन्द्र शृणु मे वचनं हितम् । यथा स देवप्रवरः कथयामास बुद्धिमान् ॥ 11.1 ॥

bhūya eva hi rājendra śṛṇu me vacanaṃ hitam | yathā sa devapravaraḥ kathayāmāsa buddhimān

“Listen once more, O lord of kings, to these helpful words of mine — just as that wise one, foremost among the gods, once related this account.”

Shloka 2 (bala.11.2)

इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातो भविष्यति सुधार्मिकः । नाम्ना दशरथो राजा श्रीमान्सत्यप्रतिश्रवः ॥ 11.2 ॥

ikṣvākūṇāṃ kule jāto bhaviṣyati sudhārmikaḥ | nāmnā daśaratho rājā śrīmānsatyapratiśravaḥ

“In the Ikshvaku dynasty a most virtuous king will be born; by name Dasharatha, glorious, and ever true to his word.”

Shloka 3 (bala.11.3)

अङ्गराजेन सख्यं च तस्य राज्ञो भविष्यति । कन्या चास्य महाभागा शांता नाम भविष्यति ॥ 11.3 ॥

aṅgarājena sakhyaṃ ca tasya rājño bhaviṣyati | kanyā cāsya mahābhāgā śāṃtā nāma bhaviṣyati

“That king will form a friendship with the king of Anga; and to the Anga king a most fortunate daughter, named Shanta, will be born.”

Shloka 4 (bala.11.4)

पुत्रस्तु सोऽङ्गराजस्य रोमपाद इति श्रुतः । तं स राजा दशरथो गमिष्यति महायशाः ॥ 11.4 ॥

putrastu so'ṅgarājasya romapāda iti śrutaḥ | taṃ sa rājā daśaratho gamiṣyati mahāyaśāḥ

“The son of that king of Anga will be known as Romapada; and to him the illustrious King Dasharatha will go.”

Shloka 5 (bala.11.5)

अनपत्योऽस्मि धर्मात्मन् शांताभर्ता मम क्रतुम् । आहरेत त्वयाज्ञप्तः संतानार्थं कुलस्य च ॥ 11.5 ॥

anapatyo'smi dharmātman śāṃtābhartā mama kratum | āhareta tvayājñaptaḥ saṃtānārthaṃ kulasya ca

“‘O righteous one, I am without a son. At your bidding, let Shanta’s husband perform the sacred rite for the continuance of my line.’”

Shloka 6 (bala.11.6)

श्रुत्वा राज्ञोऽथ तद्वाक्यं मनसा स विचिंत्य च । प्रदास्यते पुत्रवन्तं शांताभर्तारमात्मवान् ॥ 11.6 ॥

śrutvā rājño'tha tadvākyaṃ manasā sa viciṃtya ca | pradāsyate putravantaṃ śāṃtābhartāramātmavān

On hearing the king’s request and reflecting upon it in his heart, the prudent Romapada will consent to send Shanta along with her husband.

Shloka 7 (bala.11.7)

प्रतिगृह्य च तं विप्रं स राजा विगतज्वरः । आहरिष्यति तं यज्ञं प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ॥ 11.7 ॥

pratigṛhya ca taṃ vipraṃ sa rājā vigatajvaraḥ | āhariṣyati taṃ yajñaṃ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā

Having welcomed that Brahmin, the king, his anguish now gone, will carry out that sacrifice with a heart full of joy.

Shloka 8 (bala.11.8)

तं च राजा दशरथो यष्टुकामः कृतांजलिः । ऋष्यशृङ्गं द्विजश्रेष्ठं वरयिष्यति धर्मवित् ॥ 11.8 ॥

taṃ ca rājā daśaratho yaṣṭukāmaḥ kṛtāṃjaliḥ | ṛṣyaśṛṅgaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ varayiṣyati dharmavit

And King Dasharatha, versed in righteousness and eager to perform the sacrifice, will invite, with joined palms, Rishyashringa, best of the twice-born.

Shloka 9 (bala.11.9)

यज्ञार्थं प्रसवार्थं च स्वर्गार्थं च नरेश्वरः । लभते च स तं कामं द्विजमुख्याद्विशांपतिः ॥ 11.9 ॥

yajñārthaṃ prasavārthaṃ ca svargārthaṃ ca nareśvaraḥ | labhate ca sa taṃ kāmaṃ dvijamukhyādviśāṃpatiḥ

For the sake of the sacrifice, of offspring, and of heaven, that lord of the earth will obtain his heart’s desire through that foremost Brahmin.

Shloka 10 (bala.11.10)

पुत्राश्चास्य भविष्यन्ति चत्वारोऽमितविक्रमाः । वंशप्रतिष्ठानकराः सर्वभूतेषु विश्रुताः ॥ 11.10 ॥

putrāścāsya bhaviṣyanti catvāro'mitavikramāḥ | vaṃśapratiṣṭhānakarāḥ sarvabhūteṣu viśrutāḥ

Four sons of measureless valour shall be born to him, who will uphold the glory of their line and become renowned among all beings.

Shloka 11 (bala.11.11)

एवं स देवप्रवरः पूर्वं कथितवान्कथाम् । सनत्कुमारो भगवान्पुरा देवयुगे प्रभुः ॥ 11.11 ॥

evaṃ sa devapravaraḥ pūrvaṃ kathitavānkathām | sanatkumāro bhagavānpurā devayuge prabhuḥ

Thus, in ages past, in the divine era, the illustrious lord Sanatkumara, foremost among the gods, once narrated this very story.

Shloka 12 (bala.11.12)

स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल तमानय सुसत्कृतम् । स्वयमेव महाराज गत्वा सबलवाहनः ॥ 11.12 ॥

sa tvaṃ puruṣaśārdūla tamānaya susatkṛtam | svayameva mahārāja gatvā sabalavāhanaḥ

“Therefore, O tiger among men, O great king, go yourself with your forces and retinue, and bring that sage here with due honour.”

Shloka 13 (bala.11.13)

सुमंत्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हृष्टो दशरथोऽभवत् । अनुमान्य वसिष्ठं च सूतवाक्यं निशम्य च ॥ 11.13 ॥

sumaṃtrasya vacaḥ śrutvā hṛṣṭo daśaratho'bhavat | anumānya vasiṣṭhaṃ ca sūtavākyaṃ niśamya ca

Hearing these words of Sumantra, Dasharatha rejoiced; and, having taken counsel with Vasishtha and reflected on his charioteer’s advice—

Shloka 14 (bala.11.14)

सान्तःपुरः सहामात्यः प्रययौ यत्र स द्विजः । वनानि सरितश्चैव व्यतिक्रम्य शनैः शनैः ॥ 11.14 ॥

sāntaḥpuraḥ sahāmātyaḥ prayayau yatra sa dvijaḥ | vanāni saritaścaiva vyatikramya śanaiḥ śanaiḥ

—he set out, together with his queens and ministers, to the place where that sage dwelt, slowly making his way across forests and rivers.

Shloka 15 (bala.11.15)

अभिचक्राम तं देशं यत्र वै मुनिपुंगवः । आसाद्य तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं रोमपादसमीपगम् ॥ 11.15 ॥

abhicakrāma taṃ deśaṃ yatra vai munipuṃgavaḥ | āsādya taṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaṃ romapādasamīpagam

He came to that land where the foremost of sages dwelt, and approached that great Brahmin, who was there beside Romapada.

Shloka 16 (bala.11.16)

ऋषिपुत्रं ददर्शाथो दीप्यमानमिवानलम् । ततो राजा यथायोग्यं पूजां चक्रे विशेषतः ॥ 11.16 ॥

ṛṣiputraṃ dadarśātho dīpyamānamivānalam | tato rājā yathāyogyaṃ pūjāṃ cakre viśeṣataḥ

There he beheld the sage’s son, radiant as blazing fire, and the king honoured him fittingly, with the utmost reverence.

Shloka 17 (bala.11.17)

सखित्वात्तस्य वै राज्ञः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । रोमपादेन चाख्यातमृषिपुत्राय धीमते ॥ 11.17 ॥

sakhitvāttasya vai rājñaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā | romapādena cākhyātamṛṣiputrāya dhīmate

Out of friendship for that king, and with a heart full of joy, Romapada informed the wise sage’s son of the matter—

Shloka 18 (bala.11.18)

सख्यं संबन्धकं चैव तदा तं प्रत्यपूजयत् । एवं सुसत्कृतस्तेन सहोषित्वा नरर्षभः ॥ 11.18 ॥

sakhyaṃ saṃbandhakaṃ caiva tadā taṃ pratyapūjayat | evaṃ susatkṛtastena sahoṣitvā nararṣabhaḥ

—telling him of their friendship and their bond of kinship; the sage in turn paid homage to Dasharatha. Thus honoured, that noblest of men stayed on with Romapada—

Shloka 19 (bala.11.19)

सप्ताष्टदिवसान् राजा राजानमिदमब्रवीत् । शांता तव सुता राजन् सह भर्त्रा विशांपते ॥ 11.19 ॥

saptāṣṭadivasān rājā rājānamidamabravīt | śāṃtā tava sutā rājan saha bhartrā viśāṃpate

—for seven or eight days. Then Dasharatha said to Romapada: ‘O king, O lord of your people, let your daughter Shanta, together with her husband—’

Shloka 20 (bala.11.20)

मदीयं नगरं यातु कार्यं हि महदुद्यतम् । तथेति राजा संश्रुत्य गमनं तस्य धीमतः ॥ 11.20 ॥

madīyaṃ nagaraṃ yātu kāryaṃ hi mahadudyatam | tatheti rājā saṃśrutya gamanaṃ tasya dhīmataḥ

—come to my city, for a great task lies before me.’ ‘So be it,’ Romapada replied, consenting to the departure of that wise sage—

Shloka 21 (bala.11.21)

उवाच वचनं विप्रं गच्छ त्वं सह भार्यया । ऋषिपुत्रः प्रतिश्रुत्य तथेत्याह नृपं तदा ॥ 11.21 ॥

uvāca vacanaṃ vipraṃ gaccha tvaṃ saha bhāryayā | ṛṣiputraḥ pratiśrutya tathetyāha nṛpaṃ tadā

—said to the Brahmin: ‘Go now, together with your wife.’ And the sage’s son agreed, saying ‘So be it’ to the king.

Shloka 22 (bala.11.22)

स नृपेणाभ्यनुज्ञातः प्रययौ सह भार्यया । तावन्योन्यांजलिं कृत्वा स्नेहात्संश्लिष्य चोरसा ॥ 11.22 ॥

sa nṛpeṇābhyanujñātaḥ prayayau saha bhāryayā | tāvanyonyāṃjaliṃ kṛtvā snehātsaṃśliṣya corasā

Given leave by the king, he set out with his wife. The two kings then joined their palms to one another, and, moved by affection, embraced each other—

Shloka 23 (bala.11.23)

ननंदतुर्दशरथो रोमपादश्च वीर्यवान् । ततः सुहृदमापृच्छ्य प्रस्थितो रघुनन्दनः ॥ 11.23 ॥

nanaṃdaturdaśaratho romapādaśca vīryavān | tataḥ suhṛdamāpṛcchya prasthito raghunandanaḥ

—Dasharatha and the valiant Romapada rejoiced greatly. Then, taking leave of his friend, the descendant of Raghu set out on his journey.

Shloka 24 (bala.11.24)

पौरेभ्यः प्रेषयामास दूतान्वै शीघ्रगामिनः । क्रियतां नगरं सर्वं क्षिप्रमेव स्वलंकृतम् ॥ 11.24 ॥

paurebhyaḥ preṣayāmāsa dūtānvai śīghragāminaḥ | kriyatāṃ nagaraṃ sarvaṃ kṣiprameva svalaṃkṛtam

He dispatched swift messengers to the citizens, with the order: ‘Let the whole city at once be beautifully adorned—’

Shloka 25 (bala.11.25)

धूपितं सिक्तसम्मृष्टं पताकाभिरलंकृतम् । ततः प्रहृष्टाः पौरास्ते श्रुत्वा राजानमागतम् ॥ 11.25 ॥

dhūpitaṃ siktasammṛṣṭaṃ patākābhiralaṃkṛtam | tataḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ paurāste śrutvā rājānamāgatam

—perfumed with incense, its streets sprinkled and swept, and adorned with festive banners.’ Then the citizens, delighted to hear of their king’s arrival—

Shloka 26 (bala.11.26)

तथा प्रचक्रुस्तत्सर्वं राज्ञा यत्प्रेषितं तदा । ततः स्वलंकृतं राजा नगरं प्रविवेश ह ॥ 11.26 ॥

tathā pracakrustatsarvaṃ rājñā yatpreṣitaṃ tadā | tataḥ svalaṃkṛtaṃ rājā nagaraṃ praviveśa ha

—carried out everything just as the king had commanded. Dasharatha then entered the beautifully adorned city.

Shloka 27 (bala.11.27)

शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषैः पुरस्कृत्य द्विजर्षभम् । ततः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा तं नागरा द्विजम् ॥ 11.27 ॥

śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaiḥ puraskṛtya dvijarṣabham | tataḥ pramuditāḥ sarve dṛṣṭvā taṃ nāgarā dvijam

With the blare of conches and the beat of drums, the king led that bull among Brahmins, Rishyashringa, into the city; and all the citizens, overjoyed to see the sage—

Shloka 28 (bala.11.28)

प्रवेश्यमानं सत्कृत्य नरेन्द्रेणेन्द्रकर्मणा । यथा दिवि सुरेन्द्रेण सहस्राक्षेण काश्यपम् ॥ 11.28 ॥

praveśyamānaṃ satkṛtya narendreṇendrakarmaṇā | yathā divi surendreṇa sahasrākṣeṇa kāśyapam

—because King Dasharatha, whose deeds rivalled Indra’s, was honouring and escorting him into the city, just as thousand-eyed Indra, lord of heaven, once honoured the sage Kashyapa.

Shloka 29 (bala.11.29)

अन्तःपुरं प्रवेश्यैनं पूजां कृत्वा च शास्त्रतः । कृतकृत्यं तदात्मानं मेने तस्योपवाहनात् ॥ 11.29 ॥

antaḥpuraṃ praveśyainaṃ pūjāṃ kṛtvā ca śāstrataḥ | kṛtakṛtyaṃ tadātmānaṃ mene tasyopavāhanāt

He brought the sage into the inner palace and worshipped him according to the scriptures; and, having brought him there, Dasharatha felt his purpose already fulfilled.

Shloka 30 (bala.11.30)

अन्तःपुरस्त्रियः सर्वाः शांतां दृष्ट्वा तथागताम् । सह भर्त्रा विशालाक्षीं प्रीत्यानंदमुपागमन् ॥ 11.30 ॥

antaḥpurastriyaḥ sarvāḥ śāṃtāṃ dṛṣṭvā tathāgatām | saha bhartrā viśālākṣīṃ prītyānaṃdamupāgaman

All the women of the palace, seeing wide-eyed Shanta arrive there with her husband, were filled with joyful affection.

Shloka 31 (bala.11.31)

पूज्यमाना तु ताभिः सा राज्ञा चैव विशेषतः । उवास तत्र सुखिता कञ्चित्कालं सहर्त्विजा ॥ 11.31 ॥

pūjyamānā tu tābhiḥ sā rājñā caiva viśeṣataḥ | uvāsa tatra sukhitā kañcitkālaṃ sahartvijā

Honoured by them all, and especially by the king, Shanta lived there happily for some time with her husband, the officiating priest.