Janaka Recounts His Lineage

Shloka 1 (bala.71.1)

एवं ब्रुवाणं जनकः प्रत्युवाच कृतांजलिः। श्रोतुमर्हसि भद्रं ते कुलं नः परिकीर्तितम् ॥ १-७१-१ ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ janakaḥ pratyuvāca kṛtāṃjaliḥ| śrotumarhasi bhadraṃ te kulaṃ naḥ parikīrtitam || 1-71-1 ||

To Vashishtha, who spoke thus, Janaka replied with joined palms, "It is fitting that you hear our lineage now being recounted — may blessings attend you."

Shloka 2 (bala.71.2)

प्रदाने हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ कुलं निरवशेषतः। वक्तव्यं कुलजातेन तन्निबोध महामुने ॥ १-७१-२ ॥

pradāne hi muniśreṣṭha kulaṃ niravaśeṣataḥ| vaktavyaṃ kulajātena tannibodha mahāmune || 1-71-2 ||

For, O best of sages, one born in a noble line must, at the time of giving a bride, declare his lineage in full — so hear it, O great sage.

Shloka 3 (bala.71.3)

राजाभूत् त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः स्वेन कर्मणा। निमिः परमधर्मात्मा सर्वसत्त्ववतां वरः ॥ १-७१-३ ॥

rājābhūt triṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ svena karmaṇā| nimiḥ paramadharmātmā sarvasattvavatāṃ varaḥ || 1-71-3 ||

There was a king named Nimi, renowned throughout the three worlds for his own deeds, supremely righteous of soul, and the best among all beings of might.

Shloka 4 (bala.71.4)

तस्य पुत्रो मिथिर्नाम जनको मिथिपुत्रकः। प्रथमो जनको नाम जनकादप्युदावसुः ॥ १-७१-४ ॥

tasya putro mithirnāma janako mithiputrakaḥ| prathamo janako nāma janakādapyudāvasuḥ || 1-71-4 ||

His son was named Mithi, and Janaka was Mithi's son — the first to bear the name Janaka; and from that Janaka, Udavasu was born.

Shloka 5 (bala.71.5)

उदावसोस्तु धर्मात्मा जातो वै नन्दिवर्धनः। नन्दिवर्धनपुत्रस्तु सुकेतुर्नाम नामतः ॥ १-७१-५ ॥

udāvasostu dharmātmā jāto vai nandivardhanaḥ| nandivardhanaputrastu suketurnāma nāmataḥ || 1-71-5 ||

From Udavasu was born the righteous-souled Nandivardhana, and Nandivardhana's son was named Suketu.

Shloka 6 (bala.71.6)

सुकेतोरपि धर्मात्मा देवरातो महाबलः। देवरातस्य राजर्षेर्बृहद्रथ इति स्मृतः ॥ १-७१-६ ॥

suketorapi dharmātmā devarāto mahābalaḥ| devarātasya rājarṣerbṛhadratha iti smṛtaḥ || 1-71-6 ||

From Suketu too was born the righteous, mighty Devarata; and of royal sage Devarata's line, one named Brihadratha is remembered.

Shloka 7 (bala.71.7)

बृहद्रथस्य शूरोऽभून्महावीरः प्रतापवान्। महावीरस्य धृतिमान् सुधृतिः सत्यविक्रमः ॥ १-७१-७ ॥

bṛhadrathasya śūro'bhūnmahāvīraḥ pratāpavān| mahāvīrasya dhṛtimān sudhṛtiḥ satyavikramaḥ || 1-71-7 ||

Of Brihadratha was born the heroic and glorious Mahavira; from Mahavira, the steadfast and truly valiant Sudhriti.

Shloka 8 (bala.71.8)

सुधृतेरपि धर्मात्मा धृष्टकेतुः सुधार्मिकः। धृष्टकेतोश्च राजर्षेर्हर्यश्व इति विश्रुतः ॥ १-७१-८ ॥

sudhṛterapi dharmātmā dhṛṣṭaketuḥ sudhārmikaḥ| dhṛṣṭaketośca rājarṣerharyaśva iti viśrutaḥ || 1-71-8 ||

From Sudhriti too came the righteous and virtuous Dhrishtaketu; and from royal sage Dhrishtaketu, one renowned as Haryashva.

Shloka 9 (bala.71.9)

हर्यश्वस्य मरुः पुत्रो मरोः पुत्रः प्रतीन्धकः। प्रतीन्धकस्य धर्मात्मा राजा कीर्तिरथः सुतः ॥ १-७१-९ ॥

haryaśvasya maruḥ putro maroḥ putraḥ pratīndhakaḥ| pratīndhakasya dharmātmā rājā kīrtirathaḥ sutaḥ || 1-71-9 ||

Haryashva's son was Maru; Maru's son was Pratindhaka; and Pratindhaka's son was the righteous king Kirtiratha.

Shloka 10 (bala.71.10)

पुत्रः कीर्तिरथस्यापि देवमीढ इति स्मृतः। देवमीढस्य विबुधो विबुधस्य महीध्रकः ॥ १-७१-१० ॥

putraḥ kīrtirathasyāpi devamīḍha iti smṛtaḥ| devamīḍhasya vibudho vibudhasya mahīdhrakaḥ || 1-71-10 ||

Kirtiratha's son too is remembered as Devamidha; Devamidha's son was Vibudha; and Vibudha's son was Mahidhraka.

Shloka 11 (bala.71.11)

महीध्रकसुतो राजा कीर्तिरातो महाबलः। कीर्तिरातस्य राजर्षेर्महारोमा व्यजायत ॥ १-७१-११ ॥

mahīdhrakasuto rājā kīrtirāto mahābalaḥ| kīrtirātasya rājarṣermahāromā vyajāyata || 1-71-11 ||

Mahidhraka's son was the mighty king Kirtirata, and from royal sage Kirtirata was born Maharoma.

Shloka 12 (bala.71.12)

महारोम्णस्तु धर्मात्मा स्वर्णरोमा व्यजायत। स्वर्णरोम्णस्तु राजर्षेर्ह्रस्वरोमा व्यजायत ॥ १-७१-१२ ॥

mahāromṇastu dharmātmā svarṇaromā vyajāyata| svarṇaromṇastu rājarṣerhrasvaromā vyajāyata || 1-71-12 ||

From Maharoma was born the righteous Svarnaroma; and from royal sage Svarnaroma was born Hrasvaroma.

Shloka 13 (bala.71.13)

तस्य पुत्रद्वयं जज्ञे धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः। ज्येष्ठोऽहमनुजो भ्राता मम वीरः कुशध्वजः ॥ १-७१-१३ ॥

tasya putradvayaṃ jajñe dharmajñasya mahātmanaḥ| jyeṣṭho'hamanujo bhrātā mama vīraḥ kuśadhvajaḥ || 1-71-13 ||

To that knower of Dharma, the noble-souled Hrasvaroma, two sons were born: I am the elder, and my younger brother is the valiant Kushadhvaja.

Shloka 14 (bala.71.14)

मां तु ज्येष्ठं पिता राज्ये सोऽभिषिच्य नराधिपः। कुशध्वजं समावेश्य भारं मयि वनं गतः ॥ १-७१-१४ ॥

māṃ tu jyeṣṭhaṃ pitā rājye so'bhiṣicya narādhipaḥ| kuśadhvajaṃ samāveśya bhāraṃ mayi vanaṃ gataḥ || 1-71-14 ||

That king, my father, anointed me, the elder, to the kingdom, and having settled Kushadhvaja in his own place, laid the whole burden of the realm upon me and departed for the forest.

Shloka 15 (bala.71.15)

वृद्धे पितरि स्वर्याते धर्मेण धुरमावहम्। भ्रातरं देवसंकाशं स्नेहात् पश्यन् कुशध्वजम् ॥ १-७१-१५ ॥

vṛddhe pitari svaryāte dharmeṇa dhuramāvaham| bhrātaraṃ devasaṃkāśaṃ snehāt paśyan kuśadhvajam || 1-71-15 ||

When our aged father departed to heaven, I bore the yoke of rule righteously, looking with affection upon my god-like brother Kushadhvaja.

Shloka 16 (bala.71.16)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य सांकाश्यादगमत्पुरात्। सुधन्वा वीर्यवान् राजा मिथिलामवरोधकः ॥ १-७१-१६ ॥

kasyacittvatha kālasya sāṃkāśyādagamatpurāt| sudhanvā vīryavān rājā mithilāmavarodhakaḥ || 1-71-16 ||

Then, after some time, the mighty King Sudhanva came from the city of Sankashya and laid siege to Mithila.

Shloka 17 (bala.71.17)

स च मे प्रेषयामास शैवं धनुरनुत्तमम्। सीता कन्या च पद्माक्षी मह्यं वै दीयतामिति ॥ १-७१-१७ ॥

sa ca me preṣayāmāsa śaivaṃ dhanuranuttamam| sītā kanyā ca padmākṣī mahyaṃ vai dīyatāmiti || 1-71-17 ||

And he sent word to me, "Let the unrivalled bow of Shiva and the lotus-eyed maiden Sita both be given to me."

Shloka 18 (bala.71.18)

तस्याप्रदानाद्ब्रह्मर्षे युद्धमासीन्मया सह। स हतोऽभिमुखो राजा सुधन्वा तु मया रणे ॥ १-७१-१८ ॥

tasyāpradānādbrahmarṣe yuddhamāsīnmayā saha| sa hato'bhimukho rājā sudhanvā tu mayā raṇe || 1-71-18 ||

Because I refused to give them, O Brahmarshi, war broke out between us; and I slew that King Sudhanva when he faced me in battle.

Shloka 19 (bala.71.19)

निहत्य तं मुनिश्रेष्ठ सुधन्वानं नराधिपम्। सांकाश्ये भ्रातरं शूरमभ्यषिंचं कुशध्वजम् ॥ १-७१-१९ ॥

nihatya taṃ muniśreṣṭha sudhanvānaṃ narādhipam| sāṃkāśye bhrātaraṃ śūramabhyaṣiṃcaṃ kuśadhvajam || 1-71-19 ||

Having slain King Sudhanva, O best of sages, I anointed my valiant brother Kushadhvaja over Sankashya.

Shloka 20 (bala.71.20)

कनीयानेष मे भ्राता अहं ज्येष्ठो महामुने। ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुंगव ॥ १-७१-२० ॥

kanīyāneṣa me bhrātā ahaṃ jyeṣṭho mahāmune| dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te munipuṃgava || 1-71-20 ||

This is my younger brother, and I am the elder, O great sage. With the greatest joy, O foremost of sages, I now give these brides to you.

Shloka 21 (bala.71.21)

सीतां रामाय भद्रं ते ऊर्मिलां लक्ष्मणाय वै। वीर्यशुल्कां मम सुतां सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम् ॥ १-७१-२१ ॥

sītāṃ rāmāya bhadraṃ te ūrmilāṃ lakṣmaṇāya vai| vīryaśulkāṃ mama sutāṃ sītāṃ surasutopamām || 1-71-21 ||

May you be blessed: Sita to Rama, and Urmila indeed to Lakshmana — my daughter Sita, whose bride-price was valour, comparable to a daughter of the gods.

Shloka 22 (bala.71.22)

द्वितीयामूर्मिलां चैव त्रिर्वदामि न संशयः। ददामि परमप्रीतो वध्वौ ते मुनिपुंगव ॥ १-७१-२२ ॥

dvitīyāmūrmilāṃ caiva trirvadāmi na saṃśayaḥ| dadāmi paramaprīto vadhvau te munipuṃgava || 1-71-22 ||

And the second, Urmila — I say it three times, there is no doubt. With the greatest joy, O foremost of sages, I give these two brides.

Shloka 23 (bala.71.23)

रामलक्ष्मणयो राजन् गोदानं कारयस्व ह। पितृकार्यं च भद्रं ते ततो वैवाहिकं कुरु ॥ १-७१-२३ ॥

rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan godānaṃ kārayasva ha| pitṛkāryaṃ ca bhadraṃ te tato vaivāhikaṃ kuru || 1-71-23 ||

O King Dasharatha, have the go-dana rite performed for Rama and Lakshmana, and the rite for the ancestors — may you be blessed — then let the wedding be performed.

Shloka 24 (bala.71.24)

मघा ह्यद्य महाबाहो तृतीये दिवसे प्रभो। फल्गुन्यामुत्तरे राजंस्तस्मिन् वैवाहिकं कुरु। रामलक्ष्मणयोरर्थे दानं कार्यं सुखोदयम् ॥ १-७१-२४ ॥

maghā hyadya mahābāho tṛtīye divase prabho| phalgunyāmuttare rājaṃstasmin vaivāhikaṃ kuru| rāmalakṣmaṇayorarthe dānaṃ kāryaṃ sukhodayam || 1-71-24 ||

Today, O mighty-armed one, is the asterism Magha, and on the third day from now, O lord, will come Uttara-Phalguni — on that day, O king, let the wedding be performed, and let gifts that bring happiness be made for the sake of Rama and Lakshmana.