The Betrothal of the Four Princes

Shloka 1 (bala.72.1)

तमुक्तवंतं वैदेहं विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। उवाच वचनं वीरं वसिष्ठसहितो नृपम् ॥ १-७२-१ ॥

tamuktavaṃtaṃ vaidehaṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ| uvāca vacanaṃ vīraṃ vasiṣṭhasahito nṛpam || 1-72-1 ||

To that lord of Videha who had spoken thus, the great sage Vishvamitra, together with Vashishtha, addressed this valiant word.

Shloka 2 (bala.72.2)

अचिंत्यान्यप्रमेयाणि कुलानि नरपुंगव। इक्ष्वाकूणां विदेहानां नैषां तुल्योऽस्ति कश्चन ॥ १-७२-२ ॥

aciṃtyānyaprameyāṇi kulāni narapuṃgava| ikṣvākūṇāṃ videhānāṃ naiṣāṃ tulyo'sti kaścana || 1-72-2 ||

O best of men, the lineages of the Ikshvakus and the Videhas are beyond imagining and beyond measure; there is none equal to them.

Shloka 3 (bala.72.3)

सदृशो धर्मसंबन्धः सदृशो रूपसंपदा। रामलक्ष्मणयो राजन् सीता चोर्मिलया सह ॥ १-७२-३ ॥

sadṛśo dharmasaṃbandhaḥ sadṛśo rūpasaṃpadā| rāmalakṣmaṇayo rājan sītā cormilayā saha || 1-72-3 ||

Fitting is this bond of righteousness, and fitting the wealth of beauty, O king — of Rama and Lakshmana together with Sita and Urmila.

Shloka 4 (bala.72.4)

वक्तव्यं च नरश्रेष्ठ श्रूयतां वचनं मम। भ्राता यवीयान् धर्मज्ञ एष राजा कुशध्वजः ॥ १-७२-४ ॥

vaktavyaṃ ca naraśreṣṭha śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama| bhrātā yavīyān dharmajña eṣa rājā kuśadhvajaḥ || 1-72-4 ||

And, O best of men, hear what more I have to say: this King Kushadhvaja, who knows Dharma, is your younger brother.

Shloka 5 (bala.72.5)

अस्य धर्मात्मनो राजन् रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि। सुताद्वयं नरश्रेष्ठ पत्न्यर्थं वरयामहे ॥ १-७२-५ ॥

asya dharmātmano rājan rūpeṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi| sutādvayaṃ naraśreṣṭha patnyarthaṃ varayāmahe || 1-72-5 ||

O king, this righteous one's two daughters, unrivalled in beauty upon this earth — O best of men, we wish to choose them as brides.

Shloka 6 (bala.72.6)

भरतस्य कुमारस्य शत्रुघ्नस्य च धीमतः। वरयेम सुते राजंस्तयोरर्थे महात्मनोः ॥ १-७२-६ ॥

bharatasya kumārasya śatrughnasya ca dhīmataḥ| varayema sute rājaṃstayorarthe mahātmanoḥ || 1-72-6 ||

For prince Bharata and for the wise Shatrughna — O king, let us choose these two daughters for those two noble-souled ones.

Shloka 7 (bala.72.7)

पुत्रा दशरथस्येमे रूपयौवनशालिनः। लोकपालसमाः सर्वे देवतुल्यपराक्रमाः ॥ १-७२-७ ॥

putrā daśarathasyeme rūpayauvanaśālinaḥ| lokapālasamāḥ sarve devatulyaparākramāḥ || 1-72-7 ||

These sons of Dasharatha are all endowed with beauty and youth, equal to the guardians of the world, of valour like the gods.

Shloka 8 (bala.72.8)

उभयोरपि राजेन्द्र संबन्धेनानुबध्यताम्। इक्ष्वाकोः कुलमव्यग्रं भवतः पुण्यकर्मणः ॥ १-७२-८ ॥

ubhayorapi rājendra saṃbandhenānubadhyatām| ikṣvākoḥ kulamavyagraṃ bhavataḥ puṇyakarmaṇaḥ || 1-72-8 ||

O lord of kings, let both — the untroubled dynasty of Ikshvaku and your own dynasty of holy deeds — be bound together by this alliance.

Shloka 9 (bala.72.9)

विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठस्य मते तदा। जनकः प्रांजलिर्वाक्यमुवाच मुनिपुंगवौ ॥ १-७२-९ ॥

viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā vasiṣṭhasya mate tadā| janakaḥ prāṃjalirvākyamuvāca munipuṃgavau || 1-72-9 ||

Having heard Vishvamitra's words, which carried Vashishtha's assent, Janaka then, with joined palms, spoke this to the two foremost of sages.

Shloka 10 (bala.72.10)

कुलं धन्यमिदं मन्ये येषां तौ मुनिपुंगवौ। सदृशं कुलसंबन्धं यदाज्ञापयथः स्वयम् ॥ १-७२-१० ॥

kulaṃ dhanyamidaṃ manye yeṣāṃ tau munipuṃgavau| sadṛśaṃ kulasaṃbandhaṃ yadājñāpayathaḥ svayam || 1-72-10 ||

I consider that lineage blessed which has these two foremost sages as its own, and blessed this fitting bond between our families which you yourselves now ordain.

Shloka 11 (bala.72.11)

एवं भवतु भद्रं वः कुशध्वजसुते इमे। पत्न्यौ भजेतां सहितौ शत्रुघ्नभरतावुभौ ॥ १-७२-११ ॥

evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ vaḥ kuśadhvajasute ime| patnyau bhajetāṃ sahitau śatrughnabharatāvubhau || 1-72-11 ||

So be it, may you be blessed. Let these two daughters of Kushadhvaja together become the wives of Shatrughna and Bharata.

Shloka 12 (bala.72.12)

एकाह्ना राजपुत्रीणां चतसॄणां महामुने। पाणीन् गृह्णन्तु चत्वारो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः ॥ १-७२-१२ ॥

ekāhnā rājaputrīṇāṃ catasṝṇāṃ mahāmune| pāṇīn gṛhṇantu catvāro rājaputrā mahābalāḥ || 1-72-12 ||

O great sage, on one and the same day, let the four mighty princes take the hands of these four princesses in marriage.

Shloka 13 (bala.72.13)

उत्तरे दिवसे ब्रह्मन् फल्गुनीभ्यां मनीषिणः। वैवाहिकं प्रशंसन्ति भगो यत्र प्रजापतिः ॥ १-७२-१३ ॥

uttare divase brahman phalgunībhyāṃ manīṣiṇaḥ| vaivāhikaṃ praśaṃsanti bhago yatra prajāpatiḥ || 1-72-13 ||

O Brahmin, the wise praise for weddings that day joined with the two Phalguni stars, over which Bhaga, the deity of offspring, presides.

Shloka 14 (bala.72.14)

एवमुक्त्वा वचः सौम्यं प्रत्युत्थाय कृतांजलिः। उभौ मुनिवरौ राजा जनको वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १-७२-१४ ॥

evamuktvā vacaḥ saumyaṃ pratyutthāya kṛtāṃjaliḥ| ubhau munivarau rājā janako vākyamabravīt || 1-72-14 ||

Having spoken this gentle word, King Janaka rose up, and with joined palms addressed this speech to both the excellent sages.

Shloka 15 (bala.72.15)

परो धर्मः कृतो मह्यं शिष्योऽस्मि भवतोः सदा। इमान्यासनमुख्यानि आस्यतां मुनिपुंगवौ ॥ १-७२-१५ ॥

paro dharmaḥ kṛto mahyaṃ śiṣyo'smi bhavatoḥ sadā| imānyāsanamukhyāni āsyatāṃ munipuṃgavau || 1-72-15 ||

You have shown me the highest favour; I am ever your disciple. O foremost of sages, be seated upon these principal seats.

Shloka 16 (bala.72.16)

यथा दशरथस्येयं तथाऽयोध्या पुरी मम। प्रभुत्वे नास्ति सन्देहो यथार्हं कर्तुमर्हथ ॥ १-७२-१६ ॥

yathā daśarathasyeyaṃ tathā'yodhyā purī mama| prabhutve nāsti sandeho yathārhaṃ kartumarhatha || 1-72-16 ||

As this city belongs to Dasharatha, so too does Ayodhya belong to me; there is no doubt as to authority — you are free to do as is fitting.

Shloka 17 (bala.72.17)

तथा ब्रुवति वैदेहे जनके रघुनंदनः। राजा दशरथो हृष्टः प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ॥ १-७२-१७ ॥

tathā bruvati vaidehe janake raghunaṃdanaḥ| rājā daśaratho hṛṣṭaḥ pratyuvāca mahīpatim || 1-72-17 ||

When the Vaideha king Janaka spoke thus, the delighted King Dasharatha, scion of Raghu, replied to that lord of the earth.

Shloka 18 (bala.72.18)

युवामसंख्येयगुणौ भ्रातरौ मिथिलेश्वरौ। ऋषयो राजसंघाश्च भवद्भ्यामभिपूजिताः ॥ १-७२-१८ ॥

yuvāmasaṃkhyeyaguṇau bhrātarau mithileśvarau| ṛṣayo rājasaṃghāśca bhavadbhyāmabhipūjitāḥ || 1-72-18 ||

You two lords of Mithila, brothers of countless virtues, by you both have sages and hosts of kings alike been honoured.

Shloka 19 (bala.72.19)

स्वस्ति प्राप्नुहि भद्रं ते गमिष्यामः स्वमालयम्। श्राद्धकर्माणि विधिवत् विधास्येति चाब्रवीत् ॥ १-७२-१९ ॥

svasti prāpnuhi bhadraṃ te gamiṣyāmaḥ svamālayam| śrāddhakarmāṇi vidhivat vidhāsyeti cābravīt || 1-72-19 ||

"Fare well, may you be blessed; we shall now go to our lodging and there duly perform the shraddha rites" — thus he said.

Shloka 20 (bala.72.20)

तमापृष्ट्वा नरपतिं राजा दशरथस्तदा। मुनीन्द्रौ तौ पुरस्कृत्य जगामाशु महायशाः ॥ १-७२-२० ॥

tamāpṛṣṭvā narapatiṃ rājā daśarathastadā| munīndrau tau puraskṛtya jagāmāśu mahāyaśāḥ || 1-72-20 ||

Having taken leave of that king, the greatly renowned King Dasharatha, placing those two foremost sages before him, quickly departed.

Shloka 21 (bala.72.21)

स गत्वा निलयं राजा श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः। प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय चक्रे गोदानमुत्तमम् ॥ १-७२-२१ ॥

sa gatvā nilayaṃ rājā śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ| prabhāte kālyamutthāya cakre godānamuttamam || 1-72-21 ||

That king, having gone to his lodging and duly performed the shraddha, rose early the next morning and carried out the excellent go-dana rite.

Shloka 22 (bala.72.22)

गवां शतसहस्रं च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नराधिपः। एकैकशो ददौ राजा पुत्रानुद्दिश्य धर्मतः ॥ १-७२-२२ ॥

gavāṃ śatasahasraṃ ca brāhmaṇebhyo narādhipaḥ| ekaikaśo dadau rājā putrānuddiśya dharmataḥ || 1-72-22 ||

That lord of men, in accordance with Dharma, gave a hundred thousand cows to the Brahmins, one hundred thousand dedicated in the name of each son.

Shloka 23 (bala.72.23)

सुवर्णशृंगाः संपन्नाः सवत्साः कांस्यदोहनाः। गवां शतसहस्राणि चत्वारि पुरुषर्षभः ॥ १-७२-२३ ॥

suvarṇaśṛṃgāḥ saṃpannāḥ savatsāḥ kāṃsyadohanāḥ| gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi catvāri puruṣarṣabhaḥ || 1-72-23 ||

Cows with golden-tipped horns, well-favoured, with their calves and bronze milking-vessels — four hundred thousand of them, O bull among men, he gave.

Shloka 24 (bala.72.24)

वित्तमन्यच्च सुबहु द्विजेभ्यो रघुनंदनः। ददौ गोदानमुद्दिश्य पुत्रा पुत्रवत्सलः ॥ १-७२-२४ ॥

vittamanyacca subahu dvijebhyo raghunaṃdanaḥ| dadau godānamuddiśya putrā putravatsalaḥ || 1-72-24 ||

And Raghunandana, fond of his sons, gave much other wealth besides to the Brahmins on the occasion of the go-dana, for his sons' sake.

Shloka 25 (bala.72.25)

सु सुतैः कृतगोदानैर्वृतः सः नृपतिस्तदा। लोकपालैरिवाभाति वृतः सौम्यः प्रजापतिः ॥ १-७२-२५ ॥

su sutaiḥ kṛtagodānairvṛtaḥ saḥ nṛpatistadā| lokapālairivābhāti vṛtaḥ saumyaḥ prajāpatiḥ || 1-72-25 ||

That king, then, surrounded by his sons for whom the go-dana had been performed, shone forth like the serene Prajapati surrounded by the guardians of the world.