The Boundless Ashwamedha at Naimisha

Shloka 1 (uttara.92.1)

तत्सर्वमखिलेनाशु प्रस्थाप्य भरताग्रजः । हयं लक्षणसम्पन्नं कृष्णसारं मुमोच ह ।। ७.९२.१ ।।

tat sarvam akhilenāśu prasthāpya bharatāgrajaḥ | hayaṃ lakṣaṇasampannaṃ kṛṣṇasāraṃ mumoca ha || 7.92.1 ||

Bharata's elder brother, having quickly sent all this ahead in full, released the horse marked with auspicious signs and dark, deer-like spots.

Shloka 2 (uttara.92.2)

ऋत्विग्भिर्लक्ष्मणं सार्धमश्वतन्त्रे नियोज्य च । ततो ऽभ्यगच्छत्काकुत्स्थः सह सैन्येन नैमिशम् ।। ७.९२.२ ।।

ṛtvigbhir lakṣmaṇaṃ sārdham aśvatantre niyojya ca | tato 'bhyagacchat kākutsthaḥ saha sainyena naimiśam || 7.92.2 ||

Having appointed Lakshmana, together with the officiating priests, to the charge of the horse, Kakutstha then set out with his army for Naimisha.

Shloka 3 (uttara.92.3)

यज्ञवाटं महाबाहुर्दृष्ट्वा परममद्भुतम् । प्रबर्षमतुलं लेभे श्रीमानिति वचो ऽब्रवीत् ।। ७.९२.३ ।।

yajñavāṭaṃ mahābāhur dṛṣṭvā paramam adbhutam | praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe śrīmān iti vaco 'bravīt || 7.92.3 ||

Seeing the sacrificial enclosure, supremely wondrous, the mighty-armed, glorious Rama felt matchless joy, and spoke these words.

Shloka 4 (uttara.92.4)

नैमिषे वसतस्तस्य सर्व एव नराधिपाः । आनिन्युरुपहारांश्च तान्रामः प्रत्यपूजयत् ।। ७.९२.४ ।।

naimiṣe vasatas tasya sarva eva narādhipāḥ | āninyur upahārāṃś ca tān rāmaḥ pratyapūjayat || 7.92.4 ||

While he dwelt in Naimisha, all the kings came and brought him offerings, and Rama honored them in return.

Shloka 5 (uttara.92.5)

उपकार्या महार्हाश्च पार्थिवानां महात्मनाम् । सानुगानां नरश्रेष्ठो व्यादिदेश महामतिः ।। ७.९२.५ ।।

upakāryā mahārhāś ca pārthivānāṃ mahātmanām | sānugānāṃ naraśreṣṭho vyādideśa mahāmatiḥ || 7.92.5 ||

That wise, foremost of men gave orders for splendid encampments to be made ready for the great-souled kings and their retinues.

Shloka 6 (uttara.92.6)

अन्नपानानि वस्त्राणि सानुगानां महात्मनाम् । भरतः सन्ददावाशु शत्रुघ्नसहितस्तदा ।। ७.९२.६ ।।

annapānāni vastrāṇi sānugānāṃ mahātmanām | bharataḥ sandadāv āśu śatrughnasahitas tadā || 7.92.6 ||

Bharata, together with Shatrughna, promptly gave food, drink, and garments to those great souls and their followers.

Shloka 7 (uttara.92.7)

वानराश्च महात्मानः सुग्रीवसहितास्तदा । विप्राणां प्रणताः सर्वे चक्रिरे परिवेषणम् ।। ७.९२.७ ।।

vānarāś ca mahātmānaḥ sugrīvasahitās tadā | viprāṇāṃ praṇatāḥ sarve cakrire pariveṣaṇam || 7.92.7 ||

The great-souled monkeys too, together with Sugriva, all bowed humbly and served food to the brahmins.

Shloka 8 (uttara.92.8)

बिभीषणश्च रक्षोभिर्बहुभिः स्रग्विभिर्वृतः । ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां पूजां चक्रे महात्मनाम् ।। ७.९२.८ ।।

bibhīṣaṇaś ca rakṣobhir bahubhiḥ sragvibhir vṛtaḥ | ṛṣīṇām ugratapasāṃ pūjāṃ cakre mahātmanām || 7.92.8 ||

Vibhishana too, surrounded by many garlanded rakshasas, rendered service and homage to the great sages of fierce austerity.

Shloka 9 (uttara.92.9)

एवं सुविहितो यज्ञो हयमेधो ऽभ्यवर्तत । लक्ष्मणेनागुप्ता च हयचर्या प्रवर्तत । ईदृशं राजसिंहस्य यज्ञप्रवरमुत्तमम् ।। ७.९२.९ ।।

evaṃ suvihito yajño hayamedho 'bhyavartata | lakṣmaṇenāguptā ca hayacaryā pravartata | īdṛśaṃ rājasiṃhasya yajñapravaram uttamam || 7.92.9 ||

Thus the well-ordered Ashwamedha sacrifice proceeded, and, guarded by Lakshmana, the horse's wandering also went forward -- such was this supreme and excellent sacrifice of the lion-like king.

Shloka 10 (uttara.92.10)

नान्यः शब्दो ऽभवत्तत्र हयमेधे महात्मनः । छन्दतो देहि विस्रब्धो यावत्तुष्यन्ति याचकाः ।। ७.९२.१० ।।

nānyaḥ śabdo 'bhavat tatra hayamedhe mahātmanaḥ | chandato dehi visrabdho yāvat tuṣyanti yācakāḥ || 7.92.10 ||

In that great one's Ashwamedha, no other sound was heard there but this: "Give freely, as much as is wished, without hesitation, until the petitioners are satisfied."

Shloka 11 (uttara.92.11)

तावत्सर्वाणि दत्तानि क्रतुमध्ये महात्मनः । विविधानि च गौडानि खाण्डवानि तथैव च ।। ७.९२.११ ।।

tāvat sarvāṇi dattāni kratumadhye mahātmanaḥ | vividhāni ca gauḍāni khāṇḍavāni tathaiva ca || 7.92.11 ||

So, throughout that great one's sacrifice, all manner of things were given -- various sweets of molasses and of sugar too.

Shloka 12 (uttara.92.12)

न निस्सृतं भतत्योष्ठाद्वचनं यावदर्थिनाम् । तावद्वानररक्षोभिर्दत्तमेवाभ्यदृश्यत ।। ७.९२.१२ ।।

na nissṛtaṃ bhavaty oṣṭhād vacanaṃ yāvad arthinām | tāvad vānararakṣobhir dattam evābhyadṛśyata || 7.92.12 ||

Before the very word of request could leave the petitioners' lips, it was already seen given by the monkeys and rakshasas.

Shloka 13 (uttara.92.13)

न कश्चिन्मलिनस्तत्र दीनो वा ऽप्यथ कृर्शतः । तस्मिन्यज्ञवरे राज्ञो हृष्टपुष्टजनावृते ।। ७.९२.१३ ।।

na kaścin malinas tatra dīno vāpy atha kṛśataḥ | tasmin yajñavare rājño hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāvṛte || 7.92.13 ||

In that king's excellent sacrifice, thronged with joyful, well-fed people, no one there was found soiled, wretched, or emaciated.

Shloka 14 (uttara.92.14)

ये च तत्र महात्मानो मुनयश्चिरजीविनः । नास्मरंस्तादृशं यज्ञं नाप्यासीत् स कदाचन ।। ७.९२.१४ ।।

ye ca tatra mahātmāno munayaś cirajīvinaḥ | nāsmaraṃs tādṛśaṃ yajñaṃ nāpy āsīt sa kadācana || 7.92.14 ||

And the long-lived great sages who were present there could not recall such a sacrifice, nor had one like it ever occurred before.

Shloka 15 (uttara.92.15)

यः कृत्यवान्सुवर्णेन सुवर्णं लभते स्म सः । वित्तार्थी लभते वित्तं रत्नार्थी रत्नमेव च ।। ७.९२.१५ ।।

yaḥ kṛtyavān suvarṇena suvarṇaṃ labhate sma saḥ | vittārthī labhate vittaṃ ratnārthī ratnam eva ca || 7.92.15 ||

Whoever had need of gold received gold; the seeker of wealth obtained wealth, and the seeker of gems, gems indeed.

Shloka 16 (uttara.92.16)

रजतानां सुवर्णानामश्मनामथ वाससाम् । अनिशं दीयमानानां राशिः समुपदृश्यते ।। ७.९२.१६ ।।

rajatānāṃ suvarṇānām aśmanām atha vāsasām | aniśaṃ dīyamānānāṃ rāśiḥ samupadṛśyate || 7.92.16 ||

Heaps of silver, gold, gems, and garments, being given away without pause, were seen there.

Shloka 17 (uttara.92.17)

न शक्रस्य धनेशस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य वा । ईदृशो दृष्टपूर्वो न एवमूचुस्तपोधनाः ।। ७.९२.१७ ।।

na śakrasya dhaneśasya yamasya varuṇasya vā | īdṛśo dṛṣṭapūrvo na evam ūcus tapodhanāḥ || 7.92.17 ||

"Neither Indra's, nor Kubera's, nor Yama's, nor Varuna's -- never before has such a sacrifice been seen" -- thus spoke the sages rich in austerity.

Shloka 18 (uttara.92.18)

सर्वत्र वानरास्तस्थुः सर्वत्रैव च राक्षसाः । वासोधनान्नमर्थिभ्यः पूर्णहस्ता ददुर्भृशम् ।। ७.९२.१८ ।।

sarvatra vānarās tasthuḥ sarvatraiva ca rākṣasāḥ | vāsodhanānnam arthibhyaḥ pūrṇahastā dadur bhṛśam || 7.92.18 ||

Everywhere the monkeys stood, and everywhere too the rakshasas, giving garments, wealth, and food to petitioners in abundance, with full hands.

Shloka 19 (uttara.92.19)

ईदृशो राजसिंहस्य यज्ञः सर्वगुणान्वितः । संवत्सरमथो साग्रं वर्तते न च हीयते ।। ७.९२.१९ ।।

īdṛśo rājasiṃhasya yajñaḥ sarvaguṇānvitaḥ | saṃvatsaram atho sāgraṃ vartate na ca hīyate || 7.92.19 ||

Such was the lion-king's sacrifice, endowed with every excellence; it continued for a full year and more, and never diminished.