Srivalmikiramayanam - Balakanda - Sarga 69 to 73

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar,   Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

 

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 69

Introduction

Dasharatha arrives at Mithila and Janaka receives him reverentially, as he belongs to a crowning dynasty, called Ikshvaku-s. Then, after the usual exchange of royal pleasantries and protocol, all of them stay in Mithila comfortably.

tato raatryaam vyatiitaayaam sa upaadhyaayaH sa baandhavaH |
raajaa dasharatho hR^iSTaH suma.ntram idam abraviit || 1-69-1

On the next dawn that heartened king Dasharatha who is with his teachers and his relatives then said this to his minister Sumantra. [1-69-1]

adya sarve dhana adhyakSaa dhanam aadaaya puSkalam |
vraja.nti agre su vihitaa naanaa ratna samanvitaaH || 1-69-2

"Now let the chancellors of exchequers draw ample riches, gems and numerous other items that are used in the marriage from bridegroom's side, all-inclusively, and let them travel in advance and let them be well-prepared for any exigency... [1-69-2]

catura.nga balam ca api shiighram niryaatu sarvashaH |
mama aaj~naa samakaalam ca yaanam yugmam anuttamam || 1-69-3

"Let the quadruple forces start off in a trice from everywhere at my order, and others shall start with unexcelled vehicles like palanquins, sedan chairs, litters etc., and with those that can be yoked with horses, like cabined-coaches and horse-carriages... [1-69-3]

The fourfold army is generally taken as horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers for the word caturanga balam , while some say such an army is moved only when a massive combat is necessary, but not when going to marriages. Thus some say though army is moved, it is as much as required. But this word also qualifies as caturanga balam= dhana, kanaka, vastu, vaahana sampatti, the quadruple opulence, namely 'riches, gold, equipage, and vehicles...' where opulence will be the only show in Indian marriages, either of poor or rich. R. C. Dutt comes near to this when telling in his poetic version: 'Ride in front with royal riches, gold and gems in bright array /

vasiSTho vaamadevaH ca jaabaaliH atha kaashyapaH |
maarkaNDeyaH ca diirghaayuH R^iSiH kaatyaayanaH tathaa || 1-69-4
ete dvijaaH prayaantu agre sya.ndanam yojayasva me |
yathaa kaala atyayo na syaat duutaa hi tvarayanti maam || 1-69-5

"Vashishta, Vaamadeva, Jaabaali and Kaashyapa, and the long-lived Maarkandeya, and Sage Kaatyaayana... let these Brahmans travel in forefront... and let horses be yoked to my royal-cariole, and as the messengers of Janaka are hastening me arrange for the travel without time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha ordered. [1-69-4, 5]

vacanaat ca narendrasya senaa ca catura.ngiNii |
raajaanam R^iSibhiH saardham vraja.ntam pR^iSThato anvagaat || 1-69-6

On the word of that best king the fourfold opulence, and even the fourfold forces up to some extent followed rearward of the king who is going after the sages who are going afore of him. [1-69-6]

gatvaa catur aham maargam videhaan abhyupeyivaan |
raajaa tu janakaH shriimaan shrutvaa puujaam akalpayat || 1-69-7

.

Travelling on a four-day-route Dasharatha reached the fringes of Videha kingdom, and on hearing this, the illustrious king Janaka arranged for welcome ceremonies at the outskirts of the city. [1-69-7]

These formalities are still prevalent in marriage functions, in one way or the other, in India, esp. rural India. The bridegroom's party will be received at the outskirts of the bride's place, esp. if it were to be a village, then a small function / ceremony will be held laudatory to the bridegroom, and then they are invited into that place of bride like, 'meet a party halfway...' type protocol. This is other than baraat 'matrimonial pageantry...'

tato raajaanam aasaadya vR^iddham dasharatham nR^ipam |
janako mudito raajaa harSam ca paramam yayau || 1-69-8

Then the king Janaka who is by far gladdened went into a state of ecstatic elation when he met the senescent king and paladin of people, namely Dasharatha, as the pace for the marriage celebrations is quickened because of the immediate arrival of Dasharatha. [1-69-8]

uvaaca vacanam shreSTho narashreSTham mudaa anvitam |
svaagatam te narashreSThaH diSTyaa praapto asi raaghava || 1-69-9
putrayoH ubhayoH priitim lapsyase viirya nirjitaam |

And the best one among men, king Janaka, gleefully said this commendable sentence to Dasharatha, the best legatee of Raghu, "oh, king, a hearty welcome to you. Oh, legatee of Ragu, your arrival to my city is just by my providence... you will now get delectation on seeing your sons who won accolades just by their valorousness in the act of raising and breaking Shiva's bow... [1-69-9, 10a]

Though Rama alone broke the bow of Shiva, both Rama and Lakshmana are said to have done it. This is a common unified laudation used for both of them, in view of their insuperable brotherhood, and such a sort of commingling both, for one person's action, can be heard often. For e.g., when Lakshmana misshapes Shuurpanakha, Rama is said to have done, and even both are said to have done that act.

diSTyaa praapto mahaatejaa vasiSTho bhagavaan R^iSiH || 1-69-10
saha sarvaiH dvija shreS.hThaiH devaiH iva shatakratuH |

"Providentially bechanced is the arrival of this great-resplendent and godly sage Vashishta, who arrived here with all of these eminent Brahmans, like Indra himself with all gods... [1-69-10b, 11a]

diSTyaa me nirjitaa vighnaa diSTyaa me puujitam kulam || 1-69-11
raaghavaiH saha sa.mba.ndhaat viirya shreSThaiH mahaatmabhiH |

"Providentially my hindrances are overcome by the arrival of godlike sages, and providentially my lineage too is gloried owing to this hymeneal engagement with noble-souled Raghava-s, who are the most valorous among all the valorous people... [1-69-11b, 12a]

shvaH prabhaate narendra tvam samvar.htayitum ar.hhasi || 1-69-12
yaj~nasya ante narashreSTha vivaaham R^iSi sattamaiH |

"Because you are born in first and foremost Ikshvaku dynasty, hence you are the Indra of Indra-like kings on earth... and hence, it will be apt of you to initiate the celebrations of marriage tomorrow, and the marriage itself after the culmination of the Vedic-ritual in three or four days, and the date and time for the marriage, that which is agreeable to the best sages can be decided, and you can get it performed on that date, through those great sages... [1-69-12b, 13a]

There is controversy about the marriage of Seetha with Rama, insofar as its categorisation. Whether it is one of the eight kinds or not, is a debated point. The eight kinds of marriages are braahma, daiva, praajaapatya, aarSa, asura, gandharva, raakshasa, paishaaca and this topic can be discussed at a later time.

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa R^iSi madhye naraadhipaH || 1-69-13
vaakyam vaakyavidaam shreSThaH pratyuvaaca mahiipatim |

On hearing that sentence of king Janaka the sententious king Dasharatha replied the king Janaka from amongst the sages. [1-69-13b, 14a]

pratigraho daatR^i vashaH shrutam etat mayaa puraa || 1-69-14
yathaa vakSyasi dharmaj~na tat kariSyaamahe vayam |

"Recipiency rests with the restitutor... so I have heard earlier. Hence, whatever you say, for you are the knower of probity and nothing goes amiss in your astute thinking, that we will do... [1-69-14b, 15a]

The word restitutor is used instead of 'donor' because Janaka is restoring the estranged divine pair to their togetherness in this mortal world. R. C. Dutt uses 'Gift betokens giver's bounty...' for this expression.

tat dharmiSTham yashasyam ca vacanam satya vaadinaH || 1-69-15
shrutvaa videha adhipatiH param vismayam aagataH |

On listening that sentence of that affirmer of principles, namely Dasharatha, that which is conformable to the principles of marriages and familial glory, a thrill of joy came over the king of Videha. [1-69-15b. 16a]

Usually the bridegroom's party will be stiff-necked at least till the marriage is over, which has become a nuisance practice in Indian marriages. Here Dasharatha is telling the opposite, by which his words are viewed as agreeable to righteousness of marriages etc., and for which Janaka is surprised.

tataH sarve muni gaNaaH paraspara samaagame || 1-69-16
harSeNa mahataa yuktaaH taam nishaam avasan sukham |

Then, on the forgathering of sages from Vashishta's side with the sages of Mithila all the sages have attained extreme joy and they spent that night happily. [1-69-16b, 17a]

atha raamo mahaatejaa lakshmaNena samam yayau || 1-69-17
vishvaamitram puraskR^itya pituH paadau upaspR^ishan |

Then that most brilliant Rama, keeping Vishvamitra ahead, and strutting in step with Lakshmana, strutted to touch the feet of his father Dasharatha. [1-69-17]

raajaa ca raaghavau putrau nishaamya pariharSitaH || 1-69-18
uvaasa parama priito janakena supuujitaH |

On seeing his two sons, the super medallists in Raghu's dynasty, King Dasharatha is highly rejoiced and he resided in Mithila with a high contentment, for the reverence of Janaka is that high. [1-69-18]

The expression of 'medallists' to the word Raghava-s as above will look odd. So an explanation to this is furnished in the endnote.

janako api mahaatejaaH kriyaa dharmeNa tattvavit |
yaj~nasya ca sutaabhyaam ca kR^itvaa raatrim uvaasa ha || 1-69-19

Even the great-resplendent Janaka on performing ritual acts according to scriptures for the Vedic-ritual on hand, and the preparatory rituals for handing out both of his daughters in marriage, went into the sleep of the just, with his palm on his chest. [1-69-19]

The marriages will be commenced with initial ceremonies called ankura aaropaNa aadi kriyaaH for an unhindered marriage function and for the harmonious family life of the newly wed.

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Epithets in Ramayana

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'The epithets in Ramayana will be extremely boring and tediously repeated statements...' this is when we see at them in an overall superficial and lexical view. But, to the grammarians, prosodists, aestheticians, and the like, they are a head-breaking headache. A lot of verbal warfare is concurrently going on, perhaps even now, as to which belongs to which expression. To cite an example, here the verse 1-69-18 uses just raaghavau 'a pair of Raghava-s...' for Rama and Lakshmana, and it is no uncommon term to them. But, here this word suddenly assumes a different dimension and aestheticians say that word means 'the pair of brothers who are the decorations, embellishments, and the like, of Raghu's dynasty....' because they dared the bow of Shiva to the extent of its breakage, and by their bold feat they are victorious medallists. While the ancestors in Raghu-s dynasty are pro-gods in seeking Ganga to come to earth etc., this boy Rama has gone against that God, in breaking Shiva's bow. Gita Press' English version puts this as 'the ornaments of Raghu's race...' and R. C. Dutt's poetic version has 'Honoured by the saintly Janak, greeted by his children bold / where the 'boldness' is as explained above. And this 'ornaments' or 'bold boys' or 'medallists' cannot be found in the verse, lexically.

There are many who are baffled and bored at these boring and baffling overused epithets and there are enumerations also, as to how many are increased in Aranya Kanda compared to Ayodhya Kanda etc. In Aranya, for e.g., Seetha is variously called as Janaki, alias Vaidehi, alias Mithila... etc., and this chapter can throw some light, or make a difference between an alias and an epithet, on those that available in Aranya, as those epithets in Aranya bear a link with these few chapters. Even then, it will be inconclusive, as nowhere listed are these epithets or their allusions in their true colour. It is unclear for non-Sanskrit readers, even to vernacular Indians, to know as to how many epithets are truly and correctly translatable, without the assistance of ancient commentaries. Even in those commentaries, there are many epithets that are left out, as those commentators were more bothered to their own tenets like 'Rama is god... Rama is human... Rama is the dharma... Rama is Shiva...' etc., than these epithets. And we are presenting as far as we could muster up information about them. Hence, before the total extinction of Sanskrit grammarians and aestheticians, it is necessary to decode these epithets in Ramayana, thus we humbly feel.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe eko na saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 69th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 70

Introduction

Ikshvaku's bloodline is narrated as custom demands to enquire into the bridegroom's lineage. Vashishta narrates this to Janaka and his brother Kushadhvaja, who is also summoned to participate in the wedding celebrations, and who later has to offer his two daughters to Bharata and Shatrughna. This listing and eulogising ancestors is an adjunctive custom in Indian marriages. Nowadays it is limited to cite only three preceding generations, instead of narrating from the first, since nobody holds his family tree, ready at hand.

tataH prabhaate janakaH kR^ita karmaa maharSibhiH |
uvaaca vaakyam vaakyaj~naH shataana.ndam purohitam || 1-70-1

1. tataH prabhaate= then, in [next] morning; maha rSibhiH= through sages; kR^ita karmaa= having performed, liturgies; vaakyaj~naH= sentence, knower of [articulator]; janakaH= Janaka; purohitam shataanandam= to Shataananda, the [royal] priest; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, said.

Then on the next day morning after getting the ritual liturgies performed through sages, he that articulator Janaka articulated this to sage Shataananda, the royal priest. [1-70-1]

bhraataa mama mahaatejaa yaviiyaan atidhaarmikaH |
kushadhvaja iti khyaataH puriim adhyavasat shubhaam || 1-70-2
vaaryaa phalaka paryantaam piban ikSumatiim nadiim |
saa.nkaashyaam puNya sa.nkaashaam vimaanam iva puSpakam || 1-70-3

2, 3. ati dhaarmikaH= highly, self-righteousness; kushadhvaja iti khyaataH= Kushadhvaja, thus, renowned as; mahaatejaa= highly brilliant one; mama yaviiyaan bhraataa= my, younger, brother; ikSumatiim= River Ikshumati [with sugar-cane juice like waters]; nadiim= of River Ikshumati; piban= drinking [supping]; vaaryaa phalaka paryantaam= in water [of moats,] staked trident [bastions,] all around; shubhaam= auspicious; puNya sankaashaam= holiness, equal to - a holy city; saankaashyaam= Saankaasya named city; puriim= in such city; puSpakam vimaanam iva= Pushpaka, aircraft, like; adhyavasat= presides over [he is ruling from.]

"My younger brother renowned thus as Kushadhvaja, a highly self-righteous one and a highly brilliant one is ruling from the auspicious and holy city named Saankaasya, which city is surrounded by River Ikshumati as a natural moat, in which moat bastions of tridents are staked all around... and my brother presides over that city as if he is sitting in the Pushpaka aircraft of richly-rich god Kubera, and as though supping the sugarcane juice-like waters of River Ikshumati... [1-70-2, 3]

The words vaaryaa phalaka paryantaam also mean 'that city is surrounded by the plantation of citrus grapefruits that are famous for health keeping.

tam aham draSTum icChaami yaj~na goptaa sa me mataH |
priitim so api mahaatejaa imaam bhoktaa mayaa saha || 1-70-4

4. aham tam draSTum icChaami= I, him, to see, I wish; saH me yaj~na goptaa mataH== he, my, Vedic-ritual's, protector- benefactor, agreed to be - he is nominated as supplier of all paraphernalia to the ritual; mahaa tejaa saH api= highly brilliant one, he, even; mayaa saha imaam priitim bhoktaa= me, along with, this [marriage,] joyousness of, will be rejoicer.

"And I wish to see him, as he is the nominated benefactor of this Vedic-ritual of mine, and he too shall become a rejoicer in partaking the joyousness of this marriage... " So said Janaka to Shataananda. [1-70-4]

Kushadhvaja supplied whole lot of paraphernalia for this Vedic-ritual of Janaka from his auspicious city Saankaasya, and hence he is the benefactor of the ritual.

evam ukto tu vacane shataana.ndasya sa.nnidhau |
aagataaH kecid avyagraa janakaH taan samaadishat || 1-70-5

5. shata anandasya sannidhau= Shataananda, in presence of; evam vacane ukte sati= that way, words [enunciation,] after saying [on asseverating,] while being so; a +vyagraa= not, flustering [alacritous envoys]; kecit aagataaH= some [envoys,] have come; janakaH taan samaadishat= Janaka, them, ordered.

That way when Janaka asseverated that enunciation in the presence of Shataananda, Shataananda in turn ordered and summoned envoys, and then some alacritous envoys have come, whom Janaka ordered to proceed to his brother. [1-70-5]

shaasanaat tu narendrasya prayayuH shiighra vaajibhiH |
samaanetum naravyaaghram viSNum indra aaj~nayaa yathaa || 1-70-6

6. narendrasya shaasanaat tu= by king's, order, just by; indra aaj~nayaa viSNum yathaa= Indra, by order of, Vishnu, as with - to fetch Vishnu as per Indra's order; naravyaaghram samaanetum= manly-tiger [Kushadhvaja]; to fetch; shiighra vaajibhiH prayayuH= [those envoys that] have speedy, horses, travelled.

By the order of the king those envoys who have speedy horses have travelled on to city Saankaasya speedily, to lead forth that manly-tiger Kushadhvaja that speedily, which is as good as fetching Vishnu by order of Indra. [1-70-6]

sa.mkaasyaam te samaagamya dadR^ishuH ca kushdhvajam |
nyavedayan yathaa vR^ittam janakasya ca cintitam || 1-70-7

7. te= those envoys; samkaasyaam samaagamya= in Saankaasya city, on arriving; kushdhvajam dadR^ishuH ca= Kushadhvaja, they have seen, also; yathaa vR^ittam= as has, happened; and; janakasya cintitam ca= Janaka's, thought of [point of view,] even; nyavedayan= reported.

On arriving in city Saankaasya those envoys have seen king Kushadhvaja and on submitting what has happened to the king about Rama's breaking of Shiva's bow, and they have also submitted the point of view of Janaka regarding marriages of four daughters. [1-70-7]

The viewpoint of Janaka is to offset the problem of marriages of both the daughters of his brother Kushadhvaja. Dasharatha has four sons and Janaka presaged a quadruple alliance with him, where Janaka has two daughters and his brother Kushadhvaja has two.

tad vR^ittam nR^ipatiH shrutvaa duuta shreSThaiH mahaa javaiH |
aaj~nayaa tu narendrasya aajagaama kushadhvajaH || 1-70-8

8. nR^ipatiH kushadhvajaH= king, Kushadhvaja; mahaa javaiH= through great, speeded [of praiseworthy speed]; duuta shreSThaiH= from envoys, worthy ones; tat vR^ittam shrutvaa= that, event, on hearing; narendrasya aaj~nayaa aajagaama= by king Janaka's, order, came forth [to Mithila.]

On hearing that event from the worthy envoys whose speed is praiseworthy, king Kushadhvaja came right away to Mithila by the order of king Janaka. [1-70-8]

sa dadarsha mahaatmaanam janakam dharma vatsalam |
so abhivaadya shataana.ndam janakam ca ati dhaarmikam || 1-70-9
raaja arham paramam divyam aasanam ca adhyarohata |

9, 10a. saH= he Kushadhvaja; dharma vatsalam= towards duty [of an elder brother,] a compassionate one - one who is helping as an elder brother; mahaatmaanam janakam= noble souled [insightful,] Janaka; dadarsha= has seen [addressed himself]; saH= he Kushadhvaja; shataanandam= [firstly] to Shataananda; and; ati dhaarmikam= highly, righteous [fondly, affectionate brother]; janakam ca= [next] to Janaka, also; abhivaadya= on reverencing; raaja arham= for king, befitting; paramam divyam aasanam ca= highly, divine [majestic,] on seat, also; adhyarohata [adhi aa rohat ]= mounted upon [sat upon.]

Kushadhvaja addressed himself to the insightful one and a compassionate person in the duty of an elder brother, namely Janaka, and on reverencing sage Shataananda firstly, next he has reverenced his fondly affectionate brother Janaka, and then he sat upon a majestic seat, that which is befitting to kings. [1-70-9, 10a]

upaviSTau ubhau tau tu bhraatarau amita ojasau || 1-70-10
preSayaamaasatuH viirau mantri shreSTham sudaamanam |

10b, 11a. a+ mita ojasau= of un, limited, self-refulgence; tau viirau= those two, valorous [distinguished brothers for their righteous acts]; ubhau bhraatarau= both, brothers; upaviSTau= while seated [having assumed high seats]; mantri shreSTham sudaamanam= minister, distinguished one, Sudaamana; preSayaamaasatuH= started to send.

Both the brothers of unlimited self-refulgence having assumed their high seats, they who are distinguished for their righteous acts have started to send Sudaamana, the distinguished minister. [1-70-10b, 11a]

gacCha ma.ntri pate shiighram ikSvaakam amita prabham || 1-70-11
aatmajaiH saha durdharSam aanayasva sa ma.ntriNam |

11b, 12a. mantri pate= oh, minister, husband / chief [plenipotentiary]; shiighram= immediately; amita prabham= to one with - un, limited, resplendence; ikSvaakam= to Ikshvaku's [legatee of, Dasharatha]; gacCha= you go; dur dharSam= un, assailable [invincible king Dasharatha]; sa mantriNam= who will be - with, ministers [Vedic celebrants]; aatmajaiH saha= with his sons; aanayasva= lead him forth [hither.]

"Oh, minister plenipotentiary, Sudaamana, you please proceed immediately to king Dasharatha, the legatee of Ikshvaku-s with illimitable resplendence, and let that invincible king Dasharatha be led hither along with his sons and along with his Vedic-celebrants..." Thus Janaka ordered Sudaamana, the minister. [1-70-11b, 12a]

aupakaaryaam sa gatvaa tu raghuuNaam kula vardhanam || 1-70-12
dadarsha shirasaa ca enam abhivaadya idam abraviit |

12b, 13a. saH= he Sudaamana; aupakaaryaam= to visitatorial-palace; gatvaa= on going; raghuuNaam kula vardhanam= of Raghu's, heritage, promoter of - Dasharatha; dadarsha= seen [appeared before]; enam shirasaa abhivaadya ca= him, with head [head-bent, bow down] on hailing, also; idam abraviit= this, said.

Accordingly Sudaamana has gone to the visitatorial-palace of the promoter of Raghu's heritage, namely Dasharatha, and he said this on appearing before that king duly bowing down and hailing the king. [1-70-12b, 13a]

ayodhyaa adhipate viira vaideho mithilaa adhipaH || 1-70-13
sa tvaam draSTum vyavasitaH sa upaadhyaaya purohitam |

13b-14a. viira= oh, valiant one; ayodhyaa adhipate= oh, Ayodhya', sovereign; mithilaa adhipaH= Mithila's, sovereign; saH vaidehaH= he, the king of Videha heritage - Janaka; sa upaadhyaaya purohitam= with [your] mentors, royal-priest; tvaam draSTum vyavasitaH= you, to see [seeking an audience,] poised for.

"Oh, valiant king, oh, sovereign of Ayodhya, his highness the sovereign of Mithila from the heritage of Videha kings is poised for seeking an audience with your highness, along with your highness' royal-priest Vashishta and other mentors..." The minister Sudaamana said so to Dasharatha. [1-70-13b, 14a]

ma.ntri shreSTha vacaH shrutvaa raajaa sa R^iSi gaNaH tadaa || 1-70-14
sa bandhuH agamat tatra janako yatra var.htate |

14b, 15a. tadaa= then; raajaa= king Dasharatha; mantri shreSTha vacaH shrutvaa= minister, best one's, words, on hearing; sa R^iSi gaNaH=, with, sage's, assemblages; sa bandhuH= with, kinsmen; janakaH yatra vartate= Janaka, where, is available; tatra= there; agamat= came.

On hearing that best minister's words, then king Dasharatha came to the place where Janaka is available, along with his kinsmen and the assemblages of sages. [1-70-14b, 15a]

raajaa ca ma.ntri sahitaH sa upaadhyaayaH sa baa.ndhavaH || 1-70-15
vaakyam vaakya vidaam shreSTho vaideham idam abraviit |

15b, 16a. mantri sahitaH= ministers, along with; sa upaadhyaayaH= with [amongst,] mentors; sa baandhavaH= with, kinsfolk; vaakya vidaam shreSThah= sentence, experts in making, the best [sententious king Dasharatha]; raajaa= king Dasharatha; vaideham idam vaakyam abraviit= to king from the linage of Videha, this, sentence, said.

That sententious king Dasharatha said this to the king from the lineage of Videha kings, Janaka, who is with his mentors, kinsfolk, and ministers. [1-70-15b, 16a]

viditam te mahaaraaja ikSvaaku kula daivatam || 1-70-16
vaktaa sarveSu kR^ityeSu vasiSTho bhagavaan R^iSiH |

16b,17a. mahaaraaja= oh, exalted king Janaka; bhagavaan R^iSiH vasiSThaH= godly, sage, Vashishta; ikSvaaku kula daivatam= Ikshvaku, for bloodline, godlike; sarveSu kR^ityeSu= in all, the works [affairs]; vaktaa= speaker [our internuncio]; te viditam= to you, known, [you already appreciate.]

"Oh, exalted king Janaka, you already appreciate that this godly sage Vashishta is godlike to the bloodline of Ikshvaku-s, and in all affairs he is our internuncio... [1-70-16b, 17a]

vishvaamitra abhyanuj~naataH saha sarvaiH mahar.hSibhiH || 1-70-17
eSa vakSyati dharmaatmaa vasiSTho me yathaa kramam |
tuuSNiim bhuute dasharathe vasiSTho bhagavaan R^iSiH || 1-70-18
uvaaca vaakyam vaakyaj~no vaideham sa purodhasaam |

17b, 18, 19a. sarvaiH maharSibhiH saha= all, great sages, along with; vishvaamitra abhi anu j~naataH= by Vishvamitra, duly assented; dharmaatmaa eSa vasiSThaH= virtue-souled [equanimous,] this, Vashishta; yathaa kramam= as per, lineage; me= of mine [my bloodline]; vakSyatihe will narrate about; dasharathe= by Dasharatha; tuuSNiim bhuute= silent, on becoming - when took pause; vaakya j~naH= sententious sage; vasiSThaH bhagavaan R^iSiH= Vashishta, godly, sage; sa purodhasaam= with, [his] men of the cloth; vaideham vaakyam uvaaca= to Videha king, sentence, said.

"Should an assent be given by Sage Vishvamitra, along with all the great sages present here, this equanimous Vashishta will narrate about my bloodline, lineally..." And, to the nod of Vishvamitra Dasharatha become reticent, and then the godly and sententious sage Vashishta who is along with his men of the cloth said these sentences to the king of Videha, namely Janaka. [1-70-17b, 18, 19a]

avyakta prabhavo brahmaa shaashvato nitya avyayaH || 1-70-19
tasmaat mariiciH sa.njaj~ne mariiceH kashyapaH sutaH |
vivasvaan kashyapaat jaj~ne manur vaivasvataH smR^itaH || 1-70-20

19b, 20. a+ vyakta= un, provable; prabhavaH= emanated from; shaashvataH= timeless; nitya= changeless; a+vyayaH= perishless; such a; brahmaa= Brahma - is there; tasmaat mariiciH sanjaj~ne= from, that [Being, Brahma,] Mariichi, is begotten; mariiceH kashyapaH sutaH= of Mariici, Kaashyapa, is the son; kashyapaat= from Kaashyapa; vivasvaan= Vivasvaan [The Sun]; jaj~ne= is begotten; vaivasvataH= from Vaivasvat [from Sun]; manuH smR^itaH== Manu, is said to be the son.

"The Unprovable emanated the timeless, changeless and perishless Brahma, and from that Being, namely Brahma, Mariichi is begotten, and Kaashyapa is the son of Mariichi, and the Sun is begotten from Kaashyapa, and Manu is said to be the son of the Sun... [1-70-19b, 20]

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 The avyakta is the 'Unmanifest' of advaita tenet. Here it an 'Unprovable' entity since it cannot be proved by pramaaNa-s 'source of knowledge' like pratyaksha, anumana, tarka, aagama... 'perception, inference, logic, scriptures...' and because Vishnu cannot be deduced by these sources of knowledge, Vishnu Himself becomes the avyakta. And from the viewpoint of mythology, Ramayana has no place for a 'featureless Absolute...' nir guNa brahma of advaita, because Valmiki's initial questions to Narada include ko guNavaan, and thus He is sa guNa brahma. Hence avykta or aakaasha, a kaasha, 'minus, leeway...' all-pervading...' is Vishnu, the 'Unprovable'.

This aakaasha is the often repeated expression in Upanishad-s, telling it to be the aatma, Absolute, abiding in each individual jiiva aatma, Individual Soul. ˜k˜þo ha vai n˜ma r¨payo× nirvahit˜× te yad antara tad brahma tad am®tam sa ˜tm˜ - ch˜ndogya - 8-14 | ko he v˜õyatka× pr˜õ˜t ya eÿa ˜k˜þa ˜nando na sy˜t - taittarŸya - 7 anuv˜ka | ˜k˜þor arth˜ntaratv˜divyapadeþ˜t - 1-3-41 | dahara uttarebhya× - 1-3-14 - brahma s¨tra ;'who is he to be able to balance himself if this aakaasha is not to be there...' Taittarriya; 'that which makes the names and forms is within you alone as your innermost inner-space, that alone is deathless...' Chanandogya; 'akaasha [is Absolute] because it is proclaimed to be something different etc., [from names and forms yet their revealer...]; 'the small [aakaasha] is Absolute because of subsequent texts [which give ample evidence of it...] Brahma Sutra. Hence, it is Vishnu.

Out of the three epithets to Brahma one is 'timeless' because He continues to be in two para artha-s, say 31, 10, 40, 00, 00, 00, 000 human years, without transmutation, yet He continues further. He is 'changeless' as his faculties or His divine being does not undergo any mutation or metamorphosis. He is 'perishless' during the above period and after, since Vishnu gave rise to Him. Up to here is ultramundane order of progeny and the mundane lineage is now continued.

manuH prajaapatiH puurvam ikSvaakuH ca manoH sutaH |
tam ikSvaakum ayodhyaayaam raajaanam viddhi puurvakam || 1-70-21

21. manuH puurvam prajaapatiH= Manu is, earliest, Prajaapati; ikSvaakuH manoH sutaH= Ikshvaku is, Manu's, son; tam ikSvaakum= him, that Ikshvaku; ayodhyaayaam= in Ayodhya; puurvakam raajaanam viddhi= as earliest, king, know thus.

"Manu is the earliest Prajaapati and Ikshvaaku is the son of Manu, and that Ikshvaaku is the first king of Ayodhya... know thus... [1-70-21]

ikSvaakoH tu sutaH shriimaan kukSiH iti eva vishrutaH |
kukSeH atha aatmajaH shriimaan vikukshiH upapadyata || 1-70-22

22. shriimaan kukSiH iti eva vishrutaH= legendary one, Kukshi, thus, only, renowned; ikSvaakoH sutaH= Ikshvaaku's, son; atha= then; kukSeH= from Kukshi; shriimaan vikukshiH aatmajaH upapadyata= famous, Vikukshi, son; originated.

"The son of Ikshvaaku is the legendary Kukshi, thus he is renowned, and the famous Vikukshi is the son of Kukshi... [1-70-22]

vikuksheH tu mahaatejaa baaNaH putraH prataapavaan |
baaNasya tu mahaatejaa anaraNyaH prataapavaan || 1-70-23

23. mahaatejaa= most brilliant one; prataapavaan= courageous one; baaNaH= Baana; vikuksheH putraH= Vikukshi's, son; mahaatejaa prataapavaan= highly refulgent, valiant; anaraNyaH= Anaranya is; baaNasya= Baana's [son.]

"From that most brilliant and courageous Vikukshi, Baana emerged as son, and the highly refulgent and valinat Anaranya is the son of Baana... [1-70-23]

anaraNyaat pR^ithuH jaj~ne trisha.nkuH tu pR^ithoH sutaH |
trisha.nkoH abhavat putro dhundhumaaraH mahaayashaaH || 1-70-24

24. anaraNyaat pR^ithuH jaj~ne= from Anaranya, Pruthu, born; trishankuH tu pR^ithoH sutaH= Trishanku is, but, Pruthu's, son; trishankoH= from Trishanku; mahaayashaaH dhundhumaaraH putraH abhavat= highly renowned one, Dhundumaara, son, emerged as.

"Pruthu is the son of Anaranya, and Trishanku is Pruthu's son, and the highly renowned Dhundumaara happened to be the son of Trishanku... [1-70-24]

dhundhumaaraat mahaatejaa yuvanaashvo mahaarathaH |
yuvanaashva sutaH asiit maandhaataa pR^ithivii patiH || 1-70-25

25. dhundhumaaraat= from Dhundumaara; mahaatejaa mahaarathaH yuvanaashvaH= highly glorious one, speediest charioteer, Yuvanaashva - is the son; pR^ithivii patiH= land, lord of - king; maandhaataa= Maandhaata; yuvanaashva sutaH asiit= Yuvanaashva's, son, emerged as.

"Dhundumaara begot a highly glorious and a speediest charioteer Yuvanaashva as son, and Mandhaata emerged as the son of Yuvanaashva... [1-70-25]

Some read the name Yuvanaashva or Yavanaashva as a title of Dhundumaara.

maandhaatuH tu sutaH shriimaan susandhiH udapadyata |
susa.ndheH api putrau dvau dhruvasa.ndhiH prasenajit || 1-70-26

26. maandhaatuH= to Maandhaata; susandhiH= one named Susandhi; shriimaan sutaH udapadyata= a highly noble, son, engendered; susandheH api= from Susandhi, even; dhruvasandhiH= Dhruvasandhi; prasenajit= Prasenajit; dvau putrau= two, sons - took birth.

"Maandhaata engendered the highly noble Susandhi as son, and even Susandhi engendered two sons, namely Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit... [1-70-26]

yashasvii dhruvasa.ndheH tu bharato naama naamataH |
bharataat tu mahaatejaa asito naama jaayata || 1-70-27

27. dhruvasandheH tu= from Dhruvasandhi, but; naamataH bharataH naama= by name, Bharata, named; yashasvii= an illustrious one - took birth; bharataat tu= from Bharata, but; mahaatejaa= highly effulgent one; asita naama jaayata= Asita, by name, is begotten.

"From Dhruvasandhi, an illustrious one named as Bharata is begotten, and Bharata begot a highly effulgent son named as Asita... [1-70-27]

yasya ete prati raajana udapatyanta shaatravaH |
haihaya taalaja.nghaaH ca shuuraaH ca shashabi.ndvaH || 1-70-28

28. yasya= to which [Asita]; haihaya= Haihaya-s; taalajanghaaH ca= Taalajanghaa-s, also; shuuraaH shashabindvaH= valiant, Shashabindu-s; ete= these are; prati raajana= counter, kings [hostile kings]; shaatravaH udapatyanta= adversaries, resulted as.

"To which Asita, kings like Haihaya-s, Taalajanghaa-s, and the valiant Shashabindu-s have become adversaries and kings in hostility, he had to wage war with them... [1-70-28]

taan ca sa prati yuddhyan vai yuddhe raajaa pravaasitaH |
himavantam upaagamya bhaaryaabhyaam sahitaH tadaa || 1-70-29

29. saH= he Asita; taan yuddhe= them, in war; prati yuddhyan= counter, attacking; pravaasitaH= exiled [dethroned]; raajaa= king Asita; tadaa= then; bhaaryaabhyaam sahitaH= two wives, along with; himavantam upaagamya= Himalayas, on reaching.

"While counterattacking those kings, Asita is dethroned in war and then he reached Himalayas along with his two wives... [1-70-29]

asito alpa balo raajaa kaala dharmam upeyivaan |
dve ca asya bhaarye garbhiNyai babhuuvatuH iti shruti || 1-70-30
ekaa garbha vinaasha artham sapatnai sagaram dadau |

30, 31a. raajaa asitaH= king, Asita; alpa balaH= with meagre, army; [staying on Himalayas]; kaala dharmam upeyivaan= Time's, onus, he drew nigh of - breathed his last; at that time; asya dve bhaarye garbhiNyai babhuuvatuH= his, two, wives, pregnant, they were; ekaa= one [of two wives]; garbha vinaasha artham= pregnancy, ruination [abortion,] purpose of; sa patnai sagaram dadau= to co-, wife, toxic [food,] gave; iti shruti= thus, we heard.

"Asita was with his meagre forces when he was in Himalayas, and there he drew nigh of his Time. At the time of his demise two of his wives were pregnant, and one of two wives gave toxic food to the co-wife for abortion... thus we heard... [1-70-30-31a]

tataH shailavare ramye babhuuva abhirato muniH || 1-70-31
bhaargava cyavano naama himava.ntam upaashritaH |

31b-32a. tataH= then; ramye shaila vare abhirataH= on mountain, best, beautiful, in fascination; bhaargava cyavanaH naama muniH= sage Bhrigu's [heir,] Cyavana, named, saint; himavantam upaashritaH babhuuva= on Himalayas, taking shelter, he was there.

"There was a saint named Cyavana, the heir of Sage Bhrigu, who in fascination with best and beautiful mountains then taking shelter on Himalayas. [1-70-31b, 32a]

tatra ca ekaa mahaabhaagaa bhaargavam deva varcasam || 1-70-32
vavande padma patraakshii kaa.nkshantii sutam uttamam |

32b, 33a. mahaabhaagaa= highly fortunate one; padma patra akshii= lotus, petal, eyed one; [tayoH= of the two wives]; ekaa= one [from two wives of Asita]; uttamam sutam kaankshantii= a best, son, desirous of; tatra= there; deva varcasam bhaargavam vavande= godly, in glow, reverenced.

"One of the two wives of Asita, the lotus-petal eyed and highly fortunate one queen came there desirous of a best son, and reverenced the sage who is godly in his glow... [1-70-32b-33a]

tam R^iSim saa abhyupagamya kaalindii ca abhyavaadata || 1-70-33
sa taam abhyavadat vipraH putra iipsum putra janmani |

33b, 34a. saa kaalindii ca= she, that Kaalidi, also; tam R^iSim abhyupagamya abhyavaadata= to him, that sage, on reaching nigh, reverenced; saH= he, that; vipraH= Brahman - the sage; taam= to her - who firstly arrived, who received poison; putra iipsum= son, who is desiring; putra janmani= in the matter of son's, birth; abhi avadat= towards, said.

"Another queen Kaalindi who administer food poison to her co-wife has also come to the sage, and she too reverenced him. That sage spoke to her who received poison from her co-wife regarding the birth of her son. [1-70-34]

There are variations in reading these lines. While some say that Kaalindi is one who 'gave' toxic food to her sister, while some others say that Kaalindi is the one who 'received' the poisoned food. Here taking the kaalindi ca 'Kaalindi also...' it is said that 'Kaalindi is she who has administered poison...' Since she is also pregnant, coupled with the guilt of poisoning, hence the use of ca , she too came to the sage.

tava kukshau mahaabhaage su putraH su mahaabalaH || 1-70-34
mahaaviiryo mahaatejaa aciraat sa.mjaniSyati |
gareNa sahitaH shriimaan maa shucaH kamalekshaNe || 1-70-35

34b, 35. mahaabhaage= oh, highly fortunate lady; tava kukshau= in your, stomach [womb]; su mahaabalaH= very, highly mighty one; mahaaviiryaH mahaatejaa= highly vigorous, highly refulgent one; su putraH= a righteous, son - is there; shriimaan= that illustrious one; gareNa sahitaH= toxin, along with; aciraat samjaniSyati= soon, he takes birth; kamala iikshaNe= oh, lotus-petal eyed one; maa shucaH= need not, worry.

" 'Oh, highly fortunate lady, a very good son and a very mighty son is there in your womb. Soon you will give birth to a highly vigorous, highly refulgent son and that illustrious one will take birth with toxicity, but there is no need to worry...' So said Sage Cyavana to the queen of Asita who received the poison. [1-70-35]

cyavanam ca namaskR^itya raajaputrii pativrataa |
patyaa virahitaa tasmaat putram devii vyajaayata || 1-70-36

36. raajaputrii pativrataa= king's, daughter, husband devout; patyaa virahitaa= husband, without [is no more]; devii= that lady; cyavanam namaskR^itya= to Sage Cyavana, on reverencing; tasmaat= thereby [by the boon of sage]; putram vyajaayata= son, gave birth to.

"On reverencing Sage Cyavana that husband devout princess whose husband is no more that lady gave birth to a son... [1-70-36]

sapatnyaa tu garaH tasyaiH datto garbha jighaa.msayaa |
saha tena gareNa eva sa.mjaataH sagaroi abhavat || 1-70-37

37. sapatnyaa= by co-wife; tasyaiH= to her; garbha jighaamsayaa= for womb, ruination [for abortion]; garaH dattaH= poison, given; tena gareNa saha samjaataH= with that, poison, along with, who took birth; hence he; sagaraH abhavat= Sagara, became.

"Because he took birth along with the poison administered to his mother by her co-wife, he became Sagara, the emperor..." [1-70-37]

Parable: When king Asita passed away his queen and this Sagara's mother wanted to commit self-immolation, but this Sage Cyavana dissuades her from it because she is pregnant, and takes her to his hermitage. When she gave birth to Sagara, Sage Cyavana rears up Sagara and teaches him all of the archery by according aagneya astra Fire-missile etc., kingcraft, and scriptures. On one occasion when Sagara asks for the details about his father, Cyavana had to tell all the legend of Asita and his conflicts with yavana-s, and shaka-s. Sagara becoming furious at Haihaya-s, Taalajanghaa-s, and the valiant Shashabindu-s, wars with them and drives them out of this country. While doing so, Sagara makes yavana-s tonsured, shaka-s or so-called Scythians, as half-tonsured, and paarada-s as shaggy haired ones, thus stripping of their Kshatriya-hood. Taking the nearness of name paarada to Persia, it is said that the kings repulsed by Sagara taken domicile in the Middle East and a aaryan or a aa riaan is Airan or present day Iran, and age-old are Indo-Iranian links. Further, the word Asia has its own nearness to the name of king Asita.

sagarasya asya asama.njaH tu asama.njaat atha a.mshumaan |
diliipo a.mshumataH putro diliipasya bhagiirathaH || 1-70-38

38. asya sagarasya asamanjaH= from that, Sagara, Asamnja; atha= then; asamanjaat amshumaan= from Asamanja, Amshuman; diliipaH amshumataH putraH= Diliipa, Amshuman's, son; diliipasya bhagiirathaH= of Diliipa, is Bhageeratha - is the son.

"From Sagara it is Asamanja and from Asamanja it is Amshuman, and from Amshuman it is Diliipa, and the son of Diliipa is Bhageeratha... [1-70-38]

bhagiirathaat kakutsthaH ca kakutsthasya raghuH tathaa |
raghoH tu putraH tejasvii pravR^iddhaH puruSaadakaH || 1-70-39
kalmaaSapaado hi abhavat tasmaat jaataH tu sha~NkhaNaH |

39, 40a. bhagiirathaat kakutsthaH ca= from Bhageeratha, Kakutstha, also; tathaa= thus; raghuH kakutsthasya= it is Raghu, from Kakutstha; tejasvii pravR^iddhaH= resplendent one, Pravriddha; raghoH putraH= Raghu's, son; he alone is; puruSa aadakaH= human flesh, eater; kalmaaSapaadaH hi abhavat= Kalmashapaada one, indeed, [Pravriddha] became; tasmaat sha~NkhaNaH jaataH= from him [Pravriddha,] Shankana, is born.

"From Bhageeratha it is Kakutstha, from Kakutstha it is Raghu, and Raghu's son is the great resplendent Pravriddha, who is reduced to a human flesh eater, and he is also known as Kalmashapaada... and from him, that Pravriddha, Shankana is born... [1-70-39, 40a]

This Pravriddha is really a great king in this lineage, but somewhat arrogant. So, at one time he was subjected to the fury of Vashishta and becomes a man-eating demon. But he too got his mystic powers. When he was trying to issue a counter-curse to Vashishta, by taking water into his hand, his wife Madayanti, being a husband devout wife dissuades him to not to counter all-powerful Vashishta. He on listening to his wife drops that water taken for cursing, onto his own feet. Then his accursed water blemished him via his feet. Hence, he is also termed as Kalmashapaada.

sudarshanaH sha.nkhaNasya agnivarNaH sudarshanaat || 1-70-40
shiighragaH tu agnivarNasya shiighragasya maruH sutaH |
maroH prashushrukaH tu aasiit a.mbariiSaH prashushrukaat || 1-70-41

40b, 41. shankhaNasya sudarshanaH= Shamkana's [son is,] Sudarshana; sudarshanaat agnivarNaH= from Sudarshana, it is Agnivarna; agnivarNasya shiighragaH= of Agnivarna, Shiigraga; shiighragasya sutaH maruH= Shiighraga's, son, is Maru; maroH prashushrukaH= from Maru, it is Prashushruka; prashushrukaat ambariiSaH aasiit= from Prashushruka, Ambariisha, it was - the son.

" Shankana's son is Sudarshana, and from Sudarshana it is Agnivarsna... And Shiigraga is the son of Agnivarsna, and Shiighraga's son is Maru and from Maru it is Prashushruka, and Ambariisha is the son of Prashushruka... [1-70-41]

a.mbariiSasya putro abhuut nahuSaH ca mahiipatiH |
nahuSasya yayaatiH tu naabhaagaH tu yayaati jaH || 1-70-42

42. mahiipatiH nahuSaH= king, Nahusha; ambariiSasya putraH abhuut= Ambariisha's, son, was there; nahuSasya yayaatiH= Nahusha's [son is,] Yayaati; naabhaagaH yayaati jaH= Naabhaaga, from Yayaati, born.

"Ambariisha's son was Nahusha, the emperor and Yayaati is the son of Nahusha, but Naabhaaga is born to Yayaati... [1-70-42]

These names Nahusha and Yayaati also occur in other Puraana-s, indicating them in earlier eras to Ramayana period.

naabhaagasya bhabhuuva aja ajaat dasharatho abhavat |
asmaat dasharathaat jaatau bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau || 1-70-43

43. naabhaagasya aja bhabhuuva= Naabhaaga's, Aja, became - son; ajaat dasharathaH abhavat= from Aja, Dasharatha, is manifest; asmaat dasharathaat= from him, from Dasharatha,; bhraatarau raama lakSmaNau jaatau= brothers, Rama, Lakshmana, are born.

"Aja was Naabhaaga's son and from Aja, this Dasharatha is manifest, and from him, from this Dasharatha, these brothers, Rama and Lakshmana are born... [1-70-43]

aadi va.msha vishuddhaanaam raaj~naam parama dharmiNaam |
ikSvaaku kula jaataanaam viiraaNaam satya vaadinaam || 1-70-44
raama lakSmaNayoH arthe tvat sute varaye nR^ipa |
sadR^ishaabhyaam narashreSTha sadR^ishe daatum ar.hhasi || 1-70-45

44, 45. narashreSTha= oh, best one among men, oh, Janaka; nR^ipa= oh, king Janaka; aadi [aaditaH]= from the beginning; vamsha= dynastically [this bloodline]; vi shuddhaanaam= spotlessly immaculate [souls]; parama dharmiNaam= immensely, impeccable ones; viiraaNaam= for indomitable ones; satya vaadinaam= truth, advocates of - irreproachable ones; ikSvaaku kula jaataanaam= in Ikshvaaku bloodline, born in; raaj~naam= belonging to kings; raama lakSmaNayoH arthe= Rama, Lakshmana's, in respect of; tvat sute varaye= your, daughters, I espouse; sadR^ishaabhyaam sadR^ishe= to seemly [pair of brothers,] seemly daughters of yours; datum= to espouse to; arhasi= meetly of you.

"Oh, best one among men, Janaka, from the beginning this bloodline of Ikshvaaku-s is spotlessly immaculate, immensely impeccable, indomitable, and irreproachable, and in respect of these kings born in this line of blood, oh, king Janaka, I espouse that it will be meetly of you to offer your seemly daughters to this seemly pair of Rama and Lakshmana..." So said Vashishta to king Janaka. [1-70-44, 45]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 70th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 71

Introduction

Janaka narrates his lineage while offering his daughters as brides to Rama and Lakshmana. In doing so, he elaborates more about his brother Kushadhvaja, whose daughters are the would-be-wives of Bharata and Shatrughna. They even fix the timings for marriage.

evam bruvaaNam janakaH pratyuvaaca kR^itaa.njaliH |
shrotum ar.hhasi bhadram te kulam naH parikiirtitam || 1-71-1

1. evam bruvaaNam= this way, to him who is saying - to Vashishta; janakaH kR^itaanjaliH pratyuvaaca= Janaka, reverentially making palm-fold, in reply said; te bhadram= you be safe; parikiirtitam= distinguished; naH kulam= of our, lineage; shrotum arhasi= to listen, apt of you - all of you.

When sage Vashishta said that way, Janaka reverentially made palm fold and said this in reply, "oh, sage, let safeness betide you all... now, it will be apt of you all to listen to our distinguished lineage... [1-71-1]

pradaane hi muni shreSTha kulam niravasheSataH |
vaktavyam kula jaatena tan nibodha mahaamune || 1-71-2

2. muni shreSTha= oh, eminent sage; mahaamune= oh, great sage; kula jaatena= in [a particular noble] gens, born ones; pradaane= while offering [bride]; nir ava sheSataH= without, a little, remainder [completely, in entirety]; kulam vaktavyam hi= parentage, speakable - to be informed, isn't it; tat nibodha= thereby, let all be informed of our lineage.

"Oh, eminent sage Vashishta, he who is born in a particular noble gens has to inform about his parentage in its entirety, especially when he offers a bride... thereby oh, great sage, let all be informed of about our lineage... [1-71-2]

raajaa abhuut triSu lokeSu vishrutaH svena karmaNaa |
nimiH parama dharmaatmaa sarva sattvavataam varaH || 1-71-3

3. svena karmaNaa= by his own, accomplishments; triSu lokeSu vishrutaH= in triad, of worlds, renowned one; parama dharma aatmaa= uniquely, seraphic, souled one; sarva sattvavataam varaH= among all, stalwart [emperors,] best one; raajaa nimiH abhuut= emperor, Nimi, was there - once upon a time.

"Once there was an emperor Nimi, who was renowned in the triad of worlds by his own accomplishments, and who was uniquely seraphic-souled and a best one among all stalwart emperors... [1-71-3]

tasya putro mithiH naama janako mithi putrakaH |
prathamo janako naama janakaat api udaavasuH || 1-71-4

4. mithiH naama= Mithi, named; tasya putraH his, son; prathamaH janakaH naama= first, Janaka, by name [designated as]; mithi putrakaH janakaH= Mithi's, son, is Janaka; janakaat api udaavasuH= from Janaka, even, Udaavasu - are born.

"And his son was named as Mithi, and Janaka was Mithi's son... the first one to be designated as Janaka... and even from that Janaka it is Udaavasu who took birth... [1-71-4]

udaavasoH tu dharmaatmaa jaato vai nandivardhanaH |
nandivardhana putraH tu suketuH naama naamataH || 1-71-5

5. udaavasoH tu= from Udaavasu, on his part; dharmaatmaa nandivardhanaH jaataH= noble souled, Nandivardhana, took birth; nandivardhana putraH tu= Nandivardhana's, son, but; naamataH suketuH naama= by name, Suketu, named one.

"From Udaavasu it is noble souled Nandivardhana took birth, and Nandivardhana's son is named as Suketu, by his name... [1-71-5]

suketoH api dharmaatmaa devaraato mahaabalaH |
devaraatasya raajarSeH bR^ihadratha iti smR^iutaH || 1-71-6

6. suketoH api= from Suketu, even; dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; mahaa balaH= highly powerful; devaraataH= Devaraata - is born; devaraatasya raajarSeH bR^ihadratha iti smR^iutaH= from Devaraata, kingly sage, Brihadratha, thus, heard - him to be his son.

"From Suketu the highly powerful and virtue-souled Devaraata is born, and from that kingly sage Devaraata, it is Brihadratha who took birth, thus we have heard... [1-71-6]

bR^ihadrathasya shuuro abhuut mahaaviiraH prataapavaan |
mahaaviirasya dhR^itimaan sudhR^itiH satya vikramaH || 1-71-7

7. bR^ihadrathasya= of Brihadratha; shuuraH prataapavaan mahaaviiraH abhuut= valiant one, highly brave, courageous one, Mahaaviira, became - took birth; mahaaviirasya= of Mahaavira; dhR^itimaan= bold one; satya vikramaH= truth, valiant; sudhR^itiH= Sudhriti - is the son.

"From Brihadratha it is the highly braving, courageous and valiant Mahaaviira has come, and the bold and truth-valiant Sudhriti from Mahaaviira... [1-71-7]

sudhR^iteH api dharmaatmaa dhR^iSTaketuH su dhaarmikaH |
dhR^iSTaketoH ca raajarSeH haryashva iti vishrutaH || 1-71-8

8. sudhR^iteH api= from Sudhriti, even; dharmaatmaa= right-minded one; su dhaarmikaH= highly, generous one; dhR^iSTaketuH= it is Dhristaketu; raajarSeH dhR^iSTaketoH= from kingly sage, Dhristakeu; haryashva iti vishrutaH= Haryashva, thus, renowned - son is born.

"Form Sudhriti, the right-minded and highly generous Dhristaketu took birth, and from the kingly sage Dhristaketu it is highly renowned Haryashva is the son... [1-71-8]

haryashvasya maruH putro maroH putraH pratiindhakaH |
pratiindhakasya dharmaatmaa raajaa kiirtirathaH sutaH || 1-71-9

9. haryashvasya putraH maruH= Haryashva's, son is, Maru; maroH putraH pratiindhakaH= Maru's, son is, Pratiindhaka; pratiindhakasya sutaH= Pratiindhaka's, son is; dharmaatmaa= noble souled one; raajaa kiirtirathaH= king, Kiiriratha.

"Haryashva's son is Maru, and Maru's, son is Pratiindhaka, and the son of Pratiindhaka's is noble-souled king Kiirtiratha... [1-71-9]

putraH kiirtirathasya api devamiiDha iti smR^itaH |
devamiiDhasya vibudho vibudhasya mahiidhrakaH || 1-71-10

10. kiirtirathasya api putraH= of Kiirtiratha, even, son is; devamiiDha iti smR^itaH= Devamidha, thus, remembered; devamiiDhasya vibudho= of Devamiidha, Vibudha; vibudhasya mahiidhrakaH= Vibudha's, Mahiidraka.

"The son of Kiirtiratha is remembered as Devamiidha, and the son of Devamiidha is Vibudha, and Vibudha's son is Mahiidraka... [1-71-10]

mahiidhraka suto raajaa kiirtiraato mahaabalaH |
kiirti raatasya raajaR^iSeH mahaaromaa vyajaayata || 1-71-11

11. mahaabalaH= great mighty one; raajaa kiirtiraataH= king, Kiirtiraata is; mahiidhraka sutaH= Mahiidraka's, son; raajaR^iSeH kiirtiraatasya= to sagely king, Kiirtiraata; mahaaromaa vyajaayata= Mahaaroma, born.

"Mahiidraka's son is the great mighty king Kiirtiraata, and the son born to sagely king Kiirtiraata is Mahaaroma... [1-71-11]

mahaaromNaH tu dharmaatmaa svarNaromaa vyajaayata |
svarNaromNaH tu raajarSeH hrasvaromaa vyajaayata || 1-71-12

12. mahaaromNaH tu= from Mahaaroma, but; dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; svarNaromaa vyajaayata= Swarnaroma, is born; raajarSeH svarNaromNaH tu= to kingly sage, Swarnaroma, on his part; hrasvaromaa vyajaayata= Hrasvaroma, is born.

"From Mahaaroma it is the virtue-souled Swarnaroma, and from kingly sage Swarnaroma it is Hrasvaroma... [1-71-12]

tasya putra dvayam jaj~ne dharmaj~nasya mahaatmanaH |
jyeSTho aham anujo bhraataa mama viiraH kushadhvaja || 1-71-13

13. dharmaj~nasya tasya= that virtue, knower, from him; mahaatmanaH= noble-souled ones; putra dvayam jaj~ne= sons, a pair of, are born; aham jyeSThaH= I am, elder; viiraH kushadhvaja= brave one, Kushadhvaja is; mama= my; anu jaH= later, born [younger]; bhraataa= brother.

"Two sons are born to that knower of virtue and noble souled Hrasvaroma, I am the elder, and my younger brother is this brave Kushadhvaja... [1-71-13]

maam tu jyeSTham pitaa raajye so abhiSicya naraadhipa |
kushadhvajam samaaveshya bhaaram mayi vanam gataH || 1-71-14

14. pitaa saH naraadhipa= father, he, that king; jyeSTham maam= elder me; raajye abhiSicya= in kingdom, anointed; kushadhvajam bhaaram= Kushadhvaja's, burden [duty to look after]; mayi samaaveshya= in me, vesting; vanam gataH= to forests, departed.

"He that king and father of ours, Hrasvaroma, anointing me in kingdom as I am the elder, and vesting the duty of looking after Kushadhvaja in me, he departed to forests... [1-71-14]

vR^iddhe pitari svar yaate dharmeNa dhuram aavaham |
bhraataram deva sa.nkaasham snehaat pashyan kushadhvajam || 1-71-15

15. vR^iddhe pitari svar yaate sati= aged, father, to heaven, on departure; bhraataram= brother; and; deva sankaasham kushadhvajam== god, similar, Kushadhvaja - his upbringing; snehaat pashyan by friendship [with brotherliness,] while looking after; dharmeNa= righteously; dhuram= burden [of kingship]; aavaham= lugging around.

"On the departure of our aged father to heaven, I am looking after this godlike Kushadhvaja with brotherliness and lugging around the burden of this kingship... [1-71-15]

kasyacit tu atha kaalasya saa.mkaashyaat agamat puraat |
sudhanvaa viiryavaan raajaa mithilaam avarodhakaH || 1-71-16

16. atha= later; kasyacit tu kaalasya= sometime, but, after time; viiryavaan= valorous one; sudhanvaa raajaa= Sudhanva, a king; mithilaam avarodhakaH= Mithila, to beleaguer; saamkaashyaat puraat= from Saamkaasha, city; agamat= he came.

"Then after sometime, a valorous king named Sudhanva came beleaguering Mithila, from his city Saamkaasha... [1-71-16]

sa ca me preSayaamaasa shaivam dhanuH anuttamam |
siitaa kanyaa ca padmaakSii mahyam vai diiyataam iti || 1-71-17

17. anuttamam shaivam dhanuH= unexcelled, Shiva's, bow; padmaakSii kanyaa siitaa ca= lotus-eyed, virgin, Seetha, along with; mahyam diiyataam= to me, be given; iti saH ca me preSayaamaasa= thus, he, even, me, started to urge.

" 'The unexcelled bow of Shiva shall be given to me, along with the lotus-eyed virgin, Seetha...' thus he started to urge me... [1-71-17]

tasya apradaanaat brahmarSe yuddham aasiit mayaa saha |
sa hato abhimukho raajaa sudhanvaa tu mayaa raNe || 1-71-18

18. brahmarSe= oh, Brahma-sage Vashishta; a+ pradaanaat= non, bestowal - for the reason of; tasya= to him; mayaa saha= me, with; yuddham aasiit= war, occurred; raNe abhimukhaH= in war, he who affronted; saH raajaa sudhanvaa tu= he, king, Sudhanva, on his part; mayaa hataH= by me, put to the sword.

"Oh, Brahma sage Vashishta, for the reason of my non-bestowal of bow or bride he warred with me, and when he affronted me in that war I have put that Sudhanva to the sword... [1-71-18]

nihatya tam munishreSTha sudhanvaanam naraadhipam |
saa.mkaashye bhraataram shuuram abhyaSi.ncam kushadhvajam || 1-71-19

19. munishreSTha= oh, best sage; naraadhipam tam sudhanvaanam nihatya= lord of people, him, Sudhanva, on eliminating; bhraataram shuuram kushadhvajam= brother, valiant one, Kushadhvaja; saamkaashye abhyaSincam= in Saamkaasha, I have anointed.

"Oh, best sage Vashishta, on eliminating king Sudhanva, I have anointed my valiant brother Kushadhvaja in the kingdom of Saamkaasha... [1-71-19]

kaniiyaan eSa me bhraataa aham jyeSTho mahaamune |
dadaami parama priito vadhvau te munipu.ngava || 1-71-20
siitaam raamaaya bhadram te uurmilaam lakSmaNaaya vai |

20, 21a. mahaamune= oh, best saint; eSa me kaniiyaan bhraataa= he is, my, younger, brother; aham jyeSThaH= I am, elder; munipungava= oh, eminent-saint; parama priitaH= highly, gladdened; te vadhvau dadaami= those, brides, I am bestowing; siitaam raamaaya= Seetha, for Rama; uurmilaam lakSmaNaaya vai= Urmila, for Lakshmana, for sure; te bhadram= to you - to all, let there be felicity,.

"Oh, best saint Vashishta, this is that younger brother of mine, and I am the elder. Oh, eminent-saint, I am bestowing those brides with a highly gladdened heart... Seetha for Rama, and Urmila for Lakshmana, let there be felicity for all... [1-71-20, 21a]

viirya shulkaam mama sutaam siitaam sura suta upamaam || 1-71-21
dvitiiyaam uurmilaam caiva triH vadaami na sa.mshayaH |
dadaami parama priito vadhvau te munipu.ngava || 1-71-22

21b, 22a. viirya shulkaam= bravery's, bounty; sura suta upamaam= divine Providence's, daughter, in simile; mama sutaam siitaam= my, daughter, Seetha; dvitiiyaam uurmilaam caiva= second one, Urmila, also thus; munipungava= oh, eminent-saint; triH vadaami= thrice, I reiterate; parama priitaH= highly, gladdened; te vadhvau dadaami= those, brides, I am bestowing; samshayaH na= doubt, is not there.

"My daughter Seetha is the bounty for bravery and in simile she is the daughter of the divine Providence, and thus the second one Urmila too... oh, eminent-saint, with a highly gladdened heart I reiterate thrice while I bestow those brides, there is no doubt about it... [1-71-21b, 22a]

The thrice reiteration is the threefold commitment mano vaak kaaya karaNaaH i.e., 'the three instruments of communication, mind, voice, and body... so I endow the brides whole-heartedly, clear-articulately, and agleam-physically...' Here this verse is addressed to Vashishta, while other mms say that it is aimed at Dasharatha by placing words 'raghunandana' instead of 'munipungava.'

raama lakSmaNayo raajan go daanam kaarayasva ha |
pitR^i kaaryam ca bhadram te tato vaivaahikam kuru || 1-71-23

22b, c, 23. raajan= oh, king Dasharatha; raama lakSmaNayaH= for Rama, Lakshmana; go daanam= cow, donation [lexically, but this is different and given in comment]; kaarayasva ha= make happen, indeed; pitR^i kaaryam ca= to manes, ritual, also [get it done]; tataH vaivaahikam kuru= afterwards, wedding celebrations, you make happen; te bhadram= all be blest.

"Oh, king Dasharatha, let the preceding ritual of samaavartna, be undertaken, and let manes be propitiated by the ritual, naandi shraadha, and afterwards you make happen the wedding celebrations ... thus, all will be blest... [1-71-22b, 23]

The wording go daana differs from the ordinary lexical meaning 'cow donation' as the word gaavaka means body hair and daana is releasing, or let-going, i.e., shaving. When the students return home after the studentship they will be admitted into household after some rituals like shaving off unnecessary hair, taking oil bath etc. gau× dvayo× tu raþmi× d®g b˜õa svarja vajra ambu lomasu - n˜ n˜ - go d˜nam caula vat k˜ryam þoý˜ÿe abde taducyate | In this there will be a real cow donation also to the teacher of that student, when the students sheds his hair, after the barber attends him. After shaving off the unwanted hair, then samaavartana is undertaken. The problem pointed out at this place is, that Rama or Lakshmana are born without vyanjana kesha unwanted hair, except head-hair, as Indian mythology will not give a hairy makeup to these four brothers. 'How then Janaka asked to undertake such ceremony, when discardable hair itself is not there...' is the objection. Whether they have hair or not, the ceremony has to go on.

maghaa hi adya mahaabaaho tR^itiiye divase prabho |
phal.hgunyaam uttare raajan tasmin vaivaahikam kuru |
raama lakSmaNayoH arthe daanam kaaryam sukhodayam || 1-71-24

24. mahaabaaho= oh, great dextrous Dasharatha; prabho= oh, lord; adya maghaa hi= today, [ruling star is] Magha, isn't it; raajan= oh, king; tR^itiiye divase= on third, day from today; phalgunyaam= in Phalguni [when star Phalguni comes]; tasmin uttare= in that, later part [Uttara phalguNi]; vaivaahikam kuru= wedding, you make happen; raama lakSmaNayoH= for Rama, Lakshmana; sukha udayam arthe= for wellbeing, invoking, for purpose of [wellbeing is the only ensuing factor]; daanam kaaryam= bounties, doable [be accorded generously.]

"Oh, great dextrous Dasharatha, the star ruling today is magha, isn't it... oh, lord, on the third from now, say day after tomorrow, when the star phaalguNi comes, in its later part, namely uttara phalugNi, you may make happen this wedding, and the bounties like go bhuu tila hiraNya aadi i.e., ' cows, lands, grains, gold etc., that ensue the wellbeing of Rama and Lakshmana, may be accorded to the eligible generously... [1-71-24]

These old people have meticulously calculated stars and their sidereal times for marriage, but being old, they have forgotten to print the date of wedding on wedding invitations or, at least said about it. Thereby the dating of Ramayana has become a problem, and dating with Ramayana prospered.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe eka saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 71st chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 72

Introduction

Vishvamitra proposes the marriages of Bharata ad Shatrughna with the two daughters of Kushadhvaja, the younger brother of Janaka. This being a welcome offer, Janaka accords his immediate consent. Then Dasharatha proceeds with the initiatory rituals for the bridegrooms and donates cows and riches.

tam uktava.ntam vaideham vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
uvaaca vacanam viiram vasiSTha sahito nR^ipam || 1-72-1

1. mahaamuniH vishvaamitraH= eminent-saint, Vishvamitra; vasiSTha sahitaH= Vashishta, together with; uktavantam= to one who said [about his lineage, Janaka]; viiram= valiant one; tam vaideham nR^ipam= to him, Videha, king - Janaka; uvaaca vacanam= said, words.

Then the eminent-saint Vishvamitra together with Vashishta said these words to Janaka, the valiant king of Videha, who has just said about his lineage. [1-72-1]

aci.ntyaani aprameyaaNi kulaani narapu.ngava |
ikSvaakuuNaam videhaanaam na eSaam tulyo asti kashcana || 1-72-2

2. narapungava= oh, best one among men; ikSvaakuuNaam videhaanaam= of Ikshvaku-s, of Videha-s; kulaani= dynasties; a +cintyaani= not, imaginably [admirable]; a+ prameyaaNi= not, measurably [distinguished]; eSaam tulyaH= to them - kings of dynasties, comparable king; kashcana= anyone; na asti= not, is there.

"The Ikshvaku-s and Videha-s are unimaginably admirable and immeasurably distinguished dynasties, oh, Janaka, the best one among all men, there is no single king comparable to one from these dynasties... [1-72-2]

sadR^isho dharma sa.mbandhaH sadR^isho ruupa sa.mpadaa |
raama lakSmaNayo raajan siitaa ca uurmilayaa saha || 1-72-3

3. raajan= oh, king; uurmilayaa saha siitaa= Urmila, with, Seetha; raama lakSmaNayoH= to Rama, Lakshmana; this espousal is; sadR^ishaH= behovely; dharma sambandhaH= righteous, alliance [espousal for dynastical prestige]; ruupa sampadaa sadR^ishaH ca= by winsome, charms [of brides and bridegrooms,] befitting, even.

"Oh, king Janaka, these espousals of Seetha with Rama and Urmila with Lakshmana is behovely to each other's dynastical prestige and even it is befitting to the winsome charms of the brides and bridegrooms, but that being so... [1-72-3]

vaktavyam ca nara shreSTha shruuyataam vacanam mama |
bhraataa yaviiyaan dharmaj~na eSa raajaa kushadhvajaH || 1-72-4

4. nara shreSTha= oh, man, the best [grand sire, that being so]; mama vaktavyam ca= by me, mentionable [advisable,] also; vacanam shruuyataam= words, be heard; yaviiyaan bhraataa= younger, brother; eSa raajaa kushadhvajaH= this, king, Kushadhvaja; dharma j~naH= probity, at home in.

"Oh, grand sire, you may listen to my words of advise... this younger brother of yours, king Kushadhvaja, is at home in every kind of probity... [1-72-4]

asya dharmaatmano raajan ruupeNa apratimam bhuvi |
sutaa dvayam narashreSTha patni artham varayaamahe || 1-72-5

5. raajan= oh, king; narashreSTha= oh, grand sire, Janaka; ruupeNa bhuvi a+pratimam= by looks, in world, not, matchable [nonpareil]; asya dharmaatmanaH= of this, right-minded [Kushadhvaja's]; sutaa dvayam= daughters, pair of; patni artham varayaamahe= wife for the purpose of[to pair off with Bharata and Shatrughna,] we choose.

"Oh, king, the pair of daughters of this right-minded Kushadhvaja is nonpareil in comeliness in this world, hence, oh, grand sire, we choose to pair them off with Bharata and Shatrughna... [1-72-5]

bharatasya kumaarasya shatrughnasya ca dhiimataH |
varayema sute raajan tayoH arthe mahaatmanoH || 1-72-6

6. raajan= oh, king; kumaarasya= young man; bharatasya= for Bharata; dhiimataH shatrughnasya ca= smart, for Shatrughna, even; mahaatmanoH tayoH arthe= right-minded [honourable ones,] for their, sake; sute varayema= [brothers] daughters, we opt.

"Oh, king, for the sake of those two honourable boys, for that young man Bharata and for that smart man Shatrughna, we opt your brother's daughters... [1-72-6]

putraa dasharathasya ime ruupa yauvana shaalinaH |
loka paala samaaH sarve deva tulya paraakramaaH || 1-72-7

7. ime dasharathasya putraaH= these, Dasharatha's [four] sons; sarve= all; ruupa yauvana shaalinaH= handsome, youthfulness, having; loka paala samaaH= world, rulers, equal to; deva tulya paraakramaaH= god [Vishnu's valour,] vie with, valorous ones.

"All these four sons of Dasharatha have handsomeness and youthfulness, and they are equal to the four rulers of the world from four quarters, and their valour vies with the valour of God Vishnu... [1-72-7]

ubhayoH api raajendra sa.mbandhena anubadhyataam |
ikSvaaku kulam avyagram bhavataH puNya karmaNaH || 1-72-8

8. raajendra= oh, best king; ikSvaaku [kulam]= Ikshvaku's, [is the impeccable dynasty]; puNya karmaNaH bhavataH [kulam] api= [having] pious, deeds, your [dynasty, ] as well - is an immaculate one; ubhayoH= both,; kulam= dynasty; sambandhena avyagram anubadhyataam= by alliance [wed-locks], not, loosely [compactly,] let them be interlocked.

"Oh, best king, let both theses dynasties of yours, the impeccable dynasty of Ikshvaku-s and the immaculate dynasty of yours as well, be interlocked by these wedlock-s..." Thus Vishvamitra advised Janaka. [1-72-8]

vishvaamitra vacaH shrutvaa vasiSThasya mate tadaa |
janakaH praa.njaliH vaakyam uvaaca munipu.ngavau || 1-72-9

9. tadaa= then; vasiSThasya mate [sthivaa]= Vashishta's, concurrence [abiding with]; vishvaamitra vacaH shrutvaa= Vishvamitra's, words, on hearing; janakaH praanjaliH= Janaka, with adjoined palms[ reverently]; munipungavau= to two eminent-saints - Vishvamitra and Vashishta; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, said.

On hearing the words of Vishvamitra that have the concurrence of Vashishta then Janaka reverently said this to those two eminent-saints. [1-72-9]

kulam dhanyam idam manye yeSaam tau munipu.ngavau |
sadR^isham kula sa.mbandham yat aaj~naapayathaH svayam || 1-72-10

10. yeSaam= by which; [naH= for us]; sadR^isham= befitting; kula sambandham= dynastical, alliance; tau munipungavau= you two, eminent-saints; svayam= personally; yat= by which reason; aaj~naapayathaH= you order - you bid fair; such; idam= this dynasty; kulam dhanyam manye= dynasty [of mine,] highly honoured, I opine.

"By which reason you two eminent-saints personally bid fair to this befitting proposal, thereby I opine that my dynasty is highly honoured... [1-72-10]

evam bhavatu bhadram vaH kushadhvaja sute ime |
patnyau bhajetaam sahitau shatrughna bharatau ubhau || 1-72-11

11. evam bhavatu= so, be it; vaH bhadram= you, be safe; ime kushadhvaja sute= these, Kushadhvaja's, daughters; sahitau= being together [brothers in perfect accord, paired brothers]; shatrughna bharatau= to Shatrughna Bharata; ubhau= two of them; patnyau bhajetaam= as wives, they devout themelves.

"So be it! Safe betides you all! Let the pair of Kushdhvaja's daughters, namely Maandavi, Shrutakiirti, devout themselves as a pair of wives to the paired brothers, namely Bharata and Shatrughna, respectively... [1-72-11]

eka ahnaa raaja putriiNaam catasR^INaam mahaamune |
paaNiin gR^ihNantu catvaaro raaja putraa mahaabalaaH || 1-72-12

12. mahaamune= oh, eminent-saint Vishvamitra; mahaabalaaH= great mighty [mettlesome]; catvaaraH raaja putraa= four, king's, sons; eka ahnaa= in one, daylight; catasR^INaam raaja putriiNaam= four of the, king's, daughters; paaNiin gR^ihNantu= hand, take into hand [i.e., marry the princesses, assume husband-ship.]

"Oh, eminent-saint Vishvamitra, let the palms of four princesses be taken in the palms of these four mettlesome princes in marriage, in the light of one day... [1-72-12]

uttare divase brahman phalguniibhyaam maniiSiNaH |
vaivaahikam prasha.msanti bhago yatra prajaapatiH || 1-72-13

13. brahman= oh, Brahman; phalguniibhyaam= in the day where both Phalguni stars are available; yatra= on which day; prajaapatiH bhagaH [devataa]= a deity for progeny, namely Bhaga [is the presiding deity]; uttare divase= later, day [later part of the day, or, when the star post-Phalguni is ruling]; vaivaahikam= for wedding [ceremonies on such a day]; maniiSiNaH= savants; prashamsanti= acclaim.

"Oh, Brahman, the savants acclaim that part of the day as the best for wedding ceremonies when both of the pre-Phalguni and post-Phalguni stars are available, and on such a time where post-Phalguni is ruling, for which Bhaga is the presiding deity for progeny..." So said Janaka to the marriage party. [1-72-13]

There is a lot of commentary from the viewpoint of astrology regarding these stars and days of this marriage. Some have said that uttare divase 'on best day...' phalguni= puurva phalguni 'pre-Phalguni... on the best day under pre-Phalguni star...' which usually does not happen, but it is also said to be correct by Maheshvara Tiirtha, as the Moon will be in the 12th house at that time, so the marriage is agreeable...' However the stars for best results of marriages are: rohiõŸ m®gaþŸrÿyaõi uttara phalgunŸ sv˜ti iti viv˜hasya nakÿatr˜õi | bodh˜yana s¨tr˜õi

evam uktvaa vacaH saumyam pratyutthaaya kR^itaa.njaliH |
ubhau muni varau raajaa janako vaakyam abraviit || 1-72-14

14. janakaH raajaa= Janaka, king; evam saumyam vacaH uktvaa= thus, gracious, words, on saying; prati utthaaya= in turn, getting up [from throne]; kR^itaanjaliH= reverently; ubhau muni varau= to both, saints, eminent; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, said.

On saying those gracious words thus, king Janaka got up from his throne and coming nigh of both of the eminent-saints, Vishvamitra and Vashishta, reverently said this sentence. [1-72-14]

paro dharmaH kR^ito mahyam shiSyo asmi bhavatoH sadaa |
imaani aasana mukhyaani aasyataam munipu.ngavau || 1-72-15

15. mahyam paraH dharmaH kR^itaH= in my respect, excellent, kind deed [beau geste,] is done; sadaa bhavatoH shiSyaH asmi= for ever, of yours, proselyte, I am - I remain; munipungavau= oh, eminent-saints; imaani aasana mukhyaani= these, seats, important [thrones]; aasyataam= take a seat [preside over.]

"You two, oh, eminent-saints, have done an excellent generous act in my respect, thus I will ever remain your proselyte... you may please preside over these thrones, that of mine, my brother's, and that of Dasharatha... [1-72-15]

The kind deed done by the two sages, Vishvamitra and Vashishta, is fetching right husbands for his daughters, and for his brother's daughters, without flattening his own flatties. And this sitting on the three thrones is for assuming symbolic rulership on the three kingdoms, Ayodhya, Mithila, and Saamkaasya, in getting the marriages performed without a hitch.

yathaa dasharathasya iyam tathaa ayodhyaa purii mama |
prabhutve na asti sandeho yathaa arham kartum arhathaH || 1-72-16

16. iyam= this [city Mithila]; dasharathasya= Dasharatha's yathaa= as to how it [belongs to]; ayodhyaa purii mama tathaa= Ayodhya, city, to me, likewise [Ayodhya belongs to me]; prabhutve sandehaH na asti= in governance, doubt not, is there, [no need for hesitancy]; yathaa arham kartum arhathaH= as per, aptness, to make happen, apt of you.

"As to how this city Mithila appertains to Dasharatha, in the same way city of Ayodhya is mine... and there shall be no hesitancy for you two sages in governance on these three kingdoms, thus it will be apt of you to make the marriages happen as aptly as you can..." So said Janaka to the sages. [1-72-16]

tathaa bruvati vaidehe janake raghu na.ndanaH |
raajaa dasharatho hR^iSTaH pratyuvaaca mahii patim || 1-72-17

17. vaidehe janake= Videha's, Janaka; tathaa bruvati= in that way [in such a hobnobbing way,] while talking; raghu nandanaH raajaa dasharathaH hR^iSTaH= Raghu's, legatee, king, Dasharatha, is gladdened; and; mahii patim pratyuvaaca= to king Janaka, replied.

The legatee of Raghu-s king Dasharatha is gladdened while the legatee of Videha is talking in such a hobnobbing way, and he replied king Janaka in this way. [1-72-17]

yuvaam asa.nkhyeya guNau bhraatarau mithileshvarau |
R^iSayo raaja sa.nghaaH ca bhavadbhyaam abhipuujitaaH || 1-72-18

18. mithila iishvarau= oh, kings of Mithila [Kushadhvaja included]; bhraatarau= two brothers; yuvaam= you both; a+ sankhyeya= not, estimable; guNau= [good] manners; bhavadbhyaam= by you [are garnered, treasured]; R^iSayaH= sages; raaja sanghaaH ca= kings', coteries, also; abhipuujitaaH= reverenced.

"Oh, kings of Mithila, Janaka and Kushadhvaja, you two brothers have reverenced inestimable sages and coteries of kings, as such inestimable good manners are treasured in both of you... [1-72-18]

Annex: 'As said in good sayings like, 'good company and good discourse are the very sinews of virtue...' as such, your abilities in making these marriages happen will edge out our limited capabilities... and if we commit any mistake unwittingly, that may besmirch your unblemished personality, because for the first time I am marrying my sons, you shall pardon... by the way, you have performed many marriages, concluding that every bride is your own daughter-like, thus we hear... thus, your sitting complacently on intrusting all the works of marriages to us, is infeasible... so, you do all the works and we sit comfortably seeing the celebrations...'

svasti praapnuhi bhadram te gamiSyaamaH svam aalayam |
shraaddha kar.hmaaNi vidhivat vidhaasya iti ca abraviit || 1-72-19

19. svasti praapnuhi= blessedness, gain [enjoy]; te bhadram= you be safe; svam aalayam gamiSyaamaH= to our, to visitatorial-palace, we depart; shraaddha karmaaNi= tributary, rituals of; vidhivat= customarily; vidhaasya [vidhaasyaami]= I will carry out; iti ca abraviit= thus, also, said.

"Enjoy that blessedness! Let safe betide you! We now depart to our visitatorial-palace, and we shall customarily carry out the tributary rituals..." Dasharatha said thus. [1-72-19]

tam aapR^iSTvaa nara patim raajaa dasharathaH tadaa |
muniindrau tau puraskR^itya jagaama aashu mahaayashaaH || 1-72-20

20. tadaa= then; mahaayashaaH raajaa dasharathaH= highly renowned, king, Dasharatha; tam nara patim aapR^iSTvaa= him, sovereign [Janaka,] on seeking [leave of absence]; tau muniindrau puraskR^itya= both, eminent-saints, keeping afore; aashu jagaama= promptly, departed.

On seeking leave of absence from the sovereign of people, Janaka, that highly renowned king Dasharatha promptly departed from there, keeping both of the eminent-saints afore, namely Vishvamitra and Vashishta. [1-72-20]

sa gatvaa nilayam raajaa shraaddham kR^itvaa vidhaanataH |
prabhaate kaalyam utthaaya cakre go daanam uttamam || 1-72-21

21. saH raajaa= he that, king Dasharatha; nilayam gatvaa= to visitatorial-palace, on going to; vidhaanataH shraaddham kR^itvaa= procedurally, tributary rituals, on undertaking; prabhaate= in [next] morning; utthaaya= on getting up; kaalyam= in opportune time; uttamam go daanam= in grand [way,] cow, donation [samaavartna, snaataka, initiatory rituals]; cakre= he carried out.

King Dasharatha on going to his visitatorial-palace has procedurally undertaken the tributary rituals, and on getting up in the next morning, he carried out the initiatory rituals of marriages, in a grand way, in which donation of cows is a part. [1-72-21]

gavaam shata sahasram ca braahmaNebhyo naraadhipaH |
eka ekasho dadau raajaa putraan uddhishya dharmataH || 1-72-22

22. naraadhipaH raajaa= lord of people, king Dasharatha; putraan= for sons; eka ekashaH uddhishya= each, to each [of four sons,] intended for; braahmaNebhyaH= to Brahmans; gavaam= cows; shata sahasram ca= hundred, thousand, also; dharmataH dadau= righteously, he donated.

That lord of people king Dasharatha has righteously donated hundred thousand cows to Brahman-s, in the name of each of his four sons. [1-72-22]

suvarNa shR^i.ngayaH sa.mpannaaH sa vatsaaH kaamsya dohanaaH |
gavaam shata sahasraaNi catvaari puruSa R^iSabhaH || 1-72-23
vittam anyat ca su bahu dvijebhyo raghu na.ndanaH |
dadau go daanam uddishya putraaNaam putra vatsalaH || 1-72-24

23-24. puruSa R^iSabhaH= man, the bullish [best one]; putra vatsalaH= sons, affectionate towards; raghu nandanaH= Raghu's, legatee; putraaNaam= sons'; go daanam uddishya= cow, donation, intended for; suvarNa shR^ingayaH= golden casing, horns; [su] sampannaaH= very abundant [milkers]; sa vatsaaH= with, calves; kaamsya dohanaaH= bell metal, with milking jugs; gavaam= cows; catvaari= four; shata sahasraaNi= hundred, thousands; anyat= other [kinds of]; su bahu vittam ca= very, many, assets, also; dvijebhyaH dadau= to Brahman-s, donated.

In that cow donation ceremony intended for his sons, he that best one among men and the one who is affectionate towards his sons, Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, has donated on behalf of each of his sons, four hundred thousand cows, that are abundant milkers, and that have golden casings on their horns, and that are with their calves, and along with milking jugs made with bell metal, and he even donated very many other kinds of assets to Brahmans. [1-72-23, 24]

sa sutaiH kR^ita go daanaiH vR^itaH saH nR^ipatiH tadaa |
loka paalaiH iva aabhaati vR^itaH saumyaH prajaapatiH || 1-72-25

25. kR^ita go daanaiH= having performed, cow, donation [samaavartna, snaataka, initiatory ceremonies]; sa sutaiH vR^itaH= with, sons, encircling [amidst]; saH nR^ipatiH tadaa= he, king, then; loka paalaiH vR^itaH= world, administrators [four principle deities presiding over the four quarters of world,] encircled; saumyaH prajaapatiH iva= serene, mankind's, overlord [Brahma,] like; aabhaati= shone forth.

On performing the cow donations and samaavartna, snaataka, the initiatory ceremonies of his sons, as well, he that serene king Dasharatha who is amidst the quartet of his sons, shone forth like serene Brahma, who is quartet-faced, with the quartet of Veda-s, and who is the overlord of mankind, amidst the quartet of presiding deities in the quartet of the world. [1-72-25]

The 'unnecessarily' repeated word 'quartet' refers to dharma where its manifestation is with four horns, catvaarii shR^ingaa, trayo asya paadaa, dve shiirSe... 'dharma's horns is a quartet, three are its feet, two are its heads...' so on. When read together with 23, 24 verses, the bullish Dasharatha is said to have the quartet of bullhorn like sons, who are being readied to administer dharma in the world.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe dvi saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 72nd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 73

Introduction

sŸt˜ r˜ma kaly˜õa gha÷÷am

The Marriage of Seetha with Rama

We need not wait for any invitation or wedding card or call for this marriage, as all are welcome, equally and individually. Let us go there straight, without any introductions and preliminaries

yasmin tu divase raajaa cakre go daanam uttamam |
tasmin tu divase shuuro yudhaajit samupeyivaan || 1-73-1

1. raajaa= king Dasharatha; yasmin divase uttamam go daanam cakre = on which, day, impressive, cow, donation [or, initiatory rituals,] made; tasmin tu divase= on that, but, day; shuuraH yudhaajit sam upeyivaan= valiant, Yuddhajit, turned up.

On which day the king Dasharatha made the impressive cow donations or, initiatory rites, on that day alone the valiant Yudhaajit turned up. [1-73-1]

putraH kekaya raajasya saakSaat bharata maatulaH |
dR^iSTvaa pR^iSTvaa ca kushalam raajaanam idam abraviit || 1-73-2

2. kekaya raajasya putraH = Kekaya, king's, son; saakSaat bharata maatulaH= direct, Bharata's, maternal uncle; that Yutaajit; raajaanam dR^iSTvaa= king Dasharatha, having seen; kushalam pR^iSTvaa= wellbeing, having asked; idam abraviit= to this, said.

Yudhaajit, the son of Kekaya king and the brother of Kaikeyi, thus the direct maternal uncle of Bharata, having seen and asked after the wellbeing of Dasharatha said this to him. [1-73-2]

kekaya adhipatii raajaa snehaat kushalam abraviit |
yeSaam kushalakaamo asi teSaam sa.mprati anaamayam || 1-73-3

3. kekaya adhipatii raajaa= Kekaya's, ruler, king; snehaat kushalam abraviit= friendlily [affectionately,] wellbeing, asked after; yeSaam= whose; kushala kaamaH asi= = wellbeing [of all,] interested, you are; teSaam= to them; samprati= presently; anaamayam= hale [and healthy.]

"The ruler and king of Kekaya, viz., my father and your father-in-law, has affectionately asked after the wellbeing of all, and in whose wellbeing you are interested at my place, they are all hale and healthy as of now... [1-73-3]

svasriiyam mama raajendra draSTu kaamo mahiipatiH |
tat artham upayaato aham ayodhyaam raghuna.ndana || 1-73-4

4. raghunandana= oh, Raghu's legatee; raajendra= oh, best king; mahiipatiH= lord of land [king of Kekaya, my father]; mama svasriiyam= my, sister's son - my nephew - Kaikeyi's Bharata; draSTu kaamaH = to see, interested; tat artham= for, that reason; aham ayodhyaam upayaataH= I am, to Ayodhya, came nearby [sent to.]

"Oh, Raghu's legatee, oh, best king, my father and the king of Kekaya is interested to see my sister Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, and for that reason I am sent to Ayodhya... [1-73-4]

shrutvaa tu aham ayodhyaayaam vivaaha artham tava aatmajaan |
mithilaam upayaataan tu tvayaa saha mahiipate || 1-73-5
tvarayaa abhupayaato aham draSTu kaamaH svasuH sutam |

5, 6a. mahiipate= oh, lord of land; tava aatmajaan= your, son's; vivaaha artham= marriage, purpose of; tvayaa saha= with you, along; mithilaam upayaataan = to Mithila, went to; ayodhyaayaam aham shrutvaa tu= in Ayodhya, I hjave, heard, on my part; aham draSTu kaamaH= I, to see, wishing; svasuH sutam= sister's, son [Bharata]; tvarayaa abhupayaataH [abhi upa yaata]= promptly, travelled to here.

"Oh, lord of the land, in Ayodhya I have heard that you went to Mithila along with your sons for their marriages, and wishing to see my sister's son Bharata I promptly travelled here..." Thus Yudhaajit told Dasharatha. [1-73-5, 6a]

Is this entry of this maternal uncle of Bharata a forced one or does this have any bearing on the flow of epic... is a doubt, though not a question. Further he is saying 'my sister's son' i.e., Bharata alone, instead of 'all my nephews...' Whether this episode has a bearing on future events or not, one maama is entered in Indian epics, like this one and Shakuni maama in Maha Bharata.

atha raajaa dasharathaH priya atithim upasthitam || 1-73-6
dR^iSTvaa parama satkaaraiH puujaarham samapuujayat |

6b-7a. atha raajaa dasharathaH= then, king, Dasharatha; priya atithim upasthitam= adorable, guest, who arrived [in his presence]; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing about; puuja arham= for adoration, he who is merited - Yudhaajit; parama satkaaraiH= with full, observances; samapuujayat= well adored

Then king Dasharatha on seeing the adorable guest who arrived in his presence, and who is a merited one for adoration, Dasharatha adored Yudhaajit well, with full observances. [1-73-6b, 7a]

tataH taam uSito raatrim saha putraiH mahaatmabhiH || 1-73-7
prabhaate punaH utthaaya kR^itvaa kar.hmaaNi tattvavit |
R^iSiin tadaa puraskR^itya yaj~na vaaTam upaagamat || 1-73-8

7b, 8. tataH= then; mahaaaatmabhiH putraiH saha = noble-minded, along with; taam raatrim uSitaH = that, night, on resting; tattvavit= duty-bound one Dasharatha; prabhaate punaH utthaaya= in morning, again, on getting up; karmaaNi kR^itvaa= [morning] observances, on performing; tadaa R^iSiin puraskR^itya= then, sages, keeping in forefront; yaj~na vaaTam upaagamat= to Vedic-ritual, hall, arrived.

Then on taking rest for that night along with his noble-minded sons, and again on getting up in the next morning, and on performing morning-observances as a duty-bound king, Dasharatha arrived at the hall of Vedic-ritual, keeping the sages in his forefront. [1-73-7b-8]

He arrived at the Vedic-ritual hall that he was frequenting for the last few days. Unless invited the bridegroom's party will not enter the marriage hall, and nowadays such an invitation includes a small function also, called vara puuja as every bridegroom will be looked up to as Vishnu, and the bride as Lakshmi. The marriage hall is constructed nearby this Vedic-ritual hall, thus it is to be assumed.

yukte muhuurte vijaye sarva aabharaNa bhuuSitaiH |
bhraatR^ibhiH sahito raamaH kR^ita kautuka ma.ngalaH || 1-73-9
vasiSTham purataH kR^itvaa maharSiin aparaan api |

9-10a. yukte vijaye muhuurte= appropriate, Victory, opportune hour; sarva aabharaNa bhuuSitaiH= all, jewellery, adorned with; bhraatR^ibhiH sahitaH = brothers, together with; raamaH= Rama; kR^ita kautuka mangalaH= having performed, marriage-thread [tied to wrist - usually males do it - not mangala suutra], auspicious ceremony; vasiSTham= with Vashishta; aparaan api maharSiin= others, even, eminent-saint; purataH kR^itvaa= keeping, ahead; [upaagamat = reached his father Dasharatha.]

Rama arrived at his father together with all of his brothers, keeping sage Vashishta and other eminent-saint ahead of them, on an opportune and appropriate hour called 'Victory...' and all the bridegrooms are adorned with all kinds of jewellery appropriate for the wedding time, and all have performed the auspicious ceremony for marriage-thread, conducted prior to the marriage and, all have thread-bands tied around their wrists, as they all have performed an auspicious ceremony antecedent to marriage ceremony. [1-73-9, 10a]

The ceremony for the marriage thread, the sacred thread of marriage for knotting as a necklace of the bride, mangala suutra is nowadays mixed up with gauri puuja, and this gauri puuja took precedence of that ceremony, because gaauri puuja, took its roots in the auxiliary Ramayana-s, where Seetha is said to have gone to Goddess Parvati's temple, prior to her marriage, to perform gauri puuja, pledging herself to Rama. The thread bands tied at the wrists of both the bride and bridegroom is as per wedding time vows, to bring them under the pledge of marriage, until its consummation. Indian marriages are time-oriented and every function has to happen on the appointed hour. Hence, the arrival of bridegrooms is also on an opportune hour, which astrologically brings forth success of that event. But some say that this auspicious hour Vijaya occurs in the early part of the day, where this marriage is occurring in the later part of day, hence this time is to be reckoned as one that acquires some victory later in the epic.

Brides are not the lone category of people destined to wear jewellery. But bridegrooms are also asked to wear golden ornaments, at least one, on such occasions. The metal gold is said to contain some effect by which a man or a woman will be benefited, health wise: mR^itaa dur luptam madhumat suvarNam dhanam jananam ruNam daarayiSunam... after all gold is gold.

vashiSTHo bhagavaan etya vaideham idam abraviit || 1-73-10
raajaa dasharatho raajan kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH |
putraiH nara vara shreSTha daataaram abhikaa.nkSate || 1-73-11

10b, 11. bhagavaan vashiSTHaH= godly, Vashishta; vaideham etya= to Videha king, on going to; idam abraviit= this, said [to Janaka]; nara vara shreSTha= oh, people, among best ones, best one; raajan= oh, king; raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; kR^ita kautuka mangalaiH = having performed, marriage-thread, auspicious ceremony; putraiH= with such sons; daataaram abhikaankSate= for donor [of brides,] looking forward.

Then that godly sage Vashishta on going from Vedic-ritual hall to marriage hall said this to Janaka, "Oh, best one among best people, oh, king Janaka, having performed the auspicious marriage-thread ceremony, Dasharatha along with his sons is looking forward for the donor... [1-73-10b, 11]

daatR^i pratigrahiitR^ibhyaam sarva arthaaH sa.mbhavanti hi |
svadharmam pratipadyasva kR^itvaa vaivaahyam uttamam || 1-73-12

12. sarva arthaaH [puruSaarthaaH]= all, values of life; daatR^i prati grahiitR^ibhyaam= between benefactor, beneficiary; sambhavanti hi= will happen, isn't it; uttamam vaivaahyam kR^itvaa= best, marriage, on making happen; sva dharmam prati padyasva= your, devoir, in turn, you achieve.

"In marriages all the puruSaartha-s, the component values of life, namely rightness, riches, revelries, and results of final release will be occurring only if the benefactor and beneficiary meet, isn't it. Hence let king Dasharatha come, and then on actualising this best marriage you too will be doing your best devoir as royal priest... [1-73-12]

Hindu marriage is not a contractual obligation because it protracts over seven life cycles of that couple. Therefore, it is calculated correctly and celebrated sacredly.

iti uktaH parama udaaro vasiSThena mahaatmanaa |
pratyuvaaca mahaatejaa vaakyam parama dhar.hmavit || 1-73-13

13. maha aatmanaa vasiSThena iti uktaH= by right honourable, Vashishta, in this way, when said; parama udaaraH= unreservedly generous [Janaka]; mahaatejaa= definitely valiant; parama dharma vit= profound, probity, knower of - Janaka; vaakyam pratyuvaaca= sentence, replied.

Janaka is not just a decidedly valiant king but he is the profound knower of probity also, besides being an unreservedly generous king, hence he has already made all arrangements, and when he is spoken in this way by Vashishta that king replied this sentence to that right honourable Vashishta. [1-73-13]

kaH sthitaH pratihaaro me kasya aaj~naa sa.mpratiikSyate |
sva gR^ihe ko vicaaro asti yathaa raajyam idam tava || 1-73-14

14. me= my; prati haaraH= against [entry,] preventer [doorman]; kaH sthitaH= who, is there; kasya aaj~naa sam prati ikSyate= whose, for order, you [all] intently, towards, seeing [waiting with bated breath]; sva gR^ihe= in own, house; kaH vicaaraH asti= what, hesitancy, is there; idam raajyam tava yathaa= this, kingdom, yours, as good as.

"Who is that doorman that prevents your entry? Or, for whose orders you all await with a bated breath? Do you hesitate in your own house, or what? This kingdom is as good as yours... isn't so... [1-73-14]

These are neither questions nor surprises, but the usual retorts and repartees usually employed during wedding time by both parties, samdhi-s of northerners and sammandi-s, of southerners, i.e., the wedding parties. By these rebuttals and ripostes, both the parties come close with each other's family habits or with its members.

kR^ita kautuka sarvasvaa vedi muulam upaagataaH |
mama kanyaa munishreSTha diiptaa vahneH iva arciSaH || 1-73-15

15. munishreSTha= oh, eminent-saint; mama kanyaa= my, maids; sarvasvaa= absolutely; kR^ita kautuka [mangalaa]= having performed, marriage-thread, [auspicious ceremony]; diiptaa vahneH arciSaH iva = radiant, fire's, jets of flame, as with; vedi muulam= Altar of Ritual-fire, at its base -; upaagataaH= arrived near - they are already at the Fire-Altar.

"Oh, eminent-saint Vashishta, on absolutely performing the auspicious ceremony for the marriage-thread, and thereby tying thread-band at wrists my daughters have already arrived, and they are at the base of the Altar of Fire, like the irradiant jets of flames of radiant fire... [1-73-15]

sadyo aham tvat pratiikSo asmi vedyaam asyaam pratiShitaH |
avighnam kurutaam raajaa kim artham hi vilambyate || 1-73-16

16. sadyaH [sajjaH]= already [ready]; aham= I am; asyaam vedyaam pratiShitaH= this one, at Altar, remaining; tvat pratiikSaH asmi= for you, waiting, I am; a+vighnam= kurutaam= without deterrents of time, let him do [everything] - let this marriage be performed without the impediments owing to bad times of the day - varja tithi; raajaa kim artham vilambyate hi = king, for what, reason, dawdling, indeed.

"I am already ready and awaiting for you remaining at this Altar of Fire. Let everything be done indeed without any deterrents. What for the king Dasharatha is dawdling..." So said Janaka to Vashishta. [1-73-16]

And Vashishta reported this to Dasharatha, and Dasharatha and his coterie then started a wedding-walk, which usually will be dillydallying, inching and poking along, very leisurely. Even today this custom, not custom exactly, the habit of 'wedding-walks' is there and a baraat 'pageant of bridegroom's party' covers two furlong distance in two hours, or even more, keeping the bride's party on tenterhooks.

tat vaakyam janakena uktam shrutvaa dasharathaH tadaa |
praveshayaamaasa sutaan sarvaan R^iSi gaNaan api || 1-73-17

17. tadaa= then; dasharathaH= Dasharatha; janakena uktam tat vaakyam shrutvaa= by Janaka, said, that, sentence, on hearing; sutaan= sons; sarvaan R^iSi gaNaan api= all of the, sages, assemblages, even; praveshayaamaasa= started to enter - the marriage hall.

On hearing that sentence of Janaka, then Dasharatha started towards marriage hall, and then he started to enter his sons one by one, four in all, into marriage hall along with all of the assemblages of sages. [1-73-17]

tato raajaa videhaanaam vashiSTham idam abraviit |
kaarayasva R^iSe sarvaan R^iSibhiH saha dhaarmika || 1-73-18
raamasya loka raamasya kriyaam vaivaahikiim prabho |

18, 19a. tataH= then; videhaanaam raajaa= of Videha bloodline, king [Janaka]; vashiSTham= to Vashishta; idam abraviit= this way, said; dhaarmika= oh, knower of punctilios; R^iSe= oh, Brahma-sage; prabho= oh, masterly sage; R^iSibhiH saha= sages, along with; loka raamasya= world, rejoicer; raamasya= Rama's; vaivaahikiim kriyaam= marriage oriented, works; sarvaan kaarayasva= all, make happen.

Then that king from Videha bloodline, Janaka, said in this way to Vashishta, "Oh, the knower of punctilios, oh, Brahma-sage, oh, masterly sage, along with other sages you make happen all of the marriage ceremonies of Rama, the rejoicer of the world..." Thus Janaka spoke to Vashishta. [1-73-18, 19a]

tathaa iti uktvaa tu janakam vashiSTHo bhagavaan R^iSiH || 1-73-19
vishvaamitram puraskR^itya shataana.ndam ca dhaarmikam |
prapaa madhye tu vidhivat vediim kR^itvaa mahaatapaaH || 1-73-20
alam cakaara taam vediim gandha puSpaiH sama.ntataH |
suvarNa paalikaabhiH ca citra kumbhaiH ca sa a.nkuraiH || 1-73-21
a.nkura aaDhyaiH sharaavaiH ca dhuupa paatraiH sa dhuupakaiH |
sha.nkha paatraiH shruvaiH srugbhiH paatraiH ar.hghyaadi puujitaiH || 1-73-22
laaja puurNaiH ca paatriibhiH rakshitaiH api sa.mskR^itaiH |

19b, 20, 21, 22, 23a. bhagavaan mahaatapaaH vashiSTHaH R^iSiH= godly, sage of great ascesis, Vashishta, sage; janakam= to Janaka; tathaa iti uktvaa= so be it, thus, on saying; dhaarmikam vishvaamitram= virtuous one, Vishvamitra; shataanandam ca = sage Shataananda, also; puraskR^itya= keeping ahead; prapaa= cool-thatched manorial-shed; madhye = in mid-point of that shed; vidhivat vediim kR^itvaa= procedurally, Altar of Fire, on arranging; gandha puSpaiH= with sandal paste, flowers; suvarNa paalikaabhiH ca= with golden, concave-lids, also; sa ankuraiH = with sprigs; [Chidra= with holes - pots with holes to let water out] citra kumbhaiH ca= with variously coloured, pots / handy vessels, also; ankura aaDhyaiH= sprigs, full of; sharaavaiH ca= concave earthen-lids, also; sa dhuupakaiH dhuupa paatraiH = with, fumes, incense, censers; shankha paatraiH= conch-shell, vessels; shruvaiH= with short-handled scoops; srugbhiH= long-handled scoops; arghya aadi puujitaiH [puuritaiH]= oblatory [liquid items,] and others, sanctified [filled with]; paatraiH = with such vessels; laaja puurNaiH paatriibhiH= toasted rice flakes, filled with, with vessels; samskR^itaiH akshitaiH api= well treated [with turmeric powder,] with sacred rice [vessels filled with]; taam vediim= that, Altar of Fire; samantataH= all over; alam= easily / decorations; cakaara= made - sanctified.

Thus said, that godly sage Vashishta on saying, "so be it," to Janaka, embarked on arranging Altar of Fire keeping sage Vishvamitra and the virtuous sage Shataananda afore of him, and that sage with great ascesis, Vashishta, has arranged an Altar of Fire in the midpoint of the cool-thatched manorial-marriage-shed, decorating it with sandal paste and flowers. Then he promptly sanctified variously coloured handy vessels, and lid-like concave earthen vessels, which are full with just sprouted sprigs, and he sanctified even other golden vessels, censers with fumes of incenses, conch-shell like vessels, and short handled wooden scoops for scooping oblatory items from vessels for putting it in long-handled scoops, and long-handled wooden scoops to drop those oblatory items into Ritual-fire, and vessels filled with oblatory items like ghee, water, milk etc., and vessels filled with toasted rice-flakes and vessels filled with holy yellow-rice duly treated with turmeric, and he sanctified all articles of wedding ceremony by sprinkling holy-yellow-rice, as a kind of dry-ablution. [1-73-19b, 20, 21, 22, 23a]

These are some of the usual paraphernalia for marriage ceremony even now. The sprouting sprigs are symbolic for the prospective sprigs from this marriage, and rice-flakes for the abundance of livelihood of the couple. Usually the concave lid like vessels will be filled with black cotton soil, and on them nine varieties of grain nava dhaanya will be sprinkled to obtain sprigs. Later they are to be kept sacred for some days, watering daily, and then can be implanted in earth, if they survive. There are hosts of shops specialised to sell these items and the shopkeeper firstly asks for information 'for bride's side or for bridegroom's side?' And if we say, 'we are from bride's side' a long-list is presented, [while bridegroom's side will have a shorter list of items,] and then the shopkeeper mercifully asks 'how much is the dowry?' If we say this much or that much, he will present a Victorian model push-close pull-open velvet bag. If we exclaim 'what for is this, priest has not listed this' then he politely says, 'the priests of these days are unaware of customs and the dowry is to be put in that velvet bag and then given, as a royal presentation...' And if we say 'we are drained out by the dowry, wherefrom we give royal presentations...' then he will spew fire on us saying 'you spend so much on dowry, can't you purchase its velvet bag...' and thereafter a sermon follows about the dying Indian culture at the onslaught of westernisation, while he starts throwing the packets of nava dhaanya etc., as though he is giving alms to the beggar. Though Janaka has not purchased such a bag of dowry, he has some more problems with this marriage. A discussion on this is there at later part. Here the sprouted sprigs are the sprouting avengers on the evil, called Ravana.

darbhaiH samaiH samaastiirya vidhivat ma.ntra puraskR^itam || 1-73-23
agnim aadhaaya tam vedyaam vidhi ma.ntra puurvakam |
juhaava agnau mahaatejaa vashiSTho munipu.ngava || 1-73-24

23b, 24. mahaatejaa= great resplendent; munipungava= eminent-saint; vashiSThaH= Vashishta; samaiH= even-sized; darbhaiH= with sacred grass; vidhivat= customarily; mantra puurvakam = with Vedic-chants, synchronising with; sam aastiirya= neatly, overlaid; vidhi mantra puraskR^itam= reverently, Vedic-hymns, preceding [in tune]; tam vedyaam= on that, Altar of Fire; agnim aadhaaya= fire, on taking [preparing with two sticks, arani]; agnau juhaava = in Altar of Fire, effused oblational liquids.

Then that great resplendent and eminent-saint Vashishta neatly overlaid even-sized sacred grass on that Altar of Fire synchronising with Vedic-chants, and on preparing Ritual-fire by rubbing two wooden sticks, called araNi , he placed that fire in the pit of Altar, which is aflame now, and then reverently and in tune with the Vedic-hymns he effused oblational liquids into that Altar of Fire, with short-handled and long-handled wooden scoops. [1-73-23b, 24]

tataH siitaam samaaniiya sarva aabharaNa bhuSitaam |
samaksham agneH sa.msthaapya raaghava abhimukhe tadaa || 1-73-25
abraviit janako raajaa kausalya aana.nda vardhanam |

25, 26a. tataH= then; raajaa janakaH = king, Janaka; sarva aabharaNa bhuSitaam= all, jewellery, decorated with; siitaam samaaniiya= Seetha, leading forth; agneH samaksham= of Fire [Altar of Fire,] before; raaghava abhi mukhe= Raghava, towards, face [face to face, en face]; samsthaapya= on positioning; tadaa= then; kausalya aananda vardhanam= to Kausalya's, rejoice, enhancer [to Rama]; abraviit= addressed.

Then that king Janaka led forth Seetha, who by now is decorated with every variety of bridal jewellery, and on positioning her en face Raghava in the presence of Altar of Fire, then Janaka addressed Rama who is the enhancer of his mother Kausalya's rejoice. [1-73-25, 26a]

By the way, where is this Kausalya? Does Rama enrich her happiness without bringing her to his marriage? We have not heard of her or of other queens or hosts of his other wives, for the last three, four days. Has she come, at all? - Yes, she has come and she is physically present - is the argument of some, basing on Valmiki's style of unrecorded accounts on trivial, or matter of fact scenes. They are implied and implicit. Dasharatha has performed some cow donations, religious functions etc., which he is not supposed to do without his wife at his side. These ladies are implicitly included in the first verse of sixty-ninth chapter: sa upaadhyaayaH sa baandhavaH 'with, teachers, with relatives...' and Dasharatha has no near relatives, not exactly relatives, but family, other than his queens and sons. So, they all are in 'et cetera... and others' cadre at present. Other way round, it is said in Kshatriya-s only male members will go and get the bride, which has no reasonable or tenable import, as far as marriages are concerned, and where every marriage concerns only with womenfolk and their panoply.

Seetha is said to have all bridal jewellery, which is not odd or particular to this corner of globe. But it is oddish and exotic jewellery if the bride is from well-to-do family or from royal family. Though not all, some of the jewellery items that are almost extinct now are listed here. siimanta pralamba a pendant clipped at back of head, dangle through the central parting of head-hair, onto the crown of head, with nine-gem-stud locket; shiroja suuci diamond studded hair pins on either side of head above ears; naasa aabharanam a round nasal ring; naasa bhuSaNam single or a pair of nine-gems studded nasal ornament; karNa aabharaNa, taaTanka, karNika various kinds of earrings with dangling cups, to which trinket bells dangle; shata yaSTika hundred stringed pearl necklace; anukanThii, muktaavalii, graiveyikam and many other kinds of necklaces; mekhala three finger width golden cincture, studded with nine-gems, and with fine golden chains dangling like festoons; saptakii seven stringed girdle string, where the strings dangle onto hip, with expanding festoons; keyuuram bicep-lets; kankaNam bracelets and bangles from wrist halfway up forearm; maNi manjiira, tulaa koTi, paada angada ankle-let with kinkiNii trinket bell-globules; cuuDaa maNi a circular jewel at bun of hair from which a gold sheet dangles till the end of braid, on which all zodiac signs are engraved. At the top, on the left and right of this cuuDaa maNi ornaments in the shape of sun and moon are pinned into jhair, and at the end of braid three / five gold cups studded with hair like strands upa kaca will be dangling. This set of braid's ornamentation is said to receive the solar energy to whole of the spine. So goes on and on the list of ornaments, to the delight of the girl wearing them and to the delight of the goldsmith making them.

Here there are five Raghava-s and only one kausalya aananda vardhana i.e., Rama. Then poet should have simply said 'Rama' instead of 'Raghava' but there are many Rama-s, Parashu Rama, and Bala Rama and suchlike, and on such calling as 'Rama...' Parashu Rama, who is scheduled to enter after marriage, may perhaps enter now, in a faux pas. Then the poet should have said dasharatha aatmajam . Then, who will be that single soul from among the four boys of Dasharatha to come forward. And if all the four hear the calling, as 'oh, Raghava' all will reply in chorus "ok, it is I..." then what will happen? Avoiding all these irksome situations, the poet gave this stage-direction to Janaka that he should aim at the son of Kausalya, with a subtext, 'you are mothered by some human female, whereas my daughter is motherless, rather un-mothered, a yoni ja non-foetal is her origination, hence it is apt of you to not to belittle her, anytime and anywhere... and you have to keep faith with her, since she outshines in outperforming your task in this so-called incarnation...'

iyam siitaa mama sutaa saha dharma carii tava || 1-73-26
pratiicCha ca enaam bhadram te paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa |

26b, 27a. iyam= this; siitaa= Seetha; mama= my; sutaa= daughter; saha= along with / in unison with; dharma= duty; carii= acquits herself of; tava= your; prati icCha enaam= in turn, you wish for [back, take, wishfully take her back] her; ca= also bhadram te= safe betides you; paaNim= palm; gR^ihNiiSva= take into; paaNinaa= [your] palm.

"This is Seetha, my daughter, she acquits herself in whatever duty you undertake. Take her wishfully, let safeness betide you, take her palm into your palm..." [1-73-26b, 27a]

Or

iyam= this [or, here]; siitaa= Seetha [stands]; mama sutaa= my, daughter [fair]; tava= thy; saha dharma carii = to share, the duties of life; pratiicCha enaam= take from [father,] her [as bride]; ca= also; te bhadram = bliss betide! you; paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa= hand, join, [into your] hand.

Here Síta stands, my daughter fair, / The duties of thy life to share. / Take from her father, take thy bride, / Join hand to hand, and bliss betide! / - Ralph T. H. Griffith

.

The above is very a convenient and ready made gist of that verse. But the three pronouns in the first stanza iyam, mama, tava 'this, mine, yours…' are supposed to play havoc in deciphering the latent meaning of this verse. Let us look at some of them.

Seetha is very much there in the front of Rama, and Janaka might have shown her and told ‘take her….’ Why this iyam i.e., ‘this…’It is explained as below:

 

Janaka: This and this alone is Seetha, the unique, exceptional and earmarked one for you… do not confuse yourself by looking at Urmila, Maandavi and Shrutakiirti… they are for your brothers…

Rama: Why she alone is earmarked for me?

Janaka: Because she is 'Seetha…'

Rama: What, you mean a furrow, or a sillion...

[Sillion is an old word for furrow, not found in dictionaries, but used by poet Hopkins in his 'The Windhover' '…sheer plod makes plough down sillion /]

Janaka: Yes, everything comes out of earth... from coal to gold, flora to fauna, rivers to ridges… everything… a morsel of food comes from a handful of mud in this mortal world… your being, becoming and belonging in, are manifest only because of that earth… and earth enables you to live on her without seeking any requital or reciprocation… and earth is the symbol of enduing toleration, though you dig, dung or dredge it.... hence, Seetha is the symbol for mortal truth, and mortally tolerant womanhood… and you people want to know the Unknown in the skies, but do not wish to know what that is right under your feet... ved˜ aham etam puruÿam mah˜ntam ˜ditya varõam tamasa× parast˜t | if the Supreme Person beyond darkness is knowable, and sages like Vishvamitra know you and tell that you are some Super Soul aham vedmi mah˜tm˜n˜m r˜mam satya par˜kramam - bala 19-14 likewise you shall know iyam siitaa, for she is somebody to match you… have you not mugged up Veda-s, Upanishad-s…

Rama: Why not… every bit of it… you name, it I tell it…

Janaka: How does the fifth mantra of eighth topic in Chaandogya Upanishad reads?

Rama: Oh, that ` t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni trŸõi akÿar˜õi satyam - sa ti yam - iti tadyat - sat - tad am®tam atha - yat - tan martyam atha - yat - yam - tena ubhe yacchati yad anena ubhe yacchati tasm˜t - yam - aharahar v˜ evam vit svargam lokam eti || þ˜nkara bh˜ÿyam - t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni brahmaõo n˜ma akÿar˜õi trŸõi et˜ni - sa tŸ yam - iti sak˜ra× tak˜ro yam iti ca - Ÿk˜ra× tak˜re uccaraõ˜ artho anubandha× | hrasve naiva akÿareõa puna× prati nirdeþ˜t | teÿ˜m tat tatra yat sat sa k˜ra× tad am®tam tad brahma | am®ta v˜cakatv˜ tad am®ta eva sa k˜ra× tak˜ra anto nirýiÿ÷a× | atha yatti tak˜ra× tan martyam atha yat yam akÿaram tena akÿareõ˜ m®ta martya ˜khye p¨rve ubhe akÿare yacchatŸ yamayati niyamati vaþŸkaro iti ˜tmane iti artha× | ranga r˜m˜nuja bh˜ÿyam - t˜ni ha v˜ et˜ni trŸõi akÿar˜õi sa iti yam iti - sat - ti - yam - iti satya n˜ma tryakÿara ˜tmikam iti artha× | tadya sat am®tam adhayatti tan martyam - atra am®ta þabd˜bhy˜m cetan˜ acetane nirdiþyate | madhv˜c˜rya - sat - mukta jŸva - ti - a mukta jŸva - yam - mukt˜ amukta jŸva - - cch˜ndogya ¨paniþad aÿ÷ama prap˜÷×aka pancama mantra -

Adi Shankara's commentary: There are three letters that denote the Absolute sa, ta, yam and the syllable ii on sat is for easy pronunciation. The letter sa indicates immortality and the word ta mortality, and the syllable yam conditions and bridges both the above…' Ramanuja comment: The letter sat is immortality and the letter ti is mortality and yam conditions both, hence sattiyam is indicative of Spiritedness and non-spiritedness…' Madhvaacaarya says sat, delivered immortal souls ti yet to be delivered bounded souls, yam both the delivered and bounded souls…

Janaka: Seetha is that yam the conjunctive, conditioner, bridge between the mortal and immortal, setu - eSa setu iti vidharaNa the presiding deity of catana acetana dynamic, static beings. oh, Rama, it is said in Vishnu Puraana that Seetha is your lookalike, minus your sky-blue complexion, raaghavatve bhavet siitaa... It is said in yet another scripture, yatha may˜ jagat vy˜ptam - sva r¨peõa svabh˜vata× | tay˜ vy˜ptam idam viþvam niyantrŸ ca tath˜ ŸþvarŸ || 'as to how I am all pervading, likewise She, Goddess Lakshmi, is all pervading and the controller of the universe…' and if you want to establish yourself as the protector of this world, you have to take this and this Seetha alone, as she is the cause for the desired effect of yours… and, she is from Mother Earth ratna garbha and you are a sapphirine boy from a mother, and a sapphire shines only if it is studded in earth-given gold anargham api maaNikyam hema aashrayam apekshate… otherwise you, your incarnation, your epic, your mission, why one or two, everything concerning you will be futile, and you have to return to your milky abode empty handed, and here on earth, every house breeds one or more Ravana-s…

Rama: How am I to conclude 'this' as 'that...' I mean Goddess Lakshmi…

Janaka: Certain aspects are to be inferred because they are unmanifest. Fire on the mountain is unmanifest but smoke is manifest, hence fire is inferred. So also, ayam iishvarii is manifest as iyam this girl... from siitaa furrow, sillion, a narrow trench in ground made by ploughshare... as a small seed manifests into a gigantic banyan tree, and from this the nature of her non-foetal birth, it is to be inferred likewise, and only because of it she is someone above mortals. Because you have come as a mortal she has to take birth as a mortal, as an inseparable entity of yours…

Rama: Then why can't she fall from sky or from other planet?

Janaka: She cannot. Your connection with this earth is age-old and you love it. Because you love earth, she has to emerge from earth, a lovely act for you.

Rama: Then why mama sutaa... she can be fostered in any orphanage…

Janaka: Not so. An auspicious thing or being requires a sanctum sanctorum… Mithila is one such, and Videha-s are not just kings of this part of land, but they are priests of pious or holy things like the bow of Shiva. You know the naming of vi deha... it is not 'without bodies...' but transcending bodily affairs… Thus she chose this as her background and as she presented herself to me as baby girl, I have look upon her as mama sutaa 'my daughter…' And many, many kings sought her hand in marriage, but I refused and they warred with me… I had to call for the forces of gods to counterattack the enemy forces… perhaps, you might not have heard that humans can summon gods, but gods are at my disposal, and a prayer of mine brings them here, either for a war or for a ritual… So, do not take me or my daughter Seetha, iyam siitaa mama sutaa as some ignoramus and insignificant dullards…

Rama: Then why you want me to take back, as though she belonged to me for eons, but lost in a journey…

Janaka: Yes, she is yours from ages unknown… I cannot donate her in kanyaa daana 'bestowal of bride…' because your marriage is eternal. But you two have arrived here in human forms, so conduct yourselves in conformity with human customs… that is why I tell pratiicCha enaaam 'take her back, wishfully…' for that saying of mine get no anger on me bhadram te 'safe betides' by this act of yours… paaNim gR^ihNiSva paaNinaa 'you take her palm into your palm…' that which is customary in human paaNi grahaNa mahotsava 'wedding ceremony…' by the way, you always keep your consort in your heart hR^idaya kamala do not do such things as long as you are on earth… for your incarnation will be disclosed… just take her hand… and let not this heavenly discourse be leaked out… Ravana may come to know that you are not human and it will be impossible for you to eliminate that evil, thereby…

Likewise, let us not to disclose this info about Rama to Ravana, if any of us meet Ravana by chance. And we now proceed to the human level import of this verse.

Janaka: 'This' girl who has mugdhamanoharamanojñamohan˜tmakasukum˜rasoundaryal˜vaõy˜dau a beauty par excellence… [and par problématique beauté, as well… and Ravana alone has got more words to extol her beauty, as in Ch. 46 Aranya…] is iyam… Or, about whom you have heard from day one in the hermitage of Siddha, i.e., when you started towards Mithila, that girl is iyam… Or, the girl who is on your psyche from the minute you broke that Shiva's bow, and whom you are envisioning pr˜s˜de pr˜de ca pathi pathi ca s˜ p®ÿ÷ata× s˜ purata× 'on verandas of multistoried buildings and in window ledges, on this street and that street, before you, behind you…' during these days of your stay in Mithila… that girl is iyam…

Rama: No, No, No, you are wrong… I did not aim at any girl when aiming to lift that old bow… sorry for your unilateral conclusion…

Janaka: No, my dear boy, the condition I stipulated is bilateral… before your touching that bow, I clearly said that my daughter belongs to one who can lift that bow… you were quick enough to grab the girl, rather than the bow... and in that hastiness you even broke that bow… had you declined the girl, you should have declined to lift the bow, also… so, iyam siita was the only intention of yours when lifting that bow, and that girl is iyam siita…

Rama; Maybe, we want high-born, high-bred girls… not fatherless, motherless, birth-less orphans…

Janaka: You seem to be a doubting Thomas… that's why I said mama sutaa 'my daughter…' when it is said mahataa tapasaa raama... ' by high degree ascesis Dasharatha obtained Rama…' thus they say, and I too obtained and fostered this girl with much better ascesis, and even protected her from warring factions [only to give back to you…] and the environ of Mithila itself is of utmost sanctity and piety… If we are to be lowly subjects, why your guru Vishvamitra brought you here, that too by foot… don't think that you are taking this girl for your personal enjoyment, but it is for a caculated purpose... this girl meets that purpose and her wifehood, as well.... hence I said saha dharma carii tava 'she will be in toe with your duties'… Or, tava dharma saha carii 'whatever is your duty that duty become hers too…'

Rama: Somehow… there appears some cacoethes… confusion… from you, from all the sages, from my father and mothers, even…

Janaka: Nothing of that sort is there… if you wish heartily then only you take her… I have not said siitaam dadaami 'I am donating Seetha…' but I said pratiicCha enaam 'take her, take her back…' or else, she will exit as she came and unfulfilled will be your mission… it is up to you to decide… no compulsion…

Rama: Then let her take hold of my arrow and walk with me round the Altar of Fire… for Kshatriya-s that is the custom…

Janaka: I know, I know… but this marriage does not fit into any of the eight kinds of marriage prescribed for us, humans… hence I carefully said paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa 'take her palm into yours…'

The types of ancient marriages as laid down by scriptures are eight kinds. 1] braahmya : inviting a celibate scholar after completion of his Vedic studies, and offering a bride with due ceremony; 2] daiva : offering a bride to a ritwij when he is conducting a Vedic-ritual; 3] aarSa : giving the bride after donating a cow and ox for the success of Vedic-ritual; 4] praajaapatya : offering a bride without seeking anything from the bridegroom, to follow the course of dharma; 5] asura : giving ample money to bride's party or to bride and marrying her at costs; 6] gandharva : man and woman falling in love and marrying on their own, just out of lust and bodily pleasures; 7] raakshasa : if a bride or bride's part do not agree, by maltreating, torturing and terrorising them, and thereby seizing the bride; 8] paishaacika : while the girl is asleep, or making her drunk, or unconscious and then molesting her, by which she becomes a 'can't but' bride - a worst kind of marriage.

eteÿu aÿ÷asu viv˜heÿu ayam viv˜ho na ko api bhavitum arhati - tat ukta lakÿaõa a bh˜v˜t | tath˜ hi - na t˜vat br˜hmya× iti - ˜h¨ya d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api daiva× - kÿatriyasya ˜rtivijya a sambhavat | na ˜rÿa - kany˜ pitro go mithuna go d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api pr˜j˜patya× - vŸrya þulka iti kathan˜t | na api ˜sura× - kany˜ pitu× dravya d˜na a bh˜v˜t | na api g˜ndharva× paraspara anur˜geõa samsarga a bh˜v˜t | na api r˜kÿasa× - chedan hanana ˜din˜ prasahya kanya haraõa a bh˜v˜t | na api paiþ˜ci× - sva apapram˜da anyatam avasth˜ a yuktay˜× | tasm˜t katamo ayam viv˜ha iti cet - saha dharma carŸ tava - iti ukty˜ pr˜j˜patya eva viv˜ha× | dk |

And when none of the eight is unsuitable for Seetha's wedding it is brought under the fourth praajaapatya - because saha dharmam carati iti pr˜j˜patya - ˜þval˜yana | samyoga mantra× pr˜j˜patye saha dharmam caryat˜m - gautama | saha dharmama carat˜m iti pr˜j˜patyam - bodh˜yana | But here something is sought from the bridegroom, in the name of lifting the bow. But that is negated saying the 'seeking' is the seeking of material assets, not valour or bravery. It is namesake, and even the nomenclature that Seetha is the bounty for valour viirya shulka is a namesake; kÿatriyeÿu vŸrya vara eva þreÿ÷atv˜t t˜d®þaya kany˜m prad˜tum vŸrya pariþodhanam k®tam iti þulka iti kathan˜t þulka þabda aupac˜rika× | dk Hence this marriage is for implementation of righteousness and it is treated as extramundane and celebrated every year.

Rama: This marriage does not fit into any category! Then why this marriage at all!

Janaka: To be in tune with this world's tradition… however, this marriage technically comes under the category of praajaa patya…

Rama: So, you adjusted the rule books… then why me, let her take my hand…

Janaka: The enjoyer has to grab the object of enjoyment, not vice versa… take her now and bhadram te and 'be blest…'

Next, Janaka is asking the bridegroom like a poor Indian father to take a poor and motherless bride Seetha.

Janaka: iyam 'this' girl is a simple match to you, who broke the bow of Shiva; siitaa 'born in furrow' a motherless girl, hence, kindly be merciful towards her… mama sutaa 'my daughter…' where I have always been engaged in rituals and ceremonies, thereby I may not have brought her up properly, and thereby if she does talk rashly or behave oddly.. [of course, both she does later,] like an ill-bred girl, kindly tolerate and correct her… saha dhrma carii iva where iva is 'like…' just take her like your 'custom-bound consort…' and let her be useful in ceremonies and rituals, though not for pleasure trips and excursions…' pratiicCha enaam 'take her…' where the bridegrooms usually woo, court and date girls, send many messages to her parents asking for that girl in marriage… but, this girl being an uncommon one, I am begging you to take her… paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa you take her hand as she is hesitating to take your hand, for your hand is strong enough to break an unbreakable bow, she is fearing to take your hand, lest her arm too will be broken… bhadram te 'be blest…' when you honour our appeal…

And there are many, many more shades of meanings derived from this verse, but all culminate to say - 'you two are made for each other…'

pativrataa mahabhaagaa Chaaya iva anugataa sadaa || 1-73-27
iti uktvaa praakshipat raajaa ma.ntra puutam jalam tadaa |

27b, 28a. mahabhaagaa= prosperous [Seetha will be]; pati vrataa= husband, devout; sadaa Chaaya iva= always, shadow, like; anugataa= follow [you]; iti uktvaa= thus, saying; raajaa= king; tadaa= then; mantra puutam jalam= hymn, sanctified, water; praakshipat= poured forth.

"She who is prosperous and husband-devout, will always be abiding you like your own shadow..." So saying that king Janaka then poured forth water into the palms of Rama, which is sanctified with hymns. [1-73-27b, 28a]

Pouring water at the time of donation into the donee's hand symbolises the free flowing will of the donor. The 'shadow' expresses nitya sambandhatva 'ever related entity...' Or, a trace of His liilaa vibhuuti, maaya. Though they are living separately so far, that farness is now washed off by this holy water.

saadhu saadhu iti devaanaam R^iSiiNaam vadataam tadaa || 1-73-28
deva du.ndubhi nir.hghoSaH puSpa varSam mahaan abhuut |

28b, 29a. tadaa= then; saadhu saadhu iti = nice, fine, thus; vadataam= while saying [exclaiming]; devaanaam R^iSiiNaam= [sounds ] of gods, sages; deva dundubhi nirghoSaH= heavenly, drums, drumming; mahaan puSpa varSam abhuut= great, flower, showers, occurred.

Then there occurred great flower-showers from firmament, while sages and gods staying in firmament have exclaimed, "nice... fine..." to the drumbeats of heavenly drums. [1-3-28b, 29a]

What happened to these gods when boyish Rama eliminated Tataka and others? Are they any lesser feats than this marriage? And why this drumming and showering flowers and blessings, when it is 'just' a human's marriage? Now the cause for the effect is conjoined to Rama to effectuate their plea to Brahma. If the entire arsenal given by Vishvamitra is set-aside for a moment, the 'present' now presented by Janaka is the ultimate weapon for the use against Ravana. aprameyam hi tat tejo yasya saa janaka aatmajaa 'unlimited is the energy, to whom Janaka's daughter belongs...' Rama is the instrumental cause in eliminating Ravana, whereas Seetha is the efficient cause for it. Lanka is ruined by Seetha, through Hanuma with the help of Fire-god, but not by Rama, or all of the monkeys put together. And Rama eliminates the half-dead Ravana. There are some more flower-showers and drumbeats and dances, later.

evam dattvaa sutaam siitaam ma.ntra udaka puraskR^itaam || 1-73-29
abraviit janako raajaa harSeNa abhiparipluta |

29b, 30a. janakaH raajaa= Janaka, the king; evam = in that way; mantra udaka puraskR^itaam= hymn, water, she who is sanctified with; sutaam siitaam dattvaa= his daughter, Seetha, on handing over; harSeNa= by enthusiasm; abhi pari pluta= completely, overly, flooded [overwhelmed]; abraviit= said [this.]

On handing over his daughter Seetha who is duly sanctified with sanctified waters, King Janaka is completely overwhelmed with exhilaration for the successful performance of his bit as a father and he said this. [1-73-29b, 30a]

lakSmaNa aagacCha bhadram te uurmilaam udyataam mayaa || 1-73-30
pratiicCha paaNim gR^ihNiiSva maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH |

30b, 31a. lakSmaNa aagacCha= Lakshmana, come on; mayaa udyataam = by me decided to be [- to be given to you]; uurmilaam= Urmila; pratiicCha= you take - or, say yes; paaNim gR^ihNiiSva = [her] palm, you take; kaalasya paryayaH maa bhuut = time's, lapse, let not, be there; te bhadram = you be safe.

"Come on, Lakshmana, safe betides you... say yes to Urmila, the one who is decided by me to be given to you... take her palm into yours... lapse not the time... [1-73-30b, 31a]

When Bharata is the elder of Lakshmana, how Lakshmana is called now... is a lingering doubt. That rule 'the elder brother's marriage is first...' does not apply if the brothers are from co-wives: pit®vya putre s˜patne para n˜rŸÿu teÿu v˜ | viv˜ha d˜na yajn˜dau parivedo na d¨ÿaõam || 'the elderliness among the sons of father's brothers or mothers co-wives, or other sons from other wives, do not count in their marriages, donation ceremonies, of Vedic-rituals... an younger one can be called first on such occasions...'

tam evam uktvaa janako bharatam ca abhyabhaaSata || 1-73-31
gR^ihaaNa paaNim maaNDavyaaH paaNinaa raghuna.ndana |

31b-32a. janakaH tam evam uktvaa= Janaka, to him [to Lakshmana,] that way, having said; bharatam ca abhyabhaaSata= to Bharata, also, addressed; raghunandana= oh, the delight of Raghu-s - Bharata; paaNinaa= by palm; maaNDavyaaH paaNim= Maandavi's, palm; gR^ihaaNa= take.

Janaka having said to Lakshmana that way, he also addressed Bharata, "Oh, Bharata, the delight of Raghu-s, take Maandavi's palm into your palm... [1-73-31b-32a]

shatrughnam ca api dharmaaatmaa abraviit mithileshvaraH || 1-73-32
shrutakiirteH mahaabaaho paaNim gR^ihNiiSva paaNinaa |

32b, 33a. dharmaaatmaa= honourable [Janaka]; mithila iishvaraH= Mithila's, king - Janaka; shatrughnam ca api= to Shatrughna, also, even; abraviit= said; mahaabaahuH= oh, dextrous [Shatrughna]; paaNinaa= with your palm; shrutakiirteHpaaNim gR^ihNiiSva = Shrutakiirti's, palm, you take.

That honourable king of Mithila even said to Shatrughna, "oh, dextrous Shatrughna, take the palm of Shrutakiirti into yours... [1-73-32b, 33a]

sarve bhavantaH saumyaaH ca sarve sucarita vrataaH || 1-73-33
patniibhiH santu kaakutsthaa maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH |

33b, 34a. kaakutsthaaH= oh, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna [brothers]; bhavantaH sarve= you, all; saumyaaH ca= tender-hearted, also; sarve su carita vrataaH= all, well, behaved, well-intentioned ones; patniibhiH santu= with wives, you be [a happy married life to you all]; maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH= not, there be, time's, lapse.

"Oh, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna ... you all are tender-hearted, well-behaved and well-intentioned brothers from Kakutstha lineage... without lapse of time take up other ceremonies..." So said Janaka to bridegrooms. [1-73-33b, 34a]

janakasya vacaH shrutvaa paaNiin paaNibhiH aspR^ishan || 1-73-34
catvaaraH te catasR^INaam vasiSThasya mate sthitaaH |

34b, 35a. te catvaaraH= those [bridegrooms,] [all] four of them; janakasya vacaH shrutvaa= Janaka's, words, on hearing; vasiSThasya mate sthitaaH= in Vashishta's, opinion [in orchestration of marriage,] abiding; paaNibhiH= with palms; catasR^INaam= of [all] four [brides]; paaNiin= palms; aspR^ishan= touched - taken into thei palms - all are palminpalmed.

All the four bridegrooms are palminpalmed with all the four brides, paying heed to Janaka's words, and abiding in Vashishta's orchestration of Vedic hymns and procedures. [1-73-34b, 35a]

The word 'palminpalmed' may look oddish, but it is in fashion with the verb 'arminarmed' invented by poet Roger McGhou.

agnim pradakSiNam kR^itvaa vedim raajaanam eva ca || 1-73-35
R^iSiin caiva mahaatmaanaH saha bhaaryaa raghu udvahaaH |
yathaa uktena tathaa cakruH vivaaham vidhi puurvakam || 1-73-36

35b, 36. mahaatmaanaH= great souled [bridegrooms]; raghu udvahaaH= Raghu, those who emerged from - four brothers; saha bhaaryaa= with, wives; agnim= to Ritual-fire; vedim= to Altar of Fire; raajaanam eva ca= king Janaka, also, that way; R^iSiin caiva= to sages, also thus; pradakSiNam= circumambulations; kR^itvaa= on performing; tathaa= thus; yathaa uktena= as, said [directed by Vashishta]; vidhi puurvakam= custom, consistent with; vivaaham= marriage; cakruH= thus, performed [the deeds of ritual]; [they are wed.]

On performing circumambulations along with their wives around the Ritual-fire, and around the Altar of Fire, and that way, around king Janaka, the awarder of wives, and around sages as well for they conducted the marriages well, those great-souled bridegrooms that have emerged from Raghu's dynasty on performing further deeds of ritual consistent with custom as directed by Vashishta, they are all wed. [1-73-35b, 36]

Firstly Vashishta enkindled the holy fire and offered oblations in it for the wellbeing of Rama and his brothers, say the bridegrooms. Next, another round of enkindling of holy fire took place in which Rama and brothers have offered marriage time oblations. After accepting the palms of brides, they made circumambulations, and then each couple established its own ritual fire and offered oblations into it. Then each couple had oblated rice-flakes into the fire, and again performed circumambulations to that Ritual-fire, respectively. Thus, the marriage is not a handshake like one-minute affair, as they all shall be before fire, daylong.

puSpavR^iSTirmahatyaasiidantarikSaatsubhaasvaraa |
divyadundubhini.rghoSairgiitavaaditraniHsvanaiH || - yadvaa -
puSpa vR^iSTiH mahati aasiit a.ntarikSaat su bhaasvaraa |
divya dundubhi nir.hghoSaiH giita vaaditra niHsvanaiH || 1-73-37
nanR^ituH ca apsaraH sa.nghaa gandharvaaH ca jaguH kalam |
vivaahe raghu mukhyaanaam tad adbhutam adR^ishyata || 1-73-38

37. raghu mukhyaanaam vivaahe = of Raghu's decedents, celebrated ones, in marriage; antarikSaat= from firmament; su bhaasvaraa= highly, dazzling; mahati puSpa vR^iSTiH aasiit= rich, flower, shower, is there [occurred]; divya dundubhi nirghoSaiH= with divine, drums, drumbeats; giita vaaditra niHsvanaiH= with vocal, instrumental, tuneful [music]; apsaraH sanghaa nanR^ituH= apsara, promenades of, danced; gandharvaaH ca kalam jaguH = gandharva-s, even, tunefully, sang; tat adbhutam adR^ishyata= that, charming spectacle, appeared.

There occurred rich and highly dazzling flower showers from firmament, and that ambience is filled with the drumbeats of divine drums and with vocal and instrumental music, and promenades of apsara-s danced, and even the gandharva-s sang tunefully, and because it is the marriage of celebrated bridegrooms from Raghu's dynasty, such a charming spectacle is envisioned.. [1-73-37, 38]

iidR^ishe vartamaane tu tuurya udghuSTa ninaadite |
triH agnim te parikramya uuhuH bhaaryaa mahaujasaH || 1-73-39

39. iidR^ishe= this kind of; tuurya udghuSTa ninaadite= trumpet, by trumpeting, reverberating [harmonious music of dance, vocal and instrumental]; vartamaane= in ongoingness mahaujasaH= highly resplendent ones; te= those brothers; triH= thrice; agnim pari kramya= to fire, circumambulated; bhaaryaaH uuhuH= wives, married.

In this kind of ongoingness of harmonious music of vocal, instrumental and that of dancers, those great resplendent brothers married their wives on circumabulating the Ritual-fire fire thrice. [1-73-39]

atha upakaaryaam jagmuH te sa daaraa raghuna.ndanaaH |
raajaa api anuyayau pashyan sa R^iSi sa.nghaH sa baandhavaH || 1-73-40

40. atha= then; te raghunandanaaH= those, Raghu's, legatees; sa daaraa= with, wives; upakaaryaam jagmuH = to visitatorial-palace, went to; raajaa api= king Dasharatha, even; sa R^iSi sanghaH= with, sages, assemblages; sa baandhavaH= with, kinfolks; pashyan= with all eyes for; anuyayau= went after.

Then those legatees of Raghu went to their visitatorial-palace with their wives, followed by king Dasharatha along with the assemblages of sages, kinfolks, queens and wives included, and Dasharatha feasted his eyes on sons and daughter-in-laws. [1-73-40]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe tri saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 73rd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection