Janaka's delegation arrives at Ayodhya and submits its message to Dasharatha. Listening to the tidings that his son Rama not only lifted the bow of Shiva, but broke it as well, Dasharatha is overjoyed and refers the matter of marriage of Seetha with Rama to his ministers and teachers. All of the ministers and sages unanimously agree to that proposal and they are set to travel to Mithila the next day.
janakena samaadiShTaa duutaaH te klaanta vaahanaaH |
tri raatram uShitaa maarge te ayodhyaam praavishan puriim || 1-68-1
1. janakena samaadiSTaa = by Janaka, clearly ordered; te duutaaH = those, envoys; maarge = en route; tri raatram uSitaaH = three, nights, on sojourning; klaanta vaahanaaH = overtired, vehicles [who have got overtired horses]; te ayodhyaam puriim praavishan = they, in Ayodhya, in city, entered.
Those envoys who are clearly ordered by Janaka entered the city of Ayodhya on sojourning for three nights en route, and whose horses are overtired for they are galloped so fast to loose no time. [1-68-1]
te raaja vacanaat gatvaa raajaveshma praveshitaaH |
dadR^ishuH deva saMkaasham vR^iddham dasharatham nR^ipam || 1-68-2
2. te = they [the envoys]; raaja vacanaat gatvaa = by king, words of [of Dasharatha's consent,] on going [to palace]; raaja veshma praveshitaaH = king's, residence [palace-chambers,] when they are entered into [given a audience]; deva sankaasham = godly, in gleam; vR^iddham nR^ipam dasharatham = elderly, the king, Dasharatha; dadR^ishuH = they have seen.
On going to the palace those envoys are given an audience with the consent of Dasharatha, and when they are conducted into the palace-chambers they have seen the elderly king Dasharatha gleaming like a god. [1-68-2]
baddha aMjali puTaaH sarve duutaa vigata saadhvasaaH |
raajaanam prashritam vaakyam abruvan madhura akSharam || 1-68-3
3. sarve duutaa = all, legates; baddha anjali puTaaH = bound [enfolding,] both palms, fold; vi gata saadhvasaaH = completely, gone, angst [on seeing goly Dasharatha]; raajaanam = to king; madhura akSaram = mellowly, worded; prashritam vaakyam = compliant, sentence; abruvan = said.
Completely gone is the angst of all the legates on seeing godly Dasharatha, and all of them adjoing palms in reverence said this compliant and mellowly worded sentence to the king. [1-68-3]
Because Dasharatha is caught in the tomfoolery of Kaikeyi he cannot be estimated as an inane personality. It is their domestic cold war. He is famous for his achievements and he fought wars on behalf of no lesser gods. Though Valmiki does not narrate Dasharatha's exploits, other scripts say a lot about them. Hence, whenever Rama's daring, dashing, swashbuckling is to be pictured, he will be indicated as 'Dasharatha's son...' That is the reason why the angst of envoys is said in this verse as 'vanished' just by a glimpse of that godly personality, which hitherto haunted them as to how to countenance such a powerful personality.
maithilo janako raajaa sa agni hotra puraskR^itaH |
muhur muhur madhurayaa sneha saMraktayaa giraa || 1-68-4
kushalam ca avyayam caiva sa upaadhyaaya purohitam |
janakaH tvaam mahaaraaja pR^icChate sa puraH saram || 1-68-5
4, 5. mahaaraaja = oh, exalted emperor [Dasharatha]; maithilaH = Mithila's [sovereign]; janakaH = of Janaka lineage; raajaa = Janaka, king; sa agni hotra puraskR^itaH = with, Fire, of Rituals, you who ingratiates yourself with [ever and anon]; sa upaadhyaaya purohitam = along with that of, [your] teachers'; priests'; sa puraH saram = with, before, going [afore you a convoys of subjects always precedes, in any event, safeguarding your interests]; tvaam = your [highness]; madhurayaa = mellowly; sneha samraktayaa giraa = friendship, instilled, with words; kushalam ca = wellbeing, also; a vyayam caiva = un, mitigated [prosperity,] also, thus; as such; janakaH = Janaka - the present king; muhuH muhuH = again, again; pR^icChate = is asking after.
"Oh, exalted emperor Dasharatha! Janaka, the lineal king of Janaka-s and the present sovereign of Mithila is asking time and time again with mellowly words instilled with friendliness, after the wellbeing and after the unmitigated prosperity of your highness, along with that of your highness' priests and teachers, also that of your highness' subjects, who always precede your highness in convoys in any event, as your highness are the one who ingratiates himself with the Ritual-fires, ever and anon... [1-68-4, 5]
pR^iShTvaa kushalam avyagram vaideho mithilaadhipaH |
kaushika anumate vaakyam bhavantam idam abraviit || 1-68-6
6. mithila adhipaH vaidehaH = Mithila's, sovereign, Videha [Janaka]; a vyagram = un, ruffled [at heart, sensibly]; kushalam pR^iSTvaa = wellbeing, having asked after; kaushika anumate = Kaushika, with the endorse of; bhavantam = to your [highness]; idam vaakyam abraviit = this, word, said [to us, that which is sayable to you, his highness is saying this to your highness.]
"His highness Janaka of Videha, and the sovereign of Mithila, having asked after your highness' wellbeing is sensibly saying this word to your highness, with the indorse of Kaushika... [1-68-6]
puurvam pratij~naa viditaa viirya shulkaa mama aatmajaa |
raajaanaH ca kR^ita amarShaa nir.hviiryaa vimukhii kR^itaaH || 1-68-7
7. mama aatmajaa = my, soul-born [daughter Seetha]; viirya shulkaa [iti] = bravery's, bounty, [thus]; puurvam pratij~naa = earlier, solemnly promised [by me]; viditaa = well-known - to all; kR^ita amarSaa = turned out, as rancorous [kings]; raajaanaH nir viiryaa = kings, without, valour [turned into gutless kings]; vi mukhii kR^itaaH = turned, face [turned back,] made to; ca [viditaa] = also, [well-known.]
" 'Well-known is the solemn promise of mine that my daughter Seetha is a bounty for bravery... also well-know is that the kings who came to lift the bow turned out as gutless kings, and then they turned out as rancorous kings at me, and it is also well-known that I turned them back with my guts... [1-68-7]
saa iyam mama sutaa raajan vishvaamitra puraskR^itaiH |
yadR^icChayaa aagataiH viiraiH nirjitaa tava putrakaiH || 1-68-8
8. raajan = oh, Emperor Dasharatha; saa iyam = such as she is, this - girl; mama sutaa = my, daughter; vishvaamitra puraskR^itaiH = Vishvamitra, keeping afore; yadR^ic Chayaa = coincidentally [serendipitously]; aagataiH = arrived [at Mithila]; tava = your; viiraiH = valorous; putrakaiH = sons / young son; nir jitaa = finally, carried off.
"Oh, Emperor Dasharatha, your young and valorous son who serendipitously arrived at Mithila along with his younger brother Lakshmana, keeping Vishvamitra at his fore, finally carries off this girl, the well-known daughter of mine... [1-68-8]
Usually this verse gives meaning that 'two of your valorous sons won Seetha...' because of the usage of plural number viiraiH putrakaiH But this is counted as 'royal we' sort of expression to honour Rama. Hence this ka pratyaya, though used in the verse, will be read as singular. There is another shade of wording for this verse: seyam mama sutaa raajan vishvaamitrsya shaashanaat | puriim imaam samaagatya tava pureNa nirjitaa || which uses only singular for Rama.
tat ca ratnam dhanur divyam madhye bhagnam mahaatmanaa |
raameNa hi mahaabaaho mahatyaam jana saMsadi || 1-68-9
9. mahaa baahuH = oh, highly dextrous - king Dasharatha; divyam = divine [bow]; tat dhanuH ratnam ca = that, bow, gem of a, also; mahatyaam jana samsadi = a grand, peoples, assembly; mahaa aatmanaa raameNa = by noble-souled, Rama; madhye bhagnam = in central point, wrecked.
" 'Also, oh, highly dextrous king Dasharatha, noble souled Rama wrecked that divine bow, which is a gem of a bow among bows, at its central point before a grand assembly of people... [1-68-9]
asmai deyaa mayaa siitaa viirya shulkaa mahaatmane |
pratij~naam tartum icChaami tat anuj~naatum ar.hhasi || 1-68-10
10. viirya shulkaa siitaa = bravery's, bounty, Seetha; asmai mahaatmane = to him, to noble souled [Rama]; mayaa deyaa = by me, is to be given; pratij~naam = solemn promise; tartum = to swim over - to keep up; icChaami = I wish to; tat anuj~naatum arhasi = as suh, to give consent, apt of you.
" 'Seetha is the bounty for bravery and I shall have to afford her to the noble-souled Rama, as such it will be apt of you to give your consent as I wish to keep up my solemn promise... [1-68-10]
sa upaadhyaayo mahaaraaja purohita puraskR^itaH |
shiighram aagacCha bhadram te draShTum ar.hhasi raaghavau || 1-68-11
11. mahaaraaja = oh, great emperor; sa upaadhyaayaH = with, teachers; purohita puraskR^itaH = with priest [namely Vashishta,] keeping ahead; shiighram aagacCha = apace, you come; te bhadram = safe betides, you; raaghavau draSTum arhasi = at both Raghava-s, [Rama and Lakshmana,] to take a look, apt of you.
" 'Keeping your royal priest Vashishta and other teachers ahead of you, oh, great emperor, I wish you to come apace, let safe betide you, for it will be apt of you to take a look at your ennobled son Rama, and Lakshmana, too... [1-68-11]
pratij~naam mama raajendra nirvar.htayitum ar.hhasi |
putrayoH ubhayoH eva priitim tvam api lapsyase || 1-68-12
12. raajendra = oh, king, the best; mama pratij~naam nirvartayitum arhasi = my, solemn promise, to [make it] maintainable, apt of you; tvam api = you, even; [dR^itvaa = on your seeing]; ubhayoH putrayoH eva = both, from sons, that way; priitim = delight; upalapsyase = you, derive.
" 'It will be apt of you to make my solemn promise maintainable, and that way you will derive delight on seeing both of your sons...' [1-68-12]
'by the by, you will also derive delight in seeing Seetha, for she is also a hyphenated daughter of yours, sutascha sutaa ca tayoH eka sheSaH... with another suffix, in-law...'
evam videha adhipatiH madhuram vaakyam abraviit |
vishvaamitra abhyanuj~naataH shataaananda mate sthitaH || 1-68-13
13. videha adhipatiH = Videha's, sovereign; vishvaamitra abhyanuj~naataH = by Vishvamitra, consentient to [the proposal]; shataaananda mate sthitaH = Sage Shataananda, in counsel, abiding by; evam = in this way; madhuram vaakyam abraviit = sweet [endearing,] words, said - and paused.
"Thus the sovereign of Videha kingdom said these endearing words, abiding by the counsel of Sage Shataananda, and Sage Vishvamitra is also consentient to the proposal..." Thus the envoys conveyed the proposal and paused. [1-68-13]
duuta vaakyam tu tat shrutvaa raajaa parama harShitaH |
vasiShTham vaamadevam ca maMtriNaH ca evam abraviit || 1-68-14
14. raajaa = king - Dasharatha; tat duuta vaakyam shrutvaa = that [word of delegate, word [message,], on hearing; parama harSitaH = highly, gladdened; vasiSTham vaamadevam ca = to Vashishta, to Vaamadeva, also; mantriNaH ca = to [other] ministers, as well; evam abraviit = this way, said.
King Dasharatha is highly gladdened on hearing that message from the delegates, and said this way to Vashishta, Vaamadeva, and to his other ministers, as well. [1-68-14]
guptaH kushika putreNa kausalya aananda vardhanaH |
lakShmaNena saha bhraatraa videheShu vasati asau || 1-68-15
15. asau = that [boy] - Rama; kausalya aananda vardhanaH = Kausalya's, rejoice, enhancer; kushika putreNa guptaH = by Kushika's, son [Vishvamitra,] taken care; bhraatraa lakSmaNena saha = brother, Lakshmana, along with; videheSu vasati = in Videha [kingdom,] he is living - he is stopping over.
"This one Rama, the enhancer of Kausalya's rejoice, is stopping over at Videha kingdom along with his brother Lakshmana, and Vishvamitra is taking care of both these boys... [1-68-15]
dR^iShTa viiryaH tu kaakutstho janakena mahaatmanaa |
saMpradaanam sutaayaaH tu raaghave kartum icChati || 1-68-16
16. kaakutsthaH = of Kakutstha Rama - on his part; mahaatmanaa janakena dR^iSTa viiryaH = by noble-souled, by Janaka, one whose valour has been observed [on observing Rama's valour]; that Janaka; sutaayaaH sampradaanam = of daughter, gift of bride; raaghave kartum icChati = in respect of Raghava, to do, he wishes.
"On observing the valour of Kakutstha Rama, noble souled Janaka wishes to gift his daughter as bride to Raghava Rama... [1-68-16]
yadi vo rocate vR^ittam janakasya mahaatmanaH |
puriim gacChaamahe shiighram maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH || 1-68-17
17. mahaatmanaH janakasya vR^ittam = noble-souled, Janaka's, what has happened to - surprised assent to give daughter; vaH rocate yadi = to you, interested, if; shiighram puriim gacChaamahe = quickly, to city [Mithila,] we proceed; kaalasya paryayaH maa bhuut = time's, lapse, let not, happen.
"If you all favour the tidings from the noble-souled Janaka as to what has happened in Mithila, we quickly proceed to that city, let not the time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha informed his counsel. [1-68-17]
The word vR^ittam 'happening' 'history' and it is generally translated as 'the history, legend, and the familial characteristics of Janaka...' But when Janaka already is famous through the bow of Shiva, and that bow itself is broken now, no more 'verification of antecedents' of Janaka is needed, and it is 'what has happened now' i.e., the impossible deed of breaking it.
maMtriNo baaDham iti aahuH saha sarvaiH mahar.hShibhiH |
su priitaH ca abraviit raajaa shvaH yaatraa iti ca maMtriNaH || 1-68-18
18. sarvaiH maha rSibhiH saha mantriNaH = with, all, great sages, ministers; baaDham iti aahuH = 'most welcome', thus, they said; su priitaH raajaa = highly, pleased, king; shvaH yaatraa iti = tomorrow, is the travel, thus; mantriNaH abraviit = to ministers, said.
The ministers along with all of the great sages said in consonance, "Most Welcome..." and then that highly pleased king Dasharatha said to the ministers, "we travel tomorrow..." [1-68-18]
maMtriNaH tu narendrasya raatrim parama satkR^itaaH |
uuShuH pramuditaaH sarve guNaiH sarvaiH samanvitaaH || 1-68-19
19. sarvaiH guNaiH samanvitaaH = with all, talents, gifted with; narendrasya mantriNaH = of king [Janaka,] ministers; on their part; parama sat kR^itaaH = given grateful hospitality; pramuditaaH = over joyed; sarve raatrim uuSuH = all, that night, they dwelled - in Ayodhya.
The ministers of king Janaka who are gifted with all talents are given grateful hospitality by Dasharatha, and they all dwelt that night in Ayodhya, overjoyed at the successful completion of their august legatine, called sIta kalyANam... [1-68-19]
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iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe aShTa ShaShTitamaH sargaH
© April, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : January 05]