Bala Kanda, Sarga 12

तत: काले बहुतिथे कस्मिंश्चित्सुमनोहरे। वसन्ते समनुप्राप्ते राज्ञो यष्टुं मनोऽभवत्।।1.12.1।।

tata: kāle bahutithe kasmiṃścitsumanohare| vasante samanuprāpte rājño yaṣṭuṃ mano'bhavat

After a long time, at the advent of charming spring a desire arose in the mind of the king (Dasaratha) to perform the sacrifice.

तत: प्रसाद्य शिरसा तं विप्रं देववर्णिनम्। यज्ञाय वरयामास सन्तानार्थं कुलस्य वै।।1.12.2।।

tata: prasādya śirasā taṃ vipraṃ devavarṇinam| yajñāya varayāmāsa santānārthaṃ kulasya vai

Then bowing his head in respect to that brahmin who was effulgent like a celestial and having won his grace he chose him to conduct a sacrifice for a son for (the continuity of) his dynasty.

तथेति च स राजानमुवाच च सुसत्कृत:। सम्भारा सम्भ्रियन्तां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम्।।1.12.3।।

tatheti ca sa rājānamuvāca ca susatkṛta:| sambhārā sambhriyantāṃ te turagaśca vimucyatām

The wellhonoured brahmin agreed, saying, "Be it so, let the requisite materials be procured and the sacificial horse, released".

ततो राजाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्। सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रं ऋत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिन:।।1.12.4।। सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम्। पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमा:।।1.12.5।।

tato rājā'bravīdvākyaṃ sumantraṃ mantrisattamam| sumantrāvāhaya kṣipraṃ ṛtvijo brahmavādina: suyajñaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālimatha kāśyapam| purohitaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca ye cānye dvijasattamā:

Thereafter the king said to Sumantra, "Summon immediately, Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali and Kasyapa, family priest Vasishta and other foremost and learned brahmins who are the official priests wellversed in the Vedas".

ततो राजाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्। सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रं ऋत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिन:।।1.12.4।। सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम्। पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमा:।।1.12.5।।

tato rājā'bravīdvākyaṃ sumantraṃ mantrisattamam| sumantrāvāhaya kṣipraṃ ṛtvijo brahmavādina: suyajñaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālimatha kāśyapam| purohitaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca ye cānye dvijasattamā:

Thereafter the king said to Sumantra, "Summon immediately, Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali and Kasyapa, family priest Vasishta and other foremost and learned brahmins who are the official priests wellversed in the Vedas".

ततस्सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितं गत्वा त्वरितविक्रम:। समानयत्स तान्विप्रान् समस्तान्वेदपारगान्।।1.12.6।।

tatassumantrastvaritaṃ gatvā tvaritavikrama:| samānayatsa tānviprān samastānvedapāragān

Then Sumantra, a man of smart movement went immediately and brought all those brahmins who were wellversed in the Vedas.

तान्पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथस्तदा। धर्मार्थसहितं युक्तं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत्।।1.12.7।।

tānpūjayitvā dharmātmā rājā daśarathastadā| dharmārthasahitaṃ yuktaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanamabravīt

After paying respect to them (learned brahmins), virtuous king Dasaratha graciously uttered these words charged with dharma and artha.

मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम्। तदर्थं हयमेधेन यक्ष्यामीति मतिर्मम।।1.12.8।।

mama lālapyamānasya putrārthaṃ nāsti vai sukham| tadarthaṃ hayamedhena yakṣyāmīti matirmama

"There is no happiness for me. I am overwhelmed with grief as I have no son. Therefore, I intend to perform a horsesacrifice.

तदहं यष्टुमिच्छामि शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा। ऋषिपुत्रप्रभावेन कामान्प्राप्स्यामि चाप्यहम्।।1.12.9।।

tadahaṃ yaṣṭumicchāmi śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā| ṛṣiputraprabhāvena kāmānprāpsyāmi cāpyaham

I wish to perform the yaga acording to scriptural procedures. And I will have my desire fulfilled by the grace of the sage (Rsyasringa)".

ततस्साध्विति तद्वाक्यं ब्राह्मणा: प्रत्यपूजयन्। वसिष्ठप्रमुखास्सर्वे पार्थिवस्य मुखाच्च्युतम्।।1.12.10।।

tatassādhviti tadvākyaṃ brāhmaṇā: pratyapūjayan| vasiṣṭhapramukhāssarve pārthivasya mukhāccyutam

When they heard these words from the king's month, those brahmins heades by Vasishta extolled the king's decision exclaiming, "wellsaid":

ऋष्यशृङ्गपुरोगाश्च प्रत्यूचुर्नृपतिं तदा। सम्भारास्सम्भ्रियन्तां ते तुरगश्च विमुच्यताम्।।1.12.11।।

ṛṣyaśṛṅgapurogāśca pratyūcurnṛpatiṃ tadā| sambhārāssambhriyantāṃ te turagaśca vimucyatām

The priests led by Rsyasringa replied to the king, saying, "Let the sacrificial articles be procured and your sacrificial horse released."

सर्वथा प्राप्स्यसे पुत्रांश्चत्वारोऽमितविक्रमान्। यस्य ते धार्मिकी बुद्धिरियं पुत्रार्थमागता ।।1.12.12।।

sarvathā prāpsyase putrāṃścatvāro'mitavikramān| yasya te dhārmikī buddhiriyaṃ putrārthamāgatā

"Since this righteous thought for begetting children has entered your mind, you shall surely get four sons of immense prowess".

तत: प्रीतोऽभवद्राजा श्रुत्वा तद्विजभाषितम्। अमात्यांश्चाब्रवीद्राजा हर्षेणेदं शुभाक्षरम्।।1.12.13।।

tata: prīto'bhavadrājā śrutvā tadvijabhāṣitam| amātyāṃścābravīdrājā harṣeṇedaṃ śubhākṣaram

Pleased to hear the brahmins' words, the king happily addressed his ministers with auspicious words:

गुरूणां वचनाच्छीघ्रं सम्भारास्सम्भ्रियन्तु मे। समर्थाधिष्ठितश्चाश्वस्सोपाध्यायो विमुच्यताम्।।1.12.14।।

gurūṇāṃ vacanācchīghraṃ sambhārāssambhriyantu me| samarthādhiṣṭhitaścāśvassopādhyāyo vimucyatām

"In accordance with the instructions by my spiritual preceptors let the articles (required for performing the sacrifice) be procured and the horse released under the protection of warriors accompanied by the chief priest".

सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम्। शान्तयश्चाभिवर्धन्तां यथाकल्पं यथाविधि।।1.12.15।।

sarayvāścottare tīre yajñabhūmirvidhīyatām| śāntayaścābhivardhantāṃ yathākalpaṃ yathāvidhi

Let a sacrificial pavillion be constructed on the northern bank of Sarayu according to prescribed methods ordained in the 'kalpa' and other scriptures for the uninterrupted completion of the sacrifice.

शक्य: प्राप्तुमयं यज्ञस्सर्वेणापि महीक्षिता। नापराधो भवेत्कष्टो यद्यस्मिन्क्रतुसत्तमे।।1.12.16।।

śakya: prāptumayaṃ yajñassarveṇāpi mahīkṣitā| nāparādho bhavetkaṣṭo yadyasminkratusattame

If in this best of sacrifices aswamedha, obstructions and omissions do not occur it will be possible for the king to get the results.

छिद्रं हि मृगयन्तेऽत्र विद्वांसो ब्रह्मराक्षसा:। निहतस्य च यज्ञस्य सद्य: कर्ता विनश्यति।।1.12.17।।

chidraṃ hi mṛgayante'tra vidvāṃso brahmarākṣasā:| nihatasya ca yajñasya sadya: kartā vinaśyati

The learned brahmarakshasas always look out for flaws in the sacrifice so that they can strike into it. If the sacrifice is damaged, the doer of the sacrifice will be immediately destroyed.

तद्यथा विधिपूर्वं मे क्रतुरेष समाप्यते। तथा विधानं क्रियतां समर्था: करणेष्विह।।1.12.18।।

tadyathā vidhipūrvaṃ me kratureṣa samāpyate| tathā vidhānaṃ kriyatāṃ samarthā: karaṇeṣviha

Therefore let the arrangements be made in a manner by which this sacifice is completed in accordance with the prescriptions in scriptures and you are experts in doing so".

तथेति च ततस्सर्वे मन्त्रिण: प्रत्यपूजयन्। पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तद्वाक्यं यथाज्ञप्तमकुर्वत।।1.12.19।।

tatheti ca tatassarve mantriṇa: pratyapūjayan| pārthivendrasya tadvākyaṃ yathājñaptamakurvata

Honouring the words of the king, all the ministers did as ordered.

ततो द्विजास्ते धर्मज्ञमस्तुवन्पार्थिवर्षभम्। अनुज्ञातास्ततस्सर्वे पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम्।।1.12.20।।

tato dvijāste dharmajñamastuvanpārthivarṣabham| anujñātāstatassarve punarjagmuryathāgatam

Admiring the great king, the knower of righteousness, the brahmins permitted by him returned to their places as they had some.

गतेष्वथ द्विजाग्य्रेषु मन्त्रिणस्तान्नराधिप:। विसर्जयित्वा स्वं वेश्म प्रविवेश महाद्युति:।।1.12.21।।

gateṣvatha dvijāgyreṣu mantriṇastānnarādhipa:| visarjayitvā svaṃ veśma praviveśa mahādyuti:

When the great brahmins departed, the glorious king (Dasaratha) sent away his ministers and entered his palace. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे द्वादशस्सर्ग:।।2 Thus ends the twelfth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.