Uttara Kanda, Sarga 90

तथोक्तवति रामे तु तस्य जन्म तदद्भुतम् । उवाच लक्ष्मणो भूयो भरतश्च महायशाः ।। 7.90.1 ।।

tathoktavati rāme tu tasya janma tadadbhutam | uvāca lakṣmaṇo bhūyo bharataśca mahāyaśāḥ || 7.90.1 ||

When Rama had thus spoken about that wonderful birth of Pururavas, Lakshmana and the highly renowned Bharata spoke again.

इला सा सोमपुत्रस्य संवत्सरमथोषिता । अकरोत्किं नरश्रेष्ठ तत्त्वं शंसितुमर्हसि ।। 7.90.2 ।।

ilā sā somaputrasya saṃvatsaramathoṣitā | akarotkiṃ naraśreṣṭha tattvaṃ śaṃsitumarhasi || 7.90.2 ||

O best of men, you ought to tell us the truth about what Ila did after she resided with Budha, the son of Soma, for a year.

तयोस्तद्वाक्यमाधुर्यं निशम्य परिपृच्छतोः । रामः पुनरुवाचेमां प्रजापतिसुते कथाम् ।। 7.90.3 ।।

tayostadvākyamādhuryaṃ niśamya paripṛcchatoḥ | rāmaḥ punaruvācemāṃ prajāpatisute kathām || 7.90.3 ||

Having heard the sweet words of those two who were questioning, Rama again told this story, O daughter of Prajapati.

पुरुषत्वं गते शूरे बुधः परमबुद्धिमान् । संवर्तं परमोदारमाजुहाव महायशाः ।। 7.90.4 ।।

puruṣatvaṃ gate śūre budhaḥ paramabuddhimān | saṃvartaṃ paramodāramājuhāva mahāyaśāḥ || 7.90.4 ||

When the brave one (Ila/Sudyumna) attained manhood, the highly renowned and extremely intelligent Budha invited the exceedingly generous sage Samvarta.

च्यवनं भृगुपुत्रं च मुनिं चारिष्टनेमिनम् । प्रमोदनं मोदकरं ततो दुर्वाससं मुनिम् ।। 7.90.5 ।।

cyavanaṃ bhṛguputraṃ ca muniṃ cāriṣṭaneminam | pramodanaṃ modakaraṃ tato durvāsasaṃ munim || 7.90.5 ||

He also invited Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, the sage Arishtanemi, Pramodana who brings joy, and then the sage Durvasas.

एतान्सर्वान्समानीय वाक्यज्ञस्तत्त्वदर्शनः । उवाच सर्वान्सुहृदो धैर्येण सुसमाहितान् ।। 7.90.6 ।।

etānsarvānsamānīya vākyajñastattvadarśanaḥ | uvāca sarvānsuhṛdo dhairyeṇa susamāhitān || 7.90.6 ||

Having gathered all these, the eloquent and perceptive Budha spoke to all his well-composed friends with patience.

अयं राजा महाबाहुः कर्दमस्य इलः सुतः । जानीतैनं यथाभूतं श्रेयो ह्यत्र विधीयताम् ।। 7.90.7 ।।

ayaṃ rājā mahābāhuḥ kardamasya ilaḥ sutaḥ | jānītainaṃ yathābhūtaṃ śreyo hyatra vidhīyatām || 7.90.7 ||

He said, "This mighty-armed king, Ila, is the son of Kardama; know him as he truly is, and indeed, let his welfare be ensured in this matter."

तेषां संवदतामेव तमाश्रममुपागमत् । कर्दमस्तु महातेजा द्विजैः सह महात्मभिः ।। 7.90.8 ।।

teṣāṃ saṃvadatāmeva tamāśramamupāgamat | kardamastu mahātejā dvijaiḥ saha mahātmabhiḥ || 7.90.8 ||

Just as they were conversing, the greatly refulgent Kardama approached that hermitage along with other great-souled brahmins.

पुलस्त्यश्च क्रतुश्चैव वषट्कारस्तथैव च । ओङ्कारश्च महातेजास्तमाश्रममुपागमत् ।। 7.90.9 ।।

pulastyaśca kratuścaiva vaṣaṭkārastathaiva ca | oṅkāraśca mahātejāstamāśramamupāgamat || 7.90.9 ||

Pulastya, Kratu, Vaṣaṭkāra, and the greatly effulgent Oṅkāra also similarly approached that hermitage.

ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसः परस्परसमागमे । हितैषिणो बाल्हिपतेः पृथग्वाक्यान्यथाब्रुवन् ।। 7.90.10 ।।

te sarve hṛṣṭamanasaḥ parasparasamāgame | hitaiṣiṇo bālhipateḥ pṛthagvākyānyathābruvan || 7.90.10 ||

All of them, delighted at their mutual meeting and being well-wishers of the king of Bālhika, then spoke different words.

कर्दमस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुतार्थं परमं हितम् । द्विजाः शृणुत मद्वाक्यं यच्छ्रेयः पार्थिवस्य हि ।। 7.90.11 ।।

kardamastvabravīdvākyaṃ sutārthaṃ paramaṃ hitam | dvijāḥ śṛṇuta madvākyaṃ yacchreyaḥ pārthivasya hi || 7.90.11 ||

Kardama then spoke words that were supremely beneficial for the sake of a son, saying, "O brahmins, listen to my words which are indeed for the welfare of the king."

नान्यं पश्यामि भैषज्यमन्तरा वृषभध्वजम् । नाश्वमेधात्परो यज्ञः प्रियश्चैव महात्मनः । तस्माद्यजामहे सर्वे पार्थिवार्थे दुरासदम् ।। 7.90.12 ।।

nānyaṃ paśyāmi bhaiṣajyamantarā vṛṣabhadhvajam | nāśvamedhātparo yajñaḥ priyaścaiva mahātmanaḥ | tasmādyajāmahe sarve pārthivārthe durāsadam || 7.90.12 ||

I see no other remedy except Lord Shiva, and there is no sacrifice superior to the Ashvamedha, which is indeed dear to the great-souled one; therefore, let us all perform the formidable Ashvamedha sacrifice for the sake of the king.

कर्दमेनैवमुक्तास्तु सर्व एव द्विजर्षभाः । रोचयन्ति स्म तं यज्ञं रुद्रस्याराधनं प्रति ।। 7.90.13 ।।

kardamenaivamuktāstu sarva eva dvijarṣabhāḥ | rocayanti sma taṃ yajñaṃ rudrasyārādhanaṃ prati || 7.90.13 ||

All the eminent Brahmins, thus addressed by Kardama, approved of that sacrifice intended for the worship of Rudra.

संवर्तस्य तु राजर्षेः शिष्यः पुरपुरञ्जयः । मरुत्त इति विख्यातस्तं यज्ञं समुपाहरत् ।। 7.90.14 ।।

saṃvartasya tu rājarṣeḥ śiṣyaḥ purapurañjayaḥ | marutta iti vikhyātastaṃ yajñaṃ samupāharat || 7.90.14 ||

The renowned Marutta, a disciple of the royal sage Samvarta and a conqueror of cities, then performed that sacrifice.

ततो यज्ञो महानासीद्बुधाश्रमसमीपतः । रुद्रश्च परमं तोषमाजगाम महायशाः ।। 7.90.15 ।।

tato yajño mahānāsīdbudhāśramasamīpataḥ | rudraśca paramaṃ toṣamājagāma mahāyaśāḥ || 7.90.15 ||

A great sacrifice then took place near Budha's hermitage, and the highly renowned Rudra attained supreme satisfaction.

अथ यज्ञे समाप्ते तु प्रीतः परमया मुदा । उमापतिर्द्विजान्सर्वानुवाच इलसन्निधौ ।। 7.90.16 ।।

atha yajñe samāpte tu prītaḥ paramayā mudā | umāpatirdvijānsarvānuvāca ilasannidhau || 7.90.16 ||

Then, when the sacrifice was concluded, the lord of Uma, pleased and filled with supreme joy, addressed all the brahmins there in Ila's presence.

प्रीतो ऽस्मि हयमेधेन भक्त्या च द्विजसत्तमाः । अस्य बाह्लिपतेश्चैव किं करोमि प्रियं शुभम् ।। 7.90.17 ।।

prīto 'smi hayamedhena bhaktyā ca dvijasattamāḥ | asya bāhlipateścaiva kiṃ karomi priyaṃ śubham || 7.90.17 ||

Rudra declared, "O best among Brahmins, I am pleased by this horse sacrifice and by your devotion; what pleasing and auspicious thing shall I do for this lord of Bahlika?"

तथा वदति देवेशे द्विजास्ते सुसमाहिताः । प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं यथा स्यात्पुरुषस्त्विला ।। 7.90.18 ।।

tathā vadati deveśe dvijāste susamāhitāḥ | prasādayanti deveśaṃ yathā syātpuruṣastvilā || 7.90.18 ||

When the lord of gods spoke thus, those attentive Brahmins propitiated him so that Ila might indeed become a man again.

ततः प्रीतो महादेवः पुरुषत्वं ददौ पुनः । इलायै सुमहातेजा दत्त्वा चान्तरधीयत ।। 7.90.19 ।।

tataḥ prīto mahādevaḥ puruṣatvaṃ dadau punaḥ | ilāyai sumahātejā dattvā cāntaradhīyata || 7.90.19 ||

Then, the greatly effulgent Mahadeva, being pleased, restored Ila to manhood, and having done so, he disappeared.

निवृत्ते हयमेधे च गतश्चादर्शनं हरः । यथागतं द्विजाः सर्वे ह्यगच्छन्दीर्घदर्शिनः ।। 7.90.20 ।।

nivṛtte hayamedhe ca gataścādarśanaṃ haraḥ | yathāgataṃ dvijāḥ sarve hyagacchandīrghadarśinaḥ || 7.90.20 ||

After the horse sacrifice was concluded, Hara disappeared, and all the wise Brahmins returned to their respective places as they had come.

राजा तु बाह्लिमुत्सृज्य मध्यदेशे ह्यनुत्तमम् । निवेशयामास पुरं प्रतिष्ठानं यशस्करम् ।। 7.90.21 ।।

rājā tu bāhlimutsṛjya madhyadeśe hyanuttamam | niveśayāmāsa puraṃ pratiṣṭhānaṃ yaśaskaram || 7.90.21 ||

But the king, having left Bahli, established the glorious and unsurpassed city of Pratishthana in the central region.

शशबिन्दुश्च राजर्षिर्बाह्लिं पुरपुरञ्जयः । प्रतिष्ठाने इलो राजा प्रजापतिसुतो बली ।। 7.90.22 ।।

śaśabinduśca rājarṣirbāhliṃ purapurañjayaḥ | pratiṣṭhāne ilo rājā prajāpatisuto balī || 7.90.22 ||

The royal sage Shashabindu, a conqueror of cities, ruled Bahli, while the powerful King Ila, son of Prajapati, ruled in Pratishthana.

स काले प्राप्तवाँल्लोकमिलो ब्राह्ममनुत्तमम् । ऐलः पुरूरवा राजा प्रतिष्ठानमवाप्तवान् ।। 7.90.23 ।।

sa kāle prāptavāँllokamilo brāhmamanuttamam | ailaḥ purūravā rājā pratiṣṭhānamavāptavān || 7.90.23 ||

In due course, King Ila attained the unsurpassed divine realm of Brahma, and his son, King Pururava Aila, then obtained Pratishthana.

ईदृशो ह्यश्वमेधस्य प्रभावः पुरुषर्षभौ । स्त्रीभूतः पौरुषं लेभे यच्चान्यदपि दुर्लभम् ।। 7.90.24 ।।

īdṛśo hyaśvamedhasya prabhāvaḥ puruṣarṣabhau | strībhūtaḥ pauruṣaṃ lebhe yaccānyadapi durlabham || 7.90.24 ||

Indeed, such is the power of the Ashwamedha sacrifice, O best among men, that one who had become a woman regained manhood and obtained other things that are difficult to achieve. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे नवतितमः सर्गः ।। 90 ।। Thus ends the ninetieth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.