Sloka & Translation

[ Accompanied by the army Dasaratha reaches Mithila Janaka honours him.]

tatō rātryāṅ vyatītāyāṅ sōpādhyāya: sabāndhava:.

rājā daśarathō hṛṣṭa ssumantramidamabravīt৷৷1.69.1৷৷

sōpādhyāya: accompanied by spiritual preceptors, sabāndhava: relations, rājā daśaratha: king Dasaratha, hṛṣṭa: highly pleased, tata: afterwards, rātryām when the night, vyatītāyām had passed, sumantram addressing Sumantra, idam this word, abravīt spoke.

With the passing of the night king Dasaratha, accompanied by spiritual preceptors and relatives said to Sumantra:

adya sarvē dhanādhyakṣā dhanamādāya puṣkalam.

vrajantvagrē suvihitā nānāratnasamanvitā:৷৷1.69.2৷৷

adya to-day, sarvē all, dhanādhyakṣā: officers of the treasury, puṣkalam abundance of, dhanam wealth, ādāya taking, nānāratnasamanvitā: furnished with a variety gems, suvihitā: well-prepared, agrē in advance, vrajantu may go.

"Let all the officers of the treasury furnished with enough wealth and a variety gems go in advance under escort.

caturaṅgabalaṅ cāpi śīghraṅ niryātu sarvaśa:.

mamajñāsamakālaṅ ca yānayugyamanuttamam৷৷1.69.3৷৷

mama my, ajñāsamakālam at command itself, caturaṅgabalam four divisions of the army, sarvaśa: from all the four quarters, niryātu many depart, anuttamam excelent, yānayugyam also chariots, palanquins (march out).

Let the four divisions of the army from all the four quarters with elegant palanquins
proceed at my command.

vasiṣṭhō vāmadēvaśca jābāliratha kāśyapa:.

mārkaṇḍēyaśca dīrghāyu:ṛṣi: kātyāyanastathā৷৷1.69.4৷৷

ētē dvijā: prayāntvagrē syandanaṅ yōjayasva mē.

yathā kālātyayō na syā ddūtā hi tvarayanti mām৷৷1.69.5৷৷

vasiṣṭha: Vasishta, vāmadēvaśca Vamadeva, atha also, jābāli: Jabali, kāśyapa: Kasyapa, dīrghāyu: endowed with long life, mārkaṇḍēyaśca Markandeya, tathā also, ṛṣi: kātyāyana: rishi Katyayana, ētē these, dvijā: brahmins, agrē in advance, prayāntu will go, mē my, syandanam chariot, yōjayasva be yoked, kālātyaya passage of time, yathā as, na syāt will not happen, dūtā: messengers, mām me, tvarayanti hi are hastening me up.

Let brahmins like Vasishta, Vamadeva, Jabali, Kasyapa, Markandeya endowed with long life, and rishi Katyayana depart in advance. My chariot be yoked and kept ready. Let there be no delay. The messengers (from Janaka) are hastening me up".

vacanāttu narēndrasya sā sēnā caturaṅgiṇī.

rājānamṛṣibhi ssārdhaṅ vrajantaṅ pṛṣṭhatō.nvagāt৷৷1.69.6৷৷

narēndrasya of Indra among kings, Dasaratha's, vacanāt by the command, caturaṅgiṇī having four divisions, sā that, sēnā army, ṛṣibhi: with sages, vrajantam while going, rājānam king Dasaratha, pṛṣṭhata: behind, anvagāt followed.

While the Indra among kings (Dasaratha) proceeded with the sages, the four divisions of the army followed them at the command of the king.

gatvā caturahaṅ mārgaṅ vidēhānabhyupēyivān.

rājā tu janaka śśrīmān śśrutvā pūjāmakalpayat৷৷1.69.7৷৷

caturaham to be covered in four days, mārgam that path, gatvā having passed, vidēhān country of Videhas, abhyupēyivān arrived, rājā king, śrīmān the auspicious, janaka: Janaka, śrutvā having heard, pūjām reverential hospitality, akalpayat made.

Covering the distance in four days, they arrived in the country of the Videhas. The fortunate king Janaka, having heard about these tidings, made arangements to extend to them reverential hospitality.

tatō rājānamāsādya vṛddhaṅ daśarathaṅ nṛpam.

janakō muditō rājā harṣaṅ ca paramaṅ yayau৷৷1.69.8৷৷

tata: afterwards, rājā King, mudita: immensely pleased, janaka: Janaka, nṛpam ruler of men, rājānam king, vṛddham aged, daśaratham Dasaratha, āsādya having approached, paramam great, harṣam delight, yayau obtained.

King Janaka approached the aged ruler of men, Dasaratha, and experienced great delight.

uvāca ca naraśrēṣṭhō naraśrēṣṭhaṅ mudā.nvita:.

svāgataṅ tē mahārāja diṣṭyā prāptō.si rāghava!৷৷1.69.9৷৷

putrayōrubhayō: prītiṅ lapsyasē vīryanirjitām.

naraśrēṣṭha: best of men, mudā with joy, anvita: filled, naraśrēṣṭham addressing the best of men Dasaratha, uvāca spoke, rāghava O! Descendant of Raghu, mahārāja O! Great king Dasaratha, tē to you, svāgatam welcome, diṣṭyā fortunately, prāpta: asi you have come, ubhayō: of the two, putrayō: sons', vīryanirjitām won through prowess, prītim pleasure, lapsyasē you will experience.

Filled with joy the best of men (Janaka) addreseed the best of men Dasaratha: "O Descendant of the Raghus, O Great king welcome! I am fortunate to have you, you will experience the pleasure of both your sons having won the reward for their prowess.

diṣṭyā prāptō mahātējā vasiṣṭhō bhagavānṛṣi:৷৷1.69.10৷৷

saha sarvairdvijaśrēṣṭhairdēvairiva śatakratu:.

mahātējā: highly lustrous, bhagavān adorable, ṛṣi: ascetic Vasishta, sarvai: all, dvijaśrēṣṭhai: (saha) with foremost of brahmins, dēvai: with devatas, śatakraturiva like Indra, diṣṭyā by the grace of god, prāpta: has come here.

Most brilliant and adorable ascetic Vasishta surrounded by the foremost of brahmins like Indra by the gods has also arrived by the grace of God.

diṣṭyā mē nirjitā vighnā diṣṭyā mē pūjitaṅ kulam৷৷1.69.11৷৷

rāghavai ssaha sambandhādvīryaśrēṣṭhairmahātmabhi:.

vīryaśrēṣṭhai: by the men who are distinguished because of prowess, mahātmabhi: by the great, rāghavai: saha along with Raghus, saṅbandhāt through the alliance, diṣṭyā mē by heaven's grace, mē vighnā: my impediments, nirjitā: have been overcome, diṣṭyā by the grace of god, kulam race, pūjitam honoured.

By the grace of god, I have overcome all impediments. By the grace of God my race has been honoured through alliance with the house of the Raghus distinguished by their valour.

śva: prabhātē narēndrēndra nirvartayitumarhasi৷৷1.69.12৷৷

yajñasyāntē naraśrēṣṭha vivāhamṛṣisammatam.

naraśrēṣṭha O! Foremost of men, narēndrēndra O! Best of kings, śva: tomorrow, prabhātē at dawn, yajñasya sacrifice's, antē completion of, ṛṣisammatam worthy of approval by sages, vivāham marriage, (ārṣavivāha) nirvartayitum to perform, arhasi it behoves of you.

O Foremost of men, O Best of kings, tomorrow at dawn after the completion of the sacrifice, you should perform the marriage with approval by the sages".

tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā ṛṣimadhyē narādhipa:৷৷1.69.13৷৷

vākyaṅ vākyavidāṅ śrēṣṭha: pratyuvāca mahīpatim.

vākyavidām among the knowledgeable men in words, śrēṣṭhaḥ (vara:) excellent, narādhipa: king, tasya his, tat vacanam those words, śrutvā having heard, ṛṣimadhyē amidst sages, mahīpatim addressing the king, vākyam words, pratyuvāca replied.

At these words, the most eloquent king (Dasaratha) made his reply in the midst of sages:

pratigrahō dātṛvaśa śśrṛtamētanmayā purā৷৷1.69.14৷৷

yathā vakṣyasi dharmajña tatkariṣyāmahē vayam.

pratigraha: acceptance of a gift, dātṛvaśa: as it may please the giver, ētat this one, purā formerly, mayā by me, śrutam heard, dharmajña O! Knower of righteousness, yathā whatever, vakṣyasi you may say, tat that, vayam we, kariṣyāmahē will perform.

"I have heard that acceptance of a gift from the righteous is a pleasure. So we will act upon your word".

dharmiṣṭhaṅ ca yaśasyaṅ ca vacanaṅ satyavādina:৷৷1.69.15৷৷

śrutvā vidēhādhipati: paraṅ vismayamāgata:৷৷

satyavādina: truth speaking Dasaratha's, dharmiṣṭham ca conforming to morality, yaśasyaṅ ca conducive to fame, vacanam words, śrutvā having listened, vidēhādhipati: Janaka, param extreme, vismayam admiration, āgata: filled with.

Janaka was filled with extreme admiration to hear one who was truthful, righteous and famous (this Dasaratha).

tata ssarvē munigaṇā: parasparasamāgamē.1.69.16.

harṣēṇa mahatā yuktāstāṅ niśāmavasan sukham৷৷

tata: afterwards, sarvē all, munigaṇā: hosts of sages, parasparasamāgamē in each other's company, mahatā by great, harṣēṇa delight, yuktā: filled with, tām that, niśām night, sukham comfortably, avasan lived.

Thereupon hosts of sages in one another's company, filled with great delight spent the night comfortably.

rājā ca rāghavau putrau niśāmya pariharṣita:৷৷1.69.17৷৷

uvāsa paramaprītō janakēna supūjita:.

rājā king Dasaratha, putrau sons, rāghavau Rama and Lakshmana, niśāmya on beholding them, pariharṣita: experienced supreme satisfaction, janakēna by Janaka, supūjita: well-honoured, paramaprīta: greatly delighted, uvāsa lived.

The king (Dasaratha) was greatly delighted on being reunited with his sons Rama and Lakshmana. Honoured by Janaka, he spent the night with supreme satisfaction.

janakō.pi mahātējā: kriyāṅ dharmēṇa tattvavit৷৷1.69.18৷৷

yajñasya ca sutābhyāṅ ca kṛtvā rātrimuvāsa ha .

mahātējā: highly splendrous, tattvavit knower of prescibed duty and conduct, janakō.pi Janaka also, yajñasya of sacrifice, sutābhyāṅ ca for both of his daughters, kriyām acts, kṛtvā having made, rātrim night, uvāsa ha lived.

Mighty philosopher Janaka also performed the sacrificial rites and spent the night (there where the sacrificial ceremony was performed) with both his daughters.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē ēkōnasaptatitamassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the sixtynineth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.