भूय एव हि राजेन्द्र शृणु मे वचनं हितम्। यथा स देवप्रवरः कथयामास बुद्धिमान्॥
And he said again, O foremost of monarchs, do you listen to me as I relate how that intelligent Sanatkumāra, best of deities, spoke.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातो भविष्यति सुधार्मिकः। नाम्ना दशरथो राजा श्रीमान् सत्यप्रतिश्रवः॥
In the line of Ikşvāku will be born a righteous king, named Dasaratha, fair of form, and firm in promise.
अङ्गराजेन सख्यं च तस्य राज्ञो भविष्यति। कन्या चास्य महाभागा शान्ता नाम भविष्यति॥ पुत्रस्त्वङ्गस्य. राज्ञस्तु रोमपाद इति श्रुतः। तं स राजा दशरथो गमिष्यति महायशाः।४।। अनपत्योऽस्मि धर्मात्मन्शान्ताभर्ता मम क्रतुम्। आहरेत त्वयाऽऽज्ञप्त: संतानार्थे कुलस्य च ॥
That king will contract friendship with the ruler of the Angas. And the latter will have a highly pious daughter, śāntā by name. And the (old) king of the Angas will have a son, named Romapāda. And repairing to him, the highly famous king Dasaratha will speak to Romapada, O righteous-souled one! I am without issue. Let śāntā's husband, desired by you, take charge of this sacrifice of mine, to be celebrated with the object of my obtaining a son to perpetuate the race.
श्रुत्वा राज्ञोऽथ तद्वाक्यं मनसा स विचिन्त्य च। प्रदास्यते पुत्रवन्तं शान्ताभर्तारमात्मवान्॥
Hearing these words of the king, and having pondered well, he will make over to him Rsyasînga of subdued senses, together with Santa and his children.
प्रतिगृह्य च तं विप्रं स राजा विगतज्वरः। आहरिष्यति तं यज्ञं प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ॥
And taking that Vipra, that king, his mind free from anxiety, with a glad heart, will prepare for that sacrifice.
तं च राजा दशरथो यशस्कामः कृताञ्जलिः। ऋष्यशृङ्ग द्विजश्रेष्ठं वरयिष्यति धर्मवित्॥ यज्ञार्थं प्रसवार्थं च स्वर्गार्थं च नरेश्वरः। लभते च स तं कामं द्विजमुख्याद् विशांपतिः॥
And king Dasaratha, knowing duty and desirous of fame, with the intention of obtaining offspring and heaven, with folded hands, will appoint that best of Brahmanas, Rsyasriga, to conduct the ceremony. And that bringer of good will attain his object at the hands of that foremost of Brāhmaṇas.
पुत्राश्चास्य भविष्यन्ति चत्वारोऽमितविक्रमाः। वंशप्रतिष्ठानकराः सर्वभूतेषु विश्रुताः॥ एवं स देवप्रवरः पूर्वं कथितवान् कथाम्। सनत्कुमारो भगवान् पुरा देवयुगे प्रभुः॥
And four sons will be born to him of immeasurable prowess, bringing fame to the family, and known by all.' Thus spoke formerly in the divine age, that worshipful and foremost of deities, Sanatkumāra.
स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल समानय सुसत्कृतम्। स्वयमेव महाराज गत्वा सबलवाहनः॥
Therefore, do you, O tiger among men, repairing there, accompanied with your forces and equipage, yourself, O mighty king, bring Rşyasſrga over with due honours.
सुमन्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हृष्टो दशरथोऽभवत्। अनुमान्य वसिष्ठं च सूतवाक्यं निशाम्य च॥ सान्तःपुरः सहामात्यः प्रययौ यत्र स द्विजः।
Hearing Sumantra's words, Dasaratha was exceedingly delighted. And hearing these words, and permitted by Vasistha, he, accompanied with the ladies, and his courtiers, set out for the place where that twice-born one was.
वनानि सरितश्चैव व्यतिक्रम्य शनैः शनैः॥ भचक्राम तं देशं यत्र वै मुनिपुङ्गवः।
And gradually passing by woods and fells, he arrived at the place where that foremost of ascetics was.
आसाद्य तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं रोमपादसमीपगम्॥ ऋषिपुत्रं ददर्शाथो दीप्यमानमिवानलम्।
And coming before that best of regenerate ones, he saw that sage's son near Romapāda, like that of a flaming fire.
ततो राजा यथायोग्यं पूजां चक्रे विशेषतः॥ सखित्वात् तस्य वै राज्ञः प्रहष्टेनान्तरात्मना। रोमपादेन चाख्यातमृषिपुत्राय धीमते॥ सख्यं सम्बन्धकं चैव तदा तं प्रत्यपूजयत्।
Then the king received him respectfully, and with a delighted mind, on account of the friendship he bore him. He communicated to the intelligent son of the saint, the fact of their intimacy, and then the latter paid homage to Dasaratha.
एवं सुसत्कृतस्तेन सहोषित्वा नरर्षभः॥ सप्ताष्टदिवसान् राजा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। शान्ता तव सुता राजन् सह भर्ना विशाम्पते॥ मदीयं नगरं यातु कार्य हि महदुद्यतम्।
Having passed seven or eight days with Romapäda, receiving high honours, that foremost of men, Dasaratha spoke to Romapada,. saying, Let your daughter, O king, together with her husband, O lord of men, repair to my city. I am going to be engaged in a mighty enterprise.
तथेति राजा संश्रुत्य गमनं तस्य धीमतः॥ उवाच वचनं विप्रं गच्छ त्वं सह भार्यया। ऋषिपुत्रः प्रतिश्रुत्य तथेत्याह नृपं तदा॥
Hearing this as to the journey of that intelligent one, the king said to that Vipra, Do you repair with your wife! Thereupon the saint's son, promising to go, said to the king, So be it!
स नृपेणाभ्यनुज्ञातः प्रययौ सह भार्यया। तावन्योन्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा स्नेहात्संश्लिष्य चोरसा ॥ ननन्दतुर्दशरथो रोमपादश्च वीर्यवान्। ततः सुहृदमापृच्छ्य प्रस्थितो रघुनन्दनः॥
Then with the king's permission, he set out with his wife. Dasaratha and the puissant Romapāda clasping each other by the palm, and embracing each other in affection, attained excess. of joy. Then Raghu's son, bidding farewell to his friend, set out.
पौरेषु प्रेषयामास दूतान् वै शीघ्रगामिनः। क्रियतां नगरं सर्वं क्षिप्रमेव स्वलंकृतम्॥ धूपितं सिक्तसम्मृष्टं पताकाभिरलंकृतम्।
He despatched swift messengers to the citizens, saying, Let the entire city be embellished; let it be perfumed with dhupa, and watered and decked with pennons.
ततः प्रहृष्टाः पौरास्ते श्रुत्वा राजानमागतम्॥ तथा चक्रुश्च तत् सर्वं राज्ञा यत् प्रेषितं तदा।
Hearing of the king's approach, the citizens joyfully did every thing as per message they had been communicated.
ततः स्वलंकृतं राजा नगरं प्रविवेश ह॥ शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिहादैः पुरस्कृत्वा द्विजर्षभम्।
Then the monarch, preceded by the foremost of Brāhmanas before him, entered the decorated city, to the blares of conches and drums.
ततः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे दृष्ट्वा वै नागरा द्विजम् ॥ प्रवेश्यमानं सत्कृत्य नरेन्द्रणेन्द्रकर्मणा। यथा दिवि सुरेन्द्रेण सहस्राक्षेण काश्यपम्॥
And beholding that Brāhmaṇa entering the city, duly honoured by the prime of men; subservient to Indra, like to Kaśyapa's son entering the celestial regions honoured of the thousand eyed lord of the celestials, all the citizens rejoiced exceedingly.
अन्तःपुरं प्रवेश्यैनं पूजां कृत्वा च शास्त्रतः। कृतकृत्यं तदात्मानं मेने तस्योपवाहनात्॥
Then taking him into the inner apartment, and paying him homage according to the ordinance, the king considered himself as having gained his object, in consequence of the presence of that Brahmana.
अन्त:पुराणि सर्वाणि शान्तां दृष्ट्वा तथागताम्। सह भ; विशालाक्षीं प्रीत्यानन्दमुपागमन्॥
And all the inmates of the inner apartment, seeing the large-eyed Săntă thus arrived with her husband, experienced excess of joy.
पूज्यमाना तु ताभिः सा राज्ञा चैव विशेषतः। उवास तत्र सुखिता कञ्चित् कालं सहद्विजा ॥
Then honoured by them and the king in especial, she happily spent there some time along with that twice-born one.