Bala Kanda: Chapter 74

अथ रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। आपृष्ट्वा तौ च राजानौ जगामोत्तरपर्वतम्॥
Then when the right had passed away, the mighty Muni Viśvāmitra, having greeted the monarchs, yet out for the Northern mountains.

विश्वामित्रे गते राजा वैदेहं मिथिलाधिपम्। आपृष्दैव जगामाशु राजा दशरथः पुरीम्॥
When Viśvāmitra had gone away, king Dasaratha, greeting Mithila's lord, Vaideha, actively prepared for setting out for his own capital.

अथ राजा विदेहानां ददौ कन्याधनं बहु। गवां शतसहस्राणि बहूनि मिथिलेश्वरः॥ कम्बलानां च मुख्यानां क्षौमान् कोट्यम्बराणि च। हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं दिव्यरूपं स्वलंकृतम्॥ ददौ कन्याशतं तासां दासीदासमनुत्तमम्। हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य मुक्तानां विद्रुमस्य च ॥
Then the king of the Videhas gave a dower consisting of various things. And Mithilā's lord gave many hundred thousands of kine, and excellent woollen stuffs, and Koțis of common cloths; and elephants, and horses, and cars, and footmen, as well as an hundred damsels adorned, endowed with elegance to form goodly waitingmaids. And well-pleased the king gave as a noble dower gold and silver and pearls and coral.

ददौ राजा सुसंहृष्टः कन्याधनमनुत्तमम्। दत्त्वा बहुविधं राजा समनुज्ञाप्य पार्थिवम्॥ प्रविवेश स्वनिलयं मिथिलां मिथिलेश्वरः। राजाप्ययोध्याधिपतिः सह पुत्रैर्महात्मभिः॥ ऋषीन् सर्वान् पुरस्कृत्य जगाम सबलानुगः।
Having given divers kinds of articles, that king, the lord of Mithila, bidding adieu to the monarch (Dasaratha), re-entered his own capital. And the master of Ayodhyā accompanied with his high-souled sons, and headed by the saints in a body, started on the journey, followed by his own army.

गच्छन्तं तु नरव्याघ्र सर्षिसङ्घ सराघवम्॥ घोरास्तु पक्षिणो वाचो व्याहरन्ति समन्ततः। भौमाश्चैव मृगाः सर्वे गच्छन्ति स्म प्रदक्षिणम्॥
As that tiger-like one was on his way, in company with Rāghava and the saints, the fowls began to utter frightful cries all around, and the beasts on earth to stream in a Southern direction.

तान् दृष्ट्वा राजशार्दूलो वसिष्ठं पर्यपृच्छत। असौम्याः पक्षिणो घोरा मृगाश्चापि प्रदक्षिणाः॥ किमिदं हृदयोत्कम्पि मनो मम विषीदति।
Beholding them, that tiger-like monarch asked Vasistha, saying, Those birds of fierce aspects emit frightful cries and beasts stream in a Southerly direction. What is this? My heart tremble and my mind is not at ease.

राज्ञो दशरथस्यैतच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं महानृषिः॥ उवाच मधुरां वाणी श्रूयतामस्य यत् फलम्। उपस्थितं भयं घोरं दिव्यं पक्षिमुखाच्च्युतम्॥ मृगाः प्रशमयन्त्येते संतापस्त्यज्यतामयम्।
Hearing the speech of king Dasaratha, that mighty saint spoke sweetly, saying, 'These fowls of the air by their cries presage some dreadful impending evil; but these beasts betoken peace restored. Therefore do you renounce anxiety'

तेषां: संवदतां तत्र वायुः प्रादुर्बभूव ह॥ कम्पयन् मेदिनी सर्वां पातयंश्च महादुमान्। तमसा संवृतः सूर्यः सर्वे नावेदिषुर्दिशः॥ भस्मना चावृतं सर्वं सम्मूढमिव तद्बलम्।
As they were thus conversing, there blew a strong wind; and all the earth began to speak; and the trees to topple down. And a deep gloom enveloped the sun; and no quarter could be discovered. And enveloped in ashes, that host became stupefied.

वसिष्ठ ऋषयश्चान्ये राजा च ससुतस्तदा॥ ससंज्ञा इव तत्रासन् सर्वमन्यद्विचेतनम्। तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमूः॥
At that dreadful hour, Vasiştha and the other saints and the king alone retained their senses, all else were deprived of their senses, and the army was enveloped with ashes.

ददर्श भीमसंकाशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्येयं राजा राजविमर्दनम्॥ कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुःसहम्। ज्वलन्तमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनैः॥ स्कन्धे चासज्ज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम्। प्रगृह्य शरमुग्रं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम् ॥
The king saw that repressor of kings, the descendant of Bhrgu, Jamadagni's son, dreadful to behold, wearing a head of matted locks, like to the Kailāsa, had to baffle, resembling the fire at the universal dissolution, difficult to bear, flaming in energy, incapable of being looked at by the unrighteous, with his axe on his shoulder, equipped with a bow like to the lighting, and fierce arrows, looking like Śiva the slayer of Tripura.

तं दृष्ट्वा भीमसंकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्। वसिष्ठप्रमुखा विप्रा जपहोमपरायणाः॥ संगता मुनयः सर्वे संजजल्पुरथो मिथः।
Beholding him of dreadful appearance like to flaming fire, the Vipras headed by Viśvāmitra, engaged in reciting mantras and and offering oblations to the fire, those saints assembled together, began to converse with each other.

कच्चित् पितृवधामर्षी क्षत्रं नोत्सादयिष्यति॥ पूर्वं क्षत्रवधं कृत्वा गतमन्युर्गतज्वरः। क्षत्रस्योत्सादनं भूयो न खल्वस्य चिकीर्षितम्॥
Is this one, enraged because of the slaughter of this sire, intent upon exterminating the Kș atriyas? Formerly, having slaughtered the Kșatriyas, he pacified his ire and mental ferment, 'therefore, the annihilate the Ksatriya once again can never be his endeavour.

एवमुक्त्वाय॑मादाय भार्गवं भीमदर्शनम्। ऋषयो रामरामेति मधुरं वाक्यमब्रुवन्॥
Having said this, the saints offered Arghya to Bhrgu's son of dreadful appearance; and addressed him in soothing words, saying, 'Q Rāma! O Rāma.

प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजामृषिदत्तां प्रतापवान्। रामं दाशरथिं रामो जामदग्न्योऽभ्यभाषत॥
Accepting that homage rendered to him by the saints, that puissant one, Jamadagni's son, Rāma, addressed Rāma, the son of Dasaratha.