एतच्छ्रुत्वा रहः सूतो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। श्रूयतां तत् पुरावृत्तं पुराणे च मया श्रुतम्।।
Hearing all about it, the king's charioteer addressed the monarch in private, saying, Do you listen to what is related in the Purānas, and to what I have heard myself!
ऋत्विग्भिरुपदिष्टोऽयं पुरावृत्तो मया श्रुतः। सनत्कुमारो भगवान् पूर्वं कथितवान् कथाम्॥ ऋषीणां संनिधौ राजंस्तव पुत्रागमं प्रति।
This horse-sacrifice is enjoined by the family priests; and I have myself heard the following story celebrated in ancient chronicle. And what the worshipful Sanatkumāra had said formerly in the presence of the saints, applies, O king, to the case of your having a son.
काश्यपस्य च पुत्रोऽस्ति विभाण्डक इति श्रुतः॥ ऋष्यशृङ्ग इति ख्यातस्तस्य पुत्रो भविष्यति। स वने नित्यसंवृद्धो मुनिर्वनचरः सदा ॥
Kaśyapa has a son known by the name of Vibhāņdaka. He will get a son called Rșyasſiga. And he will grow up and pass his days in the forests.
नान्यं जानाति विप्रेन्द्रो नित्यं पित्रनुवर्तनात्। द्वैविध्यं ब्रह्मचर्यस्य भविष्यति महात्मनः॥ लोकेषु प्रथितं राजन् विप्रैश्च कथितं सदा।
And that foremost of Brāhmaṇas will not know anything else save following his father. And, O king, it is rumoured abroad, and also always said by the Vipras, that the high-souled one will practise (Those that assume the staff and the kamaņdalu are reckoned the first order; while those that continue to live with their wives are considered as next in worth.) the two modes of Brahmacarya life.
तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य काल: समभिवर्तत॥ अग्नि शुश्रूषमाणस्य पितरं च यशस्विनम्। एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु रोमपातः प्रतापवान्॥ अङ्गेषु प्रथितो राजा भविष्यति महाबलः। तस्य व्यतिक्रमाद् राज्ञो भविष्यति सुदारुणा ॥ अनावृष्टिः सुघोरा वै सर्वलोकभयावहा।
And he spent some time in serving the sacrificial fire and his famous sire. At this time, the powerful Romapāda of exceeding strength will be famed as king of the Angas. And in consequence of some default on his part, there will occur in his kingdom a terrible and dreadful drought, capable of striking terror in the all.
अनावृष्टयां तु वृत्तायां राजा दुःखसमन्वितः॥ ब्राह्मणाञ्छ्रुतसंवृद्धान् समानीय प्रवक्ष्यति। भवन्तः श्रुतकर्माणो लोकचारित्रवेदिनः॥ समादिशन्तु नियमं प्रायश्चित्तं यथा भवेत्।
And filled with grief on account of this drought, the king will call about him Vedaaccomplished Brāhmaṇas, and speak to them, saying, You are conversant with the Vedic ritual and the social duties. Do therefore, tell me how to expiate for this evil.
इत्युक्तास्ते ततो राज्ञा सर्वे ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः॥ वक्ष्यन्ति ते महीपालं ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः।
Thus accosted by the king, those excellent Brāhmaṇas versed in the Vedas, will say to the ruler of earth.
विभाण्डकसुतं राजन् सर्वापायैरिहानय ॥ आनाय्य तु महीपाल ऋष्यशृङ्ग सुसत्कृतम्। विभाण्डकसुतं राजन् ब्राह्मणं वेदपारगम्। प्रयच्छ कन्यां शान्तां वै विधिना सुसमाहितः॥
Do you, O monarch, by all means, bring Vibhandaka's son. And having, Oking, brought that Brāhmaṇa versed in the Vedas, Vibhandaka's son Rsyaśộnga, and duly honoured him, do you, O monarch, with a concentrated mind, perform the betrothal of your daughter śāntā, with him according to the ordinance.
तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा चिन्तां प्रपत्स्यते। केनोपायेन वै शक्यमिहानेतुं स वीर्यवान्॥
And hearing those words of theirs, the king will began to think as to how he can bring over that one endowed with energy.
ततो राजा विनिश्चित्य सह मन्त्रिभिरात्मवान्। पुरोहितममात्यांश्च प्रेषयिष्यति सत्कृतान्॥
Then in consultation with his counsellors, the prudent king having come to a conclusion will, honouring them duly, desire his priest and his courtiers to set out in quest of Rsyaśộnga.
ते तु राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा व्यथिता विनताननाः। न गच्छेम ऋषेीता अनुनेयन्ति तं नृपम्॥
Thereupon hearing the king's words, with aggrieved hearts, and with heads hanging down, they will beseech the monarch, saying, Afraid of the saint, Vibhāndaka, we shall not be able to repair thither.
वक्ष्यन्ति चिन्तयित्वा ते तस्योपायांश्च तान् क्षमान्। आनेयामो वयं विप्रं न च दोषो भविष्यति॥
Anon hitting upon the appropriate means, they say, 'We will search for the Vipra, and no blame shall accrue to us.'
एवमङ्गाधिपेनैव गणिकाभिषेः सुतः। आनीतोऽवर्षयत् देवः शान्ता चास्मै प्रदीयते॥
Thus by help of courtesans, the saint's son was brought by the lord of the Angas. And then the god (Indra) poured down showers; and the king conferred on him śānta.
ऋष्यशृङ्गस्तु जामाता पुत्रांस्तव विधास्यति। सनत्कुमारकथितमेतावद् व्याहृतं मया॥
And now your son-in-law Rşyaśộnga will help you in obtaining a son. Now I have related to you what Sanatkumāra had communicated.
अथ हृष्टो दशरथः सुमन्त्रं प्रत्यभाषत। यथर्घ्यशृङ्गस्त्वानीतो येनोपायेन सोच्यताम्॥
Thereupon king Dasaratha, well pleased, asked Sumantra, Do you now tell me by what means Rşyaśộnga was brought over (by the lord of the Angas).