Uttara Kanda: Chapter 90

तथोक्तवति रामे तु तस्य जन्म तदद्भुतम्। उवाच लक्ष्मणो भूयो भरतश्च महायशाः॥
Rāma having thus described the wonderful birth of Pururavā, the illustrious Bharata and Lakşmaņa asked him again saying.

इला सा सोमपुत्रस्य संवत्सरमथोषिता। अकरोत्कि नरश्रेष्ठ तत्त्वं शंसितुमर्हसि ॥
O foremost of men, tell us what did Ila afterwards do after living in the company of Soma's son for a year.

तयोस्तद्वाक्यमाधुर्यं निशम्य परिपृच्छतोः। रामः पुनरुवाचेदं प्रजापतिसुते कथाम्॥
Hearing their sweet words Råma again began with the story of Kardama's son and said.

पुरुषत्वं गते शूरे बुधः परमबुद्धिमान्। संवत परमोदारमाजुहाव महायशाः॥ च्यवनं भृगुपुत्रं च मुनिं चारिष्टनेमिनम्। प्रमोदनं मोदकरं ततो दुर्वाससं मुनिम्॥ एतान्सर्वान्समानीय वाक्यज्ञस्तत्त्वदर्शनः। उवाच सर्वान्सुहृदो धैर्येण सुसमाहितान्॥
In turn, the heroic Ila, having regained his manhood, the highly illustrious and intelligent Budha, well-informed of birth and well-skilled in the are of speech, sent for the highly liberal Samvarta, Bhrgu's son Cyavana, Aristanemi, the foremost of Munis, Durvasa, capable of affording delight, and other friends gifted with patience and said.

अयं राजा महाबाहुः कर्दमस्य इलः सुतः। जानीतैनं यथाभूतं श्रेयो ह्यत्र विधीयताम्॥
You all know well, how this mighty-armed Ila, Kardama's son, attained to this peculiar condition.

तेषां संवदतामेव द्विजैः सह महात्मभिः। कर्दमस्तु महातेजास्तदाश्रममुपागमत्।८।।
There upon while those high-souled ones were conversing upon this subject, the highly effulgent Kardama arrived at the hermitage.

पुलस्त्यश्च क्रतुश्चैव वषट्कारस्तथैव च। ओङ्कारश्च महातेजास्वमाश्रममुपागमन्॥
Pulastya, Kratu, Vaşatkāra and the highly effulgent Omkāra came there following him.

ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसः परस्परसमागमे। हितैषिणो बाल्हिपतेः पृथग्वाक्यान्यथाब्रुवन्॥
Being greatly delighted for their arrival they all gave out their individual opinion for bringing about the well-being of the king of Valhika.

कर्दमस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुतार्थं परमं हितम्। द्विजाः शृणुत मद्वाक्यं यच्छ्रेयः पार्थिवस्य हि॥
For the welfare of his son, the patriarch Kardama said: Hear, O twice-born ones, how the well-being of the king Ila may be secured.

नान्यं पश्यामि भैषज्यमन्तरा वृषभध्वजम्। नाश्वमेधात्परो यज्ञः प्रियश्चैव महात्मनः॥
For this decease do not find any other good medicine but Umā's lord. And save Aśvamedha there is no other sacrifice more favourite to the high-souled deity.

तस्माद्यजामहे सर्वे पार्थिवार्थे दुरासदम्। कर्दमैवमुक्तास्तु सर्व एव द्विजर्षभाः॥ रोचयन्ति स्म तं यज्ञं रुद्रस्याराधनं प्रति। संवर्तस्य तु राजर्षिः शिष्यः परपुरंजयः॥ मरुत्त इति विख्यातस्तं यज्ञं समुपाहरत्।
Let us all therefore celebrate that hard sacrifice on behalf of this king. Thereupon the wors of Kardama, Samvarta's disciple, the royal saint Marutta, the conqueror of enemies, collected all articles for the sacrifice.

ततो यज्ञो महानासीद्धाश्रमसमीपतः॥ रुद्रश्च परमं तोषमाजगाम महायशाः। अथ यज्ञे समाप्ते तु प्रीतः परमया मुदा ।।१६। उमापतिर्द्विजान्सर्वानुवाच इलसंनिधौ।
There upon in the vicinity of Budha's hermitage that mighty sacrifice was celebrated. And by that the Great Rudra lord of Umā, attained to delight and said to the twice-born ones, and others at the end of that sacrifice in the presence of the king Ila.

प्रीतोऽस्मि हयमेधेन भक्त्या च द्विजसत्तमाः।।१७। अस्य बाल्हिपतेश्चैव किं करोमि प्रियं शुभम्।
O foremost of twice-born ones, I have been greatly delighted with this sacrifice and your devotion. Tell me now, what I can do for this king of Valhika.

तथा वदति देवेशे द्विजास्ते सुसमाहिताः॥ प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं यथा स्यात्पुरुषस्त्विला।
Hearing the words of Mahādeva, the Brāhmaṇas having propitiated him with great devotion, prayed for Ila's manhood.

ततः प्रीतो महादेवः पुरुषत्वं ददौ पुनः॥ इलायै सुमहातेजा दत्त्वा चान्तरधीयत।
There upon delighted the highly effulgent Mahādeva, having having conferred upon him manhood, disappeared.

निवृत्ते हयमेधे च गते चादर्शनं हरे॥ यथागतं द्विजाः सर्वे तेऽगच्छन्दीर्घदर्शिनः। राजा तु बाह्निमुत्सृज्य मध्यदेशे ह्यनुत्तमम्॥ निवेशयामास पुरं प्रतिष्ठानं यशस्करम्। शशबिन्दुश्च राजर्षिर्बाहिं परपुरंजयः॥ प्रतिष्ठाने इलो राजा प्रजापतिसुतो बली। स काले प्राप्तवॉल्लोकमिलो ब्राह्ममनुत्तमम्॥ ऐलः पुरूरवा राजा प्रतिष्ठानमवाप्तवान्।
In this wise the horse-sacrifice being finished and Mahadeva having disappeared, the farseeing and leading twice-born ones repaired to their respective hermitages. And having placed his eldest son Śaśabindu as the king of the country of Valhika, the king Ila reared another city in the middle country. In time Ila attained to the excellent Brahmä region and his son Pururavå obtained that Pratişthāna kingdom.

ईदृशो ह्यश्वमेधस्य प्रभावः पुरुषर्षभ। स्त्रीपूर्वः पौरुषं लेभे।। यच्चान्यदपि दुर्लभम्।।२४
O foremost of men, such is the power of the horse-sacrifice, that the king Ila, though converted into a female, regained manhood by virtue thereof.