एतदाख्याय काकुत्स्थो भ्रातृभ्याममितप्रभः। लक्ष्मणं पुनरेवाह धर्मयुक्तमिदं वचः॥
Having thus addressed his both brothers, Rāma, the descendant of Kākutstha of unmitigated prowess, again said to Laksmana, in words pregnant with morality.
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ कश्यपम्। द्विजांश्च सर्वप्रवरानश्वमेधपुरस्कृतान्॥ एतान्सर्वान्समानीय मन्त्रयित्वा च लक्ष्मण। हयं लक्षणसंपन्नं विमोक्ष्यामि समाधिना॥
O Laksmana, having invited Vasistha, the foremost of twice-born ones, conversant with all the rites of Aśvamedha, Vāmadeva, Jābāli, and Kaśyapa and consulted with them duly I shall set free a horse gifted with all marks.
तद्वाक्यं राघवेणोक्तं श्रुत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः। द्विजान्सर्वान्समाहूय दर्शयामास राघवम्॥
Hearing the words of Rama, Laksmana, of unmitigated prowess, invited all those Brāhmaṇas and approached Rāma.
ते दृष्ट्वा देवसंकाशं कृतपादाभिवन्दनम्। राघवं सुदुराधर्षमाशीभिः समपूजयन्॥
Seeing them, Rāma saluted them touching their feet. And the Brāhmaṇas too, beholding the irrepressible celestial, like Rāghava, welcomed him with blessings.
प्राञ्जलिः स तदा भूत्वा राघवो द्विजसत्तमान्। उवाच धर्मसंयुक्तमश्वमेधाश्रितं वचः॥
The.. upon Rama, with folded hands, asked of those leading twice-born ones, questions regarding the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
तेऽपि रामस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्वा वृषध्वजम्। अश्वमेधं द्विजाः सर्वे पूजयन्ति स्म सर्वशः॥
And hearing the words of Rāma, they, too, saluting the deity Rudra, began to speak highly of the ceremony of horse-sacrifice.
स तेषां द्विजमुख्यानां वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनम्। अश्वमेधाश्रितं श्रुत्वा भृशं प्रीतोऽभवत्तदा॥
And being informed from the Brāhmaṇas of many unheard of virtues of Aśvamedha, Rāma was greatly delighted.
विज्ञाय कर्म तत्तेषां रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्। प्रेषयस्व महाबाहो सुग्रीवाय महात्मने॥ यथा महद्भिर्हरिभिर्बहुभिश्च वनौकसाम्। सार्धमागच्छ भद्रं ते अनुभोक्तुं महोत्सवम्॥
And according to their desire he said to Lakşmaņa:— you having long arms, do you soon send an emissary to the high-souled Sugrīva, communicating to him 'Do you come here to enjoy festivities in the company of all those highly powerful monkeys and hears under you; may good betide you.
बिभीषणश्च रक्षोभिः कामगैर्बहुभिर्वृतः। अश्वमेधं महायज्ञमायात्वतुलविक्रमः॥
See that Vibhīşaņa of unequalled prowess, the king of Räkşasas, encircled by his followers coursing at will, may be present at the horse sacrifice.
राजानश्च महाभागा ये मे प्रियचिकीर्षवः। सानुगाः क्षिप्रमायान्तु यज्ञ भूमि निरीक्षकाः॥
Let the great kings, wishing my welfare with their followers be present at the sacrifice.
देशान्तरगता ये च द्विजा धर्मसमाहिताः। आमन्त्रयस्व तान्सर्वानश्वमेधाय लक्ष्मण॥
O Laksmana, do you also invite carefully, for witnessing the ceremony, other pious foreign kings who are friendly to me.
ऋषयश्च महाबाहो आहूयन्तां तपोधनाः। देशान्तरगताः सर्वे सदाराश्च द्विजातयः॥ तथैव तालावरास्तथैव नटनर्तकाः। यज्ञपाटश्च सुमहान्गोमत्या नैमिषे वने॥
O you having long arms, do you also invite the Rșis, having asceticism for their wealth and other pious Brāhmaṇas living in various provinces with their wives. Do you also invite actors and songsters. Do you order that a spacious, sacrificial ground may be made on the banks of the river Gomati in the Naimișa forest, O you having long arms, that part of the country is best suited and holy.
आज्ञाप्यतां महाबाहो तद्धिपुण्यमनुत्तमम्। शान्तयश्च महाबाहो प्रवर्तन्तां समन्ततः॥ शतशश्चापि धर्मज्ञाः क्रतुमुख्यमनुत्तमम्। अनुभूय महायज्ञं नैमिषे रघुनन्दन ॥ तुष्टः पुष्टश्च सर्वोऽसौ मानितश्च यथाविधि। प्रतियास्यति धर्मज्ञ शीघ्रमामन्त्र्यतां जनः॥
And let ceremonies, invoking peace, be celebrated everywhere. O you conversant with piety, do you soon invite hundreds of subjects. so that they all, having witnessed the ceremony in the Naimiņa forest, may return delighted and honoured.
शतं वाहसहस्राणां तण्डुलानां वपुष्मताम्। अयुतं तिलमुद्गस्य प्रयात्वग्रे महाबल॥ चणकानां कुलित्थानां माषाणां लवणस्य च। अतोऽनुरूपं स्नेहं च गन्धं संक्षिप्तमेव च॥ सुवर्णकोट्यो बहुला हिरण्यस्य शतोत्तराः। अग्रतो भरतः कृत्वा गच्छत्वग्रे समाधिना ॥
O you having long arms, let Bharata go before with a million of beasts carrying rice, sessamun seed, Kindney bean, Chickpea, pulse, Masha (a sort of Kindney bean) salt, oil, clarified butter and a hundred koti of silver and golden coins.
अन्तरापणवीथ्यश्च सर्वे च नटनर्तकाः। सूदा नार्यश्च बहवो नित्यं यौवनशालिनः॥
Let merchants, to set up shops on the way, actors, dancers, cooks, and many youthful females follow Bharata.
भरतेन तु साधं ते यान्तु सैन्यानि चाग्रतः। नैगमान्बालवृद्धांश्च द्विजांश्च सुसमाहिताः॥ कर्मान्तिकान्वर्धकिनः कोशाध्यक्षांश्च नैगमान्। मम मातृस्तथा सर्वाः कुमारन्तः पुराणि च ॥ काञ्चनीं मम पत्नी च दीक्षायां ज्ञांश्च कर्मणि। अग्रतो भरतः कृत्वा गच्छत्वग्रे महायशाः॥
Let soldiers go before him. And let the highly illustrious Bharata, with children, old men, Brahmanas, citizens, servants, cashiers, mothers, wives and the golden image of my wife to be initiated at the sacrifice, go before.
उपकार्या महाश्चि पार्थिवानां महौजसाम्। सानुगानां नरश्रेष्ठ व्यादिदेश महाबलः॥ अन्नपानानि वस्त्राणि अनुगानां महात्मनाम्। भरतः स तदा यातः शत्रुघ्नसहितस्तदा॥
According to the command of Rāma, Bharata, with Śatrughna, made arrangements for highly valuable quarters, food, drink and clothes.
वानराश्च महात्मानः सुग्रीवसहितास्तदा। विप्राणां प्रवराः सर्वे चक्रुश्च परिवेषणम्॥
And the highly powerful monkeys with Sugrīva and Brāhmaṇas engaged in the work of distribution.
बिभीषणश्च रक्षोभिः स्त्रीभिश्च बहुभिर्वृतः। ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां पूजां चक्रे महात्मनाम्॥
And Vibhīşaņa, surrounded by various Räkşasas and females, engaged in the service of the high-souled Rsis intent on hard penances.