THE VALMIKI RAMAYANA

BALA KANDA

æOyaEdS:  sgI:      Canto 13
yMSalap#vES:      Entering   the  sacrificial   enclosure
p¤n:   p#açOE   vsÓtE   t¤   p¥NI:   s|vÏsraE{Bvt¯   .
p#svaTI|   ttaE   y¾¤|   hymEDEn   v£yIvan¯   ¡1¡

p¤n:

again

p#açOE

on the advent of

vsÓtE

the spring season

t¤

verily

p¥NI:

complete

s|vÏsr:

the year

ABvt¯

was

p#svaTI|

for the sake of children

tt:

then

y¾¤|

to conduct the sacrifice

hymEDEn

by Aswamedha

v£yIvan¯

the valorous

A¢Bvaï

having genuflected

v¢s¿|

Vasishta

and

Óyayt:

in the appropriate manner

p#¢tp¥Çy

having worshipped

and

Ab#v£t¯

said

p#¢½t|

with supplication

vaÀy|

words

p#svaTI|

for the sake of a son

¢¹jaEäOmm¯

the best among brahmins

yM:

sacrifice

¢@yta|

may be performed

Aï

now

yTa

in that manner

u³|

laid down (in the scriptures)

m¤¢np¤Äñv

O! Foremost among sages!

One   full   year   rolled   on,   when   there   was   again   the   onset   of
the   season   of spring.   At   that   time,   that   courageous   one
(Dasaratha),   for   performing   the horse-sacrifice   for   the   sake
of   progeny,   spoke   the   following   words   with great   humility
to the   best   among   Brahmins   Vasishta,   after   paying   respectful obeisance   and   offering   the   worship   as   laid   down   in   the
scriptures:   `O!   Best among   seers!   May   the   sacrifice   be
performed   as   laid   down   in   the   scriptures, for   the   sake
of   a   progeny   to   me'   (1-2).

yTa   n   ¢vG":   ¢@ytE   yMaÄñEx¤   ¢vD£ytam¯   ¡3¡

yTa

in what manner

not

¢vG":

obstruction

¢@ytE

will be done

yMaÄñEx¤

in the limbs of the sacrifice

¢vD£ytam¯

may it be done

May   it   also   be   ensured   that   there   is   no   lapse   in   the   various   auxilliaries of   the   sacrifice   (3).
Bvan¯   ¢s"ÂD:   s¤¶Óm/|   g¤âà   prmaE   mhan¯   .
vaEFÛyaE   Bvta   cWv   BaraE   yMÞy   caEït:   ¡4¡

Bvan¯

you

¢s"ÂD:

s¤¶t¯

friend

m/|

to me

g¤â:

preceptor

also

prm:

superior

mhan¯

great

vaEFÛy:

fit to be borne

Bvta

by you

and

really

Bar:

the responsibility (of conducting)

yMÞy

of the sacrifice

and

uït:

set to perform

It   is   meet   that   you   alone   should   take   the   full   responsibility   and   charge   of conducting   this   sacrifice,   which   is   taken   in   hand,   since   you   are   my bosom-friend   and   in   addition,   a   high-souled   and   great   preceptor'   (4).

tTE¢t   c   s   rajanmb#v£d¢¹jsäOm:   .
k¢rÝyE   svImEvWtëvta   yt¯   sm¢TItm¯   ¡5¡

tTa

so be it

i¢t

truly

and

rajan|

to the king

Ab#v£t¯

replied

¢¹jsäOm:

best among brahmins

k¢rÝyE

shall do

svI|

all

duly

ett¯

this

Bvta

by you

yt¯

that

sm¢TItm¯

earnestly requested

That   best   among   Brahmins   also   replied   to   the   king:   `so   be   it,
I   shall   do all   that   has   been   duly   requested   of   me'   (5).

ttaE{b#v£d¢¹jan¯v¦ÑGan¯   yMkmIs¤   ¢n¢¿tan¯   .
ÞTapÏyE   ¢n¢¿ta|àWv   v¦ÑGan¯   prmDa¢mIkan¯   ¡6¡

tt:

then

Ab#v£t¯

addressed

¢¹jan¯

the brahmins

v¦ÑGan¯

elderly

yMkmIs¤

in the rituals associated with the sacrifice

¢n¢¿tan¯

firmly established

ÞTapÏyE

in the art of sculpture

¢n¢¿tan¯

firmly established

and

really

v¦ÑGan¯

elderly

prmDa¢mIkan¯

extremely righteous

kmaI¢Ótka¢ÉCÚpkran¯   vDIk£n¯   Knkan¢p   .
gNka¢ÉC¢ÚpnàWv   tTWv   nzntIkan¯   ¡
ttaE{b#v£ÅCaÞæO¢vd:   p¤âxan¯   s¤bh^½¤tan¯   ¡7¡

kmaI¢Ótkan¯

servants

¢SÚpkran¯

sculptors

vDIk£n¯

carpenters

Knkan¯

those who sink wells

A¢p

also

gNkan¯

accountants

¢S¢Úpn:

sculptors

and

also

tTa

and other

also

nzntIkan¯

actors and dancers

tt:

then

Ab#v£t¯

said

SaÞæO¢vd:

learned in the shastras

p¤âxan¯

persons

s¤bh^½¤tan¯

deeply learned

yåOkmI sm£hÓta| BvÓtaE rajSasnat¯ .
i¾ka bh^sah*£ S£G#man£yta¢m¢t ¡8¡

yåOkmI

the ritual of sacrifice

sm£hÓta|

try to carry out

BvÓt:

you

rajSasnat¯

on the orders of the king

i¾ka:

red bricks

bh^sah*£

several thousands

S£G#|

fast

Aan£yta|

brought

i¢t

Thereafter, he   addressed   the   elderly   Brahmins   who had expertise in
performing   sacrifices,   other   elders,   those   who   were   established   in   righteous conduct   and   had   profound   knowledge   in   the   science   of   scriptures,   accountants, actors   and   actresses,   painters,   artisans,   carpenters,   miners   and   such   other workers,saying:`May   several   thousands   of   bricks   be   brought   here   instantly.' Thereafter,   he
spoke   to   those   persons   who   were   well-versed   in   the   religious practices   and   were   accomplished   in   many   branches   of   knowledge:   `May   you engage   yourselves   in   performing   the   items   of   work   connected   with   the sacrifice,   in   compliance   to   the   orders   of   the   sovereign   (6-8).

AaWpkayaI:   ¢@yÓta|   c   raMa|   bh^g¤Na¢Óvta:   .
b#a'aNavsTaàWv   ktIÛya:   StS:   S¤Ba:   ¡9¡

AaWpkayaI:

regal residences

¢@yÓta|

be constructed

and

raMa|

for the kings

bh^g¤Na¢Óvta:

having various facilities

b#a'aNavsTa

: rsidences for the learned ones

and

only

ktIÛya:

are worthy of being performed

StS:

in hundreds

S¤Ba:

auspicious

Let   there   be   constructed   regal   residences   with   manifold   conveniences   for the   (invitee)   kings.   May   also   auspicious   residences   for   the   learned   ones be   put   up   with   elegance   and   in   hundreds   (9).

Bßya°panWbIh^¢B:   sm¤pEta:   s¤¢n¢¿ta:   .
tTa   paWrjnÞya¢p   ktIÛya   bh^¢vÞtra:   ¡10¡

Bßy

eats

A°

food

panW:

drinks

bh^¢B:

several varieties

sm¤pEta:

consisting of

s¤¢n¢¿ta:

choicely collected

tTa

similarly

paWrjnsy

to the urban folk

A¢p

also

ktIÛya:

to be provided

bh^¢vÞtra:

broad and wide

Likewise it is necessary to erect for the people of the city, many, greatly spacious (residences), provided with a variety of eats and drinks (10).
PROCEED TO NEXT SLOKAS RETURN TO PREVIOUS SLOKAS RETURN TO INDEX OF BALA KANDA