“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 King Dasharatha Begins the Sacrifice Summary The Horse Ritual of Emperor Dasharatha is started on the banks of Sarayu River. The details of the arrangements for the participants, and visitors along with some aspects of the Vedic Ritual are narrated. Chapter [Sarga] 14 in Detail atha samvatsare puurne tasmin praapte turangame | sarayvaah ca uttare tiire raajno yajno abhyavartata || 1-14-1 Then after completion of one year and on regaining [getting back] the ritual horse, the Emperor Dasharatha commenced [started] his Vedic Ritual on the northern banks of River Sarayu. [1-14-1] risyashringam puraskritya karma cakruh dvijarsabhaah | ashvamedhe mahaayajne raajno.asya sumahaatmanah || 1-14-2 Keeping Rishyasringa at the helm [head or lead] of affairs those eminent [famous] Brahmans commenced, ashva medha , the Horse-ritual of that noble-souled Dasharatha. [1-14- 2] Page 1 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 karma kurvanti vidhivat yaajakaa vedapaaragaah | yathaa vidhi yathaa nyaayam parikraamanti shaastratah || 1-14-3 Those well-versed conductors of Vedic rituals called ritviks, have started to perform works relating to ritual as per canon [an accepted principle] and rules, and conducted them scripturally and customarily. [1-14-3] pravargyam shaastratah kritvaa tathaa eva upasadam dvijaah | cakruh ca vidhivat sarvam adhikam karma shaastratah || 1-14-4 On performing pravargya ritual as per scriptures, like that upasada ritual too, those Brahmans have customarily performed all of those other rituals incidental [minor] to the main one scripturally. [1-14-4] abhipuujya tadaa hristaah sarve cakruh yathaa vidhi | praatah savana puurvaani karmaani munipu.ngavaah || 1-14-5 Then all of those distinguished sages are contended with what they have performed by worshipping gods already summoned, they also conducted early morning savana ritual and its ancillaries [subsidiaries] as enjoined [commanded]. [1-14-5] aindrashca vidhivat datto raajaa cha abhisuto.anaghah | madhya.ndinam cha savanam praavartata yathaa kramam || 1-14-6 The oblations addressed to Indra are well given as ordained [defined], and the flawless king Dasharatha also crushed the Soma creeper to squeeze Soma juice, and thus the mid-day savana ritual has come to pass according to sequence. [1-14-6] Like that those proficient [skilled] Brahmans have also performed the third savana , ritual of that great-exalted soul Dasharatha according to the viewpoint of scriptures. [1-14-7] Page 2 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 aahvaan chakrire tatra shakraadiin vibudhottamaan | risyashringaaadau mantraih shikshaakshara samanvitau || 1-14-8 Rishyasringa and other best scholars with their well lettered and intonated [uttered] Vedic hymns have invoked Indra and other gods to that place. [1-14-8] giitibhih madhuraih snigdhaih mantra aahvaanaih yathaarhatah | hotaaro daduraavaahya havirbhaagaan divaukasaam || 1-14-9 The hotaa-s, invocators, have welcomed the celestials for partaking [to take part] oblations [the act of making a religious offering] by singing saama Veda hymns sweetly and harmoniously, and on inviting them with Vedic hymns they have offered oblations to them. [1-14- 9] na ca ahutam aabhuut tatra skhalitam vaa na ki.mcana | drishyate brahmavat sarvam ksemayuktam hi cakrire || 1-14-10 There is no un-burnt oblation [the act of making a religious offering] resulted in that fire- ritual nor even a small mishap [misfortune] slipped in the performance of ritual. Everything appeared canonically [conforming to a general rule] correct and hymn oriented. Indeed the ritual is performed in a secure way. [1-14-10] na tesu ahassu shraanto vaa ksudhito vaa na drishyate | na avidvaan braahmanah kashchin na ashata anucarah tathaa || 1-14-11 In these days of ritual none found there to be weary or hungry, and there is no single unscholarly person, nor any Brahman without at least a hundred apprentices [trainees]. [1-14-11] braahmanaa bhunjate nityam naathavantah ca bhunjate | taapasaa bhunjate ca api shramanaah caiva bhunjate || 1-14-12 Given anytime the Brahmans, servants, sages, and pilgrims are fed with food for their arrival at the place of boarding is unpredictable [cannot be said], and that arrival is dependent on their duties for Brahmans, and by their masters for servants, and for pilgrims that do not have a particular time of arrival or departure. [1-14-12] Page 3 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 vriddhaah ca vyaadhitaah ca eva strii baalaah tathaa eva ca | anisham bhunjamaanaanaa.m na triptih upalabhyate || 1-14-13 Elderly people, sick ones, women and children though dining on always thus, there is no satisfaction to Emperor Dasharatha, for it appeared to be too meager [small] a serving and a lot more is to be served.] [1-14-13] diiyataam diiyataam annam vaasaamsi vividhaani ca | iti samcoditaah tatra tathaa cakruh anekashah || 1-14-14 "Food be given abundantly, clothing be given variously" are the directives, accordingly the king's men have distributed numerously there at the ritual place. [1-14-14] anna kuutaah ca drishyante bahavah parvata upamaah | divase divase tatra siddhasya vidhivat tadaa || 1-14-15 Heaps of foodstuffs are also appearing there, many of them and mountain similar, which is made available customarily, day after day. [1-14-15] naanaa deshaat anupraaptaah purusaah strii ganaah tathaa | anna paanaih suvihitaah tasmin yajne mahaatmanah || 1-14-16 To that ritual of that great-souled Dasharatha masses of men and women have arrived from different countries, and they are all well-pleased with the sumptuous [magnificent] food and drink supplied. [1-14-16] annam hi vidhivat svaadu prashansanti dvijarsabhaah | aho triptaah sma bhadram te iti shushraava raaghavah || 1-14-17 "The eminent Brahmans have appreciated the food that is prepared by perfect cooking to be relishable [that can be enjoyed], and it is heard as they said, "Oh, Raghava, blessed are you for we are satisfied..." [1-14-17] Page 4 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 svala.nkritaah ca purusaa braahmanaan paryavesayan | upaasante ca taan anye sumrista mani kundalaah || 1-14-18 Well-decorated men have served food to Brahmans, while others who wore gem-studded and lustrous [bright] earrings have helped them. [1-14-18] karmaantare tadaa vipraa hetuvaadaan bahuunapi | praahuh suvaagmino dhiiraah paraspara jigiisayaa || 1-14-19 Those eminent Brahmans that are good debaters have debated [to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments] many intellectual debates to defeat each other, during the gap- periods of ritual works. [1-14-19] divase divase tatra samstare kushalaa dvijaah | sarva karmaani cakruh te yathaa shaastra.m pracoditaah || 1-14-20 Day by day those expert Brahmans have performed all ritual works as encouraged by Vashishta and others and as contained in scriptures. [1-14-20] na asadanga vit atra aasiit na avrato na abahushrutah | sadasyah tasya vai raajno na avaada kushalaa dvijaah || 1-14-21 There is no scholar without the knowledge of the six branches of Vedas, none who is an unavowed [not acknowledged] scholar, none who heard learnt less scriptures, and none among the members of the ritual of that king Dasharatha is an inexpert in debating, thus all are scholarly Brahmans. [1-14-21] Page 5 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 praapte yuupah ucchraye tasmin sad bailvaah khaadiraah tathaa | taavanto bilva sahitaah parninah ca tathaa apare || 1-14-22 shlesmaatakamayah disto devadaarumayah tathaa | dvaaveva tatra vihitau baahu vyasta parigrahau || 1-14-23 When the time came to stake [a pointed piece of wood or other material driven or to be driven into the ground as a marker or support] wooden ritual posts, six posts of bilwa wood, six posts of khadira wood, and further the same number of posts of parnina wood are staked. One post of sleshmaataka wood and two of devadaaru wood as stipulated [commanded] are staked. Then the distance between each post is maintained at the length of extended arms. [1-14-22, 23] kaaritaah sarva evaite shaastrajnaih yajnakovidaih | shobhaaartham tasya yajnasya kaa.ncana ala.nkrita abhavan || 1-14-24 All of those the posts are made by the authorities on scriptures and ritual scholars, and they are gold-pleated and decorated for the purpose of elegance [refined grace] to that ritual. [1- 14-24] eka vimshati yuupaah te eka vimshat aratnayah | vaasobhih eka vimshadbhih ekaikam samala.nkritaah || 1-14-25 They are altogether twenty-one posts, each post is twenty-one cubits [length based on the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger and usually equal to about 18 inches] in height, and each is decoratively clothed with each cloth. [1-14-25] vinyastaa vidhivat sarve shilpibhih sukritaa dridhaah | asta aasrayah sarva eva shlaksna ruupa samanvitaah || 1-14-26 Carpenters have carved all the posts well, and built them strongly with octahedral [having eight plane faces] surfaces that are smoothened, and thereby they are implanted procedurally. [1- 14-26] Page 6 of 14 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 14 aacchaaditaah te vaasobhih puspaih gandhaih ca puujitaah | sapta risayo diiptimanto viraajante yathaa divi || 1-14-27 Those posts draped in cloths and worshipped with flowers and perfumeries are irradiant [not bright], and they shone forth like the constellation of Seven Sages in the sky. [1-14-27] istakaah ca yathaa nyaayam kaaritaah ca pramaanatah | cito.agnih braahmanaih tatra kushalaih shiplakarmani || 1-14-28 The bricks for Altar of Fire are well designed and made according to rules and standard measurements. The Brahmans who are experts in the architecture of laying Fire Altar, by calculating the ritual field with a one-ply rope and decide where and how the that shall be, the Altar of Fire is layered well with bricks in that ritual.