Summary
King Dasharatha requests the Sages to conduct the Vedic ritual for which the sages indent [formally agree] paraphernalia [articles of equipment or sacrifice], which the ministers are ordered to supply forthwith.
Chapter [Sarga] 12 in Detail
tatah kaale bahu tithe kasmin cit sumanohare |
vasante samanupraapte raajno yastum manoabhavat ||1-12-1
After a lapse some time when spring season has come the king Dasharatha desired to perform the Vedic ritual. [1-12-1]
tatah pranamya shirasaa tam vipram deva varninam |
yajnaaya varayaamaasa sa.ntaanaartham kulasya ca || 1-12-2
Then bowing his head before that Brahman Rishyasringa, who has deity [God] like glow, and beseeched [to request earnestly] him to conduct the Vedic ritual to beget [get] unending progeny [children] in his dynasty. [1-12-2]
tatheiti ca sa raajaanam uvaaca vasudhaadhipam |
sa.mbhaaraah sa.mbhriyantaam te turagashca vimucyataam || 1-12-3
The well-honored sage Rishyasringa said to the king, "So it shall be, let the paraphernalia [articles of sacrifice] for ritual be garnered [collected] and let your ritual horse be released." [1-12-3]
saravyaah cha uttare tiire yajna bhuumih vidhiiyataam |
tato abraviit nripah vaakyam braahmanaan veda paaragaan || 1-12-4
suma.mtra aavaahaya kshsipram ritvijo brahma vaadinah |
suyajnam vaamadevam ca jaabaalim atha kaashyapam || 1-12-5
The King Dasharatha said to his best minister Sumantra, "Let the Vedic scholars and ritual conductors like Sages Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali, and Kashyapa, along with the family priest Vashishta, and those other Vedic Brahmans who are there, they all be invited swiftly." [1-12-4, 5]
purohitam vasistham ca ye ca anye dvija sattamaah |
tatah suma.ntrah tvaritam gatvaa tvarita vikramah || 1-12-6
Then Sumantra being a quickest person went quickly and fetched all those Vedic scholars and clergymen [a group ordained to religious functions]. [1-12-6]
samaanayat sa taan sarvaan samastaan veda paaragaan |
taan pujayitvaa dharmaatmaa raajaa dasharathah tadaa || 1-12-7
dharmaartha sahitam yuktam shlakshnam vachanam abravit |
mama taatapya maanasya putraartham naasti vai sukham || 1-12-8
The virtuous king Dasharatha having offered due worships to all the sages and saints brought in by Sumantra, uttered these words which are with virtue and meaningful in an impressible manner. "My mind is tumultuous [confused] without quietude for I have no sons, and hence I am thinking of performing the Vedic Horse Ritual.
putraartham hayamedhena yakshayaami iti matirmama |
tadaham yastum icchaami hayamedhena karmanaa || 1-12-9
"Therefore I wish to perform the ritual as enshrined [cherished as sacred] in the scriptures and by the divine influence of the Sage's son Rishyasringa I will get my desires fulfilled. [1-12-9]
risiputra prabhaavena kaamaan praapsyaami ca api aham |
tatah saadhu iti tad vaakyam braahmanaah pratyapujayan || 1-12-10
vasishhtha pramukhaah sarve paarthivasya mukhaat chyutam |
risyashringa purogaah ca prati uucuh nripatim tadaa || 1-12-11
Then "Splendid, Splendid is this idea," said the Brahman scholars blessing the king. The Sage Vashishta along with all other important personalities have applauded the idea came out of the king's voice. Other Vedic scholars and clergymen keeping Rishyasringa to helm [head or lead] of affairs said the king in appreciation "Let the paraphernalia [articles of sacrifice] be garnered [collected] and your ritual horse be released."[1-12-10, 11]
sambhaaraah sa.mbhriyamtaam te turagah ca vimucyataam |
saravyaah cha uttare tiire yajna bhuumih vidhiiyataam || 1-12-12
"To whom such a virtuous thinking of begetting sons through Vedic ritual has come, such as you are, you will by all means get four sons with boundless valor." The Vedic seers [one that predicts events] thus blessed Dasharatha. [1-12-12]
sarvathaa praapyase putraam chaturo amita vikramaan |
yasya te dharmikii buddhih iyam putraartham aagataa || 1-12-13
Then the king is gladdened to hear the blessing advises of the Vedic scholars, he that king spoke to the other ministers of his court, with happiness derived from those good words. [1-12-13]
tatah priito.abhavat raajaa shrutvaa tu dvija bhaasitam |
amaatyaan abraviit raajaa harshhena idam shubha aksharam || 1-12-14
gurunaam vachanaat shiighram sa.mbhaaraah sa.mbhriyantu me |
samartha adhishhtitah cha ashvah sah upaadhyaayo vimuchyataam || 1-12-15
sarayavyaah cha uttare tiire yajna bhumih vidhiyataam |
shaa.mtayah cha abhivarthantaam yathaa kalpam yathaa vidhi || 1-12-16
shakyah kartum ayam yajnah sarvena api mahiikshitaa |
na aparaatho bhavet kashhto yadya asmin kratu sattame || 1-12-17
chhidram hi mrigayanta ete vidvaanso brahma raakshasaah |
vidhihiinasya yajnasya sadyah kartaa vinashyati || 1-12-18
tad yathaa vidhi puurvam kratuh esa samaapyate |
tathaa vidhaanam kriyataam samarthaah karanesu iha || 1-12-19
The king said, "As advised by my Vedic teachers the paraphernalia [article of sacrifice] for my ritual be procured. Let the ritual horse be well guarded in its journey by gallant men and also followed by religious teachers be released, as per tradition. Let the ritual place be decided on the northern banks of Sarayu River. Let the peace invocations be prevailing and prospering as ordained [defined] in the scriptures and tradition. All the kings on this earth would have performed this Horse Ritual, if only they can perform this without a mistake. Thus, this is a great and difficult ritual The Brahma-Rakshasas will be hunting for the faults performed in the rituals. Further, the performer of the ritual also gets ruined if there were be to be faults. That is why this ritual shall be conducted faultlessly till its conclusion, and with absolute adherence to the scriptures, since all of you assembled here are efficient ones in conducting ritual without faults. [1-12-14,15,16,17,18, 19]
tathaa iti cha tatah sarve ma.ntrinah pratyapuujayan |
paarthiva indrasya tat vaakyam yathaa aajnaptam akurvata || 1-12-20
"It will be done like that only," said all the ministers in reply to the words of the king, and in appreciation to his orders, and they have carried out works as ordered. [1-12-20]
tato dvijaah te dharmajnam astuvan paarthivarsabham |
anujnaataah tatah sarve punah jagmuh yathaa aagatam || 1-12-21
Then all the Brahmans applauded the virtuous king and who is like a Sacred Bull among the kings for his virtuous endeavor [to work with set purpose] of undertaking the Vedic ritual, and with his permission all of them returned from there as they have come. [1-12-21]
gatesu tesu vipresu ma.ntrinah taan naraadhipah |
visarjayitvaa svam veshma pravivesha mahaamatih ||1-12-22
On the departure of the prominent Brahmans, King Dasharatha sent off those ministers who are still available there for further orders from the king, and then he the great resplendent [shining brilliantly] king has entered his own palace. [1-12-22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande dvaadashah sargah
Thus, this is the 12th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate