Bala Kanda — Sarga 38

तां कथां कौशिको रामे निवेद्य मधुराक्षराम्। पुनरेवापरं वाक्यं काकुत्स्थमिदमब्रवीत्॥

Having said those words to Rāma, composed of melodious letters, Kausika again spoke to Kākutstha, saying,

Bala Kanda 38.1

अयोध्याधिपतिर्वीर पूर्वमासीन्नराधिपः। सगरो नाम धर्मात्मा प्रजाकामः स चाग्रजः॥

Formerly there was a king-lord of Ayodhyā-named Sagara. And it came to pass that righteous one, though eagerly wishing for children was without issue.

Bala Kanda 38.2

वैदर्भदुहिता राम केशिनी नाम नामतः। ज्येष्ठा सगरपत्नी सा धर्मिष्ठा सत्यवादिनी॥

O Räma, Vidarbha's daughter, named Kesinī, was the elder wife of Sagara. And she was virtuous and truthful.

Bala Kanda 38.3

अरिष्टनेमेर्दुहिता सुपर्णभगिनी तु सा। द्वितीया सगरस्यासीत् पत्नी सुमतिसंज्ञिता॥

The second wife of Sagara was called Sumati, who was the daughter of Aristanemi and the sister of Suparna (Garuda).

Bala Kanda 38.4

ताभ्यां सह महाराजः पत्नीभ्यां तप्तवांस्तपः। हिमवन्तं समासाद्य भृगुप्रस्रवणे गिरौ॥

And with those wives of his, that mighty king, coming to the Himavat, began to practice austerities on the mountain Bhrguprasravaņa.

Bala Kanda 38.5

अथ वर्षशते पूर्णे तपसाऽऽराधितो मुनिः। सगराय वरं प्रादाद् भृगुः सत्यवतां वरः॥

When a full hundred years had been numbered, the ascetic that had been adored by means of these austerities, Bright, best of those endowed with truth, conferred a boon upon Sagara, saying.

Bala Kanda 38.6

अपत्यलाभः सुमहान् भविष्यति तवानघ। कीर्ति चाप्रतिमां लोके प्राप्स्यसे पुरुषर्षभ।७।।

O sinless one, you shall obtain glorious offspring; and, O foremost of men, you shall attain unparalleled renown among Man.

Bala Kanda 38.7

एका जनयिता तात पुत्रं वंशकरं तव। षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि अपरा जनयिष्यति॥

O child, one of your con sorts shall bring forth a son who will perpetuate your race; and the other give birth to sixty thousand sons.'

Bala Kanda 38.8

भाषमाणं महात्मानं राजपुत्र्यौ प्रसाद्य तम्। ऊचतुः परमप्रीते कृताञ्जलिपुटे तदा॥

As that best of men was saying this, those daughters of kings, exceedingly delighted, propitiating him, addressed him with clasped hands.

Bala Kanda 38.9

एकः कस्याः सुतो ब्रह्मन् का बहूञ्जनयिष्यति। श्रोतुमिच्छामहे ब्रह्मन् सत्यमस्तु वचस्तव॥

Who of us, O Brahmana, shall produce a single son, and who many? This, O Brāhmaṇa, we wish to hear. May your word prove true!

Bala Kanda 38.10

तयोस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा भृगुः परमधार्मिकः। उवाच परमां वाणी स्वच्छन्दोऽत्र विधीयताम्॥ एको वंशकरो वास्तु बहवो वा महाबलाः। कीर्तिमन्तो महोत्साहाः का वा कं वरमिच्छति ॥

Hearing this, the highly pious Bhỉgu said these pregnant words, 'Do you unfold your minds. Who wishes for what boon, between a single perpetuator of the line, and innumerable sons, possessed of mighty strength, and furnished with fame, and endowed with high spirits?'

Bala Kanda 38.11

मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा केशिनी रघुनन्दन। पुत्रं वंशकरं राम जग्राह नृपसंनिधौ॥

Hearing the ascetic's words, O descendant of Raghu, Kesinī in the presence of the monarch chose, O Rāma, a single son to perpetuate the line.

Bala Kanda 38.12

षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि सुपर्णभगिनी तदा। महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमतिः सुतान् ॥

And Suparna's sister, Sumati, sixty thousand sons, high-spirited and furnished with fame.

Bala Kanda 38.13

प्रदक्षिणमृषि कृत्वा शिरसाभिप्रणम्य तम्। जगाम स्वपुरं राजा सभार्यो रघुनन्दन ॥

Then, O son of Raghu, having gone round the saint and bowed down the head, the king went to his own capital, accompanied by his consorts.

Bala Kanda 38.14

अथ काले गते तस्य ज्येष्ठा पुत्रं व्यजायत। असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं केशिनी सगरात्मजम्॥

And after a length of time, the elder, Kesini, bore a son to Sagara, known by the name of Asamanja.

Bala Kanda 38.15

सुमतिस्तु नरव्याघ्र गर्भतुम्बं व्यजायत। षष्ठिः पुत्रसहस्राणि तुम्बभेदाद् विनिःसृताः॥

And Sumati, O foremost of men, brought forth a gourd. And when it burst open, out came from it sixty thousand sons.

Bala Kanda 38.16

घृतपूर्णेषु कुम्भेषु धात्र्यस्तान् समवर्धयन्। कालेन महता सर्वे यौवनं प्रतिपेदिरे॥

And the nurses fostered them by keeping them in jars filled with clarified butter. And after a great length of time, they attained to youth.

Bala Kanda 38.17

अथ दीर्पण कालेन रूपयौवनशालिनः। षष्ठिः पुत्रसहस्राणि सगरस्याभवंस्तदा॥

And after a long lapse of time, Sagara's sixty thousand sons attained to youth and beauty.

Bala Kanda 38.18

सच ज्येष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठ सगरस्यात्मसम्भवः। बालान् गृहीत्वा तु जले सरय्वा रघुनन्दन ॥ प्रक्षिप्य प्राहसन्नित्यं मज्जतस्तान् निरीक्ष्य वै।

O foremost of men,* the eldest son of Sagara, taking those children, would, O descendant of Raghu, often cast them into the Sarayū, and in mirth behold them sinking in the waters. *The text has Narasresthas, put for Asamanja. Evidently this is an error. I make it a vocative.

Bala Kanda 38.19

एवं पापसमाचारः सज्जनप्रतिबाधकः॥ पौराणामहिते युक्तः पित्रा निर्वासितः पुरात्।

Being thus evil-disposed, and injuring honest folks, and engaged in doing wrong to the citizens, he was banished by this father from the city.

Bala Kanda 38.20

तस्य पुत्रोंऽशुमान् नाम असमञ्जस्य वीर्यवान् ॥ सम्मतः सर्वलोकस्य सर्वस्यापि प्रियंवदः।

Asamañja had a son possessed of prowess, named Anšumān. And he was beloved of all men and fair-spoken towards everyone.

Bala Kanda 38.21

ततः कालेन महता मतिः समभिजायत ॥ सगरस्य नरश्रेष्ठ यजेयमिति निश्चिता।

O foremost of men, it came to pass that after a long time had gone by, that lord of earth Sagara made up his mind, saying, 'I will sacrifice.'

Bala Kanda 38.22

स कृत्वा निश्चयं राजा सोपाध्यायगणस्तदा। यज्ञकर्मणि वेदज्ञो यष्टुं समुपचक्रमे॥

Having determined upon it, that one versed in the Vedas set about it, in company with his priests.

Bala Kanda 38.23