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[Emperor Sagara performs austerities and a sacrifice for progeny.]

तां कथां कौशिको रामे निवेद्य कुशिकात्मज:।

पुनरेवापरं वाक्यं काकुत्स्थ मिदमब्रवीत्।।1.38.1।।


कुशिकात्मज: the offspring of Kausika, कौशिक: Visvamitra, तां कथाम् that story, रामे to Rama, निवेद्य having related, पुनरेव again, इदम् this, (अपरं) वाक्यम् words, काकुत्स्थम् addressing Rama, अब्रवीत् had spoken.

Viswamitra, an offspring of Kusika having related the story (of Karthikeya) to the son of the Kakusthas (Rama) said again.
अयोध्याधिपति श्शूर: पूर्वमासीन्नराधिप:।

सगरो नाम धर्मात्मा प्रजाकामस्स चाप्रज:।।1.38.2।।


पूर्वम् in ancient times, अयोध्याधिपति: ruler of Ayodhya, शूर: brave, धर्मात्मा righteous one, सगरो नाम named Sagara, नराधिप: आसीत् was king, स: he, अप्रज: was childless, प्रजाकाम: desiring children,

"In olden days there lived a brave and righteous king named Sagara who was ruler of Ayodhya. He was childless and desired to have children,
वैदर्भदुहिता राम केशिनी नाम नामत:।

ज्येष्ठा सगरपत्नी सा धर्मिष्ठा सत्यवादिनी।।1.38.3।।


राम O Rama, वैदर्भदुहिता daughter of king of Vidarbha, नामत: by name, केशिनी नाम wellknown as Kesini, ज्येष्ठा eldest, सगरपत्नी wife of Sagara, सा she, धर्मिष्ठा righteous, सत्यवादिनी truthful.

O Rama the daughter of the king of Vidarbha by name Kesini was Sagara's eldest wife who was righteous and truthful.
अरिष्टनेमेर्दुहिता रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि।

द्वितीया सगरस्यासीत्पत्नी सुमतिसंज्ञिता ।।1.38.4।।


अरिष्टनेमे: Arishtanemi's, दुहिता daughter, रूपेण in charm, भुवि on this earth, अप्रतिमा unsurpassed, सुमतिसंज्ञिता named Sumati, सगरस्य Sagara's, द्वितीया second, पत्नी आसीत् was his wife.

The daughter of Arishtanemi named Sumati was the second wife of Sagara and none surpassed her in charm on earth.
ताभ्यां सह महाराज: पत्नीभ्यां तप्तवांस्तप:।

हिमवन्तं समासाद्य भृगुप्रस्रवणे गिरौ।।1.38.5।।


तदा then, महाराजः king Sagara, ताभ्याम् पत्नीभ्याम् with those wives, सह accompanied by, हिमवन्तम् Himavat mountain, समासाद्य having reached, भृगुप्रस्रवणे on a peak called Bhriguprasravana, गिरौ mountain, तप: तप्तवान् engaged in austerities.

The king (Sagara) accompanied by his wives reached Himavat mountain and engaged himself in severe austerities on a peak called Bhriguprasravana.
अथ वर्षशते पूर्णे तपसाऽराधितो मुनि:।

सगराय वरं प्रादाद्भृगुस्सत्यवतां वर:।।1.38.6।।


अथ then, वर्षशते when hundred years, पूर्णे had completed, तपसा by austerites, आराधित: pleased, सत्यवतां वर: best among truthful persons, भृगु: मुनि: the ascestic Bhrugu, सगराय for Sagara, वरम् boon, प्रादात् granted.

When Sagara completed a hundred years in austerities, highly pleased by his performance, ascetic Bhrugu, the best among the truthful granted him a boon.
अपत्यलाभस्सुमहान् भविष्यति तवानघ।

कीर्तिं चाप्रतिमां लोके प्राप्स्यसे पुरुषर्षभ।।1.38.7।।


अनघ O Blemishless one, तव to you, सुमहान् very great, अपत्यलाभ: gain of progeny, भविष्यति will take place, पुरुषर्षभ O Best among men, लोके in this world, अप्रतिमाम् unparalleled, कीर्तिं च fame, प्राप्स्यसे you will acquire.

O sinless one, you will get a very great progeny, O best among men you will acquire unparalleled fame in this world.
एका जनयिता तात पुत्रं वंशकरं तव।

षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि अपरा जनयिष्यति।।1.38.8।।


तात O Child, एका one wife, तव your, वंशकरम् perpetuating race, पुत्रम् one son, जनयिता will beget, अपरा the other wife, षष्ठिं sixty, पुत्रसहस्राणि thousands of sons, जनयिष्यति will beget.

O child, one wife will beget a son who will perpetuate your race and the other, sixty thousand sons, said Bhrugu.
भाषमाणं महात्मानं राजपुत्र्यौ प्रसाद्य तम्।

ऊचतु: परमप्रीते कृताञ्जलिपुटे तदा।।1.38.9।।


तदा after that, परमप्रीते exceedingly delighted, राजपुत्र्यौ daughters of kings, कृताञ्जलिपुटे folding hands in supplication, भाषमाणम् speaking in this way, महात्मानम् magnanimous, प्रसाद्य propitiating, तम् addresseing him, ऊचतु: said.

Thereafter, both the daughters of the king were exceedingly delighted. Having propitiated that magnanimous asectic both of them with folded hands in supplication, said:
एक: कस्यास्सुतो ब्रह्मन् का बहून् जनयिष्यति।

श्रोतुमिच्छावहे ब्रह्मन् सत्यमस्तु वचस्तव।।1.38.10।।


ब्रह्मन् O Knower of Brahman, कस्या: which of us, एक: one, सुत: son will beget, का who is she, बहून् many sons, जनयिष्यति will beget, ब्रह्मन् O Brahmarshi, श्रोतुम् to listen, इच्छावहे both of us are interested in knowing, तव your, वच: words, सत्यम् अस्तु let this be true.

O knower of Brahman which of us will beget one, and who many sons? O Brahmarshi we wish to hear. Let your words come true".
तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भृगु: परमधार्मिक:।

उवाच परमां वाणीं स्वच्छन्दोऽत्र विधीयताम्।।1.38.11।।


परमधार्मिक: highly virtuous, भृगु: Bhrugu, तयो: their, तत् वचनम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, परमाम् excellent, वाणीम् statement, उवाच made, अत्र in this matter, स्वच्छन्द: your free will, विधीयताम् be exercised.

Hearing their words, highly virtuous Bhrugu made an excellent statement saying, 'In this matter, you may exercise your free will'.
एको वंशकरो वाऽस्तु बहवो वा महाबला:।

कीर्तिमन्तो महोत्साहा: का वा कं वरमिच्छति।।1.38.12।।


वंशकर: perpetuating the race, एक: one, अस्तु वा shall beget, महाबला: possessed of mighty strength, कीर्तिमन्त: endowed with fame, महोत्साहा: great perseverance, बहवो वा many, का वा who among you, कं वरम् which boon, इच्छति is desiring?

'What would you wish? One son who perpetuates the race or many possessed of mighty strength endowed with fame and perseverance?' (asked Bhrugu).
मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा केशिनी रघुनन्दन।

पुत्रं वंशकरं राम जग्राह नृपसन्निधौ।।1.38.13।।


रघुनन्दन O One causing delight to the descendents of Raghu, राम Rama , मुने: ascetic's, वचनम् words, श्रुत्वा having heard, केशिनी Kesini, वंशकरम् perpetuating the race, पुत्रम् son, नृपसन्निधौ in the presence of king, जग्राह accepted.

"O Rama, delight of the descendants of Raghus, on hearing the words of the ascetic in the presence of king Sagara, Kesini chose the boon to have a son who perpetuates the race.
षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि सुपर्णभगिनी तदा।

महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमति: सुतान्।।1.38.14।।


तदा then, सुपर्णभगिनी sister of (Garuda) Suparna, सुमति: Sumati, महोत्साहान् possessing great perseverance, कीर्तिमत: endowed with fame, षष्ठिम् sixty, पुत्रसहस्राणि thosands of sons, सुतान् as her sons, जग्राह accepted.

Then, Sumati (the other wife) sister of Suparna (Garuda) obtained the boon of sixty thousand sons endowed with fame and great perseverance.
प्रदक्षिणमृषिं कृत्वा शिरसाऽभिप्रणम्य च।

जगाम स्वपुरं राजा सभार्यो रघुनन्दन ।।1.38.15।।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, सभार्य: along with wives, राजा king, ऋषिम् saint Bhrigu, प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा having circumambulated, शिरसा bowing down the head, अभिप्रणम्य saluting with folded hands, स्वपुरम् his own capital, जगाम went.

O son of the Raghus the king along with his wives, having circumambulated saint Bhrugu, bowed his head in reverence, saluted him with folded hands and returned to his capital.
अथ काले गते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठा पुत्रं व्यजायत।

असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं केशिनी सगरात्मजम्।।1.38.16।।


अथ thereafter, तस्मिन् काले गते after lapse of some time, ज्येष्ठा eldest wife, केशिनी Kesini, सगरात्मजम् son of Sagara, असमञ्ज इति by name Asamanjasa, ख्यातम् well known, पुत्रम् son, व्यजायत gave birth.

After lapse of some time, the eldest wife Kesini gave birth to a son wellknown by name Asamanjasa.
सुमतिस्तु नरव्याघ्र गर्भतुम्बं व्यजायत।

षष्ठि: पुत्रसहस्राणि तुम्बभेदाद्विनि:सृता:।।1.38.17।।


नरव्याघ्र O Best among men, सुमतिस्तु Sumati, गर्भतुम्बम् gourd like foetus, व्यजायत gave birth, तुम्बभेदात् when that guard like foetus was burst open, षष्ठि: sixty, पुत्रसहस्राणि thousands of sons, विनिस्सृता: emerged.

O best among men, Sumati gave birth to a gourdlike foetus and when it burst open, sixty thousand sons emerged.
घृतपूर्णेषु कुम्भेषु धात्र्यस्तान् समवर्धयन्।

कालेन महता सर्वे यौवनं प्रतिपेदिरे।।1.38.18।।


धात्र्य: nurses, तान् them, घृतपूर्णेषु filled with clarified butter, कुम्भेषु in pots, समवर्धयन् fostered them, सर्वे all of them, महता कालेन after a long time, यौवनम् state of adolescence, प्रतिपेदिरे attained.

Nurses placed all of them in pots filled with clarified butter and fostered them. They attained adolescence after a long time.
अथ दीर्घेण कालेन रूपयौवनशालिन:।

षष्टि: पुत्रसहस्राणि सगरस्याभवंस्तदा।।1.38.19।।


अथ then, दीर्घेण कालेन after a lapse of long time, सगरस्य Sagara's, षष्ठि: पुत्रसहस्राणि sixty thousand sons, तदा then, रूपयौवनशालिन: अभवन् became resplendent with beauty and manhood.

Then, after a long time Sagara's sixty thousand sons attained beauty and youth.
स च ज्येष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठ सगरस्यात्मसम्भव:।

बालान् गृहीत्वा तु जले सरय्वा रघुनन्दन।।1.38.20।।

प्रक्षिप्य प्रहसन्नित्यं मज्जतस्तान् समीक्ष्य वै।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Best among men, रघुनन्दन O Rama, ज्येष्ठ: eldest son, स: सगरस्य आत्मसम्भव: that Sagara's son Asamanjasa, नित्यम् every day, बालान् children, गृहीत्वा seizing hold of, सरय्वा: river Sarayu's, जले waters, प्रक्षिप्य throwing them, निमज्जत: while they were drowning, तान् them, समीक्ष्य beholding, प्रहसन् while laughing (rejoiced).

O best among men, delight of the Raghus (in the mean time) sagara's eldest son Asamanjasa, used to seize hold of children and throw them into the waters of river Sarayu. And while they were drowning, he was laughing.
एवं पापसमाचारस्सज्जनप्रतिबाधक:।।1.38.21।।

पौराणामहिते युक्त: पुत्रो निर्वासित: पुरात्।


एवम् In this manner, पापसमाचार: evilinclined, सज्जनप्रतिबाधक: tormenting the good citizens, पौराणाम् for citizens, अहिते inimical acts, युक्तः (रत:) delighted, पुत्र: son, पुरात् from capital, निर्वासित: was banished.

Thus this son inclined towards evil and formenting the good citizens was banished (of the king) from the capital for his indulgence in malevolent acts.
तस्य पुत्रोंऽशुमान्नाम असमञ्जस्य वीर्यवान्।।1.38.22।।

सम्मत स्सर्वलोकस्य सर्वस्यापि प्रियंवद:।


तस्य असमञ्जस्य for that Asamanjasa, पुत्र: son, वीर्यवान् valiant, अंशुमान् नाम named Anshuman, सर्वलोकस्य for the entire world, सम्मत: beloved, सर्वस्यापि for every one also, प्रियंवद: courteous in speech.

Asamanjasa's son was Anshuman. He was valiant, beloved and courteous to every one in the world.
तत: कालेन महता मतिस्समभिजायत।।1.38.23।।

सगरस्य नरश्रेष्ठ यजेयमिति निश्चिता।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Best among men, तत: afterwards, महता कालेन after a long time, सगरस्य Sagara's, यजेयम् I shall perform sacrifice, इति thus, निश्चिता firm, मति: decision, समभिजायत arose (in him).

O best among men after a long time, a thought came to the mind of Sagara to definitely perform a sacrifice.
स कृत्वा निश्चयं राम सोपाध्यायगणस्तदा।।1.38.24।।

यज्ञकर्मणि वेदज्ञो यष्टुं समुपचक्रमे।


राम O Rama, तदा then, वेदज्ञ: wellversed in vedas, स: he, सोपाध्यायगण: in the company of high priests, यज्ञकर्मणि initiatory rites relating to sacrifice, निश्चयम् determination, कृत्वा having made, यष्टुम् to perform sacrifice, समुपचक्रमे commenced.

O Rama having determined to perform a sacrifice, he (Sagara) versed in the Vedas, started the initiatory rites for the sacrifice in the company of high priests".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे अष्टात्रिंशस्सर्ग: 2
Thus ends the thirtyeighth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.