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[ After receiving the message from Janaka, king Dasaratha accompanied by his ministers arrives at Mithila.]

जनकेन समादिष्टा दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहना:।

त्रिरात्रमुषिता मार्गे तेऽयोध्यां प्राविशन् पुरीम्।।1.68.1।।


जनकेन by Janaka, समादिष्टा: commanded by, ते they, दूता: messengers, मार्गे on the way, त्रिरात्रम् three nights, उषिताः had spent, क्लान्तवाहना: with their horses tired, अयोध्यां पुरीम् city of Ayodhya, प्राविशन् entered.

Commanded by Janaka the messengers travelled for three days, rested for three nights on the way and entered the city of Ayodhya along with their horses tired.
राज्ञो भवनमासाद्य द्वारस्थानिदमब्रुवन्।

शीघ्रं निवेद्यतां राज्ञे दूतान्नो जनकस्य च।।1.68.2।।


राज्ञ: king's, भवनम् palace, आसाद्य having reached, द्वारस्थान् addressing the doorkeepers, इदम् these words, अब्रुवन् spoke, जनकस्य Janaka's, दूतान् messengers, न: about us, शीघ्रम् immediately, राज्ञे for king, निवेद्यताम् be informed.

Reaching the king's palace the messengers said to the doorkeepers, "Let king
Dasaratha be immediately informed that the messengers from Janaka have come".
इत्युक्ता द्वारपालास्ते राघवाय न्यवेदयन्।

ते राजवचनाद्दूता राजवेश्मप्रवेशिता:।

ददृशुर्देवसङ्काशं वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम्।।1.68.3।।


इत्युक्ताः having (informed) spoken by them, द्वारपाला: doorkeepers, राघवाय for Dasaratha, न्यवेदयन् informed, ते दूता: those messengers, राजवचनात् obeying the words of king, राजवेश्म royal palace, प्रवेशिता: having been made to enter, देवसङ्काशम् resembling devatas, वृद्धम् aged, दशरथं नृपम् king Dasaratha, ददृशु: beheld.

Having heard their words, the doorkeepers informed the descendant of Raghu (king Dasaratha). Thereafter, with the the king's permission, the messengers entered the royal palace and beheld the aged king Dasaratha who shone like a god.
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा स्सर्वे दूता विगतसाध्वसा:।

राजानं प्रयता वाक्यमब्रुवन्मधुराक्षरम्।।1.68.4।।


सर्वे all, दूता: the messengers, बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा: folding the hands together in supplication, विगतसाध्वसा: freed from apprehensions, प्रयता: in reverence, राजानम् addressing king, मधुराक्षरम् in sweet (complimentary ), वाक्यम् words, अब्रुवन् said:

All the messengers, hands folded free from apprehensions, reverentially addressed the king in sweet words.
मैथिलो जनको राजा साग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतम् ।

कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव सोपाध्यायपुरोहितम्।।1.68.5।।

मुहुर्मुहुर्मधुरया स्नेहसंयुक्तया गिरा।

जनकस्त्वां महाराज पृच्छते सपुरस्सरम्।।1.68.6।।


महाराज O Great monarch, मैथिल: Mithila's lord, जनक: राजा king Janaka, साग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतम् treating with sacred fire and oblations with resepect by placing the sacred fire in the forefront, सोपाध्यायपुरोहितम् with spiritual preceptors and priests, सपुरस्सरम् with attendants ahead of you, त्वाम् you, मधुरया sweet, स्नेहसंयुक्तया endowed with affection, गिरा with words, कुशलं च welfare, अव्ययं चैव imperishability, मुहु: महुः again and again, पृच्छते is enquiring.

"O Great monarch Mithila's lord, king Janaka, with the sacred fire in front again and again enquires about your health and the spiritual wellbeing of your preceptors, priests and attendants in words filled with sweetness and affection.
पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्यग्रं वैदेहो मिथिलाधिप:।

कौशिकानुमते वाक्यं भवन्तमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.68.7।।


मिथिलाधिप: king of Mithila, वैदेह: Janaka, अव्यग्रम् diligently, कुशलम् welfare, पृष्ट्वा having ascertained, कौशिकानुमते with the permission of Viswamitra, भवन्तम् to you, इदम् this, वाक्यम् word, अब्रवीत् said.

Janaka, the king of Mithila with the enquiry about your welfare, with the permission of the son of Kausika (Viswamitra) sends you this message:
पूर्वं प्रतिज्ञा विदिता वीर्यशुल्का ममात्मजा।

राजानश्च कृतामर्षानिर्वीर्या विमुखीकृता:।।1.68.8।।


मम आत्मजा my daughter, वीर्यशुल्का as a reward of prowess, पूर्वम् formerly, प्रतिज्ञा vow, विदिता known to everybody, कृतामर्षा: made indignant, निर्वीर्या: powerless, राजान: kings also, विमुखीकृता: were made to turn back.

O King It is wellknown that formerly I had vowed to give my daughter to a groom as a reward for prowess. Disappointed when proved powerless, the kings became indignant and opposed me.
सेयं मम सुता राजन् विश्वामित्रपुरस्सरै:।

यदृच्छयागतैर्वीरैर्निर्जिता तव पुत्रकै:।।1.68.9।।


राजन् O King, सा इयम् that this, मम my, सुता daughter, विश्वामित्रपुरस्सरै: with Viswamitra at the forefront ahead, यदृच्छया casually, आगतै: who had come, तव your, वीरै: heroic ones, पुत्रकै: by your sons, निर्जिता has been won.

O King that this daughter of mine has been won by your heroic son Rama who has come here casually led by Viswamitra.
तच्च राजन् धनुर्दिव्यं मध्ये भग्नं महात्मना।

रामेण हि महाराज महत्यां जनसंसदि।।1.68.10।।


महाराज O Great among kings, राजन् Dasaratha, तत् that, दिव्यम् divine, धनु: bow, महत्याम् in the illimitable glory, जनसंसदि in the assembly of people, महात्मना by the magnanimous, रामेण by Rama, मध्ये in the middle, भग्नम् is broken.

O Great king, Dasaratha the divine bow with its limitless glory was broken in the middle by the great self Rama in the assembly of people.
अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्यशुल्का महात्मने।

प्रतिज्ञां कर्तुमिच्छामि तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।1.68.11।।


वीर्यशुल्का the 'Reward for Prowess', सीता Sita, अस्मै to this, महात्मने eminent one, मया by me, देया fit to be given, प्रतिज्ञाम् vow, कर्तुम् to fufill, इच्छामि desiring, तत् for that reason, अनुज्ञातुम् to give your consent, अर्हसि behoves of you.

Sita is fit to be given in marriage to this eminent Rama as a reward for his prowess. I request you to give your consent to fulfil my vow.
सोपाध्यायो महाराज पुरोहितपुरस्सर:।

शीघ्रमागच्छ भद्रं ते द्रष्टुमर्हसि राघवौ ।।1.68.12।।


महाराज O Mighty king, सोपाध्याय: with your preceptors, पुरोहितपुरस्सर: with official priest walking ahead, शीघ्रम् speedily, आगच्छ come here, ते भद्रम् prosperity to you, राघवौ Rama and Lakshmana, द्रष्टुम् to behold, अर्हसि behoves of you.

O Mighty king be blessed. Come here soon with your preceptors and priest. You ought to be reumitd with Rama amd Lakshmana.
प्रीतिं च मम राजेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि।

पुत्रयोरुभयोरेव प्रीतिं त्वमपि लप्स्यसे।।1.68.13।।


राजेन्द्र O Indra among kings, मम for me, प्रीतिम् pleasure, निर्वर्तयितुम् to cause, अर्हसि it behoves of you, त्वमपि you also, उभयो: both of your, पुत्रयो: sons, प्रीतिम् delight, लप्स्यसे will obtain.

O Indra among kings you will not only bring me pleasure, you will also be happy to see your sons.
एवं विदेहाधिपतिर्मधुरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।1.68.14।।

विश्वामित्राभ्यनुज्ञात श्शतानन्दमते स्थित:।

इत्युक्त्वा विरता दूता राजगौरवशङ्किता:।।1.68.15।।


विदेहाधिपति: king of Videha, विश्वामित्राभ्यनुज्ञात: with Viwsamitra's approval, शतानन्दमते in line with Satananda's thinking, स्थित: staying, एवम् thus, मधुरम् sweet, वाक्यम् words, अब्रवीत् spoke, दूता: messengers, इति उक्त्वा having thus spoken, राजगौरवशङ्किता: fearing out of respect for king, विरता: concluded.

The king of Videha (Janaka) with Viswamitra's approval and in line with Satananda's thinking has conveyed these sweet words". The messengers having said so concluded out of respect for their king (afraid that they might look overtalkative).
दूतवाक्यं च तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा परमहर्षित:।

वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च मन्त्रिणोऽन्यांश्च सोऽब्रवीत्।।1.68.16।।


स: राजा that king, तत् that, दूतवाक्यम् words of messengers, श्रुत्वा having listened, परमहर्षित: exceedingly rejoiced, वसिष्ठम् Vasishta, वामदेवम् Vamadeva, अन्यान् other, मन्त्रिणश्च ministers, अब्रवीत् spoke.

Exceedingly happy to hear the words of the messengers, the king said to Vasishta, Vamadeva and other ministers.
गुप्त: कुशिकपुत्रेण कौसल्यानन्दवर्धन:।

लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विदेहेषु वसत्यसौ।।1.68.17।।


असौ this, कौसल्यानन्दवर्धन: enhancing the joy of Kausalya, कुशिकपुत्रेण by the son of Kusika, Visvamitra, गुप्त: protected, भ्रात्रा along with brother Lakshmana, विदेहेषु in the country of Videha, वसति living.

"The enhancer of the joy of Kausalya (Rama) along with hs brother Lakshmana under the protection of Viswamitra is now staying in the coutry of the Videhas."
दृष्टवीर्यस्तु काकुत्स्थो जनकेन महात्मना।

सम्प्रदानं सुतायास्तु राघवे कर्तुमिच्छति।।1.68.18।।


काकुत्स्थ: Rama, महात्मना by the illustrious, जनकेन by Janaka, दृष्टवीर्य: having proved the prowess (that Janaka), सुताया: daughter's, सम्प्रदानम् bestowal, राघवे to Rama, कर्तुम् to do, इच्छति is desiring.

Illustrious Janaka desires to bestow his daughter on the descendat of Kakustha (Rama) whose prowess he has witnessed.
यदि वो रोचते वृत्तं जनकस्य महात्मन:।

पुरीं गच्छामहे शीघ्रं मा भूत्कालस्य पर्यय:।।1.68.19।।


महात्मन: of the distinguished, जनकस्य Janaka's, वृत्तम् behaviour (character ), व: to you, रोचते यदि is approved (looked) by you with favour, शीघ्रम् immediately, पुरीम् city of Mithila, गच्छामहे shall go, कालस्य time's, पर्यय: delay, माभूत् let not be there.

If you approve the action, of the distinguished Janaka, let us hurry to the city of Mithila. Let there be no delay".
मन्त्रिणो बाढमित्याहु: सह सर्वैर्महर्षिभि:।

सुप्रीतश्चाब्रवीद्राजा श्वो यात्रेति स मन्त्रिण:।।1.68.20।।


सर्वै: by all, महर्षिभि: सह maharshis, मन्त्रिण: along with all the ministers, बाढमिति "certainly so", आहु: said, सुप्रीत: highly delighted, स: राजा that king, श्व: tomorrow, यात्रा journey, इति so, मन्त्रिण: addrressing ministers, अब्रवीत् spoke.

All the maharshis and the ministers said, 'certainly so'. And the king, overwhelmed with joy, said, "we start tomorrow".
मन्त्रिणस्तु नरेन्द्रस्य रात्रिं परमसत्कृता:।

ऊषु स्तेमुदिता स्सर्वे गुणै स्सर्वैस्समन्विता:।।1.68.21।।


सर्वै: by all, गुणै: excellent virtues, समन्विता: endowed with, नरेन्द्रस्य king Janaka's, मन्त्रिणस्तु counsellors, परमसत्कृता: highly honoured, मुदिता: were pleased, रात्रिम् night, ऊषु: spent.

The virtuous counsellors of the Indra among kings highly honoured spent the night happily.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे अष्टषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the sixtyeighth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.