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[ Accompanied by the army Dasaratha reaches Mithila Janaka honours him.]

ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां सोपाध्याय: सबान्धव:।

राजा दशरथो हृष्ट स्सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.69.1।।


सोपाध्याय: accompanied by spiritual preceptors, सबान्धव: relations, राजा दशरथ: king Dasaratha, हृष्ट: highly pleased, तत: afterwards, रात्र्याम् when the night, व्यतीतायाम् had passed, सुमन्त्रम् addressing Sumantra, इदम् this word, अब्रवीत् spoke.

With the passing of the night king Dasaratha, accompanied by spiritual preceptors and relatives said to Sumantra:
अद्य सर्वे धनाध्यक्षा धनमादाय पुष्कलम्।

व्रजन्त्वग्रे सुविहिता नानारत्नसमन्विता:।।1.69.2।।


अद्य today, सर्वे all, धनाध्यक्षा: officers of the treasury, पुष्कलम् abundance of, धनम् wealth, आदाय taking, नानारत्नसमन्विता: furnished with a variety gems, सुविहिता: wellprepared, अग्रे in advance, व्रजन्तु may go.

"Let all the officers of the treasury furnished with enough wealth and a variety gems go in advance under escort.
चतुरङ्गबलं चापि शीघ्रं निर्यातु सर्वश:।

ममज्ञासमकालं च यानयुग्यमनुत्तमम्।।1.69.3।।


मम my, अज्ञासमकालम् at command itself, चतुरङ्गबलम् four divisions of the army, सर्वश: from all the four quarters, निर्यातु many depart, अनुत्तमम् excelent, यानयुग्यम् also chariots, palanquins (march out).

Let the four divisions of the army from all the four quarters with elegant palanquins
proceed at my command.
वसिष्ठो वामदेवश्च जाबालिरथ काश्यप:।

मार्कण्डेयश्च दीर्घायु:ऋषि: कात्यायनस्तथा।।1.69.4।।

एते द्विजा: प्रयान्त्वग्रे स्यन्दनं योजयस्व मे।

यथा कालात्ययो न स्या द्दूता हि त्वरयन्ति माम्।।1.69.5।।


वसिष्ठ: Vasishta, वामदेवश्च Vamadeva, अथ also, जाबालि: Jabali, काश्यप: Kasyapa, दीर्घायु: endowed with long life, मार्कण्डेयश्च Markandeya, तथा also, ऋषि: कात्यायन: rishi Katyayana, एते these, द्विजा: brahmins, अग्रे in advance, प्रयान्तु will go, मे my, स्यन्दनम् chariot, योजयस्व be yoked, कालात्यय passage of time, यथा as, न स्यात् will not happen, दूता: messengers, माम् me, त्वरयन्ति हि are hastening me up.

Let brahmins like Vasishta, Vamadeva, Jabali, Kasyapa, Markandeya endowed with long life, and rishi Katyayana depart in advance. My chariot be yoked and kept ready. Let there be no delay. The messengers (from Janaka) are hastening me up".
वचनात्तु नरेन्द्रस्य सा सेना चतुरङ्गिणी।

राजानमृषिभि स्सार्धं व्रजन्तं पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात्।।1.69.6।।


नरेन्द्रस्य of Indra among kings, Dasaratha's, वचनात् by the command, चतुरङ्गिणी having four divisions, सा that, सेना army, ऋषिभि: with sages, व्रजन्तम् while going, राजानम् king Dasaratha, पृष्ठत: behind, अन्वगात् followed.

While the Indra among kings (Dasaratha) proceeded with the sages, the four divisions of the army followed them at the command of the king.
गत्वा चतुरहं मार्गं विदेहानभ्युपेयिवान्।

राजा तु जनक श्श्रीमान् श्श्रुत्वा पूजामकल्पयत्।।1.69.7।।


चतुरहम् to be covered in four days, मार्गम् that path, गत्वा having passed, विदेहान् country of Videhas, अभ्युपेयिवान् arrived, राजा king, श्रीमान् the auspicious, जनक: Janaka, श्रुत्वा having heard, पूजाम् reverential hospitality, अकल्पयत् made.

Covering the distance in four days, they arrived in the country of the Videhas. The fortunate king Janaka, having heard about these tidings, made arangements to extend to them reverential hospitality.
ततो राजानमासाद्य वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम्।

जनको मुदितो राजा हर्षं च परमं ययौ।।1.69.8।।


तत: afterwards, राजा King, मुदित: immensely pleased, जनक: Janaka, नृपम् ruler of men, राजानम् king, वृद्धम् aged, दशरथम् Dasaratha, आसाद्य having approached, परमम् great, हर्षम् delight, ययौ obtained.

King Janaka approached the aged ruler of men, Dasaratha, and experienced great delight.
उवाच च नरश्रेष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठं मुदाऽन्वित:।

स्वागतं ते महाराज दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव।।1.69.9।।

पुत्रयोरुभयो: प्रीतिं लप्स्यसे वीर्यनिर्जिताम्।


नरश्रेष्ठ: best of men, मुदा with joy, अन्वित: filled, नरश्रेष्ठम् addressing the best of men Dasaratha, उवाच spoke, राघव O Descendant of Raghu, महाराज O Great king Dasaratha, ते to you, स्वागतम् welcome, दिष्ट्या fortunately, प्राप्त: असि you have come, उभयो: of the two, पुत्रयो: sons', वीर्यनिर्जिताम् won through prowess, प्रीतिम् pleasure, लप्स्यसे you will experience.

Filled with joy the best of men (Janaka) addreseed the best of men Dasaratha: "O Descendant of the Raghus, O Great king welcome I am fortunate to have you, you will experience the pleasure of both your sons having won the reward for their prowess.
दिष्ट्या प्राप्तो महातेजा वसिष्ठो भगवानृषि:।।1.69.10।।

सह सर्वैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठैर्देवैरिव शतक्रतु:।


महातेजा: highly lustrous, भगवान् adorable, ऋषि: ascetic Vasishta, सर्वै: all, द्विजश्रेष्ठै: (सह) with foremost of brahmins, देवै: with devatas, शतक्रतुरिव like Indra, दिष्ट्या by the grace of god, प्राप्त: has come here.

Most brilliant and adorable ascetic Vasishta surrounded by the foremost of brahmins like Indra by the gods has also arrived by the grace of God.
दिष्ट्या मे निर्जिता विघ्ना दिष्ट्या मे पूजितं कुलम्।।1.69.11।।

राघवै स्सह सम्बन्धाद्वीर्यश्रेष्ठैर्महात्मभि:।


वीर्यश्रेष्ठै: by the men who are distinguished because of prowess, महात्मभि: by the great, राघवै: सह along with Raghus, संबन्धात् through the alliance, दिष्ट्या मे by heaven's grace, मे विघ्ना: my impediments, निर्जिता: have been overcome, दिष्ट्या by the grace of god, कुलम् race, पूजितम् honoured.

By the grace of god, I have overcome all impediments. By the grace of God my race has been honoured through alliance with the house of the Raghus distinguished by their valour.
श्व: प्रभाते नरेन्द्रेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि।।1.69.12।।

यज्ञस्यान्ते नरश्रेष्ठ विवाहमृषिसम्मतम्।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Foremost of men, नरेन्द्रेन्द्र O Best of kings, श्व: tomorrow, प्रभाते at dawn, यज्ञस्य sacrifice's, अन्ते completion of, ऋषिसम्मतम् worthy of approval by sages, विवाहम् marriage, (आर्षविवाह) निर्वर्तयितुम् to perform, अर्हसि it behoves of you.

O Foremost of men, O Best of kings, tomorrow at dawn after the completion of the sacrifice, you should perform the marriage with approval by the sages".
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ऋषिमध्ये नराधिप:।।1.69.13।।

वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठ: प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।


वाक्यविदाम् among the knowledgeable men in words, श्रेष्ठः (वर:) excellent, नराधिप: king, तस्य his, तत् वचनम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, ऋषिमध्ये amidst sages, महीपतिम् addressing the king, वाक्यम् words, प्रत्युवाच replied.

At these words, the most eloquent king (Dasaratha) made his reply in the midst of sages:
प्रतिग्रहो दातृवश श्श्रृतमेतन्मया पुरा।।1.69.14।।

यथा वक्ष्यसि धर्मज्ञ तत्करिष्यामहे वयम्।


प्रतिग्रह: acceptance of a gift, दातृवश: as it may please the giver, एतत् this one, पुरा formerly, मया by me, श्रुतम् heard, धर्मज्ञ O Knower of righteousness, यथा whatever, वक्ष्यसि you may say, तत् that, वयम् we, करिष्यामहे will perform.

"I have heard that acceptance of a gift from the righteous is a pleasure. So we will act upon your word".
धर्मिष्ठं च यशस्यं च वचनं सत्यवादिन:।।1.69.15।।

श्रुत्वा विदेहाधिपति: परं विस्मयमागत:।।


सत्यवादिन: truth speaking Dasaratha's, धर्मिष्ठम् च conforming to morality, यशस्यं च conducive to fame, वचनम् words, श्रुत्वा having listened, विदेहाधिपति: Janaka, परम् extreme, विस्मयम् admiration, आगत: filled with.

Janaka was filled with extreme admiration to hear one who was truthful, righteous and famous (this Dasaratha).
तत स्सर्वे मुनिगणा: परस्परसमागमे।1.69.16।

हर्षेण महता युक्तास्तां निशामवसन् सुखम्।।


तत: afterwards, सर्वे all, मुनिगणा: hosts of sages, परस्परसमागमे in each other's company, महता by great, हर्षेण delight, युक्ता: filled with, ताम् that, निशाम् night, सुखम् comfortably, अवसन् lived.

Thereupon hosts of sages in one another's company, filled with great delight spent the night comfortably.
राजा च राघवौ पुत्रौ निशाम्य परिहर्षित:।।1.69.17।।

उवास परमप्रीतो जनकेन सुपूजित:।


राजा king Dasaratha, पुत्रौ sons, राघवौ Rama and Lakshmana, निशाम्य on beholding them, परिहर्षित: experienced supreme satisfaction, जनकेन by Janaka, सुपूजित: wellhonoured, परमप्रीत: greatly delighted, उवास lived.

The king (Dasaratha) was greatly delighted on being reunited with his sons Rama and Lakshmana. Honoured by Janaka, he spent the night with supreme satisfaction.
जनकोऽपि महातेजा: क्रियां धर्मेण तत्त्ववित्।।1.69.18।।

यज्ञस्य च सुताभ्यां च कृत्वा रात्रिमुवास ह ।


महातेजा: highly splendrous, तत्त्ववित् knower of prescibed duty and conduct, जनकोऽपि Janaka also, यज्ञस्य of sacrifice, सुताभ्यां च for both of his daughters, क्रियाम् acts, कृत्वा having made, रात्रिम् night, उवास ह lived.

Mighty philosopher Janaka also performed the sacrificial rites and spent the night (there where the sacrificial ceremony was performed) with both his daughters.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकोनसप्ततितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the sixtynineth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.