Chapter XLVII

When the embryo had been sundered is seven, Diti exceedingly aggrieved humbly spoke to the irrepressible thousand-eyed deity, saying,

By my fault it is that the embryo has been sundered in seven. O chief of the celestials, herein you are guilty of no transgression, O destroyer of Bala.

And since calamity has befallen the embryo, I wish to do you a good turn. Let the seven parts become the guardians of the seven Maruts.

O son, let my sons having noble forms, becoming famous as Marutas range the Vātaskandha regions in heaven.

Let one range Brahmā’s regions, and another Indra’s, and the highly illustrious third also range around, being known as Divya Vāyu, (Ether).

O best of celestials, by they command, let the four remaining sons of mine, known by the name which you have mentioned, range about in appointed periods.’

Hearing her words, that destroyer of Vala; the thousand-eyed Purandara, with clasped palms said.

All this that you have said must come to pass; there is no doubt about it. Good betide you, your sons endowed with celestial forms, shall range about.

And it has been heard by us that having thus ascertained in that hermitage, the mother and the son, O Rāma, went to heaven, their desire obtained.

Even this O Kākutstha, is the place where formerly the mighty Indra sojourned, and where he attended upon Diti of accomplished ascetic success.

O most powerful of men, Ikṣvāku had an exceedingly righteous son born to him of Alambuṣa, known by the name of Viśāla. And here stood a palace, built by him, called Viśālā.

Viśāla’s son, O Rāma, was the mighty Hemacandra. And after Hemacandra comes the celebrated Sucandra.

O Rāma, the son of Sucandra was Dhumrāśva, and then was born Sṛñjaya son to Dhumrāśva.

Sṛñjaya’s son was the powerful Sahadeva, And Sahadeva’s son was the pre-eminently pious Kuśāśva.

Kuśāśva’s son was the puissant Somadatta. And now, O Kākutstha, Somadatta’s son, the effulgent and invincible and renowned Sumati reside in this mansion.

And by the grace of Ikṣvāku, all the sovereigns of Viśālā are long-loved, and high-souled, and puissant, and pious.

And here will we happily spend a night; an on the morning of the morrow you will, O foremost of men, behold Janaka.’

And having heard that the illustrious Viśvāmitra had come, that best of kings, the effulgent Sumati, appeared before him.

And having paid Viśvāmitra high homage together with his priests and friends, and with clasped hands enquired after the former’s welfare, he addressed Viśvāmitra, saying.

Blessed are we, and obliged are we, whose domains, O ascetic, have been graced with your presence. Surely none is more blessed than I am.