Chapter LXX

Then next morning Janaka skilled in speech, having in company with the Maharṣis performed his daily duties, addressed the priest Śatānanda, saying

My highly energetic, puissant and eminently righteous brother known by the name of Kuśadhvaja dwell in the auspicious city, Sāṅkāśyā, whose ramparts are ranged round with pointed weapons, and which is laved by the river Ikṣumatī, and which resembles the celestial regions or the aerial car, Puṣpaka.

I wish to see him, and he is in charge of my sacrifice. And that highly energetic one will partake with me the joy of this occasion.

This having been said to Śatānanḍa, some competent persons presented themselves; and Janaka commanded them (to set up) for Sāṅkāśyā.

And commanded by the monarch, off they want, mounting on fleet coursers, with the view of bringing over that tiger among men, like Viṣ ṇu at the mandate of Indra.

And arriving at Sāṅkāśyā, they presented themselves before Kuśadhvaja, and faithfully delivered to him the intention of Janaka.

And hearing the tidings conveyed by those foremost of envoys endowed with great fleetness, Kuśadhvaja set out at the mandate of the monarch.

And on coming to Viḍeha, he appeared before the high-souled Janaka addicted to righteousness. And saluting Śatānanda as well as the eminently virthous Janaka, he sat down on an excellent and superb seat worthy of a King.

Having been seated, both the heroic brothers of immeasurable splendour addressed that foremost of counsellors, Sudāman, saying, ‘Go, foremost of counsellors, and speedily bring over the irrepressible Ikṣvāku of immeasurable splendour along with his sons and ministers.’

Thereupon, repairing to the camp of that enhancer of the race of the Raghus, he saw Daśaratha, and saluting him with beaded head, addressed him.

O heroic lord of Ayodhyā, Vaideha, the master of Mithila, has wished to see you along with your priests.

Hearing the words of that best of counsellors, the king accompanied by the saints and his adherents, came to Janaka.

And in company with his counsellors with his counsellors and priests and adherents, the king, foremost of those skilled in speech, spoke to Vaideha.

O mighty king, you know that the worshipful saint Vasiṣṭha is the spiritual guide of our race; and in every ceremony that we undertake, he it is who serves the function of a spokesman.

And permitted by Viśvāmitra along with all the Maharṣis, even this one of a righteous soul will relate my genealogy.

And on Daśaratha resuming silence, the worshipful saint Vasiṣṭha, versed in speech, spoke to Vaideha in company with his priests, saying,

The perpetual, everlasting, and undeterio- rating Brahmā sprang from the Unmanifest (Brahmā). From him sprang Marīci; and Kaśyapa is son to Marīci. And from Kaśyapa sprung Vivasvat; and Manu is son to Vivasvat.^[1]

This Manu is otherwise called Prajāpati; and Ikṣvāku is Manu’s son. And this Ikṣvāku you must understand, was the first king of Ayodhyā.

And Ikṣvāku’s son, it is well known, was the graceful Kukṣī. And Kukṣī’s son was the graceful Vikukṣī.

And Vikukṣī’s son was the exceedingly energetic and powerful Bāṇa. And Bāṇa’s son was the highly energetic and powerful Anaraṇya.

From Anaraṇya sprang Pṛthu; and from Pṛthu, Triśaṅku. And Triśaṅku’s son was the highly famous Dhundhumāra.

And from Dhundhumāra sprung the Mahāratha, Yuvanāśva. And from Yuvanāśva sprung Māndhātā, lord of earth.

And Māndhātā’s son was the graceful Susandhi. And Susandhi’s two sons were Dhruvasandhi and Prasenajit.

And from Dhruvasandhi sprung the famous Bharata. And from Bharata sprung Asita; to fight whom were born as hostile kings, those heroes, the Haihayas, the Tālajaṅghas, and the Śaśabindus.

And engaged in conflict with them, that king fled (from his kingdom); and repairing to the Himavat in company with his two consorts, the feeble Asita there paid his debt to nature.

The story runs that his two wives were in the family way; and that with the intention of destroying the embryo of the other, one of them administered poison to the former mixed in her food.And it came to pass that at this time, Bhṛgu’s son, the ascetic Cyavana, had become addicted to the romantic Himavat, foremost of mountains. And here one of those exalted dames with eyes resembling lotus-petals, saluting Bhṛgu’s son born shining like a celestial, desired of him an excellent, son. And drawing near to that sage, Kālindi saluted him.

And that Vipra said to her, who was desiring of having a son born of her,—In your womb, O exalted one, will be speedily born an excellent son mixed up with poison, highly powerful, and exceedingly energetic, and possessed of mighty strength, and graceful.

Therefore, do you not grieve, O you of lotus-eyes. And having paid reverence to Cyavana, that chaste and worshipful princess, although bereft of her husband, gave birth to a son.

And since intending to destroy her foetus she that was co-wife with her had administered poison to her, Sagara^[2] was born together with the poison.

And Sagara’s son was Asamañja, and Aṃśumat. And Dilīpa was son to Aṃśumat, and Bhagīratha to Dilīpa.

And from Bhagīratha sprang Kākutstha, and from Kākutstha, Raghu. And Raghu’s son was the puissant Pravṛdha, feeding on human flesh.

And he came finally to be known by the name of Kalmāṣapāda.* And from him sprung Śaṅkhaṇa. And Sudarśana was Śaṅkhaṇa’s and Agnivarṇa was Sudarśana’s son.

He incurred Vasiṣṭha’s curse, and was turned into a Rākṣasa. He took up water, intending to clear scores with Vasiṣṭha; but at the request of his wife, desisted, pouring down the water at his own feet. Hence the name of Kalmāṣapāda.

Śīghraga was Agnivarṇa’s, and Maru was Śīghraga’s son. And Mam’s son was Praśuśruka, and from Praśuśruka sprung Ambarīṣa.

Ambarīṣa’s son was Nahuṣa, lord of earth. And Nahuṣa’s son was Yayāti, was Nābhāga. And Nābhāga’s son was Aja, and from Aja sprung Daśaratha. And from this Daśaratha have come the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. snf^crṣṭfcrgsHr TḤrf wṃñfaTPḤ

It is in the interests of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa belonging to the heroic and truthful and pious sovereigns sprung in the Ikṣvāku line, and possessing purity of race even from the time of their founder, that, O king, we solicit the hands of your daughters. And, O foremost of men, it behove you to confer like brides upon like bridegrooms.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The Bengal Text reads: From Marīci sprang Aṅgiras; and his son was Pracetas; and Manu is Praceta’s son.

(The Bengal Text: From Ikṣvāku sprung Vikukṣī.)

[2]:

Gara—poison. Sagara means, with poison, i.e. here, one born with poison.