27 shlokas
एतदाख्याय काकुत्स्थो भ्रातृभ्याममितप्रभः । लक्ष्मणं पुनरेवाह धर्मयुक्तमिदं वचः ।। 7.91.1 ।।
etadākhyāya kākutstho bhrātṛbhyāmamitaprabhaḥ | lakṣmaṇaṃ punarevāha dharmayuktamidaṃ vacaḥ || 7.91.1 ||
Translation
Having narrated this, Kakutstha of measureless splendor spoke once more to his two brothers, addressing to Lakshmana these words that were in accord with dharma:
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ कश्यपम् । द्विजांश्च सर्वप्रवरानश्वमेधपुरस्कृतान् ।। 7.91.2 ।।
vasiṣṭhaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālimatha kaśyapam | dvijāṃśca sarvapravarānaśvamedhapuraskṛtān || 7.91.2 ||
Translation
"Having assembled Vasishtha and Vamadeva, and Jabali and Kashyapa, and all the foremost of the twice-born who hold the horse-sacrifice in highest regard,
एतान्सर्वान्समानीय मन्त्रयित्वा च लक्ष्मण । हयं लक्षणसम्पन्नं विमोक्ष्यामि समाधिना ।। 7.91.3 ।।
etānsarvānsamānīya mantrayitvā ca lakṣmaṇa | hayaṃ lakṣaṇasampannaṃ vimokṣyāmi samādhinā || 7.91.3 ||
Translation
having gathered all these together and taken counsel with them, O Lakshmana, I shall, with due rite, release a horse endowed with the proper marks."
तद्वाक्यं राघवेणोक्तं श्रुत्वा त्वरितविक्रमः । द्विजान्सर्वान्समाहूय दर्शयामास राघवम् ।। 7.91.4 ।।
tadvākyaṃ rāghaveṇoktaṃ śrutvā tvaritavikramaḥ | dvijānsarvānsamāhūya darśayāmāsa rāghavam || 7.91.4 ||
Translation
Hearing that word spoken by Raghava, he of swift valor summoned all the twice-born and presented them to Raghava.
ते दृष्ट्वा देवसङ्काशं कृतपादाभिवन्दनम् । राघवं सुदुराधर्षमाशीर्भिः समपूजयन् ।। 7.91.5 ।।
te dṛṣṭvā devasaṅkāśaṃ kṛtapādābhivandanam | rāghavaṃ sudurādharṣamāśīrbhiḥ samapūjayan || 7.91.5 ||
Translation
Beholding Raghava, who resembled a god and was most unassailable, they made obeisance at his feet and honored him with their blessings.
प्राञ्जलिः स तदा भूत्वा राघवो द्विजसत्तमान् । आचचक्षे ऽश्वमेधस्य ह्यभिप्रायं महायशाः ।। 7.91.6 ।।
prāñjaliḥ sa tadā bhūtvā rāghavo dvijasattamān | ācacakṣe 'śvamedhasya hyabhiprāyaṃ mahāyaśāḥ || 7.91.6 ||
Translation
Then the greatly renowned Raghava, folding his hands in reverence, declared to those best of the twice-born his intention concerning the horse-sacrifice.
ते तु रामस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा नमस्कृत्वा वृषध्वजम् । अश्वमेधं द्विजाः सर्वे पूजयन्ति स्म सर्वशः ।। 7.91.7 ।।
te tu rāmasya tacchrutvā namaskṛtvā vṛṣadhvajam | aśvamedhaṃ dvijāḥ sarve pūjayanti sma sarvaśaḥ || 7.91.7 ||
Translation
And having heard that from Rama, all those twice-born ones, bowing to the bull-bannered god, praised the horse-sacrifice in every way.
स तेषां द्विजमुख्यानां वाक्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् । अश्वमेधाश्रितं श्रुत्वा भृशं प्रीतो ऽभवत्तदा ।। 7.91.8 ।।
sa teṣāṃ dvijamukhyānāṃ vākyamadbhutadarśanam | aśvamedhāśritaṃ śrutvā bhṛśaṃ prīto 'bhavattadā || 7.91.8 ||
Translation
Hearing the wondrous-seeming words of those chief among the twice-born, words bearing upon the horse-sacrifice, he became exceedingly pleased then.
विज्ञाय कर्म तत्तेषां रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् । प्रेषयस्व द्रुतं दूतान् सुग्रीवाय महात्मने ।। 7.91.9 ।।
vijñāya karma tatteṣāṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇamabravīt | preṣayasva drutaṃ dūtān sugrīvāya mahātmane || 7.91.9 ||
Translation
Understanding the resolve of those ones, Rama said to Lakshmana: "Send messengers swiftly to the great-souled Sugriva."
यथा महद्भिर्हरिभिर्बहुभिश्च वनौकसाम् । सार्धमागच्छ भद्रं ते ह्यनुभोक्तुं महोत्सवम् ।। 7.91.10 ।।
yathā mahadbhirharibhirbahubhiśca vanaukasām | sārdhamāgaccha bhadraṃ te hyanubhoktuṃ mahotsavam || 7.91.10 ||
Translation
Come together with the many great vanaras, the forest-dwellers, that you may partake of this great festival; may good befall you.
बिभीषणश्च रक्षोभिः कामगैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । अश्वमेधं महायज्ञमायात्वतुलविक्रमः ।। 7.91.11 ।।
bibhīṣaṇaśca rakṣobhiḥ kāmagairbahubhirvṛtaḥ | aśvamedhaṃ mahāyajñamāyātvatulavikramaḥ || 7.91.11 ||
Translation
And let Vibhishana of unequalled valour, surrounded by his many rakshasas who travel at will, come to the great sacrifice, the horse-sacrifice.
राजानश्च महाभागा ये मे प्रियचिकीर्षवः । सानुगाः क्षिप्रमायान्तु यज्ञं द्रष्टुमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.91.12 ।।
rājānaśca mahābhāgā ye me priyacikīrṣavaḥ | sānugāḥ kṣipramāyāntu yajñaṃ draṣṭumanuttamam || 7.91.12 ||
Translation
And let the illustrious kings who wish to do me a kindness come quickly with their retinues to witness this most excellent sacrifice.
देशान्तरगता ये च द्विजा धर्मसमाहिताः । आमन्त्रयस्व तान्सर्वानश्वमेधाय लक्ष्मण ।। 7.91.13 ।।
deśāntaragatā ye ca dvijā dharmasamāhitāḥ | āmantrayasva tānsarvānaśvamedhāya lakṣmaṇa || 7.91.13 ||
Translation
And those brahmins who, devoted to dharma, have gone away to other lands — invite them all to the horse-sacrifice, O Lakshmana.
ऋषयश्च महाबाहो आहूयन्तां तपोधनाः । देशान्तरगताः सर्वे सदाराश्च द्विजातयः । तथैव तालावचरास्तथैव नटनर्तकाः ।। 7.91.14 ।।
ṛṣayaśca mahābāho āhūyantāṃ tapodhanāḥ | deśāntaragatāḥ sarve sadārāśca dvijātayaḥ | tathaiva tālāvacarāstathaiva naṭanartakāḥ || 7.91.14 ||
Translation
And let the sages rich in austerity be summoned, O mighty-armed one, and all the twice-born brahmins who have gone to other lands, together with their wives, and likewise those who keep time with poles, and likewise the actors and dancers.
यज्ञवाटश्च सुमहान्गोमत्या नैमिशे वने । आज्ञाप्यतां महाबाहो तद्धि पुण्यमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.91.15 ।।
yajñavāṭaśca sumahāngomatyā naimiśe vane | ājñāpyatāṃ mahābāho taddhi puṇyamanuttamam || 7.91.15 ||
Translation
And let a very great sacrificial enclosure be commanded to be made by the Gomati in the Naimisha forest, O mighty-armed one, for that is most holy and supremely meritorious.
शान्तयश्च महाबाहो प्रवर्त्यन्तां समन्ततः ।। 7.91.16 ।।
śāntayaśca mahābāho pravartyantāṃ samantataḥ || 7.91.16 ||
Translation
And let the propitiatory rites be set in motion on every side, O mighty-armed one.
शतशश्चापि धर्मज्ञाः क्रतुमुख्यमनुत्तमम् । अनुभूय महायज्ञं नैमिशे रघुनन्दन ।। 7.91.17 ।।
śataśaścāpi dharmajñāḥ kratumukhyamanuttamam | anubhūya mahāyajñaṃ naimiśe raghunandana || 7.91.17 ||
Translation
And hundreds of those learned in dharma, having partaken of the great sacrifice, the foremost and most excellent of rites, at Naimisha, O delight of the Raghus —
तुष्टः पुष्टश्च सर्वो ऽसौ मानितश्च यथाविधि । प्रीतिं यास्यति धर्मज्ञ शीघ्रमामन्त्र्यतां जनः ।। 7.91.18 ।।
tuṣṭaḥ puṣṭaśca sarvo 'sau mānitaśca yathāvidhi | prītiṃ yāsyati dharmajña śīghramāmantryatāṃ janaḥ || 7.91.18 ||
Translation
— every one of them, satisfied and well-nourished and honoured according to the proper rites, will attain to gladness, O knower of dharma; so let the people be invited quickly.
शतं वाहसहस्राणां तण्डुलानां वपुष्मताम् । अयुतं तिलमुद्गानां प्रयात्वग्रे महाबल ।। 7.91.19 ।।
śataṃ vāhasahasrāṇāṃ taṇḍulānāṃ vapuṣmatām | ayutaṃ tilamudgānāṃ prayātvagre mahābala || 7.91.19 ||
Translation
Let a hundred thousand cartloads of fine, plump rice grains, and ten thousand of sesame and mung beans, go on ahead, O mighty one.
चणकानां कुलित्थानां माषाणां लवणस्य च । अतो ऽनुरूपं स्नेहं च गन्धं सङ्क्षिप्तमेव च ।। 7.91.20 ।।
caṇakānāṃ kulitthānāṃ māṣāṇāṃ lavaṇasya ca | ato 'nurūpaṃ snehaṃ ca gandhaṃ saṅkṣiptameva ca || 7.91.20 ||
Translation
And of chickpeas, of horse-gram, of black gram, and of salt, and a fitting quantity of oil and fragrant substances, all duly gathered.
सुवर्णकोट्यो बहुला हिरण्यस्य शतोत्तराः । अग्रतो भरतः कृत्वा गच्छत्वग्रे समाधिना ।। 7.91.21 ।।
suvarṇakoṭyo bahulā hiraṇyasya śatottarāḥ | agrato bharataḥ kṛtvā gacchatvagre samādhinā || 7.91.21 ||
Translation
Many tens of millions of pieces of gold, and of silver more than a hundred times that — let Bharata, placing these at the head, go on ahead with concentrated attention.
अन्तरा पण्यवीथ्यश्च सर्वे च नटनर्तकाः । सूदा नार्यश्च बहवो नित्यं यौवनशालिनः ।। 7.91.22 ।।
antarā paṇyavīthyaśca sarve ca naṭanartakāḥ | sūdā nāryaśca bahavo nityaṃ yauvanaśālinaḥ || 7.91.22 ||
Translation
And in between let there be rows of market-stalls, and all the actors and dancers, the cooks, and many women ever radiant with youth.
भरतेन तु सार्धं ते यान्तु सैन्यानि चाग्रतः । नैगमा बलवृद्धाश्च द्विजाश्च सुसमाहिताः ।। 7.91.23 ।।
bharatena tu sārdhaṃ te yāntu sainyāni cāgrataḥ | naigamā balavṛddhāśca dvijāśca susamāhitāḥ || 7.91.23 ||
Translation
And together with Bharata let the armies march in the van, and the townsmen, those advanced in strength, and the well-composed brahmins.
कर्मान्तिकान्वर्धकिनः कोशाध्यक्षांश्च नैगमान् । मम मातऽस्तथा सर्वाः कुमारान्तःपुराणि च ।। 7.91.24 ।।
karmāntikānvardhakinaḥ kośādhyakṣāṃśca naigamān | mama māta'stathā sarvāḥ kumārāntaḥpurāṇi ca || 7.91.24 ||
Translation
The labourers, the carpenters, the overseers of the treasury, and the townsfolk, and likewise all my mothers and the princes and the women of the inner apartments —
काञ्चनीं मम पत्नीं च दीक्षायां ज्ञांश्च कर्मणि । अग्रतो भरतः कृत्वा गच्छत्वग्रे महायशाः ।। 7.91.25 ।।
kāñcanīṃ mama patnīṃ ca dīkṣāyāṃ jñāṃśca karmaṇi | agrato bharataḥ kṛtvā gacchatvagre mahāyaśāḥ || 7.91.25 ||
Translation
— and my golden consort, made for the consecration, and those skilled in the rites — placing Bharata at the head, let the greatly renowned one go on ahead.
उपकार्या महार्हाश्च पार्थिवानां महौजसाम् । सानुगानां नरश्रेष्ठो व्यादिदेश महाबलः ।। 7.91.26 ।।
upakāryā mahārhāśca pārthivānāṃ mahaujasām | sānugānāṃ naraśreṣṭho vyādideśa mahābalaḥ || 7.91.26 ||
Translation
And the costly and worthy lodging-pavilions for the mighty and powerful kings together with their retinues — these the foremost of men, the one of great strength, commanded to be prepared.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकनवतितमः सर्गः ।। 91 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe ekanavatitamaḥ sargaḥ || 91 ||
Translation
Thus ends the ninety-first sarga in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the sacred Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the sage Valmiki.