Ramayana, Book I, Canto 68: The Envoys’ Speechबालकाण्डम्

Ralph T. H. Griffith’s English verse (1870–74), beside the Sanskrit of sarga 1.68.

68Sanskrit sarga 1.68 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे अष्टषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥१-६८॥
जनकेन समादिष्टा दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहनाः।
त्रिरात्रमुषिता मार्गे तेऽयोध्यां प्राविशन् पुरीम् ॥१॥
ते राजवचनाद् गत्वा राजवेश्म प्रवेशिताः।
ददृशुर्देवसंकाशं वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम् ॥२॥
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वे दूता विगतसाध्वसाः।
राजानं प्रश्रितं वाक्यमब्रुवन् मधुराक्षरम् ॥३॥
मैथिलो जनको राजा साग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतः।
मुहुर्मुहुर्मधुरया स्नेहसंरक्तया गिरा ॥४॥
कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव सोपाध्यायपुरोहितम्।
जनकस्त्वां महाराज पृच्छते सपुरःसरम् ॥५॥
पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्यग्रं वैदेहो मिथिलाधिपः।
कौशिकानुमते वाक्यं भवन्तमिदमब्रवीत् ॥६॥
पूर्वं प्रतिज्ञा विदिता वीर्यशुल्का ममात्मजा।
राजानश्च कृतामर्षा निर्वीर्या विमुखीकृताः ॥७॥
सेयं मम सुता राजन् विश्वामित्रपुरस्कृतैः।
यदृच्छयागतै राजन् निर्जिता तव पुत्रकैः ॥८॥
तच्च रत्नं धनुर्दिव्यं मध्ये भग्नं महात्मना।
रामेण हि महाबाहो महत्यां जनसंसदि ॥९॥
अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्यशुल्का महात्मने।
प्रतिज्ञां तर्तुमिच्छामि तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ॥१०॥
सोपाध्यायो महाराज पुरोहितपुरस्कृतः।
शीघ्रमागच्छ भद्रं ते द्रष्टुमर्हसि राघवौ ॥११॥
प्रतिज्ञां मम राजेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि।
पुत्रयोरुभयोरेव प्रीतिं त्वमुपलप्स्यसे ॥१२॥
एवं विदेहाधिपतिर्मधुरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।
विश्वामित्राभ्यनुज्ञातः शतानन्दमते स्थितः ॥१३॥
दूतवाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा परमहर्षितः।
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च मन्त्रिणश्चैवमब्रवीत् ॥१४॥
गुप्तः कुशिकपुत्रेण कौसल्यानन्दवर्धनः।
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विदेहेषु वसत्यसौ ॥१५॥
दृष्टवीर्यस्तु काकुत्स्थो जनकेन महात्मना।
सम्प्रदानं सुतायास्तु राघवे कर्तुमिच्छति ॥१६॥
यदि वो रोचते वृत्तं जनकस्य महात्मनः।
पुरीं गच्छामहे शीघ्रं मा भूत् कालस्य पर्ययः ॥१७॥
मन्त्रिणो बाढमित्याहुः सह सर्वैर्महर्षिभिः।
सुप्रीतश्चाब्रवीद् राजा श्वो यात्रेति च मन्त्रिणः ॥१८॥
मन्त्रिणस्तु नरेन्द्रस्य रात्रिं परमसत्कृताः।
ऊषुः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे गुणैः सर्वैः समन्विताः ॥१९॥
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे अष्टषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥१-६८॥

English Griffith

Three nights upon the road they passed
To rest the steeds that bore them fast,
And reached Ayodhyá’s town at last.
Then straight at Daśaratha’s call
They stood within the royal hall,
Where, like a God, inspiring awe,
The venerable king they saw.
With suppliant palm to palm applied,
And all their terror laid aside,
They spoke to him upon the throne
With modest words, in gentle tone:
“Janak, Videha’s king, O Sire,
Has sent us hither to inquire
The health of thee his friend most dear,
Of all thy priests and every peer.
Next Kuśik’s son consenting, thus
King Janak speaks, dread liege, by us:
“I made a promise and decree
That valour’s prize my child should be.
Kings, worthless found in worth’s assay,
With mien dejected turned away.
Thy sons, by Viśvámitra led,
Unurged, my city visited,
And peerless in their might have gained
My daughter, as my vow ordained.
Full in a vast assembly’s view
Thy hero Ráma broke in two
The gem of bows, of monstrous size,
That came a treasure from the skies.
Ordained the prize of hero’s might,
Sítá my child is his by right.
Fain would I keep my promise made,
If thou, O King, approve and aid.
Come to my town thy son to see:
Bring holy guide and priest with thee.
O lord of kings, my suit allow,
And let me keep my promised vow.
So joying for thy children’s sake
Their triumph too shalt thou partake,
With Viśvámitra’s high consent.”
Such words with friendship eloquent
Spoke Janak, fair Videha’s king,
By Śatánanda’s counselling.”

The envoys thus the king addressed,
And mighty joy his heart possessed.
To Vámadeva quick he cried,
Vaśishṭha, and his lords beside:
“Lakshmaṇ, and he, my princely boy
Who fills Kauśalyá’s soul with joy,
By Viśvámitra guarded well
Among the good Videhans dwell.
Their ruler Janak, prompt to own
The peerless might my child has shown,
To him would knit in holy ties
His daughter, valour’s lovely prize.
If Janak’s plan seem good to you,
Come, speed we to his city too,
Nor let occasion idly by.”

He ceased. There came a glad reply
From priest and mighty saint and all
The councillors who thronged the hall.
Then cried the king with joyous heart:
“To-morrow let us all depart.”

That night the envoys entertained
With honour and all care remained.