Verse 1
तस्य त्वेवम्प्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः | सुतार्थं तप्यमानस्य नासीद्वंशकरः सुतः || १-८-१
That great-souled king, who possessed such qualities and was a knower of Dharma, had no son to continue his lineage, though he longed intensely for one.
Verse 2
चिन्तयानस्य तस्यैवं बुद्धिरासीन्महात्मनः | सुतार्थं वाजिमेधेन किमर्थं न यजाम्यहम् || १-८-२
As the great-souled king reflected upon this matter, the following thought arose in his mind: “Why should I not perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice for the sake of obtaining a son?”
Verse 3
स निश्चितां मतिं कृत्वा यष्टव्यमिति बुद्धिमान् | मन्त्रयामास स नृपः सचिवैर्मन्त्रकोविदैः || १-८-३
Having firmly resolved that the sacrifice should be performed, the intelligent king consulted his ministers, who were skilled in deliberation.
Verse 4
ततोऽब्रवीद् ऋत्विजं नाम वसिष्ठं कुलपुङ्गवम् | यष्टुमर्हसि राजेन्द्रं वाजिमेधेन मानवम् || १-८-४
Then he said to his chief family priest, Vasishtha: “You should arrange for the king to perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice.”
Verse 5
अथोवाच वसिष्ठस्तु नृपं धर्मार्थकोविदम् | सम्भाराः सम्भ्रियन्तां ते तुरङ्गश्च विमुच्यताम् || १-८-५
Then Vasishtha, who was learned in Dharma and its purposes, said to the king: “Let the necessary materials be collected and let the sacrificial horse be released.”
Verse 6
सरय्वाश्चोत्तरे तीरे यज्ञभूमिर्विधीयताम् | शान्तयश्चापि वर्तन्तां यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् || १-८-६
“Let the sacrificial ground be prepared on the northern bank of the Sarayu, and let the prescribed rites for removing obstacles be performed according to the scriptures and in proper order.”
Verse 7
ऋत्विजश्च समाहूय वशिष्ठप्रमुखांस्तदा | अश्वमेधाय दीक्षां च गृह्णीयान्नृपसत्तमः || १-८-७
“Let the excellent king invite the priests headed by Vasishtha and undertake the initiation for the Ashvamedha sacrifice.”
Verse 8
तथेति चाब्रवीद् राजा वसिष्ठं मुनिसत्तमम् | यथाक्रमं क्रियतां तत् सर्वमित्येव सोऽब्रवीत् || १-८-८
The king said to the eminent sage Vasishtha, “So be it. Let everything be carried out in the proper order.”
Verse 9
ततोऽब्रवीद् ऋत्विजं नाम सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रकोविदम् | यथाक्रमं क्रियतां तत् सर्वमित्येव सोऽब्रवीत् || १-८-९
Then the king instructed Sumantra, who was skilled in counsel: “Let everything be carried out according to the proper procedure.”
Verse 10
ततो हयस्य यथान्यायं यज्ञार्थं प्रेषणं तथा | चकार राजा धर्मात्मा यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् || १-८-१०
Then the righteous king arranged for the horse to be sent forth for the sacrifice, exactly according to the prescribed rules and in proper order.
Verse 11
स तु राजा दशरथो वसिष्ठं मुनिसत्तमम् | उवाच वचनं हृष्टो यज्ञस्यैव चिकीर्षया || १-८-११
King Dasharatha, delighted and eager to perform the sacrifice, spoke to the eminent sage Vasishtha.
Verse 12
यज्ञोऽयं मम पुत्रार्थं यथाशास्त्रं प्रवर्तताम् | अश्वमेधो महायज्ञः सर्वकामफलप्रदः || १-८-१२
“Let this great Ashvamedha sacrifice be performed according to the scriptures for the sake of obtaining a son. It grants the fruits of all desires.”
Verse 13
ततोऽब्रवीन्महातेजा वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः | सम्भाराः सम्भ्रियन्तां ते यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् || १-८-१३
Then the greatly radiant Vasishtha, the foremost among sages, said: “Let all the materials required for the sacrifice be collected according to the scriptures and in proper order.”
Verse 14
ऋत्विजश्च समाहूय वशिष्ठप्रमुखांस्तथा | होतारं चाध्वर्युं चैव ब्रह्माणं च तथैव च || १-८-१४
“Let the priests be invited, headed by Vasishtha, including the Hotri, Adhvaryu, and Brahma priests.”
Verse 15
उद्गातारं च सामगं होता च बहवो द्विजाः | यथाशास्त्रं प्रकुर्वन्तु यज्ञकर्माणि सर्वशः || १-८-१५
“Let the Udgatri, the singer of the Sama Veda, and many other learned Brahmanas perform all the sacrificial rites according to the scriptures.”
Verse 16
ततो यज्ञस्य सर्वस्य विधिवत् कल्पना भवेत् | सम्भाराश्चापि सम्भ्रियन्तां यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् || १-८-१६
“Then let the entire sacrifice be arranged according to the prescribed procedure, and let all the necessary materials be gathered according to the scriptures and in proper order.”
Verse 17
सुमन्त्रश्च महाप्राज्ञो राजानमिदमब्रवीत् | ऋत्विजां चापि सर्वेषां कार्यं यज्ञस्य चोद्यतम् || १-८-१७
The highly intelligent Sumantra then said to the king that the duties of all the priests and the arrangements for the sacrifice should be undertaken.
Verse 18
एवं ब्रुवति राजर्षौ तत्र सर्वे द्विजोत्तमाः | सर्वकार्याणि सम्पाद्य यज्ञकर्म समारभन् || १-८-१८
While the royal sage was speaking thus, all the foremost Brahmanas completed the required preparations and commenced the sacrificial work.
Verse 19
यथाशास्त्रं यथान्यायं यथाक्रममथापि वा | सर्वं कार्यं समारब्धं नृपस्य हितकाम्यया || १-८-१९
All the work was begun according to the scriptures, proper procedure, and prescribed order, with the welfare of the king in mind.
Verse 20
ततोऽश्वं विधिवद् बद्ध्वा यज्ञभूमौ समन्ततः | राजा दशरथो हृष्टो यज्ञदीक्षामुपागमत् || १-८-२०
Then the horse was properly brought and secured at the sacrificial ground, and King Dasharatha, pleased, undertook the initiation for the sacrifice.
Verse 21
ऋत्विजोऽथ समागम्य यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् | यज्ञकर्माणि कुर्वन्ति राज्ञो हितचिकीर्षवः || १-८-२१
The priests assembled and performed the sacrificial rites according to the scriptures and in proper order, desiring the welfare of the king.
Verse 22
तस्य यज्ञस्य निर्विघ्नं सर्वं कर्म समारभत् | राजा च हृष्टमनसः पुत्रार्थं दीक्षितोऽभवत् || १-८-२२
All the work of that sacrifice proceeded without obstruction, and the king, with a joyful mind, remained initiated for the sake of obtaining a son.
Verse 23
ऋत्विजश्चापि तं यज्ञं विधिवत् सम्प्रचक्रिरे | सर्वं यथाशास्त्रविहितं कर्म चक्रुर्महर्षयः || १-८-२३
The priests duly conducted that sacrifice, and the great sages performed all the rites prescribed by the scriptures.
Verse 24
तस्य यज्ञस्य सम्पत्तिं दृष्ट्वा राजा मुदान्वितः | पुत्रकामः पुनस्तत्र हृष्टोऽभूद् नृपसत्तमः || १-८-२४
Seeing the successful progress of the sacrifice, the excellent king, who desired a son, became filled with joy.
Verse 25
एवं स यज्ञः सम्पूर्णो राज्ञो दशरथस्य वै | पुत्रकामस्य राजर्षेर्विधिवत् सम्प्रवर्तितः || १-८-२५
Thus the sacrifice of King Dasharatha, the royal sage who desired sons, proceeded properly toward completion.
Verse 26
ततो यज्ञसमाप्त्यर्थं यथाशास्त्रं द्विजोत्तमाः | सर्वे समागतास्तत्र राज्ञो हितचिकीर्षवः || १-८-२६
Then, for the completion of the sacrifice, all the foremost Brahmanas assembled there according to the prescribed procedure, desiring the welfare of the king.
Verse 27
तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा दशरथस्तदा | हृष्टोऽभवत् तदा राजा पुत्रलाभाभिकाङ्क्षया || १-८-२७
Hearing their words, King Dasharatha became joyful, filled with the desire to obtain sons.