Verse 1
जनकेन समादिष्टा दूतास्ते क्लान्तवाहनाः ।
त्रिरात्रमुषिता मार्गे तेऽयोध्यां प्राविशन् पुरीम् ॥
Those messengers, commanded by Janaka, having rested for three nights on the way, entered the city of Ayodhya with their horses exhausted.
Verse 2
ते राजवचनाद् गत्वा राजवेश्म प्रविशिताः ।
ददृशुर्देवसंकाशं वृद्धं दशरथं नृपम् ॥
Having gone there according to the king’s command and entered the royal palace, they saw the aged King Dasharatha, radiant like a god.
Verse 3
बद्धाञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वे दूता विगतसाध्वसाः ।
राजानं प्रश्रितं वाक्यमब्रुवन् मधुराक्षरम् ॥
All the messengers, their palms joined and their fear gone, spoke to the king in humble and sweet words.
Verse 4
मैथिलो जनको राजा साग्निहोत्रपुरस्कृतः ।
मुहुर्मुहुर् मधुरया स्नेहरक्तया गिरा ॥
King Janaka of Mithila, devoted to the sacred fires, repeatedly speaks with a voice filled with affection and sweetness.
Verse 5
कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव सोपाध्यायपुरोहितम् ।
जनकस्त्वां महाराज पृच्छते सपुरःसरम् ॥
“O great king, Janaka asks repeatedly about your welfare and prosperity, together with your teachers, priests, and those who accompany you.”
Verse 6
पृष्ट्वा कुशलमव्यग्रं वैदेहो मिथिलाधिपः ।
कौशिकानुमते वाक्यं भवन्तमिदमब्रवीत् ॥
“Janaka, the king of Videha and lord of Mithila, having enquired about your well-being, speaks these words to you with the approval of Vishvamitra.”
Verse 7
पूर्वं प्रतिज्ञा विदिता वीर्यशुल्का ममात्मजा ।
राजानश्च कृतामर्षा निर्वीर्या विमुखीकृताः ॥
“My earlier vow is well known: my daughter was to be won as the reward of valour. The kings who came were angered when, lacking the required strength, they were turned away.”
Verse 8
सा इयं मम सुता राजन् विश्वामित्रपुरस्कृतैः ।
यदृच्छयागतैर्वीरैर्निर्जिता तव पुत्रकैः ॥
“O king, this daughter of mine has been won by your heroic sons who came here unexpectedly, accompanied by Vishvamitra.”
Verse 9
तच्च रत्नं धनुर्दिव्यं मध्ये भग्नं महात्मना ।
रामेण हि महाबाहो महत्यां जनसंसदि ॥
“O mighty-armed king, that divine and precious bow was broken in the middle by the great-souled Rama in the midst of a great assembly of people.”
Verse 10
अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्यशुल्का महात्मने ।
प्रतिज्ञां तर्तुमिच्छामि तदनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ॥
“Sita, who was promised as the reward for valour, is to be given by me to that great-souled Rama. I wish to fulfil my promise; you should grant your consent.”
Verse 11
सोपाध्यायो महाराज पुरोहितपुरस्कृतः ।
शीघ्रमागच्छ भद्रं ते द्रष्टुमर्हसि राघवौ ॥
“O great king, come quickly with your teachers and with your royal priest leading the way. May all be well with you. You should come and see the two Raghavas.”
Verse 12
प्रतिज्ञां मम राजेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि ।
पुत्रयोरुभयोरेव प्रीतिं त्वमपि लप्स्यसे ॥
“O best of kings, you should fulfil my promise. In doing so, you too will obtain great joy through both your sons.”
Verse 13
एवं विदेहाधिपतिर्मधुरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।
विश्वामित्राभ्यनुज्ञातः शतानन्दमते स्थितः ॥
Thus the lord of Videha spoke these sweet words, having received the approval of Vishvamitra and acting according to the counsel of Shatananda.
Verse 14
दूतवाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा परमहर्षितः ।
वसिष्ठं वामदेवं च मन्त्रिणश्चैवमब्रवीत् ॥
Hearing the words of the messengers, King Dasharatha became exceedingly delighted and spoke to Vasistha, Vamadeva, and his ministers.
Verse 15
गुप्तः कुशिकपुत्रेण कौसल्याऽऽनन्दवर्धनः ।
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विदेहेषु वसत्यसौ ॥
“Rama, the joy of Kausalya, is living in Videha together with his brother Lakshmana, protected by the son of Kushika, Vishvamitra.”
Verse 16
दृष्टवीर्यस्तु काकुत्स्थो जनकेन महात्मना ।
सम्प्रदानं सुतायास्तु राघवे कर्तुमिच्छति ॥
“Having witnessed the valour of Kakutstha Rama, the great-souled Janaka wishes to give his daughter in marriage to the Raghava.”
Verse 17
यदि वो रोचते वृत्तं जनकस्य महात्मनः ।
पुरीं गच्छामहे शीघ्रं मा भूत्कालस्य पर्ययः ॥
“If the account of the great-souled Janaka is agreeable to you all, let us quickly proceed to that city. Let there be no loss of time.”
Verse 18
मन्त्रिणो बाढमित्याहुः सह सर्वैर्महर्षिभिः ।
सुप्रीतश्चाब्रवीद् राजा श्वो यात्रेति च मन्त्रिणः ॥
The ministers, together with all the great sages, said, “Certainly.” Then the greatly pleased king said to his ministers, “We shall depart tomorrow.”
Verse 19
मन्त्रिणस्तु नरेन्द्रस्य रात्रिं परमसत्कृताः ।
ऊषुः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे गुणैः सर्वैः समन्विताः ॥
The ministers of the king, having been most respectfully honoured, spent that night there. All of them were delighted and endowed with every virtue.
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे अष्टषष्टितमः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the sixty-eighth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.