Verse 1
ततः प्रभाते विमले कृतकर्मा नराधिपः ।
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य वसिष्ठं च महामुनिम् ॥
At dawn, after completing his morning duties, King Dasharatha set out with the great sage Vishvamitra and the great sage Vasistha leading the way.
Verse 2
ऋषीन् वसिष्ठप्रमुखान् पुरोधसं च मन्त्रिणः ।
पुत्रांश्च राजशार्दूलो गच्छन्तमन्वगच्छत ॥
The tiger among kings, accompanied by the sages headed by Vasistha, the royal priest and his ministers, followed by his sons, proceeded on the journey.
Verse 3
ततः प्रयाते दुर्धर्षे रामे कमललोचने ।
लक्ष्मणे च महाबाहौ राज्ञो दशरथस्य च ॥
When the invincible lotus-eyed Rama, mighty-armed Lakshmana, and King Dasharatha had departed—
Verse 4
पुरोऽभवन्महर्षीणां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
वसिष्ठश्च महातेजा पुरोहितोऽन्वगच्छत ॥
—the great sage Vishvamitra went ahead of the great sages, while the greatly radiant royal priest Vasistha followed.
Verse 5
सर्वे ते मुनयः श्रेष्ठा राजानमनुगच्छतः ।
सर्वे च ऋषयः पुण्या ययुस्तस्य पुरःसराः ॥
All those excellent sages accompanied the king, and all the holy seers proceeded ahead of him.
6
ततः स राजा बलवान् हयैर्युक्तं महारथम् ।
आरुह्य परमं हृष्टो जगाम सह मन्त्रिभिः ॥
Then the powerful king mounted his great chariot drawn by horses and, greatly delighted, proceeded together with his ministers.
7
ततः सुमन्त्रः संहृष्टो रथं तं समुपास्थितः ।
हयांश्चापि समारुह्य राजानमनुगच्छति ॥
Then the delighted Sumantra approached that chariot, mounted the horses and followed the king.
8
ततः प्रयाते काकुत्स्थे मुनयः सर्षिगणास्तथा ।
जनकस्य समीपे तु दूताः शीघ्रमुपागमन् ॥
When Kakutstha Rama had departed, the sages together with the groups of seers and the messengers quickly approached Janaka.
9
ते गत्वा मिथिलां रम्यां जनकं नृपमब्रुवन् ।
राजा दशरथः श्रीमान् आगतो मुनिभिः सह ॥
Having gone to beautiful Mithila, they spoke to King Janaka: “The illustrious King Dasharatha has arrived together with the sages.”
10
तच्छ्रुत्वा जनको राजा हर्षेण महता युतः ।
सर्वान् दूतान् समाहूय प्रत्युवाच नराधिपः ॥
Hearing this, King Janaka, filled with great joy, summoned all the messengers and replied.
11
शीघ्रं गच्छत भद्रं वो राजानं द्रष्टुमर्हथ ।
दशरथं महात्मानं पुत्राभ्यां सह राघवम् ॥
“Go quickly. May all be well with you. You should meet the great-souled King Dasharatha, the Raghava, together with his sons.”
12
ततः सर्वे महात्मानो दूताः शीघ्रपराक्रमाः ।
राजानं द्रष्टुमायान्तं प्रहृष्टा अभ्युपागमन् ॥
Then all the great-souled messengers, swift in action, joyfully went forward to meet the approaching king.
13
ततो राजा दशरथो जनकेन महात्मना ।
पूजितः परया भक्त्या सह पुत्रैर्महाबलैः ॥
Then King Dasharatha, together with his mighty sons, was honoured with great devotion by the great-souled Janaka.
14
ततो दशरथः श्रीमान् वसिष्ठेन पुरोहितः ।
विश्वामित्रेण सहितो जनकं प्रत्यभाषत ॥
Then the illustrious Dasharatha, accompanied by his royal priest Vasistha and by Vishvamitra, spoke to Janaka.
15
राजर्षे त्वं महाभाग कुशलं ते नराधिप ।
स्वागतं ते महाबाहो पुत्राभ्यां सह राघव ॥
“O royal sage, O greatly fortunate king, I hope you are well. O mighty-armed one, welcome to you together with your two sons, the Raghavas.”
16
ततः प्रहृष्टो जनको दशरथं प्रत्यभाषत ।
स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव ॥
Then the delighted Janaka replied to Dasharatha: “Welcome to you, O best among men. By good fortune you have arrived, O Raghava.”
17
दिष्ट्या ते पुत्रौ वीरौ रामलक्ष्मणलक्षणौ ।
दृष्टौ मया महात्मानौ वीर्यवन्तौ महाबलौ ॥
“By good fortune I have seen your two heroic sons, Rama and Lakshmana, the great-souled, powerful and mighty warriors.”
18
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म दिष्ट्या मे सफलं तपः ।
दृष्टौ दशरथस्येमौ पुत्रौ धर्मपरायणौ ॥
“Today my birth has become fruitful; by good fortune my austerities have borne fruit. I have seen these two sons of Dasharatha, devoted to righteousness.”
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the sixty-ninth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.