Dasharatha's Putreshti Yagya and the Queens' Conception
King Dasharatha performs the Putreshti Yagya for sons. After receiving and sharing the sacred offering, his queens conceive.
Bal Kand · Episode 37 / 59
Episode Text
अवधपुरीं रघुकुलमनि राऊ। बेद बिदित तेहि दसरथ नाऊँ॥ धरम धुरंधर गुननिधि ग्यानी। हृदयँ भगति मति सारँगपानी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
avadhapurīṃ raghukulamani rāū। beda bidita tehi dasaratha nāũṃ॥ dharama dhuraṃdhara gunanidhi gyānī। hṛdayã bhagati mati sāraṅgapānī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
In Ayodhya, there was King Dasharatha, the jewel of the Raghu line, renowned in the Vedas. He was steadfast in dharma, a storehouse of virtues, and wise; in his heart was devotion to the Lord, and his mind too was fixed on Him.
कौसल्यादि नारि प्रिय सब आचरन पुनीत। पति अनुकूल प्रेम दृढ़ हरि पद कमल बिनीत॥ १८८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kausalyādi nāri priya saba ācaraṇa punīta। pati anukūla prema dṛḍha hari pada kamala binīta॥ 188 ॥
Meaning:
Kausalya and the other beloved queens all had pure conduct. They were humble and devoted to their husband’s wishes, and they had firm love for the lotus feet of Hari.
एक बार भूपति मन माहीं। भै गलानि मोरें सुत नाहीं॥ गुर गृह गयउ तुरत महिपाला। चरन लागि करि बिनय बिसाला॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eka bāra bhūpati mana māhīṃ। bhai galāni moreṃ suta nāhīṃ॥ guru gṛha gayau turata mahipālā। carana lāgi kari binaya bisālā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Once, the king felt deep sorrow in his heart: “I have no son.” He immediately went to the guru’s house and, falling at his feet, made earnest supplication.
निज दुख सुख सब गुरहि सुनायउ। कहि बसिष्ठ बहु बिधि समुझायउ॥ धरहु धीर होइहहिं सुत चारी। त्रिभुवन बिदित भगत भय हारी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija dukha sukha saba gurahiṃ sunāyau। kahi basiṣṭha bahu bidhi samujhāyau॥ dharahu dhīra hoihahiṃ suta cārī। tribhuvana vidita bhagata bhaya hārī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The king related all his joys and sorrows to the guru. Sage Vasishtha comforted him in many ways and said, “Be patient; you will have four sons, renowned in the three worlds and remover of the devotees’ fear.”
सृंगी रिषिहि बसिष्ठ बोलावा। पुत्रकाम सुभ जग्य करावा॥ भगति सहित मुनि आहुति दीन्हें। प्रगटे अगिनि चरू कर लीन्हें॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sṛṃgī riṣihi basiṣṭha bolāvā। putrakāma subha jagya karāvā॥ bhagati sahita muni āhuti dīnhẽ। pragaṭe agini carū kara līnhẽ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Vasishtha summoned Sage Shringi and had the auspicious Putrakameshti sacrifice performed. When the sage offered the oblations with devotion, Fire himself appeared, holding the sacrificial charu (sweet rice offering) in his hands.
जो बसिष्ठ कछु हृदयँ बिचारा। सकल काजु भा सिद्ध तुम्हारा॥ यह हबि बाँटि देहु नृप जाई। जथा जोग जेहि भाग बनाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jo basiṣṭha kachu hṛdayaṃ bicārā। sakala kāju bhā siddha tumhārā॥ yaha habi bāṃṭi dehu nṛpa jāī। jathā joga jehi bhāga banāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
[And he said to Dasharatha:] What Vasishtha had thought in his heart has now been accomplished. O King, go and divide this sacrificial offering as is proper, distributing each portion according to what is fitting.
तब अदृस्य भए पावक सकल सभहि समुझाइ। परमानंद मगन नृप हरष न हृदयँ समाइ॥ १८९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba adṛsya bhae pāvaka sakala sabhahi samujhāi। paramānanda magana nṛpa haraṣa na hṛdayaṃ samāi॥ 189 ॥
Meaning:
Then Fire, after explaining everything to the whole assembly, vanished. The king was immersed in supreme bliss; his heart could not contain his joy.
तबहिं रायँ प्रिय नारि बोलाईं। कौसल्यादि तहाँ चलि आईं॥ अर्ध भाग कौसल्यहि दीन्हा। उभय भाग आधे कर कीन्हा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tabahiṃ rāyaṃ priya nāri bolāīṃ। kausalyādi tahāṃ cali āīṃ॥ ardha bhāga kausalyahi dīnhā। ubhaya bhāga ādhe kara kīnhā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
At that time the king called his beloved wives. Kaushalya and the others came there. He gave half of the offering to Kaushalya, and divided the remaining half into two portions.
कैकेई कहँ नृप सो दयऊ। रह्यो सो उभय भाग पुनि भयऊ॥ कौसल्या कैकेई हाथ धरि। दीन्ह सुमित्रहि मन प्रसन्न करि॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kaikeī kahaṃ nṛpa so dayau। rahyo so ubhaya bhāga puni bhayau॥ kausalyā kaikeī hātha dhari। dīnh sumitrahi mana prasanna kari॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
He gave one portion to Kaikeyi. The remainder was again divided into two, and after placing them in the hands of Kaushalya and Kaikeyi—thus pleasing them—he gave it to Sumitra.
एहि बिधि गर्भसहित सब नारी। भईं हृदयँ हरषित सुख भारी॥ जा दिन तें हरि गर्भहिं आए। सकल लोक सुख संपति छाए॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi garbhasahita saba nārī। bhaīṃ hṛdayaṃ haraṣita sukha bhārī॥ jā dina teṃ hari garbhahiṃ āe। sakala loka sukha saṃpati chāe॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In this way all the queens became pregnant, and their hearts were filled with great joy. Since the day Hari entered the womb, happiness and prosperity spread throughout the worlds.
मंदिर महँ सब राजहिं रानीं। सोभा सील तेज की खानीं॥ सुख जुत कछुक काल चलि गयऊ। जेहिं प्रभु प्रगट सो अवसर भयऊ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mandira mahaṃ saba rājahiṃ rānīṃ। sobhā sīla teja kī khānīṃ॥ sukha juta kachuka kāla cali gayau। jehiṃ prabhu pragaṭa so avasara bhayau॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
All the queens, as mines of beauty, virtue, and splendor, dwelt resplendent in the palace. Thus some time passed in happiness, and the moment arrived when the Lord was to appear.
जोग लगन ग्रह बार तिथि सकल भए अनुकूल। चर अरु अचर हर्षजुत राम जनम सुखमूल॥ १९० ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
joga lagana graha bāra tithi sakala bhae anukūla। cara aru acara harṣajuta rāma janama sukhamūla॥ 190 ॥
Meaning:
The yoga, ascendant, planets, weekday, and date were all favorable. The moving and unmoving creation rejoiced, for Rama’s birth is the source of all bliss.
नौमी तिथि मधु मास पुनीता। सुकल पच्छ अभिजित हरिप्रीता॥ मध्य दिवस अति सीत न घामा। पावन काल लोक बिश्रामा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
naumī tithi madhu māsa punītā। sukala paccha abhijita hariprītā॥ madhya divasa ati sīta na ghāmā। pāvana kāla loka biśrāmā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
It was the sacred ninth day of the bright half of the month of Madhu (Chaitra), under the beloved Abhijit muhurta. It was midday, with neither cold nor heat; that holy time brought peace to all worlds.
सीतल मंद सुरभि बह बाऊ। हरषित सुर संतन मन चाऊ॥ बन कुसुमित गिरिगन मनिआरा। स्रवहिं सकल सरिताऽमृतधारा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sītala manda surabhi baha bāū। haraṣita sura santana mana cāū॥ bana kusumita girigana maniārā। sravahiṃ sakala saritā'mṛtadhārā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
A cool, gentle, fragrant breeze was blowing. The gods were rejoicing, and the saints’ hearts were eager with delight. The forests were in bloom, the mountain ranges gleamed like jewels, and all the rivers seemed to flow with streams of nectar.
सो अवसर बिरंचि जब जाना। चले सकल सुर साजि बिमाना॥ गगन बिमल संकुल सुर जूथा। गावहिं गुन गंधर्ब बरूथा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so avasara birañci jaba jānā। cale sakala sura sāji bimānā॥ gagana bimala saṃkula sura jūthā। gāvahiṃ guna gaṃdharba barūthā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
When Brahma understood that time had come, all the gods departed in their celestial chariots. The pure sky became filled with hosts of gods, and the bands of Gandharvas began to sing His praises.
बरषहिं सुमन सुअंजुलि साजी। गहगहि गगन दुंदुभी बाजी॥ अस्तुति करहिं नाग मुनि देवा। बहुबिधि लावहिं निज निज सेवा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baraṣahiṃ sumana suañjali sājī। gahagahi gagana duṃdubhī bājī॥ astuti karahiṃ nāga muni deva। bahubidhi lāvahiṃ nija nija sevā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
They began showering flowers from beautiful, cupped hands, and the kettledrums thundered in the sky. The nāgas, sages, and gods offered praise and rendered their own forms of service in many ways.
सुर समूह बिनती करि पहुँचे निज निज धाम। जगनिवास प्रभु प्रगटे अखिल लोक बिश्राम॥ १९१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sura samūha binatee kari pahuṃce nija nija dhāma। jaganivāsa prabhu pragaṭe akhila loka biśrāma॥ 191 ॥
Meaning:
The hosts of gods, after offering their prayers, returned to their own abodes. The Lord, the dwelling of the universe and rest of all worlds, appeared.