April 28 - Sargas 15 and 16 of Balakanda.
Then Rishyashringa performs a special yajna called Putreshti as enjoined in Atharva Veda to beget sons. The gods come down to accept the oblations as enjoined. At the same time, in another plane of reality, the same gods approach Brahma and say that the world is being tormented by a terrible Rakshasa called Ravana. Brahma should find a way to end his menace.
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इष्टिं तेऽहं करिष्यामि पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात् ।
अथर्वशिरसि प्रोक्तैर्मन्त्रैः सिद्धां विधानतः ॥
Sage Rishyashringa told Dasharatha: I shall on your behalf, to fulfill your desire for sons, perform the Putriya yajna as ordained, by mantras mentioned in Atharvashiras.
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Once he offered the oblations with powerful incantations, the gods assembled to partake of the offerings. They at the same time in a different time-space domain approached Brahma asking to remedy the terrible situation caused by Ravana, the demon.
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भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन रावणो नाम राक्षसः ।
सर्वान्नो बाधते वीर्याच्छासितुं तं न शक्नुमः ॥
ऋषीन् यक्षान् सगन्धर्वानसुरान् ब्राह्मणांस्तथा ।
अतिक्रामति दुर्धर्षो वरदानेन मोहितः ॥
Oh Lord Brahma, by your boons, a demon by name Ravana, is tormenting all of us. Owing to his prowess, we are unable to rein him in.
He invades and torments rishis, celestials, gods, demons and Brahmins too, and is irrepressible by virtue of the boons he has got, that have turned his head.
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Brahma replied:
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नाकीर्तयदवज्ञानात्तद्रक्षो मानुषांस्तदा ।
तस्मात् स मानुषाद्वध्यो मृत्युर्नान्योऽस्य विद्यते ॥
That demon, out of contempt for humans, did not bring them up while asking for his boon of invincibility. Hence he can be killed only by a human, there is no other way for his end.
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Brahma says the solution can come only from Lord Vishnu. So they all go and ardently appeal to the Lord. He assures them:
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भयं त्यजत भद्रं वो हितार्थं युधि रावणम्।
सपुत्रपौत्रं सामात्यं समित्रज्ञातिबान्धवम् ॥
हत्वा क्रूरं दुरात्मानं देवर्षीणां भयावहम्।
वत्स्यामि मानुषे लोके पालयन् पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥
Forsake fear, may good be with you all. For your welfare, I shall kill Ravana with his associates - children, grandchildren, ministers, wellwishers and relatives, as he is cruel and evil causing fear among gods and sages. I shall then also rule the earth in the realm of humans for long to establish righteousness.
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इत्येतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सुराणां विष्णुरात्मवान् ।
पितरं रोचयामास तदा दशरथं नृपम् ॥
स चाप्यपुत्रो नृपतिस्तस्मिन् काले महाद्युतिः।
अयजत् पुत्रयामिष्टिं पुत्रेप्सुररिसूदनः ॥
After this exchange with the gods, Lord Vishnu, kind-hearted, considered choosing king Dasharatha to be his father for His human advent.
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And just at the same time, king Dasharatha, the glorious king and vanquisher of enemies, being without sons, performed the Putriya Yajna, desirous of getting sons.
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ततो वै यजमानस्य पावकादतुलप्रभम्।
प्रादुर्भूतं महद्भूतं महावीर्यं महाबलम् ॥
दिव्यपायससंपूर्णां पात्रीं पत्नीमिव प्रियाम्।
प्रगृह्य विपुलां दोर्भ्यां स्वयं मायामयीमिव ॥
At that moment emerged, from the king's Yajna fire, a most brilliant being, of great strength and immensity, like a magical illusion, holding by his two hands caressingly a large divine pot of Payasam (sacred sweet pudding offered to gods in general).
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The being announced himself as the being sent by Prajapati Brahma. He informed the king that this was being conferred on him as a result of his propitiating the gods.
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इदं तु नृपशार्दूल पायसं देवनिर्मितम् ।
प्रजाकरं गृहाण त्वं धन्यमारोग्यवर्धनम् ॥
भार्याणामनुरूपाणामश्नीतेति प्रयच्छ वै।
तासु त्वं प्राप्स्यते पुत्रान् यदर्थं यजसे नृप ॥
Oh supreme king, this Payasam has been prepared by gods. It will give you children and will enhance your health and prosperity also. Accept it and give it to your chosen wives, asking them to partake of it. Thus will you beget sons for which purpose you have performed this Yajna.
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तथेति नृपतिः प्रीतः शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य ताम्।
मुदा परमया युक्तश्चकाराभिप्रदक्षिणम् ॥
The delighted king graciously accepted the gift of Payasam with bowed head. Filled with extreme joy, the king circumambulated the divine being.
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The king loses no time in going to his queens. He tells them that they should partake of this Payasam as this will confer sons. He gives half of the Payasam to Kausalya. He divides the remaining into two halves, gives a half to Sumitra. He then divides the rest into two and gives a portion to Kaikeyi. The last 1/8th he gives after due thought again to Sumitra.
You can imagine the mood on the palace and the delight of the queens. Soon they are all carrying.
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ततस्तु राजा प्रसमीक्ष्य ताः स्त्रियः
प्ररूढगर्भाः प्रतिलब्धमानसः।
बभूव हृष्टस्त्रिदिवे यथा हरिः
सुरेन्द्रसिद्धर्षिगणाभिपूजितः ॥
King Dasharatha, in due course, beholding his queens pregnant with his sons, with his cheerfulness fully restored, felt very happy. So happy indeed aa Lord Hari (Vishnu) feels in the three worlds, when He is propitiated elaborately by the gods led by Indra, as well as by adept meditators and great rishis.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
