SECTION XVI.
Thus besought by the foremost of the celestials, that[18] searcher of hearts, Vishnu, although cognizant of the means whereby Rāvana was to be destroyed, spake unto the gods these amiable words,—"What, ye gods, is the means of compassing the destruction of that lord of the Rākshasas, by adopting which I could slay that thorn of the ascetics?" Thus addressed, the deities answered Vishnu, incapable of deterioration, saying,—"Assuming the form of a human being, do thou in battle slay Rāvana! He, O repressor of foes, had for a long course of time performed rigid austerities; and thereat, that creator of all, the first-create Brahmā was well pleased. And propitiated by his penances, the Master conferred a boon on the Rākshasa to the effect that, save man, no fear should come to him from the various beings. And in the matter of that boon-bestowing, man had formerly been disregarded by (Rāvana). And puffed up with pride in consequence of the boon he received from the Grand-sire, he commits ravages upon the three worlds and carries away the fair sex by violence. Therefore, O subduer of enemies, we have even fixed upon man for bringing about his death." Hearing this speech of the celestials, Vishnu of subdued soul chose even king Daçarātha for his father. And at that time, eagerly wishing to have sons, that destroyer of enemies, the effulgent king Daçarātha, who was sonless, was celebrating the sacrifice that conferreth male offspring. Then, having ascertained the course to follow, Vishnu, having greeted the Grand-sire, vanished there, worshipped by the deities and the Maharshis.
And then himself bearing in his hands a capacious vessel made of burnished gold, with a silver cover,—dear like unto a spouse, and resembling the divine Creative energy, filled with celestial Pāyasa,[19], from out the sacrificial fire of Daçarātha initiated into the ceremony, there arose a mighty being, of unparalleled prowess, high energy, and huge strength, black, and wearing a crimson apparel, with a red face, uttering the blares of a trumpet, and having a body covered with leonine hair, having whiskers and an excellent head of hair, furnished with auspicious marks, and adorned with celestial ornaments, and resembling a mountain-peak, and bearing the prowess of a flaming tiger, and like unto the Sun or tongues of flaming fire. And with his eyes fixed upon Daçarātha, he addressed the king, saying,—"O monarch, take thou me as a person commisioned by Prajāpati." Hearing him speak thus, Daçarātha, with joined hands, said,—'Lord, art thou welcome? What can I do for thee?" Thereupon, that person despatched by Prajāpati again spake thus,—"O king, having adored the deities, thou hast to-day obtained this. Do thou foremost of kings, accept this excellent and divinly-prepared Pāyasa, conferring sons, health, and affluence,—which thou art to give unto thy worthy consorts, saying,—Partake it. Through them thou wilt, O monarch, obtain sons,—for obtaining whom thou hast performed this sacrifice." Thereupon, saying,—"So be it," the lord of men delightedly placed that divinely-bestowed golden vessel filled with the celestial Pāyasa upon his head. And having saluted that wonderful being of gracious presence, he in excess of joy began to go round him again and again. Then Daçarātha, having received that divinely-prepared Pāyasa, waxed exceeding glad; like unto a pauper attaining plenty. Then that highly effulgent being of a wonderful form, having performed that mission of his, vanished even there. And Daçarātha's inner apartment, being graced with the rays of joy, looked like unto the welkin flooded with the lovely beams of the autumnal moon. Then entering the inner apaitment, he spake unto Kausalya, saying,—"Take thou this Pāyasa; for this will make thee bear a son." Having said this,the king offered unto her a portion of this Pāyasa. Then he conferred upon Sumitrā a fourth of it. Then in order that she might have a son, king Daçarātha made over unto Kaikeyi an equal portion of what remained. And then having reflected, the mighty-minded one gave unto Sumitrā the remaining portion of the Pāyasa resembling ambrosia. Thus the king dispensed the Pāyasa unto each and all of his wives. And those foremost wives of the king, having received that Pāyasa, became exceedingly delighted, and considered themselves as highly honored. Then those excellent consorts of the lord of earth, having separately partaken of that choice Pāyasa, shortly bore offspring, resmbling fire or the Sun. And the king, beholding those wives of his bearing children, obtained his desire and became delighted; even as that foremost of the celestials, Indra, while being worshipped by the Siddhas and the ascetics.
SECTION XVII.
When Vishnu had accepted the sonship of that high- souled king, the self-create Lord addressed the celestials, saying,—"For assisting the heroic Vishnu firm in promise, always seeking the welfare of us all, do ye create powerful beings, assuming shapes at will, cognizant of illusions, heroic, furnished with the celerity of the wind, versed in morality, possessing intelligence, like unto Vishnu in prowess, unslayable, knowing the ways and means (of war and peace) gifted with excellent bodies, capable of resisting all weapons, and resembling immortals. And from forth the bodies of the foremost Apsaris, and Gandharbis, and Yakskis, and Panagis, and Rikshis[20] and Vidhyddharis, and Kinnaris, and Vanaris[21] do ye produce sons wearing the shapes of monkeys. Formerly I had created that foremost of bears, Jāmbuvāna, who suddenly came out of my mouth as I was yawning." Hearing this mandate of Him possessed of the six attributes, they began to produce sons endowed with monkey- forms. And high-souled ascetics, and Siddhas, and Vidhādharas, and Uragas, and Chāranas, generated heroic sons,— rangers of woods. And Indra begat as his son that foremost of monkeys, Vāli, resembling the Mahendra hill, and that best of those imparting heat, the Sun, Sugriva. And Vrihaspati begat the mighty ape named Tārā, the most excellent and intelligent of the prime monkeys. And the Bestower of riches begat as his son the graceful ape Gandhamādana. And Vicwakarma begat that mighty monkey named Nala; and Agni begat as his son the powerful and graceful Nila in effulgence like unto the fire, who surpassed even his sire in energy, prowess, and renown. And the beautiful Acwins, endowed with the wealth of loveliness, begat Maindra and Dwivida. And Varuna begat the monkey named Sushena; and Paryyanya begat Sarava, possessed of great strength. And the Wind god begat the graceful monkey named Hanumān, endeued with a frame hard as adamant; in fleetness like unto Vinatā's offspring; and the most intelligent as well as the most powerful amongst all the principal monkeys. Thus produced, there suddenly came into being by thousands, mighty bears, and monkeys, and Gopuchchhas,[22] of immeasurable strength, and heroic, and powerful, assuming shapes at will, endowed with bodies resembling elephants of hills,—even those who would engage in compassing the destruction of the Ten-headed one. And the sons of the deities retained distinctly the respective hues, forms, and prowess, that characterized their several sires. And those that sprang from the Golangulas,[23] possessed even more than the might of the gods. Likewise, on Rikshis and Kinnaris were gladly begot thousands upon thousands of monkeys, by gods, and Maharshis, and Gandarbas, and Tarkshyas, and famous Yakshas, and Nagās, and Kimpurushas,[24] and Siddhas and Vidyādharas, and Uragas. And upon the principal Apsaris, and the Vidyādharis, and the daughters of the Nāgas, and the Gandarbis were begot by the Chāranas as sons, heroic monkeys of gigantic bodies, ranging the forests and living on fruits and roots. And all these monkeys were endowed with strength; and could assume shapes and repair everywhere, at will. And they were like unto lions and tigers, both in pride and in prowess. And they faught with crags and hurled hills. And they faught with nails and teeth,—and were accomplished in all weapons. And they could move the largest hills; and crush the fixed trees; and with their impetus, vex that lord of rivers—the Ocean. And they could with their kicks rend the Earth, and swim over the mighty main. And they could penetrate into the welkin,—and capture the clouds. And they could subdue mad elephants ranging the forest. And with their roars, they could bring down birds singing. Thus came into being Kotis of high-souled leaders of monkey-herds, assuming forms at will. And these became the leaders of the principal monkey-herds; and they, in their turn, generated heroic monkeys, the foremost of the leaders of herds.
Some of these monkeys began to dwell on the top of the Rikshavāna mountain; while others inhabited various other mountains and forests. And all the leaders of monkey- herds stayed with those brothers,—Sugriva, the son of the Sun-god and Vali, that of Sakra,—and also with Nala, and Nila, and Hanumān, and other leaders of monkey-herds. And endowed with the might of Garura, and accomplished in fight, they ranged around, pounding lions, and tigers, and mighty Uragas. And the mighty-armed Vali of great prowess and redoubtable strength protected by virtue of the energy of his arms Rikshas, and Gopuchchhas, and monkeys. And this earth, furnished with mountains, and forests, and oceans, began to teem with those heroic lords of leaders of monkey- herds, inhabiting different places, bearing characteristic marks, resembling masses of clouds, or mountain-peaks, possessed of mighty strength, and of terrible bodies and visages,—in order that they might assist Rāma.
SECTION XVIII.
When the horse-sacrifice of the high-souled Daçarātha had been completed, the immortals, accepting each his share, returned whence they had come. And the monarch, having observed all the rules of initiation, entered the palace with his equipage and retinue. And the lords of the earth, having been received suitably by the king, with glad hearts set out for their own countries, saluting that foremost of ascetics (Rhishyasringa). And clad in bright apparel, the delighted forces belonging to those graceful kings repairing to their own homes, looked exceedingly beautiful. When the lords of the earth had gone away, the graceful king Daçarātha re-entered his palace, with the foremost of regenerate ones at his head. And followed by the intelligent monarch with his retinue, Rhishyasringa, having been duly honored, set out with Sāntā. Having thus dismissed them all, the king, his object attained, began to dwell there happily, expecting sons.
And then when tbe six seasons had rolled away after the completion of the sacrifice, in the twelfth month, on the ninth lunar day, under the influence of the Punarvasu asterism, when the Sun, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus were at Arius, Capricorn, Libra, Cancer, and Pisces, —and when Jupiter had arisen with the Moon at Cancer, Kaucalyā gave birth to that lord of the universe, bowed unto by all the worlds, Rāma, the descendant of Ikshwāku, furnished with excellent marks,—the one half of Vishnu,— exceedingly righteous, with rosy eyes, and mighty arms, and crimson nether lip, and endowed with a voice like the sound of a kettledrum. Then on having given birth to that son of immeasurable prowess, Kaucalyā looked resplendent, like Aditi on having brought forth that foremost of celestials—the wielder of the thunder-bolt. And then was born of Kaikeyi, Bharata, having truth for prowess, endowed with all the virtues, and the very fourth part of Vishnu. And then Sumitrā gave birth unto Lakshmana and Satrughna, heroic, and skilled in all weapons, and endowed with the half of Vishnu. And Bharata of purged intelligence was born under the asterism Pushyā, when the Sun had entered Pisces; while the two sons of Sumitrā were born when the Sun arose in Cancer, under the asterism of Asleshā.[25]
And thus were separately born four high-souled sons unto the king, crowned with qualities, and graceful, and in loveliness resembling the constellations Prosthapada[26] Thereat the Gandharbas began to chaunt sweetly, and the Apsarās to dance. And the celestial kettledrums sounded; and there showered down blossoms from the sky. And high festivities were commenced by the multitude in Ayodhyā. And the spacious highways became filled with players and dancers, glittering with all kinds of gems, and resounding with the music of singers and performers on instruments. And the king bestowed gifts upon bards and genealogists and penegyrists, and he also gave kine by thousands to Brāhmanas.