SECTION CII.
Having heard of the origin of Kimpurushas, both Bharata and Lakshmana said to Rāma:—"This is a wonderful story." Thereupon the highly illustrious Rāma, the foremost of the pious, again began with the story of Ila, the son of the patriarch. "Beholding the Kinnaris repairing to a distance, Budha the foremost of ascetics, smiling said, to the beautiful Ilā:—"O thou of a graceful presence, I am the most favourite son of the moon; O fair one, do thou, with delight, cast looks upon me," Hearing the words of the highly effulgent and beautiful Budha in the picturesque forest land divested of men and animals, Ilā said:—"O gentle one, I am not subject to any body; I surrender myself unto thee out of my own accord. O son of Soma, thou mayst command me whatever thou wishest." Hearing those wondrous words, the son of moon, possessed by lust, began to live with her. And living in the company of Ilā, having a graceful countenance, Budha, possessed by desire, spent the entire month of Madhu like a moment. Thereupon after the expiry of a month, the graceful king Ila, son of the pariarch, awoke from sleep and beholding Budha, the son of Soma, engaged in austerities with uplifted hands in the midst of waters, said:—"O illustrious Sir, with my followers I entered this dense forest—I do not see them now anywhere. Where have they gone?" Hearing the words of the royal saint, who had lost all recollection, Budha, with sweet words consoled him and said:—"All thy followers have been destroyed by a downpour of huge rocks; thyself, being afraid of the storm, was also asleep in the hermitage. Thou hast no fear now. Therefore, O hero, being consoled and renouncing all anxiety do thou live here happily living upon fruits and roots." Being comforted by those words, the high-minded king Ila, striken with distress in consequence of the destruction of his servants, poorly replied:—"O Brahman, I shall renounce my own kingdom. Separated from my servants, I shall not be able to live, even for a moment. Do thou give me permission in this. O Brahman, my eldest son, the highly illustrious Sasabindu, the foremost of the pious, shall be the owner of my kingdom. O Brahman, renouncing my servants and wives of the country I shall not be able to wait here. Therefore, O highly effulgent one, do thou not give me such an unpleasant command of remaining here." Hearing those wonderful words of the king Ila, Budha consoling him, said:—"Do thou wait here. Be not aggrieved, O highly powerful son of Kardama. If thou dost live here for a year, I shall render thy well-being." Hearing the words of Budha, of unwearied actions, the king Ila desired to live there. Thereupon becoming a man for the next month he began to perform ascetic penances. Thereupon in the ninth month, Ilā, having a beautiful waist, gave birth to a highly effulgent son, under the name of Pururavā, born of the loins of Budha, and equally graceful like him. And she handed over the highly powerful son unto his father Budha. Thereupon after a year Ila having regained the male form, Budha by means of various words afforded delight unto him.
SECTION CIII.
Rāma having thus described the wonderful birth of Pururava, the illustrious Bharata and Lakshmana asked him again saying:—"O foremost of men, tell us what did Ila afterwards do after living in the company of Soma's son for a year." Hearing their sweet words Rāma again began with the story of Kardama's son and said:—"In turn, the heroic Ila, having regained his manhood, the highly illustrious and intelligent Budha, well-informed of birth and well-skilled in the art of speech, sent for the highly liberal Sangbarta, Vrigu's son Chyavana, Aristhanemi, the foremost of Munis, Durvasa, capable of affording delight, and other friends gifted with patience and said:—'Ye all know well, how this mighty-armed Ila, Kardama's son, attained to this peculiar condition.' Thereupon while those high-souled ones were conversing upon this subject, the highly effulgent Kardama arrived at the hermitage. Pulastya, Kratu, Vashatkar and the highly effulgent Omkāra came there following him. Being greatly delighted for their arrival they all gave out their individual opinion for bringing about the well-being of the king of Vālhakee. For the welfare of his son, the patriarch Kardama said:—'Hear, O twice-born ones, how the well-being of the king Ila may be secured. For this disease I do not find any other good medicine but Umā's lord. And save Aswamedha there is no other sacrifice more favourite unto the high-souled deity. Let us all therefore celebrate that hard sacrifice on behalf of this king.' Thereupon Sambarta's disciple, the royal saint Marutha, the conqueror of enemies' cities, collected all articles for the sacrifice. Thereupon in the vicinity of Budha's hermitage that mighty sacrifice was celebrated. And by that the Great Rudra attained to delight and said to the twice-born ones, in the presence of the king Ila:—'O foremost of twice-born ones, I have been greatly delighted with this sacrifice and your devotion. Tell me now, what I can do for this king of Valheeka.' Hearing the words of Mahādeva, the Brāhmanas, having propitiated him with great devotion, prayed for Ila's manhood. Thereupon delighted the highly effulgent Mahādeva, having conferred upon him manhood, disappeared. In this wise the horse-sacrifice being finished and Mahādeva having disappeared, the far-seeing and leading twice-born ones repaired to their respective hermitages. And having placed his eldest son Sasavindu as the king of the country of Vālheeka, the king Ila reared another city in the middle country. In time Ila attained to the excellent Brahmā region and his son Pururāva obtained that Pratishthāna kingdom. O foremost of men, such is the power of the horse-sacrifice, that the king Ila, though converted into a female, regained manhood by virtue thereof."
SECTION CIV.
Having thus addressed his both brothers, Rāma, the descendant of Kakuthstha of unmitigated prowess, again said to Lakshmana, in words pregnant with morality:—"O Lakshmana, having invited Vasishtha, the foremost of twice-born ones, conversant with all the rites of Aswamedha, Vamadeva, Javali, and Kashyapa and consulted with them duly I shall set free a horse gifted with all marks." Hearing the words of Rāma, Lakshmana, of unmitigated prowess, invited all those Brāhmanas and approached Rāma. Seeing them, Rāma saluted them touching their feet. And the Brāhmanas too, beholding the irrepressible celestial, like Rāghava, welcomed him with blessings. Thereupon Rāma, with folded hands, asked of those leading twice-born ones, questions regarding the Aswamedha sacrifice. And hearing the words of Rāma, they, too, saluting the deity Rudra, began to speak highly of the ceremony of horse-sacrifice. And being informed from the Brāhmanas of many unheard of virtues of Ashwamedha, Rāma was greatly delighted. And according to their desire he said to Lakshmana:—"O thou having long arms, do thou soon send an emissary to the high-souled Sugriva, communicating unto him 'Do thou come here to enjoy festivities in the company of all those highly powerful monkeys and bears, under thee; may good betide thee.' See that Bhibhishana of unequalled prowess, the king of Rākshasas, encircled by his followers, coursing at will, may be present at the horse sacrifice. Let the great kings, wishing my welfare with their followers, be present at the sacrifice. O Lakshmana, do thou also invite carefully, for witnessing the ceremony, other pious foreign kings who are friendly unto me. O thou having long arms, do thou also invite the Rishis, having asceticism for their wealth and other pious Brāhmanas living in various provinces. Do thou also invite actors and songsters. Do thou order that a spacious, sacrificial ground may be made on the banks of the river Gomoti in the Naimisha forest. O thou having long arms, that part of the country is best suited and holy. And let ceremonies, invoking peace, be celebrated everywhere. O thou conversant with piety, do thou soon invite hundreds of subjects, so that they all, having witnessed the ceremony in the Naimisha forest, may return delighted and honored. O thou having long arms, let Bharata go before with a million of beasts carrying rice, sessamun seed, Kidneybean, Chickpea, pulse, Masha (a sort of Kidney bean) salt, oil, clarified butter and a hundred koti of silver and golden coins. Let merchants, to set up shops on the way, actors, dancers, cooks, and many youthful females follow Bharata. Let soldiers go before him. And let the highly illustrious Bharata, with children, old men, Brāhmanas, citizens, servants, cashiers, mothers, wives and the golden image of my wife to be initiated at the sacrifice, go before." According to the command of Rāma, Bharata, with Satrughna, made arrangements for highly valuable quarters, food, drink and clothes. And the highly powerful monkeys with Sugriva and Brāhmanas engaged in the work of distribution. And Bibhishana surrounded by various Rakshas and females, engaged in service of the high-souled Rishis intent on hard penances.
SECTION CV.
Having speedily despatched before all articles of sacrifice, Bharata's elder brother Rāma set free a black horse, gifted with all marks and worthy of the sacrifice and placed Lakshmana with Rittwigas in charge of it. Thereupon the mighty-armed Kākuthstha, in the company of his soldiers, proceeded to the Naimisha forest and beholding the wonderful sacrificial ground attained to an excess of delight and said:—"It has become highly charming." And while he remained in the Naimisha forest, all the kings sent him presents and Rāma also made returns. And diverse food, drink and clothes were offered to the kings when they arrived there with profuse presents. Bharata, with Satrughna, engaged in attending upon the kings. The high-souled monkeys, with Sugriva, being self-controlled engaged in attending upon the Brāhmanas. Bibhishana, in the company of many Rākshasas, with a collected mind, began to serve the Rishis, having asceticism for their wealth. And the highly powerful Rāma, the foremost of men, set aside valuable houses for the accomodation of the high-souled kings. Under these proper arrangements the horse-sacrifice commenced. Lakshmana engaged in looking after the sacrificial horse. In this wise Rāma, a lion amongst the kings, undertook the celebration of the horse-sacrifice. And in that Ashwamedha of Rāma presents were given unto people as long as they were not satisfied. There was no other sound audible at that time save that of "Give! Give!!" In sooth at the horse-sacrifice of the high-souled Rāma, to their fullest satisfaction, sweets and other things were distributed unto people. Indeed before words came out from the lips of the beggars, monkeys and Rākshasas satisfied them with gifts. And all the ascetics living for ever and having asceticism for wealth that were present there, could not think of any other sacrifice, accompanied by so profuse presents, they had seen before. In that sacrifice, those, who wished for gold, obtained it, those who wished for property got it and those, who longed for jewels, received them. In this wise before all, enough of gold, jewels, and clothes were given away. The ascetics said:—"We have never seen before a sacrifice like this, Indra's, Soma's, Yama's or Varuna's." And being present everywhere the Rākshasas and Vānaras gave away enough of riches and clothes even unto them who did not want. And though this sacrifice, gifted with all marks, of Rāma, a lion among kings, continued for a year still his accumulated treasure was not exhausted, but rather was increased.
SECTION CVI.
That sacrifice, the like of which was never seen before, having been undertaken the illustrious ascetic Vālmiki, with his disciples, came there. And beholding this wonderful sacrifice resembling that of the celestials, his followers, the Rishis, made charming cottages in a solitary corner and at no distance. Inside the highly charming cottage of Vālmiki they placed his picturesque car full of fruits and roots. Thereupon Vālmiki said to his disciples, Lava and Kusa:—"Do ye carefully and delightedly sing the whole of Rāmāyana in the highly holy hermitages, of the Rishis, in the homes where perpetual fire is kept up by the Brāhmanas, in streets and palaces, at the gate of Rāma's house, in the sacrificial arena and before all Ritwigas. And eating all those sweet fruits that are on the summit of the mountain near our hermitage, do ye engage in chanting the sweet Rāmāyana. If you begin singing after taking all those sweet fruits you not experience exhaustion in singing nor you shall measure. If Rāma, the lord of earth, invites you to sing the Rāmāyana, you may fearlessly sing it there in due and measures before the assembled ascetics. During the day do ye sing, in your sweet voice, twenty sections out of many I have laid in the Rāmāyana consisting of many slokas. Do not cherish the least longing for riches, what avail is wealth unto ascetics living perpetually on fruits and roots? If Rāma asks you about your father you may say, 'We are both disciples of the high souled Vālmiki.' O Kusa and Lava, in your proper mood do you sing the sweet song with charming Murchanā accompanied by the sweet notes of Vina. Before you begin with the song, without disregarding the king, do you bow unto him reverentially. Morally the king is the father of all. Do you therefore both, delightedly and with a collected mind, early in the morning, sing the theme in a sweet voice and accompanied by the music of the stringed instrument." Having in this wise given counsels, the highly generous and great ascetic Vālmiki, son of Pracheta, became silent. Being thus commanded by the ascetic, Janakis' sons, Lava and Kusa, the slayers of enemies, issued out therefrom saying. "So we shall do." Like unto the two Aswins following the moral precepts of Sukra, the two princes, placing those wonderful counsels of Vālmiki in their minds, spent the night with a heart stricken with curiosity.