Canto XIII: The Sacrifice Finished

The circling year had filled its course, And back was brought the wandering horse:-- Then upon Sarjú's northern strand Began the rite the King had planned. With Rishyaśring the forms to guide, The Bráhmans to their task applied, At that great offering of the steed Their lofty-minded King decreed. The priests, who all the Scripture knew, Performed their part in order due, And circled round in solemn train As precepts of the law ordain. Pravargya rites were duly sped:-- For Upasads the flames were fed. Then from the plant the juice was squeezed, And those high saints, with minds well pleased, Performed the mystic rites begun With bathing ere the rise of sun. They gave the portion, Indra's claim, And hymned the King whom none can blame. The mid-day bathing followed next, Observed as bids the holy text. Then the good priests with utmost care, In form that Scripture's rules declare, For the third time pure water shed On high-souled Daśaratha's head. Then Rishyaśring and all the rest To Indra and the Gods addressed Their sweet-toned hymn of praise and prayer, And called them in the rite to share. With sweetest song and hymn intoned They gave the Gods in heaven enthroned, As duty bids, the gifts they claim, The holy oil that feeds the flame. And many an offering there was paid, And not one slip in all was made. For with most careful heed they saw That all was done by Veda law. None, all those days, was seen oppressed By hunger or by toil distressed. Why speak of human kind? No beast Was there that lacked an ample feast. For there was store for all who came, For orphan child and lonely dame; The old and young were well supplied, The poor and hungry satisfied. Throughout the day ascetics fed, And those who roam to beg their bread:-- While all around the cry was still, "Give forth, give forth," and "Eat your fill." "Give forth with liberal hand the meal, And various robes in largess deal."

Urged by these cries on every side Unweariedly their task they plied, And heaps of food like hills in size In boundless plenty met the eyes:-- And lakes of sauce, each day renewed, Refreshed the weary multitude. And strangers there from distant lands, And women folk in crowded bands The best of food and drink obtained At the great rite the King ordained. Apart from all, the Bráhmans there, Thousands on thousands, took their share Of various dainties sweet to taste, On plates of gold and silver placed-- All ready set, as, when they willed, The twice-born men their places filled. And servants in fair garments dressed Waited upon each Bráhman guest.

Of cheerful mind and mien were they, With gold and jewelled ear-rings gay. The best of Bráhmans praised the fare Of countless sorts, of flavor rare-- And thus to Raghu's son they cried:-- "We bless thee, and are satisfied." Between the rites some Bráhmans spent The time in learned argument, With ready flow of speech, sedate, And keen to vanquish in debate. There day by day the holy train Performed all rites as rules ordain. No priest in all that host was found But kept the vows that held him bound; None, but the holy Vedas knew, And all their sixfold science too. No Bráhman there was found unfit To speak with eloquence and wit.

And now the appointed time came near The sacrificial posts to rear. They brought them, and prepared to fix Of Bel and Khádir six and six; Six, made of the Paláśa-tree, Of Fig-wood one, apart to be-- Of Sleshmát and of Devadár One column each, the mightiest far:-- So thick the two the arms of man Their ample girth would fail to span. All these with utmost care were wrought By hand of priests in Scripture taught, And all with gold were gilded bright To add new splendor to the rite; Twenty-and-one those stakes in all, Each one-and-twenty cubits tall:-- And one-and-twenty ribbons there Hung on the pillars bright and fair. Firm in the earth they stood at last, Where cunning craftsmen fixed them fast; And there unshaken each remained, Octagonal and smoothly planed.

Then ribbons over all were hung, And flowers and scent around them flung. Thus decked they cast a glory forth Like the great saints who star the north. The sacrificial altar then Was raised by skilful twice-born men-- In shape and figure to behold An eagle with his wings of gold, With twice nine pits and formed threefold. Each for some special God, beside The pillars were the victims tied; The birds that roam the wood, the air, The water, and the land were there, And snakes and things of reptile birth, And healing herbs that spring from earth:-- As texts prescribe, in Scripture found, Three hundred victims there were bound. The steed devoted to the host Of Gods, the gem they honor most, Was duly sprinkled. Then the Queen Kauśalyá, with delighted mien, With reverent steps around him paced, And with sweet wreaths the victim graced; Then with three swords in order due She smote the steed with joy, and slew. That night the queen, a son to gain, With calm and steady heart was fain By the dead charger's side to stay From evening till the break of day. Then came three priests, their care to lead The other queens to touch the steed-- Upon Kauśalyá to attend, Their company and aid to lend. As by the horse she still reclined, With happy mien and cheerful mind, With Rishyaśring the twice-born came And praised and blessed the royal dame. The priest who well his duty knew, And every sense could well subdue, From out the bony chambers freed And boiled the marrow of the steed. Above the steam the monarch bent, And, as he smelt the fragrant scent, In time and order drove afar All error, that his hopes could mar. Then sixteen priests together came, And cast into the sacred flame The severed members of the horse, Made ready all in ordered course. On piles of holy Fig-tree raised The meaner victims' bodies blazed:-- The steed, of all the creatures slain, Alone required a pile of cane. Three days, as is by law decreed, Lasted that Offering of the Steed. The Chatushtom began the rite, And when the sun renewed his light, The Ukthya followed--after came The Atirátra's holy flame. These were the rites, and many more, Arranged by light of holy lore, The Aptoryám of mighty power, And, each performed in proper hour, The Abhijit and Viśvajit With every form and service fit; And with the sacrifice at night The Jyotishtom and Áyus rite.

The task was done, as laws prescribe:-- The monarch, glory of his tribe, Bestowed the land in liberal grants Upon the sacred ministrants. He gave the region of the east, His conquest, to the Hotri priest. The west the celebrant obtained, The south the priest presiding gained-- The northern region was the share Of him who chanted forth the prayer. Thus did each priest obtain his meed At the great Slaughter of the Steed, Ordained, the best of all to be, By self-existent deity.

Ikshváku's son, with joyful mind, This noble fee to each assigned-- But all the priests with one accord Addressed that unpolluted lord:-- "'Tis thine alone to keep the whole Of this broad earth in firm control. No gift of lands from thee we seek, To guard these realms our hands were weak. On sacred lore our days are spent, Let other gifts our wants content."

The chief of old Ikshváku's line Gave them ten hundred thousand kine, A hundred millions of fine gold, The same in silver four times told. But every priest in presence there With one accord resigned his share. To Saint Vaśishtha, high of soul, And Rishyaśring they gave the whole. That largess pleased those Bráhmans well, Who bade the prince his wishes tell. Then Daśaratha, mighty King, Made answer thus to Rishyaśring:-- "O holy Hermit, of thy grace, Vouchsafe the increase of my race." He spoke; nor was his prayer denied-- The best of Bráhmans thus replied:-- "Four sons, O Monarch, shall be thine, Upholders of thy royal line."