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Sarg 9-Sumantra Tells Rishyashring's Story

Hearing that Raajaa was going to perform the Yagya, the able Minister and the chariot driver of Raajaa Dasharath, Sumantra said to Raajaa in private - "What I have heard from Puraan, I tell you that, that your son will come only through a Rishi, because Sanat Kumaar has told this story. "Maharshi Kashyap's son is Vibhaandak, a very well known Rishi. And his son would be Rishyashring. He will be brought up in the forest only by his father, that is why he will not be able to know anybody else except his father. He will be following two types of raahman vows - Vrateetwa and Prajaapatya, or a complete Brahmchaaree and will not be able to marry. He will be dedicated only to his father and Agni, and worship only them.

Rompaad will be the King of Ang Desh. He will be very mighty but because of his faults there will be a terrible storm in his kingdom. Both the King and the  public will be scared of that. Then he will ask Rishi about his Karm that "What are my Karm? If you know them, please tell me so that I can be free from them."

At this Braahman will tell him to invite Rishyashring Rishi with respect and to marry his daughter Shaantaa to him. Raajaa will think over it that how to bring him into his country. Then with the consultation of his ministers, he will send his ministers and Purohit to bring him in his kingdom. They will refuse to go because of the fear of the Rishi, and tell the king another way to invite him without any fault. 

Then they will invite him through the courtesans, and the king will marry his daughter Shaantaa to him. They will have a son who will help you in getting a son.' This was told by Sanat Kumaar. Dasharath got very happy to hear this. Then he asked the way to invite Rishyashring Rishi to his kingdom.

Sarg 10-Rishyashring Brings Rains

Sumantra said - "Now I tell you the way King Rompaad invited Rishyashring Rishi to his capital. Rompaad's ministers and Purohit said - "We have thought a way which should not fail to work. Rishyashring has always been busy in Tapasyaa and Ved studies that is why he has not seen any worldly pleasures, so we will arrange those worldly pleasures for him. They will attract him and he will come here after them. For this, some beautiful courtesans should be sent there to attract him. They will bring him here."

Hearing this a few most beautiful courtesans were sent there. They stayed a bit far from his Aashram. Rishyashring had never come out of his Aashram. He enjoyed only his father's company and had never seen anybody else's face. So one day as he happened to come that side, he saw those beautiful women who were singing in their sweet voice. Muni had never seen such beautiful women before in his life time.

Muni got very happy to see them. They asked him who he was. He told them that his father's name was Vibhaandak and his name was Rishyashring. He further said - "I want to do your worship so come to my Aashram." They got ready to go there and went to his Aashram with him. Muni worshippe them and offered them fruits and flowers and roots. After that those women came back to their place because of the fear of Muni Vibhaandak. At the time of leaving they gave him some Laddoo (Indian sweets) and told him to eat them soon. Muni relished the sweets very much, he took those sweets as some different fruits of the forest. Muni liked those fruits very much. Muni got very sad after they had left.

Next day Muni again went to that place where those women were staying. Seeing Muni coming to them, they ran towards him and said - "Today you will come to our Aashram. We also entertain our guest like you did, but with a different types of fruits." Muni went to their Aashram and they offered him best sweetmeats. Since Rishyashring had not tasted such sweetmeats before in his life he considered them as forest fruits. They also took him for their devotional worship and thus they brought him to the King's city.

As he entered the city, it started raining there. Seeing rains coming, Rompaad knew that Rishi had come. He immediately came out and worshipped Rishi and married his daughter Shaantaa to him. Rishi Rishyashring and Shaantaa lived there happily for some time."

Sarg 11-Dasharath Invites Rishyashring

After telling the story of King Rompaad, Sumantra said to Dasharath Jee - "Now you listen to that story which will be good to you and which was also told by Sanat Kumaar. He said that - "There will be a very religious and truth-speaking King in Ikshwaaku family, King Dasharath, and he will have the friendship with the King of Ang Desh. The King of Ang Desh will have a fortunate daughter named Shaantaa (of Dasharath). King of Ang Desh will be Rompaad or Chitrarath. And when Raajaa Dasharath will do the Ashwamedh Yagya to get a son, he will request to the King of Ang Desh, Rompaad, that "I am childless, therefore you send Shaantaa's husband Rishyashring to do my Yagya, so that I can get a son." Rompaad will send him to his friend, the Rishi will come to Dasharath's house and will perform the Yagya" and all his desires will be fulfilled. He will have four sons who will continue the King's lineage. Hey Raajan, Sanat Kumaar thus told this in Sat Yug, so now you go to Rompaad, Ang Desh, and bring Rishi here."

Raajaa Dasharath got very happy to hear all this. He told all this to Vashishth Jee and asked for his permission. Raajaa, along with his ministers and other servants, went to King Rompaad to bring Rishi. Rompaad introduced him as his riend to Rishyashring Rishi. Raajaa Dasharath stayed there for 7-8 days. Then he requested Raajaa Rompaad to send his daughter along with her husband to his capital with her husband, because he wanted to perform a sacrifice. Rompaad sent his daughter to Ayodhyaa Puree with Dasharath. Dasharath took them to his city. Ayodhyaa was decorated beautifully to welcome the Rishi. All the women were very happy to see their daughter coming home. palace, and they stayed there.

Sarg 12-Rishyashring Rishi Assures Dasharath

After some time spring season came and Dasharath intended to do Yagya at this time. He worshipped Rishi and said - "I don't have any son, therefore I have decided to do Ashwamedh Yagya. I am sure that with your blessings my desire will be fulfilled." Rishyashringsaid - "Let all the sages come here and the horse should be prepared for the ritual." Dasharath asked Sumantra to call all of his sages quickly and Sumantra also went quickly to call all of them. As they came Dasharath told them that "I have no son and I wish to fulfill my desire through Rishyashring Muni." Everybody appreciated the idea. Vashishth Jee said to the King, "Since you have decided to do this with the help of a Rishi, you will have four virtuous sons."

The King ordered to fix the northern side place of Sarayoo River for the Yagya and to release the Yagya horse. When somebody does this Yagya, Brahm-demons wander around to create obstacles in this Yagya, that is why this Yagya must be completed without any obstacle. Besides by doing it without proper rules also, the doer of the Yagya is destroyed. Brahmaa, Devtaa learned people, Raakshas always keep an eye on the faults of the Yagya so you just take care of the Yagya so that it is completed without any obstacles and properly." They all said, "All will be done faultlessly." and went away to their places.

Sarg 13-The Yagya is Started

One year passed. Again in the spring season, Dasharath expressed his desire to Vashishth Jee to take the responsibility to do this Yagya. Vashishth Jee made all arrangements for the Yagya. He built beautiful houses for Braahman, kings coming from other countries  and other people and playgrounds for children. He made the arrangements of ample food and eatables. He built stables reposing stalls for elephants He made sure that everybody was satisfied with food and wealth. All people working for this said to Vashishth, "Not to worry at all. Everything will done according to your orders and nothing will be neglected even slightly."

Vashishth Jee asked Sumantra to invite everybody - Raajaa, Braahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shoodra, then all relations - especially Raajaa Janak (Mithilesh), Kaashee Naresh, Kaikaya Naresh, Rompaad of Ang Desh, Bhaanumaan of Koshal Desh, King of Magadh Praaptigya, kings of Poorv Desh, Sindhu Desh, Saubeer, Sauraashtra etc and southern kings. Sumantra also sent envoys to invite them immediately. Vashishth warned everybody to behave politely and sweetly with everybody as the disrespect to anybody will ruin the effect of the Yagya.

After some time crowd started gathering in Ayodhyaa. Kings brought many gifts for Raajaa Dasharath. In a good Muhoort Dasharath Jee inspected everything and entered the ritual hall. Dasharath took Guru Deekshaa (vows of rituals) with his queens.

Son Will Come
It means that they will come from heavens not by ordinary way.

In Vaalmeeki Raamaayan's translation by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao,it is written at the end of the 11th Sarg, that Raamaayan happened in Tretaa Yug of the 2nd Manvantar.

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