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44
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
ननकस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा पाणीन् पाणिभिरस्पृशन् ।
चत्वारस्ते चतसृणां वसिष्ठस्य मतें स्थिताः ॥
 
Hearing the words of Janaka, the four
brothers, under Vasishtha's direction, held
the (brides') hand in theirs.
 
अग्निं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य वेदिं राजानमेव च ।
ऋषींश्चेव महात्मानः सभार्या रघुसत्तमाः ।
यथोक्तेन तदा चक्रुः विवाहं विधिपूर्वकम् ॥
 
Going round the fire, the altar and also
the king and the sages, the four high-
souled brothers, the best of the Raghus,
performed their marriages accompanied by
their brides, in accordance with the scrip-
tural injunctions and as directed.
 
अथ राज्यां व्यतीतायां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
आपृष्ट्वा तौ च राजानौ जगामोत्तरपर्वतम् ॥
 
Then when the night was past, the great
ascetic Visvamitra took leave of the two
kings (Janaka and Dasaratha) and went to
the northern mountain.