This page has not been fully proofread.

14
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
Holding in his arms, as if it were his wife
a vessel full of divine payasa (a sweet pre-
paration of milk, rice and sugar) and looking
round, he said thus :
 
इदं तु नृपशार्दूल पायसं देवनिर्मितम् ।
प्रजाकरं गृहाण त्वं धन्यमारोग्यवर्धनम् ॥
 
Take this payasa, O best of kings, made
by the gods, giver of progeny, bringer
of luck and of health.
 
भार्याणामनुरूपाणाम् अश्नोतेति प्रयच्छ वै ।
तासु त्वं लप्स्यसे पुत्रान् यदर्थ यजसे नृप ॥
 
Give it to your worthy wives, asking them
to partake of it. You shall indeed, O king,
beget by them the sons for whose sake you
have performed this sacrifice."
 
तथेति नृपतिः प्रीतः शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य ताम् ।
सोऽन्तःपुरं प्रविश्यैव कौसल्या मिदमब्रवीत् ।
पायसं प्रतिगृह्णीष्व पुत्रोयमिदमात्मनः ॥
 
The king, being pleased, assented, took
the vessel with bowed head, entered the
inner apartment and told Kausalya thus:
Accept this payasa which is the giver
of sons."