Betel sweetens every mouth and kohl adorns every eye; loveliness overflows with delight, O mother. All the joyful beholders rejoice, drinking the vision deeply through their eyes, O mother.
Pada 7
Today the tilak is raised for Raghunandana.
The four princes sit together, their beauty spreading all around; in that very moment every auspicious blessing comes to pass for them.
Yellow sacred threads and yellow silk dhotis are placed upon all the beloved boys; coconuts, betel, turmeric, curds, and durva grass fill the golden vessels.
Reciting mantra after Vedic mantra, the priests bestow them upon the moon of Raghu’s line; with tender love, Snehalata beautifully raises the auspicious tilak for Dasharatha’s sons.
Dhanavatti — Pada 8
Mithila is auspicious today, friend; joy reigns in every home. The Brahmins of Awadh’s king have come bearing the written wedding-hour for the bridegroom.
The moment they behold the city’s splendor, they are entranced by its array of auspicious ornaments; Maharaja Shatananda receives them and honors them fittingly.
The gathered women mingle together and begin to sing auspicious songs; turmeric, rice, and durva are taken up, while instruments resound.
The crown of Nimi’s lineage honors them and grants abundant gifts; says Modalata: the delighted heart cannot contain the bliss that fills it today.
Dhanavatti — Pada 9
Distributing rice, the barber has come from Awadh; the women of Mithila sing auspicious songs. Clever women, lovely and discerning, ask the barber after the welfare of Awadh:
“Tell us, barber—tell us of King Dasharatha’s way of living, his manners, and his speech—”