Bala Kanda, Sarga 62

शुनश्शेफं नरश्रेष्ठ गृहीत्वा तु महायशा:। व्यश्राम्यत् पुष्करे राजा मध्याह्ने रघुनन्दन।।1.62.1।।

śunaśśephaṃ naraśreṣṭha gṛhītvā tu mahāyaśā:| vyaśrāmyat puṣkare rājā madhyāhne raghunandana

O Foremost of men, O Delight of the Raghus (Rama) the illustrious king (Ambarisha) took Sunassepha with him. (On the way) at Pushkara he took some rest at noon.

तस्य विश्रममाणस्य शुनश्शेफो महायशा:। पुष्करक्षेत्रमागम्य विश्वामित्रं ददर्श ह।।1.62.2।। तप्यन्तमृषिभिस्सार्धं मातुलं परमातुर:।

tasya viśramamāṇasya śunaśśepho mahāyaśā:| puṣkarakṣetramāgamya viśvāmitraṃ dadarśa ha tapyantamṛṣibhissārdhaṃ mātulaṃ paramātura:|

While the king was resting at Pushkara, the famous Sunassepha, very much distressed, happened to see his maternal uncle Viswamitra in the company of other sages performing austerities.

विवर्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च।।1.62.3।। पपाताङ्के मुनेराशु वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह।

vivarṇavadano dīnastṛṣṇayā ca śrameṇa ca papātāṅke munerāśu vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha|

With his face discoloured due to thirst and fatigue, he (Sunassepha) immediately fell into the sage's lap in a pitiable condition and said:

न मेऽस्ति माता न पिता ज्ञातयो बान्धवा: कुत:।।1.62.4।। त्रातुमर्हसि मां सौम्य धर्मेण मुनिपुङ्गव।

na me'sti mātā na pitā jñātayo bāndhavā: kuta: trātumarhasi māṃ saumya dharmeṇa munipuṅgava|

"O Noble man O Preeminent among ascetics I have no mother nor father nor friends nor relatives. You should protect me according to dharma.

त्राता त्वं हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावन:।।1.62.5।। राजा च कृतकार्यस्स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्यय:। स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वाह्यनुत्तमम्।।1.62.6।।

trātā tvaṃ hi muniśreṣṭha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ hi bhāvana: rājā ca kṛtakāryassyādahaṃ dīrghāyuravyaya:| svargalokamupāśnīyāṃ tapastaptvāhyanuttamam

O Best among ascetics you are the protecor of everybody. You are promoter of others' welfare. May the king fulfil his purpose. May I live long and become immortal and attain heaven after performing great penance. May I enjoy heaven.

त्राता त्वं हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावन:।।1.62.5।। राजा च कृतकार्यस्स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्यय:। स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वाह्यनुत्तमम्।।1.62.6।।

trātā tvaṃ hi muniśreṣṭha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ hi bhāvana: rājā ca kṛtakāryassyādahaṃ dīrghāyuravyaya:| svargalokamupāśnīyāṃ tapastaptvāhyanuttamam

O Best among ascetics you are the protecor of everybody. You are promoter of others' welfare. May the king fulfil his purpose. May I live long and become immortal and attain heaven after performing great penance. May I enjoy heaven.

त्वं मे नाथो ह्यनाथस्य भव भव्येन चेतसा। पितेव पुत्रं धर्मात्मं स्त्रातुमर्हसि किल्बिषात्।।1.62.7।।

tvaṃ me nātho hyanāthasya bhava bhavyena cetasā| piteva putraṃ dharmātmaṃ strātumarhasi kilbiṣāt

O Virtuous one with a kind heart protect this orphan. Like a father who protects his son, save me from this peril".

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपा:। सान्त्वयित्वा बहुविधं पुत्रानिदमुवाच ह।।1.62.8।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro mahātapā:| sāntvayitvā bahuvidhaṃ putrānidamuvāca ha

Having heard Sunassepha, mighty ascetic Viswamitra consoled him in many ways and said to his sons:

यत्कृते पितर: पुत्रान् जनयन्ति शुभार्थिन:। परलोकहितार्थाय तस्य कालोऽयमागत:।।1.62.9।।

yatkṛte pitara: putrān janayanti śubhārthina:| paralokahitārthāya tasya kālo'yamāgata:

The very time has now come for that purpose for which parents desiring auspiciousness beget sons—namely, for their welfare in the other world.

अयं मुनिसुतो बालो मत्तश्शरणमिच्छति। अस्य जीवितमात्रेण प्रियं कुरुत पुत्रका:।।1.62.10।।

ayaṃ munisuto bālo mattaśśaraṇamicchati| asya jīvitamātreṇa priyaṃ kuruta putrakā:

O sons of the sage this young boy has sought my protection. O Sons you may grant him his desire by merely offering your life.

सर्वे सुकृतकर्माणस्सर्वे धर्मपरायणा: । पशुभूता नरेन्द्रस्य तृप्तिमग्ने: प्रयच्छत ।।1.62.11।।

sarve sukṛtakarmāṇassarve dharmaparāyaṇā: | paśubhūtā narendrasya tṛptimagne: prayacchata

Engaged in the observance of righteousness, all of you have done virtuous deeds. By becoming sacrificial animals for the king, you may satisfy Agni.

नाथवांश्च शुनश्शेफो यज्ञश्चाविघ्नितो भवेत्। देवतास्तर्पिताश्चस्युर्मम चापि कृतं वच:।।1.62.12।।

nāthavāṃśca śunaśśepho yajñaścāvighnito bhavet| devatāstarpitāścasyurmama cāpi kṛtaṃ vaca:

Then Sunassepha will be protected. The king's sacrifice will continue without hindrance. The gods will be gratified. My words also will come true".

मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा मधुच्छन्दादय स्सुता:। साभिमानं नरश्रेष्ठ सलीलमिदमब्रुवन्।।1.62.13।।

munestu vacanaṃ śrutvā madhucchandādaya ssutā:| sābhimānaṃ naraśreṣṭha salīlamidamabruvan

"O Best of men (Rama) in response to the words of the sage Madhuchanda and others said thus in a casual way with selfesteem.

कथमात्मसुतान् हित्वा त्रायसेऽन्यसुतं विभो। अकार्यमिव पश्याम श्श्वमांस इव भोजने।।1.62.14।।

kathamātmasutān hitvā trāyase'nyasutaṃ vibho| akāryamiva paśyāma śśvamāṃsa iva bhojane

O Lord protecting other's son by abandoning one' own is like partaking the flesh of a dog. We consider it a prohibited act".

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां मुनिपुङ्गव:। क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे।।1.62.15।।

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā putrāṇāṃ munipuṅgava:| krodhasaṃraktanayano vyāhartumupacakrame

On hearing the words of his sons Viswamitra, the eminent ascetic, eyes reddened with anger began to speak:

निस्साध्वसमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मादपि विगर्हितम्। अतिक्रम्य तु मद्वाक्यं दारुणं रोमहर्षणम्।।1.62.16।।

nissādhvasamidaṃ proktaṃ dharmādapi vigarhitam| atikramya tu madvākyaṃ dāruṇaṃ romaharṣaṇam

"(You have) not only trangressed my words but also (you are) censurable according to dharma. You have uttered such audacious and dreadrul words causing the hair to stand on end.

श्वमांसभोजिनस्सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु। पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ।।1.62.17।।

śvamāṃsabhojinassarve vāsiṣṭhā iva jātiṣu| pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu pṛthivyāmanuvatsyatha

All of you shall live on earth for a thousand years, like the sons of Vasishta feeding on the flesh of dogs".

कृत्वा शापसमायुक्तान् पुत्रान् मुनिवरस्तथा। शुनश्शेफमुवाचार्तं कृत्वा रक्षां निरामयम्।।1.62.18।।

kṛtvā śāpasamāyuktān putrān munivarastathā| śunaśśephamuvācārtaṃ kṛtvā rakṣāṃ nirāmayam

Viswamitra the best of ascetics, thus cursed his sons. Sunassepha, (now) was filled with distress. To relieve him of his pain he said:

पवित्रपाशैरासक्तो रक्तमाल्यानुलेपन:। वैष्णवं यूपमासाद्य वाग्भिरग्निमुदाहर ।।1.62.19।।

pavitrapāśairāsakto raktamālyānulepana:| vaiṣṇavaṃ yūpamāsādya vāgbhiragnimudāhara

"Bedaubing your person with red sandal paste and adorned with red garlands, you will be bound to a Vaishnava, sacrificial post with sacred ropes. There invoke Agni with these hymns.

इमे तु गाथे द्वे दिव्ये गायेथा मुनिपुत्रक। अम्बरीषस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिंस्तत स्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।1.62.20।।

ime tu gāthe dve divye gāyethā muniputraka| ambarīṣasya yajñe'smiṃstata ssiddhimavāpsyasi

O Son of sage chant thse two sacred mantras in the sacrifice of Ambarisha.There after you will achieve success (long life)".

शुनश्शेफो गृहीत्वा ते द्वे गाथे सुसमाहित:। त्वरया राजसिंहं तमम्बरीषमुवाच ह।।1.62.21।।

śunaśśepho gṛhītvā te dve gāthe susamāhita:| tvarayā rājasiṃhaṃ tamambarīṣamuvāca ha

Sunassepha memorized the two verses with concentration of mind and hastened towards Amabarisha, a lion among kings. And said:

राजसिंह महासत्त्व शीघ्रं गच्छावहे सद:। निर्वर्तयस्व राजेन्द्र दीक्षां च समुपाविश।।1.62.22।।

rājasiṃha mahāsattva śīghraṃ gacchāvahe sada:| nirvartayasva rājendra dīkṣāṃ ca samupāviśa

"Endowed with great strength, you are a lion among kings. We shall go to the sacrificial assembly without delay. O Indra among monarchs, take up initiatory rites and perform the sacrifice".

तद्वाक्यमृषिपुत्रस्य श्रुत्वा हर्षसमुत्सुक: । जगाम नृपति श्शीघ्रं यज्ञवाटमतन्द्रित:।।1.62.23।।

tadvākyamṛṣiputrasya śrutvā harṣasamutsuka: | jagāma nṛpati śśīghraṃ yajñavāṭamatandrita:

At the words of the sage's son, the king, eager with delight hastened towards the sacrificial ground.

सदस्यानुमते राजा पवित्रकृतलक्षणम्। पशुं रक्ताम्बरं कृत्वा यूपे तं समबन्धयत्।।1.62.24।।

sadasyānumate rājā pavitrakṛtalakṣaṇam| paśuṃ raktāmbaraṃ kṛtvā yūpe taṃ samabandhayat

With the consent of the officiating priests the king invested Sunasepha with the sacred symbols with Kusa grass, dressed him in red apparel and tied him to the sacrificial post as a sacrificial animal.

सबद्धो वाग्भिरग्य्राभिरभितुष्टाव वै सुरौ। इन्द्रमिन्द्रानुजं चैव यथावन्मुनिपुत्रक:।।1.62.25।।

sabaddho vāgbhiragyrābhirabhituṣṭāva vai surau| indramindrānujaṃ caiva yathāvanmuniputraka:

Thus bound, the son of the sage praised the two devatas, Indra and Upendra with moving words.

तत: प्रीत स्सहस्राक्षो रहस्यस्तुतितर्पित:। दीर्घमायुस्तदा प्रादाच्छुनश्शेफाय राघव ।।1.62.26।।

tata: prīta ssahasrākṣo rahasyastutitarpita:| dīrghamāyustadā prādācchunaśśephāya rāghava

"O Descendant of Raghu (Rama) Indra, gratified with the secret hymn granted Sunassepha long life.

स च राजा नरश्रेष्ठ यज्ञस्य च समाप्तवान्। फलं बहुगुणं राम सहस्राक्षप्रसादजम्।।1.62.27।।

sa ca rājā naraśreṣṭha yajñasya ca samāptavān| phalaṃ bahuguṇaṃ rāma sahasrākṣaprasādajam

O Foremost of men O Rama the king also obtained from the sacrifics innumerable rewards by the grace of Indra several times greater than expected.

विश्वामित्रो ऽपि धर्मात्मा भूयस्तेपे महातपा:। पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ दशवर्षशतानि च।।1.62.28।।

viśvāmitro 'pi dharmātmā bhūyastepe mahātapā:| puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha daśavarṣaśatāni ca

O Best among men the righteous and mighty ascetic Viswamitra also continued his austerities at Pushkara for a thousand years". इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the sixtysecond sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.