Bala Kanda, Sarga 63

पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु व्रतस्नातं महामुनिम्। अभ्यागच्छन् सुरास्सर्वे तप: फलचिकीर्षव:।।1.63.1।।

pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu vratasnātaṃ mahāmunim| abhyāgacchan surāssarve tapa: phalacikīrṣava:

All the gods wanted to bestow the fruits of austerties on the mighty ascetic (Viswamitra). They approached him after a thousand years of penace and his final ritual bath.

अब्रवीत्सुमहातेजा ब्रह्मा सुरुचिरं वच:। ऋषिस्त्वमसि भद्रं ते स्वार्जितै: कर्मभिश्शुभै:।।1.63.2।।

abravītsumahātejā brahmā suruciraṃ vaca:| ṛṣistvamasi bhadraṃ te svārjitai: karmabhiśśubhai:

Exceedingly effulgent Brahma spoke to him, "You have become a rishi through the selfearned sacred deeds. Fare you well".

तमेवमुक्त्वा देवेशस्त्रिदिवं पुनरभ्यगात् । विश्वामित्रो महातेजा भूयस्तेपे महत्तप:।।1.63.3।।

tamevamuktvā deveśastridivaṃ punarabhyagāt | viśvāmitro mahātejā bhūyastepe mahattapa:

Brahma, the lord of the gods, having said this returned to heaven. The brilliant Viswamitra continues his austerities.

तत: कालेन महता मेनका परमाऽप्सरा:। पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ स्नातुं समुपचक्रमे।।1.63.4।।

tata: kālena mahatā menakā paramā'psarā:| puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha snātuṃ samupacakrame

"O Foremost of men after a long lapse of time a chief nymph called Menaka came to bathe at Pushkara.

तां ददर्श महातेजा मेनकां कुशिकात्मज:। रूपेणाप्रतिमां तत्र विद्युतं जलदे यथा।।1.63.5।।

tāṃ dadarśa mahātejā menakāṃ kuśikātmaja:| rūpeṇāpratimāṃ tatra vidyutaṃ jalade yathā

There the most brilliant son of Kusika Viswamitra saw Menaka whose beauty was incomparable. She looked like lightning in the clouds.

दृष्ट्वा कन्दर्पवशगो मुनिस्तामिदमब्रवीत्। अप्सरस्स्वागतं तेऽस्तु वस चेह ममाश्रमे।।1.63.6।। अनुगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते मदनेन सुमोहितम्।

dṛṣṭvā kandarpavaśago munistāmidamabravīt| apsarassvāgataṃ te'stu vasa ceha mamāśrame anugṛhṇīṣva bhadraṃ te madanena sumohitam|

On seeing her (Menaka) Viswamitra came under the influence of the god of love (fell in love with her). He said, O Apsara welcome to my hermitage stay here. I am infatuated with you: Oblige me. Wish you well.

इत्युक्ता सा वरारोहा तत्र वासमथाकरोत्।।1.63.7।। तस्यां वसन्त्यां वर्षाणि पञ्च पञ्च च राघव । विश्वामित्राश्रमे राम सुखेन व्यतिचक्रमु:।।1.63.8।।

ityuktā sā varārohā tatra vāsamathākarot tasyāṃ vasantyāṃ varṣāṇi pañca pañca ca rāghava | viśvāmitrāśrame rāma sukhena vyaticakramu:

"O Descendant of Raghu while that woman of an exalted race lived in the hermitage of Viswamitra, ten years rolled by happily".

इत्युक्ता सा वरारोहा तत्र वासमथाकरोत्।।1.63.7।। तस्यां वसन्त्यां वर्षाणि पञ्च पञ्च च राघव । विश्वामित्राश्रमे राम सुखेन व्यतिचक्रमु:।।1.63.8।।

ityuktā sā varārohā tatra vāsamathākarot tasyāṃ vasantyāṃ varṣāṇi pañca pañca ca rāghava | viśvāmitrāśrame rāma sukhena vyaticakramu:

"O Descendant of Raghu while that woman of an exalted race lived in the hermitage of Viswamitra, ten years rolled by happily".

अथ काले गते तस्मिन्विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। सव्रीड इव सम्वृत्तश्चिन्ताशोकपरायण:।।1.63.9।।

atha kāle gate tasminviśvāmitro mahāmuni:| savrīḍa iva samvṛttaścintāśokaparāyaṇa:

As the period passed, Viswamitra the mighty ascetic was filled with grief, anxiety and remorse.

बुद्धिर्मुनेस्समुत्पन्ना सामर्षा रघुनन्दन। सर्वं सुराणां कर्मैतत्तपोपहरणं महत्।।1.63.10।।

buddhirmunessamutpannā sāmarṣā raghunandana| sarvaṃ surāṇāṃ karmaitattapopaharaṇaṃ mahat

O Delight of the Raghus (Rama) a sense of indignation filled the mind of the ascetic. 'All this is the conspiracy of the gods to deprive me of my great austerities', he thought.

अहोरात्रापदेशेन गतास्संवत्सरा दश। काममोहाभिभूतस्य विघ्नोऽयं समुपस्थित:।।1.63.11।।

ahorātrāpadeśena gatāssaṃvatsarā daśa| kāmamohābhibhūtasya vighno'yaṃ samupasthita:

Night and day deluded by lust I have wasted ten years. A hindrance has been posed (to my tapas).

विनिश्श्वसन्मुनिवर: पश्चात्तापेन दु:खित:। भीतामप्सरसं दृष्ट्वा वेपन्तीं प्राञ्जलिं स्थिताम्।।1.63.12।। मेनकां मधुरैर्वाक्यैर्विसृज्य कुशिकात्मज:। उत्तरं पर्वतं राम विश्वामित्रो जगाम ह।।1.63.13।।

viniśśvasanmunivara: paścāttāpena du:khita:| bhītāmapsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā vepantīṃ prāñjaliṃ sthitām menakāṃ madhurairvākyairvisṛjya kuśikātmaja:| uttaraṃ parvataṃ rāma viśvāmitro jagāma ha

"O Rama Viswamitra, the best of ascetics sighed with repentance, distressed with grief. On seeing him, the apsara started trembling in fear. She stood before him with folded palms. (But) with sweet words the son of Kushika left her and proceeded towards the northern mountains.

विनिश्श्वसन्मुनिवर: पश्चात्तापेन दु:खित:। भीतामप्सरसं दृष्ट्वा वेपन्तीं प्राञ्जलिं स्थिताम्।।1.63.12।। मेनकां मधुरैर्वाक्यैर्विसृज्य कुशिकात्मज:। उत्तरं पर्वतं राम विश्वामित्रो जगाम ह।।1.63.13।।

viniśśvasanmunivara: paścāttāpena du:khita:| bhītāmapsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā vepantīṃ prāñjaliṃ sthitām menakāṃ madhurairvākyairvisṛjya kuśikātmaja:| uttaraṃ parvataṃ rāma viśvāmitro jagāma ha

"O Rama Viswamitra, the best of ascetics sighed with repentance, distressed with grief. On seeing him, the apsara started trembling in fear. She stood before him with folded palms. (But) with sweet words the son of Kushika left her and proceeded towards the northern mountains.

स कृत्वा नैष्ठिकीं बुद्धिं जेतुकामो महायशा:। कौशिकीतीरमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्।।1.63.14।।

sa kṛtvā naiṣṭhikīṃ buddhiṃ jetukāmo mahāyaśā:| kauśikītīramāsādya tapastepe sudāruṇam

Illustrious Viswamitra took a vow of celibacy in order to control his senses. And performed rigid austerities on reaching the bank of river Kausiki.

तस्य वर्षसहस्रं तु घोरं तप उपासत:। उत्तरे पर्वते राम देवतानामभूद्भयम्।।1.63.15।।

tasya varṣasahasraṃ tu ghoraṃ tapa upāsata:| uttare parvate rāma devatānāmabhūdbhayam

O Rama while he was performing rigorous penance for a thousand years on the northern mountains, the gods were gripped with fear. (lest he should exceed them).

आमन्त्रयन् समागम्य सर्वे सर्षिगणा स्सुरा:। महर्षिशब्दं लभतां साध्वयं कुशिकात्मज:।।1.63.16।।

āmantrayan samāgamya sarve sarṣigaṇā ssurā:| maharṣiśabdaṃ labhatāṃ sādhvayaṃ kuśikātmaja:

After consultations the gods and sages decided that this son of Kushika (Viswamitra) deserved the status of a Maharshi".

देवतानां वच श्शृत्वा सर्वलोकपितामह:। अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्।।1.63.17।।

devatānāṃ vaca śśṛtvā sarvalokapitāmaha:| abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam

Having heard the gods, the Grandsire of the worlds (Brahma) addressed Viswamitra whose wealth was his ascetism in these sweet words.

महर्षे स्वागतं वत्स तपसोग्रेण तोषित:। महत्त्वमृषिमुख्यत्वं ददामि तव कौशिक ।।1.63.18।।

maharṣe svāgataṃ vatsa tapasogreṇa toṣita:| mahattvamṛṣimukhyatvaṃ dadāmi tava kauśika

"O Maharshi O Child welcome Pleased with your intense austerities, O Son of Kushika I confer upon you the eminent rank of a great rishi (maharshi)".

ब्रह्मणस्स वचश्श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकेश्वरस्य ह। न विषण्णो न सन्तुष्टो विश्वामित्रस्तपोधन:।।1.63.19।।

brahmaṇassa vacaśśrutvā sarvalokeśvarasya ha| na viṣaṇṇo na santuṣṭo viśvāmitrastapodhana:

Having heard the words Brahman, the lord of all the worlds, Viswamitra whose wealth was his asceticism was neither dejected nor delighted.

प्राञ्जलि: प्रणतो भूत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहम्। प्रत्युवाच ततो वाचं विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।।1.63.20।।

prāñjali: praṇato bhūtvā sarvalokapitāmaham| pratyuvāca tato vācaṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuni:

Then the mighty ascetic Viswamitra bowed to Brahma, the Grandsire of all the worlds with folded hands and replied:

महर्षिशब्दमतुलं स्वार्जितै: कर्मभिश्शुभै:। यदि मे भगवानाह ततोऽहं विजितेन्द्रिय:।।1.63.21।।

maharṣiśabdamatulaṃ svārjitai: karmabhiśśubhai:| yadi me bhagavānāha tato'haṃ vijitendriya:

"O Adorable one, if you have conferred the incomparable title of 'Maharshi' earned by my auspicious deeds, I feel I have conquered the senses."

तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा न तावत् त्त्वं जितेन्द्रिय:। यतस्व मुनिशार्दूल इत्युक्त्वा त्रिदिवं गत:।।1.63.22।।

tamuvāca tato brahmā na tāvat ttvaṃ jitendriya:| yatasva muniśārdūla ityuktvā tridivaṃ gata:

Then Brahma said to him, 'You have not conquered the senses yet. O Tiger among ascetics, strive still.' Having said this he went toward heaven.

विप्रस्थितेषु देवेषु विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बो वायुभक्षस्तपश्चरन्।।1.63.23।।

viprasthiteṣu deveṣu viśvāmitro mahāmuni:| ūrdhvabāhurnirālambo vāyubhakṣastapaścaran

After the departure of the gods, mighty ascetic Viswamitra raised his arms up, stood without support, subsisting on air, continuing with his austerities.

घर्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षास्वाकाशसंश्रय:। शिशिरे सलिलस्थायी रात्र्यहानि तपोधन:।।1.63.24।। एवं वर्षसहस्रं हि तपो घोरमुपागमत्।

gharme pañcatapā bhūtvā varṣāsvākāśasaṃśraya:| śiśire salilasthāyī rātryahāni tapodhana: evaṃ varṣasahasraṃ hi tapo ghoramupāgamat|

Viswamitra whose wealth was his penance carried on his rigid austerities for a thousand years amidst five fires, in summer, under the open sky in monsoon, and immersed in ater night and day in winter.

तस्मिन् सन्तप्यमाने तु विश्वामित्रे महामुनौ।।1.63.25।। सम्भ्रमस्सुमहानासीत्सुराणां वासवस्य च।

tasmin santapyamāne tu viśvāmitre mahāmunau sambhramassumahānāsītsurāṇāṃ vāsavasya ca|

When the mighty asetic Viswamitra was peforming penance, the gods as well as Indra got deeply perturbed.

रम्भामप्सरसं शक्र स्सह सर्वैर्मरुद्गणै:। उवाचात्महितं वाक्यमहितं कौशिकस्य च।।1.63.26।।

rambhāmapsarasaṃ śakra ssaha sarvairmarudgaṇai:| uvācātmahitaṃ vākyamahitaṃ kauśikasya ca

Indra along with all the maruts spoke to the celestial nymph Rambha, words that augured well for them and not for kaushika (Viswamitra). इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रिषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the sixtythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.