Bala Kanda, Sarga 64

सुरकार्यमिदं रम्भे कर्तव्यं सुमहत्त्वया। लोभनं कौशिकस्येह काममोहसमन्वितम्।।1.64.1।।

surakāryamidaṃ rambhe kartavyaṃ sumahattvayā| lobhanaṃ kauśikasyeha kāmamohasamanvitam

"O Rambha you must entice Viswamitra by lust and passion. This important work must be done by you in the interest of the gods".

तथोक्ता साऽप्सरा राम सहस्राक्षेण धीमता। व्रीडिता प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच सुरेश्वरम्।।1.64.2।।

tathoktā sā'psarā rāma sahasrākṣeṇa dhīmatā| vrīḍitā prāñjalirvākyaṃ pratyuvāca sureśvaram

O Rama, to these words of the sagacious, thousandeyed Lord of the gods (Indra) that apsara with folded hands bashfully replied:

अयं सुरपते घोरो विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। घोरमुत्सृजते क्रोधं मयि देव न संशय:।।1.64.3।। ततो हि मे भयं देव प्रासादं कर्तुमर्हसि।

ayaṃ surapate ghoro viśvāmitro mahāmuni:| ghoramutsṛjate krodhaṃ mayi deva na saṃśaya: tato hi me bhayaṃ deva prāsādaṃ kartumarhasi|

'Lord of the devatas this mighty ascetic Viswamitra is a terrible person. He will ceratinly release on his dreadful anger (curse me). O Lord this is my apprehension. You should excuse me'.

एवमुक्तस्तया राम रम्भया भीतया तदा।।1.64.4।। तामुवाच सहस्राक्षो वेपमानां कृताञ्जलिम्।

evamuktastayā rāma rambhayā bhītayā tadā tāmuvāca sahasrākṣo vepamānāṃ kṛtāñjalim|

O Rama having heard Rambha trembling in fear and standing with folded palms, Indra spoke:

माभैषी रम्भे भद्रं ते कुरुष्व मम शासनम्।।1.64.5।। कोकिलो हृदयग्राही माधवे रुचिरद्रुमे। अहं कन्दर्पसहित स्स्थास्यामि तव पार्श्वत:।।1.64.6।।

mābhaiṣī rambhe bhadraṃ te kuruṣva mama śāsanam kokilo hṛdayagrāhī mādhave ruciradrume| ahaṃ kandarpasahita ssthāsyāmi tava pārśvata:

'O Rambha have no fear. Feel safe. Carry out my order. When the trees look so beautiful in spring I shall in captivating the form of a cuckoo, stay by your side in the company of Kamadeva (Cupid).

माभैषी रम्भे भद्रं ते कुरुष्व मम शासनम्।।1.64.5।। कोकिलो हृदयग्राही माधवे रुचिरद्रुमे। अहं कन्दर्पसहित स्स्थास्यामि तव पार्श्वत:।।1.64.6।।

mābhaiṣī rambhe bhadraṃ te kuruṣva mama śāsanam kokilo hṛdayagrāhī mādhave ruciradrume| ahaṃ kandarpasahita ssthāsyāmi tava pārśvata:

'O Rambha have no fear. Feel safe. Carry out my order. When the trees look so beautiful in spring I shall in captivating the form of a cuckoo, stay by your side in the company of Kamadeva (Cupid).

त्वं हि रूपं बहुगुणं कृत्वा परमभास्वरम्। तमृषिं कौशिकं रम्भे भेदयस्व तपस्विनम्।।1.64.7।।

tvaṃ hi rūpaṃ bahuguṇaṃ kṛtvā paramabhāsvaram| tamṛṣiṃ kauśikaṃ rambhe bhedayasva tapasvinam

O Rambha displaying many (romantic) gestures and assuming a fascinating form, distract the mighty ascetic, Kausika (Viswamitra)'.

सा श्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृत्वा रूपमनुत्तमम्। लोभयामास ललिता विश्वामित्रं शुचिस्मिता।।1.64.8।।

sā śrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kṛtvā rūpamanuttamam| lobhayāmāsa lalitā viśvāmitraṃ śucismitā

At these words (of Indra), Rambha, assumed any form of excellent beauty and with a bright smile set out to allure Viswamitra.

कोकिलस्य च शुश्राव वल्गु व्याहरत: स्वनम्। सम्प्रहृष्टेन मनसा तत एनामुदैक्षत।।1.64.9।।

kokilasya ca śuśrāva valgu vyāharata: svanam| samprahṛṣṭena manasā tata enāmudaikṣata

Excited by the charming warble of the cuckoo, Viswamitra opened his eyes.

अथ तस्य च शब्देन गीतेनाप्रतिमेन च। दर्शनेन च रम्भाया मुनिस्सन्देहमागत:।।1.64.10।।

atha tasya ca śabdena gītenāpratimena ca| darśanena ca rambhāyā munissandehamāgata:

On hearing the sound of the incomparable song of the cuckoo along with the sight of Rambha, a doubt arose in the mind of the ascetic.

सहस्राक्षस्य तत्कर्म विज्ञाय मुनिपुङ्गव:। रम्भां क्रोधसमाविष्ट श्शशाप कुशिकात्मज:।।1.64.11।।

sahasrākṣasya tatkarma vijñāya munipuṅgava:| rambhāṃ krodhasamāviṣṭa śśaśāpa kuśikātmaja:

Son of Kushika, the eminent ascetic knew it was the work of Indra. Seized with anger, he cursed Rambha:

यन्मां लोभयसे रम्भे कामक्रोधजयैषिणम्। दशवर्षसहस्राणि शैली स्थास्यसि दुर्भगे ।।1.64.12।।

yanmāṃ lobhayase rambhe kāmakrodhajayaiṣiṇam| daśavarṣasahasrāṇi śailī sthāsyasi durbhage

'O luckless Rambha, since you have endeavoured to distract me from my desire to conquer wrath and passion, you shall turn into a rock and remain so for ten thousand years'.

ब्राह्मण स्सुमहातेजा स्तपोबलसमन्वित:। उद्धरिष्यति रम्भे त्वां मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृताम्।।1.64.13।।

brāhmaṇa ssumahātejā stapobalasamanvita:| uddhariṣyati rambhe tvāṃ matkrodhakaluṣīkṛtām

'O Rambha an effulgent brahmin, endowed with the power of asceticism, will liberate you from this state into which you have fallen on account of my anger'.

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। अशक्नुवन् धारयितुं क्रोधं सन्तापमागत:।।1.64.14।।

evamuktvā mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmuni:| aśaknuvan dhārayituṃ krodhaṃ santāpamāgata:

The brilliant Viswamitra, the great ascetic, now experienced remorse for his inability to contain anger.

तस्य शापेन महता रम्भा शैली तदाऽभवत्। वचश्शृत्वा च कन्दर्पो महर्षेस्स च निर्गत:।।1.64.15।।

tasya śāpena mahatā rambhā śailī tadā'bhavat| vacaśśṛtvā ca kandarpo maharṣessa ca nirgata:

This mighty curse, of the great saint transformed Rambha into a rock and sent Kamadeva and Indra to their heels.

कोपेन स महातेजास्तपोऽपहरणे कृते। इन्द्रियैरजितै राम न लेभे शान्तिमात्मन:।।1.64.16।।

kopena sa mahātejāstapo'paharaṇe kṛte| indriyairajitai rāma na lebhe śāntimātmana:

"O Rama highly powerful Viswamitra was deprived of his ascetic merit due to his anger. He had no peace of mind for his inability to control his senses.

बभूवास्य मनश्चिन्ता तपोऽपहरणे कृते । नैव क्रोधं गमिष्यामि न च वक्ष्ये कथञ्चन।।1.64.17।।

babhūvāsya manaścintā tapo'paharaṇe kṛte | naiva krodhaṃ gamiṣyāmi na ca vakṣye kathañcana

Having been deprived of his ascetic merit, he resolved not to lose his temper nor ever breathe a word".

अथवा नोच्छवसिष्यामि संवत्सरशतान्यपि। अहं विशोषयिष्यामि ह्यात्मानं विजितेन्द्रिय:।।1.64.18।।

athavā nocchavasiṣyāmi saṃvatsaraśatānyapi| ahaṃ viśoṣayiṣyāmi hyātmānaṃ vijitendriya:

"Further, I shall not even inhale for hundreds of years. I shall conquer my senses and dry up this body.

तावद्यावद्धि मे प्राप्तं ब्राह्मण्यं तपसाऽऽर्जितम्। अनुच्छवसन्नभुञ्जान स्तिष्ठेयं शाश्वतीस्समा:।।1.64.19।। न हि मे तप्यमानस्य क्षयं यास्यन्ति मूर्तय:।

tāvadyāvaddhi me prāptaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ tapasā''rjitam| anucchavasannabhuñjāna stiṣṭheyaṃ śāśvatīssamā: na hi me tapyamānasya kṣayaṃ yāsyanti mūrtaya:|

Until brahminhood is obtained by my austerities, I shall stay without breathing or eating for innumerable years. While performing penance, my limbs shall not undergo deterioration".

एवं वर्षसहस्रस्य दीक्षां स मुनिपुङ्गव:।।1.64.20।। चकाराप्रतिमां लोके प्रतिज्ञां रघुनन्दन।

evaṃ varṣasahasrasya dīkṣāṃ sa munipuṅgava: cakārāpratimāṃ loke pratijñāṃ raghunandana|

"O Descendant of Raghu in this way that eminent ascetic took an unprecedented vow to practise penance for a thousand years". इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे चतुष्षष्टितमस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the sixtyfourth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.