Uttara Kanda, Sarga 2

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः । कुम्भयोनिर्मिहातेजा राममेतदुवाच ह ।। 7.2.1 ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ | kumbhayonirmihātejā rāmametaduvāca ha || 7.2.1 ||

Having heard those words of the great-souled Rama, the greatly effulgent sage Agastya then spoke this to Rama.

शृणु राम कथावृत्तं तस्य तेजोबलं महत् । जघान शत्रून्येनासौ न च वध्यः स शत्रुभिः ।। 7.2.2 ।।

śṛṇu rāma kathāvṛttaṃ tasya tejobalaṃ mahat | jaghāna śatrūnyenāsau na ca vadhyaḥ sa śatrubhiḥ || 7.2.2 ||

O Rama, listen to his story, his great might and power, by which he killed his enemies and could not be killed by them.

तावत्ते रावणस्येदं कुलं जन्म च राघव । वरप्रदानं च तथा तस्मै दत्तं ब्रवीमि ते ।। 7.2.3 ।।

tāvatte rāvaṇasyedaṃ kulaṃ janma ca rāghava | varapradānaṃ ca tathā tasmai dattaṃ bravīmi te || 7.2.3 ||

O Raghava, I will now tell you about Ravana's lineage, his birth, and the boons that were granted to him.

पुरा कृतयुगे राम प्रजापतिसुतः प्रभुः । पुलस्त्यो नाम ब्रह्मर्षिः साक्षादिव पितामहः ।। 7.2.4 ।।

purā kṛtayuge rāma prajāpatisutaḥ prabhuḥ | pulastyo nāma brahmarṣiḥ sākṣādiva pitāmahaḥ || 7.2.4 ||

O Rama, formerly in the Krita Yuga, there was a powerful Brahmarshi named Pulastya, the son of Prajapati, who was verily like Brahma himself.

नानुकीर्त्या गुणास्तस्य धर्मतः शीलतस्तथा । प्रजापतेः पुत्र इति वक्तुं शक्यं हि नामतः ।। 7.2.5 ।।

nānukīrtyā guṇāstasya dharmataḥ śīlatastathā | prajāpateḥ putra iti vaktuṃ śakyaṃ hi nāmataḥ || 7.2.5 ||

His qualities, in terms of righteousness and character, could not be fully described; indeed, it was only possible to refer to him by name as the son of Prajapati.

प्रजापतिसुतत्वेन देवानां वल्लभो हि सः । हृष्टः सर्वस्य लोकस्य गुणैः शुभ्रैर्महामतिः ।। 7.2.6 ।।

prajāpatisutatvena devānāṃ vallabho hi saḥ | hṛṣṭaḥ sarvasya lokasya guṇaiḥ śubhrairmahāmatiḥ || 7.2.6 ||

Indeed, by virtue of being the son of Prajapati, he was beloved by the gods and, being great-minded, he gladdened all the world with his pure qualities.

स तु धर्मप्रसङ्गेन मेरोः पार्श्वे महागिरेः । तृणविन्द्वाश्रमं गत्वा न्यवसन्मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। 7.2.7 ।।

sa tu dharmaprasaṅgena meroḥ pārśve mahāgireḥ | tṛṇavindvāśramaṃ gatvā nyavasanmunipuṅgavaḥ || 7.2.7 ||

Indeed, for religious purposes, that foremost sage went to the hermitage of Tṛṇavindu on the side of the great Mount Meru and resided there.

तपस्तेपे स धर्मात्मा स्वाध्यायनियतेन्द्रियः । गत्वाश्रमपदं तस्य विघ्नं कुर्वन्ति कन्यकाः ।। 7.2.8 ।।

tapastepe sa dharmātmā svādhyāyaniyatendriyaḥ | gatvāśramapadaṃ tasya vighnaṃ kurvanti kanyakāḥ || 7.2.8 ||

That righteous-souled sage, with his senses controlled by Vedic study, performed severe penance, but maidens would go to his hermitage and create disturbances.

देवपन्नगकन्याश्च राजर्षितनयाश्च याः । क्रीडन्त्यो ऽप्सरसश्चैव तं देशमुपपेदिरे ।। 7.2.9 ।।

devapannagakanyāśca rājarṣitanayāśca yāḥ | krīḍantyo 'psarasaścaiva taṃ deśamupapedire || 7.2.9 ||

Daughters of gods, serpents, and royal sages, along with Apsaras, arrived at that place to play.

सर्वर्तुषृपभोग्यत्वाद्रम्यत्वात्काननस्य च । नित्यशस्तास्तु तं देशं गत्वा क्रीडन्ति कन्यकाः ।। 7.2.10 ।।

sarvartuṣṛpabhogyatvādramyatvātkānanasya ca | nityaśastāstu taṃ deśaṃ gatvā krīḍanti kanyakāḥ || 7.2.10 ||

Because the forest was beautiful and enjoyable in all seasons, these maidens always went to that place to play.

देशस्य रमणीयत्वात्पुलस्त्यो यत्र स द्विजः । गायन्त्यो वादयन्त्यश्च लासयन्त्यस्तथैव च । मुनेस्तपस्विनस्तस्य विघ्नं चक्रुरनिन्दिताः ।। 7.2.11 ।।

deśasya ramaṇīyatvātpulastyo yatra sa dvijaḥ | gāyantyo vādayantyaśca lāsayantyastathaiva ca | munestapasvinastasya vighnaṃ cakruraninditāḥ || 7.2.11 ||

Due to the beauty of the place where the brahmin Pulastya resided, the blameless maidens, by singing, playing instruments, and dancing, caused an obstruction to that ascetic sage.

अथ क्रुद्धो महातेजा व्याजहार महामुनिः । या मे दर्शनमागच्छेत्सा गर्भं धारयिष्यति ।। 7.2.12 ।।

atha kruddho mahātejā vyājahāra mahāmuniḥ | yā me darśanamāgacchetsā garbhaṃ dhārayiṣyati || 7.2.12 ||

Then, the greatly effulgent great sage, being angered, declared, "Whoever comes into my sight will conceive a child."

तास्तु सर्वाः प्रतिश्रुत्य तस्य वाक्यं महात्मनः । ब्रह्मशापभयाद्भीतास्तं देशं नोपचक्रमुः ।। 7.2.13 ।।

tāstu sarvāḥ pratiśrutya tasya vākyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | brahmaśāpabhayādbhītāstaṃ deśaṃ nopacakramuḥ || 7.2.13 ||

But all of them, having heard the words of that great soul, were frightened by the brahmin's curse and no longer approached that place.

तृणबिन्दोस्तु राजर्षेस्तनया न शृणोति तत् ।। 7.2.14 ।।

tṛṇabindostu rājarṣestanayā na śṛṇoti tat || 7.2.14 ||

But the daughter of the royal sage Tṛṇabindu did not hear that.

गत्वाश्रमपदं तत्र विचचार सुनिर्भया । न सापश्यत्स्थिता तत्र काञ्चिदभ्यागतां सखीम् ।। 7.2.15 ।।

gatvāśramapadaṃ tatra vicacāra sunirbhayā | na sāpaśyatsthitā tatra kāñcidabhyāgatāṃ sakhīm || 7.2.15 ||

Having gone to the hermitage, she wandered there very fearlessly, but she did not see any friend present or arrived there.

तस्मिन्काले महातेजाः प्राजापत्यो महानृषिः । स्वाध्यायमकरोत्तत्र तपसा भावितः स्वयम् ।। 7.2.16 ।।

tasminkāle mahātejāḥ prājāpatyo mahānṛṣiḥ | svādhyāyamakarottatra tapasā bhāvitaḥ svayam || 7.2.16 ||

At that time, the greatly effulgent great sage, son of Prajāpati, purified by his own penance, was performing self-study of the Vedas there.

सा तु वेदश्रुतिं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा वै तपसो निधिम् । अभवत्पाण्डुदेहा सा सुव्यञ्जितशरीरजा ।। 7.2.17 ।।

sā tu vedaśrutiṃ śrutvā dṛṣṭvā vai tapaso nidhim | abhavatpāṇḍudehā sā suvyañjitaśarīrajā || 7.2.17 ||

But she, having heard the sound of the Vedas and indeed having seen the repository of penance, became pale-bodied with clearly manifested bodily signs.

वभूव च समुद्विग्ना दृष्ट्वा तद्दोषमात्मनः । इदं मे किन्त्विति ज्ञात्वा पितुर्गत्वा ऽ ऽश्रमे स्थिता ।। 7.2.18 ।।

vabhūva ca samudvignā dṛṣṭvā taddoṣamātmanaḥ | idaṃ me kintviti jñātvā piturgatvā ' 'śrame sthitā || 7.2.18 ||

And she became agitated, having seen that fault in herself, and understanding "what is this that has happened to me?", she went and stayed in her father's hermitage.

तां तु दृष्ट्वा तथाभूतां तृणविन्दुरथाब्रवीत् । किं त्वमेतत्त्वसदृशं धारयस्यात्मनो वपुः ।। 7.2.19 ।।

tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvā tathābhūtāṃ tṛṇavindurathābravīt | kiṃ tvametattvasadṛśaṃ dhārayasyātmano vapuḥ || 7.2.19 ||

Seeing her in such a transformed state, Tṛṇabindu then asked her why she was bearing a form so unbefitting her true self.

सा तु कृत्वाञ्जलिं दीना कन्योवाच तपोधनम् । न जाने कारणं तात येन मे रूपमीदृशम् ।। 7.2.20 ।।

sā tu kṛtvāñjaliṃ dīnā kanyovāca tapodhanam | na jāne kāraṇaṃ tāta yena me rūpamīdṛśam || 7.2.20 ||

The distressed maiden, having respectfully saluted the ascetic, replied that she did not know the reason, O father, why her form had become like this.

किं तु पूर्वं गतास्म्येका महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । पुलस्त्यस्याश्रमं दिव्यमन्वेष्टुं स्वसखीजनम् ।। 7.2.21 ।।

kiṃ tu pūrvaṃ gatāsmyekā maharṣerbhāvitātmanaḥ | pulastyasyāśramaṃ divyamanveṣṭuṃ svasakhījanam || 7.2.21 ||

However, she continued, previously she had gone alone to the divine hermitage of the great sage Pulastya, whose soul was purified, to search for her female companions.

न च पश्याम्यहं तत्र काञ्चिदभ्यागतां सखीम् । रूपस्य तु विपर्यासं दृष्ट्वा त्रासादिहागता ।। 7.2.22 ।।

na ca paśyāmyahaṃ tatra kāñcidabhyāgatāṃ sakhīm | rūpasya tu viparyāsaṃ dṛṣṭvā trāsādihāgatā || 7.2.22 ||

She added that she did not see any of her friends who had arrived there, but having seen the transformation of her own form, she came here out of fear.

तृणबिन्दुस्तु राजर्षिस्तपसा द्योतितप्रभः । ध्यानं विवेश तच्चापि ह्यपश्यदृषिकर्मजम् ।। 7.2.23 ।।

tṛṇabindustu rājarṣistapasā dyotitaprabhaḥ | dhyānaṃ viveśa taccāpi hyapaśyadṛṣikarmajam || 7.2.23 ||

The royal sage Tṛṇabindu, whose splendor was illuminated by his penance, then entered into meditation and indeed perceived that the transformation was due to a sage's action.

स तु विज्ञाय तं शापं महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । गृहीत्वा तनयां गत्वा पुलस्त्यमिदमब्रवीत् ।। 7.2.24 ।।

sa tu vijñāya taṃ śāpaṃ maharṣerbhāvitātmanaḥ | gṛhītvā tanayāṃ gatvā pulastyamidamabravīt || 7.2.24 ||

King Trasabindu, having understood the curse from the great self-realized sage, took his daughter and went to Pulastya, to whom he spoke these words.

भगवंस्तनयां मे त्वं गुणैः स्वैरेव भूषिताम् । भिक्षां प्रतिगृहाणेमां महर्षे स्वयमुद्यताम् ।। 7.2.25 ।।

bhagavaṃstanayāṃ me tvaṃ guṇaiḥ svaireva bhūṣitām | bhikṣāṃ pratigṛhāṇemāṃ maharṣe svayamudyatām || 7.2.25 ||

O revered great sage, please accept this daughter of mine, adorned with her own virtues, as an offering that she herself is ready to make.

तपश्चरणयुक्तस्य श्रम्यमाणेन्द्रियस्य ते । शुश्रूषणपरा नित्यं भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 7.2.26 ।।

tapaścaraṇayuktasya śramyamāṇendriyasya te | śuśrūṣaṇaparā nityaṃ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 7.2.26 ||

She will undoubtedly always be devoted to serving you, whose senses are fatigued from engaging in ascetic practices.

तं ब्रुवाणं तु तद्वाक्यं राजर्षिं धार्मिकं तदा । जिघृक्षुरब्रवीत्कन्यां बाढमित्येव स द्विजः ।। 7.2.27 ।।

taṃ bruvāṇaṃ tu tadvākyaṃ rājarṣiṃ dhārmikaṃ tadā | jighṛkṣurabravītkanyāṃ bāḍhamityeva sa dvijaḥ || 7.2.27 ||

Then, that brahmin (Pulastya), wishing to accept the daughter, said "Certainly, yes" to the righteous royal sage who was speaking those words.

दत्त्वा स तु यथान्यायं स्वमाश्रमपदं गतः । सापि तत्रावसत्कन्या तोषयन्ती पतिं गुणैः ।। 7.2.28 ।।

dattvā sa tu yathānyāyaṃ svamāśramapadaṃ gataḥ | sāpi tatrāvasatkanyā toṣayantī patiṃ guṇaiḥ || 7.2.28 ||

Having properly given his daughter, King Trasabindu returned to his own hermitage, and the daughter also lived there, pleasing her husband with her virtues.

तस्यास्तु शीलवृत्ताभ्यां तुतोष मुनिपुङ्गवः । प्रीतः स तु महातेजा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 7.2.29 ।।

tasyāstu śīlavṛttābhyāṃ tutoṣa munipuṅgavaḥ | prītaḥ sa tu mahātejā vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.2.29 ||

The excellent sage Pulastya was greatly pleased by her character and conduct, and being delighted, the greatly effulgent one spoke these words.

परितुष्टो ऽस्मि सुश्रोणि गुणानां सम्पदा भृशम् । तस्माद्देवि ददाम्यद्य पुत्रमात्मसमं तव ।। 7.2.30 ।।

parituṣṭo 'smi suśroṇi guṇānāṃ sampadā bhṛśam | tasmāddevi dadāmyadya putramātmasamaṃ tava || 7.2.30 ||

O beautiful-hipped one, I am exceedingly pleased by your abundance of virtues; therefore, O goddess, I grant you today a son equal to myself.

उभयोर्वंशकर्तारं पौलस्त्य इति विश्रुतम् । यस्मात्तु विश्रुतो वेदस्त्वयैषो ऽध्ययतो मम ।। 7.2.31 ।।

ubhayorvaṃśakartāraṃ paulastya iti viśrutam | yasmāttu viśruto vedastvayaiṣo 'dhyayato mama || 7.2.31 ||

He will be renowned as the progenitor of both our lineages, and because you heard this Veda while I was reciting it.

तस्मात्स विश्रवा नाम भविष्यति न संशयः । एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना ।। 7.2.32 ।।

tasmātsa viśravā nāma bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ | evamuktā tu sā devī prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā || 7.2.32 ||

Therefore, he will undoubtedly be named Vishrava; thus addressed, that goddess, with a delighted heart.

अचिरेणैव कालेनासूत विश्रवसं सुतम् । त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातं यशोधर्मसमन्वितम् ।। 7.2.33 ।।

acireṇaiva kālenāsūta viśravasaṃ sutam | triṣu lokeṣu vikhyātaṃ yaśodharmasamanvitam || 7.2.33 ||

In a short time, she gave birth to a son named Vishravas, who became renowned in the three worlds and was endowed with fame and righteousness.

श्रुतिमान्समदर्शी च व्रताचाररतस्तथा । पितेव तपसा युक्तो ह्यभवद्विश्रवा मुनिः ।। 7.2.34 ।।

śrutimānsamadarśī ca vratācāraratastathā | piteva tapasā yukto hyabhavadviśravā muniḥ || 7.2.34 ||

Sage Vishrava became learned in scriptures, impartial, devoted to vows and observances, and indeed, like his father, engaged in severe austerities. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्वितीयः सर्गः ।। 2 ।। Thus ends the second sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.