Uttara Kanda, Sarga 51

तथा सञ्चोदितः सूतो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना । तद्वाक्यमृषिणा प्रोक्तं व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.51.1 ।।

tathā sañcoditaḥ sūto lakṣmaṇena mahātmanā | tadvākyamṛṣiṇā proktaṃ vyāhartumupacakrame || 7.51.1 ||

Thus urged by the great-souled Lakshmana, the charioteer began to narrate the words spoken by the sage.

पुरा नाम्ना हि दुर्वासा अत्रेः पुत्रो महामुनिः । वसिष्ठस्याश्रमे पुण्ये वार्षिक्यं समुवास ह ।। 7.51.2 ।।

purā nāmnā hi durvāsā atreḥ putro mahāmuniḥ | vasiṣṭhasyāśrame puṇye vārṣikyaṃ samuvāsa ha || 7.51.2 ||

Formerly, a great sage named Durvasa, the son of Atri, resided in the sacred hermitage of Vasishtha during the rainy season.

तमाश्रमं महातेजाः पिता ते सुमहायशाः । पुरोहितं महात्मानं दिदृक्षुरगमस्त्वयम् ।। 7.51.3 ।।

tamāśramaṃ mahātejāḥ pitā te sumahāyaśāḥ | purohitaṃ mahātmānaṃ didṛkṣuragamastvayam || 7.51.3 ||

Your highly effulgent and very famous father went to that hermitage, desirous of seeing the great-souled priest.

स दृष्ट्वा सूर्यसङ्काशं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा । उपविष्टं वसिष्ठस्य सव्यपार्श्वे महामुनिम् ।। 7.51.4 ।।

sa dṛṣṭvā sūryasaṅkāśaṃ jvalantamiva tejasā | upaviṣṭaṃ vasiṣṭhasya savyapārśve mahāmunim || 7.51.4 ||

He (Rama) saw the great sage, who resembled the sun and blazed with splendor, seated on the left side of Vasistha.

तौ मुनी तापसश्रेष्ठौ विनीतो ह्यभिवादयत् । स ताभ्यां पूजितो राजा स्वागतेनासनेन च ।।

tau munī tāpasaśreṣṭhau vinīto hyabhivādayat | sa tābhyāṃ pūjito rājā svāgatenāsanena ca ||

The king (Rama) humbly greeted those two sages, the best among ascetics, and was honored by them with a welcome and a seat.

पाद्येन फलमूलैश्च उवास मुनिभिः सह ।। 7.51.5 ।।

pādyena phalamūlaiśca uvāsa munibhiḥ saha || 7.51.5 ||

He (Rama) stayed with the sages, having been honored with water for his feet and offerings of fruits and roots.

तेषां तत्रोपविष्टानां तास्ताः सुमधुराः कथाः । बभूवुः परमर्षीणां मध्यादित्यगते ऽहनि ।। 7.51.6 ।।

teṣāṃ tatropaviṣṭānāṃ tāstāḥ sumadhurāḥ kathāḥ | babhūvuḥ paramarṣīṇāṃ madhyādityagate 'hani || 7.51.6 ||

As they sat there, various very pleasant conversations took place among the great sages during the midday.

ततः कथायां कस्याञ्चित्प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहो नृपः । उवाच तं महात्मानमत्रेः पुत्रं तपोधनम् ।। 7.51.7 ।।

tataḥ kathāyāṃ kasyāñcitprāñjaliḥ pragraho nṛpaḥ | uvāca taṃ mahātmānamatreḥ putraṃ tapodhanam || 7.51.7 ||

Then, during one of the conversations, the king (Rama), with folded hands and humility, spoke to that great-souled sage, the son of Atri, who was rich in asceticism.

भगवन्किं प्रमाणेन मम वंशो भविष्यति । किमायुश्च हि मे रामः पुत्राश्चान्ये किमायुषः ।। 7.51.8 ।।

bhagavankiṃ pramāṇena mama vaṃśo bhaviṣyati | kimāyuśca hi me rāmaḥ putrāścānye kimāyuṣaḥ || 7.51.8 ||

Dasharatha asks the sage about the extent of his lineage, the lifespan of his son Rama, and the lifespans of his other sons.

रामस्य च सुता ये स्युस्तेषामायुः कियद्भवेत् । काम्यया भगवन्बूहि वंशस्यास्य गतिं मम ।। 7.51.9 ।।

rāmasya ca sutā ye syusteṣāmāyuḥ kiyadbhavet | kāmyayā bhagavanbūhi vaṃśasyāsya gatiṃ mama || 7.51.9 ||

Dasharatha further inquires about the lifespans of Rama's future sons and eagerly requests the sage to reveal the future course of his dynasty.

तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं राज्ञो दशरथस्य च । दुर्वासाः सुमहातेजा व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.51.10 ।।

tacchrutvā vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ rājño daśarathasya ca | durvāsāḥ sumahātejā vyāhartumupacakrame || 7.51.10 ||

Having heard the words spoken by King Dasharatha, the exceedingly powerful sage Durvasa began to reply.

शृणु राजन्पुरावृत्तं तदा देवासुरे युधि । दैत्याः सुरैर्भर्त्स्यमाना भृगुपत्नीं समाश्रिताः ।। 7.51.11 ।।

śṛṇu rājanpurāvṛttaṃ tadā devāsure yudhi | daityāḥ surairbhartsyamānā bhṛgupatnīṃ samāśritāḥ || 7.51.11 ||

Durvasa instructs the king to listen to an ancient event from the time of the war between gods and asuras, when the demons, being oppressed by the gods, sought refuge with Bhrigu's wife.

तया परिगृहीतांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धः सुरेश्वरः । चक्रेण शितधारेण भृगुपत्न्याः शिरो ऽहरत् ।। 7.51.13 ।।

tayā parigṛhītāṃstāndṛṣṭvā kruddhaḥ sureśvaraḥ | cakreṇa śitadhāreṇa bhṛgupatnyāḥ śiro 'harat || 7.51.13 ||

Seeing the demons protected by her, the enraged lord of gods (Vishnu) cut off the head of Bhrigu's wife with his sharp-edged discus.

ततस्तां निहतां दृष्ट्वा पत्नीं भृगुकुलोद्वहः । शशाप सहसा क्रुद्धो विष्णुं रिपुकुलार्दनम् ।। 7.51.14 ।।

tatastāṃ nihatāṃ dṛṣṭvā patnīṃ bhṛgukulodvahaḥ | śaśāpa sahasā kruddho viṣṇuṃ ripukulārdanam || 7.51.14 ||

Then, the enraged upholder of the Bhrigu lineage, having suddenly seen his wife slain, cursed Vishnu, the destroyer of the family of enemies.

यस्मादवध्यां मे पत्नीमवधीः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । तस्मात्त्वं मानुषे लोके जनिष्यसि जनार्दन ।। 7.51.15 ।।

yasmādavadhyāṃ me patnīmavadhīḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | tasmāttvaṃ mānuṣe loke janiṣyasi janārdana || 7.51.15 ||

Because you, overcome by anger, killed my inviolable wife, therefore you, O Janardana, will be born in the human world.

तत्र पत्नीवियोगं त्वं प्राप्स्यसे बहुवार्षिकम् ।। 7.51.16 ।।

tatra patnīviyogaṃ tvaṃ prāpsyase bahuvārṣikam || 7.51.16 ||

There, you will experience separation from your wife for many years.

शापाभिहतचेतास्स स्वात्मना भावितो ऽभवत् ।। 7.51.17 ।।

śāpābhihatacetāssa svātmanā bhāvito 'bhavat || 7.51.17 ||

Though his mind was afflicted by the curse, he (Vishnu) realized it was in accordance with his own divine will.

अर्चयामास तं देवं भृगुः शापेन पीडितः । तपसाराधितो देवो ह्यब्रवीद्भक्तवत्सलः । लोकानां संहितार्थं तु तं शापं ग्राह्यमुक्तवान् ।। 7.51.19 ।।

arcayāmāsa taṃ devaṃ bhṛguḥ śāpena pīḍitaḥ | tapasārādhito devo hyabravīdbhaktavatsalaḥ | lokānāṃ saṃhitārthaṃ tu taṃ śāpaṃ grāhyamuktavān || 7.51.19 ||

Distressed by his own curse, Bhrigu worshipped that god (Vishnu), and the god, affectionate to his devotees and propitiated by penance, indeed declared that the curse was acceptable for the welfare of the worlds.

इति शप्तो महातेजा भृगुणा पूर्वजन्मनि । इहागतो हि पुत्रत्वं तव पार्थिवसत्तम ।। 7.51.20 ।।

iti śapto mahātejā bhṛguṇā pūrvajanmani | ihāgato hi putratvaṃ tava pārthivasattama || 7.51.20 ||

The greatly effulgent one, who was cursed by Bhrigu in a previous birth, has indeed come here to be your son, O best among kings.

राम इत्यभिविख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु मानद । तत्फलं प्राप्स्यते चापि भृगुशापकृतं महत् ।। 7.51.21 ।।

rāma ityabhivikhyātastriṣu lokeṣu mānada | tatphalaṃ prāpsyate cāpi bhṛguśāpakṛtaṃ mahat || 7.51.21 ||

He will be renowned as Rama in the three worlds, O giver of honor, and will also obtain the great consequence caused by Bhrigu's curse.

अयोध्यायाः पती रामो दीर्घकालं भविष्यति । सुखिनश्च समृद्धाश्च भविष्यन्त्यस्य ये ऽनुगाः ।। 7.51.22 ।।

ayodhyāyāḥ patī rāmo dīrghakālaṃ bhaviṣyati | sukhinaśca samṛddhāśca bhaviṣyantyasya ye 'nugāḥ || 7.51.22 ||

Rama will be the lord of Ayodhya for a long time, and his followers will be happy and prosperous.

दश वर्षसहस्राणि दश वर्षशतानि च । रामो राज्यमुपासित्वा ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यति ।। 7.51.23 ।।

daśa varṣasahasrāṇi daśa varṣaśatāni ca | rāmo rājyamupāsitvā brahmalokaṃ gamiṣyati || 7.51.23 ||

Rama, having ruled the kingdom for eleven thousand years, will then go to the world of Brahma.

समृद्धैश्चाश्वमेधैश्च इष्ट्वा परमदुर्जयः । राजवंशांश्च बहुशो बहून्संस्थापयिष्यति ।। 7.51.24 ।।

samṛddhaiścāśvamedhaiśca iṣṭvā paramadurjayaḥ | rājavaṃśāṃśca bahuśo bahūnsaṃsthāpayiṣyati || 7.51.24 ||

The extremely unconquerable Rama, having performed many prosperous Ashwamedha sacrifices, will establish many royal lineages in various places.

द्वौ पुत्रौ तु भविष्येते सीतायां राघवस्य तु । अन्यत्र न त्वयोध्यायां सत्यमेतन्नसंशयः ।। 7.51.25 ।।

dvau putrau tu bhaviṣyete sītāyāṃ rāghavasya tu | anyatra na tvayodhyāyāṃ satyametannasaṃśayaḥ || 7.51.25 ||

Two sons will indeed be born to Rama through Sita, but they will be born elsewhere and not in Ayodhya; this is the truth, without a doubt.

सीतायाश्च ततः पुत्रावभिषेक्ष्यति राघवः ।। 7.51.26 ।।

sītāyāśca tataḥ putrāvabhiṣekṣyati rāghavaḥ || 7.51.26 ||

Then, Rama will anoint Sita's two sons (as kings).

स सर्वमखिलं राज्ञो वंशस्याह गतागतम् । आख्याय सुमहातेजास्तूष्णीमासीन्महामुनिः ।। 7.51.27 ।।

sa sarvamakhilaṃ rājño vaṃśasyāha gatāgatam | ākhyāya sumahātejāstūṣṇīmāsīnmahāmuniḥ || 7.51.27 ||

Having narrated the entire past and future of the king's lineage, the greatly effulgent great sage then became silent.

तूष्णीम्भूते तदा तस्मिन्राजा दशरथो मुनौ । अभिवाद्य महात्मानौ पुनरायात्पुरोत्तमम् ।। 7.51.28 ।।

tūṣṇīmbhūte tadā tasminrājā daśaratho munau | abhivādya mahātmānau punarāyātpurottamam || 7.51.28 ||

When that sage became silent, King Dasharatha, having saluted the great sage, then returned to the excellent city (Ayodhya).

एतद्वचो मया तत्र मुनिना व्याहृतं पुरा । श्रुतं हृदि च निक्षिप्तं नान्यथा तद्भविष्यति ।। 7.51.29 ।।

etadvaco mayā tatra muninā vyāhṛtaṃ purā | śrutaṃ hṛdi ca nikṣiptaṃ nānyathā tadbhaviṣyati || 7.51.29 ||

This word, spoken by the sage there formerly, was heard by me and placed in my heart, and it will not be otherwise.

एवं गते न सन्तापं कर्तुमर्हसि राघव । सीतार्थे राघवार्थे वा दृढो भव नरोत्तम ।। 7.51.30 ।।

evaṃ gate na santāpaṃ kartumarhasi rāghava | sītārthe rāghavārthe vā dṛḍho bhava narottama || 7.51.30 ||

O Raghava, since things have come to this pass, you should not grieve, but rather be resolute, whether for Sita's sake or for your own, O best among men.

श्रुत्वा तु व्याहृतं वाक्यं सूतस्य परमाद्भुतम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे साधु साध्विति चाब्रवीत् ।। 7.51.31 ।।

śrutvā tu vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ sūtasya paramādbhutam | praharṣamatulaṃ lebhe sādhu sādhviti cābravīt || 7.51.31 ||

Having heard the charioteer's exceedingly wonderful words, he felt incomparable joy and exclaimed, "Excellent, excellent!"

ततः संवदतोरेवं सूतलक्ष्मणयोः पथि । अस्तमर्के गते वासं केशिन्यां तावथोषतुः ।। 7.51.32 ।।

tataḥ saṃvadatorevaṃ sūtalakṣmaṇayoḥ pathi | astamarke gate vāsaṃ keśinyāṃ tāvathoṣatuḥ || 7.51.32 ||

Then, as the charioteer and Lakshmana were conversing on the path, the sun set, and they stayed in Keshini for the night. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 51 ।। Thus ends the fifty-first sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.