Uttara Kanda, Sarga 55

एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरो ऽभिहितो मया । यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम् ।। 7.55.1 ।।

eṣa te nṛgaśāpasya vistaro 'bhihito mayā | yadyasti śravaṇe śraddhā śṛṇuṣvehāparāṃ kathām || 7.55.1 ||

I have told you this detailed account of Nṛga's curse; if you have a desire to listen, then hear another story here.

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत् । तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप ।। 7.55.2 ।।

evamuktastu rāmeṇa saumitriḥ punarabravīt | tṛptirāścaryabhūtānāṃ kathānāṃ nāsti me nṛpa || 7.55.2 ||

But thus spoken to by Rama, Saumitri spoke again, saying, "O king, I have no satisfaction from wonderful stories."

लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.55.3 ।।

lakṣmaṇenaivamuktastu rāma ikṣvākunandanaḥ | kathāṃ paramadharmiṣṭhāṃ vyāhartumupacakrame || 7.55.3 ||

But thus spoken to by Lakshmana, Rama, the delight of the Ikshvakus, began to narrate a most righteous story.

आसीद्राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः ।। 7.55.4 ।।

āsīdrājā nimirnāma ikṣvākūṇāṃ mahātmanām | putro dvādaśamo vīrye dharme ca pariniṣṭhitaḥ || 7.55.4 ||

There was a king named Nimi, the twelfth son among the noble Ikshvakus, who was firmly established in both valor and righteousness.

स राजा वीर्यसम्पन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम् । निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु ।। 7.55.5 ।।

sa rājā vīryasampannaḥ puraṃ devapuropamam | niveśayāmāsa tadā abhyāśe gautamasya tu || 7.55.5 ||

That valiant king then founded a city, resembling a divine city, near the hermitage of Gautama.

पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम् । निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिर्निमिश्चक्रे महायशाः ।। 7.55.6 ।।

purasya sukṛtaṃ nāma vaijayantamiti śrutam | niveśaṃ yatra rājarṣirnimiścakre mahāyaśāḥ || 7.55.6 ||

The city was known as Sukrita, or Vaijayanta, where the greatly renowned royal sage Nimi established his settlement.

तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम् । यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन्मनः ।। 7.55.7 ।।

tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā niveśya sumahāpuram | yajeyaṃ dīrghasatreṇa pituḥ prahlādayanmanaḥ || 7.55.7 ||

After establishing that magnificent city, the thought arose in him, "I should perform a long sacrifice, delighting my father's mind."

ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम् । वसिष्ठं वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम् ।। 7.55.8 ।।

tataḥ pitaramāmantrya ikṣvākuṃ hi manoḥ sutam | vasiṣṭhaṃ varayāmāsa pūrvaṃ brahmarṣisattamam || 7.55.8 ||

Thereafter, having consulted his father Ikshvaku, the son of Manu, he first chose Vasishtha, the foremost among Brahmarishis, to officiate the sacrifice.

अनन्तरं स राजर्षिर्निमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोधनम् ।। 7.55.9 ।।

anantaraṃ sa rājarṣirnimirikṣvākunandanaḥ | atrimaṅgirasaṃ caiva bhṛguṃ caiva tapodhanam || 7.55.9 ||

Subsequently, the royal sage Nimi, a descendant of Ikshvaku, approached Atri, Angiras, and Bhrigu, who were rich in penance.

तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निमिं राजर्षिसत्तमम् । वृतो ऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय ।। 7.55.10 ।।

tamuvāca vasiṣṭhastu nimiṃ rājarṣisattamam | vṛto 'haṃ pūrvamindreṇa antaraṃ pratipālaya || 7.55.10 ||

However, Vasishtha said to Nimi, the best of royal sages, "I have already been chosen by Indra, so please wait for some time."

अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत् । वसिष्ठो ऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत् ।। 7.55.11 ।।

anantaraṃ mahāvipro gautamaḥ pratyapūrayat | vasiṣṭho 'pi mahātejā indrayajñamathākarot || 7.55.11 ||

Subsequently, the great brahmin Gautama fulfilled Nimi's request, while the greatly effulgent Vasishtha then performed Indra's sacrifice.

निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान्समानीय नराधिपः । अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः । पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामुपागमत् ।। 7.55.12 ।।

nimistu rājā viprāṃstānsamānīya narādhipaḥ | ayajaddhimavatpārśve svapurasya samīpataḥ | pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi rājā dīkṣāmupāgamat || 7.55.12 ||

King Nimi, the lord of men, however, gathered those brahmins and performed a sacrifice near his own city, on the side of the Himalayas, undertaking the sacrificial vow for five thousand years.

इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवनृषिः । सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः ।। 7.55.13 ।।

indrayajñāvasāne tu vasiṣṭho bhagavanṛṣiḥ | sakāśamāgato rājño hautraṃ kartumaninditaḥ || 7.55.13 ||

However, at the conclusion of Indra's sacrifice, the blameless divine sage Vasishtha came near the king to perform the role of the hotri priest.

तदन्तरमथापश्यद्गौतमेनाभिपूरितम् । कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ।। 7.55.14 ।।

tadantaramathāpaśyadgautamenābhipūritam | kopena mahatāviṣṭo vasiṣṭho brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ || 7.55.14 ||

Then, Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahma, saw the place occupied by Gautama and was overcome with great anger.

स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्तं समुपाविशत् । तस्मिन्नहनि राजर्षिर्निद्रया ऽपहृतो भृशम् ।। 7.55.15 ।।

sa rājño darśanākāṅkṣī muhūrtaṃ samupāviśat | tasminnahani rājarṣirnidrayā 'pahṛto bhṛśam || 7.55.15 ||

Desirous of seeing the king, Vasiṣṭha sat down for a moment, but on that day, the royal sage was deeply overcome by sleep.

ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः । अदर्शनेन राजर्षेर्व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.55.16 ।।

tato manyurvasiṣṭhasya prādurāsīnmahātmanaḥ | adarśanena rājarṣervyāhartumupacakrame || 7.55.16 ||

Then, anger arose in the great-souled Vasiṣṭha due to the absence of the royal sage, and he began to speak.

यस्मात्त्वमन्यं वृतवान्मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव । चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्तव भविष्यति ।। 7.55.17 ।।

yasmāttvamanyaṃ vṛtavānmāmavajñāya pārthiva | cetanena vinābhūto dehastava bhaviṣyati || 7.55.17 ||

"O King, because you have chosen another, disregarding me, your body will become devoid of consciousness."

ततः प्रबुद्धो राजर्षिः श्रुत्वा शापमुदाहृतम् । ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच संरम्भात् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ।। 7.55.18 ।।

tataḥ prabuddho rājarṣiḥ śrutvā śāpamudāhṛtam | brahmayonimathovāca saṃrambhāt krodhamūrcchitaḥ || 7.55.18 ||

Then, the royal sage, awakened and having heard the uttered curse, spoke to Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahma, overcome with fury and anger.

अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः । मुक्तवान्मयि शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम् ।। 7.55.19 ।।

ajānataḥ śayānasya krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ | muktavānmayi śāpāgniṃ yamadaṇḍamivāparam || 7.55.19 ||

Enraged by anger, he, unaware of me sleeping, cast upon me the fire of a curse, like a second rod of Yama.

तस्मात्तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विना कृतः । देहः सुरुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 7.55.20 ।।

tasmāttavāpi brahmarṣe cetanena vinā kṛtaḥ | dehaḥ suruciraprakhyo bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 7.55.20 ||

Therefore, O Brahmarshi, without a doubt, even your exceedingly charming body will be deprived of consciousness.

इति रोषवशादुभौ तदानीमन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ । सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेहौ तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ।। 7.55.21 ।।

iti roṣavaśādubhau tadānīmanyonyaṃ śapitau nṛpadvijendrau | sahasaiva babhūvaturvidehau tattulyādhigataprabhāvavantau || 7.55.21 ||

Thus, under the sway of anger, both the king and the chief of Brahmins, having cursed each other, suddenly became bodiless, each possessing an equally acquired power. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 55 ।। Thus ends the fifty-fifth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.