Uttara Kanda, Sarga 61

एवं ब्रुवद्भिर्ऋषिभिः काकुत्स्थो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किं कार्यं ब्रूत मुनयो भयं तावदपैतु वः ।। 7.61.1 ।।

evaṃ bruvadbhirṛṣibhiḥ kākutstho vākyamabravīt | kiṃ kāryaṃ brūta munayo bhayaṃ tāvadapaitu vaḥ || 7.61.1 ||

When the sages spoke thus, Rama replied, "O sages, tell me what the task is; first of all, let your fear depart."

तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे भार्गवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । भयानां शृणु यन्मूलं देशस्य च नरेश्वर ।। 7.61.2 ।।

tathā bruvati kākutsthe bhārgavo vākyamabravīt | bhayānāṃ śṛṇu yanmūlaṃ deśasya ca nareśvara || 7.61.2 ||

When Rama spoke thus, Bhargava (Chyavana) replied, "O King, listen to the origin of our fears and of this region."

पूर्वं कृतयुगे राजन्दैतेयः सुमहाबलः । लोलापुत्रो ऽभवज्ज्येष्ठो मधुर्नाम महासुरः ।। 7.61.3 ।।

pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge rājandaiteyaḥ sumahābalaḥ | lolāputro 'bhavajjyeṣṭho madhurnāma mahāsuraḥ || 7.61.3 ||

O King, formerly in the Krita Yuga, there was an exceedingly powerful Daitya, the eldest son of Lola, named Madhu, who was a great demon.

ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च बुद्ध्या च परिनिष्ठितः । सुरैश्च परमोदारैः प्रीतिस्तस्यातुला ऽभवत् ।। 7.61.4 ।।

brahmaṇyaśca śaraṇyaśca buddhyā ca pariniṣṭhitaḥ | suraiśca paramodāraiḥ prītistasyātulā 'bhavat || 7.61.4 ||

He was devoted to Brahmins, a protector, and firmly resolved in his wisdom, and he had an unequalled affection for the exceedingly generous gods.

स मधुर्वीर्यसम्पन्नो धर्मे च सुसमाहितः । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि रुद्रप्रीत्या ऽकरोत्तपः ।। 7.61.5 ।।

sa madhurvīryasampanno dharme ca susamāhitaḥ | bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi rudraprītyā 'karottapaḥ || 7.61.5 ||

That Madhu, endowed with great valor and steadfast in righteousness, performed penance for many thousands of years to please Rudra.

रुद्रः प्रीतो ऽभवत्तस्मै वरं दातुं ययौ च सः । बहुमानाच्च रुद्रेण दत्तस्तस्याद्भुतो वरः ।। 7.61.6 ।।

rudraḥ prīto 'bhavattasmai varaṃ dātuṃ yayau ca saḥ | bahumānācca rudreṇa dattastasyādbhuto varaḥ || 7.61.6 ||

Rudra became pleased with him and went to grant a boon, and with great respect, an extraordinary boon was given to him by Rudra.

शूलं शूलाद्विनिष्कृष्य महावीर्यं महाप्रभम् । ददौ महात्मा सुप्रीतो वाक्यं चैतदुवाच ह ।। 7.61.7 ।।

śūlaṃ śūlādviniṣkṛṣya mahāvīryaṃ mahāprabham | dadau mahātmā suprīto vākyaṃ caitaduvāca ha || 7.61.7 ||

The great-souled Rudra, very pleased, extracted a trident of great power and splendor from his own trident, gave it, and indeed spoke these words.

त्वयायमतुलो धर्मो मत्प्रसादकरः कृतः । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददाम्यायुधमुत्तमम् ।। 7.61.8 ।।

tvayāyamatulo dharmo matprasādakaraḥ kṛtaḥ | prītyā paramayā yukto dadāmyāyudhamuttamam || 7.61.8 ||

“This unequalled act of righteousness, which pleases me, has been performed by you; filled with supreme affection, I give you this excellent weapon.”

यावत्सुरैश्च विप्रैश्च न विरुध्येर्महासुर । तावच्छूलं तवेदं स्यादन्यथा नाशमेप्यति ।। 7.61.9 ।।

yāvatsuraiśca vipraiśca na virudhyermahāsura | tāvacchūlaṃ tavedaṃ syādanyathā nāśamepyati || 7.61.9 ||

O great Asura, as long as you do not contend with gods and Brahmins, this spear shall remain yours; otherwise, it will meet its destruction.

यश्च त्वामभियुञ्जीत युद्धाय विगतज्वरः । तं शूलो भस्मसात्कृत्वा पुनरेष्यति ते करम् ।। 7.61.10 ।।

yaśca tvāmabhiyuñjīta yuddhāya vigatajvaraḥ | taṃ śūlo bhasmasātkṛtvā punareṣyati te karam || 7.61.10 ||

Whoever fearlessly challenges you to battle, the spear will reduce him to ashes and then return to your hand.

एवं रुद्राद्वरं लब्ध्वा भूय एव महासुरः । प्रणिपत्य महादेवं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 7.61.11 ।।

evaṃ rudrādvaraṃ labdhvā bhūya eva mahāsuraḥ | praṇipatya mahādevaṃ vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.61.11 ||

Having thus obtained a boon from Rudra, the great Asura bowed down to the great god and spoke these words again.

भगवन्मम वंशस्य शूलमेतदनुत्तमम् । भवेत्तु सततं देव सुराणामीश्वरो ह्यसि ।। 7.61.12 ।।

bhagavanmama vaṃśasya śūlametadanuttamam | bhavettu satataṃ deva surāṇāmīśvaro hyasi || 7.61.12 ||

O Lord, may this excellent spear always remain with my lineage, for you are indeed the lord of the gods.

तं ब्रुवाणं मधुं देवः सर्वभूतपतिः शिवः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा नैतदेवं भविष्यति ।। 7.61.13 ।।

taṃ bruvāṇaṃ madhuṃ devaḥ sarvabhūtapatiḥ śivaḥ | pratyuvāca mahātejā naitadevaṃ bhaviṣyati || 7.61.13 ||

To Madhu, who was speaking thus, the greatly effulgent god Shiva, the lord of all beings, replied, "This will not be so."

मा भूत्ते विफला वाणी मत्प्रसादकृता शुभा । भवतः पुत्रमेकं तु शूलमेतद्भजिष्यते ।। 7.61.14 ।।

mā bhūtte viphalā vāṇī matprasādakṛtā śubhā | bhavataḥ putramekaṃ tu śūlametadbhajiṣyate || 7.61.14 ||

May your auspicious words, granted by my grace, not be in vain; indeed, only one of your sons will possess this trident.

यावत्करस्थः शूलो ऽयं भविष्यति सुतस्य ते । अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां शूलहस्तो भविष्यति ।। 7.61.15 ।।

yāvatkarasthaḥ śūlo 'yaṃ bhaviṣyati sutasya te | avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ śūlahasto bhaviṣyati || 7.61.15 ||

As long as this trident remains in your son's hand, he will be invincible to all beings, being one who wields the trident.

एवं मधुर्वरं लब्ध्वा देवात्सुमहदद्भुतम् । भवनं सो ऽसुरश्रेष्ठः कारयामास सुप्रभम् ।। 7.61.16 ।।

evaṃ madhurvaraṃ labdhvā devātsumahadadbhutam | bhavanaṃ so 'suraśreṣṭhaḥ kārayāmāsa suprabham || 7.61.16 ||

Thus, having obtained this very great and wonderful boon from the god, Madhu, the best of demons, caused a splendid city to be built.

तस्य पत्नी महाभागा प्रिया कुम्भीनसीति या । विश्वावसोरपत्यं सा ह्यनलायां महाप्रभा ।। 7.61.17 ।।

tasya patnī mahābhāgā priyā kumbhīnasīti yā | viśvāvasorapatyaṃ sā hyanalāyāṃ mahāprabhā || 7.61.17 ||

His beloved and highly fortunate wife was Kumbhinasi, who was indeed the very radiant daughter of Vishvavasu by Anala.

तस्याः पुत्रो महावीर्यो लवणो नाम दारुणः । बाल्यात्प्रभृति दुष्टात्मा पापान्येव समाचरत् ।। 7.61.18 ।।

tasyāḥ putro mahāvīryo lavaṇo nāma dāruṇaḥ | bālyātprabhṛti duṣṭātmā pāpānyeva samācarat || 7.61.18 ||

Her son was the very powerful and terrible Lavana, who, being evil-minded, committed only sinful deeds from his childhood onwards.

तं पुत्रं दुर्विनीतं तु दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । मधुः स शोकमापेदे न चैनं किञ्चिदब्रवीत् ।। 7.61.19 ।।

taṃ putraṃ durvinītaṃ tu dṛṣṭvā krodhasamanvitaḥ | madhuḥ sa śokamāpede na cainaṃ kiñcidabravīt || 7.61.19 ||

Seeing his ill-behaved son, Madhu was filled with anger and sorrow, yet he did not say anything to him.

स विहाय त्विमं लोकं प्रविष्टो वरुणालयम् । शूलं निवेश्य लवणे वरं तस्मै न्यवेदयत् ।। 7.61.20 ।।

sa vihāya tvimaṃ lokaṃ praviṣṭo varuṇālayam | śūlaṃ niveśya lavaṇe varaṃ tasmai nyavedayat || 7.61.20 ||

Madhu, having left this world, entered the abode of Varuna, and after placing the trident with Lavana, he offered a boon to him.

स प्रभावेण शूलस्य दौरात्म्येनात्मनस्तथा । सन्तापयति लोकांस्त्रीन्विशेषेण च तापसान् ।। 7.61.21 ।।

sa prabhāveṇa śūlasya daurātmyenātmanastathā | santāpayati lokāṃstrīnviśeṣeṇa ca tāpasān || 7.61.21 ||

Lavana, by the power of the trident and his own wickedness, torments the three worlds, especially the ascetics.

एवंप्रभावो लवणः शूलं चैव तथाविधम् । श्रुत्वा प्रमाणं काकुत्स्थ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ।। 7.61.22 ।।

evaṃprabhāvo lavaṇaḥ śūlaṃ caiva tathāvidham | śrutvā pramāṇaṃ kākutstha tvaṃ hi naḥ paramā gatiḥ || 7.61.22 ||

Having heard of Lavana's power and the nature of his trident, O Rama, you are our ultimate refuge and authority.

बहवः पार्थिवा राम भयार्तैर्ऋषिभिः पुरा । अभयं याचिता वीर त्रातारं न च विद्महे ।। 7.61.23 ।।

bahavaḥ pārthivā rāma bhayārtairṛṣibhiḥ purā | abhayaṃ yācitā vīra trātāraṃ na ca vidmahe || 7.61.23 ||

O Rama, many kings were formerly implored for protection by fear-stricken sages, but we do not know of any true protector.

ते वयं रावणं श्रुत्वा हतं सबलवाहनम् । त्रातारं विद्महे तात नान्यं भुवि नराधिपम् । तत्परित्रातुमिच्छामो लवणाद्भयपीडितान् ।। 7.61.24 ।।

te vayaṃ rāvaṇaṃ śrutvā hataṃ sabalavāhanam | trātāraṃ vidmahe tāta nānyaṃ bhuvi narādhipam | tatparitrātumicchāmo lavaṇādbhayapīḍitān || 7.61.24 ||

Having heard that Ravana, along with his army and vehicles, has been killed, we know no other king on earth as a protector, and therefore, O dear one, we wish for you to protect those afflicted by fear from Lavana.

इति राम निवेदितं तु ते भयजं कारणमुत्थितं च यत् । विनिवारयितुं भवान्क्षमः कुरु तं काममहीनविक्रम ।। 7.61.25 ।।

iti rāma niveditaṃ tu te bhayajaṃ kāraṇamutthitaṃ ca yat | vinivārayituṃ bhavānkṣamaḥ kuru taṃ kāmamahīnavikrama || 7.61.25 ||

O Rama of undiminished valor, you are capable of removing this cause of fear that has arisen and been reported, so please fulfill that wish. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकषष्टितमः सर्गः ।। 61 ।। Thus ends the sixty-first sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.