Uttara Kanda, Sarga 65

प्रस्थाप्य च बलं सर्वं मासमात्रोषितः पथि । एक एवाशु शत्रुघ्नो जगाम त्वरितं तदा ।। 7.65.1 ।।

prasthāpya ca balaṃ sarvaṃ māsamātroṣitaḥ pathi | eka evāśu śatrughno jagāma tvaritaṃ tadā || 7.65.1 ||

After sending forth his entire army and staying on the way for only a month, Shatrughna then quickly went forth alone and swiftly.

द्विरात्रमन्तरे शूर उष्य राघवनन्दनः । वाल्मीकेराश्रमं पुण्यमगच्छद्वासमुत्तमम् ।। 7.65.2 ।।

dvirātramantare śūra uṣya rāghavanandanaḥ | vālmīkerāśramaṃ puṇyamagacchadvāsamuttamam || 7.65.2 ||

The brave Shatrughna, the delight of the Raghus, having stayed for two nights on the way, then went to the sacred and excellent hermitage of Valmiki.

सो ऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं वाल्मीकिं मुनिसत्तमम् । कृताञ्जलिरथो भूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 7.65.3 ।।

so 'bhivādya mahātmānaṃ vālmīkiṃ munisattamam | kṛtāñjaliratho bhūtvā vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.65.3 ||

Having saluted the great-souled Valmiki, the best of sages, Shatrughna then stood with folded hands and spoke these words.

भगवन्वस्तुमिच्छामि गुरोः कृत्यादिहागतः । श्वः प्रभाते गमिष्यामि प्रतीचीं वारुणीं दिशम् ।। 7.65.4 ।।

bhagavanvastumicchāmi guroḥ kṛtyādihāgataḥ | śvaḥ prabhāte gamiṣyāmi pratīcīṃ vāruṇīṃ diśam || 7.65.4 ||

Shatrughna, having arrived there for his guru's task, requested permission to stay for the night, stating his intention to depart westward the next morning.

शत्रुघ्नस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गवः । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं स्वागतं ते महायशः ।। 7.65.5 ।।

śatrughnasya vacaḥ śrutvā prahasya munipuṅgavaḥ | pratyuvāca mahātmānaṃ svāgataṃ te mahāyaśaḥ || 7.65.5 ||

Hearing Shatrughna's words, the eminent sage Valmiki smiled and welcomed the great-souled and greatly renowned prince.

स्वमाश्रममिदं सौम्य राघवाणां कुलस्य हि । आसनं पाद्यमर्ध्यं च निर्विशङ्कः प्रतीच्छ मे ।। 7.65.6 ।।

svamāśramamidaṃ saumya rāghavāṇāṃ kulasya hi | āsanaṃ pādyamardhyaṃ ca nirviśaṅkaḥ pratīccha me || 7.65.6 ||

Valmiki assured Shatrughna that this hermitage was indeed like his own, belonging to the Raghu lineage, and urged him to accept the offered seat, water for feet, and respectful offering without any hesitation.

प्रतिगृह्य तदा पूजां फलमूलं च भोजनम् । भक्षयामास काकुत्स्थस्तृप्तिं च परमां गतः ।। 7.65.7 ।।

pratigṛhya tadā pūjāṃ phalamūlaṃ ca bhojanam | bhakṣayāmāsa kākutsthastṛptiṃ ca paramāṃ gataḥ || 7.65.7 ||

Shatrughna, the descendant of Kakutstha, then accepted the hospitality, ate the offered fruits and roots, and achieved supreme satisfaction.

स भुक्त्वा फलमूलं च महर्षिं तमुवाच ह । इयं यज्ञविभूतिस्ते कस्याश्रमसमीपतः ।। 7.65.8 ।।

sa bhuktvā phalamūlaṃ ca maharṣiṃ tamuvāca ha | iyaṃ yajñavibhūtiste kasyāśramasamīpataḥ || 7.65.8 ||

After eating the fruits and roots, Shatrughna then asked the great sage about the origin of the sacrificial splendor he observed near the hermitage.

तत्तस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । शत्रुघ्न शृणु यस्येदं बभूवायतनं पुरा ।। 7.65.9 ।।

tattasya bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā vālmīkirvākyamabravīt | śatrughna śṛṇu yasyedaṃ babhūvāyatanaṃ purā || 7.65.9 ||

Having heard his words, Valmiki spoke, saying, "O Shatrughna, listen to whose abode this place formerly was."

युष्माकं पूर्वको राजा सौदासस्तस्य भूपतेः । पुत्रो वीरसहो नाम वीर्यवानतिधार्मिकः ।। 7.65.10 ।।

yuṣmākaṃ pūrvako rājā saudāsastasya bhūpateḥ | putro vīrasaho nāma vīryavānatidhārmikaḥ || 7.65.10 ||

Your ancestor was King Saudasa, and his son was named Virasaha, who was mighty and exceedingly righteous.

स बाल एव सौदासो मृगयामुपचक्रमे । चञ्चूर्यमाणं ददृशे स शूरो राक्षसद्वयम् ।। 7.65.11 ।।

sa bāla eva saudāso mṛgayāmupacakrame | cañcūryamāṇaṃ dadṛśe sa śūro rākṣasadvayam || 7.65.11 ||

When Saudasa was still young, he went hunting and that brave king saw two rakshasas roaming about.

शार्दूलरूपिणौ घोरौ मृगान्बहुसहस्रशः । भक्षमाणावसन्तुष्टौ पर्याप्तिं नैव जग्मतुः ।। 7.65.12 ।।

śārdūlarūpiṇau ghorau mṛgānbahusahasraśaḥ | bhakṣamāṇāvasantuṣṭau paryāptiṃ naiva jagmatuḥ || 7.65.12 ||

These two terrible rakshasas, in the form of tigers, were devouring many thousands of animals but remained unsatisfied, never reaching sufficiency.

स तु तौ राक्षसौ दृष्ट्वा निर्मृगं च वनं कृतम् । क्रोधेन महता ऽ ऽविष्टो जघानैकं महेषुणा ।। 7.65.13 ।।

sa tu tau rākṣasau dṛṣṭvā nirmṛgaṃ ca vanaṃ kṛtam | krodhena mahatā ' 'viṣṭo jaghānaikaṃ maheṣuṇā || 7.65.13 ||

But he, having seen those two rakshasas and the forest made devoid of animals, became overcome with great anger and killed one of them with a mighty arrow.

विनिपात्य तमेकं तु सौदासः पुरुषर्षभः । विज्वरो विगतामार्षो हतं रक्षो ह्युदैक्षत ।। 7.65.14 ।।

vinipātya tamekaṃ tu saudāsaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ | vijvaro vigatāmārṣo hataṃ rakṣo hyudaikṣata || 7.65.14 ||

King Saudasa, the best among men, having struck down that one demon, looked at the killed demon, now free from distress and anger.

निरीक्षमाणं तं दृष्ट्वा सहायं तस्य रक्षसः । सन्तापमकरोद्घोरं सौदासं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। 7.65.15 ।।

nirīkṣamāṇaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā sahāyaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ | santāpamakarodghoraṃ saudāsaṃ cedamabravīt || 7.65.15 ||

Having seen Saudasa looking on, the companion of that demon felt terrible sorrow and spoke these words to Saudasa.

यस्मादनपराधं त्वं सहायं मम जघ्निवान् । तस्मात्तवापि पापिष्ठ प्रदास्यामि प्रतिक्रियाम् ।। 7.65.16 ।।

yasmādanaparādhaṃ tvaṃ sahāyaṃ mama jaghnivān | tasmāttavāpi pāpiṣṭha pradāsyāmi pratikriyām || 7.65.16 ||

The demon declared, "Because you have killed my innocent companion, O most sinful one, I will therefore give you retaliation."

एवमुक्त्वा तु तद्राक्षस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । कालपर्याययोगेन राजा मित्रसहो ऽभवत् ।। 7.65.17 ।।

evamuktvā tu tadrākṣastatraivāntaradhīyata | kālaparyāyayogena rājā mitrasaho 'bhavat || 7.65.17 ||

Having spoken thus, that demon indeed disappeared right there, and in due course, the king became known as Mitrasaha.

राजापि यजते यज्ञमस्याश्रमसमीपतः । अश्वमेधं महायज्ञं तं वसिष्ठो ऽभ्यपालयत् ।। 7.65.18 ।।

rājāpi yajate yajñamasyāśramasamīpataḥ | aśvamedhaṃ mahāyajñaṃ taṃ vasiṣṭho 'bhyapālayat || 7.65.18 ||

The king also performs a great Ashwamedha sacrifice near this hermitage, and Vasishtha supervised that sacrifice.

तत्र यज्ञो महानासीद्बहुवर्षगणायुतः । समृद्धः परया लक्ष्म्या देवयज्ञसमो ऽभवत् ।। 7.65.19 ।।

tatra yajño mahānāsīdbahuvarṣagaṇāyutaḥ | samṛddhaḥ parayā lakṣmyā devayajñasamo 'bhavat || 7.65.19 ||

There was a great sacrifice that lasted for many years, which became exceedingly prosperous and splendid, rivaling even the sacrifices performed by the gods.

अथावसाने यज्ञस्य पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् । वसिष्ठरूपी राजानमिति होवाच राक्षसः ।। 7.65.20 ।।

athāvasāne yajñasya pūrvavairamanusmaran | vasiṣṭharūpī rājānamiti hovāca rākṣasaḥ || 7.65.20 ||

Then, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, the demon, remembering his old enmity and disguised as Vasiṣṭha, spoke thus to the king.

अस्य यज्ञस्य जातो ऽन्तः सामिषं भोजनं मम । दीयतामिह शीघ्रं वै नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। 7.65.21 ।।

asya yajñasya jāto 'ntaḥ sāmiṣaṃ bhojanaṃ mama | dīyatāmiha śīghraṃ vai nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 7.65.21 ||

The demon, disguised as Vasiṣṭha, demanded that since the sacrifice had concluded, meat-laden food should be given to him quickly without any further deliberation.

तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं रक्षसा ब्रह्मरूपिणा । भक्ष्यसंस्कारकुशलमुवाच पृथिवीपतिः ।। 7.65.22 ।।

tacchrutvā vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ rakṣasā brahmarūpiṇā | bhakṣyasaṃskārakuśalamuvāca pṛthivīpatiḥ || 7.65.22 ||

Having heard that speech spoken by the demon disguised as a Brahmin, the king then addressed the person skilled in preparing food.

हविष्यं सामिषं स्वादु यथा भवति भोजनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शीघ्रं वै परितुष्येद्यथा गुरुः ।। 7.65.23 ।।

haviṣyaṃ sāmiṣaṃ svādu yathā bhavati bhojanam | tathā kuruṣva śīghraṃ vai parituṣyedyathā guruḥ || 7.65.23 ||

The king instructed the cook to quickly prepare the sacrificial food with meat, making it delicious, so that the preceptor (Vasiṣṭha) would be pleased.

शासनात्पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सूदः सम्भ्रान्तमानसः । स राक्षसः पुनस्तत्र सूदवेषमथाकरोत् ।। 7.65.24 ।।

śāsanātpārthivendrasya sūdaḥ sambhrāntamānasaḥ | sa rākṣasaḥ punastatra sūdaveṣamathākarot || 7.65.24 ||

Due to the king's command, the cook was bewildered, and that demon again assumed the guise of a cook there.

स मानुषमथो मांसं पार्थिवाय न्यवेदयत् । इदं स्वादु हविष्यं च सामिषं चान्नमाहृतम् ।। 7.65.25 ।।

sa mānuṣamatho māṃsaṃ pārthivāya nyavedayat | idaṃ svādu haviṣyaṃ ca sāmiṣaṃ cānnamāhṛtam || 7.65.25 ||

He then presented human flesh to the king, saying, "This delicious food, fit for oblation and mixed with meat, has been brought."

स भोजनं वसिष्ठाय पत्न्या सार्धमुपाहरत् । मदयन्त्या नरव्याघ्र सामिषं रक्षसा हृतम् ।। 7.65.26 ।।

sa bhojanaṃ vasiṣṭhāya patnyā sārdhamupāharat | madayantyā naravyāghra sāmiṣaṃ rakṣasā hṛtam || 7.65.26 ||

O tiger among men, he (the king) offered that meal, which was prepared with meat by the demon, to Vasistha along with his wife Madayanti.

ज्ञात्वा तदामिषं विप्रो मानुषं भाजनं गतम् । क्रोधेन महता ऽ ऽविष्टो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.65.27 ।।

jñātvā tadāmiṣaṃ vipro mānuṣaṃ bhājanaṃ gatam | krodhena mahatā ' 'viṣṭo vyāhartumupacakrame || 7.65.27 ||

Realizing that the meat in the vessel was human flesh, the brahmin (Vasistha), overcome by great anger, began to speak (a curse).

यस्मात्त्वं भोजनं राजन्ममैतद्दातुमिच्छसि । तस्माद्भोजनमेतत्ते भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 7.65.28 ।।

yasmāttvaṃ bhojanaṃ rājanmamaitaddātumicchasi | tasmādbhojanametatte bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 7.65.28 ||

"Because you desire to give me this food, O king, therefore this very food shall be yours, without a doubt," (Vasistha cursed).

ततः क्रुद्धस्तु सौदासस्तोयं जग्राह पाणिना । वसिष्ठं शप्तुमारेभे भार्या चैनमवारयत् ।। 7.65.29 ।।

tataḥ kruddhastu saudāsastoyaṃ jagrāha pāṇinā | vasiṣṭhaṃ śaptumārebhe bhāryā cainamavārayat || 7.65.29 ||

Then, enraged, King Saudasa took water in his hand and began to curse Vasistha, but his wife restrained him.

राजन्प्रभुर्यतो ऽस्माकं वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः । प्रतिशप्तुं न शक्तस्त्वं देवतुल्यं पुरोधसम् ।। 7.65.30 ।।

rājanprabhuryato 'smākaṃ vasiṣṭho bhagavānṛṣiḥ | pratiśaptuṃ na śaktastvaṃ devatulyaṃ purodhasam || 7.65.30 ||

She said, "O King, because the revered sage Vasistha is our master, you are not capable of cursing back this god-like priest."

ततः क्रोधमयं तोयं तेजोबलसमन्वितम् । व्यसर्जयत धर्मात्मा ततः पादौ सिषेच च ।। 7.65.31 ।।

tataḥ krodhamayaṃ toyaṃ tejobalasamanvitam | vyasarjayata dharmātmā tataḥ pādau siṣeca ca || 7.65.31 ||

Then, the righteous king, releasing the water imbued with anger, power, and strength, poured it onto his own feet.

तेनास्य राज्ञस्तौ पादौ तदा कल्माषतां गतौ । तदाप्रभृति राजा ऽसौ सौदासः सुमहायशाः । कल्माषपादः संवृत्तः ख्यातश्चैव तथा नृपः ।। 7.65.32 ।।

tenāsya rājñastau pādau tadā kalmāṣatāṃ gatau | tadāprabhṛti rājā 'sau saudāsaḥ sumahāyaśāḥ | kalmāṣapādaḥ saṃvṛttaḥ khyātaścaiva tathā nṛpaḥ || 7.65.32 ||

By that water, the king's feet then became spotted, and from that time onwards, the greatly renowned King Saudasa became known as Kalmashapada, the spotted-footed king.

स राजा सह पत्न्या वै प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः । पुनर्वसिष्ठं प्रोवाच यदुक्तं ब्रह्मरूपिणा ।। 7.65.33 ।।

sa rājā saha patnyā vai praṇipatya muhurmuhuḥ | punarvasiṣṭhaṃ provāca yaduktaṃ brahmarūpiṇā || 7.65.33 ||

That king, along with his wife, having bowed down repeatedly, then spoke again to Vasistha, who was like Brahma in his wisdom.

तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य रक्षसा विकृतं च तत् । पुनः प्रोवाच राजानं वसिष्ठः पुरुषर्षभम् ।। 7.65.34 ।।

tacchrutvā pārthivendrasya rakṣasā vikṛtaṃ ca tat | punaḥ provāca rājānaṃ vasiṣṭhaḥ puruṣarṣabham || 7.65.34 ||

Having heard that the king of kings was transformed by the Rakshasa, Vasistha again spoke to the king, who was the best among men.

मया रोषपरीतेन यदिदं व्याहृतं वचः । नैतच्छक्यं वृथा कर्तुं प्रदास्यामि च ते वरम् ।। 7.65.35 ।।

mayā roṣaparītena yadidaṃ vyāhṛtaṃ vacaḥ | naitacchakyaṃ vṛthā kartuṃ pradāsyāmi ca te varam || 7.65.35 ||

The words I have spoken while overcome by anger cannot be made in vain, but I will grant you a boon.

कालो द्वादश वर्षाणि शापस्यान्तो भविष्यति । मत्प्रासादाच्च राजेन्द्र व्यतीतं न स्मरिष्यसि ।। 7.65.36 ।।

kālo dvādaśa varṣāṇi śāpasyānto bhaviṣyati | matprāsādācca rājendra vyatītaṃ na smariṣyasi || 7.65.36 ||

The duration of the curse will be twelve years, and by my grace, O king of kings, you will not remember what has transpired.

एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुज्यारिसूदनः । प्रतिलेभे पुना राज्यं प्रजाश्चैवान्वपालयत् ।। 7.65.37 ।।

evaṃ sa rājā taṃ śāpamupabhujyārisūdanaḥ | pratilebhe punā rājyaṃ prajāścaivānvapālayat || 7.65.37 ||

Thus, that king, the destroyer of enemies, having endured the curse, regained his kingdom and indeed protected his subjects.

तस्य कल्माषपादस्य यज्ञस्यायतनं शुभम् । आश्रमस्य समीपे ऽस्य यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव ।। 7.65.38 ।।

tasya kalmāṣapādasya yajñasyāyatanaṃ śubham | āśramasya samīpe 'sya yanmāṃ pṛcchasi rāghava || 7.65.38 ||

O Raghava, the auspicious place of sacrifice belonging to Kalmashapada, which you ask me about, is near this hermitage.

तस्य तां पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य कथां श्रुत्वा सुदारुणाम् । विवेश पर्णशालायां महर्षिमभिवाद्य च ।। 7.65.39 ।।

tasya tāṃ pārthivendrasya kathāṃ śrutvā sudāruṇām | viveśa parṇaśālāyāṃ maharṣimabhivādya ca || 7.65.39 ||

Having heard that very terrible story of the king, he saluted the great sage and entered the hermitage. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः ।। 65 ।। Thus ends the sixty-fifth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.