Uttara Kanda, Sarga 81

स मुहूर्तादुपश्रुत्य देवर्षिरमितप्रभः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः क्षुधार्तः सन्न्यवर्तत ।। 7.81.1 ।।

sa muhūrtādupaśrutya devarṣiramitaprabhaḥ | svamāśramaṃ śiṣyavṛtaḥ kṣudhārtaḥ sannyavartata || 7.81.1 ||

After a short while, the divine sage of immeasurable splendor, surrounded by his disciples and afflicted by hunger, returned to his hermitage, having heard (something amiss).

सो ऽपश्यदरजां दीनां रजसा समभिप्लुताम् । ज्योत्स्नामिव ग्रहग्रस्तां प्रत्यूषे न विराजतीम् ।। 7.81.2 ।।

so 'paśyadarajāṃ dīnāṃ rajasā samabhiplutām | jyotsnāmiva grahagrastāṃ pratyūṣe na virājatīm || 7.81.2 ||

He saw Arajā, distressed and covered with impurity, like moonlight eclipsed by a planet and not shining brightly at dawn.

तस्य रोषः समभवत्क्षुधार्तस्य विशेषतः । निर्दहन्निव लोकांस्त्रीञ्छिष्यांश्चैतदुवाच ह ।। 7.81.3 ।।

tasya roṣaḥ samabhavatkṣudhārtasya viśeṣataḥ | nirdahanniva lokāṃstrīñchiṣyāṃścaitaduvāca ha || 7.81.3 ||

His anger, especially due to hunger, arose as if burning the three worlds, and he spoke this to his disciples.

पश्यध्वं विपरीतस्य दण्डस्याविजितात्मनः । विपत्तिं घोरसङ्काशां क्रुद्धामग्निशिखामिव ।। 7.81.4 ।।

paśyadhvaṃ viparītasya daṇḍasyāvijitātmanaḥ | vipattiṃ ghorasaṅkāśāṃ kruddhāmagniśikhāmiva || 7.81.4 ||

Behold the terrible calamity, like an enraged flame of fire, that will befall the perverse and uncontrolled King Daṇḍa.

क्षयो ऽस्य दुर्मतेः प्राप्तः सानुगस्य दुरात्मनः । यः प्रदीप्तां हुताशस्य शिखां वै स्प्रष्टुमिच्छति ।। 7.81.5 ।।

kṣayo 'sya durmateḥ prāptaḥ sānugasya durātmanaḥ | yaḥ pradīptāṃ hutāśasya śikhāṃ vai spraṣṭumicchati || 7.81.5 ||

The destruction of this evil-minded and wicked one, along with his followers, is imminent, for he desires to touch a blazing flame of fire.

यस्मात्स कृतवान्पापमीदृशं घोरसंहितम् । तस्मात्प्राप्स्यति दुर्मेधाः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः ।। 7.81.6 ।।

yasmātsa kṛtavānpāpamīdṛśaṃ ghorasaṃhitam | tasmātprāpsyati durmedhāḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ || 7.81.6 ||

Because he has committed such a terrible sin, that foolish one will therefore receive the consequence of his evil deed.

सप्तरात्रेण राजासौ सभृत्यबलवाहनः । पापकर्मसमाचारो वधं प्राप्स्यति दुर्मतिः ।। 7.81.7 ।।

saptarātreṇa rājāsau sabhṛtyabalavāhanaḥ | pāpakarmasamācāro vadhaṃ prāpsyati durmatiḥ || 7.81.7 ||

Within seven nights, that evil-minded king, whose conduct is sinful, will meet his death along with his servants, army, and vehicles.

समन्ताद्योजनशतं विषयं चास्य दुर्मतेः । धक्ष्यते पांसुवर्षेण महता पाकशासनः ।। 7.81.8 ।।

samantādyojanaśataṃ viṣayaṃ cāsya durmateḥ | dhakṣyate pāṃsuvarṣeṇa mahatā pākaśāsanaḥ || 7.81.8 ||

Shukra declares that Indra will destroy the evil-minded Daṇḍa's region, extending a hundred yojanas in all directions, with a mighty shower of dust.

सर्वसत्वानि यानीह स्थावराणि चराणि च । महता पांसुवर्षेण विलयं सर्वतो ऽगमन् ।। 7.81.9 ।।

sarvasatvāni yānīha sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca | mahatā pāṃsuvarṣeṇa vilayaṃ sarvato 'gaman || 7.81.9 ||

All beings, both mobile and immobile, present in that region, completely met their destruction due to the great shower of dust.

दण्डस्य विषयो यावत्तावत्सर्वसमुच्छ्रयम् । पांसुवर्षमिवालक्ष्यं सप्तरात्रं भविष्यति ।। 7.81.10 ।।

daṇḍasya viṣayo yāvattāvatsarvasamucchrayam | pāṃsuvarṣamivālakṣyaṃ saptarātraṃ bhaviṣyati || 7.81.10 ||

For seven nights, the entire region of Daṇḍa, including all elevated structures, will become imperceptible, as if covered by a continuous shower of dust.

इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षस्तदाश्रमनिवासिनम् । जनं जनपदान्तेषु स्थीयतामिति चाब्रवीत् ।। 7.81.11 ।।

ityuktvā krodhatāmrākṣastadāśramanivāsinam | janaṃ janapadānteṣu sthīyatāmiti cābravīt || 7.81.11 ||

Having spoken thus, Shukra, whose eyes were red with anger, instructed the people residing in that hermitage to stay at the borders of the country.

श्रुत्वा तूशनसो वाक्यं सो ऽ ऽश्रमावसथो जनः । निष्क्रान्तो विषयात्तस्मात्स्थानं चक्रे ऽथ बाह्यतः ।। 7.81.12 ।।

śrutvā tūśanaso vākyaṃ so ' 'śramāvasatho janaḥ | niṣkrānto viṣayāttasmātsthānaṃ cakre 'tha bāhyataḥ || 7.81.12 ||

Having heard the words of Ushanas (Shukra), the people dwelling in that hermitage then departed from that region and established their abode outside.

स तथोक्त्वा मुनिजनमरजामिदमब्रवीत् । इहैव वस दुर्मेधे आश्रमे सुसमाहिता ।। 7.81.13 ।।

sa tathoktvā munijanamarajāmidamabravīt | ihaiva vasa durmedhe āśrame susamāhitā || 7.81.13 ||

Having thus spoken to the sages, he then said to Araja, "O foolish one, dwell here in this hermitage, well-composed."

इदं योजनपर्यन्तं सरः सुरुचिरप्रभम् । अरजे विज्वरा भुङ्क्ष्व कालश्चात्र प्रतीक्ष्यताम् ।। 7.81.14 ।।

idaṃ yojanaparyantaṃ saraḥ suruciraprabham | araje vijvarā bhuṅkṣva kālaścātra pratīkṣyatām || 7.81.14 ||

O Araja, enjoy this lake, which extends for a yojana and possesses a very beautiful splendor, free from distress, and let time pass here.

त्वत्समीपे च ये सत्त्वा वासमेष्यन्ति तां निशाम् । अवध्याः पांसुवर्षेण ते भविष्यन्ति नित्यदा ।। 7.81.15 ।।

tvatsamīpe ca ye sattvā vāsameṣyanti tāṃ niśām | avadhyāḥ pāṃsuvarṣeṇa te bhaviṣyanti nityadā || 7.81.15 ||

And those beings who come to dwell near you for that night will always be invulnerable to the shower of dust.

श्रुत्वा नियोगं ब्रह्मर्षेः सा ऽरजा भार्गवी तदा । तथेति पितरं प्राह भार्गवं भृशदुःखिता । इत्युक्त्वा भार्गवो वासमन्यत्र समकारयत् ।। 7.81.16 ।।

śrutvā niyogaṃ brahmarṣeḥ sā 'rajā bhārgavī tadā | tatheti pitaraṃ prāha bhārgavaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitā | ityuktvā bhārgavo vāsamanyatra samakārayat || 7.81.16 ||

Greatly distressed, Araja, the daughter of Bhargava, then said "So be it" to her father, the Brahmarshi, after hearing his command; having said this, Bhargava then arranged for his dwelling elsewhere.

तच्च राज्यं नरेन्द्रस्य सभृत्यबलवाहनम् । सप्ताहाद्भस्मसाद्भूतं यथोक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना ।। 7.81.17 ।।

tacca rājyaṃ narendrasya sabhṛtyabalavāhanam | saptāhādbhasmasādbhūtaṃ yathoktaṃ brahmavādinā || 7.81.17 ||

And that kingdom of the king, along with its servants, army, and vehicles, was reduced to ashes within seven days, just as the sage had foretold.

तस्यासौ दण्डविषयो विन्ध्यशैवलयोर्नृप । शप्तो ब्रह्मर्षिणा तेन वैधर्म्ये सहिते कृते ।। 7.81.18 ।।

tasyāsau daṇḍaviṣayo vindhyaśaivalayornṛpa | śapto brahmarṣiṇā tena vaidharmye sahite kṛte || 7.81.18 ||

O king, this region of Daṇḍa, situated between the Vindhya and Śaivala mountains, was cursed by that Brahmarṣi when unrighteousness was committed there.

ततः प्रभृति काकुत्स्थ दण्डकारण्यमुच्यते । तपस्विनः स्थिता ह्यत्र जनस्थानमतो ऽभवत् ।। 7.81.19 ।।

tataḥ prabhṛti kākutstha daṇḍakāraṇyamucyate | tapasvinaḥ sthitā hyatra janasthānamato 'bhavat || 7.81.19 ||

O Kakutstha, from that time onwards, this region is called Daṇḍakāraṇya, and because ascetics resided here, it also became known as Janasthāna.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव । सन्ध्यामुपासितुं वीर समयो ह्यतिवर्तते ।। 7.81.20 ।।

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yanmāṃ pṛcchasi rāghava | sandhyāmupāsituṃ vīra samayo hyativartate || 7.81.20 ||

O Raghava, I have told you all that you asked me, but O hero, the time for performing the twilight prayer is indeed passing.

एते महर्षयः सर्वे पूर्णकुम्भाः समन्ततः । कृतोदका नरव्याघ्र आदित्यं पर्युपासते ।। 7.81.21 ।।

ete maharṣayaḥ sarve pūrṇakumbhāḥ samantataḥ | kṛtodakā naravyāghra ādityaṃ paryupāsate || 7.81.21 ||

O tiger among men, all these great sages, with their water pots full and having performed their water rituals, are worshipping the sun god all around.

स तैर्ब्राह्मणमभ्यस्तं सहितैर्ब्रह्मवित्तमैः । रविरस्तं गतो राम गच्छोदकमुपस्पृश ।। 7.81.22 ।।

sa tairbrāhmaṇamabhyastaṃ sahitairbrahmavittamaiḥ | ravirastaṃ gato rāma gacchodakamupaspṛśa || 7.81.22 ||

O Rama, the sun has set, having been worshipped by those best knowers of Brahman who recite the Vedas; therefore, go and perform your ablutions. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकाशीतितमः सर्गः ।। 81 ।। Thus ends the eighty-first sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.