Sloka & Translation

Audio

[Viswamitra obtains the title of Maharshi -- Menaka creates impediments to his penance --- Viswamitra performs intense austerities to obtain the rank of Brahmarshi.]

pūrṇē varṣasahasrē tu vratasnātaṅ mahāmunim.

abhyāgacchan surāssarvē tapa: phalacikīrṣava:৷৷1.63.1৷৷


varṣasahasrē when thousand years, pūrṇē had been completed, sarvē all, surā: devatas, tapa: phalacikīrṣava: desiring to bestow the fruits of his austerities, vratasnātam who had taken the ritual bath after completion of the ritual, mahāmunim mighty ascetic, abhyāgacchan approached.

All the gods wanted to bestow the fruits of austerties on the mighty ascetic (Viswamitra). They approached him after a thousand years of penace and his final ritual bath.
abravītsumahātējā brahmā suruciraṅ vaca:.

ṛṣistvamasi bhadraṅ tē svārjitai: karmabhiśśubhai:৷৷1.63.2৷৷


sumahātējā: exceedingly effulgent, brahmā Brahma, suruciram attractive, vaca: words, abravīt spoke, tvam you, svārjitai: with self-earned, śubhai: karmabhi: sacred deeds, ṛṣi: asi have become Rishi, tē bhadram prosperity to you.

Exceedingly effulgent Brahma spoke to him, "You have become a rishi through the self-earned sacred deeds. Fare you well".
tamēvamuktvā dēvēśastridivaṅ punarabhyagāt .

viśvāmitrō mahātējā bhūyastēpē mahattapa:৷৷1.63.3৷৷


dēvēśa: lord of devatas, tam him, ēvam thus, uktvā having spoken, puna: again, tridivam towards heaven, abhyagāt went, mahātējā: a man of mighty effulgence, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, bhūya: again, mahat great, tapa: austerities, tēpē performed.

Brahma, the lord of the gods, having said this returned to heaven. The brilliant Viswamitra continues his austerities.
tata: kālēna mahatā mēnakā paramā.psarā:.

puṣkarēṣu naraśrēṣṭha snātuṅ samupacakramē৷৷1.63.4৷৷


naraśrēṣṭha O! foremost of men, tata: thereafter, mahatā great, kālēna after a great lapse of time, mēnakā one named Menaka, paramāpsarā: freatest among nymphs, puṣkarēṣu in the spot at Pushkara, snātum to bathe, samupacakramē commenced.

"O Foremost of men! after a long lapse of time a chief nymph called Menaka came to bathe at Pushkara.
tāṅ dadarśa mahātējā mēnakāṅ kuśikātmaja:.

rūpēṇāpratimāṅ tatra vidyutaṅ jaladē yathā৷৷1.63.5৷৷


mahātējā: highly lustrous, kuśikātmaja: son of Kusika, Visvamitra, tatra in that Pushkara, jaladē in the clouds, vidyutaṅ yathā like lightening, rūpēṇa in beauty, apratimām incomparable, tām mēnakām that Menaka, dadarśa beheld.

There the most brilliant son of Kusika Viswamitra saw Menaka whose beauty was incomparable. She looked like lightning in the clouds.
dṛṣṭvā kandarpavaśagō munistāmidamabravīt.

apsarassvāgataṅ tē.stu vasa cēha mamāśramē৷৷1.63.6৷৷

anugṛhṇīṣva bhadraṅ tē madanēna sumōhitam.


dṛṣṭvā having seen, muni: sage Visvamitra, kandarpavaśaga: under the influence of Kandarpa, Cupid, tām her, idam these words, abravīt spoke, apsara: O! Apsarasa, tē to you, svāgatam astu wecome, mama my, iha here, āśramē hermitage, vasa ca dwell, madanēna by Manmatha, sumōhitam highly infatuated, anugṛhṇīṣva favour me, tē bhadram safety to you.

On seeing her (Menaka) Viswamitra came under the influence of the god of love (fell in love with her). He said, O Apsara! welcome to my hermitage stay here. I am infatuated with you: Oblige me. Wish you well.
ityuktā sā varārōhā tatra vāsamathākarōt৷৷1.63.7৷৷

tasyāṅ vasantyāṅ varṣāṇi pañca pañca ca rāghava !.

viśvāmitrāśramē rāma sukhēna vyaticakramu:৷৷1.63.8৷৷


rāghava O! Rama, sā varārōhā that women of exalted breeding, iti thus, uktā having been spoken, atha thereafter, tatra there, vāsam habitation, akarōt made, rāma O! Rama, tasyām while she, viśvāmitrāśramē in the hermitage of Visvamitra, vasantyām while living, pañca pañca ca ten, varṣāṇi years, sukhēna happily, vyaticakramu: passed away.

"O Descendant of Raghu! while that woman of an exalted race lived in the hermitage of Viswamitra, ten years rolled by happily".
atha kālē gatē tasminviśvāmitrō mahāmuni:.

savrīḍa iva samvṛttaścintāśōkaparāyaṇa:৷৷1.63.9৷৷


atha there after, tasmin kālē when that period, gatē was spent, mahāmuni: mighty ascetic, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, cintāśōkaparāyaṇa: filled with grief and sorrowful thought, savrīḍa iva as though with shame, samvṛtta: became.

As the period passed, Viswamitra the mighty ascetic was filled with grief, anxiety and
remorse.
buddhirmunēssamutpannā sāmarṣā raghunandana!.

sarvaṅ surāṇāṅ karmaitattapōpaharaṇaṅ mahat৷৷1.63.10৷৷


rāghunandana! O! Rama, munē: for the ascetic, sāmarṣā filled with indignation, buddhi: a thought, samutpannā arose, ētat sarvam all this, mahat great, tapōpaharaṇam taking away tapas, surāṇām devatas', karma deed.

O Delight of the Raghus (Rama)! a sense of indignation filled the mind of the ascetic. 'All this is the conspiracy of the gods to deprive me of my great austerities', he thought.
ahōrātrāpadēśēna gatāssaṅvatsarā daśa.

kāmamōhābhibhūtasya vighnō.yaṅ samupasthita:৷৷1.63.11৷৷


kāmamōhābhibhūtasya for me possessed by lust and delusion, daśa saṅvatsarā: ten years, ahōrātrāpadēśēna under the pretext of day and night, gatā: have passed by, ayam vighna: this hindrance, samupasthita: has befallen.

Night and day deluded by lust I have wasted ten years. A hindrance has been posed (to my tapas).
viniśśvasanmunivara: paścāttāpēna du:khita:.

bhītāmapsarasaṅ dṛṣṭvā vēpantīṅ prāñjaliṅ sthitām৷৷1.63.12৷৷

mēnakāṅ madhurairvākyairvisṛjya kuśikātmaja:.

uttaraṅ parvataṅ rāma! viśvāmitrō jagāma ha৷৷1.63.13৷৷


rāma O! Rama, munivara: best of ascetics, kuśikātmaja: son of Kusika, viśvāmitra: Viswamitra, paścāttāpēna with repentence, du:khita: distressed, viniśvasan sighing, bhītām freightened, prāñjaliṅ sthitām standing with folded palms, vēpantīm trembling, apsarasam apsara, mēnakām Menaka, dṛṣṭvā having seen, madhurai: with sweet, vākyai: words, visṛjya after permitting her to leave, uttaraṅ parvatam northern mountain, jagāma ha went.

"O Rama! Viswamitra, the best of ascetics sighed with repentance, distressed with grief. On seeing him, the apsara started trembling in fear. She stood before him with folded palms. (But) with sweet words the son of Kushika left her and proceeded
towards the northern mountains.
sa kṛtvā naiṣṭhikīṅ buddhiṅ jētukāmō mahāyaśā:.

kauśikītīramāsādya tapastēpē sudāruṇam৷৷1.63.14৷৷


mahāyaśā: highly illustrious, sa: he (that Visvamitra), naiṣṭhikīm life long abstinence and chastity, buddhim mind, kṛtvā having made, jētukāma: with a view to control his senses, kauśikītīram the banks of the Kausiki river, āsādya having reached, sudāruṇam highly rigid, tapa: austerities, tēpē performed.

Illustrious Viswamitra took a vow of celibacy in order to control his senses. And performed rigid austerities on reaching the bank of river Kausiki.
tasya varṣasahasraṅ tu ghōraṅ tapa upāsata:.

uttarē parvatē rāma dēvatānāmabhūdbhayam৷৷1.63.15৷৷


rāma O! Rama, tasya for him, uttarē parvatē on the northern mountains, varṣasahasram a thousand years, ghōram fearful, tapa: penance, upāsata: while performing, dēvatānām to devatas, bhayam abhūt fear arose.

O Rama! while he was performing rigorous penance for a thousand years on the northern mountains, the gods were gripped with fear. (lest he should exceed them).
āmantrayan samāgamya sarvē sarṣigaṇā ssurā:.

maharṣiśabdaṅ labhatāṅ sādhvayaṅ kuśikātmaja:৷৷1.63.16৷৷


sarṣigaṇā: along with hosts of rishis, sarvē all, surā: devatas, samāgamya having met together, ayam kuśikātmaja: this Viswamitra, sādhu rightly, maharṣiśabdam title of Maharshi, labhatām be obtained, āmantrayan thought over.

After consultations the gods and sages decided that this son of Kushika (Viswamitra) deserved the status of a Maharshi".
dēvatānāṅ vaca śśṛtvā sarvalōkapitāmaha:.

abravīnmadhuraṅ vākyaṅ viśvāmitraṅ tapōdhanam৷৷1.63.17৷৷


sarvalōkapitāmaha: grand-sire of the worlds, Brahma, dēvatānām devatas, vaca: words, śrutvā haivng heard, tapōdhanam great ascetic, viśvāmitram Visvamitra, madhuram sweet, vākyam words, abravīt spoke.

Having heard the gods, the Grandsire of the worlds (Brahma) addressed Viswamitra whose wealth was his ascetism in these sweet words.
maharṣē svāgataṅ vatsa tapasōgrēṇa tōṣita:.

mahattvamṛṣimukhyatvaṅ dadāmi tava kauśika! ৷৷1.63.18৷৷


maharṣē O! Maharshi, vatsa O! Child, svāgatam welcome, ugrēṇa with intense, tapasā austerities, tōṣita: I have been pleased, kauśika O! Son of Kusika, Visvamitra, tava your, mahattvam eminenence, ṛṣimukhyatvam pre-eminence among sages (maharshi hood), dadāmi I here by give.

"O Maharshi! O Child welcome! Pleased with your intense austerities, O Son of Kushika! I confer upon you the eminent rank of a great rishi (maharshi)".
brahmaṇassa vacaśśrutvā sarvalōkēśvarasya ha.

na viṣaṇṇō na santuṣṭō viśvāmitrastapōdhana:৷৷1.63.19৷৷


tapōdhana: the great ascetic, sa: viśvāmitra: afterwards, sarvalōkēśvarasya of the lord of all worlds, brahmaṇa: Brahma, vaca: words, śrutvā having heard, na viṣaṇṇa: not dejected, na santuṣṭa: not pleased.

Having heard the words Brahman, the lord of all the worlds, Viswamitra whose wealth was his asceticism was neither dejected nor delighted.
prāñjali: praṇatō bhūtvā sarvalōkapitāmaham.

pratyuvāca tatō vācaṅ viśvāmitrō mahāmuni:৷৷1.63.20৷৷


tata: then, mahāmuni: mighty ascetic, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, prāñjali: with folded hands, praṇata: bhūtvā having bowed, sarvalōkapitāmaham grand-sire of all worlds, vācam words, pratyuvāca replied.

Then the mighty ascetic Viswamitra bowed to Brahma, the Grandsire of all the worlds with folded hands and replied:
maharṣiśabdamatulaṅ svārjitai: karmabhiśśubhai:.

yadi mē bhagavānāha tatō.haṅ vijitēndriya:৷৷1.63.21৷৷


bhagavān adorable one, svārjitai: earned by me, śubhai: by the auspicious, karmabhi: deeds, atulam incomparble, maharṣiśabdam title of Maharshi, mē to me, āha yadi if it has been told, tata: then, aham I, vijitēndriya: have conquered my senses.

"O Adorable one, if you have conferred the incomparable title of 'Maharshi' earned by my auspicious deeds, I feel I have conquered the senses."
tamuvāca tatō brahmā na tāvat ttvaṅ jitēndriya:.

yatasva muniśārdūla ityuktvā tridivaṅ gata:৷৷1.63.22৷৷


tata: then, brahmā Brahma, tam addressing him, uvāca said, ttvam you, jitēndriyastāvat having conquered the senses, na not, muniśārdūla O! Best among ascestics, yatasva strive still, iti thus, uktvā having spoken, tridivam towards heaven, gata: went.

Then Brahma said to him, 'You have not conquered the senses yet. O Tiger among
ascetics, strive still.' Having said this he went toward heaven.
viprasthitēṣu dēvēṣu viśvāmitrō mahāmuni:.

ūrdhvabāhurnirālambō vāyubhakṣastapaścaran৷৷1.63.23৷৷


dēvēṣu when devatas, viprasthitēṣu satsu after having departed, mahāmuni: mighty ascetic, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, ūrdhvabāhu: with arms raised upwards, nirālamba: without support, vāyubhakṣa: subsisting on air, tapaścaran while performimg.

After the departure of the gods, mighty ascetic Viswamitra raised his arms up, stood without support, subsisting on air, continuing with his austerities.
gharmē pañcatapā bhūtvā varṣāsvākāśasaṅśraya:.

śiśirē salilasthāyī rātryahāni tapōdhana:৷৷1.63.24৷৷

ēvaṅ varṣasahasraṅ hi tapō ghōramupāgamat.


tapōdhana: that Visvamitra whose asceticism was his wealth, gharmē in summer, pañcatapā: bhūtvā performing penance amidst five fires, varṣāsu during rainy season, ākāśasaṅśrayaḥ taking refuge under the open sky, śiśirē in the cold season, rātryahāni day and night, salilasthāyī immersed in water, ēvam thus, varṣasahasram for a thousand years, ghōram rigid, tapa: austerities, upāgamat performed.

Viswamitra whose wealth was his penance carried on his rigid austerities for a thousand years amidst five fires, in summer, under the open sky in monsoon, and immersed in ater night and day in winter.
tasmin santapyamānē tu viśvāmitrē mahāmunau৷৷1.63.25৷৷

sambhramassumahānāsītsurāṇāṅ vāsavasya ca.


mahāmunau when the mighty ascestic, tasmin viśvāmitrē that Visvamitra, santapyamānē while peforming penance, surāṇām for devatas, vāsavasya ca for Indra also, sumahān greatly, saṅbhrama: āsīt perturbance over took.

When the mighty asetic Viswamitra was peforming penance, the gods as well as Indra got deeply perturbed.
rambhāmapsarasaṅ śakra ssaha sarvairmarudgaṇai:.

uvācātmahitaṅ vākyamahitaṅ kauśikasya ca৷৷1.63.26৷৷


śakra: Indra, sarvai: all, marudgaṇai: saha along with maruts, ātmahitam promoting his welfare, kauśikasya for Kausika, ahitaṅ ca against his welfare, vākyam words, rambhām named Rambha, apsarasam celestial nymph, uvāca said.

Indra along with all the maruts spoke to the celestial nymph Rambha, words that augured well for them and not for kaushika (Viswamitra).
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē triṣaṣṭitamassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the sixtythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.