Sloka & Translation

Audio

[Viswamitra protects Sunassepha and continues his austerities.]

शुनश्शेफं नरश्रेष्ठ गृहीत्वा तु महायशा:।

व्यश्राम्यत् पुष्करे राजा मध्याह्ने रघुनन्दन।।1.62.1।।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Foremost of men, रघुनन्दन O Rama, महायशा: illustrious, राजा king, शुन:शेफम् Sunassepha, गृहीत्वा having taken, मध्याह्ने by noon, पुष्करे in the Pushkara, व्यश्राम्यत् rested.

O Foremost of men, O Delight of the Raghus (Rama) the illustrious king (Ambarisha) took Sunassepha with him. (On the way) at Pushkara he took some rest at noon.
तस्य विश्रममाणस्य शुनश्शेफो महायशा:।

पुष्करक्षेत्रमागम्य विश्वामित्रं ददर्श ह।।1.62.2।।

तप्यन्तमृषिभिस्सार्धं मातुलं परमातुर:।


तस्य as he, विश्रममाणस्य was resting, महायशा: highly famous, शुन:शेफ: Sunassepha, परमातुर: greately aggrieved, पुष्करक्षेत्रम् sacred Pushkara, आगम्य having approached, ऋषिभि:सार्धम् in the company of other sages, तप्यन्तम् performing austerities, मातुलम् maternal uncle, विश्वामित्रम् Visvamitra, ददर्श ह beheld.

While the king was resting at Pushkara, the famous Sunassepha, very much distressed, happened to see his maternal uncle Viswamitra in the company of other sages performing austerities.
विवर्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च।।1.62.3।।

पपाताङ्के मुनेराशु वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह।


तृष्णया with thirst, श्रमेण च and fatigue, विवर्णवदन: with discoloured face, दीन: piteous, आशु immediately, मुने: sage's, अङ्के lap, पपात fell, इदम् these, वाक्यम् words, उवाच ह spoke.

With his face discoloured due to thirst and fatigue, he (Sunassepha) immediately fell into the sage's lap in a pitiable condition and said:
न मेऽस्ति माता न पिता ज्ञातयो बान्धवा: कुत:।।1.62.4।।

त्रातुमर्हसि मां सौम्य धर्मेण मुनिपुङ्गव।


सौम्य O Gentle man, मुनिपुङ्गव O Preeminent among ascetics, मे to me, माता mother, नास्ति does no exist, पिता father, न not, ज्ञातय: agnate relations, बान्धवा: relatives, कुत: where?, माम् me, धर्मेण in accordance with righteousness, त्रातुम् to protect, अर्हसि behoves of you.

"O Noble man O Preeminent among ascetics I have no mother nor father nor friends nor relatives. You should protect me according to dharma.
त्राता त्वं हि मुनिश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावन:।।1.62.5।।

राजा च कृतकार्यस्स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्यय:।

स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वाह्यनुत्तमम्।।1.62.6।।


मुनिश्रेष्ठ O Best among ascetics, त्वम् you, सर्वेषाम् to everybody, त्राता हि protector, त्वम् you, भावन: हि promoter of others' welfare, राजा king, कृतकार्य: fulfilling the purpose, स्यात् become, अहम् I, दीर्घायु: one who has long life, अव्यय: imperishable, अनुत्तमम् great, तप: austerities, तप्त्वा having performed, स्वर्गलोकम् heaven, उपाश्नीयाम् I may enjoy.

O Best among ascetics you are the protecor of everybody. You are promoter of others' welfare. May the king fulfil his purpose. May I live long and become immortal and attain heaven after performing great penance. May I enjoy heaven.
त्वं मे नाथो ह्यनाथस्य भव भव्येन चेतसा।

पितेव पुत्रं धर्मात्मं स्त्रातुमर्हसि किल्बिषात्।।1.62.7।।


अनाथस्य an orphan as i am, मे to me, त्वम् you, भव्येन with auspicious, चेतसा mind, नाथ: lord, भव be, धर्मात्मन् O virtuous one, पिता father, पुत्रमिव like son, किल्बिषात् from sin, त्रातुम् to protect, अर्ह्रसि behoves of you.

O Virtuous one with a kind heart protect this orphan. Like a father who protects his son, save me from this peril".
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपा:।

सान्त्वयित्वा बहुविधं पुत्रानिदमुवाच ह।।1.62.8।।


महातपा: mighty ascetic, विश्वामित्र: Viswamitra, तस्य his, तत् बहुविधम् वचनम् those different kinds of words, श्रुत्वा having listened, सान्त्वयित्वा after consoling him, पुत्रान् addressing his sons, इदम् this word, उवाच spoke.

Having heard Sunassepha, mighty ascetic Viswamitra consoled him in many ways and said to his sons:
यत्कृते पितर: पुत्रान् जनयन्ति शुभार्थिन:।

परलोकहितार्थाय तस्य कालोऽयमागत:।।1.62.9।।


शुभार्थिन: men desiring auspiciousness, पितर: parents, यत्कृते for whichever reason, परलोकहितार्थाय for your wellbeing in other worlds, पुत्रान् sons, जनयन्ति begetting, तस्य for that, अयम् काल: the proper time, आगत: has come.

अयं मुनिसुतो बालो मत्तश्शरणमिच्छति।

अस्य जीवितमात्रेण प्रियं कुरुत पुत्रका:।।1.62.10।।


मुनिसुत: son of sage, अयम् this, बाल: young boy, मत्त: from me, शरणम् refuge, इच्छति is strongly desiring, पुत्रका: O Sons, अस्य for him, जीवितमात्रेण by mere offering of life, प्रियम् dear act, कुरुत you may do.

O sons of the sage this young boy has sought my protection. O Sons you may grant him his desire by merely offering your life.
सर्वे सुकृतकर्माणस्सर्वे धर्मपरायणा: ।

पशुभूता नरेन्द्रस्य तृप्तिमग्ने: प्रयच्छत ।।1.62.11।।


सर्वे all of you, सुकृतकर्माण: have done virtuous deeds, सर्वे all of you, धर्मपरायणा: are engaged in the observance of righteousness, नरेन्द्रस्य for the king, पशुभूता: becoming sacrificial animals, अग्ने for Agni, तृप्तिम् satisfaction, प्रयच्छत give.

Engaged in the observance of righteousness, all of you have done virtuous deeds. By becoming sacrificial animals for the king, you may satisfy Agni.
नाथवांश्च शुनश्शेफो यज्ञश्चाविघ्नितो भवेत्।

देवतास्तर्पिताश्चस्युर्मम चापि कृतं वच:।।1.62.12।।


शुनशेफ: Sunassepha, नाथवान् च will have a protector, यज्ञश्च sacrifice also, अविघ्नत: without hindrance, भवेत् will become, देवता: devatas, तर्पिता: gratified, स्यु: will become, मम my, वच: च words also, कृतम् will be done.

Then Sunassepha will be protected. The king's sacrifice will continue without hindrance. The gods will be gratified. My words also will come true".
मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा मधुच्छन्दादय स्सुता:।

साभिमानं नरश्रेष्ठ सलीलमिदमब्रुवन्।।1.62.13।।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Best of men, मधुच्छन्दादय: Madhuchanda and others, सुता: sons, मुने: ascetics's, वचनम् words, श्रुत्वा having listened, साभिमानम् with selfesteem, सलीलम् with ease, इदम् these words, अब्रुवन् spoke.

"O Best of men (Rama) in response to the words of the sage Madhuchanda and others said thus in a casual way with selfesteem.
कथमात्मसुतान् हित्वा त्रायसेऽन्यसुतं विभो।

अकार्यमिव पश्याम श्श्वमांस इव भोजने।।1.62.14।।


विभो O Lord, आत्मसुतान् ones own sons, हित्वा abandoning, अन्यसुतम् other's son, कथम् how, त्रायसे you rescue, भोजने in partaking, श्वमांस इव like the flesh of dog, अकार्यमिव as if a prohibited act, पश्याम: we find.

O Lord protecting other's son by abandoning one' own is like partaking the flesh of a dog. We consider it a prohibited act".
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां मुनिपुङ्गव:।

क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे।।1.62.15।।


मुनिपुङ्गव: eminent ascetic, तेषाम् पुत्राणाम् of those sons', तद् वचनम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, क्रोधसंरक्तनयन: with eyes reddened with anger, व्याहर्तुम् to speak, उपचक्रमे commenced.

On hearing the words of his sons Viswamitra, the eminent ascetic, eyes reddened with anger began to speak:
निस्साध्वसमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मादपि विगर्हितम्।

अतिक्रम्य तु मद्वाक्यं दारुणं रोमहर्षणम्।।1.62.16।।


मद्वाक्यम् my words, अतिक्रम्य having trangressed, धर्मादपि even according to morality, विगर्हितम् censurable, दारुणम् dreadful, रोमहर्षणम् causing the hair to stand on end, इदम् these words, निस्साध्वसम् audacious, प्रोक्तम् have been uttered.

"(You have) not only trangressed my words but also (you are) censurable according to dharma. You have uttered such audacious and dreadrul words causing the hair to stand on end.
श्वमांसभोजिनस्सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु।

पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ।।1.62.17।।


सर्वे all of you, श्वमांसभोजिन: feeding on the flesh of dog, पूर्णं complete, वर्षसहस्रम् thousand years, पृथिव्याम् on this earth, वासिष्ठा: इव like sons of Vasishta, जातिषु in (Mushtika) race, अनुवत्स्यथ shall dwell.

All of you shall live on earth for a thousand years, like the sons of Vasishta feeding on the flesh of dogs".
कृत्वा शापसमायुक्तान् पुत्रान् मुनिवरस्तथा।

शुनश्शेफमुवाचार्तं कृत्वा रक्षां निरामयम्।।1.62.18।।


मुनिवर: best of ascetics, पुत्रान् his sons, शाप समायुक्तान् doomed with curse, कृत्वा having made, तथा then, निरामयम् free from pain, रक्षाम् protection, कृत्वा having made, आर्तम् filled with distress, शुन:शेफम् addressing Sunassepha, (इदम् these words), उवाच spoke.

Viswamitra the best of ascetics, thus cursed his sons. Sunassepha, (now) was filled with distress. To relieve him of his pain he said:
पवित्रपाशैरासक्तो रक्तमाल्यानुलेपन:।

वैष्णवं यूपमासाद्य वाग्भिरग्निमुदाहर ।।1.62.19।।


वैष्णवं यूपम् Vaishnava sacrificial post, आसाद्य having reached, पवित्रपाशै: with sacred ropes, आसक्त: having bound with, रक्तमाल्यानुलेपन: bedaubing your body with red sandal paste and adorned with red garlands, वाग्भि: with the hymns, अग्निम् Agni, उदाहर invoke.

"Bedaubing your person with red sandal paste and adorned with red garlands, you will
be bound to a Vaishnava, sacrificial post with sacred ropes. There invoke Agni with these hymns.
इमे तु गाथे द्वे दिव्ये गायेथा मुनिपुत्रक।

अम्बरीषस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिंस्तत स्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।1.62.20।।


मुनिपुत्रक: O Son of the sage, अम्बरीषस्य Ambarisha's, अस्मिन् यज्ञे in this sacrifice, इमे द्वे these two, दिव्ये sacred, गाथे verses, गायेथा: chant, तत: there after, सिद्धिम् success, अवाप्स्यसि you will achieve.

O Son of sage chant thse two sacred mantras in the sacrifice of Ambarisha.There after you will achieve success (long life)".
शुनश्शेफो गृहीत्वा ते द्वे गाथे सुसमाहित:।

त्वरया राजसिंहं तमम्बरीषमुवाच ह।।1.62.21।।


शुनश्शेफ: Sunassepha, सुसमाहित: with concentration of mind, ते द्वे those two, गाथे verses, गृहीत्वा after securing, राजसिंहम् the lion among kings, तम् अम्बरीषम् that Amabarisha, त्वरया quickly, उवाच ह spoke.

Sunassepha memorized the two verses with concentration of mind and hastened towards Amabarisha, a lion among kings. And said:
राजसिंह महासत्त्व शीघ्रं गच्छावहे सद:।

निर्वर्तयस्व राजेन्द्र दीक्षां च समुपाविश।।1.62.22।।


महासत्त्व endowed with great strength, राजसिंह lion among kings, सद: sacrificial assembly, शीघ्रम् without dealy, गच्छावहे we shall both go, राजेन्द्र O Indra of monarchs, निर्वर्तयस्व perform, दीक्षाम् initiatory rites, समुपाविश take up.

"Endowed with great strength, you are a lion among kings. We shall go to the sacrificial assembly without delay. O Indra among monarchs, take up initiatory rites
and perform the sacrifice".
तद्वाक्यमृषिपुत्रस्य श्रुत्वा हर्षसमुत्सुक: ।

जगाम नृपति श्शीघ्रं यज्ञवाटमतन्द्रित:।।1.62.23।।


नृपति: king, ऋषिपुत्रस्य sage's son's, तत् वाक्यम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, हर्षसमुत्सुक: rejoiced with delight, अतन्द्रित: promptly, यज्ञवाटम् sacrificial ground, जगाम went.

At the words of the sage's son, the king, eager with delight hastened towards the sacrificial ground.
सदस्यानुमते राजा पवित्रकृतलक्षणम्।

पशुं रक्ताम्बरं कृत्वा यूपे तं समबन्धयत्।।1.62.24।।


राजा king, सदस्यानुमते with the consent of officiating priests, तम् that Sunassepha, पवित्रकृतलक्षणम् forming sacred knots of Kusa grass, रक्ताम्बरम् with red apparel, पशुम् as sacrificial animal, कृत्वा having made, यूपे to the sacrificial post, समबन्धयत् tied.

With the consent of the officiating priests the king invested Sunasepha with the sacred symbols with Kusa grass, dressed him in red apparel and tied him to the sacrificial post as a sacrificial animal.
सबद्धो वाग्भिरग्य्राभिरभितुष्टाव वै सुरौ।

इन्द्रमिन्द्रानुजं चैव यथावन्मुनिपुत्रक:।।1.62.25।।


बद्ध: having been bound, स: मुनिपुत्रक: the son of sage, इन्द्रम् Indra, इन्द्रानुजं चैव Upendra, सुरौ two devatas, अग्य्राभि: with excellent, वाग्भि: words, यथावत् properly, अभितुष्टाव praised.

Thus bound, the son of the sage praised the two devatas, Indra and Upendra with moving words.
तत: प्रीत स्सहस्राक्षो रहस्यस्तुतितर्पित:।

दीर्घमायुस्तदा प्रादाच्छुनश्शेफाय राघव ।।1.62.26।।


राघव O Rama, तत: then, रहस्यस्तुतितर्पित: gratified with secret praise, सहस्राक्ष: Indra, प्रीत: pleased, तदा then, शुन:शेफाय for Sunasepha, दीर्घम् long, आयु: life, प्रादात् gave.

"O Descendant of Raghu (Rama) Indra, gratified with the secret hymn granted Sunassepha long life.
स च राजा नरश्रेष्ठ यज्ञस्य च समाप्तवान्।

फलं बहुगुणं राम सहस्राक्षप्रसादजम्।।1.62.27।।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Foremost of men, राम Rama, स: राजा च that king also, सहस्राक्षप्रसादजम् through the grace of Indra, बहुगुणम् several times, यज्ञस्य of sacrifice, फलम् fruits, समाप्तवान् obtained.

O Foremost of men O Rama the king also obtained from the sacrifics innumerable rewards by the grace of Indra several times greater than expected.
विश्वामित्रो ऽपि धर्मात्मा भूयस्तेपे महातपा:।

पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ दशवर्षशतानि च।।1.62.28।।


नरश्रेष्ठ O Best among men, धर्मत्मा the righteous, महातपा: mighty ascetic, विश्वामित्र: अपि Visvamitra also, पुष्करेषु in that sacred spot name Pushkara, दशवर्षशतानि thousand years, भूय: again, तेपे continued his austerities.

O Best among men the righteous and mighty ascetic Viswamitra also continued his austerities at Pushkara for a thousand years".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the sixtysecond sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.