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

पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु व्रतस्नातं महामुनिम्।

अभ्यागच्छन् सुरास्सर्वे तप: फलचिकीर्षव:।।1.63.1।।


वर्षसहस्रे when thousand years, पूर्णे had been completed, सर्वे all, सुरा: devatas, तप: फलचिकीर्षव: desiring to bestow the fruits of his austerities, व्रतस्नातम् who had taken the ritual bath after completion of the ritual, महामुनिम् mighty ascetic, अभ्यागच्छन् 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.
अब्रवीत्सुमहातेजा ब्रह्मा सुरुचिरं वच:।

ऋषिस्त्वमसि भद्रं ते स्वार्जितै: कर्मभिश्शुभै:।।1.63.2।।


सुमहातेजा: exceedingly effulgent, ब्रह्मा Brahma, सुरुचिरम् attractive, वच: words, अब्रवीत् spoke, त्वम् you, स्वार्जितै: with selfearned, शुभै: कर्मभि: sacred deeds, ऋषि: असि have become Rishi, ते भद्रम् prosperity to you.

Exceedingly effulgent Brahma spoke to him, "You have become a rishi through the selfearned sacred deeds. Fare you well".
तमेवमुक्त्वा देवेशस्त्रिदिवं पुनरभ्यगात् ।

विश्वामित्रो महातेजा भूयस्तेपे महत्तप:।।1.63.3।।


देवेश: lord of devatas, तम् him, एवम् thus, उक्त्वा having spoken, पुन: again, त्रिदिवम् towards heaven, अभ्यगात् went, महातेजा: a man of mighty effulgence, विश्वामित्र: Visvamitra, भूय: again, महत् great, तप: austerities, तेपे performed.

Brahma, the lord of the gods, having said this returned to heaven. The brilliant Viswamitra continues his austerities.
तत: कालेन महता मेनका परमाऽप्सरा:।

पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ स्नातुं समुपचक्रमे।।1.63.4।।


नरश्रेष्ठ O foremost of men, तत: thereafter, महता great, कालेन after a great lapse of time, मेनका one named Menaka, परमाप्सरा: freatest among nymphs, पुष्करेषु in the spot at Pushkara, स्नातुम् to bathe, समुपचक्रमे commenced.

"O Foremost of men after a long lapse of time a chief nymph called Menaka came to bathe at Pushkara.
तां ददर्श महातेजा मेनकां कुशिकात्मज:।

रूपेणाप्रतिमां तत्र विद्युतं जलदे यथा।।1.63.5।।


महातेजा: highly lustrous, कुशिकात्मज: son of Kusika, Visvamitra, तत्र in that Pushkara, जलदे in the clouds, विद्युतं यथा like lightening, रूपेण in beauty, अप्रतिमाम् incomparable, ताम् मेनकाम् that Menaka, ददर्श beheld.

There the most brilliant son of Kusika Viswamitra saw Menaka whose beauty was incomparable. She looked like lightning in the clouds.
दृष्ट्वा कन्दर्पवशगो मुनिस्तामिदमब्रवीत्।

अप्सरस्स्वागतं तेऽस्तु वस चेह ममाश्रमे।।1.63.6।।

अनुगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते मदनेन सुमोहितम्।


दृष्ट्वा having seen, मुनि: sage Visvamitra, कन्दर्पवशग: under the influence of Kandarpa, Cupid, ताम् her, इदम् these words, अब्रवीत् spoke, अप्सर: O Apsarasa, ते to you, स्वागतम् अस्तु wecome, मम my, इह here, आश्रमे hermitage, वस च dwell, मदनेन by Manmatha, सुमोहितम् highly infatuated, अनुगृह्णीष्व favour me, ते भद्रम् 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.
इत्युक्ता सा वरारोहा तत्र वासमथाकरोत्।।1.63.7।।

तस्यां वसन्त्यां वर्षाणि पञ्च पञ्च च राघव ।

विश्वामित्राश्रमे राम सुखेन व्यतिचक्रमु:।।1.63.8।।


राघव O Rama, सा वरारोहा that women of exalted breeding, इति thus, उक्ता having been spoken, अथ thereafter, तत्र there, वासम् habitation, अकरोत् made, राम O Rama, तस्याम् while she, विश्वामित्राश्रमे in the hermitage of Visvamitra, वसन्त्याम् while living, पञ्च पञ्च च ten, वर्षाणि years, सुखेन happily, व्यतिचक्रमु: passed away.

"O Descendant of Raghu while that woman of an exalted race lived in the hermitage of Viswamitra, ten years rolled by happily".
अथ काले गते तस्मिन्विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।

सव्रीड इव सम्वृत्तश्चिन्ताशोकपरायण:।।1.63.9।।


अथ there after, तस्मिन् काले when that period, गते was spent, महामुनि: mighty ascetic, विश्वामित्र: Visvamitra, चिन्ताशोकपरायण: filled with grief and sorrowful thought, सव्रीड इव as though with shame, सम्वृत्त: became.

As the period passed, Viswamitra the mighty ascetic was filled with grief, anxiety and
remorse.
बुद्धिर्मुनेस्समुत्पन्ना सामर्षा रघुनन्दन।

सर्वं सुराणां कर्मैतत्तपोपहरणं महत्।।1.63.10।।


राघुनन्दन O Rama, मुने: for the ascetic, सामर्षा filled with indignation, बुद्धि: a thought, समुत्पन्ना arose, एतत् सर्वम् all this, महत् great, तपोपहरणम् taking away tapas, सुराणाम् devatas', कर्म 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.
अहोरात्रापदेशेन गतास्संवत्सरा दश।

काममोहाभिभूतस्य विघ्नोऽयं समुपस्थित:।।1.63.11।।


काममोहाभिभूतस्य for me possessed by lust and delusion, दश संवत्सरा: ten years, अहोरात्रापदेशेन under the pretext of day and night, गता: have passed by, अयम् विघ्न: this hindrance, समुपस्थित: has befallen.

Night and day deluded by lust I have wasted ten years. A hindrance has been posed (to my tapas).
विनिश्श्वसन्मुनिवर: पश्चात्तापेन दु:खित:।

भीतामप्सरसं दृष्ट्वा वेपन्तीं प्राञ्जलिं स्थिताम्।।1.63.12।।

मेनकां मधुरैर्वाक्यैर्विसृज्य कुशिकात्मज:।

उत्तरं पर्वतं राम विश्वामित्रो जगाम ह।।1.63.13।।


राम O Rama, मुनिवर: best of ascetics, कुशिकात्मज: son of Kusika, विश्वामित्र: Viswamitra, पश्चात्तापेन with repentence, दु:खित: distressed, विनिश्वसन् sighing, भीताम् freightened, प्राञ्जलिं स्थिताम् standing with folded palms, वेपन्तीम् trembling, अप्सरसम् apsara, मेनकाम् Menaka, दृष्ट्वा having seen, मधुरै: with sweet, वाक्यै: words, विसृज्य after permitting her to leave, उत्तरं पर्वतम् northern mountain, जगाम ह 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.
स कृत्वा नैष्ठिकीं बुद्धिं जेतुकामो महायशा:।

कौशिकीतीरमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्।।1.63.14।।


महायशा: highly illustrious, स: he (that Visvamitra), नैष्ठिकीम् life long abstinence and chastity, बुद्धिम् mind, कृत्वा having made, जेतुकाम: with a view to control his senses, कौशिकीतीरम् the banks of the Kausiki river, आसाद्य having reached, सुदारुणम् highly rigid, तप: austerities, तेपे 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.
तस्य वर्षसहस्रं तु घोरं तप उपासत:।

उत्तरे पर्वते राम देवतानामभूद्भयम्।।1.63.15।।


राम O Rama, तस्य for him, उत्तरे पर्वते on the northern mountains, वर्षसहस्रम् a thousand years, घोरम् fearful, तप: penance, उपासत: while performing, देवतानाम् to devatas, भयम् अभूत् 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).
आमन्त्रयन् समागम्य सर्वे सर्षिगणा स्सुरा:।

महर्षिशब्दं लभतां साध्वयं कुशिकात्मज:।।1.63.16।।


सर्षिगणा: along with hosts of rishis, सर्वे all, सुरा: devatas, समागम्य having met together, अयम् कुशिकात्मज: this Viswamitra, साधु rightly, महर्षिशब्दम् title of Maharshi, लभताम् be obtained, आमन्त्रयन् thought over.

After consultations the gods and sages decided that this son of Kushika (Viswamitra) deserved the status of a Maharshi".
देवतानां वच श्शृत्वा सर्वलोकपितामह:।

अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्।।1.63.17।।


सर्वलोकपितामह: grandsire of the worlds, Brahma, देवतानाम् devatas, वच: words, श्रुत्वा haivng heard, तपोधनम् great ascetic, विश्वामित्रम् Visvamitra, मधुरम् sweet, वाक्यम् words, अब्रवीत् spoke.

Having heard the gods, the Grandsire of the worlds (Brahma) addressed Viswamitra whose wealth was his ascetism in these sweet words.
महर्षे स्वागतं वत्स तपसोग्रेण तोषित:।

महत्त्वमृषिमुख्यत्वं ददामि तव कौशिक ।।1.63.18।।


महर्षे O Maharshi, वत्स O Child, स्वागतम् welcome, उग्रेण with intense, तपसा austerities, तोषित: I have been pleased, कौशिक O Son of Kusika, Visvamitra, तव your, महत्त्वम् eminenence, ऋषिमुख्यत्वम् preeminence among sages (maharshi hood), ददामि 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)".
ब्रह्मणस्स वचश्श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकेश्वरस्य ह।

न विषण्णो न सन्तुष्टो विश्वामित्रस्तपोधन:।।1.63.19।।


तपोधन: the great ascetic, स: विश्वामित्र: afterwards, सर्वलोकेश्वरस्य of the lord of all worlds, ब्रह्मण: Brahma, वच: words, श्रुत्वा having heard, न विषण्ण: not dejected, न सन्तुष्ट: not pleased.

Having heard the words Brahman, the lord of all the worlds, Viswamitra whose wealth was his asceticism was neither dejected nor delighted.
प्राञ्जलि: प्रणतो भूत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहम्।

प्रत्युवाच ततो वाचं विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।।1.63.20।।


तत: then, महामुनि: mighty ascetic, विश्वामित्र: Visvamitra, प्राञ्जलि: with folded hands, प्रणत: भूत्वा having bowed, सर्वलोकपितामहम् grandsire of all worlds, वाचम् words, प्रत्युवाच replied.

Then the mighty ascetic Viswamitra bowed to Brahma, the Grandsire of all the worlds with folded hands and replied:
महर्षिशब्दमतुलं स्वार्जितै: कर्मभिश्शुभै:।

यदि मे भगवानाह ततोऽहं विजितेन्द्रिय:।।1.63.21।।


भगवान् adorable one, स्वार्जितै: earned by me, शुभै: by the auspicious, कर्मभि: deeds, अतुलम् incomparble, महर्षिशब्दम् title of Maharshi, मे to me, आह यदि if it has been told, तत: then, अहम् I, विजितेन्द्रिय: 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."
तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा न तावत् त्त्वं जितेन्द्रिय:।

यतस्व मुनिशार्दूल इत्युक्त्वा त्रिदिवं गत:।।1.63.22।।


तत: then, ब्रह्मा Brahma, तम् addressing him, उवाच said, त्त्वम् you, जितेन्द्रियस्तावत् having conquered the senses, न not, मुनिशार्दूल O Best among ascestics, यतस्व strive still, इति thus, उक्त्वा having spoken, त्रिदिवम् towards heaven, गत: 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.
विप्रस्थितेषु देवेषु विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।

ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बो वायुभक्षस्तपश्चरन्।।1.63.23।।


देवेषु when devatas, विप्रस्थितेषु सत्सु after having departed, महामुनि: mighty ascetic, विश्वामित्र: Visvamitra, ऊर्ध्वबाहु: with arms raised upwards, निरालम्ब: without support, वायुभक्ष: subsisting on air, तपश्चरन् 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.
घर्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षास्वाकाशसंश्रय:।

शिशिरे सलिलस्थायी रात्र्यहानि तपोधन:।।1.63.24।।

एवं वर्षसहस्रं हि तपो घोरमुपागमत्।


तपोधन: that Visvamitra whose asceticism was his wealth, घर्मे in summer, पञ्चतपा: भूत्वा performing penance amidst five fires, वर्षासु during rainy season, आकाशसंश्रयः taking refuge under the open sky, शिशिरे in the cold season, रात्र्यहानि day and night, सलिलस्थायी immersed in water, एवम् thus, वर्षसहस्रम् for a thousand years, घोरम् rigid, तप: austerities, उपागमत् 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.
तस्मिन् सन्तप्यमाने तु विश्वामित्रे महामुनौ।।1.63.25।।

सम्भ्रमस्सुमहानासीत्सुराणां वासवस्य च।


महामुनौ when the mighty ascestic, तस्मिन् विश्वामित्रे that Visvamitra, सन्तप्यमाने while peforming penance, सुराणाम् for devatas, वासवस्य च for Indra also, सुमहान् greatly, संभ्रम: आसीत् perturbance over took.

When the mighty asetic Viswamitra was peforming penance, the gods as well as Indra got deeply perturbed.
रम्भामप्सरसं शक्र स्सह सर्वैर्मरुद्गणै:।

उवाचात्महितं वाक्यमहितं कौशिकस्य च।।1.63.26।।


शक्र: Indra, सर्वै: all, मरुद्गणै: सह along with maruts, आत्महितम् promoting his welfare, कौशिकस्य for Kausika, अहितं च against his welfare, वाक्यम् words, रम्भाम् named Rambha, अप्सरसम् celestial nymph, उवाच said.

Indra along with all the maruts spoke to the celestial nymph Rambha, words that augured well for them and not for kaushika (Viswamitra).
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रिषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the sixtythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.