Bala Kanda — Sarga 48

पृष्ट्वा तु कुशलं तत्र परस्परसमागमे। कथान्ते सुमतिर्वाक्यं व्याजहार महामुनिम्॥

Having met together they enquired after each other's welfare. And then Sumati spoke to the mighty ascetic, saying.

Bala Kanda 48.1

इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ। गजसिंहगती वीरौ शार्दूलवृषभोपमौ॥ पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षौ खङ्गतूणधनुर्धरौ। अश्विनाविव रूपेण समुपस्थितयौवनौ॥ यदृच्छयेव गां प्राप्तौ देवलोकादिवामरौ। कथं पद्भयामिह प्राप्तौ किमर्थं कस्य वा मुने॥

Good betide you, boasting the prowess of celestials of elephantine or leonine gait, heroic, resembling tigers or bulls, possessed of come expansive eyes like lotus-patals, bearing scimitars and bows and quivers, like to the Aśvins in grace, endowed with youth, like to celestials fancy-led, descended from ethereal regions to the earth beneath, whose sons; O ascetic, are these boys, and what for have they come hither, and why also is it that they journey of foot?

Bala Kanda 48.2

भूषयन्ताविमं देशं चन्द्रसूर्याविवाम्बरम्। परस्परेण सदृशौ प्रमाणेङ्गितचेष्टितैः॥ किमर्थं च नरश्रेष्ठौ सम्प्राप्तौ दुर्गमे पथि। वरायुधधरौ वीरौ श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः॥

And adorning all directions, like to the Sun or Moon adorning the firmament, and resembling each other. in personal proportions, and expressions, and gestures, and equipped with excellent weapons, and war-like, how have these paragons of men, into this impracticable way? I Wish to hear all this related truly.

Bala Kanda 48.3

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा यथावृत्तं न्यवेदयत्। विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा राजा परमविस्मितः॥ अतिथी परमं प्राप्तौ पुत्रौ दशरथस्य तौ। पूजयामास विधिवत् सत्काराही महाबलौ॥

Having heard his words, Viśvāmitra faithfully related all about it. Hearing Viśvāmitra's words, the king was extremely surprised; and having those sons of Daśaratha as his all-worthy guests, received with becoming respect those highly powerful ones deserving of hospitality.

Bala Kanda 48.4

ततः परमसत्कारं सुमतेः प्राप्य राघवौ। उष्य तत्र निशामेकां जग्मतुर्मिथिलां ततः।।।।

Meeting with such splendid reception from Sumati, those descendants of Raghu spent there a night, and the next day set out for Mithila.

Bala Kanda 48.5

तां दृष्ट्वा मुनयः सर्वे जनकस्य पुरीं शुभाम्। साधु साध्विति शंसन्तो मिथिला समपूजयन्॥

Beholding Janaka's beauteous city, the ascetics exclaiming, 'Excellent' fell to admiring Mithila.

Bala Kanda 48.6

मिथिलोपवने तत्र आश्रमं दृश्य राघवः। पुराणं निर्जनं रम्यं पप्रच्छ मुनिपुङ्गवम्॥

And in a grove at Mithilā, Rāghava saw an ancient, lonely, and romantic asylum, and asked that foremost of ascetics, saying.

Bala Kanda 48.7

इदमाश्रमसंकाशं किं न्विदं मुनिवर्जितम्। श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन् कस्यायं पूर्व आश्रमः॥

What is this that look like an asylum, though without any ascetics? I wish to hear, O worshipful one, to whom this asylum belonged in time past.

Bala Kanda 48.8

तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवेणोक्तं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः॥

Hearing this speech addressed by Raghu's descendant that one versed in speech, the highly energetic and mighty saint, Viśvāmitra, answered.

Bala Kanda 48.9

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि शृणु तत्त्वेन राघव। यस्यैतदाश्रमपदं शप्तं कोपान्महात्मनः॥

Ah! Do you listen. I will tell you through the wrath of what high-souled one this hermitage came to he cursed.

Bala Kanda 48.10

गौतमस्य नरश्रेष्ठ पूर्वमासीन्महात्मनः आश्रमो दिव्यसंकाशः सुरैरपि सुपूजितः॥

O foremost of men, this excellent asylum honoured by the celestials themselves, formerly belonged to the high-souled Gautama.

Bala Kanda 48.11

स चात्र तप आतष्ठिदहल्यासहितः पुरा। वर्षपूगान्यनेकानि राजपुत्र महायशः॥

Here, O illustrious prince, in days of yore Gautama in company with Ahalyā carried on austerities for a long series of years.

Bala Kanda 48.12

तस्यान्तरं विदित्वा च सहस्राक्षः शचीपतिः। मुनिवेषधरो भूत्वा अहल्यामिदमब्रवीत्॥

And perceiving occasion Saci's lord, the thousand-eyed deity assuming the form of that ascetic thus addressed Ahalyā.

Bala Kanda 48.13

ऋतुकालं प्रतीक्षन्ते नार्थिनः सुसमाहिते। संगम त्वहमिच्छामि त्वया सह सुमध्यमे॥

O exceedingly beautiful one, those bent upon sport, do not stay for the menstrual season. And, O graceful one, I desire to enjoy your company (on the instant).

Bala Kanda 48.14

मुनिवेषं सहस्राक्षं विज्ञाय रघुनन्दन। मतिं चकार दुर्मेधा देवराजकुतूहलात्॥

Thereupon, out of curiosity, that one of perverse understanding consented to the proposals of the chief of the celestials.

Bala Kanda 48.15

अथाब्रवीत् सुरश्रेष्ठं कृतार्थेनान्तरात्मना। कृतार्थास्मि सुरश्रेष्ठ गच्छ शीघ्रमितः प्रभो॥ आत्मानं मां च देवेश सर्वथा रक्ष गौतमात्।

Then, having attained her object, she spoke to that foremost of the celestials, saying, 'O best of the immortals, I have obtained my desire, do you speedily go from this place, O lord. Do you, O lord of the celestials, from a sense of respectability preserve yourself and me also.'

Bala Kanda 48.16

इन्द्रस्तु प्रहसन् वाक्यमहल्यामिदमब्रवीत्॥ सुश्रोणि परितुष्टोऽस्मि गमिष्यामि यथागतम्।

Indra too said to Ahalyā, 'O you of shapely hips, pleased am I. Now I repair to my own place.'

Bala Kanda 48.17

एवं संगम्य तु तदा निश्चक्रामोटजात् ततः॥ स सम्भ्रमात् त्वरन् राम शङ्कितो गौतमं प्रति।

Having known her thus, Indra, O Rama, exceedingly apprehensive of Gautama, then hurriedly sallied out of the thatched cottage.

Bala Kanda 48.18

गौतमं स ददर्शाथ प्रविशन्तं महामुनिम्॥ देवदानवदुर्धर्षं तपोबलसमन्वितम्। तीर्थोदकपरिक्लिनं दीप्यमानमिवानलम्॥ गृहीतसमिधं तत्र सकुशं मुनिपुङ्गवम्।

Just at this time, Indra saw that mighty ascetic Gautama entering, that foremost of anchorets, incapable of being repressed by the deities and the Dānavas, and equipped with ascetic energy, having based in the waters of holy spots, and flaming like fire, carrying faggots and Kuća grass.

Bala Kanda 48.19

दृष्ट्वा सुरपतिस्त्रस्तो विषण्णवदनोऽभवत्॥ अथ दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षं मुनिवेषधरं मुनिः। दुर्वृत्तं वृत्तसम्पन्नो रोषाद् वचनमब्रवीत्॥

And seeing him, the countenance of the lord of the celestials turned pale. And seeing the wicked thousand-eyed deity in the guise of an ascetic, the well-behaved anchorite fired with rage said.

Bala Kanda 48.20

मम रूपं समास्थाय कृतवानसि दुर्मते। अकर्तव्यमिदं यस्माद् विफलस्त्वं भविष्यसि ॥

'And since, O you of wicked understanding, assuming my form, you have done this foul. deed, you shall lose your scrotum.'

Bala Kanda 48.21

गौतमेनैवमुक्तस्य सुरोषेण महात्मना। पेततुर्वृषणौ भूमौ सहस्राक्षस्य तत्क्षणात्॥

And soon as the high-souled Gautama had said this in ire, the scrotum of the thousand-eyed one dropped to the earth.

Bala Kanda 48.22

तथा शप्त्वा च वै शक्रं भार्यामपि च शप्तवान्। इह वर्षसहस्राणि बहूनि निवसिष्यसि॥ वातभक्षा निराहारा तप्यन्ती भस्मशायिनी। अदृश्या सर्वभूतानामाश्रमेऽस्मिन् वसिष्यसि ॥ यदा त्वेतद् वनं घोरं रामो दशरथात्मजः। आगमिष्यति दुर्धर्षस्तदा पूता भविष्यसि॥ तस्यातिथ्येन दुर्वृत्ते लोभमोहविवर्जिता। मत्सकाशं मुदा युक्ता स्वं वपुर्धारयिष्यसि॥

And having seen Sakra in this plight, he cursed his wife also, 'These weary thousand years you shall pass, feeding upon air, without food, engaged in asceticism in the dust, and you shall remain in this hermitage unseen of any. And when the irrepressible son of Dasaratha, Rāma, shall come to this deep wood, you shall be cleansed of your sin. And, O wicked one, ministering to him the rites of hospitality with a mind free from ignorance and covetousness, you shall in your own form with joy regain my side.'

Bala Kanda 48.23

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा गौतमो दुष्टचारिणीम्। इममाश्रममुत्सृज्य सिद्धचारणसेविते। हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये तपस्तेपे महातपाः॥

Having said this the highly energetic Gautama of rigid austerities, forsaking this hermitage, began to carry on penances on the romantic summit of the Himavat, inhabited by Siddhas and Caranas.

Bala Kanda 48.24