Uttara Kanda — Sarga 55

एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरोऽभिहितो मया। यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम्॥

I Have thus given to you an account of the curse imprecated on Nțga. Listen, if do you wish to hear of any other theme.

Uttara Kanda 55.1

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत्। तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप॥

Råma having said this Lakşmaņa replied: “I am not satiated with the account of those wonderful stories, oking."

Uttara Kanda 55.2

लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥

Hearing the reply of Laksmana, Rama, the descendant of Ikşvāku, began again with themes instinct with morality.

Uttara Kanda 55.3

आसीद्राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम्। पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः॥

There lived a highly pious and powerful king by the name of Nimi. He was twelfth of Ikş vāku's sons.

Uttara Kanda 55.4

स राजा वीर्यसंपन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम्। निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु॥

That powerful king made a picturesque city like that of the celestials near the hermitage of Gautama.

Uttara Kanda 55.5

पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम्। निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिनिमिश्चक्रे महायशाः॥

The name of that beautiful city was Vaijayanta and the highly illustrious royal saint used to live there.

Uttara Kanda 55.6

तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम्। यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन्मनः॥

Having thus reared a highly picturesque city he thought of worshipping the deity by celebrating a sacrifice for the satisfaction of his sire.

Uttara Kanda 55.7

ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम्। वसिष्ठ वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम्॥ अनन्तरं स राजर्षिनिमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोनिधिम्॥

Having thus resolved and invited his sire Ikşvāku the son of Manu, he first welcomed the celestial saint. Nimi, the descendant of Ikşvāku, then welcomed the saints Atri, Angiras and Bhrgu having asceticism for their wealth.

Uttara Kanda 55.8

तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निर्मि राजर्षिसत्तमम्। वृतोऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय॥

Thereupon Vasiştha said to Nimi, the foremost of royal_saints-"I have already been engaged by Indra. Do you therefore wait as long as his sacrifice is not finished there."

Uttara Kanda 55.9

अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत्। वसिष्ठोऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत्॥

After the departure of Vasiştha the great Gautama engaged in the satisfaction of Vasist ha's duties. And the high-souled Vasistha too engaged in Indra's sacrifice.

Uttara Kanda 55.10

निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान्समानीय नराधिपः। अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः॥

On the other hand having united all the Brāhmaṇas the great king began to celebrate the sacrifice extending over five thousand years near his city by the side of the Himālaya.

Uttara Kanda 55.11

पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामथाकरोत्। इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः॥

There upon having finished the sacrifice of Indra there come to the King, the blameless and the illustrious Rși Vasiştha.

Uttara Kanda 55.12

सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः। तदन्तरमथापश्यद्गौतमेनाभिपूरितम्॥ कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः। स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्त समुपाविशत्। तस्मिनहनि राजर्षिन्द्रियापहृतो भृशम्॥

Finding Gautama engaged in his room he was exceedingly enraged. Thereupon he waited there for some time to see the King. On that day the royal saint Nimi was deeply asleep.

Uttara Kanda 55.13

ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः। अदर्शनेन राजाहर्तुमुपचक्रमे।॥

And not beholding the King the high-souled Vasiştha was greatly angry and said.

Uttara Kanda 55.14

यस्मात्त्वमन्यं वृतवान्मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव। चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्ते पार्थिवैष्यति॥

Since you have, O king, engaged another neglecting me, your body shall remain senseless.

Uttara Kanda 55.15

ततः प्रबुद्धो राजा तु श्रुत्वा सापमुदाहृतम्। ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच स राजा क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥

Thereupon hearing the curse of Vasiştha, the king got up. There beside himself with ire he said.

Uttara Kanda 55.16

अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः। उक्तवान्मम शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम्॥

I was unconscious in sleep-— still soiled with anger you have hurled the fiery curse against me like the second rod of Yama.

Uttara Kanda 55.17

तस्मात्तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विनाकृतः। देहः स सुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः॥

Therefore, O ascetic, your person shall remain senseless for a long time.

Uttara Kanda 55.18

इति रोषवशावुभौ तदानीमन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ। सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेही तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ॥

That king and the ascetic having thus imprecated one another under the influence of anger, they immediately were deprived of their bodies.

Uttara Kanda 55.19