Uttara Kanda — Sarga 56

रामस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा राघवं दीप्ततेजसम्॥

Hearing the words of the effulgent Rāma, Lakşmaņa, the slayer of enemies, said with folded hands.

Uttara Kanda 56.1

निक्षिप्य देहौ काकुत्स्थ कथं तौ द्विजपार्थिवौ। पुनर्देहेन संयोग जग्मतुर्देवसंमतौ॥

Having thus cast off their bodies how did that Brāhmaṇa worshipped of the celestial and the king regain them?

Uttara Kanda 56.2

लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुन्दनः। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा लक्ष्मणं पुरुषर्षभः॥

Having been thus accosted by Lakşmaņa, Rāma, the descendant of Ikşvākus and the foremost of men, replied.

Uttara Kanda 56.3

तौ परस्परशापेन देहमुत्सृज्य धार्मिकौ। अभूतां नृपविप्रर्षी वायुभूतौ तपोधनौ॥

Having renounced their persons both Nimi and the pious Vasiştha, having asceticism for their wealth, were metamorphosed into air.

Uttara Kanda 56.4

अशरीरः शरीरस्य कृतेऽन्यस्य महामुनिः। वसिष्द्वस्तु महातेजा जगाम पितुरन्तिकम्॥

Thereupon being thus deprived of his body like the highly effulgent and great ascetic Vasiştha went to the Patriarch Brahmā with the object of acquiring from his another.

Uttara Kanda 56.5

सोऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ देवदेवस्य धर्मवित्। पितामहमथोवाच वायुभूत इदं वचः॥

Being merged in the air, he, conversant with religion, bowed to his father and said.

Uttara Kanda 56.6

भगवन्निमिशापेन विदेहत्वमुपागमम्। देवदेव महादेव वायुभूतोऽहमण्डज॥

O illustrious god of gods! O you lotus-sprung! by the imprecation of Nimi I have been now deprived of my body and been converted into air.

Uttara Kanda 56.7

सर्वेषां देहहीनानां महद्दुःखं भविष्यति। लुप्यन्ते सर्वकार्याणि हीनदेहस्य वै प्रभो॥

O lord, the state of being bodiless is highly painful to all. The bodiless cannot perform any work; do you, therefore, by the favour, grant me another body.

Uttara Kanda 56.8

देहस्यान्यस्य सद्भावे प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि । तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा स्वयंभूरमितप्रभः॥ मित्रावरुणज तेज आविश त्वं महायशः। अयोनिजस्त्वं भविता तत्रापि द्विजसत्तम्। धर्मेण महता युक्तः पुनरेष्यसि मे वशम्॥

Whereto the self-sprung Brahma, of unmitigated prowess, replied. O great one, do you enter into the vital energy of Mitra and Varuņa; and even then, O foremost of twiceborn ones, you shall not be born of a woman and being greatly pious shall attain to the rank of a patriarch.

Uttara Kanda 56.9

एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन अभिवाद्य प्रदक्षिणम्। कृत्वा पितामहं तूर्णं प्रययौ वरुणालयम्॥

The Patriarch Brahma having said this, Vasishtha, saluting and circumbulating him, repaired to the region of Varuņa.

Uttara Kanda 56.10

तमेव कालं मित्रोऽपि वरुणत्वमकारयत्। क्षीरोदेन सहोपेतः पूज्यमानः सुरेश्वरैः॥

At that time Mitra in conjunction with Varuņa was reigning in Varuna's kingdom being worshipped by all celestials.

Uttara Kanda 56.11

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु उर्वशी परमाप्सराः। यदृच्छया तमुद्देशमागता सखिभित्ता॥

Meanwhile encircled by her mates the leading Apsarā Urvasi by name arrived there at her pleasure.

Uttara Kanda 56.12

तां दृष्ट्वा रूपसंपन्नां क्रीडन्तीं वरुणालये। तदाविशत्परो हर्षो वरुणं चोर्वशीकृते॥

Beholding the frolicsome and beautiful Urvasi, Varuna attained to an excess of delight.

Uttara Kanda 56.13

स तां पद्मपलाशाक्षी पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्। वरुणो वरयामास मैथुनायाप्सरोवराम्॥

Thereupon he expressed his intention of living with that queen of Apsarās, having a moon-like countenance and lotus-eyes.

Uttara Kanda 56.14

प्रत्युवाच ततः सा तु वरुणं प्राञ्जलिः स्थिता। मित्रेणाहं वृता साक्षात्पूर्वमेव सुरेश्वर॥

Thereat Urvasi, with folded hands, said-0 lord of celestials, Mitra himself has already invited me for the same.

Uttara Kanda 56.15

वरुणस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं कंदर्पशरपीडितः। इदं तेजः समुत्स्रक्ष्ये कुम्भेऽस्मिन्देवनिर्मिते॥ एवमुत्सृज्य सुश्रोणि त्वय्यहं वरवर्णिनि। कृतकामो भविष्यामि यदि नेच्छसि संगमम्।।१८

Being stricken by the bow of Kupid, Varuņa said to Urvasī I shall discharge my vital energy into this pot if you do not wish to live with me.

Uttara Kanda 56.16

तस्य तल्लोकनाथस्य वरुणस्य सुभाषितम्। उर्वशी परमप्रीता श्रुत्वा वाक्यमुवाच ह॥

Hearing those sweet words of the Patriarch Varuna, Urvasi was highly pleased and said.

Uttara Kanda 56.17

काममेतद्भवत्वेवं हृदयं मे त्वयि स्थितम्। भावश्चाप्यधिकं तुभ्यं देहो मित्रस्य तु प्रभो॥

Do what you have said. Now my body is under the possession of Mitra but my mind is attached to your and you are equally attached to me.

Uttara Kanda 56.18

उर्वश्या एवमुक्तस्तु रेतस्तन्महदद्भुतम्। ज्वलदग्निसमप्रख्यं तस्मिन्कुम्भे न्यवासृजत्।।२१

Urvaśī having said this, Varuņa discharged his vital energy into the pot.

Uttara Kanda 56.19

उर्वशी त्वगमत्तत्र मित्रो वै यत्र देवता। तां तु मित्रः सुसंक्रुद्धउर्वशीमिदमब्रवीत्॥

Thereupon Urvasi approached Mitra. And thereat highly enraged he said to her.

Uttara Kanda 56.20

मयाभिमन्त्रिता पूर्वं कस्मात्त्वमवसर्जिता। पतिमन्यं वृतवती किमर्थ दुष्टचारिणि ॥ अनेन दुष्कृतेन त्वं मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृता। मनुष्यलोकमास्थाय कंचित्कालं निवत्स्यसि।।२४

I invited you first; O you of vicious actions, why have, you, renouncing me, secured another. for this vile action, you shall, by my curse live in the land of mortals for some time.

Uttara Kanda 56.21

बुधस्य पुत्रो राजर्षिः काशिराजः पुरूरवाः। तमभ्यागच्छ दुर्बुद्धे स ते भर्ता भविष्यति ॥

The royal saint Pururava, the king of kasi, is the son of Budha. Do you go to him, O you of a vicious intellect; he shall be your husband.

Uttara Kanda 56.22

ततः सा शापदोषेण पुरूरवसमभ्यगात्। प्रतिष्ठाने पुरूरवं बुधस्यात्मजमौरसम्॥

Thereupon being thus placed under the influence of curse Urvasi went to Pururavă.

Uttara Kanda 56.23

तस्य जज्ञे ततः श्रीमानायुः पुत्रो महाबलः। नहुषो यस्य पुत्रस्तु बभूवेन्द्रसमद्युतिः॥

The king Paruravă was the begotten son of Budha. He reigned in the foremost of cities Pratişțaro. He begot on Urvaší a highly powerful and beautiful son by the name of Āyu. Nahuşa, powerful as Indra, was the son of

Uttara Kanda 56.24

वज्रमुत्सृज्य वृत्राय श्रान्तेऽथ त्रिदिवेश्वरे। शतं वर्षसहस्राणि येनेन्द्रत्वं प्रशासितम्॥

When Indra, the king of the celestials, was assailed with thunderbolt by the Asura Větra, Nahuşa governed his kingdom for a hundred thousand years.

Uttara Kanda 56.25

सा तेन शापेन जगाम भूमि तदोर्वशी चारुदती सुनेत्रा। बहूनि वर्षाण्यवसच्च सुभ्रूः शापक्षयादिन्द्रसदो ययौ च ॥

In this wise Urvasi, having beautiful teeth, eyes and brow, remained on earth for many years and then returned to the region of Indra after the period of curse had been over.

Uttara Kanda 56.26