Chapter [Sarga] 64

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 64

Introduction

Vishvamitra curses Rambha, the celestial wench, knowing that she arrived at the behest of Indra to cause hindrance to his ascesis. But later feels ashamed to loose his tongue and then he is determined to undertake another round of ascesis to conquer is own senses.

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sura kaaryam idam ra.mbhe kartavyam sumahat tvayaa |
lobhanam kaushikasya iha kaama moha samanvitam || 1-64-1

1. rambhe= oh, Rambha; iha= now; kaushikasya= of Vishvamitra; kaama moha samanvitam= lust, craving, inclusive of - a craving caused by lust; lobhanam= called enchanting; su mahat= very, great [task]; idam sura kaaryam= this, god's, task; tvayaa kartavyam= by you, it is to be undertaken.

" 'Oh, Rambha, now you have to undertake this very great task of gods in enchanting Vishvamitra with a craving caused by lust, for lusting after you.' Thus Indra ordered Rambha..." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-64-1]

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tathaa uktaa sa apsaraa raama sahasraakSeNa dhiimataa |
vriiDitaa praa.njaliH vaakyam pratyuvaaca sura iishvaram || 1-64-2

2. raama= oh, Rama; dhiimataa= by the intellectual one; sahasra akSeNa= by Thousand-eyed Indra; tathaa uktaa sa apsara= thus, spoken to, she, celestial wench; vriiDitaa praanjaliH= diffidently, with well-adjoined-palms; sura iishvaram vaakyam pratyuvaaca= to gods', chief, sentence, in reply, said.

"Oh, Rama, when that celestial wench is spoken thus by the Thousand-eyed Indra, she diffidently said to that chief of gods while adjoining her palms suppliantly. [1-64-2]

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ayam sura pate ghoro vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
krodham utsracyate ghoram mayi deva na sa.mshayaH || 1-64-3
tato hi me bhayam deva prasaadam kartum ar.hhasi |

3, 4a. sura pate= oh, gods', chief; ayam mahaa muniH vishvaamitraH= he, great saint, Vishvamitra is; ghoraH= a dangerous one; deva= oh, god; mayi= on me; ghoram krodham utsracyate= deadly, anger, he releases; samshayaH na= doubt, is not there; tataH me bhayam hi= thereby, for me, fear, indeed; deva= oh, god; prasaadam kartum arhasi= forbearance, to accord, apt of you.

" 'Oh, chief of gods, Indra, that great saint Vishvamitra is a dangerous one and undoubtedly he releases his deadly anger on me. Oh, god, thereby I am fearful of him. Hence, oh, god, it will be apt of you to accord forbearance.' So said Rambha to Indra. [1-64-3, 4a]

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evam uktaH tayaa raama sa bhayam bhiitayaa tadaa || 1-64-4
taam uvaaca sahasraakSo vepamaanaam kR^itaa.njalim |

4b, 5a. raama= oh, Rama; bhiitayaa tayaa= by fearful one, by her; tadaa evam uktaH= then, that way, when he is said; sahasraakSaH= Thousand-eyed Indra; sa bhayam vepamaanaam= with, fear, to her who is shuddering; kR^itaanjalim= she who made palm-fold; taam uvaaca= to her, said.

"Oh, Rama, the Thousand-eyed Indra replied Rambha when she spoke to him in that way while shuddering in fear and making palm fold in supplication. [1-64-4b, 5a]

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maa bhaiSii ra.mbhe bhadram te kuruSva mama shaasanam || 1-64-5
kokilo hR^idaya graahii maadhave rucira drume |
aham ka.ndarpa sahitaH sthaasyaami tava paarshvataH || 1-64-6

5b, 6. rambhe= oh, Rambha; maa bhaiSii= you need not, be fearful; te bhadram= you, will be safe; mama shaasanam kuruSva= my, command, you carryout; aham= I; rucira drume maadhave= which has pleasing, trees, in springtime; hR^idaya graahii kokilaH= heart, stealer, black-songbird; [bhuutvaa= on becoming]; kandarpa sahitaH= Love-god, along with; tava paarshvataH= at your, side; sthaasyaami= I will stay.

" 'You need not be fearful, Rambha, carry out my command, safe betides you, I on becoming a heart-stealing black-songbird will be at your side along with Love-god in the pleasing trees of springtime. [1-64-5b, 6]

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tvam hi ruupam bahu guNam kR^itvaa parama bhaasvaram |
tam R^iSim kaushikam ra.mbhe bhedayasva tapasvinam || 1-64-7

7. rambhe= oh, Rambha; tvam bahu guNam= you, multi-, multiplex; parama bhaasvaram= highly, sparkling; ruupam kR^itvaa hi= semblance, on assuming [savoir faire,] indeed; tapasvinam= ascetical one; tam R^iSim kaushikam= him, sage, Kaushika; bhedayasva= disengage [from ascesis.]

" 'Indeed on your assuming a highly sparkling semblance, and multi-multiplexing your savoir faire, with bon viveurs and bon vivants, you disengage that ascetical sage Kaushika from his ascesis.' So said Indra to Rambha. [1-64-7]

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saa shrutvaa vacanam tasya kR^itvaa ruupam anuttamam |
lobhayaamaasa lalitaa vishvaamitram shuci smitaa || 1-64-8

8. saa tasya vacanam shrutvaa= she, his [Indra's,] sentence, on hearing; an +uttamam ruupam kR^itvaa= un, excelled, physique, on adopting; lalitaa= lovely lady; shuci smitaa= bight, smiles [with giggly grins]; vishvaamitram lobhayaamaasa= Vishvamitra, she started to entice.

"On hearing the sentence of Indra she adopted an unexcelled physique, and on becoming a pulchritudinous damsel she started to entice Vishvamitra with giggly grins. [1-64-8]

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kokilasya tu shushraava valgu vyaaharataH svanam |
sa.mprahR^iSTena manasaa sa enaam anvaikSata || 1-64-9

9. saH= he tht Vishvamitra; valgu vyaaharataH= melodiously, saying [trilling]; kokilasya svanam shushraava= songbird's, tune, he heard; [tataH= then]; samprahR^iSTena manasaa= with very, highly, gladdened, heart; [saH= he, Vishvamitra]; enaam anvaikSata= at her [at Rambha,] stared.

"Vishvamitra has heard melodious trilling tune of songbird, and while his heart is highly gladdening about the ambience, he incidentally saw and stared at Rambha. [1-64-9]

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atha tasya ca shabdena giitena apratimena ca |
dar.hshanena ca ra.mbhaayaa muniH sa.ndeham aagataH || 1-64-10

10. atha= then; tasya shabdena=, its [songbird's,] by trilling; a + pratimena= without, match - exceptional; giitena ca= by tune, also; rambhaayaa darshanena ca= of Rambha, by [usual, run-of-the-mill, unexceptional] tableau, also; muniH sandeham aagataH= sage, wariness, came to [he is on the qui vive.]

"By the exceptional trilling tune of that songbird and by the unexceptional tableau of Rambha the sage is on his qui vive. [1-64-10]

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sahasraakSasya tat karma vij~naaya munipu.ngavaH |
ra.mbhaam krodha samaaviSTaH shashaapa kushika aatmajaH || 1-64-11

11. munipungavaH= saint, the best; kushika aatmajaH= Kushika's, son, Vishvamitra; tat sahasraakSasya karma= that, as Thousand-eyed Indra's, deed [escapade]; vij~naaya= on knowing; krodha samaaviSTaH rambhaam shashaapa= in wrath, enwrapped, Rambha, he cursed.

"On knowing that as an escapade of the Thousand-eyed Indra, Vishvamitra is enwrapped in wrath and he cursed Rambha. [1-64-11]

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yat maam lobhayase ra.mbhe kaama krodha jaya eSiNam |
dasha varSa sahasraaNi shailii sthaasyasi dur.hbhage || 1-64-12

12. dur bhage= you un, lucky female; rambhe= oh, Rambha; kaama krodha jaya eSiNam= wonton, wroth, to win over, wisher; maam= me; yat lobhayase= whereof, you entice; thereof; dasha varSa sahasraaNi= ten, years, thousand; shailii sthaasyasi= rock [like,] you will stay - you become a statued wastrel.

" 'Whereof you tried to entice me who am wishing to win over the wanton and wroth, you unlucky female Rambha, thereof you will become a rocklike statued wastrel. [1-64-12]

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braahmaNaH sumahaatejaaH tapo bala samanvitaH |
uddhariSyati ra.mbhe tvaam mat krodha kaluSii kR^itaam || 1-64-13

13. rambhe= oh, Rambha; su mahaa tejaaH= very, high, resplendent one; tapaH bala sam anvitaH= ascetical, power, having; braahmaNaH= a Brahman; mat krodha kaluSii kR^itaam= by my, anger, blemish, made - one blemished by my anger; tvaam= you; uddhariSyati= he redeems.

" 'A highly resplendent Brahman who is ascetically powerful redeems you, oh, Rambha, who are now blemished by my anger.' Vishvamitra cursed Rambha in this way. [1-64-13]

This ascetically powerful Brahman-saviour of Rambha is none other than the Sage Vashishta, the brainchild of Brahma. Even though Vishvamitra is at loggerheads with Vashishta, he holds Vashishta in high respect.

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evam uktvaa mahaatejaa vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
ashaknuvan dhaarayitum kopam sa.ntaapam aagataH || 1-64-14

14. mahaatejaaH= great-resplendent one; mahaamuniH vishvaa mitraH= great-saint, Vishvamitra; kopam dhaarayitum a+shaknuvan= anger, to contain, not, a capable sage; evam uktvaa= thus, on saying - for uttering a curse angrily; santaapam aagataH= compunction, came [to him, he became compunctious.]

"Thus the great-resplendent Vishvamitra became compunctious when that great-saint could not contain his anger in uttering an angry curse. [1-64-14]

Angering for trivial reasons, or on trivially inferiors ones is a demeritorious triviality in loosing ascetic power. Irrestrainable temperament will not only ruin the ascetic powers but also breeds a prolonged compunction. Manu defines jita indriya as one who þrutv˜ sp®ÿ÷v˜ ca d®ÿ÷v˜ ca bhaktv˜ ghr˜tv˜ ca yau nara× | na h®ÿyati gl˜yati v˜ sa vijñeyo jitendriya× || - manu 'he who on hearing, touching, seeing, eating, smelling, but neither gladdens nor saddens, is a self-senses-conquered one...' The same is said in Bhagavad Gita, and the whole of karma yoga deals with the same subject, and it is said there: tasm˜t tvam indriy˜õi ˜dau niyamya bharatarÿabha p˜pm˜nam prajahi hi enam jñ˜na vijñ˜na n˜þanam || gŸta 3-41He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt, / Disparting self from service, soul from works, / Enlightened and emancipate, my Prince! / Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain / With sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata! - Sir Edwin Arnold.

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tasya shaapena mahataa rambhaa shailii tadaa abhavat |
vacaH shrutvaa ca kandarpo maharSeH sa ca nirgataH || 1-64-15

15. tadaa= then; tasya mahataa shaapena= by his, great, curse; rambhaa shailii abhavat= Rambha, rocklike statue, became; maharSeH vacaH shrutvaa= of great-saint, words, on hearing; kandarpaH= Love-god; saH ca= he [Indra,] also; nir gataH= out, gone [took flight.]

"Then Rambha has become a rocklike statue by that great curse of Vishvamitra, and having heard the words of that great-saint Love-god and Indra also took flight. [1-64-15]

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kopena sa mahaatejaaH tapo apaharaNe kR^ite |
indriyair ajitai raama na lebhe shaantim aatmanaH || 1-64-16

16. raama= oh, Rama; mahaatejaaH saH= great-resplendent one, he; kopena= by angering; tapaH apaharaNe kR^ite= ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to]; a + jitai indriyaiH= not, governable, with senses; aatmanaH shaantim na lebhe= for himself, peace, not, attained.

"Owing to his angering that great-resplendent Vishvamitra is now divested of his ascetical merit, and he has no peace of mind owing to ungovernable senses. [1-64-16]

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babhuuva asya manaH ci.ntaa tapo apaharaNe kR^ite |
na eva krodham gamiSyaami na ca vakshye katha.mcana || 1-64-17

17. tapaH apaharaNe kR^ite= ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to]; asya manaH cintaa babhuuva= his, conscience, sentimental, became; krodham na eva gamiSyaami= wrath, not, thus, I go into [a fit of raze]; kathamcana= in anyway; na ca vakshye= not, also, talk - put into words.

"His conscience became sentimental owing to the divesture of his ascetical merit, and he soliloquised, 'I shall not succumb to wrath in anyway, nor I put my presentiment into words.' [1-64-17]

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athavaa na ucChaasiSyaami sa.mvatsra shataani api |
aham hi shoSayiSyaami aatmaanam vijitendriyaH || 1-64-18

18. athavaa= otherwise; samvatsra shataani api= years, hundred, even for; na ucChaasiSyaami= not, I respire; aham= I; vi jita indriyaH= verily, conquered, senses - until I become conqueror my own senses; aatmaanam shoSayiSyaami hi= myself, I emaciate, indeed.

" 'Otherwise, I do not even respire for a hundred years for the respiratory gestures will also exhibit moods, and I indeed emaciate myself until I become a real conqueror of my own senses. [1-64-18]

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taavat yaavat hi me praaptam braahmaNyam tapasaa aarjitam |
anucChvasan abhu.njaaH tiSTheyam shaashvatii samaaH || 1-64-19
na hi me tapyamaanasya kshayam yaasyanti muurtayaH |

19. me= to me; tapasaa= by [merit of] ascesis; aarjitam braahmaNyam hi= acquired, Brahman-hood, indeed; yaavat= till such time; praaptam= bechances; taavat= until then; an + ucChvasan= without, respiring [breathless]; a + bhu.njaaH= without, food [foodless]; shaashvatii samaaH= for endless, years; tiSTheyam= bide my time; tapyamaanasya= one who is in ascesis; me= to me; muurtayaH= my, bodily organs; kshayam= deterioration; na yaasyanti hi= not, undergo, indeed.

" 'Till such time as I acquire Brahman-hood with the merit of my own ascesis I will be breathless and foodless, even if it is going to take endless years, and while I am in ascesis my bodily organs indeed will not undergo any deterioration.' So said Vishvamitra to himself. [1-64-19]

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evam vearSa shasrasya diikshaam sa munipu.ngavaH |
cakaara pratimaam loke pratij~naam raghun.ndana || 1-64-20

20. raghunndana= oh, Raghu's, legatee, Rama; saH munipungavaH= he, the sage, eminent; evam= in this way; loke a+pratimaam= in world, not, parallel [nonpareil]; vearSa shasrasya diikshaam= years, thousands, commitment; pratij~naam cakaara= vow, undertook.

"Thus that eminent sage abided by the commitment to the vow for a thousand years, oh, Rama, the legatee of Ragu, which is a nonpareil vow in the world." Thus Shataananda continued. [1-64-20]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe catuH SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 64th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.