Sarga 21

Verse 1

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम्।समन्यु: कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।।।।

Hearing the king’s words—uttered in paternal affection and therefore wavering in expression—Kauśika (Viśvāmitra), angered, replied to the lord of the earth.

Verse 2

पूर्वमर्थं प्रतिश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुमिच्छसि।राघवाणामयुक्तोऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्यय:।।1.21.2।।

After having earlier promised the matter, you now wish to abandon that pledge. Such a breach is unworthy of the Rāghavas and would be a grave reversal for this royal lineage.

Verse 3

यदीदं ते क्षमं राजन् गमिष्यामि यथाऽगतम्।मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञ: काकुत्स्थ सुखीभव सबान्धव:।।।।

If this course seems acceptable to you, O King, then I shall depart as I came. O scion of Kakutstha, having made your pledge false, remain happy—along with your kinsmen.

Verse 4

तस्य रोषपरीतस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमत:।चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना विवेश च भयं सुरान्।।।।

As the wise Viśvāmitra became enveloped in wrath, the whole earth trembled, and fear entered the gods.

Verse 5

त्रस्तरूपं तु विज्ञाय जगत्सर्वं महानृषि:।नृपतिं सुव्रतो धीरो वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

Realizing that the entire world had taken on a frightened aspect, the great sage Vasiṣṭha—steadfast and devoted to vows—addressed the king with these words.

Verse 6

इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातस्साक्षाद्धर्म इवापर:।धृतिमान् सुव्रत: श्रीमान्नधर्मं हातुमर्हसि।।।।

Born in the Ikṣvāku line, you are like dharma itself embodied—another Dharma in visible form. Steadfast, devoted to vows, and illustrious, you must not abandon righteousness.

Verse 7

त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातो धर्मात्मा इति राघव।स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व नाधर्मं वोढुमर्हसि।।।।

O Rāghava (Daśaratha), you are renowned in the three worlds as a righteous man. Stand firm in your own duty; it is not fitting for you to bear or resort to unrighteousness.

Verse 8

संश्रुत्यैवं करिष्यामीत्यकुर्वाणस्य राघव।इष्टापूर्तवधो भूयात्तस्माद्रामं विसर्जय।।।।

O Rāghava (Daśaratha), for one who, having promised ‘I will do so,’ does not fulfill it, the merit of sacrifices and charities is ruined; therefore, send Rāma (with the sage).

Verse 9

कृतास्त्रमकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसा:।गुप्तं कुशिकपुत्रेण ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा।।।।

Whether trained in weapons or not, the rākṣasas will not be able to overpower him, for Rāma is guarded by the son of Kuśika (Viśvāmitra), like nectar protected by blazing fire.

Verse 10

एष विग्रहवान् धर्म एष वीर्यवतां वर:।एष बुध्याऽधिको लोके तपसश्च परायणम्।।।।

He is dharma embodied; he is the foremost among the mighty. In this world he surpasses others in intellect, and in ascetic power he stands as the supreme refuge.

Verse 11

एषोऽस्त्रान् विविधान्वेत्ति त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे।नैनमन्य: पुमान्वेत्ति न च वेत्स्यन्ति केचन।।।।

He knows the many kinds of divine weapons throughout the three worlds, among all beings moving and unmoving. No other man knows them as he does—nor will anyone in the future.

Verse 12

न देवा नर्षय: केचिन्नासुरा न च राक्षसा:।गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरास्सकिन्नरमहोरगा:।।।।

Neither gods nor any sages, neither asuras nor rākṣasas—nor gandharvas, nor the foremost yakṣas, nor kinnaras, nor great serpents—can match that knowledge.

Verse 13

सर्वास्त्राणि भृशाश्वस्य पुत्रा: परमधार्मिका:।कौशिकाय पुरा दत्ता यदा राज्यं प्रशासति।।।।

Long ago, when he was ruling the kingdom, all those weapons were bestowed upon Kauśika (Viśvāmitra) by the supremely righteous sons of Bhṛśāśva.

Verse 14

तेऽपि पुत्रा भृशाश्वस्य प्रजापतिसुतासुता:।नैकरूपा महावीर्या दीप्तिमन्तो जयावहा:।।।।

Those too—Bhṛśāśva’s sons, grandsons through Prajāpati’s daughter—(and the powers they conferred) are of many forms, of great potency, radiant, and victory-bringing.

Verse 15

जया च सुप्रभा चैव दक्षकन्ये सुमध्यमे।ते सुवातेऽस्त्रशस्त्राणि शतं परमभास्वरम्।।।।

Jaya and Suprabhā—two slender-waisted daughters of Dakṣa—brought forth a hundred supremely brilliant astras and śastras.

Verse 16

पञ्चाशतं सुतान् लेभे जया नाम परान् पुरा।वधायासुरसैन्यानाममेयान् कामरूपिण:।।।।

In former times Jaya bore fifty outstanding sons—immeasurable in power and able to assume forms at will—meant for the destruction of the armies of the asuras.

Verse 17

सुप्रभाऽजनयच्चापि पुत्रान्पञ्चाशतं पुन:।संहारान्नामदुर्धर्षान् दुराक्रामान् बलीयस:।।।।

Suprabhā too bore another fifty sons, called the Saṃhāras—unassailable, hard to overcome, and exceedingly powerful.

Verse 18

तानि चास्त्राणि वेत्त्येष यथावत्कुशिकात्मज:।अपूर्वाणां च जनने शक्तो भूयस्स धर्मवित्।।।।

This son of Kuśika knows those weapons in full and proper detail; and, being a knower of dharma, he is moreover capable of bringing forth even new, unprecedented weapons.

Verse 19

एवं वीर्यो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महायशाः।न रामगमने राजन् संशयं कर्तुमर्हसि।।।।

Such is the prowess of the mighty and radiant Viśvāmitra, famed far and wide. Therefore, O King, you should not entertain any doubt about Rāma’s going with him.

Verse 20

तेषां निग्रहणे शक्तस्स्वयं च कुशिकात्मज:।तव पुत्रहितार्थाय त्वामुपेत्याभियाचते।।।।

Though the son of Kuśika is himself capable of subduing them, he has come to you and requests this—for the welfare and greater good of your son.

Verse 21

इति मुनिवचनात्प्रसन्नचित्तोरघुवृषभस्तु मुमोद भास्वराङ्ग:।गमनमभिरुरोच राघवस्यप्रथितयशा: कुशिकात्मजाय बुध्या।।।।

Thus, by the sage’s words, the bull among the Raghus (Daśaratha) became tranquil and rejoiced, his body radiant. With discerning mind, the famed king consented to Rāghava’s departure with the son of Kuśika.

Verse 22

This son of Kuśika knows those weapons in full and proper detail; and, being a knower of dharma, he is moreover capable of bringing forth even new, unprecedented weapons.