Sarga 61

Verse 1

विश्वामित्रो महात्माथ प्रस्थितान् प्रेक्ष्य तानृषीन्।अब्रवीन्नरशार्दूलस्सर्वांस्तान्वनवासिन:।।।।

Then the great-souled Vishvamitra, seeing those forest-dwelling sages setting out, spoke to them, addressing Rama, the tiger among men.

Verse 2

महान्विघ्न: प्रवृत्तोऽयं दक्षिणामास्थितो दिशम्।दिशमन्यां प्रपत्स्यामस्तत्र तप्स्यामहे तप:।।1.61.2।।

A great obstacle has arisen, coming from the southern quarter. Let us therefore go to another region; there we shall undertake our austerities.

Verse 3

पश्चिमायां विशालायां पुष्करेषु महात्मन:।सुखं तपश्चरिष्याम: परं तद्धि तपोवनम्।।।।

O great-souled ones, in the vast western region—at Puṣkara—we shall practise austerity in peace; for that indeed is an excellent forest of penance.

Verse 4

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा: पुष्करेषु महामुनि:।तप उग्रं दुराधर्षं तेपे मूलफलाशन:।।।।

Having spoken thus, the great sage of mighty splendor, dwelling at Puṣkara, performed fierce and unassailable austerities, sustaining himself on roots and fruits.

Verse 5

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु अयोध्याधिपतिर्नृप:।अम्बरीष इति ख्यातो यष्टुं समुपचक्रमे।।।।

Just at that time, the king who ruled Ayodhyā—renowned as Ambarīṣa—began the undertaking of a sacrificial rite (yajña).

Verse 6

तस्य वै यजमानस्य पशुमिन्द्रो जहार ह।प्रणष्टे तु पशौ विप्रो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्।।।।

As the king served as sacrificer in the yajña, Indra carried off the sacrificial animal. When the victim could not be found, the priest addressed the king with these words.

Verse 7

पशुरद्य हृतो राजन् प्रणष्टस्तव दुर्नयात् ।अरक्षितारं राजानं घ्नन्ति दोषा नरेश्वर ।।।।

O King, today the sacrificial victim has been taken away, and through your faulty rule it has been lost beyond recovery. O lord of men, faults strike down a king who does not protect.

Verse 8

प्रायश्चित्तं महद्ध्येतन्नरं वा पुरुषर्षभ ।आनयस्व पशुं शीघ्रं यावत्कर्म प्रवर्तते।।।।

O best of men, this calls for a grave expiation: bring at once the animal—or a human substitute—so that the sacrificial rite may proceed.

Verse 9

उपाध्यायवचश्श्रुत्वा स राजा पुरुषर्षभ।अन्वियेष महाबुद्धि: पशुं गोभिस्सहस्रश:।।।।

Hearing the preceptor’s words, that king, keen-minded, went in search of a sacrificial victim, offering thousands of cows in exchange.

Verse 10

देशान् जनपदांस्तां स्तान्नगराणि वनानि च।आश्रमाणि च पुण्यानि मार्गमाणो महीपति: ।।।।स पुत्रसहितं तात सभार्यं रघुनन्दन ।भृगुतुंदे समासीनमृचीकं सन्ददर्श ह।।।।

O child, O Rama, delight of the Raghu clan, searching through lands, cities, forests, and holy hermitages, the king finally saw the sage Richika seated on Bhrigutunda with his wife and sons.

Verse 11

देशान् जनपदांस्तां स्तान्नगराणि वनानि च।आश्रमाणि च पुण्यानि मार्गमाणो महीपति: ।।1.61.10।। स पुत्रसहितं तात सभार्यं रघुनन्दन ।भृगुतुंदे समासीनमृचीकं सन्ददर्श ह।।1.61.11।।

O child, O Rama, delight of the Raghu clan, searching through lands, cities, forests, and holy hermitages, the king finally saw the sage Richika seated on Bhrigutunda with his wife and sons.

Verse 12

तमुवाच महातेजा: प्रणम्याभिप्रसाद्य च।ब्रह्मर्षिं तपसा दीप्तं राजर्षिरमितप्रभ:।।।।पृष्ट्वा सर्वत्र कुशलमृचीकं तमिदं वच:।

Then the exceedingly radiant royal sage, bowing and propitiating that Brahmin sage Richika—who glowed with ascetic power—asked about his welfare and spoke these words.

Verse 13

गवां शतसहस्रेण विक्रीणीषे सुतं यदि।।।।पशोरर्थे महाभाग कृतकृत्योऽस्मि भार्गव।

O fortunate Bhargava, if you sell one of your sons for a hundred thousand cows to serve as a sacrificial animal, then my purpose is fulfilled.

Verse 14

सर्वे परिसृता देशा याज्ञीयं न लभे पशुम्।।।।दातुमर्हसि मूल्येन सुतमेकमितो मम।4

I have wandered through every land, yet I have found no animal fit for the sacred sacrifice; therefore, grant me—at a price—one son from among yours.

Verse 15

एवमुक्तो महातेजा ऋचीकस्त्वब्रवीद्वच:।।।।नाहं ज्येष्ठं नरश्रेष्ठ विक्रीणीयां कथञ्चन।

Thus addressed, the radiant Ṛcīka replied: “O best of men, I will not sell my eldest son—under any circumstances.”

Verse 16

ऋचीकस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा तेषां माता महात्मनाम्।।।।उवाच नरशार्दूलमम्बरीषं तपस्विनी।

Hearing Ṛcīka’s words, the ascetic mother of those noble sons spoke to Ambarīṣa, the tiger among men.

Verse 17

अविक्रेयं सुतं ज्येष्ठं भगवानाह भार्गव:।।।।ममापि दयितं विद्धि कनिष्ठं शुनकं नृप।तस्मात्कनीयसं पुत्रं न दास्ये तव पार्थिव ।।।।

The venerable Bhārgava said: “The eldest son is not to be sold. And know, O king, that the youngest—Śunaka—is dear to me. Therefore, O ruler, I will not give you my youngest son.”

Verse 18

अविक्रेयं सुतं ज्येष्ठं भगवानाह भार्गव:।।1.61.17।।ममापि दयितं विद्धि कनिष्ठं शुनकं नृप।तस्मात्कनीयसं पुत्रं न दास्ये तव पार्थिव ।।1.61.18।।

The venerable Bhārgava said: “The eldest son is not to be sold. And know, O king, that the youngest—Śunaka—is dear to me. Therefore, O ruler, I will not give you my youngest son.”

Verse 19

प्रायेण हि नरश्रेष्ठ ज्येष्ठा: पितृषु वल्लभा:।मातृ़णां तु कनीयांसस्तस्माद्रक्षे कनीयसम् ।।।।

“O best of men, generally the eldest sons are dear to their fathers, while the youngest are dear to their mothers. Therefore I shall protect the youngest.”

Verse 20

उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् मुनिपत्न्यां तथैव च।शुनश्शेफस्स्वयं राम मध्यमो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

When the sage had spoken thus—and likewise the sage’s wife—then Śunaḥśepa, O Rāma, the middle son, spoke of his own accord.

Verse 21

पिता ज्येष्ठमविक्रेयं माता चाह कनीयसम्।विक्रीतं मध्यमं मन्ये राजन् पुत्रं नयस्व माम्।।।।

My father says the eldest must not be sold; my mother says the youngest cannot be given up. Therefore, O king, I deem the middle one as already sold—take me as your son.

Verse 22

गवां शतसहस्रेण शुनश्शेफं नरेश्वर:।गृहीत्वा परमप्रीतो जगाम रघुनन्दन ।।।।

O Raghunandana, the king, having taken Śunaḥśepa in exchange for a hundred thousand cows, departed exceedingly pleased.

Verse 23

अम्बरीषस्तु राजर्षी रथमारोप्य सत्वर:।शुनश्शेफं महातेजा जगामाशु महायशा:।।।।

The illustrious and radiant king-sage Ambarīṣa, placing Śunaḥśepa upon his chariot, quickly departed.