Summary
Vishvamitra undertakes Trishanku's Vedic ritual and sends disciples to invite all Vedic-scholars. Many sages have come except for Vashishta and his sons. Further, the sons of Vashishta have ridiculed this ritual of Vishvamitra and Trishanku. Vishvamitra gets irritated and hurls curses at the sons of Vashishta.
Chapter [Sarga] 59 – in Detail
ukta vaakyam tu raajaanam kripayaa kushika aatmajah |
abraviit madhuram vaakyam saaksaat candaalataam gatam || 1-59-1
Vishvamitra, the son of Kushi, piteously spoke this mellow sentence to king Trishanku who spoke thus, and who in reality attained a state of profaner [impure]. Thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration. [1-59-1]
iksvaako svaagatam vatsa jaanaami tvaam sudhaarmikam |
sharanam te bhavisyaami maa bhaisiih nripa pu.ngava || 1-59-2
Oh, Trishanku, the legatee of Ikshvaku-s, you are welcome. I am aware that you are a highly righteous king. Oh, the best king, you need not be dismayed, for I accord you haven. [1-59-2]
aham aama.ntraye sarvaan mahar.hsiin punya karmanah |
yajna saahya karaan raajan tato yaksyasi nirvritah || 1-59-3
I will invite all the sages with pious activities who will render assistance in the ritual, oh, king, then you can perform the ritual self-composedly. [1-59-3]
guru shaapa kritam ruupam yat idam tvayi var.htate |
anena saha ruupena sa shariiro gamisyasi || 1-59-4
You can go to heaven with this body of yours, as well as with the form which is deformed by the curse of mentor Vashishta through his sons. [1-59-4]
hasta praaptam aham manye svargam tava nareshvara |
yah tvam kaushikam aagamya sharanyam sharanaagatah || 1-59-5
I deem that heaven is handy to you, oh, king of subjects, as you have approached the all-sheltering Vishvamitra and sought shelter.' Thus Vishvamitra solaced [consoled] Trishanku. [1-59-5]
evam uktvaa mahaatejaah putraan parama dhaarmikaan |
vyaadidesha mahaapraajnaan yajna sa.mbhaara kaaranaat || 1-59-6
On saying thus to Trishanku that great-resplendent Vishvamitra ordered his highly righteous and astutely [skillfully] brilliant sons to organize the arrangements for the ritual. [1-59-6]
sarvaan shisyaan samaahuuya vaakyam etat uvaaca ha |
sarvaan risi varaan vashisthaan aanayadhvam mama aajnayaa || 1-59-7
sa shisyaan suhridah caiva sa ritvijah subahu shrutaan |
Vishvamitra calling forth all of his disciples said this sentence, 'invite all the eminent sages who are well-read in many Veda-s, along with their disciples and friends, and their ritwiks (the conductors of rituals), and even the sons of Vashishta, at my order. [1-59-7, 8a]
yat anyo vacanam bruuyaat mat vaakya bala coditah || 1-59-8
tat sarvam akhilena uktam mama aakhyeyam anaadritam |
If someone speaks inconsiderately incited [urged] by the forcefulness of my word, whoever speaks it, whichever word it may be, all that is to be reported to me, whatever it is.' Thus Vishvamitra ordered his disciples. [1-59-8]
tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa disho jagmuh tat aajnayaa || 1-59-9
aajagmuh atha deshebhyah sarvebhyo brahma vaadinah |
On listening that word of Vishvamitra his disciples went to all directions inviting all by his order, and then the Vedic scholars started to arrive from all provinces. [1-59-9 b, 10a]
te ca shisyaah samaagamya munim jvalita tejasam || 1-59-10
uucuh ca vacanam sarve sarvesaam brahma vaadinaam |
All of the disciples have returned to the fulgently [radiant] resplendent [shining brilliantly] sage Vishvamitra, and reported the words spoken by all the Vedic scholars. [1-59-10b, 11a]
shrutvaa te vacanam sarve samaayaanti dvijaatayah || 1-59-11
sarva deshesu ca agacchan varjayitvaa mahaaudayam |
On listening your word all the Brahmans from all provinces have started to come and some have already come, leaving alone Mahodaya, the son of Vashishta.' Thus, the disciples have started to inform Vishvamitra. [1-59-11b, 12a]
vaasistham tat shatam sarvam krodha paryaakula aksaram || 1-59-12
yathaa aaha vacanam sarvam shrinu tvam muni pu.ngava |
What all said by those hundred sons of Vashishta is explosively worded in their fury, oh, eminent sage, and what all they have said that you may please listen. [1-59-12b, 13a]
ksatriyo yaajako yasya candaalasya vishesatah || 1-59-13
katham sadasi bhoktaaro havih tasya sura risayah |
A Kshatriya is the officiator, and a profaner is the performer. How then the Gods or sages can partake of the remnants of oblations in that ritual-assembly, especially that of a profaner?' Thus, the sons of Vashishta exclaimed. [1-59-13b, 14a]
braahmanaa vaa mahaatmaano bhuktvaa candaala bhojanam || 1-59-14
katham svargam gamisyanti vishvaamitrena paalitaah |
Though the Brahmans or the high-souled sages are now embarrassed by Vishvamitra, how can they go to heaven even after their demise, partaking of the food of a profaner? [1-59-14b, 15a]
etat vacanam naisthuryam uucuh sa.mrakta locanaah || 1-59-15
vaasisthaa muni shaarduula sarve saha mahodayaah |
Oh, tigerly sage Vishvamitra, all the sons of Vashishta including Mahodaya spoke these derisive [ridicule] sentences with their eyes reddening in anger.' Thus, the disciples reported to Vishvamitra. [1-59-15b, 16a]
tesaam tat vacanam shrutvaa sarvesaam muni pu.ngavah || 1-59-16
krodha sa.mrakta nayanah sa rosam idam abraviit |
The eminent sage Vishvamitra having heard those words of the sons of Vashishta from all of his disciples, said this rancorously with bloodshot eyes. [1-59-16b, 17a]
yat duusayanti adustam maam tapa ugram sa.maasthitam || 1-59-17
bhasmii bhuutaa duraatmaano bhavisyanti na sa.mshayah |
He who reproves [condemns] me, who am abiding in rigorous asceticism, and who am an unreprovable one by my ascetic merit, that irreverent person will be reduced to ashes, and there is no doubt about it. [1-59-17b, 18a]
adya te kaala paashena niitaa vaivastava ksayam || 1-59-18
sapta jaati shataani eva mritapaah santu sarvashah |
Now they will be dragged by the lasso [rope] of Time to the House of Yama, the Terminator, and from now to seven hundred births to come they take birth as devourers [eaters] of corpses, come what may. [1-59-18b, 19a]
shva maamsa niyata aahaaraa mustikaa naama nirghrinaah || 1-59-19
vikritaah ca viruupaah ca lokaan anucarantu imaan |
Those who reprove me will be wandering about these mortal worlds on taking birth as disfigured and deformed beings in the ruthless sect of Mustika-s that always feed on dog's flesh. [1-59-19b, 20a]
mahodayah ca dur.hbuddhih maam aduusyam hi aduusayat || 1-59-20
duusitah sarva lokesu nisaadatvam gamisyati |
That wrong-headed Mahodaya also reproached [discredited] me, who am irreproachable on my part, hence he gets into tribal-hood and becomes a reproachable tribal for the entire world. [1-59-20b, 21a]
praana atipaata nirato niranukroshataam gatah || 1-59-21
diirgha kaalam mama krodhaat durhgatim varhtayisyati |
By my fury he obtains an utter barbarity and he will be occupied with a murderous bent, and he cycles through a worst possible living for a long time. [1-59-21b, 22a]
etaavat uktvaa vacanam vishvaamitro mahaatapaah |
viraraama mahaatejaa risi madhye mahaamunih || 1-59-22
On saying this much sentence of curse among the sages who have already arrived, that great-resplendent, greatly ascetic, great sage Vishvamitra paused. [1-59-22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande eko na sastitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 59th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate