The Glory of Valmikeshvara

Verse 1 (skanda.5.24.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । वाल्मीकेश्वरमित्याख्यं यस्तु देवं प्रपूजयेत् । मौनी ध्यानपरो भूत्वा स कवित्वमवाप्नुयात्

sanatkumāra uvāca vālmīkeśvaramityākhyaṁ yastu devaṁ prapūjayet maunī dhyānaparo bhūtvā sa kavitvamavāpnuyāt

Sanatkumāra said: "Whoever worships the god named Vālmīkeśvara, having become silent and devoted to meditation, obtains the gift of poetry."

Verse 2 (skanda.5.24.2)

व्यास उवाच । कथमत्र समुत्पन्नः कोऽसौ वाल्मीकेश्वरः प्रभुः । यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण कवित्वमुपजायते

vyāsa uvāca kathamatra samutpannaḥ ko'sau vālmīkeśvaraḥ prabhuḥ yasya darśanamātreṇa kavitvamupajāyate

Vyāsa said: "How did this Lord Vālmīkeśvara come to arise here, by the mere sight of whom the gift of poetry is born?"

Verse 3 (skanda.5.24.3)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । आसीद्व्यास पुरा विप्रः सुमतिर्भृगु वंशजः । रूपयौवनसंपन्ना तस्य भार्याथ कौशिकी

sanatkumāra uvāca āsīdvyāsa purā vipraḥ sumatirbhṛgu vaṁśajaḥ rūpayauvanasaṁpannā tasya bhāryātha kauśikī

Sanatkumāra said: "O Vyāsa, formerly there was a brāhmaṇa named Sumati, born in the lineage of Bhṛgu; his wife, endowed with beauty and youth, was named Kauśikī."

Verse 4 (skanda.5.24.4)

तस्य पुत्रः समुत्पन्नो ह्यग्निशर्मेति नामतः । स पित्रा प्रोच्यमानोऽपि वेदाभ्यासं न मन्यते

tasya putraḥ samutpanno hyagniśarmeti nāmataḥ sa pitrā procyamāno'pi vedābhyāsaṁ na manyate

"To him a son was born, named Agniśarman; though instructed by his father, he did not heed the study of the Vedas."

Verse 5 (skanda.5.24.5)

ततो बहुतिथे काले अनावृष्टिरजायत । तस्यां विपद्गतः सोऽथ दक्षिणामाश्रितो दिशम्

tato bahutithe kāle anāvṛṣṭirajāyata tasyāṁ vipadgataḥ so'tha dakṣiṇāmāśrito diśam

"Then, after a considerable time, a drought occurred; falling into distress from it, he took refuge in the southern direction."

Verse 6 (skanda.5.24.6)

ततोऽसौ सुमतिर्विप्रः सभार्यः स सुतस्तथा । विदेशं काननं प्राप्तः कृत्वा चाश्रममाश्रितः

tato'sau sumatirvipraḥ sabhāryaḥ sa sutastathā videśaṁ kānanaṁ prāptaḥ kṛtvā cāśramamāśritaḥ

"Then that brāhmaṇa Sumati, together with his wife and that son, reached a forest in a foreign land, and, having built a hermitage, took shelter there."

Verse 7 (skanda.5.24.7)

आभीरैर्दस्युभिः सार्धं संगोऽभूदग्निशर्मणः । आगच्छति पथा तेन यस्तं हंति स पापकृत्

ābhīrairdasyubhiḥ sārdhaṁ saṁgo'bhūdagniśarmaṇaḥ āgacchati pathā tena yastaṁ haṁti sa pāpakṛt

"Agniśarman fell into company with cowherd-bandits; and it came about that whoever came along that path, he — the sinner — would slay him."

Verse 8 (skanda.5.24.8)

स्मृतिर्नष्टा गता वेदा गतं गोत्रं गता श्रुतिः । कस्मिंश्चिदथ काले तु तीर्थयात्रा्प्रसंगतः

smṛtirnaṣṭā gatā vedā gataṁ gotraṁ gatā śrutiḥ kasmiṁścidatha kāle tu tīrthayātrāprasaṁgataḥ

"His memory of dharma was lost, the Vedas were forgotten, his lineage was forgotten, learning was lost. Then at a certain time, in the course of a pilgrimage --"

Verse 9 (skanda.5.24.9)

सप्तर्षयः पथा तेन सुव्रताः समुपस्थिताः । अग्निशर्माथ तान्दृष्ट्वा हन्तुकामोऽब्रवीदिदम्

saptarṣayaḥ pathā tena suvratāḥ samupasthitāḥ agniśarmātha tāndṛṣṭvā hantukāmo'bravīdidam

"-- the Seven Sages, of excellent vows, came along that road. Agniśarman, seeing them, desiring to kill them, said this --"

Verse 10 (skanda.5.24.10)

वस्त्राणीमानि मुच्यध्वं छत्रिकोपानहौ तथा । हन्तव्या हि मया यूयं गन्तारो यम सादने

vastrāṇīmāni mucyadhvaṁ chatrikopānahau tathā hantavyā hi mayā yūyaṁ gantāro yama sādane

"'Give up these garments, and your umbrellas and sandals as well! You must be slain by me — you are going to the abode of Yama!'"

Verse 11 (skanda.5.24.11)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा अत्रिर्वचनमब्रवीत् । अस्मत्पीडनजं पापं कथं ते हृदि वर्तते । वयं तपस्विनो भूत्वा तीर्थयात्राकृतोद्यमाः

tasya tadvacanaṁ śrutvā atrirvacanamabravīt asmatpīḍanajaṁ pāpaṁ kathaṁ te hṛdi vartate vayaṁ tapasvino bhūtvā tīrthayātrākṛtodyamāḥ

"Hearing his words, Atri spoke: 'How does the sin born of harming us dwell in your heart? We, being ascetics, have undertaken this pilgrimage.'"

Verse 12 (skanda.5.24.12)

अग्निशर्मोवाच । ममास्ति माताथ पिता सुतो भार्या गरीयसी । पोषयामि सदा तांस्तु एतन्मे हृदि संस्थितम्

agniśarmovāca mamāsti mātātha pitā suto bhāryā garīyasī poṣayāmi sadā tāṁstu etanme hṛdi saṁsthitam

"Agniśarman said: 'I have a mother, a father, a son, and a cherished wife; I always support them — this alone is fixed in my heart.'"

Verse 13 (skanda.5.24.13)

अत्रिरुवाच । पित्रादीनाशु पृच्छस्व स्वकर्मोपार्जितं प्रति । यद्युष्मदर्थं क्रियते पापं तत्कस्य कथ्यताम्

atriruvāca pitrādīnāśu pṛcchasva svakarmopārjitaṁ prati yadyuṣmadarthaṁ kriyate pāpaṁ tatkasya kathyatām

"Atri said: 'Go quickly and ask your father and the others about this deed of yours. Whatever sin is committed for your sake — let it be told whose sin it is.'"

Verse 14 (skanda.5.24.14)

यदि ते कथयंति स्म मा मृषा प्राणिनो वधीः

yadi te kathayaṁti sma mā mṛṣā prāṇino vadhīḥ

"'If they tell you it is theirs, well and good; but do not falsely slay living beings.'"

Verse 15 (skanda.5.24.15)

अग्निशर्मोवाच । न कदाचिन्मया ते तु संपृष्टा ईदृशं वचः । युष्माकं वचसा मेऽद्य प्रतिबोधः प्रवर्तते

agniśarmovāca na kadācinmayā te tu saṁpṛṣṭā īdṛśaṁ vacaḥ yuṣmākaṁ vacasā me'dya pratibodhaḥ pravartate

"Agniśarman said: 'Never before have I asked them such a question. Today, by your words, this understanding has arisen in me.'"

Verse 16 (skanda.5.24.16)

गत्वा पृच्छामि तान्सर्वान्कस्य भावश्च कीदृशः । यूयमत्रैव तिष्ठध्वं यावदागमनं मम

gatvā pṛcchāmi tānsarvānkasya bhāvaśca kīdṛśaḥ yūyamatraiva tiṣṭhadhvaṁ yāvadāgamanaṁ mama

"'I shall go and ask all of them what each one's disposition is. You remain right here until my return.'"

Verse 17 (skanda.5.24.17)

इत्युक्त्वा ताञ्जगामाशु पितरं स्वमुवाच ह । धर्मस्य प्रतिघातेन प्राणिनां पीडनेन च

ityuktvā tāñjagāmāśu pitaraṁ svamuvāca ha dharmasya pratighātena prāṇināṁ pīḍanena ca

"Having said this, he quickly went and spoke to his own father: 'By obstructing dharma and by harming living beings --'"

Verse 18 (skanda.5.24.18)

सुमहद्दृश्यते पापं कस्य तत्कथ्यतां मम । पिता प्राह तथा माता नापुण्यमावयोरिह

sumahaddṛśyate pāpaṁ kasya tatkathyatāṁ mama pitā prāha tathā mātā nāpuṇyamāvayoriha

"'-- a very great sin appears to accrue; let it be told to me, whose it is.' The father, and likewise the mother, said: 'No sin belongs to us in this.'"

Verse 19 (skanda.5.24.19)

त्वं जानासि यत्कुरुषे कृतं भाव्यं पुनस्त्वया । तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भार्या वचनमब्रवीत्

tvaṁ jānāsi yatkuruṣe kṛtaṁ bhāvyaṁ punastvayā tayostadvacanaṁ śrutvā bhāryā vacanamabravīt

"'You yourself know what you do; what is done must be borne by you alone.' Having heard these words, he asked his wife, who also spoke --"

Verse 20 (skanda.5.24.20)

तयाप्युक्तं न मे पापं पापमेतत्तवैव हि । तद्वाक्यमब्रवीत्पुत्रं बालोऽहमितिसोऽब्रवीत्

tayāpyuktaṁ na me pāpaṁ pāpametattavaiva hi tadvākyamabravītputraṁ bālo'hamitiso'bravīt

"By her too it was said: 'This is not my sin; this sin is indeed yours alone.' He asked the same of his son; the child said: 'I am but a child.'"

Verse 21 (skanda.5.24.21)

तज्ज्ञात्वा हृदयं तेषां चेष्टितं चैव तत्त्वतः । नष्टोऽहमिति मन्वानः शरणं मे तपस्विनः

tajjñātvā hṛdayaṁ teṣāṁ ceṣṭitaṁ caiva tattvataḥ naṣṭo'hamiti manvānaḥ śaraṇaṁ me tapasvinaḥ

"Having truly understood the heart and conduct of them all, and thinking, 'I am ruined,' he resolved: 'The ascetics are my only refuge.'"

Verse 22 (skanda.5.24.22)

क्षिप्त्वाथ लगुडं कृष्णं येन वै जंतवो हताः । प्रकीर्य केशांस्त्वरित ऋषीणामग्रतः स्थितः

kṣiptvātha laguḍaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ yena vai jaṁtavo hatāḥ prakīrya keśāṁstvarita ṛṣīṇāmagrataḥ sthitaḥ

"Then, casting away the dark club with which he had slain living creatures, and loosening his hair, he swiftly came and stood before the sages."

Verse 23 (skanda.5.24.23)

प्रणम्य दंडपातेन ततो वचनमव्रवीत् । न मे माता न च पिता न भार्या न च मे सुतः

praṇamya daṁḍapātena tato vacanamavravīt na me mātā na ca pitā na bhāryā na ca me sutaḥ

"Having prostrated himself full-length upon the ground, he then spoke these words: 'Neither my mother, nor my father, nor my wife, nor my son --'"

Verse 24 (skanda.5.24.24)

सर्वैस्तैः परिमुक्तौऽहं भवतां शरणं गतः । सुष्ठूपदेशदानान्मां नरकात्त्रातुमर्हथ

sarvaistaiḥ parimuktau'haṁ bhavatāṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ suṣṭhūpadeśadānānmāṁ narakāttrātumarhatha

"'-- abandoned by all of them, I have come to you for refuge. By giving me right instruction, you ought to save me from hell.'"

Verse 25 (skanda.5.24.25)

एवं तं वादिनं दृष्ट्वा ऋषयोऽत्रिमथाब्रुवन् । भवतो वचनादस्य प्रतिबोधः समागतः

evaṁ taṁ vādinaṁ dṛṣṭvā ṛṣayo'trimathābruvan bhavato vacanādasya pratibodhaḥ samāgataḥ

"Seeing him speaking thus, the sages then said to Atri: 'Through your words, understanding has come to this man.'"

Verse 26 (skanda.5.24.26)

भवताऽयमनुग्राह्यः शिष्यो भवतु ते मुने । तथेत्युक्ताथ तान्प्राह चाग्निं ध्यानं समाचर

bhavatā'yamanugrāhyaḥ śiṣyo bhavatu te mune tathetyuktātha tānprāha cāgniṁ dhyānaṁ samācara

"'He is to be shown grace by you; let him become your disciple, O sage.' Having agreed, Atri then said to him: 'Practise meditation --'"

Verse 27 (skanda.5.24.27)

अनेन ध्यानयोगेन महामंत्रजपेन च । अनेकदुस्तरात्युग्रपापकृज्जनघातकः । संस्थितो वृक्ष मूले त्वं परा सिद्धिं गमिष्यसि

anena dhyānayogena mahāmaṁtrajapena ca anekadustarātyugrapāpakṛjjanaghātakaḥ saṁsthito vṛkṣa mūle tvaṁ parā siddhiṁ gamiṣyasi

"'-- by this yoga of meditation and by recitation of the great mantra: though you, a slayer of men, have committed countless insurmountable, terrible sins, remaining fixed at the root of a tree, you shall attain supreme accomplishment.'"

Verse 28 (skanda.5.24.28)

इत्युक्त्वा ते ययुः सर्वे संकामं सोऽपि तत्र वै । तद्ध्यानस्थोऽभवद्योगी वत्सराणि त्रयोदश

ityuktvā te yayuḥ sarve saṁkāmaṁ so'pi tatra vai taddhyānastho'bhavadyogī vatsarāṇi trayodaśa

"Having said this, they all went on their own way; and he too, remaining right there, engaged as a yogi in that meditation for thirteen years."

Verse 29 (skanda.5.24.29)

तस्योपर्यभवत्तत्र वल्मीकोऽविचलस्य च । निवृत्तास्तु पथा तेन मुनयस्तत्र शुश्रुवुः

tasyoparyabhavattatra valmīko'vicalasya ca nivṛttāstu pathā tena munayastatra śuśruvuḥ

"Over him, motionless as he was, an anthill grew up there. The sages, returning by that same road, heard there --"

Verse 30 (skanda.5.24.30)

उदीरितं ध्वनिं तेन वल्मीके विस्मयान्विताः । ततः खनित्वा वल्मीकं काष्ठीभूतोरुशंकुभिः

udīritaṁ dhvaniṁ tena valmīke vismayānvitāḥ tataḥ khanitvā valmīkaṁ kāṣṭhībhūtoruśaṁkubhiḥ

"-- a sound uttered from within the anthill, and were filled with astonishment. Then, digging away the anthill with stout wooden stakes --"

Verse 31 (skanda.5.24.31)

तं दृष्ट्वोत्थापयामासुर्मुनयो नयसंयुतम् । नमश्चक्रेऽथ तान्सर्वान्स विप्रो मुनिपुंगवान्

taṁ dṛṣṭvotthāpayāmāsurmunayo nayasaṁyutam namaścakre'tha tānsarvānsa vipro munipuṁgavān

"-- the sages, seeing him, raised him up with proper care. Then that brāhmaṇa bowed to all those foremost of sages."

Verse 32 (skanda.5.24.32)

तान्प्राह प्रणतो भूत्वा तपसा दीप्ततेजसः । प्रसादाद्भवतामद्य ज्ञानं लब्धं मया शुभम्

tānprāha praṇato bhūtvā tapasā dīptatejasaḥ prasādādbhavatāmadya jñānaṁ labdhaṁ mayā śubham

"Having bowed, his radiance now blazing through austerity, he said to them: 'By your grace, today I have obtained auspicious knowledge.'"

Verse 33 (skanda.5.24.33)

दीनोऽहमुद्धृतः सर्वैर्मग्नोऽहं पापकर्दमे । तस्येति ते वाक्यमूचुः परमधार्मिकाः

dīno'hamuddhṛtaḥ sarvairmagno'haṁ pāpakardame tasyeti te vākyamūcuḥ paramadhārmikāḥ

"'Wretched as I was, sunk in the mire of sin, I have been rescued by you all.' Then those most righteous sages spoke to him --"

Verse 34 (skanda.5.24.34)

वल्मीकेऽस्मिन्स्थितः पुत्र यतस्त्वमेकचित्ततः । वाल्मीकिरिति ते नाम भुवि ख्यातं भवि ष्यति

valmīke'sminsthitaḥ putra yatastvamekacittataḥ vālmīkiriti te nāma bhuvi khyātaṁ bhavi ṣyati

"'O son, since you dwelt in this anthill with single-pointed mind, your name Vālmīki shall become famed on earth.'"

Verse 35 (skanda.5.24.35)

इत्युक्त्वा मुनयो जग्मुः स्वां दिशां तपसान्विताः । गतेषु मुनिमुख्येषु वाल्मीकिस्तपतां वरः । कुशस्थल्यामथागम्य समाराध्य महेश्वरम्

ityuktvā munayo jagmuḥ svāṁ diśāṁ tapasānvitāḥ gateṣu munimukhyeṣu vālmīkistapatāṁ varaḥ kuśasthalyāmathāgamya samārādhya maheśvaram

"Having said this, the sages, endowed with their austerities, departed to their own quarters. When the chief sages had gone, Vālmīki, foremost of ascetics, came to Kuśasthalī and worshipped Maheśvara --"

Verse 36 (skanda.5.24.36)

तस्मात्कवित्वमासाद्य चक्रे काव्यं मनोरमम् । रामायणं च यत्प्राहुः कथां सुप्रथमस्थिताम्

tasmātkavitvamāsādya cakre kāvyaṁ manoramam rāmāyaṇaṁ ca yatprāhuḥ kathāṁ suprathamasthitām

"-- and, having thereby obtained the gift of poetry, he composed a beautiful poem — the Rāmāyaṇa, said to be the very first of narratives of its kind."

Verse 37 (skanda.5.24.37)

ततः प्रभृति देवेशो वाल्मीकेश्वरसंज्ञकः । ख्यातोऽवंत्यां ततो व्यास नृणां कवित्वदायकः

tataḥ prabhṛti deveśo vālmīkeśvarasaṁjñakaḥ khyāto'vaṁtyāṁ tato vyāsa nṛṇāṁ kavitvadāyakaḥ

"From then on, the Lord of gods became known by the name Vālmīkeśvara; O Vyāsa, thus in Avantī he became renowned as the giver of poetic gift to men."

Verse 38 (skanda.5.24.38)

इति ते कथितं लिंगं वाल्मीकेश्वरमुत्तमम् । यस्य दर्शनमात्रे ण कवित्वमुपपद्यते

iti te kathitaṁ liṁgaṁ vālmīkeśvaramuttamam yasya darśanamātre ṇa kavitvamupapadyate

"Thus has this supreme liṅga, Vālmīkeśvara, been told to you, by the mere sight of which poetic gift is attained."