Vishwamitra's Request for Rama

Shloka 1 (bala.19.1)

तच्छ्रुत्वा राजसिंहस्य वाक्यमद्भुतविस्तरम् । हृष्टरोमा महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत ॥ १ ॥

tacchrutvā rājasiṃhasya vākyamadbhutavistaram | hṛṣṭaromā mahātejā viśvāmitro'bhyabhāṣata

Hearing that wondrous and elaborate speech of the lion among kings, the greatly resplendent Vishwamitra, his hair standing on end with joy, replied.

Shloka 2 (bala.19.2)

सदृशं राजशार्दूल तवैतद्भुवि नान्यथा । महावंशप्रसूतस्य वसिष्ठव्यपदेशिनः ॥ २ ॥

sadṛśaṃ rājaśārdūla tavaitadbhuvi nānyathā | mahāvaṃśaprasūtasya vasiṣṭhavyapadeśinaḥ

"O tiger among kings, this is worthy of you and none other on earth, born as you are of a great lineage and guided by Vashishtha.

Shloka 3 (bala.19.3)

यत्तु मे हृद्गतं वाक्यं तस्य कार्यस्य निश्चयम् । कुरुष्व राजशार्दूल भव सत्यप्रतिश्रवाः ॥ ३ ॥

yattu me hṛdgataṃ vākyaṃ tasya kāryasya niścayam | kuruṣva rājaśārdūla bhava satyapratiśravāḥ

Now hear what is in my heart, and having heard, resolve upon it, O tiger among kings; be true to your word.

Shloka 4 (bala.19.4)

अहं नियममातिष्ठे सिद्ध्यर्थं पुरुषर्षभ । तस्य विघ्नकरौ द्वौ तु राक्षसौ कामरूपिणौ ॥ ४ ॥

ahaṃ niyamamātiṣṭhe siddhyarthaṃ puruṣarṣabha | tasya vighnakarau dvau tu rākṣasau kāmarūpiṇau

I am observing a sacred vow, O bull among men, for the sake of its accomplishment; but two shape-shifting rakshasas keep creating obstacles to it.

Shloka 5 (bala.19.5)

व्रते मे बहुशश्चीर्णे समाप्त्यां राक्षसाविमौ । मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवन्तौ सुशिक्षितौ ॥ ५ ॥

vrate me bahuśaścīrṇe samāptyāṃ rākṣasāvimau | mārīcaśca subāhuśca vīryavantau suśikṣitau

When my vow, long observed, nears completion, these two rakshasas, Maricha and Subahu, mighty and well-trained,

Shloka 6 (bala.19.6)

तौ मांसरुधिरौघेण वेदिं तामभ्यवर्षताम् । अवधूते तथाभूते तस्मिन्नियमनिश्चये ॥ ६ ॥

tau māṃsarudhiraugheṇa vediṃ tāmabhyavarṣatām | avadhūte tathābhūte tasminniyamaniścaye

shower that altar with streams of flesh and blood. When the vow, so carefully undertaken, is thus defiled and ruined,

Shloka 7 (bala.19.7)

कृतश्रमो निरुत्साहस्तस्माद्देशादपाक्रमे । न च मे क्रोधमुत्स्रष्टुं बुद्धिर्भवति पार्थिव ॥ ७ ॥

kṛtaśramo nirutsāhastasmāddeśādapākrame | na ca me krodhamutsraṣṭuṃ buddhirbhavati pārthiva

my labour spent, disheartened, I am forced to abandon that place; and yet, O king, I do not think it fit to give vent to my anger,

Shloka 8 (bala.19.8)

तथाभूता हि सा चर्या न शापस्तत्र मुच्यते । स्वपुत्रं राजशार्दूल रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥ ८ ॥

tathābhūtā hi sā caryā na śāpastatra mucyate | svaputraṃ rājaśārdūla rāmaṃ satyaparākramam

for such is the discipline of that observance, no curse may be uttered during it. O tiger among kings, your own son Rama, of true valour,

Shloka 9 (bala.19.9)

काकपक्षधरं शूरं ज्येष्ठं मे दातुमर्हसि । शक्तो ह्येष मया गुप्तो दिव्येन स्वेन तेजसा ॥ ९ ॥

kākapakṣadharaṃ śūraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ me dātumarhasi | śakto hyeṣa mayā gupto divyena svena tejasā

still wearing the boyish crow-wing locks, your valiant eldest, him you should give to me. For, protected by me, and by his own divine splendour, he is fully capable,

Shloka 10 (bala.19.10)

राक्षसा ये विकर्तारस्तेषामपि विनाशने । श्रेयश्चास्मै प्रदास्यामि बहुरूपं न संशयः ॥ १० ॥

rākṣasā ye vikartārasteṣāmapi vināśane | śreyaścāsmai pradāsyāmi bahurūpaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

to destroy those rakshasas who cause such havoc. And to him I shall give manifold blessings, of this there is no doubt.

Shloka 11 (bala.19.11)

त्रयाणामपि लोकानां येन ख्यातिं गमिष्यति । न च तौ राममासाद्य शक्तौ स्थातुं कथञ्चन ॥ ११ ॥

trayāṇāmapi lokānāṃ yena khyātiṃ gamiṣyati | na ca tau rāmamāsādya śaktau sthātuṃ kathañcana

By this deed he shall attain renown in all three worlds. And those two demons, once they encounter Rama, will in no way be able to stand their ground.

Shloka 12 (bala.19.12)

न च तौ राघवादन्यो हन्तुमुत्सहते पुमान् । वीर्योत्सिक्तौ हि तौ पापौ कालपाशवशं गतौ ॥ १२ ॥

na ca tau rāghavādanyo hantumutsahate pumān | vīryotsiktau hi tau pāpau kālapāśavaśaṃ gatau

No man other than Raghava has the courage to slay them; for those two sinners, intoxicated with their own might, have already come under the sway of the noose of death.

Shloka 13 (bala.19.13)

रामस्य राजशार्दूल न पर्याप्तौ महात्मनः । न च पुत्रगतं स्नेहं कर्तुमर्हसि पार्थिव ॥ १३ ॥

rāmasya rājaśārdūla na paryāptau mahātmanaḥ | na ca putragataṃ snehaṃ kartumarhasi pārthiva

O tiger among kings, they are no match for that noble-souled Rama. Therefore, O king, you should not let mere fatherly affection sway you in this matter.

Shloka 14 (bala.19.14)

अहं ते प्रतिजानामि हतौ तौ विद्धि राक्षसौ । अहं वेद्मि महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥ १४ ॥

ahaṃ te pratijānāmi hatau tau viddhi rākṣasau | ahaṃ vedmi mahātmānaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākramam

I give you my word, consider those two rakshasas as already slain. I know full well that noble-souled Rama, whose valour is unfailingly true;

Shloka 15 (bala.19.15)

वसिष्ठोऽपि महातेजा ये चेमे तपसि स्थिताः । यदि ते धर्मलाभं तु यशश्च परमं भुवि ॥ १५ ॥

vasiṣṭho'pi mahātejā ye ceme tapasi sthitāḥ | yadi te dharmalābhaṃ tu yaśaśca paramaṃ bhuvi

and so does the greatly resplendent Vashishtha, and these other sages established in austerity, know it too. If you desire the attainment of merit and supreme fame on this earth,

Shloka 16 (bala.19.16)

स्थिरमिच्छसि राजेन्द्र रामं मे दातुमर्हसि । यद्यभ्यनुज्ञां काकुत्स्थ ददते तव मंत्रिणः ॥ १६ ॥

sthiramicchasi rājendra rāmaṃ me dātumarhasi | yadyabhyanujñāṃ kākutstha dadate tava maṃtriṇaḥ

O lord of kings, enduring and secure, then you should give Rama to me. If, O Kakutstha, your ministers grant their consent,

Shloka 17 (bala.19.17)

वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्वे ततो रामं विसर्जय । अभिप्रेतमसंसक्तमात्मजं दातुमर्हसि ॥ १७ ॥

vasiṣṭhapramukhāḥ sarve tato rāmaṃ visarjaya | abhipretamasaṃsaktamātmajaṃ dātumarhasi

all of them headed by Vashishtha, then send Rama with me. You should give up your attachment and grant me your beloved son, as I desire.

Shloka 18 (bala.19.18)

दशरात्रं हि यज्ञस्य रामं राजीवलोचनम् । नात्येति कालो यज्ञस्य यथायं मम राघव ॥ १८ ॥

daśarātraṃ hi yajñasya rāmaṃ rājīvalocanam | nātyeti kālo yajñasya yathāyaṃ mama rāghava

For only ten nights of the sacrifice remain, lend me lotus-eyed Rama for that period, O descendant of Raghu, so that the time allotted for my sacrifice does not lapse.

Shloka 19 (bala.19.19)

तथा कुरुष्व भद्रं ते मा च शोके मनः कृथाः । इत्येवमुक्त्वा धर्मात्मा धर्मार्थसहितं वचः ॥ १९ ॥

tathā kuruṣva bhadraṃ te mā ca śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ | ityevamuktvā dharmātmā dharmārthasahitaṃ vacaḥ

So act accordingly; may good befall you, and let not your heart give way to grief." Having spoken these words, full of righteousness and meaning, that righteous sage

Shloka 20 (bala.19.20)

विरराम महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामतिः । स तन्निशम्य राजेन्द्रो विश्वामित्रवचः शुभम् ॥ २० ॥

virarāma mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmatiḥ | sa tanniśamya rājendro viśvāmitravacaḥ śubham

the greatly resplendent and wise Vishwamitra fell silent. Hearing those auspicious words of Vishwamitra, that lord of kings, Dasharatha,

Shloka 21 (bala.19.21)

शोकेन महताविष्टश्चचाल च मुमोह च । लब्धसंज्ञस्तथोत्थाय व्यषीदत भयान्वितः ॥ २१ ॥

śokena mahatāviṣṭaścacāla ca mumoha ca | labdhasaṃjñastathotthāya vyaṣīdata bhayānvitaḥ

overwhelmed with great sorrow, trembled and lost his senses. Regaining consciousness, he then rose, only to sink down again, overcome with fear.

Shloka 22 (bala.19.22)

इति हृदयमनोविदारणं मुनिवचनं तदतीव शुश्रुवान् । नरपतिरभवन्महान् महात्मा व्यथितमनाः प्रचचाल चासनात् ॥ २२ ॥

iti hṛdayamanovidāraṇaṃ munivacanaṃ tadatīva śuśruvān | narapatirabhavanmahān mahātmā vyathitamanāḥ pracacāla cāsanāt

Thus, having heard these words of the sage, which rent his heart and mind, that great and noble king, his mind stricken with anguish, trembled upon his very throne.