The Legend of Vishala

Shloka 1 (bala.47.1)

सप्तधा तु कृते गर्भे दितिः परमदुःखिता। सहस्राक्षं दुराधर्षं वाक्यं सानुनयाब्रवीत् ॥ १-४७-१ ॥

saptadhā tu kṛte garbhe ditiḥ paramaduḥkhitā| sahasrākṣaṃ durādharṣaṃ vākyaṃ sānunayābravīt || 1-47-1 ||

"When the foetus had thus been rent sevenfold, Diti, in deep grief, spoke these appeasing words to the indomitable Thousand-eyed Indra." Thus Vishvamitra continued the tale of Vishala.

Shloka 2 (bala.47.2)

ममापराधाद्गर्भोऽयं सप्तधा शकलीकृतः। नापराधो हि देवेश तवात्र बलसूदन ॥ १-४७-२ ॥

mamāparādhādgarbho'yaṃ saptadhā śakalīkṛtaḥ| nāparādho hi deveśa tavātra balasūdana || 1-47-2 ||

"'O slayer of the demon Bala, O lord of the gods, it is by my own fault that this foetus has been split into seven fragments; in this there is truly no fault of yours.'"

Shloka 3 (bala.47.3)

प्रियं त्वत्कृतमिच्छामि मम गर्भविपर्यये। मरुतां सप्तसप्तानां स्थानपाला भवन्तु ते ॥ १-४७-३ ॥

priyaṃ tvatkṛtamicchāmi mama garbhaviparyaye| marutāṃ saptasaptānāṃ sthānapālā bhavantu te || 1-47-3 ||

"'Since my hopes for this child have thus been overturned, I ask of you this one kindness — let these seven become, under your own lordship, the guardians of the seven-times-seven regions of the Marutas.'"

Shloka 4 (bala.47.4)

वातस्कंधा इमे सप्त चरन्तु दिवि पुत्रक। मारुता इति विख्याता दिव्यरूपा ममात्मजाः ॥ १-४७-४ ॥

vātaskaṃdhā ime sapta carantu divi putraka| mārutā iti vikhyātā divyarūpā mamātmajāḥ || 1-47-4 ||

"'O son, let these seven sons of mine, of celestial form, become the presiding deities of the divisions of air, renowned by the name of Marutas, and roam through the heavens.'"

Shloka 5 (bala.47.5)

ब्रह्मलोकं चरत्वेक इन्द्रलोकं तथापरः। दिव्यवायुरिति ख्यातः तृतीयोऽपि महायशाः ॥ १-४७-५ ॥

brahmalokaṃ caratveka indralokaṃ tathāparaḥ| divyavāyuriti khyātaḥ tṛtīyo'pi mahāyaśāḥ || 1-47-5 ||

"'Let one of them move through Brahma's world, another through the world of Indra, and let the third, of great renown, be famed as the Divine Wind and range through the heavens.'"

Shloka 6 (bala.47.6)

चत्वारस्तु सुरश्रेष्ठ दिशो वै तव शासनात्। संचरिष्यन्ति भद्रं ते कलेन हि ममात्मजाः ॥ १-४७-६ ॥

catvārastu suraśreṣṭha diśo vai tava śāsanāt| saṃcariṣyanti bhadraṃ te kalena hi mamātmajāḥ || 1-47-6 ||

"'O best of gods, the remaining four sons of mine shall, at your command, range through the four quarters in due course of time; blessings on you.'"

Shloka 7 (bala.47.7)

त्वत्कृतेनैव नाम्ना वै मारुता इति विश्रुताः। तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः ॥ १-४७-७ ॥

tvatkṛtenaiva nāmnā vai mārutā iti viśrutāḥ| tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā sahasrākṣaḥ puraṃdaraḥ || 1-47-7 ||

"'By the very name you gave them — for you soothed them saying "do not weep" — they shall be renowned as Marutas.'" Hearing her words, the Thousand-eyed Purandara,

Shloka 8 (bala.47.8)

उवाच प्रांजलिर्वाक्यं दितिं बलनिषूदनः। सर्वमेतद्यथोक्तं ते भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ १-४७-८ ॥

uvāca prāṃjalirvākyaṃ ditiṃ balaniṣūdanaḥ| sarvametadyathoktaṃ te bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 1-47-8 ||

joining his palms, said this to Diti: "All this shall come to pass exactly as you have said; of this there is no doubt."

Shloka 9 (bala.47.9)

विचरिष्यन्ति भद्रं ते देवरूपास्तवात्मजाः। एवं तौ निश्चयं कृत्वा मातापुत्रौ तपोवने ॥ १-४७-९ ॥

vicariṣyanti bhadraṃ te devarūpāstavātmajāḥ| evaṃ tau niścayaṃ kṛtvā mātāputrau tapovane || 1-47-9 ||

"'Your sons shall move about in the form of gods; blessings on you.'" Having thus resolved, that mother and son, there in the ascetic forest,

Shloka 10 (bala.47.10)

जग्मतुस्त्रिदिवं राम कृतार्थाविति नः श्रुतम्। एष देशः स काकुत्स्थ महेन्द्राध्युषितः पुरा ॥ १-४७-१० ॥

jagmatustridivaṃ rāma kṛtārthāviti naḥ śrutam| eṣa deśaḥ sa kākutstha mahendrādhyuṣitaḥ purā || 1-47-10 ||

their purpose fulfilled, departed for heaven — so we have heard. O scion of Kakutstha, this is that very region where great Indra once dwelt,

Shloka 11 (bala.47.11)

दितिं यत्र तपःसिद्धामेवं परिचचार सः। इक्ष्वाकोस्तु नरव्याघ्र पुत्रः परमधार्मिकः ॥ १-४७-११ ॥

ditiṃ yatra tapaḥsiddhāmevaṃ paricacāra saḥ| ikṣvākostu naravyāghra putraḥ paramadhārmikaḥ || 1-47-11 ||

and where he thus waited upon Diti as she perfected her austerity. O tiger among men, to king Ikshvaku was born a most righteous son,

Shloka 12 (bala.47.12)

अलंबुषायामुत्पन्नो विशाल इति विश्रुतः। तेन चासीदिह स्थाने विशालेति पुरी कृता ॥ १-४७-१२ ॥

alaṃbuṣāyāmutpanno viśāla iti viśrutaḥ| tena cāsīdiha sthāne viśāleti purī kṛtā || 1-47-12 ||

born of queen Alambusha, renowned by the name Vishala; and by him was built, on this very spot, the city named Vishala.

Shloka 13 (bala.47.13)

विशालस्य सुतो राम हेमचन्द्रो महाबलः। सुचन्द्र इति विख्यातो हेमचन्द्रादनंतरः ॥ १-४७-१३ ॥

viśālasya suto rāma hemacandro mahābalaḥ| sucandra iti vikhyāto hemacandrādanaṃtaraḥ || 1-47-13 ||

O Rama, Vishala's son was the mighty Hemachandra, and after Hemachandra came his son, renowned as Suchandra.

Shloka 14 (bala.47.14)

सुचन्द्रतनयो राम धूम्राश्व इति विश्रुतः। धूम्राश्वतनयश्चापि सृंजयः समपद्यत ॥ १-४७-१४ ॥

sucandratanayo rāma dhūmrāśva iti viśrutaḥ| dhūmrāśvatanayaścāpi sṛṃjayaḥ samapadyata || 1-47-14 ||

O Rama, Suchandra's son was renowned as Dhumrashva, and Dhumrashva's son in turn became Srinjaya.

Shloka 15 (bala.47.15)

सृंजयस्य सुतः श्रीमान् सहदेवः प्रतापवान्। कुशाश्वः सहदेवस्य पुत्रः परमधार्मिकः ॥ १-४७-१५ ॥

sṛṃjayasya sutaḥ śrīmān sahadevaḥ pratāpavān| kuśāśvaḥ sahadevasya putraḥ paramadhārmikaḥ || 1-47-15 ||

Srinjaya's son was the glorious and mighty Sahadeva, and Sahadeva's son was the most righteous Kushashva.

Shloka 16 (bala.47.16)

कुशाश्वस्य महातेजाः सोमदत्तः प्रतापवान्। सोमदत्तस्य पुत्रस्तु काकुत्स्थ इति विश्रुतः ॥ १-४७-१६ ॥

kuśāśvasya mahātejāḥ somadattaḥ pratāpavān| somadattasya putrastu kākutstha iti viśrutaḥ || 1-47-16 ||

Kushashva's son was the greatly resplendent and mighty Somadatta, and Somadatta's son was renowned by the name Kakutstha.

Shloka 17 (bala.47.17)

तस्य पुत्रो महातेजाः संप्रत्येष पुरीमिमाम्। आवसत्परमप्रख्यः सुमतिर्नाम दुर्जयः ॥ १-४७-१७ ॥

tasya putro mahātejāḥ saṃpratyeṣa purīmimām| āvasatparamaprakhyaḥ sumatirnāma durjayaḥ || 1-47-17 ||

His son — the greatly resplendent, most renowned, and unconquerable Sumati — now dwells, at this very time, in this same city.

Shloka 18 (bala.47.18)

इक्ष्वाकोस्तु प्रसादेन सर्वे वैशालिका नृपाः। दीर्घायुषो महात्मानो वीर्यवन्तः सुधार्मिकाः ॥ १-४७-१८ ॥

ikṣvākostu prasādena sarve vaiśālikā nṛpāḥ| dīrghāyuṣo mahātmāno vīryavantaḥ sudhārmikāḥ || 1-47-18 ||

By Ikshvaku's grace, all the kings of Vishala have been long-lived, great of soul, valiant, and deeply righteous.

Shloka 19 (bala.47.19)

इहाद्य रजनीमेकां सुखं स्वप्स्यामहे वयम्। श्वः प्रभाते नरश्रेष्ठ जनकं द्रष्टुमर्हसि ॥ १-४७-१९ ॥

ihādya rajanīmekāṃ sukhaṃ svapsyāmahe vayam| śvaḥ prabhāte naraśreṣṭha janakaṃ draṣṭumarhasi || 1-47-19 ||

"Tonight we shall rest here in comfort; and tomorrow at dawn, O best of men, it will be fitting for you to see King Janaka." So Vishvamitra said to Rama and Lakshmana.

Shloka 20 (bala.47.20)

सुमतिस्तु महातेजा विश्वामित्रमुपागतम्। श्रुत्वा नरवरश्रेष्ठः प्रत्यागच्छन् महायशाः ॥ १-४७-२० ॥

sumatistu mahātejā viśvāmitramupāgatam| śrutvā naravaraśreṣṭhaḥ pratyāgacchan mahāyaśāḥ || 1-47-20 ||

Meanwhile Sumati — greatly resplendent, of far-reaching fame, and foremost among the best of men — hearing that Vishvamitra had arrived, came forth himself to receive him.

Shloka 21 (bala.47.21)

पूजां च परमां कृत्वा सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः। प्रांजलिः कुशलं पृष्ट्वा विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत् ॥ १-४७-२१ ॥

pūjāṃ ca paramāṃ kṛtvā sopādhyāyaḥ sabāndhavaḥ| prāṃjaliḥ kuśalaṃ pṛṣṭvā viśvāmitramathābravīt || 1-47-21 ||

Coming with his preceptors and kinsmen, he offered Vishvamitra the highest reverence, and with joined palms, having asked after his welfare, spoke thus.

Shloka 22 (bala.47.22)

धन्योऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि यस्य मे विषयं मुने। संप्राप्तो दर्शनं चैव नास्ति धन्यतरो मम ॥ १-४७-२२ ॥

dhanyo'smyanugṛhīto'smi yasya me viṣayaṃ mune| saṃprāpto darśanaṃ caiva nāsti dhanyataro mama || 1-47-22 ||

"O sage, I am blessed, I am favoured indeed, that it is into my own realm you have come, and that I have thus obtained your very sight; none is more fortunate than I."