Vashishtha Refuses to Yield Shabala

Shloka 1 (bala.53.1)

एवमुक्ता वसिष्ठेन शबला शत्रुसूदन। विदधे कामधुक्कामान् यस्य यस्येप्सितं यथा ॥ १-५३-१ ॥

evamuktā vasiṣṭhena śabalā śatrusūdana| vidadhe kāmadhukkāmān yasya yasyepsitaṃ yathā || 1-53-1 ||

O slayer of foes, thus addressed by Vashishtha, the wish-granting cow Shabala provided every desire, to each exactly as he had wished it.

Shloka 2 (bala.53.2)

इक्षून्मधूंस्तथा लाजान् मैरेयांश्च वरासवान्। पानानि च महार्हाणि भक्ष्यांश्चोच्चावचांस्तथा ॥ १-५३-२ ॥

ikṣūnmadhūṃstathā lājān maireyāṃśca varāsavān| pānāni ca mahārhāṇi bhakṣyāṃścoccāvacāṃstathā || 1-53-2 ||

She produced sugarcane juices and honey, likewise parched grain, choice liquors and fine wines, precious drinks, and food of every variety, high and low.

Shloka 3 (bala.53.3)

उष्णाढ्यस्यौदनस्यापि राशयः पर्वतोपमाः। मृष्टान्नानि च सूपाश्च दधिकुल्यास्तथैव च ॥ १-५३-३ ॥

uṣṇāḍhyasyaudanasyāpi rāśayaḥ parvatopamāḥ| mṛṣṭānnāni ca sūpāśca dadhikulyāstathaiva ca || 1-53-3 ||

There arose mountain-like heaps of steaming rice, dishes of savory food and lentil preparations, and likewise streams of curd.

Shloka 4 (bala.53.4)

नानास्वादुरसानां च खाण्डवानां तथैव च। भाजनानि सुपूर्णानि गौडानि च सहस्रशः ॥ १-५३-४ ॥

nānāsvādurasānāṃ ca khāṇḍavānāṃ tathaiva ca| bhājanāni supūrṇāni gauḍāni ca sahasraśaḥ || 1-53-4 ||

And bowls, by the thousands, brimming with diversely flavored syrups and sugar-confections, together with preparations of jaggery.

Shloka 5 (bala.53.5)

सर्वमासीत् सुसंतुष्टं हृष्टपुष्टजनायुतम्। विश्वामित्रबलं राम वसिष्ठेन सुतर्पितम् ॥ १-५३-५ ॥

sarvamāsīt susaṃtuṣṭaṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāyutam| viśvāmitrabalaṃ rāma vasiṣṭhena sutarpitam || 1-53-5 ||

O Rama, Vishvamitra's entire army, thus well feasted by Vashishtha, became utterly content, filled with men both delighted and well nourished.

Shloka 6 (bala.53.6)

विश्वामित्रोऽपि राजर्षिर्हृष्टपुष्टस्तदाभवत्। सान्तःपुरवरो राजा सब्राह्मणपुरोहितः ॥ १-५३-६ ॥

viśvāmitro'pi rājarṣirhṛṣṭapuṣṭastadābhavat| sāntaḥpuravaro rājā sabrāhmaṇapurohitaḥ || 1-53-6 ||

The royal sage Vishvamitra himself, together with the finest ladies of his palace and his brahmins and household priest, then became delighted and well nourished.

Shloka 7 (bala.53.7)

सामात्यो मंत्रिसहितः सभृत्यः पूजितस्तदा। युक्तः परमहर्षेण वसिष्ठमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-५३-७ ॥

sāmātyo maṃtrisahitaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ pūjitastadā| yuktaḥ paramaharṣeṇa vasiṣṭhamidamabravīt || 1-53-7 ||

Honored thus, together with his counselors, ministers, and attendants, and filled with the greatest joy, he spoke this to Vashishtha.

Shloka 8 (bala.53.8)

पूजितोऽहं त्वया ब्रह्मन् पूजार्हेण सुसत्कृतः। श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि वाक्यं वाक्यविशारद ॥ १-५३-८ ॥

pūjito'haṃ tvayā brahman pūjārheṇa susatkṛtaḥ| śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi vākyaṃ vākyaviśārada || 1-53-8 ||

O Brahmin, I have been honored and well entertained by you, who are worthy of worship. O master of speech, listen -- I wish to say something.

Shloka 9 (bala.53.9)

गवां शतसहस्रेण दीयतां शबला मम। रत्नं हि भगवन्नेतद्रत्नहारी च पार्थिवः ॥ १-५३-९ ॥

gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa dīyatāṃ śabalā mama| ratnaṃ hi bhagavannetadratnahārī ca pārthivaḥ || 1-53-9 ||

Let Shabala be given to me in exchange for a hundred thousand cows. For, O venerable one, this cow is indeed a jewel, and it is kings who are the rightful takers of jewels.

Shloka 10 (bala.53.10)

तस्मान्मे शबलां देहि ममैषा धर्मतो द्विज। एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान् वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः ॥ १-५३-१० ॥

tasmānme śabalāṃ dehi mamaiṣā dharmato dvija| evamuktastu bhagavān vasiṣṭho munisattamaḥ || 1-53-10 ||

Therefore, O twice-born one, give Shabala to me -- by right, she belongs to me. Thus addressed, the venerable Vashishtha, foremost among sages,

Shloka 11 (bala.53.11)

विश्वामित्रेण धर्मात्मा प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्। नाहं शतसहस्रेण नापि कोटिशतैर्गवाम् ॥ १-५३-११ ॥

viśvāmitreṇa dharmātmā pratyuvāca mahīpatim| nāhaṃ śatasahasreṇa nāpi koṭiśatairgavām || 1-53-11 ||

-- that righteous one, replied to the king: "Neither for a hundred thousand cows, nor for hundreds of millions of cows,

Shloka 12 (bala.53.12)

राजन् दास्यामि शबलां राशिभी रजतस्य वा। न परित्यागमर्हेयं मत्सकाशादरिन्दम ॥ १-५३-१२ ॥

rājan dāsyāmi śabalāṃ rāśibhī rajatasya vā| na parityāgamarheyaṃ matsakāśādarindama || 1-53-12 ||

nor for heaps of silver, O king, will I give up Shabala. O subduer of foes, she does not deserve to be parted from my side.

Shloka 13 (bala.53.13)

शाश्वती शबला मह्यं कीर्तिरात्मवतो यथा। अस्यां हव्यं च कव्यं च प्राणयात्रा तथैव च ॥ १-५३-१३ ॥

śāśvatī śabalā mahyaṃ kīrtirātmavato yathā| asyāṃ havyaṃ ca kavyaṃ ca prāṇayātrā tathaiva ca || 1-53-13 ||

Shabala is as everlastingly mine as fame is to a man of true self-worth. On her depend my oblations to gods and to ancestors, as well as the very sustenance of my life.

Shloka 14 (bala.53.14)

आयत्तमग्निहोत्रं च बलिर्होमस्तथैव च। स्वाहाकारवषट्कारौ विद्याश्च विविधास्तथा ॥ १-५३-१४ ॥

āyattamagnihotraṃ ca balirhomastathaiva ca| svāhākāravaṣaṭkārau vidyāśca vividhāstathā || 1-53-14 ||

On her, likewise, depend my fire-offering, my sacrifice, and my oblation. The sacred utterances of svaha and vashat, and the various branches of learning as well, rest upon her.

Shloka 15 (bala.53.15)

आयत्तमत्र राजर्षे सर्वमेतन्न संशयः। सर्वस्वमेतत्सत्येन मम तुष्टिकरी तथा ॥ १-५३-१५ ॥

āyattamatra rājarṣe sarvametanna saṃśayaḥ| sarvasvametatsatyena mama tuṣṭikarī tathā || 1-53-15 ||

O royal sage, all of this rests upon her; of this there is no doubt. In truth, she is my everything, and ever my source of contentment.

Shloka 16 (bala.53.16)

कारणैर्बहुभी राजन्न दास्ये शबलां तव। वसिष्ठेनैवमुक्तस्तु विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीत्तदा ॥ १-५३-१६ ॥

kāraṇairbahubhī rājanna dāsye śabalāṃ tava| vasiṣṭhenaivamuktastu viśvāmitro'bravīttadā || 1-53-16 ||

For these many reasons, O king, I will not give Shabala to you." Thus addressed by Vashishtha, Vishvamitra then spoke --

Shloka 17 (bala.53.17)

संरब्धतरमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः। हैरण्यकक्ष्याग्रैवेयान् सुवर्णांकुशभूषितान् ॥ १-५३-१७ ॥

saṃrabdhataramatyarthaṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ| hairaṇyakakṣyāgraiveyān suvarṇāṃkuśabhūṣitān || 1-53-17 ||

-- that master of speech spoke this word with mounting vehemence: "I will give you elephants girded with golden girths and neck-ornaments, and adorned with golden goads --

Shloka 18 (bala.53.18)

ददामि कुंजराणां ते सहस्राणि चतुर्दश। हैरण्यानां रथानां च श्वेताश्वानां चतुर्युजाम् ॥ १-५३-१८ ॥

dadāmi kuṃjarāṇāṃ te sahasrāṇi caturdaśa| hairaṇyānāṃ rathānāṃ ca śvetāśvānāṃ caturyujām || 1-53-18 ||

fourteen thousand of them; and eight hundred golden chariots, adorned with tinkling bells, each fit to be yoked with four snow-white horses.

Shloka 19 (bala.53.19)

ददामि ते शतान्यष्टौ किङ्किणीकविभूषितान्। हयानां देशजातानां कुलजानां महौजसाम्। सहस्रमेकं दश च ददामि तव सुव्रत ॥ १-५३-१९ ॥

dadāmi te śatānyaṣṭau kiṅkiṇīkavibhūṣitān| hayānāṃ deśajātānāṃ kulajānāṃ mahaujasām| sahasramekaṃ daśa ca dadāmi tava suvrata || 1-53-19 ||

O sage of noble vows, I will give you eleven thousand horses, of high pedigree, born in famous lands, of the greatest vigor.

Shloka 20 (bala.53.20)

नानावर्णविभक्तानां वयःस्थानां तथैव च। ददाम्येकां गवां कोटिं शबला दीयतां मम ॥ १-५३-२० ॥

nānāvarṇavibhaktānāṃ vayaḥsthānāṃ tathaiva ca| dadāmyekāṃ gavāṃ koṭiṃ śabalā dīyatāṃ mama || 1-53-20 ||

I will also give you ten million cows, of diverse colors, distinctly marked, all of mature and useful age -- only let Shabala be given to me.

Shloka 21 (bala.53.21)

यावदिच्छसि रत्नानि हिरण्यं वा द्विजोत्तम। तावद्ददामि ते सर्वं दीयतां शबला मम ॥ १-५३-२१ ॥

yāvadicchasi ratnāni hiraṇyaṃ vā dvijottama| tāvaddadāmi te sarvaṃ dīyatāṃ śabalā mama || 1-53-21 ||

O foremost of the twice-born, whatever jewels or gold you desire, that much I will give you in full -- only let Shabala be given to me.

Shloka 22 (bala.53.22)

एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान् विश्वामित्रेण धीमता। न दास्यामीति शबलां प्राह राजन् कथंचन ॥ १-५३-२२ ॥

evamuktastu bhagavān viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā| na dāsyāmīti śabalāṃ prāha rājan kathaṃcana || 1-53-22 ||

Thus addressed by the wise Vishvamitra, the venerable Vashishtha declared plainly, "O king, I will not give up Shabala, come what may."

Shloka 23 (bala.53.23)

एतदेव हि मे रत्नं एतदेव हि मे धनम्। एतदेव हि सर्वस्वमेतदेव हि जीवितम् ॥ १-५३-२३ ॥

etadeva hi me ratnaṃ etadeva hi me dhanam| etadeva hi sarvasvametadeva hi jīvitam || 1-53-23 ||

This alone is my jewel, this alone my wealth; this alone is my everything, and this alone is my very life.

Shloka 24 (bala.53.24)

दर्शश्च पौर्णमासश्च यज्ञाश्चैवाप्तदक्षिणाः। एतदेव हि मे राजन् विविधाश्च क्रियास्तथा ॥ १-५३-२४ ॥

darśaśca paurṇamāsaśca yajñāścaivāptadakṣiṇāḥ| etadeva hi me rājan vividhāśca kriyāstathā || 1-53-24 ||

The new-moon and full-moon rites, and all sacrifices with their proper offerings, O king, and my various other rites as well -- all of these, too, depend on her alone.

Shloka 25 (bala.53.25)

अतो मूलाः क्रियाः सर्वा मम राजन्न संशयः। बहूना किं प्रलापेन न दास्ये कामदोहिनीम् ॥ १-५३-२५ ॥

ato mūlāḥ kriyāḥ sarvā mama rājanna saṃśayaḥ| bahūnā kiṃ pralāpena na dāsye kāmadohinīm || 1-53-25 ||

All my rites, O king, are rooted in her; of this there is no doubt. What use is there in so much talk -- I will not give up this wish-fulfilling cow.