Shabala Raises an Army; Vishvamitra's Forces Are Routed

Shloka 1 (bala.54.1)

कामधेनुं वसिष्ठोऽपि यदा न त्यजते मुनिः। तदास्य शबलां राम विश्वामित्रोऽन्वकर्षत ॥ १-५४-१ ॥

kāmadhenuṃ vasiṣṭho'pi yadā na tyajate muniḥ| tadāsya śabalāṃ rāma viśvāmitro'nvakarṣata || 1-54-1 ||

O Rama, when the sage Vashishtha, too, would not give up the wish-granting cow, Vishvamitra then began to drag Shabala away by force.

Shloka 2 (bala.54.2)

नीयमाना तु शबला राम राज्ञा महात्मना। दुःखिता चिन्तयामास रुदंती शोककर्षिता ॥ १-५४-२ ॥

nīyamānā tu śabalā rāma rājñā mahātmanā| duḥkhitā cintayāmāsa rudaṃtī śokakarṣitā || 1-54-2 ||

O Rama, as she was being dragged away by that resolute king, Shabala, grief-stricken and afflicted by anguish, began to weep and ponder.

Shloka 3 (bala.54.3)

परित्यक्ता वसिष्ठेन किमहं सुमहात्मना। याहं राजभृतैर्दीना ह्रियेयं भृशदुःखिता ॥ १-५४-३ ॥

parityaktā vasiṣṭhena kimahaṃ sumahātmanā| yāhaṃ rājabhṛtairdīnā hriyeyaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitā || 1-54-3 ||

"Have I, then, been forsaken by the great-souled Vashishtha, that I, so pitiable and so grievously afflicted, am being carried off by the king's servants?"

Shloka 4 (bala.54.4)

किं मयापकृतं तस्य महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः। यन्मामनागसं भक्तामिष्टां त्यजति धार्मिकः ॥ १-५४-४ ॥

kiṃ mayāpakṛtaṃ tasya maharṣerbhāvitātmanaḥ| yanmāmanāgasaṃ bhaktāmiṣṭāṃ tyajati dhārmikaḥ || 1-54-4 ||

"What wrong have I done to that great sage of purified soul, that this righteous one now forsakes me -- his blameless, devoted, and beloved cow?"

Shloka 5 (bala.54.5)

इति संचिन्तयित्वा तु निःश्वस्य च पुनः पुनः। जगाम वेगेन तदा वसिष्ठं परमौजसम् ॥ १-५४-५ ॥

iti saṃcintayitvā tu niḥśvasya ca punaḥ punaḥ| jagāma vegena tadā vasiṣṭhaṃ paramaujasam || 1-54-5 ||

Having pondered thus again and again, and sighing repeatedly, she then rushed swiftly toward the greatly powerful Vashishtha.

Shloka 6 (bala.54.6)

निर्धूय तां तदा भृत्यान् शतशः शत्रुसूदन। जगामानिलवेगेन पादमूलं महात्मनः ॥ १-५४-६ ॥

nirdhūya tāṃ tadā bhṛtyān śataśaḥ śatrusūdana| jagāmānilavegena pādamūlaṃ mahātmanaḥ || 1-54-6 ||

O slayer of foes, shaking off hundreds of the king's attendants, she then went, swift as the wind, to the very feet of that great soul.

Shloka 7 (bala.54.7)

शबला सा रुदन्ती च क्रोशन्ती चेदमब्रवीत्। वसिष्ठस्याग्रतः स्थित्वा मेघदुन्दुभिनिःस्वना ॥ १-५४-७ ॥

śabalā sā rudantī ca krośantī cedamabravīt| vasiṣṭhasyāgrataḥ sthitvā meghadundubhiniḥsvanā || 1-54-7 ||

That Shabala, weeping and crying out, standing before Vashishtha, spoke thus in a voice resounding like thunder and the war-drum.

Shloka 8 (bala.54.8)

भगवन् किं परित्यक्ता त्वयाहं ब्रह्मणः सुत। यस्माद्राजभटा मां हि नयन्ते त्वत्सकाशतः ॥ १-५४-८ ॥

bhagavan kiṃ parityaktā tvayāhaṃ brahmaṇaḥ suta| yasmādrājabhaṭā māṃ hi nayante tvatsakāśataḥ || 1-54-8 ||

"O venerable one, son of Brahma, have you forsaken me, that the king's soldiers are now dragging me away from your presence?"

Shloka 9 (bala.54.9)

एवमुक्तस्तु ब्रह्मर्षिरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। शोकसंतप्तहृदयां स्वसारमिव दुःखिताम् ॥ १-५४-९ ॥

evamuktastu brahmarṣiridaṃ vacanamabravīt| śokasaṃtaptahṛdayāṃ svasāramiva duḥkhitām || 1-54-9 ||

Thus addressed, the Brahmarshi spoke this word to her -- the grieving cow, her heart burning with sorrow, as though she were his own sister in distress.

Shloka 10 (bala.54.10)

न त्वां त्यजामि शबले नापि मेऽपकृतं त्वया। एष त्वां नयते राजा बलान्मत्तो महाबलः ॥ १-५४-१० ॥

na tvāṃ tyajāmi śabale nāpi me'pakṛtaṃ tvayā| eṣa tvāṃ nayate rājā balānmatto mahābalaḥ || 1-54-10 ||

"I am not forsaking you, Shabala, nor have you wronged me in any way. It is this king, intoxicated with his own might, who is forcibly taking you from me."

Shloka 11 (bala.54.11)

न हि तुल्यं बलं मह्यं राजा त्वद्य विशेषतः। बली राजा क्षत्रियश्च पृथिव्याः पतिरेव च ॥ १-५४-११ ॥

na hi tulyaṃ balaṃ mahyaṃ rājā tvadya viśeṣataḥ| balī rājā kṣatriyaśca pṛthivyāḥ patireva ca || 1-54-11 ||

"My strength is not equal to his, especially not today, for he is a king, a mighty one, a kshatriya, and moreover the lord of the earth."

Shloka 12 (bala.54.12)

इयमक्षौहिणी पूर्णा गजवाजिरथाकुला। हस्तिध्वजसमाकीर्णा तेनासौ बलवत्तरः ॥ १-५४-१२ ॥

iyamakṣauhiṇī pūrṇā gajavājirathākulā| hastidhvajasamākīrṇā tenāsau balavattaraḥ || 1-54-12 ||

"This entire division of his army is thronged with elephants, horses, and chariots, overspread with banners and elephants; that is why he is the mightier one."

Shloka 13 (bala.54.13)

एवमुक्ता वसिष्ठेन प्रत्युवाच विनीतवत्। वचनं वचनज्ञा सा ब्रह्मर्षिमतुलप्रभम् ॥ १-५४-१३ ॥

evamuktā vasiṣṭhena pratyuvāca vinītavat| vacanaṃ vacanajñā sā brahmarṣimatulaprabham || 1-54-13 ||

Thus addressed by Vashishtha, she, skilled in speech, humbly replied with these words to that Brahmarshi of matchless splendor.

Shloka 14 (bala.54.14)

न बलं क्षत्रियस्याहुर्ब्राह्मणो बलवत्तरः। ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मबलं दिव्यं क्षत्रात्तु बलवत्तरम् ॥ १-५४-१४ ॥

na balaṃ kṣatriyasyāhurbrāhmaṇo balavattaraḥ| brahman brahmabalaṃ divyaṃ kṣatrāttu balavattaram || 1-54-14 ||

"The might of a kshatriya is not called the greater; the brahmin is mightier still. O Brahmin, the divine power of holy austerity is indeed mightier than the might of kshatriya arms."

Shloka 15 (bala.54.15)

अप्रमेयबलं तुभ्यं न त्वया बलवत्तरः। विश्वामित्रो महावीर्यस्तेजस्तव दुरासदम् ॥ १-५४-१५ ॥

aprameyabalaṃ tubhyaṃ na tvayā balavattaraḥ| viśvāmitro mahāvīryastejastava durāsadam || 1-54-15 ||

"Your power is beyond measure; Vishvamitra, for all his great valor, is not mightier than you, and your radiance is unassailable."

Shloka 16 (bala.54.16)

नियुङ्क्ष्व मां महातेजस्त्वद्ब्रह्मबलसंभृताम्। तस्य दर्पं बलं यत्नं नाशयामि दुरात्मनः ॥ १-५४-१६ ॥

niyuṅkṣva māṃ mahātejastvadbrahmabalasaṃbhṛtām| tasya darpaṃ balaṃ yatnaṃ nāśayāmi durātmanaḥ || 1-54-16 ||

"O greatly resplendent one, command me, who am charged with the power of your holy might, and I shall destroy the pride, the strength, and every endeavor of that ill-minded king."

Shloka 17 (bala.54.17)

इत्युक्तस्तु तया राम वसिष्ठः सुमहायशाः। सृजस्वेति तदोवाच बलं परबलार्दनम् ॥ १-५४-१७ ॥

ityuktastu tayā rāma vasiṣṭhaḥ sumahāyaśāḥ| sṛjasveti tadovāca balaṃ parabalārdanam || 1-54-17 ||

O Rama, thus addressed by her, the greatly renowned Vashishtha then said, "Create, then, an army capable of destroying the army of the foe."

Shloka 18 (bala.54.18)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सुरभिः सा असृजत्तदा। तस्या हुंभारवोत्सृष्टाः पह्लवाः शतशो नृप ॥ १-५४-१८ ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā surabhiḥ sā asṛjattadā| tasyā huṃbhāravotsṛṣṭāḥ pahlavāḥ śataśo nṛpa || 1-54-18 ||

Hearing his word, O king, that Sacred Cow then created her army: at her mooing roar of 'hum,' hundreds of Pahlava warriors sprang forth,

Shloka 19 (bala.54.19)

नाशयन्ति बलं सर्वं विश्वामित्रस्य पश्यतः। स राजा परमक्रुद्धः क्रोधविस्फारितेक्षणः ॥ १-५४-१९ ॥

nāśayanti balaṃ sarvaṃ viśvāmitrasya paśyataḥ| sa rājā paramakruddhaḥ krodhavisphāritekṣaṇaḥ || 1-54-19 ||

-- and, even as Vishvamitra watched, they destroyed his entire army. That king, utterly enraged, his eyes wide with fury,

Shloka 20 (bala.54.20)

पह्लवान्नाशयामास शस्त्रैरुच्चावचैरपि। विश्वामित्रार्दितान् दृष्ट्वा पह्लवान् शतशस्तदा ॥ १-५४-२० ॥

pahlavānnāśayāmāsa śastrairuccāvacairapi| viśvāmitrārditān dṛṣṭvā pahlavān śataśastadā || 1-54-20 ||

-- began to destroy the Pahlavas as well, with weapons of every kind. Then, seeing hundreds of Pahlavas thus subdued by Vishvamitra,

Shloka 21 (bala.54.21)

भूय एवासृजद्घोरान् शकान् यवनमिश्रितान्। तैरासीत् संवृता भूमिः शकैर्यवनमिश्रितैः ॥ १-५४-२१ ॥

bhūya evāsṛjadghorān śakān yavanamiśritān| tairāsīt saṃvṛtā bhūmiḥ śakairyavanamiśritaiḥ || 1-54-21 ||

the cow again generated deadly Shakas mingled with Yavanas; and the earth became covered with those Shakas, intermixed with Yavanas.

Shloka 22 (bala.54.22)

प्रभावद्भिर्महावीर्यैर्हेमकिंजल्कसंनिभैः। दीर्घासिपट्टिशधरैर्हेमवर्णाम्बरावृतैः ॥ १-५४-२२ ॥

prabhāvadbhirmahāvīryairhemakiṃjalkasaṃnibhaiḥ| dīrghāsipaṭṭiśadharairhemavarṇāmbarāvṛtaiḥ || 1-54-22 ||

They were full of power and great valor, golden in hue like the pistils of flowers, wielding long swords and broad lances, and clad in garments of golden color.

Shloka 23 (bala.54.23)

निर्दग्धं तद्बलं सर्वं प्रदीप्तैरिव पावकैः। ततोऽस्त्राणि महातेजा विश्वामित्रो मुमोच ह। तैस्तैर्यवनकांभोजा बर्बराश्चाकुलीकृताः ॥ १-५४-२३ ॥

nirdagdhaṃ tadbalaṃ sarvaṃ pradīptairiva pāvakaiḥ| tato'strāṇi mahātejā viśvāmitro mumoca ha| taistairyavanakāṃbhojā barbarāścākulīkṛtāḥ || 1-54-23 ||

As though they were blazing fires, they completely burned down that entire force. Then the greatly resplendent Vishvamitra released his own missiles, by which the Yavanas, Kambojas, and Barbaras were thrown into utter confusion.