The Selling of Shunahshepa

Shloka 1 (bala.61.1)

विश्वामित्रो महातेजाः प्रस्थितान् वीक्ष्य तानृषीन्। अब्रवीन्नरशार्दूल सर्वांस्तान् वनवासिनः ॥ १-६१-१ ॥

viśvāmitro mahātejāḥ prasthitān vīkṣya tānṛṣīn| abravīnnaraśārdūla sarvāṃstān vanavāsinaḥ || 1-61-1 ||

Seeing those sages, who had come at his invitation, now setting out for home once Trishanku's ordeal was over, the mighty Vishvamitra, O tiger among men, spoke to all those forest-dwelling seers who yet remained with him.

Shloka 2 (bala.61.2)

महान् विघ्नः प्रवृत्तोऽयं दक्षिणामास्थितो दिशम्। दिशमन्यां प्रपत्स्यामस्तत्र तप्स्यामहे तपः ॥ १-६१-२ ॥

mahān vighnaḥ pravṛtto'yaṃ dakṣiṇāmāsthito diśam| diśamanyāṃ prapatsyāmastatra tapsyāmahe tapaḥ || 1-61-2 ||

'While I was settled in this southern quarter, a great obstacle arose for my austerity. Let us therefore go to another direction, and there perform our penance.'

Shloka 3 (bala.61.3)

पश्चिमायां विशालायां पुष्करेषु महात्मनः। सुखं तपश्चरिष्यामः परं तद्धि तपोवनम् ॥ १-६१-३ ॥

paścimāyāṃ viśālāyāṃ puṣkareṣu mahātmanaḥ| sukhaṃ tapaścariṣyāmaḥ paraṃ taddhi tapovanam || 1-61-3 ||

'O great-souled sages, we shall comfortably practise austerity in the vast Pushkara lakes of the western region; that indeed is a supreme forest for penance.'

Shloka 4 (bala.61.4)

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः पुष्करेषु महामुनिः। तप उग्रं दुराधर्षं तेपे मूलफलाशनः ॥ १-६१-४ ॥

evamuktvā mahātejāḥ puṣkareṣu mahāmuniḥ| tapa ugraṃ durādharṣaṃ tepe mūlaphalāśanaḥ || 1-61-4 ||

Having said this, the great sage of mighty splendour reached the Pushkara lakes and, subsisting only on roots and fruits, performed a fierce and unassailable penance.

Shloka 5 (bala.61.5)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु अयोध्याधिपतिर्महान्। अंबरीष इति ख्यातो यष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ॥ १-६१-५ ॥

etasminneva kāle tu ayodhyādhipatirmahān| aṃbarīṣa iti khyāto yaṣṭuṃ samupacakrame || 1-61-5 ||

At this very time, the great lord of Ayodhya, renowned as Ambarisha, undertook to perform a sacrifice.

Shloka 6 (bala.61.6)

तस्य वै यजमानस्य पशुमिन्द्रो जहार ह। प्रणष्टे तु पशौ विप्रो राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-६१-६ ॥

tasya vai yajamānasya paśumindro jahāra ha| praṇaṣṭe tu paśau vipro rājānamidamabravīt || 1-61-6 ||

Indra stole away the sacrificial animal of that royal patron; and when the animal had vanished, the officiating priest spoke thus to the king.

Shloka 7 (bala.61.7)

पशुरभ्याहृतो राजन् प्रणष्टस्तव दुर्नयात्। अरक्षितारं राजानं घ्नन्ति दोषा नरेश्वर ॥ १-६१-७ ॥

paśurabhyāhṛto rājan praṇaṣṭastava durnayāt| arakṣitāraṃ rājānaṃ ghnanti doṣā nareśvara || 1-61-7 ||

'O king, the animal that was brought here has gone astray through your carelessness. O lord of men, faults destroy the king who fails to guard his sacrifice.'

Shloka 8 (bala.61.8)

प्रायश्चित्तं महद्ध्येतन्नरं वा पुरुषर्षभ। आनयस्व पशुं शीघ्रं यावत् कर्म प्रवर्तते ॥ १-६१-८ ॥

prāyaścittaṃ mahaddhyetannaraṃ vā puruṣarṣabha| ānayasva paśuṃ śīghraṃ yāvat karma pravartate || 1-61-8 ||

'O foremost of men, for this a great atonement is needed: quickly fetch either that same animal or a man in its place, so that the rite may proceed.'

Shloka 9 (bala.61.9)

उपाध्यायवचः श्रुत्वा स राजा पुरुषर्षभ। अन्वियेष महाबुद्धिः पशुं गोभिः सहस्रशः ॥ १-६१-९ ॥

upādhyāyavacaḥ śrutvā sa rājā puruṣarṣabha| anviyeṣa mahābuddhiḥ paśuṃ gobhiḥ sahasraśaḥ || 1-61-9 ||

Hearing his preceptor's words, O foremost of men, that highly wise king set out to search for a human sacrificial animal, offering thousands of cows in barter.

Shloka 10 (bala.61.10)

देशान् जनपदांस्तांस्तान्नगराणि वनानि च। आश्रमाणि च पुण्यानि मार्गमाणो महीपतिः ॥ १-६१-१० ॥

deśān janapadāṃstāṃstānnagarāṇi vanāni ca| āśramāṇi ca puṇyāni mārgamāṇo mahīpatiḥ || 1-61-10 ||

That lord of the earth searched through country after country, through cities and forests, and through sacred hermitages.

Shloka 11 (bala.61.11)

स पुत्रसहितं तात सभार्यं रघुनंदन। भृगुतुंगे समासीनमृचीकं संददर्श ह ॥ १-६१-११ ॥

sa putrasahitaṃ tāta sabhāryaṃ raghunaṃdana| bhṛgutuṃge samāsīnamṛcīkaṃ saṃdadarśa ha || 1-61-11 ||

O dear one, O delight of Raghu's line, he thus beheld the sage Richika seated on Mount Bhrigutunga together with his wife and sons.

Shloka 12 (bala.61.12)

तमुवाच महातेजाः प्रणम्याभिप्रसाद्य च। महर्षिं तपसा दीप्तं राजर्षिरमितप्रभः ॥ १-६१-१२ ॥

tamuvāca mahātejāḥ praṇamyābhiprasādya ca| maharṣiṃ tapasā dīptaṃ rājarṣiramitaprabhaḥ || 1-61-12 ||

That royal sage of boundless splendour bowed to the great seer, who blazed with the fire of his austerity, and, having sought his favour,

Shloka 13 (bala.61.13)

पृष्ट्वा सर्वत्र कुशलमृचीकं तमिदं वचः। गवां शतसहस्रेण विक्रीणीषे सुतं यदि ॥ १-६१-१३ ॥

pṛṣṭvā sarvatra kuśalamṛcīkaṃ tamidaṃ vacaḥ| gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa vikrīṇīṣe sutaṃ yadi || 1-61-13 ||

having asked after Richika's welfare in every respect, spoke this word to him: 'If you would sell me a son of yours for a hundred thousand cows,'

Shloka 14 (bala.61.14)

पशोरर्थे महाभाग कृतकृत्योऽस्मि भार्गव। सर्वे परिगता देशा यज्ञियं न लभे पशुम् ॥ १-६१-१४ ॥

paśorarthe mahābhāga kṛtakṛtyo'smi bhārgava| sarve parigatā deśā yajñiyaṃ na labhe paśum || 1-61-14 ||

'—for use as the sacrificial animal, O illustrious one, O descendant of Bhrigu, my purpose would be fulfilled. I have gone over every land, yet I find no animal fit for the sacrifice.'

Shloka 15 (bala.61.15)

दातुमर्हसि मूल्येन सुतमेकमितो मम। एवमुक्तो महातेजा ऋचीकस्त्वब्रवीद्वचः ॥ १-६१-१५ ॥

dātumarhasi mūlyena sutamekamito mama| evamukto mahātejā ṛcīkastvabravīdvacaḥ || 1-61-15 ||

'It behoves you to give me one of your sons for a price.' Thus addressed, the greatly resplendent Richika replied with these words:

Shloka 16 (bala.61.16)

नाहं ज्येष्ठं नरश्रेष्ठ विक्रीणीयां कथंचन। ऋचीकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तेषां माता महात्मनाम् ॥ १-६१-१६ ॥

nāhaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ naraśreṣṭha vikrīṇīyāṃ kathaṃcana| ṛcīkasya vacaḥ śrutvā teṣāṃ mātā mahātmanām || 1-61-16 ||

'O best of men, I could not possibly sell my eldest son.' On hearing Richika's words, the mother of those noble sons

Shloka 17 (bala.61.17)

उवाच नरशार्दूलमंबरीषमिदं वचः। अविक्रेयं सुतं ज्येष्ठं भगवानाह भार्गवः ॥ १-६१-१७ ॥

uvāca naraśārdūlamaṃbarīṣamidaṃ vacaḥ| avikreyaṃ sutaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ bhagavānāha bhārgavaḥ || 1-61-17 ||

spoke this word to the tiger among men, Ambarisha: 'My revered husband, the descendant of Bhrigu, has said the eldest son cannot be sold.'

Shloka 18 (bala.61.18)

ममापि दयितं विद्धि कनिष्ठं शुनकं प्रभो। तस्मात् कनीयसं पुत्रं न दास्ये तव पार्थिव ॥ १-६१-१८ ॥

mamāpi dayitaṃ viddhi kaniṣṭhaṃ śunakaṃ prabho| tasmāt kanīyasaṃ putraṃ na dāsye tava pārthiva || 1-61-18 ||

'And know, my lord, that my youngest son Shunaka is dear to me as well. Therefore, O king, I shall not give you my youngest son either.'

Shloka 19 (bala.61.19)

प्रायेण हि नरश्रेष्ठ ज्येष्ठाः पितृषु वल्लभाः। मातॄणां च कनीयांसस्तस्माद्रक्षे कनीयसम् ॥ १-६१-१९ ॥

prāyeṇa hi naraśreṣṭha jyeṣṭhāḥ pitṛṣu vallabhāḥ| mātṝṇāṃ ca kanīyāṃsastasmādrakṣe kanīyasam || 1-61-19 ||

'For generally, O best of men, eldest sons are dear to their fathers, and youngest sons to their mothers; therefore I shall protect my youngest.'

Shloka 20 (bala.61.20)

उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् मुनिपत्न्यां तथैव च। शुनःशेपः स्वयं राम मध्यमो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १-६१-२० ॥

uktavākye munau tasmin munipatnyāṃ tathaiva ca| śunaḥśepaḥ svayaṃ rāma madhyamo vākyamabravīt || 1-61-20 ||

When the sage had spoken thus, and his wife likewise, O Rama, their middle son Shunahshepa himself spoke these words:

Shloka 21 (bala.61.21)

पिता ज्येष्ठमविक्रेयं माता चाह कनीयसम्। विक्रेतं मध्यमं मन्ये राजपुत्र नयस्व माम् ॥ १-६१-२१ ॥

pitā jyeṣṭhamavikreyaṃ mātā cāha kanīyasam| vikretaṃ madhyamaṃ manye rājaputra nayasva mām || 1-61-21 ||

'My father says the eldest cannot be sold, and my mother says the same of the youngest; hence I judge the middle son to be the one who may be sold. O prince, take me with you.'

Shloka 22 (bala.61.22)

अथ राजा महाबाहो वाक्यान्ते ब्रह्मवादिनः। हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य कोटिभी रत्नराशिभिः ॥ १-६१-२२ ॥

atha rājā mahābāho vākyānte brahmavādinaḥ| hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya koṭibhī ratnarāśibhiḥ || 1-61-22 ||

Then, O mighty-armed one, when that expounder of the Veda had finished speaking, the king, with crores of gold and silver and heaps of jewels,

Shloka 23 (bala.61.23)

गवां शतसहस्रेण शुनःशेपं नरेश्वरः। गृहीत्वा परमप्रीतो जगाम रघुनंदन ॥ १-६१-२३ ॥

gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa śunaḥśepaṃ nareśvaraḥ| gṛhītvā paramaprīto jagāma raghunaṃdana || 1-61-23 ||

and a hundred thousand cows, O delight of Raghu's line, took Shunahshepa with him and, greatly delighted, that lord of men departed.

Shloka 24 (bala.61.24)

अंबरीषस्तु राजर्षी रथमारोप्य सत्वरः। शुनःशेपं महातेजा जगामाशु महायशाः ॥ १-६१-२४ ॥

aṃbarīṣastu rājarṣī rathamāropya satvaraḥ| śunaḥśepaṃ mahātejā jagāmāśu mahāyaśāḥ || 1-61-24 ||

The royal sage Ambarisha, of great splendour and great renown, hastily set Shunahshepa upon his chariot and swiftly went on his way.