Shunahshepa Is Saved

Shloka 1 (bala.62.1)

शुनःशेपं नरश्रेष्ठ गृहीत्वा तु महायशाः। व्यश्रामत् पुष्करे राजा मध्याह्ने रघुनंदन ॥ १-६२-१ ॥

śunaḥśepaṃ naraśreṣṭha gṛhītvā tu mahāyaśāḥ| vyaśrāmat puṣkare rājā madhyāhne raghunaṃdana || 1-62-1 ||

O best of men, having taken Shunahshepa with him, that highly renowned king, O delight of Raghu's line, halted to rest at the Pushkara lake at midday.

Shloka 2 (bala.62.2)

तस्य विश्रममाणस्य शुनःशेपो महायशाः। पुष्करं ज्येष्ठमागम्य विश्वामित्रं ददर्श ह ॥ १-६२-२ ॥

tasya viśramamāṇasya śunaḥśepo mahāyaśāḥ| puṣkaraṃ jyeṣṭhamāgamya viśvāmitraṃ dadarśa ha || 1-62-2 ||

While the king was resting, the illustrious Shunahshepa, having come to the chief Pushkara lake, beheld his maternal uncle Vishvamitra

Shloka 3 (bala.62.3)

तप्यन्तमृषिभिः सार्धं मातुलं परमातुरः। विषण्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च ॥ १-६२-३ ॥

tapyantamṛṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ mātulaṃ paramāturaḥ| viṣaṇṇavadano dīnastṛṣṇayā ca śrameṇa ca || 1-62-3 ||

who was performing austerities there together with other sages. Overcome with distress, his face downcast and wretched with thirst and fatigue,

Shloka 4 (bala.62.4)

पपाताङ्के मुने राम वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह। न मेऽस्ति माता न पिता ज्ञातयो बान्धवाः कुतः ॥ १-६२-४ ॥

papātāṅke mune rāma vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha| na me'sti mātā na pitā jñātayo bāndhavāḥ kutaḥ || 1-62-4 ||

O Rama, he fell at the sage's feet and spoke these words: 'I have neither mother nor father; how then could I have kinsmen or relatives?'

Shloka 5 (bala.62.5)

त्रातुमर्हसि मां सौम्य धर्मेण मुनिपुंगव। त्राता त्वं हि नरश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावनः ॥ १-६२-५ ॥

trātumarhasi māṃ saumya dharmeṇa munipuṃgava| trātā tvaṃ hi naraśreṣṭha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ hi bhāvanaḥ || 1-62-5 ||

'O gentle one, O foremost of sages, it behoves you to save me by righteousness. For you are the saviour and protector of all, O best of men.'

Shloka 6 (bala.62.6)

राजा च कृतकार्यः स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्ययः। स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वा ह्यनुत्तमम् ॥ १-६२-६ ॥

rājā ca kṛtakāryaḥ syādahaṃ dīrghāyuravyayaḥ| svargalokamupāśnīyāṃ tapastaptvā hyanuttamam || 1-62-6 ||

'Let the king's purpose be fulfilled, and let me gain long and imperishable life; and, having performed the highest austerity, let me attain the heavenly world.'

Shloka 7 (bala.62.7)

स मे नाथो ह्यनाथस्य भव भव्येन चेतसा। पितेव पुत्रं धर्मात्मंस्त्रातुमर्हसि किल्बिषात् ॥ १-६२-७ ॥

sa me nātho hyanāthasya bhava bhavyena cetasā| piteva putraṃ dharmātmaṃstrātumarhasi kilbiṣāt || 1-62-7 ||

'Be my protector, for I am helpless; with a benevolent heart, O righteous one, save me from this calamity as a father saves his son.'

Shloka 8 (bala.62.8)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपाः। सान्त्वयित्वा बहुविधं पुत्रानिदमुवाच ह ॥ १-६२-८ ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ| sāntvayitvā bahuvidhaṃ putrānidamuvāca ha || 1-62-8 ||

Hearing his words, Vishvamitra of great austerity comforted him in many ways, and then spoke thus to his own sons:

Shloka 9 (bala.62.9)

यत्कृते पितरः पुत्रान् जनयन्ति शुभार्थिनः। परलोकहितार्थाय तस्य कालोऽयमागतः ॥ १-६२-९ ॥

yatkṛte pitaraḥ putrān janayanti śubhārthinaḥ| paralokahitārthāya tasya kālo'yamāgataḥ || 1-62-9 ||

'The very purpose for which parents, desiring good, beget sons — namely, for their welfare in the other world — the time to fulfil that purpose has now come.'

Shloka 10 (bala.62.10)

अयं मुनिसुतो बालो मत्तः शरणमिच्छति। अस्य जीवितमात्रेण प्रियं कुरुत पुत्रकाः ॥ १-६२-१० ॥

ayaṃ munisuto bālo mattaḥ śaraṇamicchati| asya jīvitamātreṇa priyaṃ kuruta putrakāḥ || 1-62-10 ||

'This young son of a sage seeks refuge with me. O my sons, grant him a kindness that costs no more than a single life.'

Shloka 11 (bala.62.11)

सर्वे सुकृतकर्माणः सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः। पशुभूता नरेन्द्रस्य तृप्तिमग्नेः प्रयच्छत ॥ १-६२-११ ॥

sarve sukṛtakarmāṇaḥ sarve dharmaparāyaṇāḥ| paśubhūtā narendrasya tṛptimagneḥ prayacchata || 1-62-11 ||

'All of you have performed virtuous deeds, all of you are devoted to righteousness; becoming the king's sacrificial animal in his place, grant satisfaction to the Fire-god.'

Shloka 12 (bala.62.12)

नाथनान् च शुनःशेपो यज्ञश्चाविघ्नतो भवेत्। देवतास्तर्पिताश्च स्युर्मम चापि कृतं वचः ॥ १-६२-१२ ॥

nāthanān ca śunaḥśepo yajñaścāvighnato bhavet| devatāstarpitāśca syurmama cāpi kṛtaṃ vacaḥ || 1-62-12 ||

'Thus Shunahshepa will have his protectors, the sacrifice will proceed without hindrance, the gods will be satisfied, and my own word too will be honoured.'

Shloka 13 (bala.62.13)

मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा मधुष्यन्दादयः सुताः। साभिमानं नरश्रेष्ठ सलीलमिदमब्रुवन् ॥ १-६२-१३ ॥

munestu vacanaṃ śrutvā madhuṣyandādayaḥ sutāḥ| sābhimānaṃ naraśreṣṭha salīlamidamabruvan || 1-62-13 ||

But on hearing the sage's words, his sons headed by Madhushyanda, O best of men, replied haughtily and mockingly:

Shloka 14 (bala.62.14)

कथमात्मसुतान् हित्वा त्रायसेऽन्यसुतं विभो। अकार्यमिव पश्यामः श्वमांसमिव भोजने ॥ १-६२-१४ ॥

kathamātmasutān hitvā trāyase'nyasutaṃ vibho| akāryamiva paśyāmaḥ śvamāṃsamiva bhojane || 1-62-14 ||

'How is it, my lord, that you would abandon your own sons to save another's son? We see this as a wrongdoing, like eating a dog's flesh at a meal.'

Shloka 15 (bala.62.15)

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां मुनिपुंगवः। क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥ १-६२-१५ ॥

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā putrāṇāṃ munipuṃgavaḥ| krodhasaṃraktanayano vyāhartumupacakrame || 1-62-15 ||

Hearing this speech of his sons, the eminent sage, his eyes red with fury, began to speak in curse.

Shloka 16 (bala.62.16)

निःसाध्वसमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मादपि विगर्हितम्। अतिक्रम्य तु मद्वाक्यं दारुणं रोमहर्षणम् ॥ १-६२-१६ ॥

niḥsādhvasamidaṃ proktaṃ dharmādapi vigarhitam| atikramya tu madvākyaṃ dāruṇaṃ romaharṣaṇam || 1-62-16 ||

'You have transgressed my command and spoken this shameless, cruel, and hair-raising speech, censurable even by the standard of righteousness.'

Shloka 17 (bala.62.17)

श्वमांसभोजिनः सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु। पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ ॥ १-६२-१७ ॥

śvamāṃsabhojinaḥ sarve vāsiṣṭhā iva jātiṣu| pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu pṛthivyāmanuvatsyatha || 1-62-17 ||

'All of you shall live on this earth for a full thousand years, being born, like the sons of Vasishtha, among the tribes that eat dog's flesh.'

Shloka 18 (bala.62.18)

कृत्वा शापसमायुक्तान् पुत्रान् मुनिवरस्तदा। शुनःशेपमुवाचार्थं कृत्वा रक्षां निरामयाम् ॥ १-६२-१८ ॥

kṛtvā śāpasamāyuktān putrān munivarastadā| śunaḥśepamuvācārthaṃ kṛtvā rakṣāṃ nirāmayām || 1-62-18 ||

Having thus bound his sons with this curse, the great sage then, providing an unfailing protection, spoke to the distressed Shunahshepa about the matter.

Shloka 19 (bala.62.19)

पवित्रपाशैर्बद्धो रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः। वैष्णवं यूपमासाद्य वाग्भिरग्निमुदाहर ॥ १-६२-१९ ॥

pavitrapāśairbaddho raktamālyānulepanaḥ| vaiṣṇavaṃ yūpamāsādya vāgbhiragnimudāhara || 1-62-19 ||

'When you are bound with the sacred cords at Vishnu's sacrificial post, anointed with red sandal-paste and garlanded in red, address the Fire-god with the words I now give you.'

Shloka 20 (bala.62.20)

इमे च गाथे द्वे दिव्ये गायेथा मुनिपुत्रक। अंबरीषस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिंस्ततः सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥ १-६२-२० ॥

ime ca gāthe dve divye gāyethā muniputraka| aṃbarīṣasya yajñe'smiṃstataḥ siddhimavāpsyasi || 1-62-20 ||

'Sing these two divine hymns, O son of a sage, in this sacrifice of Ambarisha; thereby you shall attain your desired end.'

Shloka 21 (bala.62.21)

शुनःशेपो गृहीत्वा ते द्वे गाथे सुसमाहितः। त्वरया राजसिंहं तमंबरीषमुवाच ह ॥ १-६२-२१ ॥

śunaḥśepo gṛhītvā te dve gāthe susamāhitaḥ| tvarayā rājasiṃhaṃ tamaṃbarīṣamuvāca ha || 1-62-21 ||

Shunahshepa, having received those two hymns with full attention, quickly went and spoke to that lion among kings, Ambarisha:

Shloka 22 (bala.62.22)

राजसिंह महाबुद्धे शीघ्रं गच्छावहे वयम्। निवर्तयस्व राजेन्द्र दीक्षां च समुदाहर ॥ १-६२-२२ ॥

rājasiṃha mahābuddhe śīghraṃ gacchāvahe vayam| nivartayasva rājendra dīkṣāṃ ca samudāhara || 1-62-22 ||

'O lion among kings, O highly wise one, let us go quickly. O best of kings, complete your preparations and proceed with the consecration.'

Shloka 23 (bala.62.23)

तद्वाक्यमृषिपुत्रस्य श्रुत्वा हर्षसमन्वितः। जगाम नृपतिः शीघ्रं यज्ञवाटमतन्द्रितः ॥ १-६२-२३ ॥

tadvākyamṛṣiputrasya śrutvā harṣasamanvitaḥ| jagāma nṛpatiḥ śīghraṃ yajñavāṭamatandritaḥ || 1-62-23 ||

Hearing this speech of the sage's son, the king, filled with joy, went briskly and without delay to the sacrificial enclosure.

Shloka 24 (bala.62.24)

सदस्यानुमते राजा पवित्रकृतलक्षणम्। पशुं रक्ताम्बरं कृत्वा यूपे तं समबन्धयत् ॥ १-६२-२४ ॥

sadasyānumate rājā pavitrakṛtalakṣaṇam| paśuṃ raktāmbaraṃ kṛtvā yūpe taṃ samabandhayat || 1-62-24 ||

With the assent of the officiating priests, the king, having consecrated him with the marks of purity and clothed him in red as the sacrificial animal, bound him to the post.

Shloka 25 (bala.62.25)

स बद्धो वाग्भिरग्र्याभिरभितुष्टाव वै सुरौ। इन्द्रमिन्द्रानुजं चैव यथावन्मुनिपुत्रकः ॥ १-६२-२५ ॥

sa baddho vāgbhiragryābhirabhituṣṭāva vai surau| indramindrānujaṃ caiva yathāvanmuniputrakaḥ || 1-62-25 ||

Thus bound, that son of a sage duly extolled the two gods, Indra and Indra's younger brother, with the choicest of words.

Shloka 26 (bala.62.26)

ततः प्रीतः सहस्राक्षो रहस्यस्तुतितोषितः। दीर्घमायुस्तदा प्रादाच्छुनःशेपाय राघव ॥ १-६२-२६ ॥

tataḥ prītaḥ sahasrākṣo rahasyastutitoṣitaḥ| dīrghamāyustadā prādācchunaḥśepāya rāghava || 1-62-26 ||

Then, O descendant of Raghu, the thousand-eyed Indra, pleased and gratified by that secret hymn of praise, granted long life to Shunahshepa.

Shloka 27 (bala.62.27)

स च राजा नरश्रेष्ठ यज्ञस्य च समाप्तवान्। फलं बहुगुणं राम सहस्राक्षप्रसादजम् ॥ १-६२-२७ ॥

sa ca rājā naraśreṣṭha yajñasya ca samāptavān| phalaṃ bahuguṇaṃ rāma sahasrākṣaprasādajam || 1-62-27 ||

And that king too, O best of men, O Rama, obtained the manifold fruit of his sacrifice, born of the thousand-eyed Indra's grace.

Shloka 28 (bala.62.28)

विश्वामित्रोऽपि धर्मात्मा भूयस्तेपे महातपाः। पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ दशवर्षशतानि च ॥ १-६२-२८ ॥

viśvāmitro'pi dharmātmā bhūyastepe mahātapāḥ| puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha daśavarṣaśatāni ca || 1-62-28 ||

The righteous Vishvamitra too, of great austerity, O best of men, once again performed penance at the Pushkara lakes for a further thousand years.