Kala Comes to Rama in Disguise

Shloka 1 (uttara.103.1)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य रामे धर्मपरे स्थिते । कालस्तापसरूपेण राजद्वारमुपागमत् ।। ७.१०३.१ ।।

kasyacittvatha kālasya rāme dharmapare sthite | kālastāpasarūpeṇa rājadvāramupāgamat || 7.103.1 ||

After some time had passed, while Rama remained devoted to righteousness, Kala came to the king's gate in the guise of an ascetic.

Shloka 2 (uttara.103.2)

सो ऽब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं वाक्यं धृतिमन्तं यशश्विनम् । मां निवेदय रामाय सम्प्राप्तं कार्यगौरवात् ।। ७.१०३.२ ।।

so 'bravīllakṣmaṇaṃ vākyaṃ dhṛtimantaṃ yaśaśvinam | māṃ nivedaya rāmāya samprāptaṃ kāryagauravāt || 7.103.2 ||

He said this to the resolute and famed Lakshmana: "Announce to Rama that I have come here on a matter of the utmost importance."

Shloka 3 (uttara.103.3)

दूतो ऽस्म्यतिबलस्याहं महर्षेरमितौजसः । रामं दिदृक्षुरायातः कार्येण हि महाबल ।। ७.१०३.३ ।।

dūto 'smyatibalasyāhaṃ maharṣeramitaujasaḥ | rāmaṃ didṛkṣurāyātaḥ kāryeṇa hi mahābala || 7.103.3 ||

"I am the messenger of a great and immeasurably powerful sage; mighty one, I have come here, wishing to see Rama, on a matter of business."

Shloka 4 (uttara.103.4)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सौमित्रिस्त्वरया ऽन्वितः । न्यवेदयत रामाय तापसं तं समागतम् ।। ७.१०३.४ ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā saumitristvarayā 'nvitaḥ | nyavedayata rāmāya tāpasaṃ taṃ samāgatam || 7.103.4 ||

Hearing his words, Saumitri hastened at once to inform Rama that an ascetic had arrived.

Shloka 5 (uttara.103.5)

जयस्व राम धर्मेण उभौ लोकौ महाद्युते । दूतस्त्वां द्रष्टुमायातस्तपसा भास्करप्रभः ।। ७.१०३.५ ।।

jayasva rāma dharmeṇa ubhau lokau mahādyute | dūtastvāṃ draṣṭumāyātastapasā bhāskaraprabhaḥ || 7.103.5 ||

"Be victorious, Rama, over both worlds through righteousness, radiant one! A messenger, glowing with penance like the sun, has come to see you."

Shloka 6 (uttara.103.6)

तद्वाक्यं लक्ष्मणेनोक्तं श्रुत्वा राम उवाच ह । प्रवेश्यतां मुनिस्तात महौजास्तस्य वाक्यधृत् ।। ७.१०३.६ ।।

tadvākyaṃ lakṣmaṇenoktaṃ śrutvā rāma uvāca ha | praveśyatāṃ munistāta mahaujāstasya vākyadhṛt || 7.103.6 ||

Hearing these words spoken by Lakshmana, Rama said: "Let the sage of great power be brought in; carry out his instruction, dear one."

Shloka 7 (uttara.103.7)

सौमित्रिस्तु तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रावेशयत तं मुनिम् । ज्वलन्तमेव तेजोभिः प्रदहन्तमिवांशुभिः ।। ७.१०३.७ ।।

saumitristu tathetyuktvā prāveśayata taṃ munim | jvalantameva tejobhiḥ pradahantamivāṃśubhiḥ || 7.103.7 ||

Saumitri said, "so be it," and brought that sage inside -- one who blazed with splendor, as if burning with his very rays.

Shloka 8 (uttara.103.8)

सो ऽभिगम्य रघुश्रेष्ठं दीप्यपानं स्वतेजसा । ऋषिर्मधुरया वाचा वर्धस्वेत्याह राघवम् ।। ७.१०३.८ ।।

so 'bhigamya raghuśreṣṭhaṃ dīpyapānaṃ svatejasā | ṛṣirmadhurayā vācā vardhasvetyāha rāghavam || 7.103.8 ||

Approaching the best of the Raghus, blazing with his own splendor, the sage addressed Raghava in a sweet voice, saying, "May you prosper."

Shloka 9 (uttara.103.9)

तस्मै रामो महातेजाः पूजामर्घ्यपुरोगमाम् । ददौ कुशलमव्यग्रं प्रष्टुमेवोपचक्रमे ।। ७.१०३.९ ।।

tasmai rāmo mahātejāḥ pūjāmarghyapurogamām | dadau kuśalamavyagraṃ praṣṭumevopacakrame || 7.103.9 ||

The mighty Rama offered him honor, beginning with the ceremonial water-offering, and, unperturbed, proceeded to ask after his welfare.

Shloka 10 (uttara.103.10)

पृष्टश्च कुशलं तेन रामेण वदतां वरः । आसने काञ्चने दिव्ये निषसाद महायशाः ।। ७.१०३.१० ।।

pṛṣṭaśca kuśalaṃ tena rāmeṇa vadatāṃ varaḥ | āsane kāñcane divye niṣasāda mahāyaśāḥ || 7.103.10 ||

Asked of his welfare by Rama, that most eloquent and greatly renowned sage seated himself upon a divine golden seat.

Shloka 11 (uttara.103.11)

तमुवाच ततो रामः स्वागतं ते महामुने । प्रापयास्य च वाक्यानि यतो दूतस्त्वमागतः ।। ७.१०३.११ ।।

tamuvāca tato rāmaḥ svāgataṃ te mahāmune | prāpayāsya ca vākyāni yato dūtastvamāgataḥ || 7.103.11 ||

Then Rama said to him: "Welcome to you, great sage; deliver the message for which you have come as a messenger."

Shloka 12 (uttara.103.12)

चोदितो राजसिंहेन मुनिर्वाक्यमभाषत । द्वन्द्वमेतत्प्रवक्तव्यं हितं वै यद्यपेक्षसे ।। ७.१०३.१२ ।।

codito rājasiṃhena munirvākyamabhāṣata | dvandvametatpravaktavyaṃ hitaṃ vai yadyapekṣase || 7.103.12 ||

Urged by the lion among kings, the sage spoke these words: "This is a matter to be discussed privately, between the two of us alone, if you desire your welfare."

Shloka 13 (uttara.103.13)

यः शृणोति निरीक्षेद्वा स वध्यो भविता तव । भवेद्वै मुनिमुख्यस्य वचनं यद्यपेक्षसे ।। ७.१०३.१३ ।।

yaḥ śṛṇoti nirīkṣedvā sa vadhyo bhavitā tava | bhavedvai munimukhyasya vacanaṃ yadyapekṣase || 7.103.13 ||

"Whoever hears or even looks upon us as we speak shall become deserving of death at your hands -- such shall be the word of this foremost of sages, if you truly wish to hear it."

Shloka 14 (uttara.103.14)

स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय रामो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् । द्वारि तिष्ठ महाबाहो प्रतिहारं विसर्जय ।। ७.१०३.१४ ।।

sa tatheti pratijñāya rāmo lakṣmaṇamabravīt | dvāri tiṣṭha mahābāho pratihāraṃ visarjaya || 7.103.14 ||

Rama, agreeing with "so be it," said to Lakshmana: "Stand at the door, mighty-armed one, and dismiss the gatekeeper."

Shloka 15 (uttara.103.15)

स मे वध्यः खलु भवेत् कथाद्वन्द्वं समीरितम् । ऋषेर्मम च सौमित्रे पश्येद्वा शृणुयाच्च यः ।। ७.१०३.१५ ।।

sa me vadhyaḥ khalu bhavet kathādvandvaṃ samīritam | ṛṣermama ca saumitre paśyedvā śṛṇuyācca yaḥ || 7.103.15 ||

"Whoever, Saumitri, should see or hear this private conversation spoken between the sage and myself shall indeed be deserving of death at my hands."

Shloka 16 (uttara.103.16)

ततो निक्षिप्य काकुत्स्थो लक्ष्मणं द्वारि सङ्ग्रहम् । तमुवाच मुने वाक्यं कथयस्वेति राघवः ।। ७.१०३.१६ ।।

tato nikṣipya kākutstho lakṣmaṇaṃ dvāri saṅgraham | tamuvāca mune vākyaṃ kathayasveti rāghavaḥ || 7.103.16 ||

Then Kakutstha, having stationed Lakshmana at the door as guard, said to that sage, Raghava: "Speak, O sage, tell me your message."

Shloka 17 (uttara.103.17)

यत्ते मनीषितं वाक्यं येन वा ऽसि समाहितः । कथयस्वाविशङ्कस्त्वं ममापि हृदि वर्तते ।। ७.१०३.१७ ।।

yatte manīṣitaṃ vākyaṃ yena vā 'si samāhitaḥ | kathayasvāviśaṅkastvaṃ mamāpi hṛdi vartate || 7.103.17 ||

"Whatever word you have in mind, for whatever purpose you have come intent -- speak it without hesitation; it too rests within my own heart."