The Founding of Lanka

Shloka 1 (uttara.3.1)

अथ पुत्रः पुलस्त्यस्य विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः । अचिरेणैव कालेन पितेव तपसि स्थितः ॥ 3.1 ॥

atha putraḥ pulastyasya viśravā munipuṅgavaḥ | acireṇaiva kālena piteva tapasi sthitaḥ || 3.1 ||

Then Vishrava, son of Pulastya and foremost among sages, in a short time became established in austerity, just like his father.

Shloka 2 (uttara.3.2)

सत्यवाञ्छीलवाञ्छान्तः स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचिः । सर्वभोगेष्वसंसक्तो नित्यं धर्मपरायणः ॥ 3.2 ॥

satyavāñchīlavāñchāntaḥ svādhyāyanirataḥ śuciḥ | sarvabhogeṣvasaṃsakto nityaṃ dharmaparāyaṇaḥ || 3.2 ||

He was truthful, of good character, tranquil, devoted to the study of scripture, pure, detached from all worldly enjoyments, and ever intent upon righteousness.

Shloka 3 (uttara.3.3)

ज्ञात्वा तस्य तु तद्वृत्तं भरद्वाजो महामुनिः । ददौ विश्रवसे भार्यां स्वसुतां देववर्णिनीम् ॥ 3.3 ॥

jñātvā tasya tu tadvṛttaṃ bharadvājo mahāmuniḥ | dadau viśravase bhāryāṃ svasutāṃ devavarṇinīm || 3.3 ||

Learning of his conduct, the great sage Bharadvaja gave to Vishrava, as his wife, his own daughter, who was radiant as a goddess.

Shloka 4 (uttara.3.4)

प्रतिगृह्य तु धर्मेण भरद्वाजसुतां तदा । प्रजान्वेक्षिकया बुद्ध्या श्रेयो ह्यस्य विचिन्तयन् ॥ 3.4 ॥

pratigṛhya tu dharmeṇa bharadvājasutāṃ tadā | prajānvekṣikayā buddhyā śreyo hyasya vicintayan || 3.4 ||

Having duly accepted Bharadvaja's daughter, and reflecting, with his mind set upon offspring, on what would be best for her —

Shloka 5 (uttara.3.5)

मुदा परमया युक्तो विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः । स तस्यां वीर्यसम्पन्नमपत्यं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ 3.5 ॥

mudā paramayā yukto viśravā munipuṅgavaḥ | sa tasyāṃ vīryasampannamapatyaṃ paramādbhutam || 3.5 ||

— Vishrava, foremost of sages, filled with the greatest joy, begot in her a child endowed with great power, a most wondrous being.

Shloka 6 (uttara.3.6)

जनयामास धर्मज्ञः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मगुणैर्युतम् । तस्मिञ्जाते तु संहृष्टः सम्बभूव पितामहः ॥ 3.6 ॥

janayāmāsa dharmajñaḥ sarvairbrahmaguṇairyutam | tasmiñjāte tu saṃhṛṣṭaḥ sambabhūva pitāmahaḥ || 3.6 ||

The righteous sage begot a son endowed with every brahmanical virtue. And at his birth, Grandsire Brahma himself became greatly delighted.

Shloka 7 (uttara.3.7)

दृष्ट्वा श्रेयस्करीं बुद्धिं धनाध्यक्षो भविष्यति । नाम तस्याकरोत्प्रीतः सार्धं देवर्षिभिस्तदा ॥ 3.7 ॥

dṛṣṭvā śreyaskarīṃ buddhiṃ dhanādhyakṣo bhaviṣyati | nāma tasyākarotprītaḥ sārdhaṃ devarṣibhistadā || 3.7 ||

Seeing his auspicious disposition, Brahma declared, 'He shall become the lord of wealth,' and, pleased, together with the divine sages, gave him his name at that time.

Shloka 8 (uttara.3.8)

यस्माद्विश्रवसो ऽपत्यं सादृश्याद्विश्रवा इव । तस्माद्वैश्रवणो नाम भविष्यत्वेष विश्रुतः ॥ 3.8 ॥

yasmādviśravaso 'patyaṃ sādṛśyādviśravā iva | tasmādvaiśravaṇo nāma bhaviṣyatveṣa viśrutaḥ || 3.8 ||

"Since he is the offspring of Vishrava, resembling Vishrava, he shall henceforth be renowned by the name Vaishravana."

Shloka 9 (uttara.3.9)

स तु वैश्रवणस्तत्र तपोवनगतस्तदा । अवर्धताहुतिहुतो महातेजा यथानलः ॥ 3.9 ॥

sa tu vaiśravaṇastatra tapovanagatastadā | avardhatāhutihuto mahātejā yathānalaḥ || 3.9 ||

That Vaishravana, going then to the forest of penance, grew there in splendor, like a fire fed with oblations.

Shloka 10 (uttara.3.10)

तस्याश्रमपदस्थस्य बुद्धिर्जज्ञे महात्मनः । चरिष्ये परमं धर्मं धर्मो हि परमा गतिः ॥ 3.10 ॥

tasyāśramapadasthasya buddhirjajñe mahātmanaḥ | cariṣye paramaṃ dharmaṃ dharmo hi paramā gatiḥ || 3.10 ||

To that great soul, dwelling in the hermitage, this thought arose: "I shall practice the highest dharma, for dharma alone is the supreme refuge."

Shloka 11 (uttara.3.11)

स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महावने । यन्त्रितो नियमैरुग्रैश्चकार सुमहत्तपः ॥ 3.11 ॥

sa tu varṣasahasrāṇi tapastaptvā mahāvane | yantrito niyamairugraiścakāra sumahattapaḥ || 3.11 ||

For a thousand years he performed austerities in the great forest, and, bound by rigorous vows, undertook the most arduous penance.

Shloka 12 (uttara.3.12)

पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते तं तं विधिमकल्पयत् । जलाशी मारुताहारो निराहारस्तथैव च ॥ 3.12 ॥

pūrṇe varṣasahasrānte taṃ taṃ vidhimakalpayat | jalāśī mārutāhāro nirāhārastathaiva ca || 3.12 ||

At the completion of the thousand years, he adopted one austere rule after another — living on water alone, then subsisting on air, and then taking no food whatsoever.

Shloka 13 (uttara.3.13)

एवं वर्षसहस्राणि जग्मुस्तान्येकवर्षवत् । अथ प्रीतो महातेजाः सेन्द्रैः सुरगणैः सह ॥ 3.13 ॥

evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi jagmustānyekavarṣavat | atha prīto mahātejāḥ sendraiḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha || 3.13 ||

Thus those thousand years passed as if they were but one. Then, well pleased, the great and radiant Brahma, together with Indra and the hosts of gods —

Shloka 14 (uttara.3.14)

गत्वा तस्याश्रमपदं ब्रह्मेदं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । परितुष्टो ऽस्मि ते वत्स कर्मणानेन सुव्रत । वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते वरार्हस्त्वं महामते ॥ 3.14 ॥

gatvā tasyāśramapadaṃ brahmedaṃ vākyamabravīt | parituṣṭo 'smi te vatsa karmaṇānena suvrata | varaṃ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṃ te varārhastvaṃ mahāmate || 3.14 ||

— went to his hermitage, and Brahma spoke these words: 'I am well satisfied, my child, with this deed of yours, O keeper of good vows. Choose a boon — blessings be upon you; you are worthy of a boon, O wise one.'

Shloka 15 (uttara.3.15)

अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणः पितामहमुपस्थितम् । भगवँल्लोकपालत्वमिच्छेयं वित्तरक्षणम् ॥ 3.15 ॥

athābravīdvaiśravaṇaḥ pitāmahamupasthitam | bhagava̐llokapālatvamiccheyaṃ vittarakṣaṇam || 3.15 ||

Then Vaishravana said to the Grandsire standing before him: 'O venerable one, I wish for the office of a guardian of the world, the protector of wealth.'

Shloka 16 (uttara.3.16)

अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणं परितुष्टेन चेतसा । ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धं बाढमित्येव हृष्टवत् ॥ 3.16 ॥

athābravīdvaiśravaṇaṃ parituṣṭena cetasā | brahmā suragaṇaiḥ sārdhaṃ bāḍhamityeva hṛṣṭavat || 3.16 ||

Then Brahma, his heart well pleased, together with the hosts of gods, joyfully said to Vaishravana: 'So be it.'

Shloka 17 (uttara.3.17)

अहं वै लोकपालानां चतुर्थं स्रष्टुमुद्यतः ॥ 3.17 ॥

ahaṃ vai lokapālānāṃ caturthaṃ sraṣṭumudyataḥ || 3.17 ||

"I am indeed ready to appoint you as the fourth among the guardians of the world."

Shloka 18 (uttara.3.18)

यमेन्द्रवरुणानां च पदं यत्तव चेप्सितम् । तद्गच्छ त्वं हि धर्मज्ञ निधीशत्वमवाप्नुहि । शक्राम्बुपयमानां च चतुर्थस्त्वं भविष्यसि ॥ 3.18 ॥

yamendravaruṇānāṃ ca padaṃ yattava cepsitam | tadgaccha tvaṃ hi dharmajña nidhīśatvamavāpnuhi | śakrāmbupayamānāṃ ca caturthastvaṃ bhaviṣyasi || 3.18 ||

"You desire a rank like that of Yama, Indra, and Varuna; go then, O knower of dharma, and attain lordship over all treasures. You shall be the fourth, alongside Indra, the lord of waters, and Yama."

Shloka 19 (uttara.3.19)

एतच्च पुष्पकं नाम विमानं सूर्यसन्निभम् । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व यानार्थं त्रिदशैः समतां व्रज ॥ 3.19 ॥

etacca puṣpakaṃ nāma vimānaṃ sūryasannibham | pratigṛhṇīṣva yānārthaṃ tridaśaiḥ samatāṃ vraja || 3.19 ||

"And accept this celestial chariot named Pushpaka, radiant as the sun, to be your vehicle; go and take your place as an equal among the thirty gods."

Shloka 20 (uttara.3.20)

स्वस्ति ते ऽस्तु गमिष्यामः सर्व एव यथागतम् । कृतकृत्या वयं तात दत्त्वा तव वरद्वयम् ॥ 3.20 ॥

svasti te 'stu gamiṣyāmaḥ sarva eva yathāgatam | kṛtakṛtyā vayaṃ tāta dattvā tava varadvayam || 3.20 ||

"Blessings be upon you. We shall all now return the way we came. We are fulfilled, my child, having granted you this twofold boon."

Shloka 21 (uttara.3.21)

इत्युक्त्वा स गतो ब्रह्मा स्वस्थानं त्रिदशैः सह ॥ 3.21 ॥

ityuktvā sa gato brahmā svasthānaṃ tridaśaiḥ saha || 3.21 ||

Having said this, Brahma, together with the gods, returned to his own abode.

Shloka 22 (uttara.3.22)

गतेषु ब्रह्मपूर्वेषु देवेष्वथ नभस्थलम् । वने स पितरं प्राह प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतात्मवान् । निवासनं न मे देवो विदधे स प्रजापतिः ॥ 3.22 ॥

gateṣu brahmapūrveṣu deveṣvatha nabhasthalam | vane sa pitaraṃ prāha prāñjaliḥ prayatātmavān | nivāsanaṃ na me devo vidadhe sa prajāpatiḥ || 3.22 ||

When Brahma and the gods had departed into the sky, Vaishravana, restrained in mind, said to his father in the forest with joined palms: "The lord Prajapati did not appoint any dwelling place for me."

Shloka 23 (uttara.3.23)

भगवँल्लब्धवानस्मि वरमिष्टं पितामहात् । तं पश्य भगवन्कञ्चिन्निवासं साधु मे प्रभो ॥ 3.23 ॥

bhagava̐llabdhavānasmi varamiṣṭaṃ pitāmahāt | taṃ paśya bhagavankañcinnivāsaṃ sādhu me prabho || 3.23 ||

"O venerable one, I have obtained the boon I desired from the Grandsire. Now, O lord, please find for me some fitting dwelling place."

Shloka 24 (uttara.3.24)

न च पीडा भवेद्यत्र प्राणिनो यस्य कस्यचित् । एवमुक्तस्तु पुत्रेण विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥ 3.24 ॥

na ca pīḍā bhavedyatra prāṇino yasya kasyacit | evamuktastu putreṇa viśravā munipuṅgavaḥ || 3.24 ||

"— a place where no creature, whoever it may be, shall suffer any harm." Thus addressed by his son, Vishrava, foremost of sages —

Shloka 25 (uttara.3.25)

वचनं प्राह धर्मज्ञः श्रूयतामिति सत्तमः । दक्षिणस्योदधेस्तीरे त्रिकूटो नाम पर्वतः ॥ 3.25 ॥

vacanaṃ prāha dharmajñaḥ śrūyatāmiti sattamaḥ | dakṣiṇasyodadhestīre trikūṭo nāma parvataḥ || 3.25 ||

— that righteous and virtuous one spoke: "Listen. On the shore of the southern ocean stands a mountain named Trikuta."

Shloka 26 (uttara.3.26)

तस्याग्रे तु विशाला सा महेन्द्रस्य पुरी यथा । लङ्का नाम पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा ॥ 3.26 ॥

tasyāgre tu viśālā sā mahendrasya purī yathā | laṅkā nāma purī ramyā nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā || 3.26 ||

"On its summit stands that vast and lovely city named Lanka, built by Vishvakarma, resembling the city of Mahendra himself."

Shloka 27 (uttara.3.27)

राक्षसानां निवासार्थं यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती । तत्र त्वं वस भद्रं ते लङ्कायां नात्र संशयः ॥ 3.27 ॥

rākṣasānāṃ nivāsārthaṃ yathendrasyāmarāvatī | tatra tvaṃ vasa bhadraṃ te laṅkāyāṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ || 3.27 ||

"It was built for the dwelling of rakshasas, just as Amaravati was built for Indra. Dwell there in Lanka — blessings upon you; there is no doubt in this."

Shloka 28 (uttara.3.28)

हेमप्राकारपरिघा यन्त्रशस्त्रसमावृता । रमणीया पुरी सा हि रुक्मवैडूर्यतोरणा ॥ 3.28 ॥

hemaprākāraparighā yantraśastrasamāvṛtā | ramaṇīyā purī sā hi rukmavaiḍūryatoraṇā || 3.28 ||

"That lovely city has ramparts and bars of gold, is fitted with engines and weapons, and adorned with archways of gold and beryl."

Shloka 29 (uttara.3.29)

राक्षसैः सा परित्यक्ता पुरा विष्णुभयार्दितैः । शून्या रक्षोगणैः सर्वै रसातलतलं गतैः ॥ 3.29 ॥

rākṣasaiḥ sā parityaktā purā viṣṇubhayārditaiḥ | śūnyā rakṣogaṇaiḥ sarvai rasātalatalaṃ gataiḥ || 3.29 ||

"That city was long ago abandoned by the rakshasas, tormented by fear of Vishnu; it now stands empty, since all the hosts of rakshasas have gone down into the netherworld."

Shloka 30 (uttara.3.30)

शून्या सम्प्रति लङ्का सा प्रभुस्तस्या न विद्यते । स त्वं तत्र निवासाय गच्छ पुत्र यथासुखम् ॥ 3.30 ॥

śūnyā samprati laṅkā sā prabhustasyā na vidyate | sa tvaṃ tatra nivāsāya gaccha putra yathāsukham || 3.30 ||

"That Lanka now stands empty; it has no master. Go there, my son, to dwell, as you please."

Shloka 31 (uttara.3.31)

निर्दोषस्तत्र ते वासो न बाधास्तत्र कस्यचित् । एतच्छुत्वा स धर्मात्मा धर्मिष्ठं वचनं पितुः ॥ 3.31 ॥

nirdoṣastatra te vāso na bādhāstatra kasyacit | etacchutvā sa dharmātmā dharmiṣṭhaṃ vacanaṃ pituḥ || 3.31 ||

"Your dwelling there shall be free of blame, and no one there shall suffer any hindrance." Hearing this righteous word of his father, that righteous son —

Shloka 32 (uttara.3.32)

निवासयामास तदा लङ्कां पर्वतमूर्धनि । नैर्ऋतानां सहस्रैस्तु हृष्टैः प्रमुदुतैः सह ॥ 3.32 ॥

nivāsayāmāsa tadā laṅkāṃ parvatamūrdhani | nairṛtānāṃ sahasraistu hṛṣṭaiḥ pramudutaiḥ saha || 3.32 ||

— then made his dwelling in Lanka, upon the mountain's summit, together with thousands of joyful and delighted rakshasas.

Shloka 33 (uttara.3.33)

अचिरेणैव कालेन सम्पूर्णा तस्य शासनात् ॥ 3.33 ॥

acireṇaiva kālena sampūrṇā tasya śāsanāt || 3.33 ||

In a short time, under his rule, the city became fully thriving.

Shloka 34 (uttara.3.34)

स तु तत्रावसत्प्रीतो धर्मात्मा नैर्ऋतर्षभः । समुद्रपरिघायां तु लङ्कायां विश्रवात्मजः ॥ 3.34 ॥

sa tu tatrāvasatprīto dharmātmā nairṛtarṣabhaḥ | samudraparighāyāṃ tu laṅkāyāṃ viśravātmajaḥ || 3.34 ||

That righteous bull among rakshasas, the son of Vishrava, dwelt there in happiness, in Lanka, girdled by the sea.

Shloka 35 (uttara.3.35)

काले काले तु धर्मात्मा पुष्पकेण धनेश्वरः । अभ्यागच्छद्विनीतात्मा पितरं मातरं च हि ॥ 3.35 ॥

kāle kāle tu dharmātmā puṣpakeṇa dhaneśvaraḥ | abhyāgacchadvinītātmā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca hi || 3.35 ||

From time to time, that righteous lord of wealth, humble in spirit, would come by the Pushpaka chariot to visit his father and mother.

Shloka 36 (uttara.3.36)

स देवगन्धर्वगणैरभिष्टुतस्तथाप्सरोनृत्यविभूषितालयः । गभस्तिभिः सूर्य इवावभासयन्पितुः समीपं प्रययौ स वित्तपः ॥ 3.36 ॥

sa devagandharvagaṇairabhiṣṭutastathāpsaronṛtyavibhūṣitālayaḥ | gabhastibhiḥ sūrya ivāvabhāsayanpituḥ samīpaṃ prayayau sa vittapaḥ || 3.36 ||

Praised by hosts of gods and gandharvas, his dwelling adorned by the dances of apsaras, shining all about with his radiance like the sun — that lord of wealth went to be near his father.