The Story of King Nriga

Shloka 1 (uttara.53.1)

लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद्वाक्यं निशम्य परमाद्भुतम् । सुप्रीतश्चाभवद्रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 53.1 ।।

lakṣmaṇasya tu tadvākyaṃ niśamya paramādbhutam | suprītaścābhavadrāmo vākyametaduvāca ha || 53.1 ||

Having heard that most wondrous speech of Lakshmana, Rama became greatly pleased, and spoke this word.

Shloka 2 (uttara.53.2)

दुर्लभस्त्वीदृशो बन्धुरस्मिन्काले विशेषतः । यादृशस्त्वं महाबुद्धेर्मम सौम्य मनो ऽनुगः ।। 53.2 ।।

durlabhastvīdṛśo bandhurasminkāle viśeṣataḥ | yādṛśastvaṃ mahābuddhermama saumya mano 'nugaḥ || 53.2 ||

A kinsman such as this is hard to find, especially at a time like this — one like you, gentle one, of great wisdom, ever following my heart's own mind.

Shloka 3 (uttara.53.3)

यच्च मे हृदये किञ्चिद्वर्तते शुभलक्षण । तन्निशामय च श्रुत्वा कुरुष्व वचनं मम ।। 53.3 ।।

yacca me hṛdaye kiñcidvartate śubhalakṣaṇa | tanniśāmaya ca śrutvā kuruṣva vacanaṃ mama || 53.3 ||

And whatever is in my heart, O you of auspicious marks, listen to it attentively, and having heard, carry out my word.

Shloka 4 (uttara.53.4)

चत्वारो दिवसाः सौम्य कार्यं पौरजनस्य वै । अकुर्वाणस्य सौमित्रे तन्मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ।। 53.4 ।।

catvāro divasāḥ saumya kāryaṃ paurajanasya vai | akurvāṇasya saumitre tanme marmāṇi kṛntati || 53.4 ||

For four days now, gentle son of Sumitra, I have not attended to the business of my citizens; and that cuts me to the very quick.

Shloka 5 (uttara.53.5)

आहूयन्तां प्रकृतयः पुरोधा मन्त्रिणस्तथा । कार्यार्थिनश्च पुरुषाः स्त्रियश्च पुरुषर्षभ ।। 53.5 ।।

āhūyantāṃ prakṛtayaḥ purodhā mantriṇastathā | kāryārthinaśca puruṣāḥ striyaśca puruṣarṣabha || 53.5 ||

Let the citizens be summoned, and the household priest, and the ministers too, and the men and women who have business to bring, O bull among men.

Shloka 6 (uttara.53.6)

पौरकार्याणि यो राजा न करोति दिने दिने । संवृते नरके घोरे पतितो नात्र संशयः ।। 53.6 ।।

paurakāryāṇi yo rājā na karoti dine dine | saṃvṛte narake ghore patito nātra saṃśayaḥ || 53.6 ||

Whatever king does not attend, day by day, to the business of his citizens has, without doubt, already fallen into a dreadful, sealed hell.

Shloka 7 (uttara.53.7)

श्रूयते हि पुरा राजा नृगो नाम महायशाः । बभूव पृथिवीपालो ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवाक् शुचिः ।। 53.7 ।।

śrūyate hi purā rājā nṛgo nāma mahāyaśāḥ | babhūva pṛthivīpālo brahmaṇyaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ || 53.7 ||

It is heard that long ago there lived a king of great renown named Nriga, protector of the earth, devoted to brahmins, truthful of speech, and pure.

Shloka 8 (uttara.53.8)

स कदाचिद्गवां कोटीः सवत्साः स्वर्णभूषिताः । नृदेवो भूमिदेवेभ्यः पुष्करेषु ददौ नृपः ।। 53.8 ।।

sa kadācidgavāṃ koṭīḥ savatsāḥ svarṇabhūṣitāḥ | nṛdevo bhūmidevebhyaḥ puṣkareṣu dadau nṛpaḥ || 53.8 ||

That king, a god among men, once at Pushkara gave to the brahmins, the gods of the earth, a crore of cows, gold-adorned and with their calves.

Shloka 9 (uttara.53.9)

ततः सङ्गाद्गता धेनुः सवत्सा स्पर्शिता ऽनघ । ब्राह्मणस्याहिताग्नेश्च दरिद्रस्योञ्छवर्तिनः ।। 53.9 ।।

tataḥ saṅgādgatā dhenuḥ savatsā sparśitā 'nagha | brāhmaṇasyāhitāgneśca daridrasyoñchavartinaḥ || 53.9 ||

Then, O sinless one, amid that great throng, a cow with her calf, which had strayed there, belonging to a poor brahmin who kept the sacred fire and lived by gleaning grain, was touched and given away in that gift.

Shloka 10 (uttara.53.10)

स नष्टां गां क्षुधार्तो वै अन्विषंस्तत्र तत्र च । नापश्यत्सर्वराज्येषु संवत्सरगणान्बहून् ।। 53.10 ।।

sa naṣṭāṃ gāṃ kṣudhārto vai anviṣaṃstatra tatra ca | nāpaśyatsarvarājyeṣu saṃvatsaragaṇānbahūn || 53.10 ||

Tormented by hunger, he searched here and there for his lost cow, but for many years together he could not find her in any kingdom.

Shloka 11 (uttara.53.11)

ततः कनखलं गत्वा जीर्णवत्सां निरामयाम् । ददर्श गां स्वकां धेनुं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने ।। 53.11 ।।

tataḥ kanakhalaṃ gatvā jīrṇavatsāṃ nirāmayām | dadarśa gāṃ svakāṃ dhenuṃ brāhmaṇasya niveśane || 53.11 ||

Then, going to Kanakhala, he saw his own cow, healthy still though her calf had now grown old, in the dwelling of another brahmin.

Shloka 12 (uttara.53.12)

अथ तां नामधेयेन स्वकेनोवाच स द्विजः । आगच्छ शबलेत्येवं सा तु शुश्राव गौः स्वरम् ।। 53.12 ।।

atha tāṃ nāmadheyena svakenovāca sa dvijaḥ | āgaccha śabaletyevaṃ sā tu śuśrāva gauḥ svaram || 53.12 ||

Then that brahmin called to her by her own name: "Come, Shabala!" — and the cow heard that voice.

Shloka 13 (uttara.53.13)

तस्य तं स्वरमाज्ञाय क्षुधार्तस्य द्विजस्य वै । अन्वगात्पृष्ठतः सा गौर्गच्छन्तं पावकोपमम् ।। 53.13 ।।

tasya taṃ svaramājñāya kṣudhārtasya dvijasya vai | anvagātpṛṣṭhataḥ sā gaurgacchantaṃ pāvakopamam || 53.13 ||

Recognising that voice of the hunger-worn brahmin, the cow followed close behind him as he walked on, glowing like fire.

Shloka 14 (uttara.53.14)

यो ऽपि पालयते विप्रः सो ऽपि गामन्वगाद्द्रुतम् । गत्वा तमृषिमाचष्ट मम गौरिति सत्वरम् ।। 53.14 ।।

yo 'pi pālayate vipraḥ so 'pi gāmanvagāddrutam | gatvā tamṛṣimācaṣṭa mama gauriti satvaram || 53.14 ||

The brahmin who had been tending her also ran quickly after the cow, and going to that seer, cried out at once, "She is my cow!"

Shloka 15 (uttara.53.15)

स्पर्शिता राजसिंहेन मम दत्ता नृगेण ह । तयोर्ब्राह्मणयोर्वादो महानासीद्विपश्चितोः ।। 53.15 ।।

sparśitā rājasiṃhena mama dattā nṛgeṇa ha | tayorbrāhmaṇayorvādo mahānāsīdvipaścitoḥ || 53.15 ||

"She was touched by the lion among kings, Nriga, and given to me" — thus a great dispute arose between those two learned brahmins.

Shloka 16 (uttara.53.16)

विवदन्तौ ततो ऽन्योन्यं दातारमभिजग्मतुः । तौ राजभवनद्वारि न प्राप्तौ नृगशासनम् ।। 53.16 ।।

vivadantau tato 'nyonyaṃ dātāramabhijagmatuḥ | tau rājabhavanadvāri na prāptau nṛgaśāsanam || 53.16 ||

Disputing with one another, the two of them went to the donor, but at the door of the royal palace they could not obtain audience of King Nriga.

Shloka 17 (uttara.53.17)

अहोरात्राण्यनेकानि वसन्तौ क्रोधमीयतुः । ऊचतुश्च महात्मानौ तावुभौ द्विजसत्तमौ । क्रुद्धौ परमसम्प्राप्तौ वाक्यं घोराभिसंहितम् ।। 53.17 ।।

ahorātrāṇyanekāni vasantau krodhamīyatuḥ | ūcatuśca mahātmānau tāvubhau dvijasattamau | kruddhau paramasamprāptau vākyaṃ ghorābhisaṃhitam || 53.17 ||

Waiting there for many days and nights, the two grew wroth, and those two great-souled, most excellent brahmins, in the height of their fury, spoke a dreadful word:

Shloka 18 (uttara.53.18)

अर्थिनां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं यस्मात्त्वं नैषि दर्शनम् । अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कृकलासो भविष्यसि ।। 53.18 ।।

arthināṃ kāryasiddhyarthaṃ yasmāttvaṃ naiṣi darśanam | adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ kṛkalāso bhaviṣyasi || 53.18 ||

"Since you do not grant audience for the accomplishment of your petitioners' business, you shall become a chameleon, invisible to all beings.

Shloka 19 (uttara.53.19)

बहुवर्षसहस्राणि बहुवर्षशतानि च । श्वभ्रे ऽस्मिन् कृकलासो वै दीर्घकालं वसिष्यसि ।। 53.19 ।।

bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi bahuvarṣaśatāni ca | śvabhre 'smin kṛkalāso vai dīrghakālaṃ vasiṣyasi || 53.19 ||

For many thousand years and many hundred years, as a chameleon in this very pit, you shall dwell for a long, long time."

Shloka 20 (uttara.53.20)

उत्पत्स्यते हि लोके ऽस्मिन्यदूनां कीर्तिवर्धनः । वासुदेव इति ख्यातो विष्णुः पुरुषविग्रहः ।। 53.20 ।।

utpatsyate hi loke 'sminyadūnāṃ kīrtivardhanaḥ | vāsudeva iti khyāto viṣṇuḥ puruṣavigrahaḥ || 53.20 ||

"For in this world there shall be born the increaser of the glory of the Yadus, known by the name Vasudeva, Vishnu in human form —

Shloka 21 (uttara.53.21)

स ते मोक्षयिता राजंस्तस्माच्छापाद्भविष्यति । कृता च तेन कालेन निष्कृतिस्ते भविष्यति ।। 53.21 ।।

sa te mokṣayitā rājaṃstasmācchāpādbhaviṣyati | kṛtā ca tena kālena niṣkṛtiste bhaviṣyati || 53.21 ||

he, O king, shall be the one to release you from that curse, and when that time comes, your deliverance shall be brought about.

Shloka 22 (uttara.53.22)

भारावतरणार्थं हि नरनारायणावुभौ । उत्पत्स्येते महावीर्यौ कलौ युग उपस्थिते ।। 53.22 ।।

bhārāvataraṇārthaṃ hi naranārāyaṇāvubhau | utpatsyete mahāvīryau kalau yuga upasthite || 53.22 ||

For the sake of lifting the earth's burden, Nara and Narayana, both of mighty valour, shall be born as the Kali age draws near."

Shloka 23 (uttara.53.23)

एवं तौ शापमुत्सृज्य ब्राह्मणौ विगतज्वरौ । तां गां हि दुर्बलां वृद्धां ददतुर्ब्राह्मणाय वै ।। 53.23 ।।

evaṃ tau śāpamutsṛjya brāhmaṇau vigatajvarau | tāṃ gāṃ hi durbalāṃ vṛddhāṃ dadaturbrāhmaṇāya vai || 53.23 ||

Having thus pronounced the curse, those two brahmins, their inner turmoil now spent, gave that weak, aged cow to the rightful brahmin.

Shloka 24 (uttara.53.24)

एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुङ्क्ते सुदारुणम् ।। 53.24 ।।

evaṃ sa rājā taṃ śāpamupabhuṅkte sudāruṇam || 53.24 ||

Thus does that king undergo that most terrible curse.

Shloka 25 (uttara.53.25)

कार्यार्थिनां विमर्दो हि राज्ञां दोषाय कल्पते । तच्छीघ्रं दर्शनं मह्यमभिवर्तन्तु कार्यिणः ।। 53.25 ।।

kāryārthināṃ vimardo hi rājñāṃ doṣāya kalpate | tacchīghraṃ darśanaṃ mahyamabhivartantu kāryiṇaḥ || 53.25 ||

The vexing of petitioners becomes, indeed, a fault chargeable to kings. Therefore let those with business come quickly into my presence.

Shloka 26 (uttara.53.26)

सुकृतस्य हि कार्यस्य फलं नापैति पार्थिवः । तस्माद्गच्छ प्रतीक्षस्व सौमित्रे कार्यवाञ्जनः ।। 53.26 ।।

sukṛtasya hi kāryasya phalaṃ nāpaiti pārthivaḥ | tasmādgaccha pratīkṣasva saumitre kāryavāñjanaḥ || 53.26 ||

A king never fails to gain the fruit of a good deed well done. So go, Saumitri, and see that those who come with business are attended to."