The Mutual Curse of Nimi and Vasishtha

Shloka 1 (uttara.55.1)

एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरो ऽभिहितो मया । यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम् ।। 55.1 ।।

eṣa te nṛgaśāpasya vistaro 'bhihito mayā | yadyasti śravaṇe śraddhā śṛṇuṣvehāparāṃ kathām || 55.1 ||

"This is the full account of Nriga's curse that I have told you. If you have faith enough to listen, hear now another story.

Shloka 2 (uttara.55.2)

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत् । तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप ।। 55.2 ।।

evamuktastu rāmeṇa saumitriḥ punarabravīt | tṛptirāścaryabhūtānāṃ kathānāṃ nāsti me nṛpa || 55.2 ||

Thus addressed by Rama, the son of Sumitra said again, "O king, I never grow weary of hearing such wondrous tales."

Shloka 3 (uttara.55.3)

लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 55.3 ।।

lakṣmaṇenaivamuktastu rāma ikṣvākunandanaḥ | kathāṃ paramadharmiṣṭhāṃ vyāhartumupacakrame || 55.3 ||

Thus addressed by Lakshmana, Rama, delight of the Ikshvakus, began to relate a most righteous tale.

Shloka 4 (uttara.55.4)

आसीद्राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः ।। 55.4 ।।

āsīdrājā nimirnāma ikṣvākūṇāṃ mahātmanām | putro dvādaśamo vīrye dharme ca pariniṣṭhitaḥ || 55.4 ||

"There was a king named Nimi, of the great-souled line of Ikshvaku, the twelfth son, wholly established in valour and in righteousness.

Shloka 5 (uttara.55.5)

स राजा वीर्यसम्पन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम् । निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु ।। 55.5 ।।

sa rājā vīryasampannaḥ puraṃ devapuropamam | niveśayāmāsa tadā abhyāśe gautamasya tu || 55.5 ||

That king, endowed with valour, established a city resembling the city of the gods, close by the hermitage of Gautama.

Shloka 6 (uttara.55.6)

पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम् । निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिर्निमिश्चक्रे महायशाः ।। 55.6 ।।

purasya sukṛtaṃ nāma vaijayantamiti śrutam | niveśaṃ yatra rājarṣirnimiścakre mahāyaśāḥ || 55.6 ||

The city's fair name, it is heard, was Vaijayanta, where the royal seer Nimi of great renown made his dwelling.

Shloka 7 (uttara.55.7)

तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम् । यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन्मनः ।। 55.7 ।।

tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā niveśya sumahāpuram | yajeyaṃ dīrghasatreṇa pituḥ prahlādayanmanaḥ || 55.7 ||

Having founded that great city, the thought arose in him that he should perform sacrifice through a long sacrificial session, gladdening his father's heart.

Shloka 8 (uttara.55.8)

ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम् । वसिष्ठं वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम् ।। 55.8 ।।

tataḥ pitaramāmantrya ikṣvākuṃ hi manoḥ sutam | vasiṣṭhaṃ varayāmāsa pūrvaṃ brahmarṣisattamam || 55.8 ||

Then, having taken leave of his father Ikshvaku, son of Manu, he first chose Vasishtha, foremost of brahmin seers, as his priest.

Shloka 9 (uttara.55.9)

अनन्तरं स राजर्षिर्निमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोधनम् ।। 55.9 ।।

anantaraṃ sa rājarṣirnimirikṣvākunandanaḥ | atrimaṅgirasaṃ caiva bhṛguṃ caiva tapodhanam || 55.9 ||

After that, that royal seer Nimi, delight of Ikshvaku, invited Atri, and Angiras, and Bhrigu, rich in austerity, as well.

Shloka 10 (uttara.55.10)

तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निमिं राजर्षिसत्तमम् । वृतो ऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय ।। 55.10 ।।

tamuvāca vasiṣṭhastu nimiṃ rājarṣisattamam | vṛto 'haṃ pūrvamindreṇa antaraṃ pratipālaya || 55.10 ||

But Vasishtha said to Nimi, foremost of royal seers, "I have already been engaged before by Indra. Wait, then, for an interval."

Shloka 11 (uttara.55.11)

अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत् । वसिष्ठो ऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत् ।। 55.11 ।।

anantaraṃ mahāvipro gautamaḥ pratyapūrayat | vasiṣṭho 'pi mahātejā indrayajñamathākarot || 55.11 ||

Thereupon the great brahmin Gautama filled that place, while the greatly splendorous Vasishtha went on to perform Indra's sacrifice.

Shloka 12 (uttara.55.12)

निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान्समानीय नराधिपः । अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः । पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामुपागमत् ।। 55.12 ।।

nimistu rājā viprāṃstānsamānīya narādhipaḥ | ayajaddhimavatpārśve svapurasya samīpataḥ | pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi rājā dīkṣāmupāgamat || 55.12 ||

King Nimi, gathering those brahmins together, offered sacrifice by the side of the Himalaya, near his own city. The king entered upon a consecration lasting five thousand years.

Shloka 13 (uttara.55.13)

इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवनृषिः । सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः ।। 55.13 ।।

indrayajñāvasāne tu vasiṣṭho bhagavanṛṣiḥ | sakāśamāgato rājño hautraṃ kartumaninditaḥ || 55.13 ||

When Indra's sacrifice had ended, the blessed sage Vasishtha, blameless one, came to the king's presence to perform the office of the hotri priest.

Shloka 14 (uttara.55.14)

तदन्तरमथापश्यद्गौतमेनाभिपूरितम् । कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ।। 55.14 ।।

tadantaramathāpaśyadgautamenābhipūritam | kopena mahatāviṣṭo vasiṣṭho brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ || 55.14 ||

Then he saw that place already filled by Gautama. Seeing this, Vasishtha, son of Brahma, was overcome with mighty wrath.

Shloka 15 (uttara.55.15)

स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्तं समुपाविशत् । तस्मिन्नहनि राजर्षिर्निद्रया ऽपहृतो भृशम् ।। 55.15 ।।

sa rājño darśanākāṅkṣī muhūrtaṃ samupāviśat | tasminnahani rājarṣirnidrayā 'pahṛto bhṛśam || 55.15 ||

Wishing to see the king, he sat down for a while. On that day the royal seer had been utterly overcome by sleep.

Shloka 16 (uttara.55.16)

ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः । अदर्शनेन राजर्षेर्व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 55.16 ।।

tato manyurvasiṣṭhasya prādurāsīnmahātmanaḥ | adarśanena rājarṣervyāhartumupacakrame || 55.16 ||

Then wrath arose in the great-souled Vasishtha at not being received by the royal seer, and he began to speak thus.

Shloka 17 (uttara.55.17)

यस्मात्त्वमन्यं वृतवान्मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव । चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्तव भविष्यति ।। 55.17 ।।

yasmāttvamanyaṃ vṛtavānmāmavajñāya pārthiva | cetanena vinābhūto dehastava bhaviṣyati || 55.17 ||

"Since you, O king, have chosen another, holding me in contempt, your body shall become bereft of consciousness."

Shloka 18 (uttara.55.18)

ततः प्रबुद्धो राजर्षिः श्रुत्वा शापमुदाहृतम् । ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच संरम्भात् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ।। 55.18 ।।

tataḥ prabuddho rājarṣiḥ śrutvā śāpamudāhṛtam | brahmayonimathovāca saṃrambhāt krodhamūrcchitaḥ || 55.18 ||

Then the royal seer awoke, and hearing the curse thus pronounced, in a fury, overcome by wrath, spoke thus to that scion of Brahma:

Shloka 19 (uttara.55.19)

अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः । मुक्तवान्मयि शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम् ।। 55.19 ।।

ajānataḥ śayānasya krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ | muktavānmayi śāpāgniṃ yamadaṇḍamivāparam || 55.19 ||

"Upon me, unknowing, asleep, sullied by your own wrath, you have loosed this fire of a curse, as if it were another rod of Yama.

Shloka 20 (uttara.55.20)

तस्मात्तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विना कृतः । देहः सुरुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 55.20 ।।

tasmāttavāpi brahmarṣe cetanena vinā kṛtaḥ | dehaḥ suruciraprakhyo bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 55.20 ||

Therefore, O brahmin seer, your own body too, resplendent as it is, shall become bereft of consciousness — of that there is no doubt."

Shloka 21 (uttara.55.21)

इति रोषवशादुभौ तदानीमन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ । सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेहौ तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ।। 55.21 ।।

iti roṣavaśādubhau tadānīmanyonyaṃ śapitau nṛpadvijendrau | sahasaiva babhūvaturvidehau tattulyādhigataprabhāvavantau || 55.21 ||

Thus, overpowered by wrath, having in that moment cursed one another, that king and that foremost of brahmins both instantly became bodiless — Videha — both alike attaining that same fate.