The Sages of the Yamuna Seek Rama's Help

Shloka 1 (uttara.60.1)

तयोः संवदतोरेवं रामलक्ष्मणयोस्तदा । वासन्तिकी निशा प्राप्ता न शीता न च घर्मदा ।। 60.1 ।।

tayoḥ saṃvadatorevaṃ rāmalakṣmaṇayostadā | vāsantikī niśā prāptā na śītā na ca gharmadā || 60.1 ||

While Rama and Lakshmana were thus conversing, that spring night, neither cold nor hot, passed by.

Shloka 2 (uttara.60.2)

ततः प्रभाते विमले कृतपौर्वाह्णिकक्रियः । अभिचक्राम काकुत्स्थो दर्शनं पौरकार्यवित् ।। 60.2 ।।

tataḥ prabhāte vimale kṛtapaurvāhṇikakriyaḥ | abhicakrāma kākutstho darśanaṃ paurakāryavit || 60.2 ||

Then, in the clear morning, having performed his forenoon rites, Kakutstha, versed in the affairs of the citizens, came forth to give audience.

Shloka 3 (uttara.60.3)

ततः सुमन्त्रस्त्वागम्य राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । एते प्रतिहता राजन्द्वारि तिष्ठन्ति तापसाः ।। 60.3 ।।

tataḥ sumantrastvāgamya rāghavaṃ vākyamabravīt | ete pratihatā rājandvāri tiṣṭhanti tāpasāḥ || 60.3 ||

Then Sumantra, coming forward, spoke this word to Raghava: "O king, these ascetics, held back, are standing at the door.

Shloka 4 (uttara.60.4)

भार्गवच्यवनं चैव पुरस्कृत्य महर्षयः । दर्शनं ते महाराज्ञश्चोदयन्ति कृतत्वराः । प्रीयमाणा नरव्याघ्र यमुनातीरवासिनः ।। 60.4 ।।

bhārgavacyavanaṃ caiva puraskṛtya maharṣayaḥ | darśanaṃ te mahārājñaścodayanti kṛtatvarāḥ | prīyamāṇā naravyāghra yamunātīravāsinaḥ || 60.4 ||

These great sages, placing the Bhargava Chyavana at their head, O great king, are urgently pressing for an audience with you, O tiger among men — they, well-disposed dwellers on the bank of the Yamuna."

Shloka 5 (uttara.60.5)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा रामः प्रोवाच धर्मवित् । प्रवेश्यन्तां महाभागा भार्गवप्रमुखा द्विजाः ।। 60.5 ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rāmaḥ provāca dharmavit | praveśyantāṃ mahābhāgā bhārgavapramukhā dvijāḥ || 60.5 ||

Hearing his words, Rama, the knower of dharma, said: "Let those blessed brahmins, headed by the Bhargava, be shown in."

Shloka 6 (uttara.60.6)

राज्ञस्त्वाज्ञां पुरस्कृत्य द्वाःस्थो मूर्ध्नि कृताञ्जलिः । प्रवेशयामास तदा तापसान्सुदुरासदान् ।। 60.6 ।।

rājñastvājñāṃ puraskṛtya dvāḥstho mūrdhni kṛtāñjaliḥ | praveśayāmāsa tadā tāpasānsudurāsadān || 60.6 ||

Placing the king's command foremost, the doorkeeper, with joined palms raised to his head, then let in those ascetics, difficult to approach.

Shloka 7 (uttara.60.7)

शतं समधिकं तत्र दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा । प्रविष्टं राजभवनं तापसानां महात्मनाम् ।। 60.7 ।।

śataṃ samadhikaṃ tatra dīpyamānaṃ svatejasā | praviṣṭaṃ rājabhavanaṃ tāpasānāṃ mahātmanām || 60.7 ||

More than a hundred great-souled ascetics, blazing with their own splendour, entered the royal palace there.

Shloka 8 (uttara.60.8)

ते द्विजाः पूर्णकलशैः सर्वतीर्थाम्बुसत्कृतैः । गृहीत्वा फलमूलं च रामस्याभ्याहरन्बहु ।। 60.8 ।।

te dvijāḥ pūrṇakalaśaiḥ sarvatīrthāmbusatkṛtaiḥ | gṛhītvā phalamūlaṃ ca rāmasyābhyāharanbahu || 60.8 ||

Those brahmins, carrying full jars honoured with the waters of every sacred crossing, and also fruits and roots, brought much of it to Rama.

Shloka 9 (uttara.60.9)

प्रतिगृह्य तु तत्सर्वं रामः प्रीतिपुरस्कृतः । तीर्थोदकानि सर्वाणि फलानि विविधानि च ।। 60.9 ।।

pratigṛhya tu tatsarvaṃ rāmaḥ prītipuraskṛtaḥ | tīrthodakāni sarvāṇi phalāni vividhāni ca || 60.9 ||

Rama, receiving all of it with pleasure foremost — all those waters of sacred crossings and the various fruits —

Shloka 10 (uttara.60.10)

उवाच च महाबाहुः सर्वानेव महामुनीन् । इमान्यासनमुख्यानि यथार्हमुपविश्यताम् ।। 60.10 ।।

uvāca ca mahābāhuḥ sarvāneva mahāmunīn | imānyāsanamukhyāni yathārhamupaviśyatām || 60.10 ||

the mighty-armed one then said to all those great sages: "Let these principal seats be occupied, each according to his rank."

Shloka 11 (uttara.60.11)

रामस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा सर्व एव महर्षयः । बृसीषु रुचिराख्यासु निषेदुः काञ्चनीषु ते ।। 60.11 ।।

rāmasya bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā sarva eva maharṣayaḥ | bṛsīṣu rucirākhyāsu niṣeduḥ kāñcanīṣu te || 60.11 ||

Hearing Rama's words, all those great sages sat down upon those splendid, golden mats.

Shloka 12 (uttara.60.12)

उपविष्टानृषींस्तत्र दृष्ट्वा परपुरञ्जयः । प्रयतः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा राघवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। 60.12 ।।

upaviṣṭānṛṣīṃstatra dṛṣṭvā parapurañjayaḥ | prayataḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā rāghavo vākyamabravīt || 60.12 ||

Seeing the sages seated there, Raghava, the conqueror of enemy cities, with self-control and joined palms, spoke this word.

Shloka 13 (uttara.60.13)

किमागमनकार्यं वः किं करोमि समाहितः । आज्ञाप्यो ऽहं महर्षीणां सर्वकामकरः सुखम् ।। 60.13 ।।

kimāgamanakāryaṃ vaḥ kiṃ karomi samāhitaḥ | ājñāpyo 'haṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sarvakāmakaraḥ sukham || 60.13 ||

"What is the purpose of your coming? Attentively, what may I do? I am to be commanded by the great sages — one who happily fulfils every wish.

Shloka 14 (uttara.60.14)

इदं राज्यं च सकलं जीवितं च हृदि स्थितम् । सर्वमेतद्द्विजार्थं मे सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि वः ।। 60.14 ।।

idaṃ rājyaṃ ca sakalaṃ jīvitaṃ ca hṛdi sthitam | sarvametaddvijārthaṃ me satyametadbravīmi vaḥ || 60.14 ||

This entire kingdom, and this life held dear in my heart — all this is for the sake of the twice-born. I speak this truth to you."

Shloka 15 (uttara.60.15)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा साधुकारो महानभूत् । ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां यमुनातीरवासिनाम् ।। 60.15 ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sādhukāro mahānabhūt | ṛṣīṇāmugratapasāṃ yamunātīravāsinām || 60.15 ||

Hearing his words, there arose great acclaim of "well said!" from the sages of fierce austerity, dwellers on the bank of the Yamuna.

Shloka 16 (uttara.60.16)

ऊचुश्च ते महात्मानो हर्षेण महता वृताः । उपपन्नं नरश्रेष्ठ तवैव भुवि नान्यतः ।। 60.16 ।।

ūcuśca te mahātmāno harṣeṇa mahatā vṛtāḥ | upapannaṃ naraśreṣṭha tavaiva bhuvi nānyataḥ || 60.16 ||

And those great souls, filled with great joy, said: "This is fitting, O best of men, of you alone on this earth, and no other.

Shloka 17 (uttara.60.17)

बहवः पार्थिवा राजन्नतिक्रान्ता महाबलाः । कार्यस्य गौरवं मत्वा प्रतिज्ञां नाभ्यरोचयन् ।। 60.17 ।।

bahavaḥ pārthivā rājannatikrāntā mahābalāḥ | kāryasya gauravaṃ matvā pratijñāṃ nābhyarocayan || 60.17 ||

O king, many mighty kings have passed away who, considering the gravity of the task, did not consent to make the vow.

Shloka 18 (uttara.60.18)

त्वया पुनर्ब्राह्मणगौरवादियं कृता प्रतिज्ञा ह्यनवेक्ष्य कारणम् । ततश्च कर्ता ह्यसि नात्र संशयो महाभयात् त्रातुमृषींस्त्वमर्हसि ।। 60.18 ।।

tvayā punarbrāhmaṇagauravādiyaṃ kṛtā pratijñā hyanavekṣya kāraṇam | tataśca kartā hyasi nātra saṃśayo mahābhayāt trātumṛṣīṃstvamarhasi || 60.18 ||

But you, out of regard for brahmins, have made this vow without considering the difficulty of the cause; and hence you are, without doubt, one who will carry it out — you must save the sages from a great terror."