The Origin of Lavana

Shloka 1 (uttara.61.1)

एवं ब्रुवद्भिर्ऋषिभिः काकुत्स्थो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किं कार्यं ब्रूत मुनयो भयं तावदपैतु वः ।। 61.1 ।।

evaṃ bruvadbhirṛṣibhiḥ kākutstho vākyamabravīt | kiṃ kāryaṃ brūta munayo bhayaṃ tāvadapaitu vaḥ || 61.1 ||

To the sages speaking thus, Kakutstha (Rama) said these words: "Tell me, sages, what is to be done — let your fear depart at once."

Shloka 2 (uttara.61.2)

तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे भार्गवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । भयानां शृणु यन्मूलं देशस्य च नरेश्वर ।। 61.2 ।।

tathā bruvati kākutsthe bhārgavo vākyamabravīt | bhayānāṃ śṛṇu yanmūlaṃ deśasya ca nareśvara || 61.2 ||

As Kakutstha spoke thus, the Bhargava sage said: "Listen, O lord of men, to the root cause of these fears afflicting the land."

Shloka 3 (uttara.61.3)

पूर्वं कृतयुगे राजन्दैतेयः सुमहाबलः । लोलापुत्रो ऽभवज्ज्येष्ठो मधुर्नाम महासुरः ।। 61.3 ।।

pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge rājandaiteyaḥ sumahābalaḥ | lolāputro 'bhavajjyeṣṭho madhurnāma mahāsuraḥ || 61.3 ||

Formerly, O king, in the Krita Yuga, there lived a mighty daitya, the eldest son of Lola, a great asura named Madhu.

Shloka 4 (uttara.61.4)

ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च बुद्ध्या च परिनिष्ठितः । सुरैश्च परमोदारैः प्रीतिस्तस्यातुला ऽभवत् ।। 61.4 ।।

brahmaṇyaśca śaraṇyaśca buddhyā ca pariniṣṭhitaḥ | suraiśca paramodāraiḥ prītistasyātulā 'bhavat || 61.4 ||

He was devoted to brahmins, a refuge for those who sought him, and firm in wisdom; even the most generous gods bore an unmatched affection for him.

Shloka 5 (uttara.61.5)

स मधुर्वीर्यसम्पन्नो धर्मे च सुसमाहितः । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि रुद्रप्रीत्या ऽकरोत्तपः ।। 61.5 ।।

sa madhurvīryasampanno dharme ca susamāhitaḥ | bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi rudraprītyā 'karottapaḥ || 61.5 ||

That Madhu, endowed with valor and firmly devoted to righteousness, performed austerities for many thousands of years to please Rudra.

Shloka 6 (uttara.61.6)

रुद्रः प्रीतो ऽभवत्तस्मै वरं दातुं ययौ च सः । बहुमानाच्च रुद्रेण दत्तस्तस्याद्भुतो वरः ।। 61.6 ।।

rudraḥ prīto 'bhavattasmai varaṃ dātuṃ yayau ca saḥ | bahumānācca rudreṇa dattastasyādbhuto varaḥ || 61.6 ||

Rudra, pleased with him, came to grant a boon; and out of great regard, Rudra gave him a wondrous gift.

Shloka 7 (uttara.61.7)

शूलं शूलाद्विनिष्कृष्य महावीर्यं महाप्रभम् । ददौ महात्मा सुप्रीतो वाक्यं चैतदुवाच ह ।। 61.7 ।।

śūlaṃ śūlādviniṣkṛṣya mahāvīryaṃ mahāprabham | dadau mahātmā suprīto vākyaṃ caitaduvāca ha || 61.7 ||

The great-souled Rudra, greatly pleased, drew forth from his own trident a mighty and radiant spear and gave it to him, saying these words.

Shloka 8 (uttara.61.8)

त्वयायमतुलो धर्मो मत्प्रसादकरः कृतः । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददाम्यायुधमुत्तमम् ।। 61.8 ।।

tvayāyamatulo dharmo matprasādakaraḥ kṛtaḥ | prītyā paramayā yukto dadāmyāyudhamuttamam || 61.8 ||

"You have shown unmatched righteousness in winning my favor; therefore, filled with the deepest affection, I give you this supreme weapon.

Shloka 9 (uttara.61.9)

यावत्सुरैश्च विप्रैश्च न विरुध्येर्महासुर । तावच्छूलं तवेदं स्यादन्यथा नाशमेप्यति ।। 61.9 ।।

yāvatsuraiśca vipraiśca na virudhyermahāsura | tāvacchūlaṃ tavedaṃ syādanyathā nāśamepyati || 61.9 ||

O great asura, as long as you do not turn against the gods and brahmins, this spear shall remain yours; otherwise it will perish.

Shloka 10 (uttara.61.10)

यश्च त्वामभियुञ्जीत युद्धाय विगतज्वरः । तं शूलो भस्मसात्कृत्वा पुनरेष्यति ते करम् ।। 61.10 ।।

yaśca tvāmabhiyuñjīta yuddhāya vigatajvaraḥ | taṃ śūlo bhasmasātkṛtvā punareṣyati te karam || 61.10 ||

Whoever, free of dread, engages you in battle — that spear will reduce him to ashes and return again to your hand."

Shloka 11 (uttara.61.11)

एवं रुद्राद्वरं लब्ध्वा भूय एव महासुरः । प्रणिपत्य महादेवं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 61.11 ।।

evaṃ rudrādvaraṃ labdhvā bhūya eva mahāsuraḥ | praṇipatya mahādevaṃ vākyametaduvāca ha || 61.11 ||

Having thus obtained this boon from Rudra, the great asura once more bowed to Mahadeva and spoke these words.

Shloka 12 (uttara.61.12)

भगवन्मम वंशस्य शूलमेतदनुत्तमम् । भवेत्तु सततं देव सुराणामीश्वरो ह्यसि ।। 61.12 ।।

bhagavanmama vaṃśasya śūlametadanuttamam | bhavettu satataṃ deva surāṇāmīśvaro hyasi || 61.12 ||

"O Lord, may this peerless spear remain forever with my lineage, O God — for you are indeed the lord even of the gods."

Shloka 13 (uttara.61.13)

तं ब्रुवाणं मधुं देवः सर्वभूतपतिः शिवः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा नैतदेवं भविष्यति ।। 61.13 ।।

taṃ bruvāṇaṃ madhuṃ devaḥ sarvabhūtapatiḥ śivaḥ | pratyuvāca mahātejā naitadevaṃ bhaviṣyati || 61.13 ||

To Madhu speaking thus, the god Shiva, lord of all beings, the greatly splendorous one, replied: "This shall not be so.

Shloka 14 (uttara.61.14)

मा भूत्ते विफला वाणी मत्प्रसादकृता शुभा । भवतः पुत्रमेकं तु शूलमेतद्भजिष्यते ।। 61.14 ।।

mā bhūtte viphalā vāṇī matprasādakṛtā śubhā | bhavataḥ putramekaṃ tu śūlametadbhajiṣyate || 61.14 ||

Let not your auspicious word, spoken through my grace, go in vain; yet this spear shall belong to only one of your sons.

Shloka 15 (uttara.61.15)

यावत्करस्थः शूलो ऽयं भविष्यति सुतस्य ते । अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां शूलहस्तो भविष्यति ।। 61.15 ।।

yāvatkarasthaḥ śūlo 'yaṃ bhaviṣyati sutasya te | avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ śūlahasto bhaviṣyati || 61.15 ||

As long as this spear remains in the hand of that son of yours, he who bears it shall be unslayable by any being."

Shloka 16 (uttara.61.16)

एवं मधुर्वरं लब्ध्वा देवात्सुमहदद्भुतम् । भवनं सो ऽसुरश्रेष्ठः कारयामास सुप्रभम् ।। 61.16 ।।

evaṃ madhurvaraṃ labdhvā devātsumahadadbhutam | bhavanaṃ so 'suraśreṣṭhaḥ kārayāmāsa suprabham || 61.16 ||

Having thus obtained this great and wondrous boon from the god, Madhu, foremost of asuras, had a splendid palace built.

Shloka 17 (uttara.61.17)

तस्य पत्नी महाभागा प्रिया कुम्भीनसीति या । विश्वावसोरपत्यं सा ह्यनलायां महाप्रभा ।। 61.17 ।।

tasya patnī mahābhāgā priyā kumbhīnasīti yā | viśvāvasorapatyaṃ sā hyanalāyāṃ mahāprabhā || 61.17 ||

His beloved and most fortunate wife was named Kumbhinasi — the radiant daughter of Vishvavasu, born to him by Anala.

Shloka 18 (uttara.61.18)

तस्याः पुत्रो महावीर्यो लवणो नाम दारुणः । बाल्यात्प्रभृति दुष्टात्मा पापान्येव समाचरत् ।। 61.18 ।।

tasyāḥ putro mahāvīryo lavaṇo nāma dāruṇaḥ | bālyātprabhṛti duṣṭātmā pāpānyeva samācarat || 61.18 ||

Her son was the mighty and dreadful one named Lavana; wicked of nature from childhood, he did nothing but evil.

Shloka 19 (uttara.61.19)

तं पुत्रं दुर्विनीतं तु दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । मधुः स शोकमापेदे न चैनं किञ्चिदब्रवीत् ।। 61.19 ।।

taṃ putraṃ durvinītaṃ tu dṛṣṭvā krodhasamanvitaḥ | madhuḥ sa śokamāpede na cainaṃ kiñcidabravīt || 61.19 ||

Seeing his unruly son, Madhu, filled with anger, fell into sorrow, yet said nothing to him.

Shloka 20 (uttara.61.20)

स विहाय त्विमं लोकं प्रविष्टो वरुणालयम् । शूलं निवेश्य लवणे वरं तस्मै न्यवेदयत् ।। 61.20 ।।

sa vihāya tvimaṃ lokaṃ praviṣṭo varuṇālayam | śūlaṃ niveśya lavaṇe varaṃ tasmai nyavedayat || 61.20 ||

At last he left this world and entered Varuna's abode; but before departing, he bestowed the spear upon Lavana, entrusting that boon to him.

Shloka 21 (uttara.61.21)

स प्रभावेण शूलस्य दौरात्म्येनात्मनस्तथा । सन्तापयति लोकांस्त्रीन्विशेषेण च तापसान् ।। 61.21 ।।

sa prabhāveṇa śūlasya daurātmyenātmanastathā | santāpayati lokāṃstrīnviśeṣeṇa ca tāpasān || 61.21 ||

By the power of that spear, and through his own malice, he torments the three worlds — the ascetics most of all.

Shloka 22 (uttara.61.22)

एवंप्रभावो लवणः शूलं चैव तथाविधम् । श्रुत्वा प्रमाणं काकुत्स्थ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ।। 61.22 ।।

evaṃprabhāvo lavaṇaḥ śūlaṃ caiva tathāvidham | śrutvā pramāṇaṃ kākutstha tvaṃ hi naḥ paramā gatiḥ || 61.22 ||

Having heard of Lavana's such power and of that spear of his — take this as certain, O Kakutstha: you alone are our final refuge.

Shloka 23 (uttara.61.23)

बहवः पार्थिवा राम भयार्तैर्ऋषिभिः पुरा । अभयं याचिता वीर त्रातारं न च विद्महे ।। 61.23 ।।

bahavaḥ pārthivā rāma bhayārtairṛṣibhiḥ purā | abhayaṃ yācitā vīra trātāraṃ na ca vidmahe || 61.23 ||

O Rama, in the past, sages tormented by fear begged many kings for protection, O hero; yet we found no true protector.

Shloka 24 (uttara.61.24)

ते वयं रावणं श्रुत्वा हतं सबलवाहनम् । त्रातारं विद्महे तात नान्यं भुवि नराधिपम् । तत्परित्रातुमिच्छामो लवणाद्भयपीडितान् ।। 61.24 ।।

te vayaṃ rāvaṇaṃ śrutvā hataṃ sabalavāhanam | trātāraṃ vidmahe tāta nānyaṃ bhuvi narādhipam | tatparitrātumicchāmo lavaṇādbhayapīḍitān || 61.24 ||

Having heard that Ravana has been slain along with his forces and mounts, we, dear one, know of no other king on earth as our protector. We wish you to save us, tormented as we are by fear of Lavana.

Shloka 25 (uttara.61.25)

इति राम निवेदितं तु ते भयजं कारणमुत्थितं च यत् । विनिवारयितुं भवान्क्षमः कुरु तं काममहीनविक्रम ।। 61.25 ।।

iti rāma niveditaṃ tu te bhayajaṃ kāraṇamutthitaṃ ca yat | vinivārayituṃ bhavānkṣamaḥ kuru taṃ kāmamahīnavikrama || 61.25 ||

Thus, O Rama, have we related to you the cause of this dreadful terror that has arisen. You alone, O one of unfailing valor, are able to avert it — grant us, then, this our wish.