The Birth of Pururavas

Shloka 1 (uttara.89.1)

श्रुत्वा किम्पुरुषोत्पत्तिं लक्ष्मणो भरतस्तदा । आश्चर्यमिति चाब्रूतामुभौ रामं जनेश्वरम् ।। ७.८९.१ ।।

śrutvā kimpuruṣotpattiṃ lakṣmaṇo bharatas tadā | āścaryam iti cābrūtām ubhau rāmaṃ janeśvaram || 7.89.1 ||

Hearing this account of the origin of the Kimpurushas, Lakshmana and Bharata both said to Rama, lord of men, "This is truly wondrous."

Shloka 2 (uttara.89.2)

अथ रामः कथामेतां भूय एव महायशाः । कथयामास धर्मात्मा प्रजापतिसुतस्य वै ।। ७.८९.२ ।।

atha rāmaḥ kathām etāṃ bhūya eva mahāyaśāḥ | kathayām āsa dharmātmā prajāpatisutasya vai || 7.89.2 ||

Then the greatly renowned and righteous Rama went on to relate further this story of the son of the Lord of Creatures.

Shloka 3 (uttara.89.3)

सर्वास्ता विद्रुता दृष्ट्वा किन्नरीर्ऋषिसत्तमः । उवाच रूपसम्पन्नां तां स्त्रियं प्रहसन्निव ।। ७.८९.३ ।।

sarvās tā vidrutā dṛṣṭvā kinnarīr ṛṣisattamaḥ | uvāca rūpasampannāṃ tāṃ striyaṃ prahasann iva || 7.89.3 ||

Seeing all those Kinnari women flee away, that best of sages, smiling as it were, spoke to that beautiful woman.

Shloka 4 (uttara.89.4)

सोमस्याहं सुदयितः सुतः सुरुचिरानने । भजस्व मां वरारोहे भक्त्या स्निग्धेन चक्षुषा ।। ७.८९.४ ।।

somasyāhaṃ sudayitaḥ sutaḥ surucirānane | bhajasva māṃ varārohe bhaktyā snigdhena cakṣuṣā || 7.89.4 ||

"I am the dearly beloved son of Soma, O lovely-faced one. Favor me, fair-hipped one, with devotion and an affectionate glance."

Shloka 5 (uttara.89.5)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शून्ये स्वजनवर्जिते । इला सुरुचिरप्रख्यं प्रत्युवाच महाग्रहम् ।। ७.८९.५ ।।

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā śūnye svajanavarjite | ilā suruciraprakhyaṃ pratyuvāca mahāgraham || 7.89.5 ||

Hearing his words there in that lonely place, bereft of her own people, Ila replied to that most radiant, great planet.

Shloka 6 (uttara.89.6)

अहं कामचरी सौम्य तवास्मि वशवर्तिनी । प्रशाधि मां सोमसुत यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ।। ७.८९.६ ।।

ahaṃ kāmacarī saumya tavāsmi vaśavartinī | praśādhi māṃ somasuta yathecchasi tathā kuru || 7.89.6 ||

"I am one who roams at will, gentle one, and I am now under your command. Rule over me, son of Soma; do as you wish."

Shloka 7 (uttara.89.7)

तस्यास्तदद्भुतप्रख्यं श्रुत्वा हर्षमुपागतः । स वै कामी सह तया रेमे चन्द्रमसः सुतः ।। ७.८९.७ ।।

tasyās tad adbhutaprakhyaṃ śrutvā harṣam upāgataḥ | sa vai kāmī saha tayā reme candramasaḥ sutaḥ || 7.89.7 ||

Hearing her wondrous reply, filled with delight, that son of the Moon, overcome with desire, sported there with her.

Shloka 8 (uttara.89.8)

बुधस्य माधवो मासस्तामिलां रुचिराननाम् । गतो रमयतो ऽत्यर्थं क्षणवत्तस्य कामिनः ।। ७.८९.८ ।।

budhasya mādhavo māsas tām ilāṃ rucirānanām | gato ramayato 'tyarthaṃ kṣaṇavat tasya kāminaḥ || 7.89.8 ||

For that love-smitten Budha, sporting endlessly with lovely-faced Ila, the month of Madhava passed as if it were a single instant.

Shloka 9 (uttara.89.9)

अथ मासे तु सम्पूर्णे पूर्णेन्दुसदृशाननः । प्रजापतिसुतः श्रीमाञ्छयने प्रत्यबुध्यत ।। ७.८९.९ ।।

atha māse tu sampūrṇe pūrṇendusadṛśānanaḥ | prajāpatisutaḥ śrīmāñ chayane pratyabudhyata || 7.89.9 ||

Then, when the month was complete, that illustrious son of the Lord of Creatures, his face like the full moon, awoke again upon his bed.

Shloka 10 (uttara.89.10)

सो ऽपश्यत्सोमजं तत्र तपन्तं सलिलाशये । ऊर्ध्वबाहुं निरालम्बं तं राजा प्रत्यभाषत ।। ७.८९.१० ।।

so 'paśyat somajaṃ tatra tapantaṃ salilāśaye | ūrdhvabāhuṃ nirālambaṃ taṃ rājā pratyabhāṣata || 7.89.10 ||

He saw there Soma's son performing austerity in the lake, his arms raised, unsupported; and the king addressed him thus.

Shloka 11 (uttara.89.11)

भगवन्पर्वतं दुर्गं प्रविष्टो ऽस्मि सहानुगः । न च पश्यामि तत्सैन्यं क्व नु ते मामका गताः ।। ७.८९.११ ।।

bhagavan parvataṃ durgaṃ praviṣṭo 'smi sahānugaḥ | na ca paśyāmi tat sainyaṃ kva nu te māmakā gatāḥ || 7.89.11 ||

"Holy one, I had entered this rugged mountain together with my retinue, but now I do not see that army. Where have my men gone?"

Shloka 12 (uttara.89.12)

तच्छ्रुत्वा तस्य राजर्षेर्नष्टसञ्ज्ञस्य भाषितम् । प्रत्युवाच शुभं वाक्यं सान्त्वयन्परया गिरा ।। ७.८९.१२ ।।

tac chrutvā tasya rājarṣer naṣṭasaṃjñasya bhāṣitam | pratyuvāca śubhaṃ vākyaṃ sāntvayan parayā girā || 7.89.12 ||

Hearing this speech of the royal sage, whose memory had been lost, he replied with gracious words, comforting him with the gentlest voice.

Shloka 13 (uttara.89.13)

अश्मवर्षेण महता भृत्यास्ते विनिपातिताः । त्वं चाश्रमपदे सुप्तो वातवर्षभयार्दितः ।। ७.८९.१३ ।।

aśmavarṣeṇa mahatā bhṛtyās te vinipātitāḥ | tvaṃ cāśramapade supto vātavarṣabhayārditaḥ || 7.89.13 ||

"Your servants were struck down by a great fall of stones, and you, overcome with fear of the storm and rain, fell asleep here at this hermitage."

Shloka 14 (uttara.89.14)

समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते निर्भयो विगतज्वरः । फलमूलाशनो वीर निवसेह यथासुखम् ।। ७.८९.१४ ।।

samāśvasihi bhadraṃ te nirbhayo vigatajvaraḥ | phalamūlāśano vīra nivaseha yathāsukham || 7.89.14 ||

"Take comfort, good fortune be yours; be free of fear and anguish. Living on fruits and roots, hero, dwell here in comfort."

Shloka 15 (uttara.89.15)

स राजा तेन वाक्येन प्रत्याश्वस्तो महामतिः । प्रत्युवाच ततो वाक्यं दीनो भृत्यक्षयाद् भृशम् ।। ७.८९.१५ ।।

sa rājā tena vākyena pratyāśvasto mahāmatiḥ | pratyuvāca tato vākyaṃ dīno bhṛtyakṣayād bhṛśam || 7.89.15 ||

Comforted by these words, that wise king, deeply grieved at the loss of his servants, then spoke these words.

Shloka 16 (uttara.89.16)

त्यक्ष्याम्यहं स्वकं राज्यं नाहं भृत्यैर्विनाकृतः । वर्तयेयं क्षणं ब्रह्मन्समनुज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। ७.८९.१६ ।।

tyakṣyāmy ahaṃ svakaṃ rājyaṃ nāhaṃ bhṛtyair vinā kṛtaḥ | vartayeyaṃ kṣaṇaṃ brahman samanujñātum arhasi || 7.89.16 ||

"I shall give up my kingdom; without my servants I could not endure even for a moment. Grant me leave, holy one."

Shloka 17 (uttara.89.17)

सुतो धर्मपरो ब्रह्मञ्ज्येष्ठो मम महायशाः । शशबिन्दुरिति ख्यातः स मे राज्यं प्रपत्स्यते ।। ७.८९.१७ ।।

suto dharmaparo brahmañ jyeṣṭho mama mahāyaśāḥ | śaśabindur iti khyātaḥ sa me rājyaṃ prapatsyate || 7.89.17 ||

"My eldest son, holy one, devoted to righteousness and greatly renowned, known as Shashabindu, shall take up my kingdom."

Shloka 18 (uttara.89.18)

न हि शक्ष्याम्यहं हित्वा भृत्यदारान्सुखान्वितान् । प्रतिवक्तुं महातेजः किञ्चिदप्यशुभं वचः ।। ७.८९.१८ ।।

na hi śakṣyāmy ahaṃ hitvā bhṛtyadārān sukhānvitān | prativaktuṃ mahātejaḥ kiñcid apy aśubhaṃ vacaḥ || 7.89.18 ||

"For, O mighty one, having lost my happy servants and dependents, I am unable to utter even a single further word of ill omen."

Shloka 19 (uttara.89.19)

तथा ब्रुवति राजेन्द्रे बुधः परममद्भुतम् । सान्त्वपूर्वमथोवाच वासस्त इह रोचताम् ।। ७.८९.१९ ।।

tathā bruvati rājendre budhaḥ paramam adbhutam | sāntvapūrvam athovāca vāsas ta iha rocatām || 7.89.19 ||

When the king of kings had spoken thus, Budha, first offering comfort, spoke this most wondrous word: "Let it please you to dwell here."

Shloka 20 (uttara.89.20)

न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः कार्दमेय महाबल । संवत्सरोषितस्येह कारयिष्यामि ते हितम् ।। ७.८९.२० ।।

na santāpas tvayā kāryaḥ kārdameya mahābala | saṃvatsaroṣitasyeha kārayiṣyāmi te hitam || 7.89.20 ||

"You must not grieve, mighty son of Kardama. If you dwell here a full year, I shall bring about what is good for you."

Shloka 21 (uttara.89.21)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा बुधस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । वासाय विदधे बुद्धिं यदुक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना ।। ७.८९.२१ ।।

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā budhasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ | vāsāya vidadhe buddhiṃ yad uktaṃ brahmavādinā || 7.89.21 ||

Hearing these words of Budha, whose actions were ever unwearied, he resolved, as that speaker of sacred truth had counselled, to dwell there.

Shloka 22 (uttara.89.22)

मासं स स्त्री तदा भूत्वा रमयत्यनिशं शुदा । मासं पुरुषभावेन धर्मबुद्धिं चकार सः ।। ७.८९.२२ ।।

māsaṃ sa strī tadā bhūtvā ramayaty aniśaṃ śudā | māsaṃ puruṣabhāvena dharmabuddhiṃ cakāra saḥ || 7.89.22 ||

For one month, having become a woman, she sported there unceasingly, lovely as she was; and for the next month, in male form, he kept his mind fixed upon righteousness.

Shloka 23 (uttara.89.23)

ततः सा नवमे मासि इला सोमसुतात्सुतम् । जनयामास सुश्रोणी पुरूरवसमूर्जितम् ।। ७.८९.२३ ।।

tataḥ sā navame māsi ilā somasutāt sutam | janayām āsa suśroṇī purūravasam ūrjitam || 7.89.23 ||

Then, in the ninth month, that fair-hipped Ila brought forth from Soma's son a mighty son, Pururavas.

Shloka 24 (uttara.89.24)

जातमात्रं तु सुश्रोणी पितुर्हस्ते न्यवेशयत् । बुधस्य समवर्णभमिला पुत्रं महाबलम् ।। ७.८९.२४ ।।

jātamātraṃ tu suśroṇī pitur haste nyaveśayat | budhasya samavarṇābham ilā putraṃ mahābalam || 7.89.24 ||

As soon as he was born, the fair-hipped Ila placed that mighty son, radiant like Budha himself, into his father's hands.

Shloka 25 (uttara.89.25)

बुधस्तु पुरुषीभूतं स वै संवत्सरान्तरम् । कथाभी रमयामास धर्मयुक्ताभिरात्मवान् ।। ७.८९.२५ ।।

budhas tu puruṣībhūtaṃ sa vai saṃvatsarāntaram | kathābhī ramayām āsa dharmayuktābhir ātmavān || 7.89.25 ||

And Budha, self-controlled, kept him — now in his male form — delighted through the rest of the year with tales full of righteousness.