तस्मादेनं महाभाग विसर्जय गृहं प्रति । सपुत्राऽहं वसिष्यामि जानकीवद्द्विजोत्तम
Therefore, O highly fortunate one, send him away to his home; I will remain here with my son, O best of twice-born, like Jānakī.
इत्युक्तोऽसौ मुनिस्तावद्गत्वा युधाजितं नृपम् । उवाच वचनं राज्ञे भारद्वाजः प्रतापवान्
Thus addressed, the sage then went to King Yudhājit and spoke these words to the king, Bhāradvāja, full of prowess.
गच्छ राजन् यथाकामं स्वपुरं नृपसत्तम । नेयं मनोरमाभ्येति बालपुत्रा सुदुःखिता
Go, O king, as you wish, to your own city, best among rulers; this Manorama will not come, she is deeply distressed with her young son.
युधाजिदुवाच मुने मुञ्च हठं सौम्य विसर्जय मनोरमाम् । न च यास्याम्यहं मुक्त्वा नेष्याम्यद्य बलात्पुनः
Yudhājit said: O sage, abandon your stubbornness and send Manorama away; I will not depart without her, nor will I take her by force today.
ऋषिरुवाच नयस्व यदि शक्तिस्ते बलेनाद्य ममाश्रमात् । विश्वामित्रो यथा धेनुं वसिष्ठस्य मुनेः पुरा
The sage said: Take her, if you are able, by force from my hermitage today, just as Viśvāmitra once tried to take the cow from the sage Vasiṣṭha.
विश्वामित्रकथोत्तरं राजपुत्रस्य कामबीजप्राप्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य मुनेस्तत्रावनीपतिः । मन्त्रिवृद्धं समाहूय पप्रच्छ तमतन्द्रितः
Vyāsa said: Hearing the sage’s words, the king summoned his aged minister and questioned him attentively.
किं कर्तव्यं सुबुद्धेऽत्र मयाऽद्य वद सुव्रत । बलान्नयामि तां कामं सपुत्राञ्च सुभाषिणीम्
O wise one, tell me what should be done here today; I will forcibly take her, along with her sons, that virtuous speaker.
रिपुरल्पोऽपि नोपेक्ष्यः सर्वथा शुभमिच्छता । राजयक्ष्मेव संवृद्धो मृत्यवे परिकल्पयेत्
Even a weak enemy should never be disregarded by one who desires auspiciousness; when grown, like royal consumption, he should be considered as leading to death.
नात्र सैन्यं न योद्धास्ति यो मामत्र निवारयेत् । गृहीत्वा हन्मि तं तत्र दौहित्रस्य रिपुं किल
There is neither army nor warrior here who could restrain me; I will seize and kill there the enemy of my grandson.
निष्कण्टकं भवेद्राज्यं यताम्यद्य बलादहम् । हते सुदर्शने नूनं निर्भयोऽसौ भवेदिति
The kingdom will become free of thorns if I act by force today; once Sudarshana is slain, surely he will be fearless.
प्रधान उवाच साहसं न हि कर्तव्यं श्रुतं राजन् मुनेर्वचः । विश्वामित्रस्य दृष्टान्तः कथितस्तेन मारिष
The chief said: One should not act rashly; O king, you have heard the sage’s words. The example of Vishvamitra was told by him, O noble one.
पुरा गाधिसुतः श्रीमान्विश्वामित्रोऽतिविश्रुतः । विचरन्स नृपश्रेष्ठो वसिष्ठाश्रममभ्यगात्
Long ago, the illustrious son of Gadhi, Vishvamitra, renowned among kings, while wandering, approached the hermitage of Vashishtha.
नमस्कृत्य च तं राजा विश्वामित्रः प्रतापवान् । उपविष्टो नृपश्रेष्ठो मुनिना दत्तविष्टरः
Having bowed to him, the powerful king Vishvamitra, the foremost among kings, sat down, given a seat by the sage.
निमन्त्रितो वसिष्ठेन भोजनाय महात्मना । ससैन्यश्च स्थितो राजा गाधिपुत्रो महायशाः
Invited by the great-souled Vashishtha for a meal, the king, son of Gadhi, famed among men, stood there with his army.
नन्दिन्याऽऽसादितं सर्वं भक्ष्यभोज्यादिकं च यत् । भुक्त्वा राजा ससैन्यश्च वाञ्छितं तत्र भोजनम्
All kinds of food and delicacies were provided by Nandini; the king and his army ate the desired meal there.
प्रतापं तञ्च नन्दिन्याः परिज्ञाय स पार्थिवः । ययाचे नन्दिनीं राजा वसिष्ठं मुनिसत्तमम्
Recognizing the power of Nandini, the king approached the sage Vashishtha and requested Nandini, the cow.
विश्वामित्र उवाच मुने धेनुसहस्रं ते घटोध्नीनां ददाम्यहम् । नन्दिनीं देहि मे धेनुं प्रार्थयामि परन्तप
Vishvamitra said: O sage, I will give you a thousand milking cows; give me Nandini, the cow—I request you, O scorcher of foes.
वसिष्ठ उवाच होमधेनुरियं राजन्न ददामि कथञ्चन । सहस्रञ्चापि धेनूनां तवेदं तव तिष्ठतु
Vashishtha said: This is my sacrificial cow, O king; I will not give her under any circumstances. Even a thousand cows may remain with you, but this one stays with me.
विश्वामित्र उवाच अयुतं वाथ लक्ष्यं वा ददामि मनसेप्सितम् । द्देहि मे नन्दिनीं साधो ग्रहीष्यामि बलादथ
Vishvamitra said: I will give you ten thousand or a hundred thousand, whatever you desire; give me Nandini, O virtuous one, or else I will seize her by force.
वसिष्ठ उवाच कामं गृहाण नृपते बलादद्य यथारुचि । नाहं ददामि ते राजन्स्वेच्छया नन्दिनीं गृहात्
Vashishtha said: Take her by force today, O king, as you wish; but I will not give Nandini to you willingly from my house.
तच्छ्रुत्वा नृपतिर्भृत्यानादिदेश महाबलान् । नयध्वं नन्दिनीं धेनुं बलदर्पसुसंस्थिताः
Hearing this, the king ordered his mighty servants: 'Take Nandini, the cow, you who are filled with pride in your strength.'
ते भृत्या जगृहुस्तां तु हठादाक्रम्य यन्त्रिताम् । वेपमाना मुनिं प्राह सुरभिः साश्रुलोचना
Those servants seized her by force, restraining her; trembling, Surabhi, with tearful eyes, spoke to the sage.
मुने त्यजसि मां कस्मात्कर्षयन्ति सुयन्त्रिताम् । मुनिस्तां प्रत्युवाचेदं त्यजे नाहं सुदुग्धदे
'O sage, why do you abandon me, as they drag me away so harshly?' The sage replied to her: 'I do not abandon you, O giver of excellent milk.'
बलान्नयति राजाऽसौ पूजितोऽद्य मया शुभे । किं करोमि न चेच्छामि त्यक्तुं त्वां मनसा किल
The king is taking you by force today, O auspicious one, though I have honored him; what can I do? I do not wish to abandon you in my heart.
इत्युक्ता मुनिना धेनुः क्रोधयुक्ता बभूव ह । हम्भारवं चकाराशु क्रूरशब्दं सुदारुणम्
Thus addressed by the sage, the cow became filled with anger; she immediately let out a harsh, dreadful bellow.
उद्गतास्तत्र देहात्तु दैत्या घोरतरास्तदा । सायुधास्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति ब्रुवन्तः कवचावृताः
From her body then emerged fierce demons, armed and clad in armor, shouting, 'Stop! Stop!'
सैन्यं सर्वं हतं तैस्तु नन्दिनी प्रतिमोचिता । एकाकी निर्गतो राजा विश्वामित्रोऽतिदुःखितः
Those demons destroyed the entire army, and Nandini was freed; King Vishvamitra departed alone, deeply distressed.
हन्त पापोऽतिदीनात्मा निन्दन् क्षात्रबलं महत् । ब्राह्मं बलं दुराराध्यं मत्वा तपसि संस्थितः
Alas! Overwhelmed by sorrow, he reproached the great power of the warrior caste, considering the Brahmin's strength difficult to attain, and resolved to undertake austerities.
तप्त्वा बहूनि वर्षाणि तपो घोरं महावने । ऋषित्वं प्राप गाधेयस्त्यक्त्वा क्षात्रं विधिं पुनः
After performing severe austerities for many years in the great forest, Gādhi's son attained the status of a sage, abandoning the warrior's path.
तस्मात्त्वमपि राजेन्द्र मा कृथा वैरमद्भुतम् । कुलनाशकरं नूनं तापसैः सह संयुगम्
Therefore, O king, you too should not create extraordinary enmity; surely, conflict with ascetics brings destruction to one's lineage.