महामांसाशनं यस्मात्कारितोऽहं त्वयाधम
'Because of you, O wicked one, I have been made to eat great flesh.'
ततः संशोधयामास तस्य मांसस्य चागमम्
Then he began to investigate the origin of that meat.
तेऽब्रुवन्नैतदस्माभिः श्रपितं मांसमीदृशम् ६.५३.
They said, 'This kind of meat has been cooked by us.'
राक्षसं वा पिशाचं वा दानवं वा विना विभो
'Except for a Rākṣasa, Piśāca, or Dānava, O lord...'
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तस्य नारदो मुनिसत्तमः
Meanwhile, the eminent sage Nārada approached him.
. तच्छ्रुत्वा कोपमापन्नः स राजा शप्तुमुद्यतः शापोद्यतं च तं दृष्ट्वा नारदो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Hearing this, the king became angry and prepared to utter a curse; seeing him ready to pronounce the curse, Nārada spoke these words.
निघ्नन्तो वा शपन्तो वा द्विषन्तो वा द्विजातयः गुरुरेष पुनर्मान्यस्तव पार्थिवसत्तम
Whether they kill, curse, or bear enmity, the twice-born must still be respected as gurus, O best of kings.
तस्मान्नार्हसि शप्तुं त्वं प्रतिशापेन सन्मुनिम् पादयोः कृत्स्नमुपरि प्रमुमोच ततः परम्
Therefore, you should not curse this sage; with these words, he released his feet completely from above.
अथ तौ चरणौ तस्य तप्त शापोदकप्लुतौ
Then those two feet of his, soaked with the water of the heated curse—
कल्माषपाद इत्युक्तस्ततःप्रभृति स क्षितौ
From that time on, he was called Kalmāṣapāda on earth.
ज्ञात्वा दत्तं वृथा शापं तस्य भूमिपतेस्तदा
Realizing that the curse given to the king was in vain—
उवाच व्यर्थः शापोऽयं तव दत्तो मया नृप
He said, 'O king, this curse I have given you is ineffective.'
तस्मात्त्वं राक्षसो भूत्वा कञ्चित्कालं नृपो त्तम ६.५३.
Therefore, O best of kings, you will become a Rākṣasa for a certain period.
यदा त्वं क्रूरबुद्धिं तं राक्षसं निहनिष्यसि
When you slay that Rākṣasa of cruel intent—
ऊर्ध्वकेशो महाकायः कृष्णदन्तो भया नकः
With hair standing upright, massive in form, with black teeth, terrifying in appearance—
ततो जघान विप्रेन्द्रान्राक्षसं भावमाश्रितः
Then, assuming the nature of a Rākṣasa, he killed the foremost of Brāhmins.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य क्रूर बुद्धिः स राक्षसः
But after some time, that Rākṣasa, with cruel intent—
भ्रातुर्वधकृतं वैरं स्मरमाणस्ततः परम्
Remembering the enmity caused by the killing of his brother—
ततस्तं वेष्टयित्वापि समंताद्राक्षसो नृपम्
Then the Rākṣasa surrounded the king on all sides, binding him.
त्वया यो निहतोऽस्माकं ज्येष्ठो भ्राता सुदुर्मते
'You, of evil mind, have slain our eldest brother,' he said.
शारदस्येव मेघस्य गर्जितं तव निष्फलम्
Your roar is as fruitless as the thunder of an autumn cloud.
एवमुक्त्वा समादाय ततो वृक्षं स पार्थिवः
Having spoken thus, the king then seized a tree.
सोऽपि वृक्षं समुत्पाट्य क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ६.५३.
He too, his eyes reddened with anger, uprooted a tree.
एवं द्वावपि तौ शूरौ वृक्षयुद्धं महाबलौ
Thus, both those mighty heroes engaged in a battle with trees.
कृतवन्तौ वने तत्र बहुवृक्षक्षयावहम्
There in the forest, they fought, causing the destruction of many trees.
अथ तं श्रांतमालोक्य कूरबुद्धिं महीपतिः
Then, seeing him exhausted and his mind wavering, the king—
ततश्चास्फोटयामास भूमौ कोपसमन्वितः
Thereupon, filled with anger, he struck the ground.
तस्मिंस्तु निहते शूरे राक्षसे स महीपतिः
When that heroic Rākṣasa was slain, the king—
ततस्ते राक्षसाः शेषाः समंतात्तं महीपतिम्
Then the remaining Rākṣasas surrounded the king on all sides.
ततस्तानपि भूपालो जघान प्रहसन्निव
The king then slew them as well, as if laughing.