तत्पुत्रश्चाभवद्राजा मंत्रिभिस्तु पुरस्कृतः
And his son became king, being installed by the ministers.
यो नित्यमगमत्स्वर्गे वासवं रमते सदा
He always goes to heaven and delights with Indra.
गृहे यस्य स्वयं विष्णुर्भूत्वा चैव चतुर्विधः
In whose house Vishnu himself appears in fourfold form,
तेनागत्यात्र सत्क्षेत्रे तोषितो मधुसूदनः
By whose arrival at this sacred field, Madhusudana is pleased,
तस्यापि विश्रुता वापी स्वयं तेन विनिर्मिता
His renowned pond was constructed by him personally,
तस्यां यः कुरुते श्राद्धं संप्राप्ते पञ्चमीदिने
Whoever performs the śrāddha there on the fifth day,
भिंदानस्तोषितस्तेन कथं नारायणो वद
How could Narayana not be pleased by such an offering? Tell me.
सूत उवाच तस्मिञ्छासति धर्मज्ञे स्वधर्मेण वसुन्धराम्
Sūta said: While he, learned in dharma, governed the earth by his own duty,
बहुक्षीरप्रदा गावः सस्यानि गुणवंति च
The cows yielded abundant milk, and the crops were excellent,
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य दैवज्ञैस्तस्य भूपतेः ६.९६.
Then, at some time, astrologers foretold to that king,
तस्यानंतरमेवाशु दुर्भिक्षं संभविष्यति यया संपत्स्यते सर्वं भूतलं गतमानवम्
Immediately after him, famine would arise, by which all the earth would be emptied of people,
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स राजा कुपितोऽभ्यगात्
Hearing their words, the king became angry and approached,
तस्य तुष्टेन संदत्तं विमानं कामगं पुरा
To him, when pleased, was given long ago a celestial vehicle that goes at will,
ततः सूर्यपथं मुक्त्वा ततश्चंद्रस्य पार्थिवः १४ तत्र बाणं समारोप्य शनैश्चरमुपाद्रवत्
Then, leaving the path of the sun and then of the moon, the king,
त्यजैनं रोहिणीमार्गं सांप्रतं त्वं शनैश्चर
Abandon this path of Rohini now, O Saturn,
एतेन निशिताग्रेग शरेणा नतपर्वणा
With this arrow, sharp-tipped and bent at the joints,
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा तादृग्रौद्रतमं महत्
Hearing his words, so fierce and great,
कस्त्वं ब्रूहि महाभाग मम मार्गं रुणत्सि यः
Who are you? Tell me, O illustrious one, who obstructs my path,
राजोवाच अहं दशरथो नाम सूर्यवंशोद्भवो नृपः ६.९६.
The king said: I am named Dasharatha, a ruler born of the solar dynasty,
मम यत्त्वं प्रकोपाढ्यो मन्मार्गं हंतुमिच्छसि
Because you, filled with wrath, wish to destroy my path,
सांप्रतं मम दैवज्ञैर्वाक्यमेतदुदाहृतम्
At present, this statement has been uttered by my astrologers.
तस्मिन्मन्द त्वया भिन्ने न वर्षति शतक्रतुः
If you, O slow-witted one, break that, Indra will not send rain.
जाते वृष्टिनिरोधेऽथ जायंतेऽन्नानि न क्षितौ
When the obstruction of rain occurs, then food does not arise on earth.
जनोच्छेदे ततो जाते अग्निष्टोमादिकाः क्रियाः
When the destruction of people follows, then rituals like Agniṣṭoma cease.
एतस्मात्कारणाद्रुद्धो मार्गस्ते सूर्यसंभव
For this reason, your path, born of the sun, is held back.
तुष्टोऽहं तव वीर्येण न त्वन्येन महीपते
I am pleased with your valor, not with anyone else, O king.
न केनचित्कृतं कर्म यदेतद्भवता कृतम्
No one has performed the deed that you have accomplished.
नाहं पश्यामि भूपाल कथंचिदपि तूर्ध्वतः
I do not see, O king, anyone at all above.
जातमात्रेण बालेन मया पादौ निरीक्षितौ ६.९६.
When the child was just born, I observed his feet.
न त्वया पुत्र द्रष्टव्यं किंचिदेव कथंचन
But you, my son, must not see anything at all.