एतत् सर्वं महातेजा जनकाय महात्मने। निवेद्य विररामाथ विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः
All this, the illustrious sage Viśvāmitra reported to the noble Janaka, and then paused.
thumb|एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the fifty-first sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः। हृष्टरोमा महातेजाः शतानन्दो महातपाः
Hearing those words of wise Viśvāmitra, Śatānanda, radiant and ascetic, felt his hair stand on end.
गौतमस्य सुतो ज्येष्ठस्तपसा द्योतितप्रभः। रामसंदर्शनादेव परं विस्मयमागतः
Śatānanda, Gautama's eldest son, shining with austerity, was filled with great wonder just by seeing Rāma.
एतौ निषण्णौ सम्प्रेक्ष्य शतानन्दो नृपात्मजौ। सुखासीनौ मुनिश्रेष्ठं विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत्
Beholding the two princes seated comfortably, Śatānanda spoke to the foremost sage, Viśvāmitra.
अपि ते मुनिशार्दूल मम माता यशस्विनी। दर्शिता राजपुत्राय तपोदीर्घमुपागता
O tiger among sages, did my illustrious mother, long devoted to austerity, appear before the royal prince?
अपि रामे महातेजा मम माता यशस्विनी। वन्यैरुपाहरत् पूजां पूजार्हे सर्वदेहिनाम्
Did my illustrious mother, of great splendor, offer Rāma the worship due to all beings, with forest gifts?
अपि रामाय कथितं यद् वृत्तं तत् पुरातनम्। मम मातुर्महातेजो देवेन दुरनुष्ठितम्
Was it told to Rāma, what happened long ago—what my glorious mother suffered at the hands of the god?
अपि कौशिक भद्रं ते गुरुणा मम संगता। मम माता मुनिश्रेष्ठ रामसंदर्शनादितः
O Kauśika, was my mother, the best of sages' wives, united with my teacher, after seeing Rāma?
अपि मे गुरुणा रामः पूजितः कुशिकात्मज। इहागतो महातेजाः पूजां प्राप्य महात्मनः
O son of Kuśika, did my teacher honor Rāma, the great-souled one, who came here and received worship?
अपि शान्तेन मनसा गुरुर्मे कुशिकात्मज। इहागतेन रामेण पूजितेनाभिवादितः
O son of Kuśika, did my teacher, with a peaceful mind, receive honor and greeting from Rāma, who came here?
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। प्रत्युवाच शतानन्दं वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकोविदम्
Hearing these words, the great sage Viśvāmitra, skilled in speech, replied to Śatānanda.
नातिक्रान्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठ यत्कर्तव्यं कृतं मया। संगता मुनिना पत्नी भार्गवेणेव रेणुका
O best of sages, nothing has been left undone by me; the wife was reunited with the sage, as Reṇukā with Bhārgava.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः। शतानन्दो महातेजा रामं वचनमब्रवीत्
Hearing these words of wise Viśvāmitra, Śatānanda, of great splendor, spoke to Rāma.
स्वागतं ते नरश्रेष्ठ दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि राघव। विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य महर्षिमपराजितम्
Welcome to you, best of men! By good fortune you have come, O Rāghava, led here by the unconquered great sage Viśvāmitra.
अचिन्त्यकर्मा तपसा ब्रह्मर्षिरमितप्रभः। विश्वामित्रो महातेजा वेद्म्येनं परमां गतिम्
Viśvāmitra, of immeasurable brilliance, is a brahmarṣi whose deeds are beyond thought, attained by austerity—I know his supreme state.
नास्ति धन्यतरो राम त्वत्तोऽन्यो भुवि कश्चन। गोप्ता कुशिकपुत्रस्ते येन तप्तं महत्तपः
There is no one on earth more blessed than you, Rāma, for the son of Kuśika, who performed great austerity, is your protector.
श्रूयतां चाभिधास्यामि कौशिकस्य महात्मनः। यथाबलं यथातत्त्वं तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
Listen as I recount, according to my ability and as it truly happened, the story of the great sage Kauśika; hear it from me as I narrate.
राजाऽऽसीदेष धर्मात्मा दीर्घकालमरिंदमः। धर्मज्ञः कृतविद्यश्च प्रजानां च हिते रतः
He was a righteous king, a subduer of foes for a long time, learned in dharma, accomplished in knowledge, and devoted to the welfare of his people.
प्रजापतिसुतस्त्वासीत् कुशो नाम महीपतिः। कुशस्य पुत्रो बलवान् कुशनाभः सुधार्मिकः
There was a king named Kuśa, son of Prajāpati, and Kuśa’s son was the powerful and supremely righteous Kuśanābha.
कुशनाभसुतस्त्वासीद् गाधिरित्येव विश्रुतः। गाधेः पुत्रो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः
Kuśanābha’s son was renowned as Gādhi, and Gādhi’s son, the great and radiant sage, was Viśvāmitra.
विश्वामित्रो महातेजाः पालयामास मेदिनीम्। बहुवर्षसहस्राणि राजा राज्यमकारयत्
The mighty and illustrious Viśvāmitra ruled the earth for many thousands of years, governing as king.
कदाचित् तु महातेजा योजयित्वा वरूथिनीम्। अक्षौहिणीपरिवृतः परिचक्राम मेदिनीम्
Once, the great and radiant king assembled his army, and, surrounded by his divisions, he journeyed across the land.
नगराणि च राष्ट्राणि सरितश्च महागिरीन्। आश्रमान् क्रमशो राजा विचरन्नाजगाम ह
The king traveled through cities, kingdoms, rivers, and great mountains, and, visiting hermitages in turn, he arrived at one.
वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं नानापुष्पलताद्रुमम्। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्
He reached the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha, adorned with various flowering vines and trees, filled with many kinds of animals, and frequented by perfected beings and celestial wanderers.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः किंनरैरुपशोभितम्। प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णं द्विजसङ्घनिषेवितम्
It was graced by gods, demons, gandharvas, and kinnaras, tranquil and filled with peaceful deer, and attended by groups of twice-born sages.
ब्रह्मर्षिगणसंकीर्णं देवर्षिगणसेवितम्। तपश्चरणसंसिद्धैरग्निकल्पैर्महात्मभिः
It was crowded with assemblies of brahmarṣis and attended by hosts of devarṣis, inhabited by great souls accomplished in asceticism, resembling fire in their austerity.
सततं संकुलं श्रीमद्ब्रह्मकल्पैर्महात्मभिः। अब्भक्षैर्वायुभक्षैश्च शीर्णपर्णाशनैस्तथा
It was always filled with illustrious sages, resembling Brahmā himself, some subsisting on water, some on air, and others eating only fallen leaves.
फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैर्जितदोषैर्जितेन्द्रियैः। ऋषिभिर्वालखिल्यैश्च जपहोमपरायणैः
There were sages who ate only fruits and roots, who were self-restrained, who had conquered their faults and senses, including the Vālakhilyas, devoted to recitation and sacrifice.
अन्यैर्वैखानसैश्चैव समन्तादुपशोभितम्। वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं ब्रह्मलोकमिवापरम्। ददर्श जयतां श्रेष्ठो विश्वामित्रो महाबलः
It was further adorned on all sides by other Vaikhānasa sages; Viśvāmitra, foremost among the victorious and mighty, beheld Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage, which seemed like another world of Brahmā.