एवमुक्तस्तु ब्रह्मर्षिरिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। शोकसंतप्तहृदयां स्वसारमिव दुःखिताम्
Thus addressed, the Brahmarshi spoke these words, as if to a grieving sister whose heart was scorched by sorrow.
न त्वां त्यजामि शबले नापि मेऽपकृतं त्वया। एष त्वां नयते राजा बलान्मत्तो महाबलः
I do not abandon you, Shabala, nor have you done me any wrong; but this mighty king is taking you from me by force.
नहि तुल्यं बलं मह्यं राजा त्वद्य विशेषतः। बली राजा क्षत्रियश्च पृथिव्याः पतिरेव च
My strength is not equal to the king's, especially today; the king is powerful, a Kshatriya, and lord of the earth.
इयमक्षौहिणी पूर्णा गजवाजिरथाकुला। हस्तिध्वजसमाकीर्णा तेनासौ बलवत्तरः
This full army, crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, bristling with banners, makes him even stronger.
एवमुक्ता वसिष्ठेन प्रत्युवाच विनीतवत्। वचनं वचनज्ञा सा ब्रह्मर्षिमतुलप्रभम्
Thus addressed by Vasistha, she, skilled in speech, humbly replied to the illustrious Brahmarshi.
न बलं क्षत्रियस्याहुर्ब्राह्मणा बलवत्तराः। ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मबलं दिव्यं क्षात्राच्च बलवत्तरम्
They do not say that the strength of a Kshatriya is greater; O Brahman, the divine power of Brahmanic strength surpasses that of Kshatriyas.
अप्रमेयं बलं तुभ्यं न त्वया बलवत्तरः। विश्वामित्रो महावीर्यस्तेजस्तव दुरासदम्
Your strength is immeasurable; Vishvamitra, though of great might, is not stronger than you—your energy is unassailable.
नियुङ्क्ष्व मां महातेजस्त्वं ब्रह्मबलसम्भृताम्। तस्य दर्पं बलं यत्नं नाशयामि दुरात्मनः
Command me, O great-splendored one, endowed with Brahmanic power; I shall destroy the pride, strength, and effort of that wicked one.
इत्युक्तस्तु तया राम वसिष्ठस्तु महायशाः। सृजस्वेति तदोवाच बलं परबलार्दनम्
Thus addressed by her, O Rama, the renowned Vasistha then said, 'Release your power, destroyer of enemy forces.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा सुरभिः सासृजत् तदा। तस्या हुंभारवोत्सृष्टाः पह्लवाः शतशो नृप
Hearing his words, Surabhi then produced, by her bellowing, hundreds of Pahlavas, O king.
नाशयन्ति बलं सर्वं विश्वामित्रस्य पश्यतः। स राजा परमक्रुद्धः क्रोधविस्फारितेक्षणः
They destroyed all of Vishvamitra's army before his eyes; the king, greatly enraged, his eyes blazing with fury—
पह्लवान् नाशयामास शस्त्रैरुच्चावचैरपि। विश्वामित्रार्दितान् दृष्ट्वा पह्लवान् शतशस्तदा
He destroyed the Pahlavas with weapons, both great and small; seeing the Pahlavas afflicted by Vishvamitra, then—
भूय एवासृजद् घोरान् शकान् यवनमिश्रितान्। तैरासीत् संवृता भूमिः शकैर्यवनमिश्रितैः
Again she produced fierce Shakas mixed with Yavanas; the earth was covered by those Shakas mixed with Yavanas.
प्रभावद्भिर्महावीर्यैर्हेमकिंजल्कसंनिभैः। तीक्ष्णासिपट्टिशधरैर्हेमवर्णाम्बरावृतैः
Radiant, of great might, resembling golden filaments, armed with sharp swords and spears, clad in golden garments—
निर्दग्धं तद्बलं सर्वं प्रदीप्तैरिव पावकैः। ततोऽस्त्राणि महातेजा विश्वामित्रो मुमोच ह। तैस्ते यवनकाम्बोजा बर्बराश्चाकुलीकृताः
That entire army was consumed, as if by blazing fires; then the mighty Vishvamitra unleashed his weapons, and by them the Yavanas, Kambojas, and Barbaras were thrown into confusion.
thumb|पञ्चपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे पञ्चपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the fifty-fifth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
ततस्तानाकुलान् दृष्ट्वा विश्वामित्रास्त्रमोहितान्। वसिष्ठश्चोदयामास कामधुक् सृज योगतः
Then, seeing them thrown into confusion and bewildered by Vishvamitra's weapons, Vasistha urged the wish-fulfilling cow to create by her yogic power.
तस्या हुंकारतो जाताः काम्बोजा रविसंनिभाः। ऊधसश्चाथ सम्भूता बर्बराः शस्त्रपाणयः
From her bellowing were born Kambojas, radiant as the sun; and from her udder emerged Barbaras, armed with weapons.
योनिदेशाच्च यवनाः शकृद्देशाच्छकाः स्मृताः। रोमकूपेषु म्लेच्छाश्च हारीताः सकिरातकाः
From the region of wombs came the Yavanas, from the land of excrement the Śakas are known; in the hair follicles dwell the Mlecchas, the Hāritas, and the Kirātas.
तैस्तन्निषूदितं सर्वं विश्वामित्रस्य तत्क्षणात्। सपदातिगजं साश्वं सरथं रघुनन्दन
By them, in that instant, all of Viśvāmitra’s forces were destroyed, O delight of the Raghus—together with elephants, horses, and chariots.
दृष्ट्वा निषूदितं सैन्यं वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। विश्वामित्रसुतानां तु शतं नानाविधायुधम्
Seeing his army struck down by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, a hundred sons of Viśvāmitra, bearing various weapons, advanced.
अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धं वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम्। हुंकारेणैव तान् सर्वान् निर्ददाह महानृषिः
Then, exceedingly enraged, the great sage, foremost among reciters of mantras, Vasiṣṭha, advanced upon them; with a mere roar, he burned them all up.
ते साश्वरथपादाता वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। भस्मीकृता मुहूर्तेन विश्वामित्रसुतास्तथा
Those sons of Viśvāmitra, along with their horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, were reduced to ashes in a moment by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
दृष्ट्वा विनाशितान् सर्वान् बलं च सुमहायशाः। सव्रीडं चिन्तयाविष्टो विश्वामित्रोऽभवत् तदा
Seeing all his forces destroyed, the illustrious Viśvāmitra was seized by shame and deep thought.
समुद्र इव निर्वेगो भग्नद्रंष्ट्र इवोरगः। उपरक्त इवादित्यः सद्यो निष्प्रभतां गतः
Like the ocean deprived of its surge, like a serpent with broken fangs, like the sun eclipsed—he was suddenly bereft of brilliance.
हतपुत्रबलो दीनो लूनपक्ष इव द्विजः। हतसर्वबलोत्साहो निर्वेदं समपद्यत
Deprived of sons and strength, dejected like a bird with clipped wings, all his power and enthusiasm gone, he fell into despair.
स पुत्रमेकं राज्याय पालयेति नियुज्य च। पृथिवीं क्षत्रधर्मेण वनमेवाभ्यपद्यत
He appointed one son to rule the kingdom, instructing him to govern the earth according to the duty of a kṣatriya, and then departed for the forest.
स गत्वा हिमवत्पार्श्वे किंनरोरगसेवितम्। महादेवप्रसादार्थं तपस्तेपे महातपाः
He went to the slopes of the Himālayas, frequented by Kinnaras and serpents, and undertook severe austerities there to win the favor of Mahādeva.
केनचित् त्वथ कालेन देवेशो वृषभध्वजः। दर्शयामास वरदो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्
After some time, the lord of the gods, the bull-bannered one, appeared before the great sage Viśvāmitra, ready to grant a boon.
किमर्थं तप्यसे राजन् ब्रूहि यत् ते विवक्षितम्। वरदोऽस्मि वरो यस्ते कांक्षितः सोऽभिधीयताम्
"For what purpose do you practice austerities, O king? Speak what you desire. I am the giver of boons—let the boon you seek be declared."