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."
एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन विश्वामित्रो महातपाः। प्रणिपत्य महादेवं विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्
Thus addressed by the god, the great ascetic Viśvāmitra, bowing to Mahādeva, spoke these words:
यदि तुष्टो महादेव धनुर्वेदो ममानघ। सांगोपांगोपनिषदः सरहस्यः प्रदीयताम्
"If you are pleased, O sinless Mahādeva, grant me the knowledge of the science of archery, with all its branches, sub-branches, Upaniṣads, and secrets."
यानि देवेषु चास्त्राणि दानवेषु महर्षिषु। गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षःसु प्रतिभान्तु ममानघ
"May all the weapons known among the gods, the Dānavas, the great sages, the Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and Rākṣasas, become manifest to me, O sinless one."
तव प्रसादाद् भवतु देवदेव ममेप्सितम्। एवमस्त्विति देवेशो वाक्यमुक्त्वा गतस्तदा
"By your grace, O god of gods, may my wish be fulfilled." The lord of the gods, having spoken, "So be it," then departed.
प्राप्य चास्त्राणि देवेशाद् विश्वामित्रो महाबलः। दर्पेण महता युक्तो दर्पपूर्णोऽभवत् तदा
Having obtained the weapons from the lord of the gods, the mighty Viśvāmitra became filled with great pride.
विवर्धमानो वीर्येण समुद्र इव पर्वणि। हतं मेने तदा राम वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्
Growing in power like the ocean at the full moon, at that time, O Rāma, he considered the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha as already slain.
ततो गत्वाऽऽश्रमपदं मुमोचास्त्राणि पार्थिवः। यैस्तत् तपोवनं नाम निर्दग्धं चास्त्रतेजसा
Then, having gone to the hermitage, the king released the weapons by which that forest of ascetics, known as Tapovana, had been burned up by the power of his missiles.
उदीर्यमाणमस्त्रं तद् विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः। दृष्ट्वा विप्रद्रुता भीता मुनयः शतशो दिशः
Seeing that weapon, released by the wise Viśvāmitra, rising up, hundreds of terrified sages fled in all directions.
वसिष्ठस्य च ये शिष्या ये च वै मृगपक्षिणः। विद्रवन्ति भयाद् भीता नानादिग्भ्यः सहस्रशः
The disciples of Vasiṣṭha, as well as the deer and birds, frightened and panic-stricken, scattered by the thousands in all directions out of fear.
वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं शून्यमासीन्महात्मनः। मुहूर्तमिव निःशब्दमासीदीरिणसंनिभम्
For a moment, the hermitage of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha became empty and silent, resembling a desert of reeds.
वदतो वै वसिष्ठस्य मा भैरिति मुहुर्मुहुः। नाशयाम्यद्य गाधेयं नीहारमिव भास्करः
As Vasiṣṭha kept saying again and again, 'Do not fear,' he declared, 'Today I will destroy the son of Gādhi, as the sun dispels the mist.'
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा वसिष्ठो जपतां वरः। विश्वामित्रं तदा वाक्यं सरोषमिदमब्रवीत्
Having spoken thus, the mighty Vasiṣṭha, foremost among those who recite mantras, addressed these words, filled with anger, to Viśvāmitra.
आश्रमं चिरसंवृद्धं यद् विनाशितवानसि। दुराचारो हि यन्मूढस्तस्मात् त्वं न भविष्यसि
'You have destroyed this hermitage, long nurtured, O deluded one of evil conduct; therefore, you shall not endure.'
इत्युक्त्वा परमक्रुद्धो दण्डमुद्यम्य सत्वरः। विधूम इव कालाग्निर्यमदण्डमिवापरम्
Having said this, extremely enraged, he swiftly raised his staff, resembling the rod of Yama, like a smokeless fire of destruction.
thumb|षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the fifty-sixth sarga.
एवमुक्तो वसिष्ठेन विश्वामित्रो महाबलः। आग्नेयमस्त्रमुद्दिश्य तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by Vasiṣṭha, the mighty Viśvāmitra, aiming the missile of Agni, said, 'Stand, stand!'
ब्रह्मदण्डं समुद्यम्य कालदण्डमिवापरम्। वसिष्ठो भगवान् क्रोधादिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Raising the Brahma-staff, like another rod of Time, the venerable Vasiṣṭha, enraged, spoke these words.
क्षत्रबन्धो स्थितोऽस्म्येष यद् बलं तद् विदर्शय। नाशयाम्यद्य ते दर्पं शस्त्रस्य तव गाधिज
'O destroyer of the Kṣatriya race, I am standing here—show me your strength! Today I will destroy your pride in weapons, O son of Gādhi.'
क्व च ते क्षत्रियबलं क्व च ब्रह्मबलं महत्। पश्य ब्रह्मबलं दिव्यं मम क्षत्रियपांसन
'Where is your Kṣatriya power, and where is the great power of Brahman? Behold my divine Brahmanic power, O dust of Kṣatriyas!'
तस्यास्त्रं गाधिपुत्रस्य घोरमाग्नेयमुत्तमम्। ब्रह्मदण्डेन तच्छान्तमग्नेर्वेग इवाम्भसा
The terrible and supreme missile of fire, released by the son of Gādhi, was subdued by the Brahma-staff, as the force of fire is subdued by water.
वारुणं चैव रौद्रं च ऐन्द्रं पाशुपतं तथा। ऐषीकं चापि चिक्षेप कुपितो गाधिनन्दनः
Then the son of Gādhi, enraged, released the Varuṇa, Rudra, Indra, Pāśupata, and also the Aiṣīka missiles.
मानवं मोहनं चैव गान्धर्वं स्वापनं तथा। जृम्भणं मादनं चैव संतापनविलापने
He also released the Mānavāstra, the Mohana, the Gāndharva, the Svāpana, the Jṛmbhaṇa, the Mādana, and the Saṃtāpana and Vilāpana missiles.
शोषणं दारणं चैव वज्रमस्त्रं सुदुर्जयम्। ब्रह्मपाशं कालपाशं वारुणं पाशमेव च
He released the Śoṣaṇa, Dāraṇa, the invincible Vajra missile, the Brahma-pāśa, Kāla-pāśa, and the Varuṇa-pāśa as well.
पिनाकमस्त्रं दयितं शुष्कार्द्रे अशनी तथा। दण्डास्त्रमथ पैशाचं क्रौञ्चमस्त्रं तथैव च
He released the beloved Pināka missile, the dry and wet thunderbolt, the Daṇḍa missile, the Paiśāca, and also the Krauñca missile.
धर्मचक्रं कालचक्रं विष्णुचक्रं तथैव च। वायव्यं मथनं चैव अस्त्रं हयशिरस्तथा
He released the Dharma wheel, the Time wheel, the Vishnu wheel, the wind weapon, the churning weapon, and the horse-head missile as well.