अशक्यमिति चाप्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन स ययौ दक्षिणां दिशम्
But he was told by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha, 'It is impossible.' Rejected by Vasiṣṭha, he went toward the southern direction.
ततस्तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थं पुत्रांस्तस्य गतो नृपः। वासिष्ठा दीर्घतपसस्तपो यत्र हि तेपिरे
Then, for the accomplishment of that act, the king went to Vasiṣṭha's sons, where those long-practicing ascetics were engaged in austerity.
त्रिशङ्कुस्तु महातेजाः शतं परमभास्वरम्। वसिष्ठपुत्रान् ददृशे तप्यमानान् मनस्विनः
Triśaṅku, of great radiance, saw a hundred exceedingly brilliant sons of Vasiṣṭha, practicing austerity, steadfast in mind.
सोऽभिगम्य महात्मानः सर्वानेव गुरोः सुतान्। अभिवाद्यानुपूर्वेण ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः
He approached all those great-souled sons of the guru, greeted them one by one, and, with some modesty, stood with his face lowered.
अब्रवीत् स महात्मानः सर्वानेव कृताञ्जलिः। शरणं वः प्रपन्नोऽहं शरण्यान् शरणं गतः
He, with hands joined in reverence, spoke to all those great souls: 'I have come to you for refuge, seeking shelter from those who grant shelter.'
प्रत्याख्यातो हि भद्रं वो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना। यष्टुकामो महायज्ञं तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ
'I have been rejected, may you be blessed, by the great-souled Vasiṣṭha; desiring to perform a great sacrifice, you ought to grant me permission.'
गुरुपुत्रानहं सर्वान् नमस्कृत्य प्रसादये। शिरसा प्रणतो याचे ब्राह्मणांस्तपसि स्थितान्
'I honor all the sons of the guru and entreat you; bowing my head, I beseech the Brahmins who are steadfast in austerity.'
ते मां भवन्तः सिद्ध्यर्थं याजयन्तु समाहिताः। सशरीरो यथाहं वै देवलोकमवाप्नुयाम्
'May you, for the sake of accomplishment, officiate for me with concentration, so that I may attain the world of the gods with my body.'
प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन गतिमन्यां तपोधनाः। गुरुपुत्रानृते सर्वान् नाहं पश्यामि कांचन
Rejected by Vasiṣṭha, I see no other path, O ascetics, except through the guru's sons.
इक्ष्वाकूणां हि सर्वेषां पुरोधाः परमा गतिः। तस्मादनन्तरं सर्वे भवन्तो दैवतं मम
For among all the Ikṣvākus, the family priest is indeed the highest path; therefore, after him, you all are my divinity.
thumb|अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the fifty-eighth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
ततस्त्रिशङ्कोर्वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधसमन्वितम्। ऋषिपुत्रशतं राम राजानमिदमब्रवीत्
Then, O Rāma, having heard Triśaṅku's words filled with anger, the hundred sons of the sage spoke to the king as follows:
प्रत्याख्यातोऽसि दुर्मेधो गुरुणा सत्यवादिना। तं कथं समतिक्रम्य शाखान्तरमुपेयिवान्
You have been rejected, O wicked-minded one, by your truthful guru; how, then, did you transgress and approach another branch?
इक्ष्वाकूणां हि सर्वेषां पुरोधाः परमा गतिः। न चातिक्रमितुं शक्यं वचनं सत्यवादिनः
For among all the Ikṣvākus, the family priest is indeed the highest path; and the words of the truth-speaking one cannot be transgressed.
अशक्यमिति सोवाच वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः। तं वयं वै समाहर्तुं क्रतुं शक्ताः कथंचन
The venerable sage Vasiṣṭha said, 'It is impossible'; yet we are somehow able to assemble the sacrifice.
बालिशस्त्वं नरश्रेष्ठ गम्यतां स्वपुरं पुनः। याजने भगवान् शक्तस्त्रैलोक्यस्यापि पार्थिव
You are childish, O best of men; return again to your own city. The venerable one is capable of performing the sacrifice even for the three worlds, O king.
अवमानं कथं कर्तुं तस्य शक्ष्यामहे वयम्। तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधपर्याकुलाक्षरम्
How could we possibly insult him? Hearing their words, filled with anger—
स राजा पुनरेवैतानिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। प्रत्याख्यातो भगवता गुरुपुत्रैस्तथैव हि
Then the king again spoke these words to them: 'I have been rejected by the venerable one, and likewise by the guru's sons.'
अन्यां गतिं गमिष्यामि स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु तपोधनाः। ऋषिपुत्रास्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं घोराभिसंहितम्
'I shall seek another path. Farewell to you, O ascetics.' When the sage's sons heard those words, dreadful in intent—
शेपुः परमसंक्रुद्धाश्चण्डालत्वं गमिष्यसि। इत्युक्त्वा ते महात्मानो विविशुः स्वं स्वमाश्रमम्
They, exceedingly enraged, cursed him: 'You shall become a Caṇḍāla!' Having spoken thus, those great souls returned to their own hermitages.
अथ रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां राजा चण्डालतां गतः। नीलवस्त्रधरो नीलः पुरुषो ध्वस्तमूर्धजः
Then, when night had passed, the king became a Caṇḍāla: clad in dark garments, dark-skinned, his hair disheveled.
चित्यमाल्यांगरागश्च आयसाभरणोऽभवत्। तं दृष्ट्वा मन्त्रिणः सर्वे त्यज्य चण्डालरूपिणम्
Adorned with garlands of rags and smeared with ashes, he wore iron ornaments; seeing him in the form of a Caṇḍāla, all his ministers—
प्राद्रवन् सहिता राम पौरा येऽस्यानुगामिनः। एको हि राजा काकुत्स्थ जगाम परमात्मवान्
Fled together, O Rāma, as did the townspeople who followed him; for the king, a descendant of Kakutstha, alone went forth, possessing supreme self-control.
दह्यमानो दिवारात्रं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। विश्वामित्रस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा राजानं विफलीकृतम्
Burning day and night, he approached Viśvāmitra, the ascetic; and Viśvāmitra, seeing the king rendered fruitless—
चण्डालरूपिणं राम मुनिः कारुण्यमागतः। कारुण्यात् स महातेजा वाक्यं परमधार्मिकः
The sage, seeing the king in the form of a Caṇḍāla, was moved to compassion; out of compassion, that great ascetic, supremely righteous, spoke these words:
इदं जगाद भद्रं ते राजानं घोरदर्शनम्। किमागमनकार्यं ते राजपुत्र महाबल
'May it be well with you,' he said to the king, dreadful in appearance. 'For what purpose have you come, O mighty prince?'
अयोध्याधिपते वीर शापाच्चण्डालतां गतः। अथ तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य राजा चण्डालतां गतः
O hero, lord of Ayodhya, by the curse you have become a Chandala; then, having heard those words, the king became a Chandala.
अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकोविदम्। प्रत्याख्यातोऽस्मि गुरुणा गुरुपुत्रैस्तथैव च
With joined palms, the king, skilled in speech, addressed the master of words: 'I have been rejected by my guru and likewise by the sons of my guru.'
अनवाप्यैव तं कामं मया प्राप्तो विपर्ययः। सशरीरो दिवं यायामिति मे सौम्यदर्शन
Without attaining that desire, I have met with the opposite; may I ascend to heaven with my body, O gentle one.
मया चेष्टं क्रतुशतं तच्च नावाप्यते फलम्। अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन
Though I have performed a hundred sacrifices, still I do not obtain the fruit; I have never spoken falsehood, nor will I ever speak it.