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.
कृच्छ्रेष्वपि गतः सौम्य क्षत्रधर्मेण ते शपे। यज्ञैर्बहुविधैरिष्टं प्रजा धर्मेण पालिताः
Even when afflicted, O gentle one, I have upheld the Kshatriya duty; with many kinds of sacrifices performed, the people have been protected by righteousness.
गुरवश्च महात्मानः शीलवृत्तेन तोषिताः। धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य यज्ञं चाहर्तुमिच्छतः
The great-souled elders have been pleased by my conduct and character; striving in righteousness and wishing to perform sacrifice.
परितोषं न गच्छन्ति गुरवो मुनिपुंगव। दैवमेव परं मन्ये पौरुषं तु निरर्थकम्
Yet the elders, O best of sages, are not satisfied; I consider fate to be supreme, and human effort to be fruitless.
दैवेनाक्रम्यते सर्वं दैवं हि परमा गतिः। तस्य मे परमार्तस्य प्रसादमभिकांक्षतः। कर्तुमर्हसि भद्रं ते दैवोपहतकर्मणः
Everything is overpowered by fate; fate is indeed the highest path. For me, who am greatly afflicted and seeking your favor, you ought to act, O blessed one, for one whose actions are obstructed by fate.
नान्यां गतिं गमिष्यामि नान्यच्छरणमस्ति मे। दैवं पुरुषकारेण निवर्तयितुमर्हसि
I will not go to any other refuge, nor do I have any other shelter; you ought to turn aside fate by your own effort.
thumb|एकोनषष्ठितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकोनषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the fifty-ninth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
उक्तवाक्यं तु राजानं कृपया कुशिकात्मजः। अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं साक्षाच्चण्डालतां गतम्
Moved by compassion, the son of Kuśika spoke sweet words to the king, who had become a Chandala in truth.
इक्ष्वाको स्वागतं वत्स जानामि त्वां सुधार्मिकम्। शरणं ते प्रदास्यामि मा भैषीर्नृपपुंगव
O Ikshvaku, welcome, my child; I know you are truly righteous. I will grant you refuge; do not fear, O foremost of kings.
अहमामन्त्रये सर्वान् महर्षीन् पुण्यकर्मणः। यज्ञसाह्यकरान् राजंस्ततो यक्ष्यसि निर्वृतः
I will summon all the great sages of virtuous deeds, those who assist in sacrifices; then, O king, you shall perform the sacrifice with satisfaction.
गुरुशापकृतं रूपं यदिदं त्वयि वर्तते। अनेन सह रूपेण सशरीरो गमिष्यसि
The form that has come upon you, caused by the guru's curse— with this very form, you shall ascend bodily.
हस्तप्राप्तमहं मन्ये स्वर्गं तव नराधिप। यस्त्वं कौशिकमागम्य शरण्यं शरणागतः
I consider heaven to be within your grasp, O king, since you have come to the son of Kausika, the giver of refuge, seeking shelter.
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः पुत्रान् परमधार्मिकान्। व्यादिदेश महाप्राज्ञान् यज्ञसम्भारकारणात्
Having spoken thus, the great and radiant sage instructed his supremely righteous sons, wise in all things, to prepare the sacrificial materials.
सर्वान् शिष्यान् समाहूय वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह। सर्वानृषीन् सवासिष्ठानानयध्वं ममाज्ञया
He summoned all his disciples and spoke these words: 'Bring here, by my command, all the sages along with Vasiṣṭha.'