दातुमर्हसि मूल्येन सुतमेकमितो मम। एवमुक्तो महातेजा ऋचीकस्त्वब्रवीद् वचः
You should give me one son for a price; thus addressed, the mighty Ṛcīka spoke these words.
नाहं ज्येष्ठं नरश्रेष्ठ विक्रीणीयां कथंचन। ऋचीकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तेषां माता महात्मनाम्
O best of men, I would never sell my eldest son; hearing Ṛcīka’s words, the mother of those great souls,
उवाच नरशार्दूलमम्बरीषमिदं वचः। अविक्रेयं सुतं ज्येष्ठं भगवानाह भार्गवः
Spoke these words to Ambarīṣa, O tiger among men: The venerable Bhārgava has said the eldest son cannot be sold.
ममापि दयितं विद्धि कनिष्ठं शुनकं प्रभो। तस्मात् कनीयसं पुत्रं न दास्ये तव पार्थिव
Know, O lord, that my youngest, Śunaka, is also dear to me; therefore, I will not give you the youngest son, O king.
प्रायेण हि नरश्रेष्ठ ज्येष्ठाः पितृषु वल्लभाः। मातॄणां च कनीयांसस्तस्माद् रक्ष्ये कनीयसम्
For generally, O best of men, the eldest is beloved to fathers, and the youngest to mothers; thus I will protect the youngest.
उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् मुनिपत्न्यां तथैव च। शुनःशेपः स्वयं राम मध्यमो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
When the sage and his wife had spoken, Śunaḥśepa himself, the middle son, addressed them, O Rāma.
पिता ज्येष्ठमविक्रेयं माता चाह कनीयसम्। विक्रेयं मध्यमं मन्ये राजपुत्र नयस्व माम्
Father says the eldest cannot be sold, mother says the youngest; I think the middle one can be sold, prince, so take me.
अथ राजा महाबाहो वाक्यान्ते ब्रह्मवादिनः। हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य कोटिभी रत्नराशिभिः
Then the king of mighty arms, at the end of the words, spoke to the Brahmin: With crores of gold, heaps of jewels and gems—
गवां शतसहस्रेण शुनःशेपं नरेश्वरः। गृहीत्वा परमप्रीतो जगाम रघुनन्दन
The king, delighted, took Śunaḥśepa in exchange for a hundred thousand cows, O descendant of Raghu, and departed.
अम्बरीषस्तु राजर्षी रथमारोप्य सत्वरः। शुनःशेपं महातेजा जगामाशु महायशाः
But the royal sage Ambarīṣa, of great splendor and fame, quickly mounted Śunaḥśepa onto his chariot and set out at once.
thumb|द्विषष्ठितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे द्विषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the sixty-second sarga. Thus ends the sixty-second sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.
शुनःशेपं नरश्रेष्ठ गृहीत्वा तु महायशाः। व्यश्रमत् पुष्करे राजा मध्याह्ने रघुनन्दन
Having taken Śunaḥśepa, the illustrious king, best among men, rested at Puṣkara at midday, O descendant of Raghu.
तस्य विश्रममाणस्य शुनःशेपो महायशाः। पुष्करं ज्येष्ठमागम्य विश्वामित्रं ददर्श ह
As he was resting, Śunaḥśepa, renowned and illustrious, came to the sacred Puṣkara and saw Viśvāmitra.
तप्यन्तमृषिभिः सार्धं मातुलं परमातुरः। विषण्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च
Afflicted and weary, his face downcast from thirst and exhaustion, he saw his maternal uncle, Viśvāmitra, engaged in austerities with the sages.
पपाताङ्के मुने राम वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह। न मेऽस्ति माता न पिता ज्ञातयो बान्धवाः कुतः
He fell into the sage's lap and spoke these words: 'I have no mother, no father, nor any relatives or kin.'
त्रातुमर्हसि मां सौम्य धर्मेण मुनिपुंगव। त्राता त्वं हि नरश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावनः
'O gentle one, foremost of sages, you ought to protect me by righteousness. For you, best of men, are the refuge and creator of all.'
राजा च कृतकार्यः स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्ययः। स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वा ह्यनुत्तमम्
'Let the king accomplish his purpose, let me have long and unending life. Having performed supreme austerity, may I attain the heavenly world.'
स मे नाथो ह्यनाथस्य भव भव्येन चेतसा। पितेव पुत्रं धर्मात्मंस्त्रातुमर्हसि किल्बिषात्
'Be my protector, for I am without protector, with a benevolent heart. Like a father to his son, O righteous one, you ought to save me from sin.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपाः। सान्त्वयित्वा बहुविधं पुत्रानिदमुवाच ह
Hearing these words, the great ascetic Viśvāmitra comforted him in many ways, and then spoke to his sons.
यत्कृते पितरः पुत्राञ्जनयन्ति शुभार्थिनः। परलोकहितार्थाय तस्य कालोऽयमागतः
'For the sake of whom fathers desire sons, wishing for good, for the benefit of the next world—now is that time come.'
अयं मुनिसुतो बालो मत्तः शरणमिच्छति। अस्य जीवितमात्रेण प्रियं कुरुत पुत्रकाः
'This boy, son of a sage, seeks refuge with me. My sons, do what is pleasing by giving him your very life.'
सर्वे सुकृतकर्माणः सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः। पशुभूता नरेन्द्रस्य तृप्तिमग्नेः प्रयच्छत
'All of you, who have performed virtuous deeds and are devoted to righteousness, become the sacrificial victim for the king and satisfy the fire.'
नाथवांश्च शुनःशेपो यज्ञश्चाविघ्नतो भवेत्। देवतास्तर्पिताश्च स्युर्मम चापि कृतं वचः
'Śunaḥśepa will have a protector, the sacrifice will proceed without hindrance, the gods will be gratified, and my word will be fulfilled.'
मुनेस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मधुच्छन्दादयः सुताः। साभिमानं नरश्रेष्ठ सलीलमिदमब्रुवन्
Hearing the sage's words, his sons, beginning with Madhucchandā, replied with pride and in tears, O best of men.
कथमात्मसुतान् हित्वा त्रायसेऽन्यसुतं विभो। अकार्यमिव पश्यामः श्वमांसमिव भोजने
'How can you abandon your own sons and save another's child, O lord? We see this as improper, like eating the flesh of a dog.'
तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां मुनिपुंगवः। क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे
Hearing these words of his sons, the foremost of sages, his eyes reddened with anger, began to speak.
निःसाध्वसमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मादपि विगर्हितम्। अतिक्रम्य तु मद्वाक्यं दारुणं रोमहर्षणम्
This has been spoken without fear, yet it is condemned even by righteousness; having disregarded my words, it is harsh and hair-raising.
श्वमांसभोजिनः सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु। पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ
All of you, like the descendants of Vasiṣṭha, will eat dog meat by birth; for a full thousand years you shall remain on earth.
कृत्वा शापसमायुक्तान् पुत्रान् मुनिवरस्तदा। शुनःशेपमुवाचार्तं कृत्वा रक्षां निरामयाम्
Then the great sage, having pronounced the curse upon his sons, addressed the distressed Śunaḥśepa, having ensured his protection and well-being.
पवित्रपाशैराबद्धो रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः। वैष्णवं यूपमासाद्य वाग्भिरग्निमुदाहर
Bound with sacred cords, adorned with red garlands and unguents, approach the Viṣṇu-post and, with words, invoke the fire.