तौ मुनी तापसश्रेष्ठौ विनीतो ह्यभिवादयत् । स ताभ्यां पूजितो राजा स्वागतेनासनेन च ७.५१.
That humble king respectfully greeted those two foremost ascetics; honored by them with words of welcome and a seat, he sat down.
तेषां तत्रोपविष्टानां तास्ताः सुमधुराः कथाः । बभूवुः परमर्षीणां मध्यादित्यगते ऽहनि ।। ७.५१.
As they sat together, those supremely sweet stories of the great seers were recounted until the sun had set.
ततः कथायां कस्याञ्चित्प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहो नृपः । उवाच तं महात्मानमत्रेः पुत्रं तपोधनम् ।। ७.५१.
Then, as one story was being told, the king, with joined palms, addressed that great soul, the ascetic son of Atri.
भगवन्किं प्रमाणेन मम वंशो भविष्यति । किमायुश्च हि मे रामः पुत्राश्चान्ये किमायुषः ।। ७.५१.
"Revered one, by what measure will my lineage endure? What will be my lifespan, and that of my son Rāma and my other sons?"
रामस्य च सुता ये स्युस्तेषामायुः कियद्भवेत् । काम्यया भगवन्बूहि वंशस्यास्य गतिं मम ।। ७.५१.
"And what will be the lifespan of Rāma's sons? Out of desire to know, revered one, tell me the destiny of my line."
तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं राज्ञो दशरथस्य च । दुर्वासाः सुमहातेजा व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.५१.
Hearing these words spoken by King Daśaratha, the exceedingly powerful Durvāsas began to reply.
शृणु राजन्पुरावृत्तं तदा देवासुरे युधि । दैत्याः सुरैर्भर्त्स्यमाना भृगुपत्नीं समाश्रिताः ।। ७.५१.
"Hear, O King, what happened long ago in the battle between gods and demons: the Daityas, threatened by the gods, took refuge with the wife of Bhṛgu."
तया दत्ताभयास्तत्र न्यवसन्नभयास्तदा ।। ७.५१.
Granted safety by her, they remained there, free from fear.
तया परिगृहीतांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धः सुरेश्वरः । चक्रेण शितधारेण भृगुपत्न्याः शिरो ऽहरत् ।। ७.५१.
Seeing them protected by her, the enraged lord of the gods struck off Bhṛgu's wife's head with his sharp-edged discus.
ततस्तां निहतां दृष्ट्वा पत्नीं भृगुकुलोद्वहः । शशाप सहसा क्रुद्धो विष्णुं रिपुकुलार्दनम् ।। ७.५१.
Then, seeing his wife slain, the illustrious scion of Bhṛgu, suddenly enraged, cursed Viṣṇu, destroyer of enemy hosts.
यस्मादवध्यां मे पत्नीमवधीः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । तस्मात्त्वं मानुषे लोके जनिष्यसि जनार्दन ।। ७.५१.
"Because, in a fit of anger, you killed my wife, who was inviolable, therefore, O Janārdana, you will be born in the world of men."
तत्र पत्नीवियोगं त्वं प्राप्स्यसे बहुवार्षिकम् ।। ७.५१.
"There, you will experience separation from your wife for many years."
शापाभिहतचेतास्स स्वात्मना भावितो ऽभवत् ।। ७.५१.
Afflicted by that curse, he became absorbed in his own self.
अर्चयामास तं देवं भृगुः शापेन पीडितः । तपसाराधितो देवो ह्यब्रवीद्भक्तवत्सलः । लोकानां संहितार्थं तु तं शापं ग्राह्यमुक्तवान् ।। ७.५१.
Tormented by the curse, Bhṛgu worshipped that god; propitiated by his austerities, the god, ever compassionate to devotees, declared that the curse must be accepted for the sake of the world's order.
इति शप्तो महातेजा भृगुणा पूर्वजन्मनि । इहागतो हि पुत्रत्वं तव पार्थिवसत्तम ।। ७.५१.
Thus cursed by Bhṛgu in a former birth, he has now come here as your son, O best of kings.
राम इत्यभिविख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु मानद । तत्फलं प्राप्स्यते चापि भृगुशापकृतं महत् ।। ७.५१.
Known as Rāma throughout the three worlds, O honor-giver, he will reap the great result of Bhṛgu's curse.
अयोध्यायाः पती रामो दीर्घकालं भविष्यति । सुखिनश्च समृद्धाश्च भविष्यन्त्यस्य ये ऽनुगाः ।। ७.५१.
Rāma will be the lord of Ayodhyā for a long time, and those who follow him will be prosperous and happy.
दश वर्षसहस्राणि दश वर्षशतानि च । रामो राज्यमुपासित्वा ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यति ।। ७.५१.
After ruling the kingdom for ten thousand and ten hundred years, Rāma will go to the world of Brahmā.
समृद्धैश्चाश्वमेधैश्च इष्ट्वा परमदुर्जयः । राजवंशांश्च बहुशो बहून्संस्थापयिष्यति ।। ७.५१.
Having performed prosperous Aśvamedha sacrifices, exceedingly difficult to accomplish, he will establish many royal lineages.
द्वौ पुत्रौ तु भविष्येते सीतायां राघवस्य तु । अन्यत्र न त्वयोध्यायां सत्यमेतन्नसंशयः ।। ७.५१.
Indeed, Rāghava will have two sons from Sītā; elsewhere, but not in Ayodhyā—this is the truth, without doubt.
सीतायाश्च ततः पुत्रावभिषेक्ष्यति राघवः ।। ७.५१.
Then Rāghava will consecrate as kings the two sons born of Sītā.
स सर्वमखिलं राज्ञो वंशस्याह गतागतम् । आख्याय सुमहातेजास्तूष्णीमासीन्महामुनिः ।। ७.५१.
Having thus narrated the entire coming and going of the royal lineage, the great sage, endowed with immense brilliance, sat in silence.
तूष्णीम्भूते तदा तस्मिन्राजा दशरथो मुनौ । अभिवाद्य महात्मानौ पुनरायात्पुरोत्तमम् ।। ७.५१.
When the sage became silent, King Daśaratha, having paid homage to the great-souled ones, returned again to the foremost city.
एतद्वचो मया तत्र मुनिना व्याहृतं पुरा । श्रुतं हृदि च निक्षिप्तं नान्यथा तद्भविष्यति ।। ७.५१.
This statement was once spoken there by the sage; I heard it and kept it in my heart—it will not be otherwise.
एवं गते न सन्तापं कर्तुमर्हसि राघव । सीतार्थे राघवार्थे वा दृढो भव नरोत्तम ।। ७.५१.
Since this is so, you should not grieve, O Rāghava, either for Sītā or for yourself; be steadfast, best of men.
श्रुत्वा तु व्याहृतं वाक्यं सूतस्य परमाद्भुतम् । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे साधु साध्विति चाब्रवीत् ।। ७.५१.
Hearing this wondrous speech spoken by the charioteer, he felt incomparable joy and said, 'Well done, well done.'
ततः संवदतोरेवं सूतलक्ष्मणयोः पथि । अस्तमर्के गते वासं केशिन्यां तावथोषतुः ।। ७.५१.
Then, as Sūta and Lakṣmaṇa conversed thus on the road, when the sun had set, they spent the night at Keśinī.
तत्र तां रजनीमुष्य केशिन्यां रघुनन्दनः । प्रभाते पुनरुत्थाय लक्ष्मणः प्रययौ तदा ।। ७.५२.
There, having spent the night at Keśinī, Lakṣmaṇa, the delight of the Raghus, rose again at dawn and departed.
ततो ऽर्धदिवसे प्राप्ते प्रविवेश महारथः । अयोध्यां रत्नसम्पूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनावृताम् ।। ७.५२.
When half the day had passed, the mighty charioteer entered Ayodhyā, filled with jewels and thronged with joyful, prosperous people.
सौमित्रिस्तु परं दैन्यं जगाम सुमहामतिः । रामपादौ समासाद्य वक्ष्यामि किमहं गतः ।। ७.५२.
But Saumitri, of great intelligence, fell into deep dejection; approaching Rāma's feet, he wondered, 'What shall I say, having come?'