नेदृशेषु विमुह्यन्ति त्वद्विधाः पुरुषर्षभाः । अपवादः स किल ते पुनरेष्यति राघव ।। ७.५२.
Men like you, O best of men, do not become deluded in such circumstances; otherwise, reproach will surely return to you, O Rāghava.
यदर्थं मैथिली त्यक्ता अपवादभयान्नृप । सो ऽपवादः पुरे राजन्भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.५२.
The reason for which Maithilī was abandoned, out of fear of reproach, O king, that reproach will indeed arise in the city—there is no doubt.
स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल धैर्येण सुसमाहितः । त्यजैनां दुर्बलां बुद्धिं सन्तापं मा कुरुष्व ह ।। ७.५२.
Therefore, O tiger among men, composed with steadfast courage, abandon this weak resolve; do not give in to grief.
एवमुक्तः स काकुत्स्थो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना । उवाच परया प्रीत्या सौमित्रिं मित्रवत्सलः ।। ७.५२.
Thus addressed by the high-souled Lakṣmaṇa, Kakutstha, who cherished his friend, spoke to Saumitri with great affection.
एवमेतन्नरश्रेष्ठ यथा वदसि लक्ष्मण । परितोषश्च मे वीर मम कार्यानुशासने ।। ७.५२.
So it is, O best of men, just as you say, Lakṣmaṇa; I am satisfied, O hero, with your guidance regarding my duty.
निवृत्तिश्चागता सौम्य सन्तापश्च निराकृतः । भवद्वाक्यैः सुरुचिरैरनुनीतो ऽस्मि लक्ष्मण ।। ७.५२.
My agitation has subsided, O gentle one, and my distress has been dispelled; by your delightful words, I have been consoled, O Lakṣmaṇa.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-second sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद्वाक्यं निशम्य परमाद्भुतम् । सुप्रीतश्चाभवद्रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.५३.
Hearing those most wondrous words of Lakṣmaṇa, Rāma became exceedingly pleased and spoke these words.
दुर्लभस्त्वीदृशो बन्धुरस्मिन्काले विशेषतः । यादृशस्त्वं महाबुद्धेर्मम सौम्य मनो ऽनुगः ।। ७.५३.
A companion such as you is rare, especially in these times—one of great wisdom, gentle one, who is devoted to me in mind.
यच्च मे हृदये किञ्चिद्वर्तते शुभलक्षण । तन्निशामय च श्रुत्वा कुरुष्व वचनं मम ।। ७.५३.
And whatever auspicious matter is present in my heart, listen to it, and having heard, act upon my words.
चत्वारो दिवसाः सौम्य कार्यं पौरजनस्य वै । अकुर्वाणस्य सौमित्रे तन्मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ।। ७.५३.
For four days, O gentle one, the affairs of the townspeople have not been attended to; this neglect, O Saumitri, cuts me to the core.
आहूयन्तां प्रकृतयः पुरोधा मन्त्रिणस्तथा । कार्यार्थिनश्च पुरुषाः स्त्रियश्च पुरुषर्षभ ।। ७.५३.
Let the ministers, priests, and those seeking an audience, as well as the women, be summoned, O best of men, for the sake of business.
पौरकार्याणि यो राजा न करोति दिने दिने । संवृते नरके घोरे पतितो नात्र संशयः ।। ७.५३.
The king who does not daily attend to the affairs of the townspeople, without doubt, falls into a dreadful hell.
श्रूयते हि पुरा राजा नृगो नाम महायशाः । बभूव पृथिवीपालो ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवाक् शुचिः ।। ७.५३.
It is heard that long ago there was a king named Nṛga, of great fame, a ruler of the earth, devoted to the Brahmins, truthful in speech, and pure.
स कदाचिद्गवां कोटीः सवत्साः स्वर्णभूषिताः । नृदेवो भूमिदेवेभ्यः पुष्करेषु ददौ नृपः ।। ७.५३.
Once, that king, a god among men, gave away millions of cows with calves, adorned with gold, to the divine Brahmins at sacred ponds.
ततः सङ्गाद्गता धेनुः सवत्सा स्पर्शिता ऽनघ । ब्राह्मणस्याहिताग्नेश्च दरिद्रस्योञ्छवर्तिनः ।। ७.५३.
Then, by chance, a cow with her calf, untouched and blameless, belonging to a Brahmin who maintained the sacred fire and lived in poverty, was taken.
स नष्टां गां क्षुधार्तो वै अन्विषंस्तत्र तत्र च । नापश्यत्सर्वराज्येषु संवत्सरगणान्बहून् ।। ७.५३.
Driven by hunger, that Brahmin searched everywhere for his lost cow, but for many years he could not find her in any of the kingdoms.
ततः कनखलं गत्वा जीर्णवत्सां निरामयाम् । ददर्श गां स्वकां धेनुं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने ।। ७.५३.
Then, going to Kanakhala, he saw his own cow, now old and free from illness, in the house of another Brahmin.
अथ तां नामधेयेन स्वकेनोवाच स द्विजः । आगच्छ शबलेत्येवं सा तु शुश्राव गौः स्वरम् ।। ७.५३.
Then that Brahmin called her by her own name, saying, 'Come, Śabalā,' and the cow heard his voice.
तस्य तं स्वरमाज्ञाय क्षुधार्तस्य द्विजस्य वै । अन्वगात्पृष्ठतः सा गौर्गच्छन्तं पावकोपमम् ।। ७.५३.
Recognizing the voice of the hungry Brahmin, the cow followed after him, who shone like fire, as he walked away.
यो ऽपि पालयते विप्रः सो ऽपि गामन्वगाद्द्रुतम् । गत्वा तमृषिमाचष्ट मम गौरिति सत्वरम् ।। ७.५३.
The Brahmin who was keeping the cow also quickly followed her, and, reaching the sage, promptly declared, 'This cow is mine.'
स्पर्शिता राजसिंहेन मम दत्ता नृगेण ह । तयोर्ब्राह्मणयोर्वादो महानासीद्विपश्चितोः ।। ७.५३.
'She was touched by the royal lion and given to me by Nṛga,' he said; thus a great dispute arose between the two wise Brahmins.
विवदन्तौ ततो ऽन्योन्यं दातारमभिजग्मतुः । तौ राजभवनद्वारि न प्राप्तौ नृगशासनम् ।। ७.५३.
Arguing with each other, they both went to the giver; but at the palace gate, they did not receive an audience with Nṛga.
अहोरात्राण्यनेकानि वसन्तौ क्रोधमीयतुः । ऊचतुश्च महात्मानौ तावुभौ द्विजसत्तमौ ७.५३.
Staying there for many days and nights, they grew angry; and those two great-souled, foremost Brahmins spoke together.
अर्थिनां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं यस्मात्त्वं नैषि दर्शनम् । अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कृकलासो भविष्यसि ।। ७.५३.
'Because you do not grant an audience to those seeking justice, you shall become invisible to all beings, transformed into a lizard.'
बहुवर्षसहस्राणि बहुवर्षशतानि च । श्वभ्रे ऽस्मिन् कृकलासो वै दीर्घकालं वसिष्यसि ।। ७.५३.
'For many thousands and hundreds of years, you will remain as a lizard in this pit for a long time.'
उत्पत्स्यते हि लोके ऽस्मिन्यदूनां कीर्तिवर्धनः । वासुदेव इति ख्यातो विष्णुः पुरुषविग्रहः ।। ७.५३.
'But in this world, one will be born who increases the fame of the Yadus, known as Vāsudeva, Viṣṇu in human form.'
स ते मोक्षयिता राजंस्तस्माच्छापाद्भविष्यसि । कृता च तेन कालेन निष्कृतिस्ते भविष्यति ।। ७.५३.
'He will deliver you, O king, from this curse; and by that time, your atonement will be complete.'
भारावतरणार्थं हि नरनारायणावुभौ । उत्पत्स्येते महावीर्यौ कलौ युग उपस्थिते ।। ७.५३.
'For the purpose of relieving the earth's burden, both Nara and Nārāyaṇa, of great might, will be born when the age of Kali arrives.'
एवं तौ शापमुत्सृज्य ब्राह्मणौ विगतज्वरौ । तां गां हि दुर्बलां वृद्धां ददतुर्ब्राह्मणाय वै ।। ७.५३.
Thus, having pronounced the curse, the two Brahmins, their anger gone, gave that weak and old cow to the Brahmin.