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.
एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुङ्क्ते सुदारुणम् ।। ७.५३.
Thus, that king endured the very terrible curse.
कार्यार्थिनां विमर्दो हि राज्ञां दोषाय कल्पते । तच्छीघ्रं दर्शनं मह्यमभिवर्तन्तु कार्यिणः ।। ७.५३.
For disputes among those seeking action are a cause of fault for kings; let those with business approach me swiftly for an audience.
सुकृतस्य हि कार्यस्य फलं नापैति पार्थिवः । तस्माद्गच्छ प्रतीक्षस्व सौमित्रे कार्यवाञ्जनः ।। ७.५३.
The fruit of a good deed does not depart from the king; therefore, go and wait, Saumitri, as one engaged in duty.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-third sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the venerable Ramayana, the ancient epic composed by sage Valmiki.
रामस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणः परमार्थवित् । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं राघवं दीप्ततेजसम् ।। ७.५४.
Hearing Rama's words, Lakshmana, who understood the ultimate truth, spoke with joined palms to the radiant descendant of Raghu.
अल्पापराधे काकुत्स्थ द्विजाभ्यां शाप ईदृशः । महान्नृगस्य राजर्षेर्यमदण्ड इवापरः ।। ७.५४.
O descendant of Kakutstha, for a minor offense, such a curse was given by the two Brahmins; it was as severe as the punishment of Yama for the great royal sage Nriga.
श्रुत्वा तु पापसंयुक्तमात्मानं पुरषर्षभ । किमुवाच नृगो राजा द्विजौ क्रोधसमन्वितौ ।। ७.५४.
Having heard of his own association with sin, O foremost among men, what did King Nriga say to the two Brahmins, who were filled with anger?
लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राघवः पुनरब्रवीत् । शृणु सौम्य यथा पूर्वं स राजा शापविक्षतः ।। ७.५४.
Thus addressed by Lakshmana, Rama spoke again: 'Listen, gentle one, to how that king, afflicted by the curse, acted in former times.'
अथाध्वनि गतौ विप्रौ विज्ञाय स नृगस्तदा । आहूय मन्त्रिणः सर्वान्नैगमान्सपुरोधसः ।। ७.५४.
Then, when the Brahmins had departed on their journey, Nriga summoned all his ministers, citizens, and priests.
तानुवाच नृगो राजा सर्वाश्च प्रकृतीस्तथा । दुःखेन सुसमाविष्टः श्रूयतां मे समाहितैः ।। ७.५४.
King Nriga addressed them, as well as all the people, being deeply afflicted with sorrow: 'Let those who are attentive listen to me.'