नारदः पर्वतश्चैव मम दत्त्वा महद्भयम् । गतौ त्रिभुवनं भद्रौ वायुभूतावनिन्दितौ ।। ७.५४.
Narada and Parvata, having given me great fear, departed, O noble ones, traversing the three worlds, faultless in their wind-like forms.
कुमारो ऽयं वसुर्नाम स देवो ऽद्याभिषिच्यताम् । श्वभ्रं च यत्सुखस्पर्शं क्रियतां शिल्पिभिर्मम । यत्राहं सङ्क्षयिष्यामि शापं ब्राह्मणनिःसृतम् ।। ७.५४.
This prince named Vasu is to be consecrated as king today; let an agreeable pit be made by artisans for me, where I may exhaust the curse issued by the Brahmins.
वर्षघ्नमेकं श्वभ्रं तु हिमघ्नमपरं तथा । ग्रीष्मघ्नं तु सुखस्पर्शमेकं कुर्वन्तु शिल्पिनः ।। ७.५४.
Let the artisans make one pit to ward off the rains, another to ward off the cold, and a third, pleasant to the touch, to ward off the heat.
फलवन्तश्च ये वृक्षाः पुष्पवत्यश्च या लताः । विरोप्यन्तां बहुविधाश्छायावन्तश्च गुल्मिनः ।। ७.५४.
Let trees bearing fruit and creepers bearing flowers be planted in abundance, and many shady bushes as well.
क्रियतां रमणीयं च श्वभ्राणां सर्वतोदिशम् । सुखमत्र वसिष्यामि यावत्कालस्य पर्ययः ।। ७.५४.
Let the pits be made delightful in every direction; I will dwell here comfortably until the end of the appointed time.
पुष्पाणि च सुगन्धीनि क्रियतां तेषु नित्यशः । परिवार्य यथा मे स्युरध्यर्धं योजनं तथा ।। ७.५४.
Let fragrant flowers be arranged there daily, and let them be enclosed so as to cover half a yojana.
एवं कृत्वा विधानं स सन्दिदेश वसं तदा । धर्मनित्यः प्रजाः पुत्र क्षत्रधर्मेण पालय ।। ७.५४.
Having thus made arrangements, he instructed Vasu: 'Always uphold righteousness, my son, and protect the people by the duty of a kshatriya.'
प्रत्यक्षं ते यथा शापो द्विजाभ्यां मयि पातितः । नरश्रेष्ठ सरोषाभ्यामपराधे ऽपि तादृशे ।। ७.५४.
As the curse cast upon me by the two Brahmins is evident to you, O best of men, though the offense was slight, their anger was great.
मा कृथास्तनुसन्तापं मत्कृते ऽपि नरर्षभ । कृतान्तः कुशलः पुत्र येनास्मि व्यसनीकृतः ।। ७.५४.
Do not grieve for my sake, O foremost of men; O son, fate is skilled, by which I have been brought to misfortune.
प्राप्तव्यान्येव प्राप्नोति गन्तव्यान्येव गच्छति । लब्धव्यान्येव लभते दुःखानि च सुखानि च ।। ७.५४.
One attains only what is to be attained, goes only where one is destined to go; one obtains only what is to be obtained, whether sorrow or happiness.
पूर्वे जात्यन्तरे वत्स मा विषादं कुरुष्व ह ।। ७.५४.
In a previous birth, my child, do not fall into despair.
एवमुक्त्वा नृपस्तत्र सुतं राजा महायशाः । श्वभ्रं जगाम सुकृतं वासाय पुरुषर्षभ ।। ७.५४.
Having spoken thus, the illustrious king addressed his son there, and, O best of men, went to the blessed chasm to dwell.
एवं प्रविश्यैव नृपस्तदानीं श्वभ्रं महारत्नविभूषितं तत् । सम्पादयामास तदा महात्मा शापं द्विजाभ्यां हि रुषा विमुक्तम् ।। ७.५४.
Thus, the king entered that chasm, adorned with great jewels, and at that time, the great-souled one fulfilled the curse released in anger by the two Brahmins.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुःपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-fourth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरो ऽभिहितो मया । यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम् ।। ७.५५.
This is the full account of the curse of Nṛga as told by me; if you have faith in hearing, listen now to another story here.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत् । तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप ।। ७.५५.
Thus addressed by Rāma, Saumitri spoke again: 'O king, I never tire of wondrous tales.'
लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.५५.
When Lakṣmaṇa had spoken thus, Rāma, the delight of the Ikṣvāku line, began to narrate a most righteous story.
आसीद्राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः ।। ७.५५.
There was a king named Nimi, the twelfth son among the great-souled Ikṣvākus, steadfast in strength and virtue.
स राजा वीर्यसम्पन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम् । निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु ।। ७.५५.
That king, endowed with great prowess, established a city rivaling the city of the gods, near the hermitage of Gautama.
पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम् । निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिर्निमिश्चक्रे महायशाः ।। ७.५५.
The city was called Sukṛta, also known as Vaijayanta, where the illustrious royal sage Nimi made his abode.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम् । यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन्मनः ।। ७.५५.
After establishing that great city, he resolved in his mind: 'I shall perform a long sacrifice to gladden my father's heart.'
ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम् । वसिष्ठं वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम् ।। ७.५५.
Then, after addressing his father Ikṣvāku, son of Manu, he first invited Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of Brahmarṣis.
अनन्तरं स राजर्षिर्निमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोधनम् ।। ७.५५.
Next, that royal sage Nimi, descendant of Ikṣvāku, invited Atri, Aṅgiras, and the ascetic Bhṛgu.
तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निमिं राजर्षिसत्तमम् । वृतो ऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय ।। ७.५५.
Vasiṣṭha then said to the eminent royal sage Nimi: 'I have already been engaged by Indra; wait for me in the meantime.'
अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत् । वसिष्ठो ऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत् ।। ७.५५.
Afterwards, the great sage Gautama fulfilled the role, and the radiant Vasiṣṭha performed Indra's sacrifice.
निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान्समानीय नराधिपः । अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः । पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामुपागमत् ।। ७.५५.
King Nimi gathered those Brahmins and, near his own city at the foot of the Himalayas, performed a sacrifice; the king underwent initiation for five thousand years.
इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवनृषिः । सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः ।। ७.५५.
At the conclusion of Indra's sacrifice, the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha, blameless, came to the king to perform the priestly duties.
तदन्तरमथापश्यद्गौतमेनाभिपूरितम् । कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ।। ७.५५.
Then, in that moment, Vasiṣṭha, son of Brahmā, saw Gautama filled with great anger.
स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्तं समुपाविशत् । तस्मिन्नहनि राजर्षिर्निद्रया ऽपहृतो भृशम् ।। ७.५५.
Desiring an audience with the king, he waited for a while; but on that day, the royal sage was deeply overcome by sleep.
ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः । अदर्शनेन राजर्षेर्व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.५५.
Thereupon, the great-souled Vasiṣṭha’s wrath arose, and, because the royal sage did not appear, he began to speak.