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.
यस्मात्त्वमन्यं वृतवान्मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव । चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्तव भविष्यति ।। ७.५५.
Because you, O king, have chosen another, disregarding me, your body shall become devoid of consciousness.
ततः प्रबुद्धो राजर्षिः श्रुत्वा शापमुदाहृतम् । ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच संरम्भात् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ।। ७.५५.
Then the royal sage, awakened and hearing the curse pronounced, spoke in agitation, his mind seized by anger, to the Brahma-born sage.
अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः । मुक्तवान्मयि शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम् ।। ७.५५.
Though I was unaware and lying asleep, you, corrupted by anger, have cast the fire of a curse upon me, like a second rod of Yama.
तस्मात्तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विना कृतः । देहः सुरुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.५५.
Therefore, O Brahmarṣi, your body too, though radiant and splendid, shall become devoid of consciousness—of this there is no doubt.
इति रोषवशादुभौ तदानीमन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ । सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेहौ तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ।। ७.५५.
Thus, overcome by anger, both the king and the foremost of Brāhmaṇas cursed each other at that time, and immediately both became bodiless, possessing equal and great power.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-fifth sarga of the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa in the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem composed by Vālmīki.
रामस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं राघवं दीप्ततेजसम् ।। ७.५६.
Hearing Rāma’s words, Lakṣmaṇa, destroyer of enemy heroes, with joined palms, spoke to the radiant descendant of Raghu.
निक्षिप्तदेहौ काकुत्स्य कथं तौ द्विजपार्थिवौ । पुनर्देहेन संयोगं जग्मतुर्देवसम्मतौ ।। ७.५६.
O descendant of Kakutstha, how did those Brāhmaṇa and king, having cast off their bodies, come to be united with bodies again, as approved by the gods?
लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु रामश्चेक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा लक्ष्मणं पुरुषर्षभः ।। ७.५६.
Thus addressed by Lakṣmaṇa, Rāma, the delight of the Ikṣvāku line and best among men, replied to Lakṣmaṇa, possessed of great brilliance.
तौ परस्परशापेन देहावुत्सृज्य धार्मिकौ । अभूतां नृपविप्रर्षी वायुभूतौ तपोधनौ ।। ७.५६.
Those two, righteous king and Brāhmaṇa sage, having abandoned their bodies by each other’s curse, became wind-spirits, rich in ascetic power.
अशरीरः शरीरस्य कृते ऽन्यस्य महामुनिः । वसिष्ठः सुमहातेजा जगाम पितुरन्तिकम् ।। ७.५६.
The great sage Vasiṣṭha, bodiless for the sake of another’s body, went to his father’s presence, endowed with immense brilliance.
सो ऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ देवदेवस्य धर्मवित् । पितामहमथोवाच वायुभूत इदं वचः ।। ७.५६.
He then bowed to the feet of the god of gods, knower of dharma, and, having become wind, spoke these words to the Grandfather.
भगवन्निमिशापेन विदेहत्वमुपागमम् । लोकनाथ महादेव अण्डजो ऽपि त्वमब्जजः ।। ७.५६.
Lord, by Nimi’s curse I have become bodiless; O lord of the worlds, O great god, you too were born from the egg, O lotus-born one.
सर्वेषां देहहीनानां महद्दुःखं भविष्यति । लुप्यन्ते सर्वकार्यणि हीनदेहस्य वै प्रभो । देहस्यान्यस्य सद्भावे प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ७.५६.
Great suffering befalls all who are without bodies; all actions are lost for one deprived of a body, O lord. If another body exists, you should grant your favor.
तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा स्वयम्भूरमितप्रभः । मित्रावरुणजं तेज प्रविश त्वं महायशः ।। ७.५६.
Then Brahmā, self-born and of immeasurable radiance, said to him: 'O highly renowned one, enter the energy of Mitra and Varuṇa.'