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.'
अयोनिजस्त्वं भविता तत्रापि द्विजसत्तम । धर्मेण महता युक्तः पुनरेष्यसि मे वशम् ।। ७.५६.
But even there, O best of twice-born, you will be born not from a womb, endowed with great righteousness, and you will again come under my authority.
एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन चाभिवाद्य प्रदक्षिणम् । कृत्वा पितामहं तूर्णं प्रययौ वरुणालयम् ।। ७.५६.
Thus addressed by the god, he offered obeisance, circumambulated Brahmā, and swiftly departed for Varuṇa's abode.
तमेव कालं मित्रो ऽपि वरुणत्वमकारयत् । क्षीरोदेन सहोपेतः पूज्यमानः सुरोत्तमैः ।। ७.५६.
At that very moment, Mitra, together with Kṣīroda, installed him in the office of Varuṇa, and he was honored by the foremost of the gods.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु उर्वशी परमाप्सराः । यदृच्छया तमुद्देशमाययौ सखिभिर्वृता ।। ७.५६.
At that very time, Urvaśī, the supreme among apsarases, happened to arrive at that place, surrounded by her companions.
तां दृष्ट्वा रूपसम्पन्नां क्रीडन्तीं वरुणालये । आविशत्परमो हर्षो वरुणं चोर्वशीकृते ।। ७.५६.
Seeing her, endowed with beauty, playing in Varuṇa's abode, the greatest joy arose in Varuṇa on account of Urvaśī.
स तां पद्मपलाशाक्षीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । वरुणो वरयामास मैथुनायाप्सरोवराम् ।। ७.५६.
Varuṇa then desired her for union, she whose eyes were like lotus petals and whose face resembled the full moon, the apsaras Urvaśī.
प्रत्युवाच ततः सा तु वरुणं प्राञ्जलिः स्थिता । मित्रेणाहं वृता साक्षात्पूर्वमेव सुरेश्वर ।। ७.५६.
Then she replied to Varuṇa, standing with joined palms: 'O lord of the gods, I have already been chosen by Mitra himself before.'
वरुणस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं कन्दर्पशरपीडितः । इदं तेजः समुत्स्रक्ष्ये कुम्भे ऽस्मिन्देवनिर्मिते ।। ७.५६.
But Varuṇa, afflicted by the arrows of Kāma, said: 'I will release this energy into this jar made by the gods.'
एवमुत्सृज्य सुश्रोणि त्वय्यहं वरवर्णिनि । कृतकामो भविष्यामि यदि नेच्छसि सङ्गमम् ।। ७.५६.
'Thus, O fair-hipped, best-complexioned one, I will fulfill my desire by releasing it into you, if you do not wish for union.'
तस्य तल्लोकपालस्य वरुणस्य सुभाषितम् । उर्वशी परमप्रीता श्रुत्वा वाक्यमुवाच ह ।। ७.५६.
Hearing these well-spoken words of Varuṇa, the guardian of the world, Urvaśī was greatly pleased and spoke these words.
काममेतद्भवत्वेवं हृदयं मे त्वयि स्थितम् । भावश्चाप्यधिकस्तुभ्यं देहो मित्रस्य तु प्रभो ।। ७.५६.
'Let it be as you wish; my heart is set upon you, and my affection is greater for you, but my body belongs to Mitra, O lord.'
उर्वश्या एवमुक्तस्तु रेतस्तन्महदद्भुतम् । ज्वलदग्निशिखाप्रख्यं तस्मिन्कुम्भे ह्यपासृजत् ।। ७.५६.
Thus addressed by Urvaśī, Varuṇa released his wondrous and great seed, blazing like a flame, into that jar.
उर्वशी त्वगमत्तत्र मित्रो वै यत्र देवता । तां तु मित्रः सुसङ्क्रम्य उर्वशीमिदमब्रवीत् ।। ७.५६.
There, Urvaśī departed, and Mitra, where the gods were, approached her closely and spoke these words to Urvaśī.
मया निमन्त्रिता पूर्वं कस्मात्त्वमवसर्जिता । पतिमन्यं वृतवती तस्मात्त्वं दुष्टचारिणी ।। ७.५६.
'Though I had previously invited you, why did you abandon me and choose another husband? Therefore, you are of wicked conduct.'
अनेन दुष्कृतेन त्वं मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृता । मनुष्यलोकमास्थाय कञ्चित्कालं निवत्स्यसि ।। ७.५६.
'Because of this misdeed, tainted by my anger, you will dwell for some time in the world of men.'
बुधस्य पुत्रो राजर्षिः काशीराजः पुरूरवाः । तमद्य गच्छ दुर्बुद्धे स ते भर्ता भविष्यति ।। ७.५६.
'Go now, O foolish one, to Purūravas, the royal sage, son of Budha and king of Kāśī; he will be your husband.'
ततः सा शापदोषेण पुरूरवसमभ्यगात् । प्रतियाते पुरूरवं बुधस्यात्मजमौरसम् ।। ७.५६.
Then, due to the power of the curse, she approached Purūravas, the legitimate son of Budha, after he had returned.
तस्य जज्ञे ततः श्रीमानायुः पुत्रो महाबलः । नहुषो यस्य पुत्रस्तु बभूवेन्द्रसमद्युतिः ।। ७.५६.
From them was born the illustrious and mighty son Āyu, whose son was Nahusha, shining with the splendor of Indra.
वज्रमुत्सृज्य वृत्राय भ्रान्ते ऽथ त्रिदिवेश्वरे । शतं वर्षसहस्राणि येनेन्द्रत्वं प्रशासितम् ।। ७.५६.
Having hurled the thunderbolt at Vṛtra, the lord of the gods in heaven became confused; by that act, he ruled as Indra for a hundred thousand years.
सा तेन शापेन जगाम भूमिं तदोर्वशी चारुदती सुनेत्रा । बहूनि वर्षाण्यवसच्च सुभ्रूः शापक्षयादिन्द्रसदो ययौ च ।। ७.५६.
By that curse, she descended to earth; Urvaśī, with beautiful teeth and lovely eyes, dwelled there for many years, and when the curse expired, the fair-browed one returned to Indra’s abode.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-sixth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the ancient epic composed by Vālmīki.
तां श्रुत्वा दिव्यसङ्काशां कथामद्भुतदर्शनाम् । लक्ष्मणः परमप्रीतो राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। ७.५७.
Hearing that wondrous tale, radiant as the divine, Lakṣmaṇa, greatly delighted, spoke to Rāghava.
निक्षिप्तदेहौ काकुत्स्थ कथं तौ द्विजपार्थिवौ । पुनर्देहेन संयोगं जग्मुर्देवसम्मतौ ।। ७.५७.
O descendant of Kakutstha, how did those two, the twice-born and the king, having abandoned their bodies, again unite with them by the gods’ favor?
तस्य तद्भाषितं श्रुत्वा रामः सत्यपराक्रमः । तां कथां कथयामास वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.५७.
Hearing his words, Rāma, steadfast in truth and valor, began to recount the story of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
यस्तु कुम्भो रघुश्रेष्ठ तेजःपूर्णो महात्मनोः । तस्मिंस्तेजोमयौ विप्रौ सम्भूतावृषिसत्तमौ ।। ७.५७.
O best of the Raghu line, from that vessel filled with the energy of the great ones, two radiant sages emerged, foremost among seers.