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.
पूर्वं समभवत्तत्र ह्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः । नाहं सुतस्तवेत्युक्त्वा मित्रं तस्मादपाक्रमत् ।। ७.५७.
Previously, the venerable sage Agastya arose there, saying, 'I am not your son,' and departed from Mitra.
तद्धि तेजस्तु मित्रस्य उर्वस्याः पूर्वमाहितम् । तस्मिन्समभवत्कुम्भे तत्तेजो यत्र वारुणम् ।। ७.५७.
That energy of Mitra, and of Urvaśī, was first placed there; in that vessel was also the energy belonging to Varuṇa.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य मित्रावरुणसम्भवः । वसिष्ठस्तेजसा युक्तो जज्ञे इक्ष्वाकुदैवतम् ।। ७.५७.
Then, after some time, from the union of Mitra and Varuṇa, endowed with Vasiṣṭha’s energy, was born the divine Ikṣvāku.
तमिक्ष्वाकुर्महातेजा जातमात्रमनिन्दितम् । वव्रे पुरोधसं सौम्य वंशस्यास्य भवाय नः ।। ७.५७.
The mighty Ikṣvāku, flawless from birth, chose the priest for his lineage’s welfare as soon as he was born.
एवं त्वपूर्वदेहस्य वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः । कथितो निर्गमः सौम्य निमेः शृणु यथा ऽभवत् ।। ७.५७.
Thus, O gentle one, I have told you the emergence of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha from his previous body; now hear how it was for Nimi.
दृष्ट्वा विदेहं राजानमृषयः सर्व एव ते । तं च ते योजयामासुर्यागदीक्षां मनीषिणः ।। ७.५७.
Seeing King Videha, all the sages gathered and initiated him into the sacrificial rite, as wise men do.
तं च देहं नरेन्द्रस्य रक्षन्ति स्म द्विजोत्तमाः । गन्धैर्माल्यैश्च वस्त्रैश्च पौरभृत्यसमन्विताः ।। ७.५७.
The eminent Brahmins, along with citizens and attendants, preserved the king’s body with fragrances, garlands, and garments.
ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु भृगुस्तत्रेदमब्रवीत् । आनयिष्यामि ते चेतस्तुष्टो ऽस्मि तव पार्थिव ।। ७.५७.
When the sacrifice was completed, Bhṛgu spoke there: 'I will bring back your mind, O king, for I am pleased with you.'
सुप्रीताश्च सुराः सर्वे निमेश्चेतस्तथाब्रुवन् । वरं वरय राजर्षे क्व ते चेतो निरूप्यताम् ।। ७.५७.
All the gods, delighted, said likewise to Nimi: 'Choose a boon, royal sage; where shall your mind be established?'
एवमुक्तः सुरैः सर्वैर्निमेश्चेतस्तदाब्रवीत् । नेत्रेषु सर्वभूतानां वसेयं सुरसत्तमाः ।। ७.५७.
Thus addressed by all the gods, Nimi replied: 'O best of gods, may I dwell in the eyes of all beings.'
बाढमित्येव विबुधा निमेश्चेतस्तदा ऽब्रुवन् । नेत्रेषु सर्वभूतानां वायुभूतश्चरिष्यसि ।। ७.५७.
‘So be it,’ the gods said to Nimi; ‘you shall move as air within the eyes of all beings.’
त्वत्कृते च निमिष्यन्ति चक्षूंषि पृथिवीपते । वायुभूतेन चरता विश्रमार्थं मुहुर्मुहुः ।। ७.५७.
For your sake, O lord of the earth, the eyes will close again and again, as the wind-like one moves about seeking rest.
एवमुक्त्वा तु विबुधाः सर्वे जग्मुर्यथागतम् । ऋषयो ऽपि महात्मानो निमेर्देहं समाहरन् ।। ७.५७.
Having spoken thus, all the gods departed as they had come; and the great sages gathered Nimi's body.
अरणिं तत्र निक्षिप्य मथनं चक्रुरोजसा । मन्त्रहोमैर्महात्मानः पुत्रहेतोर्निमेस्तदा ।। ७.५७.
Placing the arani there, they performed the churning with vigor; the great souls, for the sake of a son, with mantra and offerings, did so for Nimi.
अरण्यां मथ्यामानायां प्रादुर्भूतो महातपाः । मथनान्मिथिरित्याहुर्जननाज्जनको ऽभवत् । यस्माद्विदेहात्सम्भूतो वैदेहस्तु ततः स्मृतः ।। ७.५७.
As the arani was being churned, the great ascetic appeared; from the churning, he was called Mithila, and from his birth, Janaka arose; since he was born from Videha, he was remembered as Vaideha.
एवं विदेहराजश्च जनकः पूर्वको ऽभवत् । मिथिर्नाम महातेजास्तेनायं मैथिलो ऽभवत् ।। ७.५७.
Thus, Janaka became the predecessor of the Videha kings; and Mithila, of great splendor, gave rise to the Maithila lineage.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः
Thus ends the fifty-seventh section of the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa in the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the first epic composed by sage Vālmīki.
एवं ब्रुवति रामे तु लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा ।। ७.५८.
When Rāma spoke thus, Lakṣmaṇa, slayer of mighty foes, replied to the great soul, radiant as fire.
महदद्भुतमाश्चर्यं विदेहस्य पुरातनम् । निर्वृत्तं राजशार्दूल वसिष्ठस्य निमेस्सह ।। ७.५८.
A great and wondrous tale of ancient Videha has unfolded, O tiger among kings, concerning Vasiṣṭha and Nimi.
निमिस्तु क्षत्रियः शूरो विशेषेण च दीक्षितः । न क्षमां कृतवान्राजा वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.५८.
Nimi was a valiant Kṣatriya, especially consecrated; yet he did not show patience towards the great soul Vasiṣṭha.