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.
एवमुक्तस्तु तेनायं श्रीमान् क्षत्रियपुङ्गवः । उवाच लक्ष्मणं वाक्यं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् ।। ७.५८.
Thus addressed by him, this illustrious foremost Kṣatriya spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, who was skilled in all scriptures.
रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठो भ्रातरं दीप्ततेजसम् । न सर्वत्र क्षमा वीर पुरुषेषु प्रदृश्यते ।। ७.५८.
Rāma, best among those who delight, addressed his brother, blazing with energy: 'O hero, patience is not seen in all men everywhere.'
सौमित्रे दुःसहो रोषो यथा क्षान्तो ययातिना । सत्त्वानुगं पुरस्कृत्य तन्निबोध समाहितः ।। ७.५८.
Saumitri, unbearable anger was subdued by Yayāti, guided by virtue; understand this attentively.
नहुषस्य सुतो राजा ययातिः पौरवर्धनः । तस्य भार्याद्वयं सौम्य रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि ।। ७.५८.
Yayāti, son of Nahusha, king and increaser of the Paurava line, had two wives, O gentle one, unmatched in beauty on earth.
एका तु तस्य राजर्षेर्नाहुषस्य पुरस्कृता । शर्मिष्ठा नाम दैतेयी दुहिता वृषपर्वणः ।। ७.५८.
One, honored by the royal sage Nahusha, was named Śarmiṣṭhā, a Daitya, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan.
अन्या तूशनसः पत्नी ययातेः पुरुषर्षभ । न तु सा दयिता राज्ञो देवयानी सुमध्यमा ।। ७.५८.
The other was the wife of Uśanas, O foremost among men; but she was not dear to the king—Devayānī, of lovely form.
तयोः पुत्रौ तु सम्भूतौ रूपवन्तौ समाहितौ । शर्मिष्ठा ऽजनयत्पूरुं देवयानी यदुं तदा ।। ७.५८.
From these two, two sons were born, handsome and composed; Śarmiṣṭhā bore Pūru, Devayānī bore Yadu.
पूरुस्तु दयितो राज्ञो गुणैर्मातृकृतेन च । ततो दुःखसमाविष्टो यदुर्मातरमब्रवीत् ।। ७.५८.
Pūru was dear to the king, for his virtues and his mother's deeds; thus, Yadu, afflicted by sorrow, spoke to his mother.
भार्गवस्य कुले जाता देवस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । सहसे हृद्गतं दुःखमवमानं च दुःसहम् ।। ७.५८.
Born in the lineage of Bhṛgu, of the god with flawless deeds, you endure the grief in your heart and the unbearable humiliation.
आवां च सहितौ देवि प्रविशाव हुताशनम् । राजा तु रमतां सार्धं दैत्यपुत्र्या बहुक्षपाः ।। ७.५८.
Let us both together, O lady, enter the fire; but let the king spend many nights in pleasure with the daughter of the Daitya.