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.
यदि वा सहनीयं ते मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि । क्षम त्वं न क्षमिष्ये ऽहं मरिष्यामि न संशयः ।। ७.५८.
Or, if you can endure it, you should permit me; forgive me, for I will not forgive—without doubt, I shall die.
पुत्रस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा परमार्तस्य रोदतः । देवयानी तु सङ्क्रुद्धा सस्मार पितरं तदा ।। ७.५८.
Hearing her son's words, spoken in utmost distress and weeping, Devayānī, filled with anger, then remembered her father.
इङ्गितं तदभिज्ञाय दुहितुर्भार्गवस्तदा । आगतस्त्वरितं तत्र देवयानी तु यत्र सा ।। ७.५८.
Recognizing his daughter's gesture, Bhārgava at once came swiftly to the place where Devayānī was.
दृष्ट्वा चाप्रकृतिस्थां तामप्रहृष्टामचेतनाम् । पिता दुहितरं वाक्यं किमेतदिति चाब्रवीत् ।। ७.५८.
Seeing her out of her natural state, joyless and unconscious, her father spoke to his daughter, saying, 'What is this?'
पृच्छन्तमसकृत्तं वै भार्गवं दीप्ततेजसम् । देवयानी तु सङ्क्रुद्धा पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। ७.५८.
As the radiant Bhārgava repeatedly questioned her, Devayānī, filled with anger, spoke these words to her father.
अहमग्निं विषं तीक्ष्णमपो वा मुनिसत्तम । भक्षयिष्ये प्रवेक्ष्यामि न तु शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् ।। ७.५८.
O best of sages, I will consume fire, or deadly poison, or water; I will enter them, for I cannot bear to live.
न मां त्वमवजानीषे दुःखितामवमानिताम् । वृक्षस्यावज्ञया ब्रह्मंश्छिद्यन्ते वृक्षजीविनः ।। ७.५८.
You do not disregard me, though I am afflicted and dishonored; by the contempt of a tree, O Brāhmaṇa, those who live on trees are cut down.
अवज्ञया च राजर्षिः परिभूय च भार्गव । मय्यवज्ञां प्रयुङ्क्ते हि न च मां बहु मन्यते ।। ७.५८.
By contempt and insult, O Bhārgava, the royal sage has treated me with scorn and does not value me highly.
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कोपेनाभिपरिप्लुतः । व्याहर्तुमुपचक्राम भार्गवो नहुषात्मजम् ।। ७.५८.
Hearing her words, filled with anger, Bhārgava began to speak to the son of Nahuṣa.
यस्मान्मामवजानीषे नाहुष त्वं दुरात्मवान् । जरया परया जीर्णः शैथिल्यमुपयास्यसि ।। ७.५८.
Because you have scorned me, O evil-minded son of Nahuṣa, you shall be worn out by extreme old age and fall into decline.