इदं राज्यं च सकलं जीवितं च हृदि स्थितम् । सर्वमेतद्द्विदार्थं मे सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि वः ।। ७.६०.
'This entire kingdom, and my very life, are held in my heart for your sake alone. This is the truth I speak to you.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा साधुकारो महानभूत् । ऋषीणामुग्रतपसां यमुनातीरवासिनाम् ।। ७.६०.
Hearing these words of his, a great acclamation arose among the sages of fierce austerity, dwellers on the banks of the Yamunā.
ऊचुश्च ते महात्मानो हर्षेण महता वृताः । उपपन्नं नरश्रेष्ठ तवैव भुवि नान्यतः ।। ७.६०.
And those great souls, filled with great joy, said: 'O best of men, such conduct is fitting for you alone on earth, not for any other.'
बहवः पार्थिवा राजन्नतिक्रान्ता महाबलाः । कार्यस्य गौरवं मत्वा प्रतिज्ञां नाभ्यरोचयन् ।। ७.६०.
Many kings, O ruler, powerful though they were, refrained from making a promise, considering the gravity of the matter.
त्वया पुनर्ब्राह्मणगौरवादियं कृता प्रतिज्ञा ह्यनवेक्ष्य कारणम् । ततश्च कर्ता ह्यसि नात्र संशयो महाभयात्ऺत्रातुमृषींस्त्वमर्हसि ।। ७.६०.
But you, out of respect for the Brāhmaṇas, made this promise without considering the reason; therefore, you must act—there is no doubt—so you should save the sages from great danger.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षष्टितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the sixtieth sarga of the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa in the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem, composed by Vālmīki.
एवं ब्रुवद्भिर्ऋषिभिः काकुत्स्थो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किं कार्यं ब्रूत मुनयो भयं तावदपैतु वः ।। ७.६१.
As the sages spoke thus, Kakutstha addressed them: 'Tell me what must be done, O sages, so that your fear may be dispelled.'
तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे भार्गवो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । भयानां शृणु यन्मूलं देशस्य च नरेश्वर ।। ७.६१.
As Kakutstha spoke in this way, Bhārgava said: 'Listen, king, to the root of these fears and of this land.'
पूर्वं कृतयुगे राजन्दैतेयः सुमहाबलः । लोलापुत्रो ऽभवज्ज्येष्ठो मधुर्नाम महासुरः ।। ७.६१.
In the former Kṛta Yuga, O king, there was a mighty Daitya, the eldest son of Lolatā, named Madhu, a great Asura.
ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च बुद्ध्या च परिनिष्ठितः । सुरैश्च परमोदारैः प्रीतिस्तस्यातुला ऽभवत् ।। ७.६१.
He was devoted to the Brāhmaṇas, a giver of refuge, and steadfast in wisdom; the most generous of the gods held him in incomparable affection.
स मधुर्वीर्यसम्पन्नो धर्मे च सुसमाहितः । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि रुद्रप्रीत्या ऽकरोत्तपः ।। ७.६१.
That Madhu, endowed with great strength and firmly established in righteousness, performed austerities for many thousands of years to please Rudra.
रुद्रः प्रीतो ऽभवत्तस्मै वरं दातुं ययौ च सः । बहुमानाच्च रुद्रेण दत्तस्तस्याद्भुतो वरः ।। ७.६१.
Rudra, being pleased, came to grant him a boon; and out of great respect, Rudra gave him a wondrous boon.
शूलं शूलाद्विनिष्कृष्य महावीर्यं महाप्रभम् । ददौ महात्मा सुप्रीतो वाक्यं चैतदुवाच ह ।। ७.६१.
Drawing forth a trident, mighty and radiant, from his own trident, the great-souled one, well-pleased, gave it to him and spoke these words.
त्वयायमतुलो धर्मो मत्प्रसादकरः कृतः । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददाम्यायुधमुत्तमम् ।। ७.६१.
Because you have performed this incomparable act of righteousness, pleasing to me, with utmost devotion, I give you this supreme weapon.
यावत्सुरैश्च विप्रैश्च न विरुध्येर्महासुर । तावच्छूलं तवेदं स्यादन्यथा नाशमेप्यति ।। ७.६१.
As long as you do not act against the gods or Brāhmaṇas, O great Asura, this trident will remain yours; otherwise, it will surely be destroyed.
यश्च त्वामभियुञ्जीत युद्धाय विगतज्वरः । तं शूलो भस्मसात्कृत्वा पुनरेष्यति ते करम् ।। ७.६१.
And whoever attacks you in battle, without fear, this trident will reduce him to ashes and then return to your hand.
एवं रुद्राद्वरं लब्ध्वा भूय एव महासुरः । प्रणिपत्य महादेवं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.६१.
Having thus received the boon from Rudra, the great Asura again bowed to Mahādeva and spoke these words.
भगवन्मम वंशस्य शूलमेतदनुत्तमम् । भवेत्तु सततं देव सुराणामीश्वरो ह्यसि ।। ७.६१.
'Lord, may this supreme trident always belong to my lineage, for you are indeed the lord of the gods.'
तं ब्रुवाणं मधुं देवः सर्वभूतपतिः शिवः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजा नैतदेवं भविष्यति ।। ७.६१.
To Madhu, as he spoke thus, the god Śiva, lord of all beings, replied with great brilliance: 'It shall not be so.'
मा भूत्ते विफला वाणी मत्प्रसादकृता शुभा । भवतः पुत्रमेकं तु शूलमेतद्भजिष्यते ।। ७.६१.
'Let not your words, spoken through my favor, be fruitless; but only one son of yours shall possess this trident.'
यावत्करस्थः शूलो ऽयं भविष्यति सुतस्य ते । अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां शूलहस्तो भविष्यति ।। ७.६१.
'As long as this trident is in your son's hand, he will be invincible to all beings—he who holds the trident.'
एवं मधुर्वरं लब्ध्वा देवात्सुमहदद्भुतम् । भवनं सो ऽसुरश्रेष्ठः कारयामास सुप्रभम् ।। ७.६१.
Thus, having obtained that wondrous and supreme boon from the god, that foremost of asuras caused a splendid palace to be constructed.
तस्य पत्नी महाभागा प्रिया कुम्भीनसीति या । विश्वावसोरपत्यं सा ह्यनलायां महाप्रभा ।। ७.६१.
His greatly fortunate and beloved wife was Kumbhīnasī, the illustrious daughter of Viśvāvasu and the radiant Analā.
तस्याः पुत्रो महावीर्यो लवणो नाम दारुणः । बाल्यात्प्रभृति दुष्टात्मा पापान्येव समाचरत् ।। ७.६१.
Her son, fierce and mighty, was named Lavaṇa; from childhood he was wicked in nature and always engaged in evil deeds.
तं पुत्रं दुर्विनीतं तु दृष्ट्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः । मधुः स शोकमापेदे न चैनं किञ्चिदब्रवीत् ।। ७.६१.
Seeing his son undisciplined, Madhu, filled with anger and sorrow, did not speak a word to him.
स विहाय त्विमं लोकं प्रविष्टो वरुणालयम् । शूलं निवेश्य लवणे वरं तस्मै न्यवेदयत् ।। ७.६१.
Abandoning this world, he entered the abode of Varuṇa, placing the spear with Lavaṇa and granting him the boon.
स प्रभावेण शूलस्य दौरात्म्येनात्मनस्तथा । सन्तापयति लोकांस्त्रीन्विशेषेण च तापसान् ।। ७.६१.
By the power of that spear and his own wickedness, he torments the three worlds, especially the ascetics.
एवंप्रभावो लवणः शूलं चैव तथाविधम् । श्रुत्वा प्रमाणं काकुत्स्थ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ।। ७.६१.
Such is the might of Lavaṇa and the nature of that spear; having heard this account, O descendant of Kakutstha, you are indeed our supreme refuge.
बहवः पार्थिवा राम भयार्तैर्ऋषिभिः पुरा । अभयं याचिता वीर त्रातारं न च विद्महे ।। ७.६१.
Many kings, O Rāma, were once entreated by terrified sages for protection, but, O hero, we have found no savior.
ते वयं रावणं श्रुत्वा हतं सबलवाहनम् । त्रातारं विद्महे तात नान्यं भुवि नराधिपम् । तत्परित्रातुमिच्छामो लवणाद्भयपीडितान् ।। ७.६१.
Hearing that Rāvaṇa, with his forces and vehicles, has been slain, O dear one, we know you alone as protector among men on earth; therefore, we wish you to deliver us, afflicted by the fear of Lavaṇa.