यस्मादनपराधं त्वं सहायं मम जघ्निवान् । तस्मात्तवापि पापिष्ठ प्रदास्यामि प्रतिक्रियाम् ।। ७.६५.
'Because you have slain my companion, though he was without fault, therefore, O most wicked, I shall also give you a fitting return.'
एवमुक्त्वा तु तद्राक्षस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । कालपर्याययोगेन राजा मित्रसहो ऽभवत् ।। ७.६५.
Having spoken thus, that Rākṣasa vanished on the spot; and in the course of time, the king became known as Mitrasaha.
राजापि यजते यज्ञमस्याश्रमसमीपतः । अश्वमेधं महायज्ञं तं वसिष्ठो ऽभ्यपालयत् ।। ७.६५.
The king performed a great horse sacrifice near this hermitage, and Vasiṣṭha presided over that great sacrifice.
तत्र यज्ञो महानासीद्बहुवर्षगणायुतः । समृद्धः परया लक्ष्म्या देवयज्ञसमो ऽभवत् ।। ७.६५.
There, a great sacrifice was held, lasting many thousands of years, prosperous and supremely splendid, equal to a sacrifice for the gods.
अथावसाने यज्ञस्य पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् । वसिष्ठरूपी राजानमिति होवाच राक्षसः ।। ७.६५.
Then, at the conclusion of the sacrifice, recalling his former enmity, a Rākṣasa in the form of Vasiṣṭha spoke to the king.
अस्य यज्ञस्य जातो ऽन्तः सामिषं भोजनं मम । दीयतामिह शीघ्रं वै नात्र कार्या विचारणा ।। ७.६५.
'At the end of this sacrifice, a meal with meat has been prepared for me; let it be given here quickly—there is no need for deliberation.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं रक्षसा ब्रह्मरूपिणा । भक्ष्यसंस्कारकुशलमुवाच पृथिवीपतिः ।। ७.६५.
Hearing these words spoken by the Rākṣasa in the form of a Brāhmaṇa, the king, skilled in the preparation of offerings, replied.
हविष्यं सामिषं स्वादु यथा भवति भोजनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शीघ्रं वै परितुष्येद्यथा गुरुः ।। ७.६५.
'Prepare the oblation with meat so that the food is delicious, just as the teacher desires—do it quickly, so that he may be satisfied.'
शासनात्पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सूदः सम्भ्रान्तमानसः । स राक्षसः पुनस्तत्र सूदवेषमथाकरोत् ।। ७.६५.
By the command of the king, the cook, his mind disturbed, began the preparations; and the Rākṣasa there assumed the form of a cook.
स मानुषमथो मांसं पार्थिवाय न्यवेदयत् । इदं स्वादु हविष्यं च सामिषं चान्नमाहृतम् ।। ७.६५.
Then he presented human flesh to the king, saying, 'Here is delicious food, an offering with meat, that has been brought.'
स भोजनं वसिष्ठाय पत्न्या सार्धमुपाहरत् । मदयन्त्या नरव्याघ्र सामिषं रक्षसा हृतम् ।। ७.६५.
That man-eater, Madayantī, together with his wife, served the meat dish, taken by the Rākṣasa, to Vasiṣṭha for his meal.
ज्ञात्वा तदामिषं विप्रो मानुषं भाजनं गतम् । क्रोधेन महता ऽ ऽविष्टो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.६५.
The Brāhmaṇa, realizing that the meat placed in the vessel was human flesh, became filled with great anger and began to speak.
यस्मात्त्वं भोजनं राजन्ममैतद्दातुमिच्छसि । तस्माद्भोजनमेतत्ते भविष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.६५.
Because you, O king, wish to give me this food, therefore this very food shall be yours—of this there is no doubt.
ततः क्रुद्धस्तु सौदासस्तोयं जग्राह पाणिना । वसिष्ठं शप्तुमारेभे भार्या चैनमवारयत् ।। ७.६५.
Then Saudāsa, enraged, took water in his hand to curse Vasiṣṭha, but his wife restrained him.
राजन्प्रभुर्यतो ऽस्माकं वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः । प्रतिशप्तुं न शक्तस्त्वं देवतुल्यं पुरोधसम् ।। ७.६५.
O king, since the venerable sage Vasiṣṭha is our lord, you are not able to curse him, who is like a god and our chief priest.
ततः क्रोधमयं तोयं तेजोबलसमन्वितम् । व्यसर्जयत धर्मात्मा ततः पादौ सिषेच च ।। ७.६५.
Then the righteous king poured out the water, filled with the energy and power of his anger, and washed his feet with it.
तेनास्य राज्ञस्तौ पादौ तदा कल्माषतां गतौ । तदाप्रभृति राजा ऽसौ सौदासः सुमहायशाः । कल्माषपादः संवृत्तः ख्यातश्चैव तथा नृपः ।। ७.६५.
Because of this, the king's feet became dark-stained at that time; from then on, that illustrious king Saudāsa became known as Kalmāṣapāda, and was thus renowned.
स राजा सह पत्न्या वै प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः । पुनर्वसिष्ठं प्रोवाच यदुक्तं ब्रह्मरूपिणा ।। ७.६५.
That king, together with his wife, repeatedly bowed down and again addressed Vasiṣṭha, who was of the form of Brahmā, recalling what had been spoken.
तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य रक्षसा विकृतं च तत् । पुनः प्रोवाच राजानं वसिष्ठः पुरुषर्षभम् ।। ७.६५.
Hearing of the king's misfortune, caused by the Rākṣasa, Vasiṣṭha again spoke to the king, the best among men.
मया रोषपरीतेन यदिदं व्याहृतं वचः । नैतच्छक्यं वृथा कर्तुं प्रदास्यामि च ते वरम् ।। ७.६५.
What I have spoken in anger cannot be undone, but I shall grant you a boon.
कालो द्वादश वर्षाणि शापस्यान्तो भविष्यति । मत्प्रासादाच्च राजेन्द्र व्यतीतं न स्मरिष्यसि ।। ७.६५.
The curse will last for twelve years, O king; and by my favor, you will not remember what has passed.
एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुज्यारिसूदनः । प्रतिलेभे पुना राज्यं प्रजाश्चैवान्वपालयत् ।। ७.६५.
Thus, having endured that curse, the king, destroyer of enemies, regained his kingdom and again protected his subjects.
तस्य कल्माषपादस्य यज्ञस्यायतनं शुभम् । आश्रमस्य समीपे ऽस्य यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव ।। ७.६५.
The auspicious sacrificial hall of Kalmāṣapāda, which you ask me about, O Rāghava, is near his hermitage.
तस्य तां पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य कथां श्रुत्वा सुदारुणाम् । विवेश पर्णशालायां महर्षिमभिवाद्य च ।। ७.६५.
Hearing that dreadful story of the king, he entered the leaf-hut and respectfully greeted the great sage.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the sixty-fifth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
यामेव रात्रिं शत्रुघ्नः पर्णशालामुपाविशत् । तामेव रात्रिं सीतापि प्रसूता दारकद्वयम् ।। ७.६६.
On the very night that Śatrughna entered the leaf-hut, Sītā also gave birth to two sons.
ततो ऽर्धरात्रसमये बालका मुनिदारकाः । वाल्मीकेः प्रियमाचख्युः सीतायाः प्रसवं शुभम् ।। ७.६६.
Then, at midnight, the young sons of the sage joyfully informed Vālmīki of Sītā's auspicious delivery.
भगवन्रामपत्नी सा प्रसूता दारकद्वयम् । ततो रक्षां महातेजः कुरु भूतविनाशिनीम् ।। ७.६६.
The wife of the blessed Rāma gave birth to two sons; therefore, O mighty one, perform a protective rite that destroys evil beings.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा महर्षिः समुपागमत् । बालचन्द्रप्रतीकाशौ देवपुत्रौ महौजसौ ।। ७.६६.
Hearing those words, the great sage approached; the two sons, radiant as young moons, were like sons of the gods, possessing great energy.
जगाम तत्र हृष्टात्मा ददर्श च कुमारकौ । भूतघ्नीं चाकरोत्ताभ्यां रक्षां रक्षोविनाशिनीम् ।। ७.६६.
Arriving there with a joyful heart, he saw the two boys and performed for them a protective rite that destroys evil beings.