इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुःसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-fourth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा ऽमृतमयं तदा । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे लक्ष्मणं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। ७.७५.
Hearing those nectar-like words of Nārada, Lakṣmaṇa then experienced incomparable joy and spoke these words:
गच्छ सौम्य द्विजश्रेष्ठं समाश्वासय सुव्रतम् । बालस्य तु शरीरं तत्तैलद्रोण्यां निधापय ।। ७.७५.
Go, gentle one, comfort the best of the twice-born, who is steadfast in his vows, and place the child’s body in a vessel of oil.
गन्धैश्च परमोदारैस्तैलैश्चापि सुगन्धिभिः । यथा न क्षीयते बालस्तथा सौम्य विधीयताम् ।। ७.७५.
With the finest fragrances and sweet-smelling oils, O gentle one, arrange it so that the child does not decay.
यथा शरीरो बालस्य गुप्तः सन् शिष्टकर्मणः । विपत्तिः परिभेदो वा न भवेच्च तथा कुरु ।। ७.७५.
Take care that, while the child’s body is preserved and the proper rites are performed, there is no harm or damage—do so accordingly.
एवमादिश्य काकुत्स्थो लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम् । मनसा पुष्पकं दध्यावागच्छेति महायशाः ।। ७.७५.
Having thus instructed Lakṣmaṇa, who bore auspicious marks, the illustrious descendant of Kakutstha summoned the Puṣpaka chariot by thought, saying, 'Come.'
इङ्गितं स तु विज्ञाय पुष्पको हेमभूषितः । आजगाम मुहूर्तेन समीपे राघवस्य वै ।। ७.७५.
Perceiving the intention, the Puṣpaka, adorned with gold, arrived in a moment before Rāghava.
सो ऽब्रवीत्प्रणतो भूत्वा अयमस्मि नराधिप । वश्यस्तव महाबाहो किङ्करः समुपस्थितः ।। ७.७५.
Having bowed, it said: 'Here I am, O lord of men, obedient to you, mighty-armed one; your servant stands ready.'
भाषितं रुचिरं श्रुत्वा पुष्पकस्य नराधिपः । अभिवाद्य महर्षींस्तान् विमानं सो ऽध्यरोहत ।। ७.७५.
Hearing the pleasing words of Puṣpaka, the lord of men respectfully greeted the great sages and then boarded the aerial chariot.
धनुर्गृहीत्वा तूणी च खड्गं च रुचिरप्रभम् । निक्षिप्य नगरे वीरौ सौमित्रिभरतावुभौ ।। ७.७५.
Taking his bow, quiver, and shining sword, he left the two valiant ones, Saumitri and Bharata, in the city.
प्रायात्प्रतीचीं हरितं विचिन्वंश्च ततस्ततः । उत्तरामगमच्छ्रीमान्दिशं हिमवता वृताम् ।। ७.७५.
He set out westward, searching here and there, and then the illustrious one reached the northern region, surrounded by the Himālaya.
अपश्यमानस्तत्रापि स्वल्पमप्यथ दुष्कृतम् । पूर्वामपि दिशं सर्वामथो ऽपश्यन्नराधिपः ।। ७.७५.
Even there, the king did not see the slightest wrongdoing, nor in any of the eastern directions.
प्रविशुद्धसमाचारामादर्शतलनिर्मलाम् । पुष्पकस्थो महाबाहुस्तदापश्यन्नराधिपः ।। ७.७५.
Then, seated in the Pushpaka chariot, the mighty-armed king beheld a region of utterly pure conduct, spotless as a mirror.
दक्षिणां दिशमाक्रामत्ततो राजर्षिनन्दनः । शैवलस्योत्तरे पार्श्वे ददर्श सुमहत्सरः ।। ७.७५.
After that, the scion of the royal sages proceeded southward and, on the northern bank of the Shaivala, saw a great lake.
तस्मिन्सरसि तप्यन्तं तापसं सुमहत्तपः । ददर्श राघवः श्रीमाँल्लम्बमानमधोमुखम् ।। ७.७५.
In that lake, Rāghava, resplendent, saw an ascetic of immense austerity, standing with head bowed and body hanging down.
राघवस्तमुपागम्य तप्यन्तं तप उत्तमम् । उवाच स तदा वाक्यं धन्यस्त्वमसि सुव्रत ।। ७.७५.
Approaching that ascetic engaged in supreme penance, Rāghava spoke these words: 'Blessed are you, O steadfast one.'
कस्यां योन्यां तपोवृद्ध वर्तसे दृढविक्रम । कौतूहलात्त्वां पृच्छामि रामो दाशरथिर्ह्यहम् ।। ७.७५.
'Of what birth are you, O one advanced in austerity, firm in resolve? Out of curiosity I ask you—Rāma, son of Daśaratha, am I.'
को ऽर्थो मनीषितस्तुभ्यं स्वर्गलाभः परो ऽथवा । वराश्रयो यदर्थं त्वं तपस्यसि सुदुष्करम् । यमाश्रित्य तपस्तप्तं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तापस ।। ७.७५.
'What is your aim—attainment of heaven, or some other supreme reward? For what purpose do you practice this most difficult austerity? By relying on what do you undertake this penance? I wish to hear, O ascetic.'
ब्राह्मणो वा ऽसि भद्रं ते क्षत्रियो वा ऽसि दुर्जयः । वैश्यस्तृतीयवर्णो वा शूद्रो वा सत्यवाग्भव ।। ७.७५.
'Are you a brāhmaṇa—may good befall you—or an invincible kṣatriya? Or are you a vaiśya, of the third class, or a śūdra? Speak truthfully.'
इत्येवमुक्तः स नराधिपेन ह्यवाक्छिरा दाशरथाय तस्मै । उवाच जातिं नृपपुङ्गवाय यत्कारणे चैव तपःप्रयत्नः ।। ७.७५.
Thus addressed by the king, the ascetic with head bowed spoke to Daśaratha's son, declaring his lineage and the reason for his penance to the foremost of kings.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-fifth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । अवाक्छिरास्तथाभूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.७६.
Hearing those words of Rāma, the doer of unblemished deeds, the ascetic with head bowed spoke as follows.
शूद्रयोन्यां प्रसूतो ऽस्मि शम्बूको नाम नामतः । देवत्वं पार्थये राम सशरीरो महायशः ।। ७.७६.
'I was born in the śūdra caste; by name I am called Śambūka. O Rāma of great fame, I seek divinity in this very body.'
न मिथ्या ऽहं वदे राम देवलोकजिगीषया । शूद्रं मां विद्धि काकुत्स्थ तप उग्रं समास्थितम् ।। ७.७६.
'I do not speak falsely, O Rāma; it is with the desire to attain the world of the gods that I, a śūdra, have undertaken this severe penance—know this, descendant of Kakutstha.'
भाषतस्तस्य शूद्रस्य खड्गं सुरुचिरप्रभम् । निष्कृष्य कोशाद्विमलं शिरश्चिच्छेद राघवः ।। ७.७६.
As the śūdra was speaking, Rāghava drew his sword, radiant and spotless, from its sheath and struck off his head.
तस्मिञ्छूद्रे हते देवाः सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः । साधु साध्विति काकुत्स्थं प्रशशंसुर्मुहुर्मुहुः ।। ७.७६.
When that śūdra was slain, the gods, along with Indra and Agni at their head, repeatedly praised Kakutstha, saying, 'Well done! Well done!'
पुष्पवृष्टिर्महत्यासीद्दिव्यानां सुसुगन्धिनाम् । पुष्पाणां वायुमुक्तानां सर्वतः प्रपपात ह ।। ७.७६.
There fell a great shower of flowers, divine and exceedingly fragrant, released by the wind, descending from all sides.
सुप्रीताश्चाब्रुवन्रामं देवाः सत्यपराक्रमम् । सुरकार्यमिदं सौम्य सुकृतं ते महामते ।। ७.७६.
The delighted gods spoke to Rāma, whose valor is true: 'Gentle one, this deed for the sake of the gods is well done by you, O wise one.'
गृहाण च वरं सौम्य यत्त्वमिच्छस्यरिन्दम । स्वर्गभाङ्नहि शूद्रो ऽयं त्वत्कृते रघुनन्दन ।। ७.७६.
'Accept a boon, gentle one, whatever you desire, O subduer of foes; for this śūdra, O delight of the Raghus, cannot attain heaven because of you.'
देवानां भाषितं श्रुत्वा राघवः सुसमाहितः । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं सहस्राक्षं पुरन्दरम् ।। ७.७६.
Hearing the words of the gods, Rāghava, composed and attentive, spoke with joined palms to Indra, the thousand-eyed lord of the city.