पितामहस्तु मामाह तवाहारः सुदेवज । स्वादूनि स्वानि मांसानि तानि भक्षय नित्यशः ।। ७.७८.
But the Grandsire said to me: "O Sudeva-born, your food is your own sweet flesh; eat that always."
स्वशरीरं त्वया पुष्टं कुर्वता तप उत्तमम् । अनुप्तं रोहते श्वेत न कदाचिन्महामते ।। ७.७८.
"The body you have nourished by supreme austerity, O Śveta, grows back unwounded, O great-minded one, never perishing."
तृप्तिर्न ते ऽस्ति सूक्ष्मा ऽपि वने सत्वनिषेविते । पुरा तु भिक्षमाणाय भिक्षा वै यतये नृप । न हि दत्ता त्वयेन्द्राभ यस्मादतिथये ऽपि वै ।। ७.७८.
"You have not the slightest satisfaction, even in a forest inhabited by beings; for, O king, in former times, when you begged for alms as an ascetic, you never gave, O Indra-like one, not even to a guest."
दत्तं न ते ऽस्ति सूक्ष्मो ऽपि तप एव निषेवसे । तेन स्वर्गगतो वत्स बाध्यसे क्षुत्पिपासया ।। ७.७८.
"You never gave even the smallest gift, but only practiced austerity; therefore, though you have reached heaven, you are afflicted by hunger and thirst, my child."
स त्वं सुपुष्टमाहारैः स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम् । भक्षयित्वामृतरसं तेन तृप्तिर्भविष्यति ।। ७.७८.
"So, by eating your own well-nourished, excellent body, which is like nectar, you will attain satisfaction thereby."
यदा तु तद्वनं श्वेत अगस्त्यः सुमहानृषिः । आगमिष्यति दुर्धर्षस्तदा कृच्छ्राद्विमोक्ष्यते ।। ७.७८.
"But when the great sage Agastya, irresistible, comes to that forest, O Śveta, then you will be released from this hardship."
स हि तारयितुं सौम्य शक्तः सुरगणानपि । किं पुनस्त्वां महाबाहो क्षुत्पिपासावशं गतम् ।। ७.७८.
"For he, gentle one, is able to deliver even the hosts of gods; how much more you, O mighty-armed, who are overcome by hunger and thirst."
सो ऽहं भगवतः श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य निश्चयम् । आहारं गर्हितं स्वशरीरं द्विजोत्तम ।। ७.७८.
So, O best of twice-born, having heard the decision of the divine Lord of gods, I made my own body, a contemptible food.
बहून्वर्षगणान्ब्रह्मन्भुज्यमानमिदं मया । क्षयं नाभ्येति ब्रह्मर्षे तृप्तिश्चापि ममोत्तमा ।। ७.७८.
O Brahmin, for many years I have eaten this, but, O Brahmarshi, it does not diminish, and my satisfaction is supreme.
तस्य मे कृच्छ्रभूतस्य कृच्छ्रादस्माद्विमोचय । अन्येषां न गतिर्ह्यत्र कुम्भयोनिमृते द्विजम् ।। ७.७८.
Release me from this great distress, for I am afflicted; apart from Kumbhayoni, O twice-born, there is no refuge here for others.
इदमाभरणं सौम्य तारणार्थं द्विजोत्तम । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ७.७८.
O gentle one, best of Brahmins, accept this ornament for the sake of my deliverance; may good come to you—please grant me your favor.
इदं तावत्सुवर्णं च धनं वस्त्राणि च द्विज । भक्ष्यं भोज्यं च ब्रह्मर्षे ददात्याभरणानि च ।। ७.७८.
Here is gold, wealth, garments, food and drink, O Brahmin sage, and ornaments as well—all these I give to you.
सर्वान्कामान्प्रयच्छामि भोगांश्च मुनिपुङ्गव । तारणे भगवन्मह्यं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ७.७८.
O eminent sage, I grant you all desired enjoyments and pleasures; O venerable one, please show me your favor for my deliverance.
तस्याहं स्वर्गिणो वाक्यं श्रुत्वा दुःखसमन्वितम् । तारणायोपजग्राह तदाभरणमुत्तमम् ।। ७.७८.
Hearing the sorrowful words of that celestial being, I then accepted that excellent ornament for his deliverance.
मया प्रतिगृहीते तु तस्मिन्नाभरणे शुभे । मानुषः पूर्वको देहो राजर्षेर्विननाश ह ।। ७.७८.
When I had accepted that auspicious ornament, the former human body of the royal sage was destroyed.
प्रनष्टे तु शरीरे ऽसौ राजर्षिः परया मुदा । तृप्तः प्रमुदितो राजा जगाम त्रिदिवं सुखम् ।। ७.७८.
When his body was gone, that royal sage, filled with supreme joy and satisfaction, happily ascended to heaven.
तेनेदं शक्रतुल्येन दिव्यमाभरणं मम । तस्मिन्निमित्ते काकुत्स्थ दत्तमद्भुतदर्शनम् ।। ७.७८.
Because of that, this divine ornament, equal to Indra's, was given to me for that reason, O Kakutstha, and it is wondrous to behold.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventy-eighth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and illustrious Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
तदद्भुततमं वाक्यं श्रुत्वागस्त्यस्य राघवः । गौरवाद्विस्मयाच्चैव पुनः प्रष्टुं प्रचक्रमे ।। ७.७९.
Hearing that most marvelous account of Agastya, Rāghava, out of respect and wonder, began to ask further questions.
भगवंस्तद्वनं घोरं तपस्तप्यति यत्र सः । श्वेतो वैदर्भको राजा कथं स्यादमृगद्विजम् ।। ७.७९.
O venerable one, in that dreadful forest where King Śveta of Vidarbha practiced austerities, how could there be no animals or birds?
तद्वनं स कथ राजा शून्यं मनुजवर्जितम् । तपश्चर्तुं प्रविष्टः स श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ।। ७.७९.
How did that king enter such a deserted forest, devoid of people, to perform penance? I wish to hear the truth of this.
रामस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितम् । वाक्यं परमतेजस्वी वक्तुमेवोपचक्रमे ।। ७.७९.
Hearing Rāma's words, filled with curiosity, the exceedingly radiant sage began to speak.
पुरा कृतयुगे राम मनुर्दण्डधरः प्रभुः । तस्य पुत्रो महानासीदिक्ष्वाकुः कुलनन्दनः ।। ७.७९.
Long ago, in the Kṛta Yuga, O Rāma, Manu, the lord who wields the rod of punishment, had a great son named Ikṣvāku, delight of his lineage.
तं पुत्रं पूर्वंकं राज्ये निक्षिप्य भुवि दुर्जयम् । पृथिव्यां राजवंशानां भव कर्तेत्युवाच ह ।। ७.७९.
Placing his eldest son, unconquerable on earth, upon the throne, Manu said to him, 'Become the progenitor of royal dynasties on earth.'
तथैवेति प्रतिज्ञातं पितुः पुत्रेण राघव । ततः परमसन्तुष्टो मनुः पुत्रमुवाच ह ।। ७.७९.
The son promised his father, 'So it shall be,' O Rāghava; then Manu, greatly pleased, spoke to his son.
प्रीतो ऽस्मि परमोदार त्वं कर्ता ऽसि न संशयः । दण्डेन च प्रजा रक्ष मा च दण्डमकारणे ।। ७.७९.
'I am pleased with you, supremely noble one; you will indeed be the doer, without doubt. Protect the people with the rod of punishment, but do not punish without cause.'
अपराधिषु यो दण्डः पात्यते मानवेषु वै । स दण्डो विधिवन्मुक्तः स्वर्गं नयति पार्थिवम् ।। ७.७९.
The punishment that is rightly inflicted upon offenders among men leads the king to heaven.
तस्माद्दण्डे महाबाहो यत्नवान्भव पुत्रक । धर्मो हि परमो लोके कुर्वतस्ते भविष्यति ।। ७.७९.
Therefore, O mighty-armed one, be diligent in upholding punishment, my son; for righteousness is supreme in the world, and it will arise when you act.
इति तं बहु सन्दिश्य मनुः पुत्रं समाधिना । जगाम त्रिदिवं हृष्टो ब्रह्मलोकं सनातनम् ।। ७.७९.
Having thus given many instructions to his son with concentration, Manu, delighted, ascended to the eternal realm of Brahma.
प्रयाते त्रिदिवं तस्मिन्निक्ष्वाकुरमितप्रभः । जनयिष्ये कथं पुत्रानिति चिन्तापरो ऽभवत् ।। ७.७९.
When Manu had departed to heaven, Ikshvaku, whose brilliance was undiminished, became absorbed in thought, wondering how he might beget sons.