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.
कर्मभिर्बहुरूपैश्च तैस्तैर्मनुसुतस्सुतान् । जनयामास धर्मात्मा शतं देवसुतोपमान् ।। ७.७९.
That righteous-souled Manu, by various acts and in many forms, begot a hundred sons, all comparable to the sons of the gods.
तेषामवरजस्तात सर्वेषां रघुनन्दन । मूढश्चाकृतविद्यश्च न शुश्रूषति पूर्वजान् ।। ७.७९.
O delight of the Raghus, the youngest among them was foolish, unlearned, and did not obey his elders.
नाम तस्य च दण्डेति पिता चक्रे ऽल्पमेधसः । अवश्यं दण्डपतनं शरीरे ऽस्य भविष्यति ।। ७.७९.
His father gave him the name Daṇḍa, for he was of little intelligence; surely, punishment would befall his body.
अपश्यमानस्तं देशं घोरं पुत्रस्य राघव । विन्ध्यशैवलयोर्मध्ये राज्यं प्रादादरिन्दम ।। ७.७९.
Not seeing a suitable land for his son, O Raghava, he granted him a kingdom between the Vindhya and Shaivala mountains, O destroyer of foes.
स दण्डस्तत्र राजाभूद्रम्ये पर्वतरोधसि । पुरं चाप्रतिमं राम न्यवेशयदनुत्तमम् ।। ७.७९.
There, Daṇḍa became king on the beautiful mountain slope, and founded an incomparable and excellent city, O Rama.
पुरस्य चाकरोन्नाम मधुमन्तमिति प्रभो । पुरोहितं तूशनसं वरयामास सुव्रतम् ।। ७.७९.
He named the city Madhumanta, O lord, and chose Ushanas, steadfast in vows, as his chief priest.
एवं स राजा तद्राज्यमकरोत्सपुरोहितः । प्रहृष्टमनुजाकीर्णं देवराजं यथा वृषा ।। ७.७९.
Thus, with his priest, the king ruled that kingdom, filled with joyful people, like Indra with his bull among the gods.
ततः स राजा मनुजेन्द्रपुत्रः सार्धं च तेनोशनसा तदानीम् । चकार राज्यं सुमहान्महात्मा शक्रो दिवीवोशनसा समेतः ।। ७.७९.
Then that king, the son of the lord of men, together with Ushanas, ruled the great kingdom, a mighty soul, like Shakra in heaven united with Ushanas.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-ninth sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and illustrious Ramayana composed by the sage Valmiki.
एतदाख्याय रामाय महर्षिः कुम्भसम्भवः । अस्यामेवापरं वाक्यं कथायामुपचक्रमे ।। ७.८०.
Having related this, the great sage born from a pot began another narration in this very story to Rama.
ततः स दण्डः काकुत्स्थ बहुवर्षगणायुतम् । अकरोत्तत्र दान्तात्मा राज्यं निहतकण्टकम् ।। ७.८०.
Then Daṇḍa, O descendant of Kakutstha, ruled there for tens of thousands of years, self-controlled, having removed all thorns from his kingdom.
अथ काले तु कस्मिंश्चिद्राजा भार्गवमाश्रमम् । रमणीयमुपाक्रामच्चैत्रे मासि मनोरमे ।। ७.८०.
Once, at a certain time, the king approached the hermitage of Bhrigu's line, delightful in the charming month of Chaitra.
तत्र भार्गवकन्यां स रूपेणाप्रतिमां भुवि । विचरन्तीं वनोद्देशे दण्डो ऽपश्यदनुत्तमाम् ।। ७.८०.
There, Daṇḍa saw Bhrigu's daughter, unrivaled in beauty on earth, wandering in the forest region, supreme among women.
स दृष्ट्वा तां सुदुर्मेधा अनङ्गशरपीडितः । अभिगम्य सुसंविग्नां कन्यां वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ७.८०.
Seeing her, that man of poor judgment, pierced by the arrows of love, approached the anxious maiden and spoke these words.
कुतस्त्वमसि सुश्रोणि कस्य वा ऽसि सुता शुभे । पीडितो ऽहमनङ्गेन गच्छामि त्वां शुभानने ।। ७.८०.
From where have you come, O lovely-hipped one? Whose daughter are you, O auspicious lady? I am tormented by love and I approach you, O beautiful-faced one.
तस्य त्वेवं ब्रुवाणस्य मोहोन्मत्तस्य कामिनः । भार्गवी प्रत्युवाचेदं वचः सानुनयं नृपम् ।। ७.८०.
As he spoke thus, intoxicated by delusion and desire, Bhārgavī replied to the king with gentle words.
भार्गवस्य सुतां विद्धि देवस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । अरजां नाम राजेन्द्र ज्येष्ठामाश्रमवासिनीम् ।। ७.८०.
Know me, O king, as Arajā, the eldest daughter of Bhārgava, the god of unblemished deeds, dwelling in the hermitage.
मा मां स्पृश बलाद्राजन्कन्या पितृवशा ह्यहम् । गुरुः पिता मे राजेन्द्र त्वं च शिष्यो महात्मनः । व्यसनं सुमहत्क्रुद्धः स ते दद्यान्महातपाः ।। ७.८०.
Do not touch me by force, O king, for I am a maiden under my father's authority; my father is my teacher, O king, and you are his disciple; if angered, that great ascetic could bring you terrible ruin.
यदि वान्यन्मया कार्यं धर्मदृष्टेन सत्पथा । वरयस्व नरश्रेष्ठ पितरं मे महाद्युतिम् ।। ७.८०.
If you desire anything from me in accordance with righteousness and the path of virtue, O best of men, then ask my illustrious father.
अन्यथा तु फलं तुभ्यं भवेद्घोराभिसंहितम् । क्रोधेन हि पिता मे ऽसौ त्रैलोक्यमपि निर्दहेत् ।। ७.८०.
Otherwise, a dreadful consequence awaits you; for in his wrath, my father could burn up even the three worlds.