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.
दास्यते चानवद्याङ्ग तव मा याचितः पिता ।। ७.८०.
And if you request, my faultless father will surely give me to you.
एवं ब्रुवाणामरजां दण्डः कामवशं गतः । प्रत्युवाच मदोन्मत्तः शिरस्याधाय चाञ्जलिम् ।। ७.८०.
As Arajā spoke thus, Daṇḍa, overcome by desire, replied in his intoxication, placing his joined palms upon his head.
प्रसादं कुरु सुश्रोणि न कालं क्षेप्तुमर्हसि । त्वत्कृते हि मम प्राणा विदीर्यन्ते वरानने ।। ७.८०.
Show me your favor, O lovely-hipped one; do not waste time, for on your account, O beautiful-faced one, my very life is breaking apart.
त्वां प्राप्य मे वधो वा स्याच्छापो वा यदि दारुणः । भक्तं भजस्व मां भीरु भजमानं सुविह्वलम् ।। ७.८०.
Having attained you, let there be either my death or a terrible curse; accept me, your devoted suitor, trembling and full of longing.
एवमुक्त्वा तु तां कन्यां दोर्भ्यां गृह्य बलाद्बली । विस्फुरन्तीं यथाकामं मैथुनायोपचक्रमे ।। ७.८०.
Having spoken thus, the powerful Daṇḍa seized the maiden by force with his arms, and though she struggled as she wished, he began to violate her.
एतमर्थं महाघोरं दण्डः कृत्वा सुदारुणम् । नगरं प्रययावाशु मधुमन्तमनुत्तमम् ।। ७.८०.
Having committed this most terrible and cruel act, Daṇḍa swiftly went to the excellent city of Madhumanta.
अरजा ऽपि रुदन्ती सा आश्रमस्याविदूरतः । प्रतीक्षन्ति सुसंत्रस्ता पितरं देवसन्निभम् ।। ७.८०.
Arajā, too, weeping, waited in great fear for her godlike father, not far from the hermitage.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eightieth sarga of the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa in the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the first great poem composed by Vālmīki.
स मुहूर्तादुपश्रुत्य देवर्षिरमितप्रभः । स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः क्षुधार्तः सन्न्यवर्तत ।। ७.८१.
After a short while, the divine sage of immeasurable brilliance, surrounded by his disciples and hungry, returned to his hermitage.
सो ऽपश्यदरजां दीनां रजसा समभिप्लुताम् । ज्योत्स्नामिव ग्रहग्रस्तां प्रत्यूषे न विराजतीम् ।। ७.८१.
He saw Arajā, distressed and covered in dust, not shining in the dawn, like moonlight eclipsed by a planet.
तस्य रोषः समभवत्क्षुधार्तस्य विशेषतः । निर्दहन्निव लोकांस्त्रीञ्छिष्यांश्चैतदुवाच ह ।। ७.८१.
Especially because he was hungry, anger arose in him, as if burning the worlds; he spoke these words to his disciples.
पश्यध्वं विपरीतस्य दण्डस्याविजितात्मनः । विपत्तिं घोरसङ्काशां क्रुद्धामग्निशिखामिव ।। ७.८१.
Behold the calamity, dreadful as a blazing flame, that has come upon Daṇḍa, whose self is unrestrained.
क्षयो ऽस्य दुर्मतेः प्राप्तः सानुगस्य दुरात्मनः । यः प्रदीप्तां हुताशस्य शिखां वै स्प्रष्टुमिच्छति ।। ७.८१.
Destruction has come upon this wicked Daṇḍa and his followers, for he seeks to touch the blazing flame of fire.
यस्मात्स कृतवान्पापमीदृशं घोरसंहितम् । तस्मात्प्राप्स्यति दुर्मेधाः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः ।। ७.८१.
Because he committed such a terrible and dreadful sin, that wicked-minded one will receive the fruit of his evil deed.
सप्तरात्रेण राजासौ सभृत्यबलवाहनः । पापकर्मसमाचारो वधं प्राप्स्यति दुर्मतिः ।। ७.८१.
Within seven nights, that king, along with his servants, army, and vehicles, having engaged in sinful actions, will meet his death, being of evil mind.
समन्ताद्योजनशतं विषयं चास्य दुर्मतेः । धक्ष्यते पांसुवर्षेण महता पाकशासनः ।। ७.८१.
A hundred yojanas around, the territory of that wicked-minded one will be consumed by a great rain of dust, as decreed by the ruler of punishment.
सर्वसत्वानि यानीह स्थावराणि चराणि च । महता पांसुवर्षेण विलयं सर्वतो ऽगमन् ।। ७.८१.
All creatures here, both immobile and mobile, will be destroyed everywhere by the great rain of dust.
दण्डस्य विषयो यावत्तावत्सर्वसमुच्छ्रयम् । पांसुवर्षमिवालक्ष्यं सप्तरात्रं भविष्यति ।। ७.८१.
For as long as the domain of punishment extends, for seven nights, there will be an unseeable rain of dust, covering everything.
इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षस्तदाश्रमनिवासिनम् । जनं जनपदान्तेषु स्थीयतामिति चाब्रवीत् ।। ७.८१.
Having spoken thus, his eyes reddened with anger, he said to the residents of the hermitage, 'Let the people remain at the edge of the settlement.'
श्रुत्वा तूशनसो वाक्यं सो ऽ ऽश्रमावसथो जनः । निष्क्रान्तो विषयात्तस्मात्स्थानं चक्रे ऽथ बाह्यतः ।। ७.८१.
Hearing the words of Ushanas, the people dwelling in the hermitage departed from that territory and established themselves outside.