हन्तारो ब्राह्मणान्ये तु मृषापूर्वमदूषकान् । तांश्चतुर्थेन भागेन संश्रयिष्ये सुरर्षभाः ।। ७.८६.
And with the fourth part, O best of the gods, I shall take refuge among those who slay Brahmins, though previously innocent and untainted.
प्रत्यूचुस्तां ततो देवा यथा वदसि दुर्वसे । तथा भवतु तत्सर्वं साधयस्व यदीप्सितम् ।। ७.८६.
Then the gods replied to her: 'Let it be as you say, O Durvasa. Accomplish all that you desire.'
ततः प्रीत्या ऽन्विता देवाः सहस्राक्षं ववन्दिरे । विज्वरः स च पूतात्मा वासवः समपद्यत ।। ७.८६.
Then, filled with joy, the gods honored the thousand-eyed one; and Indra, his fever gone and his soul purified, was restored.
प्रशान्तं च जगत्सर्वं सहस्राक्षे प्रतिष्ठिते । यज्ञं चाद्भुतसङ्काशं तदा शक्रो ऽभ्यपूजयत् ।। ७.८६.
When the thousand-eyed one was established, the whole world became peaceful; and then Śakra worshipped that wondrous sacrifice.
ईदृशो ह्यश्वमेधस्य प्रसादो रघुनन्दन । यजस्व सुमहाभाग हयमेधेन पार्थिव ।। ७.८६.
Such indeed is the grace of the horse sacrifice, O delight of the Raghus; perform the horse sacrifice, O most fortunate king.
इति लक्ष्मणवाक्यमुत्तमं नृपतिरतीव मनोहरं महात्मा । परितोषमवाप हृष्टचेता निशमय्येन्द्रसमानविक्रमौजाः ।। ७.८६.
Hearing Lakṣmaṇa's excellent and most charming words, the great-souled king, whose valor and strength equaled Indra's, was filled with satisfaction and joy.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षडशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-sixth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
तच्छ्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणेनोक्तं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः । प्रत्युवाच महातेजाः प्रहसन्राघवो वचः ।। ७.८७.
Hearing those words spoken by Lakṣmaṇa, the eloquent and radiant Rāghava replied, smiling.
एवमेव नरश्रेष्ठ यथा वदसि लक्ष्मण । वृत्रघातमशेषेण वाजिमेधफलं च यत् ।। ७.८७.
Just so, best of men, as you say, Lakṣmaṇa; the fruit of the horse sacrifice is indeed equal to the slaying of Vṛtra in every respect.
श्रूयते हि पुरा सौम्य कर्दमस्य प्रजापतेः । पुत्रो बाह्लीश्वरः श्रीमानिलो नाम महाशयाः ।। ७.८७.
It is heard, gentle one, that long ago, the illustrious and noble Anila, lord of Bahlika and son of Kardama Prajapati, was born.
स राजा पृथिवीं सर्वां वशे कृत्वा सुधार्मिकः । राज्यं चैव नरव्याघ्र पुत्रवत्पर्यपालयत् ।। ७.८७.
That righteous king, O tiger among men, brought the whole earth under his control and ruled the kingdom as one would care for a son.
सुरैश्च परमोदारैर्दैतेयैश्च महाधनैः । नागराक्षसगन्धर्वैर्यक्षैश्च सुमहात्मभिः ।। ७.८७.
He was honored always by the most generous gods, by the wealthy Daityas, and by the noble Nagas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, and Yakshas.
पूज्यते नित्यशः सौम्य भयार्तै रघुनन्दन । अबिभ्यंश्च त्रयो लोकाः सरोषस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.८७.
He was constantly worshipped, gentle one, by those who were fearful, O descendant of Raghu; and all three worlds were afraid of that great soul when he was angry.
स राजा तादृशो ह्यासीद्धर्मे वीर्ये च निष्ठितः । बुद्ध्या च परमोदारो बाह्लीकेशो महायशाः ।। ७.८७.
That king of Bahlika was thus established in righteousness and valor, and was exceedingly generous in wisdom, renowned everywhere.
स प्रचक्रे महाबाहुर्मृगयां रुचिरे वने । चैत्रे मनोरमे मासि सभृत्यबलवाहनः ।। ७.८७.
That mighty-armed king set out for the hunt in a beautiful forest during the delightful month of Chaitra, accompanied by his servants, army, and vehicles.
प्रजघ्ने च नृपो ऽरण्ये मृगाञ्छतसहस्रशः । हत्वैव तृप्तिर्नाभूच्च राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः ।। ७.८७.
In the forest, the king slew tens of thousands of animals, but even after killing them, that great-souled king did not find satisfaction.
नानामृगाणामयुतं वध्यमानं महात्मना । यत्र जातो माहासेनस्तं देशमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.८७.
In that place where countless kinds of animals were being slain by the great-souled king, Karttikeya was born and entered that region.
तस्मिन्प्रदेशे देवेश शैलराजसुतां हरः । रमयामास दुर्धर्षः सर्वैरनुचरैः सह ।। ७.८७.
In that region, O lord of gods, the invincible Hara, together with all his attendants, enjoyed himself with the daughter of the mountain king.
कृत्वा स्त्रीरूपमात्मानमुमेशो गोपतिध्वजः । देव्याः प्रियचिकीर्षुः संस्तस्मिन्पर्वतनिर्झरे ।। ७.८७.
There, in that mountain glen, desiring to please the goddess, the lord of Uma, whose banner bears the bull, assumed a female form.
ये तु तत्र वनोद्देशे सत्त्वाः पुरुषवादिनः । वृक्षाः पुरुषनामानस्ते ऽभवन् स्त्रीजनास्तदा ।। ७.८७.
And all the beings in that forest region who spoke like men, and all the trees with men's names, at that time became women.
यच्च किञ्चन तत्सर्वं नारीसञ्ज्ञं बभूव ह । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजा स इलः कर्दमात्मजः । निघ्नन्मृगसहस्राणि तं देशमुपचक्रमे ।। ७.८७.
And whatever else was there, all of it took on the form of women; meanwhile, King Ila, son of Kardama, entered that region, slaying thousands of animals.
स दृष्ट्वा स्त्रीकृतं सर्वं सव्यालमृगपक्षकम् । आत्मनं स्त्रीकृतं चैव सानुगं रघुनन्दन ।। ७.८७.
Seeing that everything, including wild beasts and birds, had become female, and that he himself along with his retinue had also become female, O descendant of Raghu—
तस्य दुःखं महच्चासीद्दृष्ट्वा ऽ ऽत्मानं तथागतम् । उमापतेश्च तत्कर्म ज्ञात्वा त्रासमुपागमत् ।। ७.८७.
Great sorrow came upon him when he saw himself thus transformed; and realizing this was the work of the lord of Uma, he was filled with fear.
ततो देवं महात्मानं शितिकण्ठं कपर्दिनम् । जगाम शरणं राजा सभृत्यबलवाहनः ।। ७.८७.
Then the king, along with his servants, army, and vehicles, sought refuge in the great-souled, matted-haired, blue-throated god.
ततः प्रहस्य वरदः सह देव्या महेश्वरः । प्रजापतिसुतं वाक्यमुवाच वरदः स्वयम् ।। ७.८७.
Then, smiling, the gracious lord Maheshvara, together with the goddess, spoke these words to the son of Prajapati, granting him a boon himself.
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ राजर्षे कार्दमेय महाबल । पुरुषत्वमृते सौम्य वरं वरय सुव्रत ।। ७.८७.
Rise, rise, O royal sage, mighty son of Kardama! Except for manhood, gentle one, choose a boon, O steadfast one.
ततः स राजा दुःखार्तः प्रत्याख्यातो महात्मना । न च जग्राह स्त्रीभूतो वरमन्यं सुरोत्तमात् ।। ७.८७.
Then that king, afflicted by sorrow, was refused by the great soul; and, having become a woman, he did not accept any other boon from the best of gods.
ततः शोकेन महता शैलराजसुतां नृपः । प्रणिपत्य ह्युमां देवीं सर्वेणैवान्तरात्मना ।। ७.८७.
Then, overwhelmed by great sorrow, the king bowed down to the daughter of the mountain, to the goddess Umā, with his whole heart.
ईशे वराणां वरदे लोकानामसि भामिनी । अमोघदर्शने देवी भज सौम्येन चक्षुषा ।। ७.८७.
O radiant one, giver of boons, sovereign of blessings, you are the mistress of the worlds; O goddess of unfailing vision, look upon me with gentle eyes.
हृद्गतं तस्य राजर्षेर्विज्ञाय हरसन्निधौ । प्रत्युवाच शुभं वाक्यं देवी रुद्रस्य संमता ।। ७.८७.
Perceiving in her heart the king-sage’s wish, in the presence of Hara, the goddess, approved by Rudra, spoke auspicious words.