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.
अर्धस्य देवो वरदो वरार्धस्य तव ह्यहम् । तस्मादर्धं गृहाण त्वं स्त्रीपुंसोर्यावदिच्छसि ।। ७.८७.
The god is the bestower of boons for half, and I am for the other half of you; therefore, take whichever half you desire, whether male or female.
तदद्भुततरं श्रुत्वा देव्या वरमनुत्तमम् । सम्प्रहृष्टमना भूत्वा राजा वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। ७.८७.
Hearing that wondrous and supreme boon from the goddess, the king, his mind filled with joy, then spoke these words.
यदि देवि प्रसन्ना मे रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि । मासं स्त्रीत्वमुपासित्वा मासं स्यां पुरुषः पुनः ।। ७.८७.
If you are pleased with me, O goddess, unrivaled in beauty on earth, let me be a woman for one month, and then a man again for one month.
ईप्सितं तस्य विज्ञाय देवी सुरुचिरानना । प्रत्युवाच शुभं वाक्यमेवमेव भविष्यति ।। ७.८७.
Knowing his desire, the goddess with a lovely face replied with auspicious words: 'So it shall be.'
राजन्पुरुषभूतस्त्वं स्त्रीभावं न स्मरिष्यसि । स्त्रीभूतश्च परं मासं न स्मरिष्यसि पौरुषम् ।। ७.८७.
O king, when you become a man, you will not remember your womanhood; and when you become a woman for that month, you will not remember your manhood.
एवं स राजा पुरुषो मासं भूत्वाथ कार्दमिः । त्रैलोक्यसुन्दरी नारी मासमेकमिला ऽभवत् ।। ७.८७.
Thus, the king became a man for one month, and then, O descendant of Kardama, for one month he became a woman, the most beautiful in the three worlds.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्ताशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-seventh sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
तां कथामिलसम्बद्धां रामेण समुदीरिताम् । लक्ष्मणो भरतश्चैव श्रुत्वा परमविस्मितौ ।। ७.८८.
Hearing that story of Ilā, narrated by Rāma, both Lakṣmaṇa and Bharata were utterly amazed.
तौ रामं प्राञ्जली भूत्वा तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः । विस्तरं तस्य भावस्य तदा पप्रच्छतुः पुनः ।। ७.८८.
With joined palms, those two approached Rāma, the great-souled king, and again asked him to tell the full account of that matter.
कथं स राजा स्त्रीभूतो वर्तयामास दुर्गतिः । पुरुषः स यदा भूतः कां वृत्तिं वर्तयत्यसौ ।। ७.८८.
How did that king, having become a woman, endure hardship? And when he became a man, what manner of life did he lead?