प्रहृष्टवदनो राजा ततोऽर्घ्यमुपहारयत् । स राज्ञः प्रतिगृह्यार्घ्यं शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥१-१८-
The king, his face beaming with delight, then offered him water for welcoming. The sage accepted the arghya from the king, according to scriptural rite.
कुशलं चाव्ययं चैव पर्यपृच्छन्नराधिपम् । पुरे कोशे जनपदे बान्धवेषु सुहृत्सु च ॥१-१८-
He inquired of the king about his welfare and unchanging prosperity: in the city, the treasury, the country, among relatives and friends.
कुशलं कौशिको राज्ञः पर्यपृच्छत् सुधार्मिकः । अपि ते संनताः सर्वे सामन्तरिपवो जिताः ॥१-१८-
The virtuous Kauśika also asked the king if all his vassals and neighboring enemies had been subdued.
दैवं च मानुषं चैव कर्म ते साध्वनुष्ठितम् । वसिष्ठं च समागम्य कुशलं मुनिपुङ्गवः ॥१-१८-
He asked whether both divine and human duties had been properly performed. Meeting with Vasiṣṭha, the foremost sage, he inquired of his well-being too.
ऋषींश्च तान् यथान्यायं महाभाग उवाच ह । ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसस्तस्य राज्ञो निवेशनम् ॥१-१८-
The illustrious sage also greeted the other seers there, as was proper. All of them, their hearts gladdened, entered the king’s residence.
विविशुः पूजितास्तेन निषेदुश्च यथार्हतः । अथ हृष्टमना राजा विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् ॥१-१८-
Honored by the king, they took their seats as was fitting. Then the king, his mind delighted, addressed the great sage Viśvāmitra.
उवाच परमोदारो हृष्टस्तमभिपूजयन् । यथामृतस्य सम्प्राप्तिर्यथा वर्षमनूदके ॥१-१८-
The supremely generous king, rejoicing and honoring him, spoke: ‘Your arrival is like receiving nectar, like rain in a drought—
यथा सदृशदारेषु पुत्रजन्माप्रजस्य वै । प्रणष्टस्य यथा लाभो यथा हर्षो महोदयः ॥१-१८-
Like the birth of a son to one without children, like regaining what was lost, like the joy of a great fortune—
तथैवागमनं मन्ये स्वागतं ते महामुने । कं च ते परमं कामं करोमि किमु हर्षितः ॥१-१८-
So too, O great sage, I consider your coming as such. Welcome to you! What is your highest wish? What shall I do, so gladdened by your presence?
पात्रभूतोऽसि मे विप्र दिष्ट्या प्राप्तोऽसि मानद । अद्य मे सफलं जन्म जीवितं च सुजीवितम् ॥१-१८-
You are worthy of my reverence, O Brāhmaṇa. By good fortune you have come, O bestower of honor. Today my birth is fulfilled, and my life well-lived.
यस्माद् विप्रेन्द्रमद्राक्षं सुप्रभाता निशा मम । पूर्वं राजर्षिशब्देन तपसा द्योतितप्रभः ॥१-१८-
Because I have seen the lord of Brāhmaṇas, my night has become truly auspicious. Once called a royal sage, your brilliance was kindled by austerity.
ब्रह्मर्षित्वमनुप्राप्तः पूज्योऽसि बहुधा मया । तदद्भुतमभूद् विप्र पवित्रं परमं मम ॥१-१८-
Now you have attained the status of a Brahmarṣi, and are worthy of my manifold worship. This is a wondrous and supremely pure event for me, O Brāhmaṇa.
शुभक्षेत्रगतश्चाहं तव संदर्शनात् प्रभो । ब्रूहि यत् प्रार्थितं तुभ्यं कार्यमागमनं प्रति ॥१-१८-
By your presence, O lord, I have come into a field of merit. Tell me what purpose you seek, for which you have come.
इच्छाम्यनुगृहीतोऽहं त्वदर्थं परिवृद्धये । कार्यस्य न विमर्शं च गन्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत ॥१-१८-
I wish to be favored by you, and to contribute to your purpose. You, steadfast in vows, ought not hesitate to state your request.
कर्ता चाहमशेषेण दैवतं हि भवान् मम । मम च अयमनुप्राप्तो महानभ्युदयो द्विज । तवागमनजः कृत्स्नो धर्मश्चानुत्तमो द्विज ॥१-१८-
I am indeed the agent in all things, yet you are my divine protector. This great fortune has come to me, O Brahmin, and all this supreme righteousness arises from your arrival.
इति हृदयसुखं निशम्य वाक्यं :::श्रुतिसुखमात्मवता विनीतमुक्तम् । प्रथितगुणयशा गुणैर्विशिष्टः :::परमऋषिः परमं जगाम हर्षम् ॥१-१८-
Hearing these words, pleasing to the heart and spoken with humility by the self-controlled sage, whose virtues and fame are renowned, the eminent seer was filled with supreme joy.
thumb|एकोनविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकोनविंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Let the nineteenth section be heard. This is the nineteenth section in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Bāla Kāṇḍa.
तच्छ्रुत्वा राजसिंहस्य वाक्यमद्भुतविस्तरम् । हृष्टरोमा महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत ॥१-१९-
Hearing the wondrous and detailed words of the lion among kings, the radiant and mighty Viśvāmitra spoke, his hair standing on end.
सदृशं राजशार्दूल तवैवं भुवि नान्यतः । महावंशप्रसूतस्य वसिष्ठव्यपदेशिनः ॥१-१९-
Such conduct is fitting for you alone, O tiger among kings, and for none other on earth, born of a great lineage and bearing the name of Vasiṣṭha.
यत्तु मे हृद्गतं वाक्यं तस्य कार्यस्य निश्चयम् । कुरुष्व राजशार्दूल भव सत्यप्रतिश्रवः ॥१-१९-
What I hold in my heart, the resolve for this task, you must accomplish, O tiger among kings; be true to your promise.
अहं नियममातिष्ठे सिद्ध्यर्थं पुरुषर्षभ । तस्य विघ्नकरौ द्वौ तु राक्षसौ कामरूपिणौ ॥१-१९-
I observe a vow for the sake of its fulfillment, O best of men; yet two demons, able to assume any form at will, obstruct it.
व्रते तु बहुशश्चीर्णे समाप्त्यां राक्षसाविमौ । मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवन्तौ सुशिक्षितौ ॥१-१९-
When the vow has been performed many times and is near completion, these two powerful and well-trained demons, Mārīca and Subāhu, appear.
तौ मांसरुधिरौघेण वेदिं तामभ्यवर्षताम् । अवधूते तथाभूते तस्मिन् नियमनिश्चये ॥१-१९-
Those two shower the altar with streams of flesh and blood, and when the vow is thus defiled, its completion is hindered.
कृतश्रमो निरुत्साहस्तस्माद् देशादपाक्रमे । न च मे क्रोधमुत्स्रष्टुं बुद्धिर्भवति पार्थिव ॥१-१९-
Exhausted and discouraged, I withdraw from that place; yet, O king, I do not have the mind to give way to anger.
तथाभूता हि सा चर्या न शापस्तत्र मुच्यते । स्वपुत्रं राजशार्दूल रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥१-१९-
Such is the situation: the practice is thus, and the curse is not lifted there. O tiger among kings, you must give me your son Rāma, whose valor is true.
काकपक्षधरं शूरं ज्येष्ठं मे दातुमर्हसि । शक्तो ह्येष मया गुप्तो दिव्येन स्वेन तेजसा ॥१-१९-
You should give me your eldest son, Rāma, the heroic youth with hair like a crow's wing. Protected by my own divine power, he is capable.
राक्षसा ये विकर्तारस्तेषामपि विनाशने । श्रेयश्चास्मै प्रदास्यामि बहुरूपं न संशयः ॥१-१९-
He will destroy those demons who are the spoilers, and I will bestow upon him manifold blessings—there is no doubt.
त्रयाणामपि लोकानां येन ख्यातिं गमिष्यति । न च तौ राममासाद्य शक्तौ स्थातुं कथञ्चन ॥१-१९-
By him, fame will be attained in all three worlds, and those two cannot stand against Rāma in any way.
न च तौ राघवादन्यो हन्तुमुत्सहते पुमान् । वीर्योत्सिक्तौ हि तौ पापौ कालपाशवशं गतौ ॥१-१९-
No one other than Rāma, son of Raghu, is able to slay those two, who are arrogant in their strength and bound by the noose of time.
रामस्य राजशार्दूल न पर्याप्तौ महात्मनः । न च पुत्रगतं स्नेहं कर्तुमर्हसि पार्थिव ॥१-१९-
Those two are not equal to the great-souled Rāma, O tiger among kings; nor should you let affection for your son sway you, O ruler.