Vishvamitra curses Rambha, the celestial wench, knowing that she arrived at the behest of Indra to cause hindrance to his ascesis. But later feels ashamed to loose his tongue and then he is determined to undertake another round of ascesis to conquer is own senses.
sura kāryam idam raṃbhe kartavyam sumahat tvayā |
lobhanam kauśhikasya iha kāma moha samanvitam || 1-64-1
1. rambhe = oh, Rambha; iha = now; kaushikasya = of Vishvamitra; kaama moha samanvitam = lust, craving, inclusive of - a craving caused by lust; lobhanam = called enchanting; su mahat = very, great [task]; idam sura kaaryam = this, god's, task; tvayaa kartavyam = by you, it is to be undertaken.
" 'Oh, Rambha, now you have to undertake this very great task of gods in enchanting Vishvamitra with a craving caused by lust, for lusting after you.' Thus Indra ordered Rambha..." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-64-1]
tathā uktā sa apsarā rāma sahasrākṣheṇa dhīmatā |
vrīḍitā prāṃjaliḥ vākyam pratyuvācha sura īśhvaram || 1-64-2
2. raama = oh, Rama; dhiimataa = by the intellectual one; sahasra akSeNa = by Thousand-eyed Indra; tathaa uktaa sa apsara = thus, spoken to, she, celestial wench; vriiDitaa praanjaliH = diffidently, with well-adjoined-palms; sura iishvaram vaakyam pratyuvaaca = to gods', chief, sentence, in reply, said.
"Oh, Rama, when that celestial wench is spoken thus by the Thousand-eyed Indra, she diffidently said to that chief of gods while adjoining her palms suppliantly. [1-64-2]
ayam sura pate ghoro viśhvāmitro mahāmuniḥ |
krodham utsrachyate ghoram mayi deva na saṃśhayaḥ || 1-64-3
tato hi me bhayam deva prasādam kartum arhasi |
3, 4a. sura pate = oh, gods', chief; ayam mahaa muniH vishvaamitraH = he, great saint, Vishvamitra is; ghoraH = a dangerous one; deva = oh, god; mayi = on me; ghoram krodham utsracyate = deadly, anger, he releases; samshayaH na = doubt, is not there; tataH me bhayam hi = thereby, for me, fear, indeed; deva = oh, god; prasaadam kartum arhasi = forbearance, to accord, apt of you.
" 'Oh, chief of gods, Indra, that great saint Vishvamitra is a dangerous one and undoubtedly he releases his deadly anger on me. Oh, god, thereby I am fearful of him. Hence, oh, god, it will be apt of you to accord forbearance.' So said Rambha to Indra. [1-64-3, 4a]
evam uktaḥ tayā rāma sa bhayam bhītayā tadā || 1-64-4
tām uvācha sahasrākṣho vepamānām kṛtāṃjalim |
4b, 5a. raama = oh, Rama; bhiitayaa tayaa = by fearful one, by her; tadaa evam uktaH = then, that way, when he is said; sahasraakSaH = Thousand-eyed Indra; sa bhayam vepamaanaam = with, fear, to her who is shuddering; kR^itaanjalim = she who made palm-fold; taam uvaaca = to her, said.
"Oh, Rama, the Thousand-eyed Indra replied Rambha when she spoke to him in that way while shuddering in fear and making palm fold in supplication. [1-64-4b, 5a]
mā bhaiṣhī raṃbhe bhadram te kuruṣhva mama śhāsanam || 1-64-5
kokilo hṛdaya grāhī mādhave ruchira drume |
aham kaṃdarpa sahitaḥ sthāsyāmi tava pārśhvataḥ || 1-64-6
5b, 6. rambhe = oh, Rambha; maa bhaiSii = you need not, be fearful; te bhadram = you, will be safe; mama shaasanam kuruSva = my, command, you carryout; aham = I; rucira drume maadhave = which has pleasing, trees, in springtime; hR^idaya graahii kokilaH = heart, stealer, black-songbird; [bhuutvaa = on becoming]; kandarpa sahitaH = Love-god, along with; tava paarshvataH = at your, side; sthaasyaami = I will stay.
" 'You need not be fearful, Rambha, carry out my command, safe betides you, I on becoming a heart-stealing black-songbird will be at your side along with Love-god in the pleasing trees of springtime. [1-64-5b, 6]
tvam hi rūpam bahu guṇam kṛtvā parama bhāsvaram |
tam ṛṣhim kauśhikam raṃbhe bhedayasva tapasvinam || 1-64-7
7. rambhe = oh, Rambha; tvam bahu guNam = you, multi-, multiplex; parama bhaasvaram = highly, sparkling; ruupam kR^itvaa hi = semblance, on assuming [savoir faire,] indeed; tapasvinam = ascetical one; tam R^iSim kaushikam = him, sage, Kaushika; bhedayasva = disengage [from ascesis.]
" 'Indeed on your assuming a highly sparkling semblance, and multi-multiplexing your savoir faire, with bon viveurs and bon vivants, you disengage that ascetical sage Kaushika from his ascesis.' So said Indra to Rambha. [1-64-7]
sā śhrutvā vachanam tasya kṛtvā rūpam anuttamam |
lobhayāmāsa lalitā viśhvāmitram śhuchi smitā || 1-64-8
8. saa tasya vacanam shrutvaa = she, his [Indra's,] sentence, on hearing; an uttamam ruupam kR^itvaa = un, excelled, physique, on adopting; lalitaa = lovely lady; shuci smitaa = bight, smiles [with giggly grins]; vishvaamitram lobhayaamaasa = Vishvamitra, she started to entice.
"On hearing the sentence of Indra she adopted an unexcelled physique, and on becoming a pulchritudinous damsel she started to entice Vishvamitra with giggly grins. [1-64-8]
kokilasya tu śhuśhrāva valgu vyāharataḥ svanam |
saṃprahṛṣhṭena manasā sa enām anvaikṣhata || 1-64-9
9. saH = he tht Vishvamitra; valgu vyaaharataH = melodiously, saying [trilling]; kokilasya svanam shushraava = songbird's, tune, he heard; [tataH = then]; samprahR^iSTena manasaa = with very, highly, gladdened, heart; [saH = he, Vishvamitra]; enaam anvaikSata = at her [at Rambha,] stared.
"Vishvamitra has heard melodious trilling tune of songbird, and while his heart is highly gladdening about the ambience, he incidentally saw and stared at Rambha. [1-64-9]
atha tasya cha śhabdena gītena apratimena cha |
darśhanena cha raṃbhāyā muniḥ saṃdeham āgataḥ || 1-64-10
10. atha = then; tasya shabdena = , its [songbird's,] by trilling; a pratimena = without, match - exceptional; giitena ca = by tune, also; rambhaayaa darshanena ca = of Rambha, by [usual, run-of-the-mill, unexceptional] tableau, also; muniH sandeham aagataH = sage, wariness, came to [he is on the qui vive.]
"By the exceptional trilling tune of that songbird and by the unexceptional tableau of Rambha the sage is on his qui vive. [1-64-10]
sahasrākṣhasya tat karma vijñāya munipuṃgavaḥ |
raṃbhām krodha samāviṣhṭaḥ śhaśhāpa kuśhika ātmajaḥ || 1-64-11
11. munipungavaH = saint, the best; kushika aatmajaH = Kushika's, son, Vishvamitra; tat sahasraakSasya karma = that, as Thousand-eyed Indra's, deed [escapade]; vij~naaya = on knowing; krodha samaaviSTaH rambhaam shashaapa = in wrath, enwrapped, Rambha, he cursed.
"On knowing that as an escapade of the Thousand-eyed Indra, Vishvamitra is enwrapped in wrath and he cursed Rambha. [1-64-11]
yat mām lobhayase raṃbhe kāma krodha jaya eṣhiṇam |
daśha varṣha sahasrāṇi śhailī sthāsyasi durbhage || 1-64-12
12. dur bhage = you un, lucky female; rambhe = oh, Rambha; kaama krodha jaya eSiNam = wonton, wroth, to win over, wisher; maam = me; yat lobhayase = whereof, you entice; thereof; dasha varSa sahasraaNi = ten, years, thousand; shailii sthaasyasi = rock [like,] you will stay - you become a statued wastrel.
" 'Whereof you tried to entice me who am wishing to win over the wanton and wroth, you unlucky female Rambha, thereof you will become a rocklike statued wastrel. [1-64-12]
brāhmaṇaḥ sumahātejāḥ tapo bala samanvitaḥ |
uddhariṣhyati raṃbhe tvām mat krodha kaluṣhī kṛtām || 1-64-13
13. rambhe = oh, Rambha; su mahaa tejaaH = very, high, resplendent one; tapaH bala sam anvitaH = ascetical, power, having; braahmaNaH = a Brahman; mat krodha kaluSii kR^itaam = by my, anger, blemish, made - one blemished by my anger; tvaam = you; uddhariSyati = he redeems.
" 'A highly resplendent Brahman who is ascetically powerful redeems you, oh, Rambha, who are now blemished by my anger.' Vishvamitra cursed Rambha in this way. [1-64-13]
This ascetically powerful Brahman-saviour of Rambha is none other than the Sage Vashishta, the brainchild of Brahma. Even though Vishvamitra is at loggerheads with Vashishta, he holds Vashishta in high respect.
evam uktvā mahātejā viśhvāmitro mahāmuniḥ |
aśhaknuvan dhārayitum kopam saṃtāpam āgataḥ || 1-64-14
14. mahaatejaaH = great-resplendent one; mahaamuniH vishvaa mitraH = great-saint, Vishvamitra; kopam dhaarayitum a shaknuvan = anger, to contain, not, a capable sage; evam uktvaa = thus, on saying - for uttering a curse angrily; santaapam aagataH = compunction, came [to him, he became compunctious.]
"Thus the great-resplendent Vishvamitra became compunctious when that great-saint could not contain his anger in uttering an angry curse. [1-64-14]
Angering for trivial reasons, or on trivially inferiors ones is a demeritorious triviality in loosing ascetic power. Irrestrainable temperament will not only ruin the ascetic powers but also breeds a prolonged compunction. Manu defines jita indriya as one who shrutvaa spR^iShTvaa ca dR^iShTvaa ca bhaktvaa ghraatvaa ca yau naraH | na hR^iShyati glaayati vaa sa vij~neyo jitendriyaH || - manu'he who on hearing, touching, seeing, eating, smelling, but neither gladdens nor saddens, is a self-senses-conquered one...' The same is said in Bhagavad Gita, and the whole of karma yoga deals with the same subject, and it is said there: tasmaat tvam indriyaaNi aadau niyamya bharatarShabha paapmaanam prajahi hi enam j~naana vij~naana naashanam || giita 3-41
He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt, / Disparting self from service, soul from works, / Enlightened and emancipate, my Prince! / Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain / With sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata! - Sir Edwin Arnold.
tasya śhāpena mahatā rambhā śhailī tadā abhavat |
vachaḥ śhrutvā cha kandarpo maharṣheḥ sa cha nirgataḥ || 1-64-15
15. tadaa = then; tasya mahataa shaapena = by his, great, curse; rambhaa shailii abhavat = Rambha, rocklike statue, became; maharSeH vacaH shrutvaa = of great-saint, words, on hearing; kandarpaH = Love-god; saH ca = he [Indra,] also; nir gataH = out, gone [took flight.]
"Then Rambha has become a rocklike statue by that great curse of Vishvamitra, and having heard the words of that great-saint Love-god and Indra also took flight. [1-64-15]
kopena sa mahātejāḥ tapo apaharaṇe kṛte |
indriyair ajitai rāma na lebhe śhāntim ātmanaḥ || 1-64-16
16. raama = oh, Rama; mahaatejaaH saH = great-resplendent one, he; kopena = by angering; tapaH apaharaNe kR^ite = ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to]; a jitai indriyaiH = not, governable, with senses; aatmanaH shaantim na lebhe = for himself, peace, not, attained.
"Owing to his angering that great-resplendent Vishvamitra is now divested of his ascetical merit, and he has no peace of mind owing to ungovernable senses. [1-64-16]
babhūva asya manaḥ chiṃtā tapo apaharaṇe kṛte |
na eva krodham gamiṣhyāmi na cha vakṣhye kathaṃchana || 1-64-17
17. tapaH apaharaNe kR^ite = ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to]; asya manaH cintaa babhuuva = his, conscience, sentimental, became; krodham na eva gamiSyaami = wrath, not, thus, I go into [a fit of raze]; kathamcana = in anyway; na ca vakshye = not, also, talk - put into words.
"His conscience became sentimental owing to the divesture of his ascetical merit, and he soliloquised, 'I shall not succumb to wrath in anyway, nor I put my presentiment into words.' [1-64-17]
athavā na uchchhāsiṣhyāmi saṃvatsra śhatāni api |
aham hi śhoṣhayiṣhyāmi ātmānam vijitendriyaḥ || 1-64-18
18. athavaa = otherwise; samvatsra shataani api = years, hundred, even for; na ucChaasiSyaami = not, I respire; aham = I; vi jita indriyaH = verily, conquered, senses - until I become conqueror my own senses; aatmaanam shoSayiSyaami hi = myself, I emaciate, indeed.
" 'Otherwise, I do not even respire for a hundred years for the respiratory gestures will also exhibit moods, and I indeed emaciate myself until I become a real conqueror of my own senses. [1-64-18]
tāvat yāvat hi me prāptam brāhmaṇyam tapasā ārjitam |
anuchchhvasan abhuṃjāḥ tiṣhṭheyam śhāśhvatī samāḥ || 1-64-19
na hi me tapyamānasya kṣhayam yāsyanti mūrtayaḥ |
19. me = to me; tapasaa = by [merit of] ascesis; aarjitam braahmaNyam hi = acquired, Brahman-hood, indeed; yaavat = till such time; praaptam = bechances; taavat = until then; an ucChvasan = without, respiring [breathless]; a bhu.njaaH = without, food [foodless]; shaashvatii samaaH = for endless, years; tiSTheyam = bide my time; tapyamaanasya = one who is in ascesis; me = to me; muurtayaH = my, bodily organs; kshayam = deterioration; na yaasyanti hi = not, undergo, indeed.
" 'Till such time as I acquire Brahman-hood with the merit of my own ascesis I will be breathless and foodless, even if it is going to take endless years, and while I am in ascesis my bodily organs indeed will not undergo any deterioration.' So said Vishvamitra to himself. [1-64-19]
evam vearṣha śhasrasya dīkṣhām sa munipuṃgavaḥ |
chakāra pratimām loke pratijñām raghunṃdana || 1-64-20
20. raghunndana = oh, Raghu's, legatee, Rama; saH munipungavaH = he, the sage, eminent; evam = in this way; loke a pratimaam = in world, not, parallel [nonpareil]; vearSa shasrasya diikshaam = years, thousands, commitment; pratij~naam cakaara = vow, undertook.
"Thus that eminent sage abided by the commitment to the vow for a thousand years, oh, Rama, the legatee of Ragu, which is a nonpareil vow in the world." Thus Shataananda continued. [1-64-20]
..
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe chatuḥ ṣhaṣhṭitamaḥ sargaḥ
© Mar, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]