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.
सुर कार्यम् इदम् रंभे कर्तव्यम् सुमहत् त्वया |
लोभनम् कौशिकस्य इह काम मोह समन्वितम् || १-६४-१
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]
तथा उक्ता स अप्सरा राम सहस्राक्षेण धीमता |
व्रीडिता प्रांजलिः वाक्यम् प्रत्युवाच सुर ईश्वरम् || १-६४-२
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]
अयम् सुर पते घोरो विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः |
क्रोधम् उत्स्रच्यते घोरम् मयि देव न संशयः || १-६४-३
ततो हि मे भयम् देव प्रसादम् कर्तुम् अर्हसि |
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]
एवम् उक्तः तया राम स भयम् भीतया तदा || १-६४-४
ताम् उवाच सहस्राक्षो वेपमानाम् कृतांजलिम् |
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]
मा भैषी रंभे भद्रम् ते कुरुष्व मम शासनम् || १-६४-५
कोकिलो हृदय ग्राही माधवे रुचिर द्रुमे |
अहम्
कंदर्प सहितः स्थास्यामि तव पार्श्वतः || १-६४-६
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]
त्वम् हि रूपम् बहु गुणम् कृत्वा परम भास्वरम् |
तम् ऋषिम् कौशिकम् रंभे भेदयस्व तपस्विनम् || १-६४-७
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]
सा श्रुत्वा वचनम् तस्य कृत्वा रूपम् अनुत्तमम् |
लोभयामास ललिता विश्वामित्रम् शुचि स्मिता || १-६४-८
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]
कोकिलस्य तु शुश्राव वल्गु व्याहरतः स्वनम् |
संप्रहृष्टेन मनसा स एनाम् अन्वैक्षत || १-६४-९
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]
अथ तस्य च शब्देन गीतेन अप्रतिमेन च |
दर्शनेन च रंभाया मुनिः संदेहम् आगतः || १-६४-१०
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]
सहस्राक्षस्य तत् कर्म विज्ञाय मुनिपुंगवः |
रंभाम् क्रोध समाविष्टः शशाप कुशिक आत्मजः || १-६४-११
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]
यत् माम् लोभयसे रंभे काम क्रोध जय एषिणम् |
दश वर्ष सहस्राणि शैली स्थास्यसि दुर्भगे || १-६४-१२
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]
ब्राह्मणः सुमहातेजाः तपो बल समन्वितः |
उद्धरिष्यति रंभे त्वाम् मत् क्रोध कलुषी कृताम् || १-६४-१३
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.
एवम् उक्त्वा महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः |
अशक्नुवन् धारयितुम् कोपम् संतापम् आगतः || १-६४-१४
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.
तस्य शापेन महता रम्भा शैली तदा अभवत् |
वचः श्रुत्वा च कन्दर्पो महर्षेः स च निर्गतः || १-६४-१५
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]
कोपेन स महातेजाः तपो अपहरणे कृते |
इन्द्रियैर् अजितै राम न लेभे शान्तिम् आत्मनः || १-६४-१६
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]
बभूव अस्य मनः चिंता तपो अपहरणे कृते |
न एव क्रोधम् गमिष्यामि न च वक्ष्ये कथंचन || १-६४-१७
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]
अथवा न उच्छासिष्यामि संवत्स्र शतानि अपि |
अहम् हि शोषयिष्यामि आत्मानम् विजितेन्द्रियः || १-६४-१८
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]
तावत् यावत् हि मे प्राप्तम् ब्राह्मण्यम् तपसा आर्जितम् |
अनुच्छ्वसन् अभुंजाः तिष्ठेयम् शाश्वती समाः
|| १-६४-१९
न हि मे तप्यमानस्य क्षयम् यास्यन्ति मूर्तयः |
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]
एवम् वेअर्ष शस्रस्य दीक्षाम् स मुनिपुंगवः |
चकार प्रतिमाम् लोके प्रतिज्ञाम् रघुन्ंदन || १-६४-२०
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]
...
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे चतुः षष्टितमः सर्गः
© Mar, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]