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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 58: Story of Viśvāmitra: Triśaṅku’s sacrifice and the priests’ refusal

Summary. Viśvāmitra promises Triśaṅku bodily ascent and summons priests, then curses Vasiṣṭha’s sons & Mahodaya for rejecting the sacrifice

Sequence

  1. Viśvāmitra promises protection and says Triśaṅku will ascend in his present body despite the curse (1.58.1–5)
  2. he orders his sons to collect sacrificial supplies and sends disciples to invite the ṛṣis, requiring them to report every response, including insults (1.58.6–9)
  3. maharṣis gather from many regions (1.58.10–12)
  4. the disciples report that Vasiṣṭha's sons and Mahodaya refuse: they scorn a sacrifice officiated by a kṣatriya for a caṇḍāla and question whether Suras and ṛṣis could accept its havis (1.58.13–16)
  5. enraged, Viśvāmitra curses Vasiṣṭha's sons to destruction and seven hundred births as deformed, pitiless corpse-eaters called Muṣṭikas, living on dogs' flesh (1.58.17–20)
  6. he curses Mahodaya to a long, miserable existence as a Niṣāda hunter → having pronounced the curses, he falls silent. (1.58.21–23)

Verses 1.58.1–23

1.58.1

uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ kṛpayā kuśikātmajaḥ
abravīn madhuraṃ vākyaṃ sākṣāc caṇḍālarūpiṇam

To the king who had thus spoken—there before him in the form of a caṇḍāla—the son of Kuśika, out of pity, spoke sweet words:

Words: uktavākyaṃ — who had spoken his words; tu — and; rājānaṃ — to the king; kṛpayā — out of pity; kuśikātmajaḥ — the son of Kuśika; abravīn — spoke; madhuraṃ vākyaṃ — sweet words; sākṣāc — manifestly, there before (him); caṇḍālarūpiṇam — in the form of a caṇḍāla

1.58.2

ikṣvāko svāgataṃ vatsa jānāmi tvāṃ sudhārmikam
śaraṇaṃ te bhaviṣyāmi mā bhaiṣīr nṛpapuṃgava

'Welcome, O descendant of Ikṣvāku, my child; I know you to be most righteous. I shall be your refuge; do not fear, O bull among kings.'

Words: ikṣvāko — O descendant of Ikṣvāku; svāgataṃ — welcome; vatsa — my child, dear one; jānāmi — I know; tvāṃ — you; sudhārmikam — most righteous; śaraṇaṃ — refuge; te — your, for you; bhaviṣyāmi — I shall be; mā bhaiṣīr — do not fear; nṛpapuṃgava — O bull among kings

1.58.3

aham āmantraye sarvān maharṣīn puṇyakarmaṇaḥ
yajñasāhyakarān rājaṃs tato yakṣyasi nirvṛtaḥ

'I shall invite all the great seers of holy deeds, who will lend aid at the sacrifice, O king; then you shall sacrifice, content.'

Words: aham — I; āmantraye — I invite, summon; sarvān — all; maharṣīn — the great seers; puṇyakarmaṇaḥ — of holy deeds; yajñasāhyakarān — who lend aid at the sacrifice; rājaṃs — O king; tato — then; yakṣyasi — you shall sacrifice; nirvṛtaḥ — content, at ease

1.58.4

guruśāpakṛtaṃ rūpaṃ yad idaṃ tvayi vartate
anena saha rūpeṇa saśarīro gamiṣyasi

'This form, produced by the teacher's curse, which abides in you—with this very form and in your own body you shall go (to heaven).'

Words: guruśāpakṛtaṃ — produced by the teacher's curse; rūpaṃ — form; yad — which; idaṃ — this; tvayi — in you; vartate — abides, exists; anena saha rūpeṇa — with this form; saśarīro — with (your own) body; gamiṣyasi — you shall go

1.58.5

hastaprāptam ahaṃ manye svargaṃ tava nareśvara
yas tvaṃ kauśikam āgamya śaraṇyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ

'I regard heaven as already in your hand, O lord of men, since you have come to Kauśika and taken refuge in one worthy of giving refuge.'

Words: hastaprāptam — come to hand, within grasp; ahaṃ — I; manye — regard, think; svargaṃ — heaven; tava — your; nareśvara — O lord of men; yas — who; tvaṃ — you; kauśikam — Kauśika (Viśvāmitra); āgamya — having come to; śaraṇyaṃ — one worthy of giving refuge; śaraṇaṃ — to refuge; gataḥ — gone

1.58.6

evam uktvā mahātejāḥ putrān paramadhārmikān
vyādideśa mahāprājñān yajñasaṃbhārakāraṇāt

Having spoken thus, the one of great splendour instructed his supremely righteous, greatly wise sons regarding the gathering of the sacrificial materials.

Words: evam uktvā — having spoken thus; mahātejāḥ — the one of great splendour; putrān — the sons; paramadhārmikān — supremely righteous; vyādideśa — instructed, directed; mahāprājñān — greatly wise; yajñasaṃbhārakāraṇāt — for the gathering of the sacrificial materials

1.58.7

sarvāñ śiṣyān samāhūya vākyam etad uvāca ha

Summoning all his pupils, he spoke these words:

Words: sarvāñ — all; śiṣyān — the pupils; samāhūya — having summoned; vākyam etad — these words; uvāca — said; ha — indeed

1.58.8

sarvān ṛṣivarān vatsā ānayadhvaṃ mamājñayā
saśiṣyān suhṛdaś caiva sartvijaḥ subahuśrutān

'My children, at my command bring here all the best of seers, together with their pupils and friends, with their officiating priests, deeply learned.'

Words: sarvān — all; ṛṣivarān — the best of seers; vatsā — O children; ānayadhvaṃ — bring (here); mamājñayā — by my command; saśiṣyān — together with their pupils; suhṛdaś caiva — and their friends; sartvijaḥ — with their officiating priests; subahuśrutān — deeply learned, very erudite

1.58.9

yad anyo vacanaṃ brūyān madvākyabalacoditaḥ
tat sarvam akhilenoktaṃ mamākhyeyam anādṛtam

'And whatever word another might speak, prompted by the force of my message, all of it—spoken in full, disrespectful though it be—must be reported to me.'

Words: yad — whatever; anyo — another; vacanaṃ — word; brūyān — might speak; madvākyabalacoditaḥ — prompted by the force of my message; tat sarvam — all that; akhilenoktaṃ — spoken in full; mamākhyeyam — is to be reported to me; anādṛtam — (even) the disrespectful (word)

1.58.10

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā diśo jagmus tadājñayā
ājagmur atha deśebhyaḥ sarvebhyo brahmavādinaḥ

Hearing that word of his, they went off to the (various) quarters at his command; and then from all regions came the expounders of the Veda.

Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — that word; śrutvā — having heard; diśo — to the directions; jagmus — went; tadājñayā — by his command; ājagmur — came; atha — then; deśebhyaḥ — from the regions; sarvebhyo — from all; brahmavādinaḥ — the expounders of the Veda

1.58.11

te ca śiṣyāḥ samāgamya muniṃ jvalitatejasaṃ
ūcuś ca vacanaṃ sarve sarveṣāṃ brahmavādinām

And those pupils, having returned to the sage of blazing splendour, all reported the word of all the expounders of the Veda:

Words: te ca — and those; śiṣyāḥ — the pupils; samāgamya — having come (back) to; muniṃ — the sage; jvalitatejasaṃ — of blazing splendour; ūcuś ca — and reported; vacanaṃ — the word; sarve — all; sarveṣāṃ — of all; brahmavādinām — of the expounders of the Veda

1.58.12

śrutvā te vacanaṃ sarve samāyānti dvijātayaḥ
sarvadeśeṣu cāgacchan varjayitvā mahodayam

'Having heard your word, all the twice-born are assembling; from all regions they came—save Mahodaya.'

Words: śrutvā — having heard; te — your; vacanaṃ — word; sarve — all; samāyānti — are coming together, assembling; dvijātayaḥ — the twice-born; sarvadeśeṣu — in all regions; cāgacchan — and came; varjayitvā — having excepted, leaving out; mahodayam — Mahodaya (a person)

1.58.13

vāsiṣṭhaṃ tac chataṃ sarvaṃ krodhaparyākulākṣaram
yad āha vacanaṃ sarvaṃ śṛṇu tvaṃ munipuṃgava

'And hear, O bull among sages, the whole word that Vasiṣṭha's entire hundred (of sons) spoke—its syllables all confused with anger:'

Words: vāsiṣṭhaṃ — the Vāsiṣṭha (sons of Vasiṣṭha); tac chataṃ — that hundred; sarvaṃ — whole, entire; krodhaparyākulākṣaram — its syllables confused with anger; yad — which; āha — spoke; vacanaṃ — the word; sarvaṃ — all; śṛṇu — hear; tvaṃ — you; munipuṃgava — O bull among sages

1.58.14

kṣatriyo yājako yasya caṇḍālasya viśeṣataḥ
kathaṃ sadasi bhoktāro havis tasya surarṣayaḥ

'The officiant is a kṣatriya, and the sacrificer especially a caṇḍāla; how, in the assembly, would the gods and seers be eaters of his oblation?'

Words: kṣatriyo — a kṣatriya; yājako — the officiating priest; yasya — whose, for whom; caṇḍālasya — of a caṇḍāla; viśeṣataḥ — especially; kathaṃ — how; sadasi — in the assembly; bhoktāro — eaters; havis — the oblation; tasya — his; surarṣayaḥ — the gods and seers

1.58.15

brāhmaṇā vā mahātmāno bhuktvā caṇḍālabhojanam
kathaṃ svargaṃ gamiṣyanti viśvāmitreṇa pālitāḥ

'Or how would the great-souled brahmins, having eaten a caṇḍāla's food, go to heaven, merely protected by Viśvāmitra?'

Words: brāhmaṇā — the brahmins; vā — or; mahātmāno — the great-souled; bhuktvā — having eaten; caṇḍālabhojanam — a caṇḍāla's food; kathaṃ — how; svargaṃ — to heaven; gamiṣyanti — will (they) go; viśvāmitreṇa — by Viśvāmitra; pālitāḥ — protected

1.58.16

etad vacanaṃ naiṣṭhuryam ūcuḥ saṃraktalocanāḥ
vāsiṣṭhā muniśārdūla sarve te samahodayāḥ

'This harsh word the sons of Vasiṣṭha spoke, their eyes reddened (with anger), O tiger among sages—all of them, together with Mahodaya.'

Words: etad vacanaṃ — this word; naiṣṭhuryam — harsh, cruel; ūcuḥ — spoke; saṃraktalocanāḥ — with reddened eyes; vāsiṣṭhā — the sons of Vasiṣṭha; muniśārdūla — O tiger among sages; sarve — all; te — those; samahodayāḥ — together with Mahodaya

1.58.17

teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā sarveṣāṃ munipuṃgavaḥ
krodhasaṃraktanayanaḥ saroṣam idam abravīt

Hearing that word of all of them, the bull among sages, his eyes red with anger, wrathfully said this:

Words: teṣāṃ — their; tadvacanaṃ — that word; śrutvā — having heard; sarveṣāṃ — of all; munipuṃgavaḥ — the bull among sages; krodhasaṃraktanayanaḥ — his eyes red with anger; saroṣam — wrathfully, with anger; idam — this; abravīt — said

1.58.18

yad dūṣayanty aduṣṭaṃ māṃ tapa ugraṃ samāsthitam
bhasmībhūtā durātmāno bhaviṣyanti na saṃśayaḥ

'Since they revile me, who am blameless and engaged in fierce austerity, these evil-souled ones shall be reduced to ashes, no doubt.'

Words: yad — since; dūṣayanty — they revile, blame; aduṣṭaṃ — blameless, faultless; māṃ — me; tapa — austerity; ugraṃ — fierce; samāsthitam — engaged in, undertaking; bhasmībhūtā — reduced to ashes; durātmāno — the evil-souled; bhaviṣyanti — shall become; na saṃśayaḥ — (there is) no doubt

1.58.19

adya te kālapāśena nītā vaivasvatakṣayam
saptajātiśatāny eva mṛtapāḥ santu sarvaśaḥ

'Today, dragged by the noose of Kāla to the abode of Vaivasvata (Yama), let them, one and all, become corpse-eaters for a full seven hundred births.'

Words: adya — today; te — they; kālapāśena — by the noose of Kāla (Time/Death); nītā — led, dragged; vaivasvatakṣayam — to the abode of Vaivasvata (Yama); saptajātiśatāny — seven hundred births; eva — full, indeed; mṛtapāḥ — corpse-eaters, feeders on the dead; santu — let (them) be; sarvaśaḥ — one and all, in every way

1.58.20

śvamāṃsaniyatāhārā muṣṭikā nāma nirghṛṇāḥ
vikṛtāś ca virūpāś ca lokān anucarantv imān

'Having dog's flesh for their fixed food, pitiless, called Muṣṭikas, deformed and misshapen, let them wander through these worlds.'

Words: śvamāṃsaniyatāhārā — having dog's flesh for their fixed food; muṣṭikā — Muṣṭikas (a degraded tribe); nāma — by name; nirghṛṇāḥ — pitiless; vikṛtāś ca — and deformed; virūpāś ca — and misshapen, ugly; lokān — the worlds; anucarantv — let (them) wander through; imān — these

1.58.21

mahodayaś ca durbuddhir mām adūṣyaṃ hy adūṣayat
dūṣiṭaḥ sarvalokeṣu niṣādatvaṃ gamiṣyati

'And the evil-minded Mahodaya, who reviled me, the unassailable one—himself defamed in all the worlds, he shall come to the state of a Niṣāda.'

Words: mahodayaś ca — and Mahodaya; durbuddhir — the evil-minded; mām — me; adūṣyaṃ — the unassailable, blameless; hy — indeed; adūṣayat — reviled, blamed; dūṣiṭaḥ — reviled, defamed; sarvalokeṣu — in all the worlds; niṣādatvaṃ — the state of a Niṣāda; gamiṣyati — he shall go to

1.58.22

prāṇātipātanirato niranukrośatāṃ gataḥ
dīrghakālaṃ mama krodhād durgatiṃ vartayiṣyati

'Given to the taking of life, sunk in pitilessness, through my anger he shall for a long time endure a miserable existence.'

Words: prāṇātipātanirato — given to the taking of life; niranukrośatāṃ — pitilessness; gataḥ — fallen into, gone to; dīrghakālaṃ — for a long time; mama — my; krodhād — through anger; durgatiṃ — a miserable existence, evil course; vartayiṣyati — he shall pass, endure

1.58.23

etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
virarāma mahātejā ṛṣimadhye mahāmuniḥ

Having spoken just this word, Viśvāmitra, the great ascetic of great splendour, the great sage, fell silent in the midst of the seers.

Words: etāvad — just this much; uktvā — having spoken; vacanaṃ — word; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — the great ascetic; virarāma — ceased, fell silent; mahātejā — of great splendour; ṛṣimadhye — in the midst of the seers; mahāmuniḥ — the great sage

← 1.57 Story of Viśvāmitra: Triśaṅku’s curse and appeal for refuge · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.59 Story of Viśvāmitra: Triśaṅku’s ascent and suspended heaven →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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