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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 61: Story of Viśvāmitra: Two verses save Śunaḥśepa
Summary. Śunaḥśepa seeks protection, Viśvāmitra curses his sons for refusing substitution and teaches two verses that preserve the boy’s life and fulfil the sacrifice
Sequence
- At midday Ambarīṣa stops at Puṣkara (1.61.1)
- thirsty and exhausted, Śunaḥśepa sees Viśvāmitra and falls into his lap → feeling abandoned by his family, he begs the muni to save him while allowing the King's sacrifice to succeed (1.61.2–6)
- Viśvāmitra comforts him, then asks his own sons to substitute for the boy as the victim (1.61.7–11)
- led by Madhuṣyanda, they mock the request to sacrifice his children for someone else's (1.61.12–13)
- furious at their refusal, he curses them to live on dogs' flesh on earth for a thousand years, like Vasiṣṭha's cursed sons (1.61.14–16)
- he then prepares a protective charm and teaches Śunaḥśepa two divine verses to recite when bound at Viṣṇu's sacrificial post, wearing red garlands and unguents. (1.61.17–19)
- Having learned them, Śunaḥśepa urges Ambarīṣa to return quickly and proceed (1.61.20–21)
- at the enclosure, with the priests' assent, the King prepares the boy with the prescribed markings and red clothing and binds him to the post (1.61.22–23)
- Śunaḥśepa praises Indra and Viṣṇu with the verses → pleased, Indra grants him long life → Ambarīṣa obtains the completed sacrifice and its benefits (1.61.24–26)
- Viśvāmitra undertakes another thousand years of austerity at Puṣkara. (1.61.27)
Verses 1.61.1–27
1.61.1
śunaḥśepaṃ naraśreṣṭha gṛhītvā tu mahāyaśāḥ
vyaśrāmyat puṣkare rājā madhyāhne raghunandana
Having taken Śunaḥśepa, O best of men, the greatly glorious king rested at Puṣkara at midday, O delight of the Raghus.
Words: śunaḥśepaṃ — Śunaḥśepa; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; gṛhītvā — having taken; tu — and; mahāyaśāḥ — the greatly glorious one; vyaśrāmyat — rested; puṣkare — at Puṣkara; rājā — the king; madhyāhne — at midday; raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus
1.61.2
tasya viśramamāṇasya śunaḥśepo mahāyaśāḥ
puṣkaraṃ śreṣṭham āgamya viśvāmitraṃ dadarśa ha
While he was resting, the glorious Śunaḥśepa, coming to the excellent Puṣkara, saw Viśvāmitra.
Words: tasya viśramamāṇasya — while he was resting; śunaḥśepo — Śunaḥśepa; mahāyaśāḥ — the glorious; puṣkaraṃ — to Puṣkara; śreṣṭham — the excellent; āgamya — having come; viśvāmitraṃ — Viśvāmitra; dadarśa — saw; ha — indeed
1.61.3
viṣaṇṇavadano dīnas tṛṣṇayā ca śrameṇa ca
papātāṅke mune rāma vākyaṃ cedam uvāca ha
With dejected face, wretched from thirst and exhaustion, he fell into the sage's lap, O Rāma, and spoke these words:
Words: viṣaṇṇavadano — with dejected face; dīnas — wretched; tṛṣṇayā ca — and from thirst; śrameṇa ca — and from exhaustion; papātāṅke — fell into the lap; mune — of the sage; rāma — O Rāma; vākyaṃ — words; cedam — and this; uvāca — spoke; ha — indeed
1.61.4
na me 'sti mātā na pitā jñātayo bāndhavāḥ kutaḥ
trātum arhasi māṃ saumya dharmeṇa munipuṃgava
“I have no mother, no father — where then kinsmen or relatives? You ought to save me by righteousness, gentle one, O bull among sages.
Words: na — not; me — to me; 'sti — is; mātā — a mother; na — not; pitā — a father; jñātayo — kinsmen; bāndhavāḥ — relatives; kutaḥ — whence, where; trātum — to save; arhasi — you ought; māṃ — me; saumya — gentle one; dharmeṇa — by righteousness; munipuṃgava — O bull among sages
1.61.5
trātā tvaṃ hi muniśreṣṭha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ hi bhāvanaḥ
rājā ca kṛtakāryaḥ syād ahaṃ dīrghāyur avyayaḥ
For you are a protector, O best of sages; you are the fosterer of all. Let the king have his purpose accomplished, and let me be long-lived and undecaying.
Words: trātā — a protector; tvaṃ — you; hi — for, indeed; muniśreṣṭha — O best of sages; sarveṣāṃ — of all; tvaṃ — you; hi — indeed; bhāvanaḥ — the fosterer, well-wisher; rājā — the king; ca — and; kṛtakāryaḥ — with his purpose accomplished; syād — may be; ahaṃ — I; dīrghāyur — long-lived; avyayaḥ — undecaying, imperishable
1.61.6
svargalokam upāśnīyāṃ tapas taptvā hy anuttamam
sa me nātho hy anāthasya bhava bhavyena cetasā
piteva putraṃ dharmātmaṃs trātum arhasi kilbiṣāt
May I enjoy the world of heaven, having practiced unsurpassed austerity. Be that protector of me who am without a protector, with a gracious mind; as a father his son, O righteous one, you ought to save me from harm.”
Words: svargalokam — the world of heaven; upāśnīyāṃ — may I enjoy, attain; tapas — austerity; taptvā — having practiced; hy — indeed; anuttamam — unsurpassed; sa — that (one), you; me — of me; nātho — protector; hy — indeed; anāthasya — of one without a protector; bhava — be; bhavyena — with a gracious, kindly; cetasā — mind; piteva — as a father; putraṃ — a son; dharmātmaṃs — O righteous one; trātum — to save; arhasi — you ought; kilbiṣāt — from harm, sin
1.61.7
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
sāntvayitvā bahuvidhaṃ putrān idam uvāca ha
Having heard those words of his, Viśvāmitra of great austerity, having consoled (him) in many ways, spoke this to his sons:
Words: tasya — his; tadvacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — of great austerity; sāntvayitvā — having consoled; bahuvidhaṃ — in many ways; putrān — to his sons; idam — this; uvāca — said; ha — indeed
1.61.8
yatkṛte pitaraḥ putrāñ janayanti śubhārthinaḥ
paralokahitārthāya tasya kālo 'yam āgataḥ
“That for the sake of which fathers, desiring good, beget sons — for the sake of welfare in the other world — that time has now come.
Words: yatkṛte — for the sake of which; pitaraḥ — fathers; putrāñ — sons; janayanti — beget; śubhārthinaḥ — desiring good; paralokahitārthāya — for the sake of welfare in the other world; tasya — of that; kālo — time; 'yam — this; āgataḥ — has come
1.61.9
ayaṃ munisuto bālo mattaḥ śaraṇam icchati
asya jīvitamātreṇa priyaṃ kuruta putrakāḥ
This young son of a sage seeks refuge with me. Do him a kindness merely by (granting) his life, my dear sons.
Words: ayaṃ — this; munisuto — son of a sage; bālo — boy, young; mattaḥ — from me; śaraṇam — refuge, protection; icchati — seeks; asya — his; jīvitamātreṇa — merely by (granting) his life; priyaṃ — a kindness, favor; kuruta — do; putrakāḥ — my dear sons
1.61.10
sarve sukṛtakarmāṇaḥ sarve dharmaparāyaṇāḥ
paśubhūtā narendrasya tṛptim agneḥ prayacchata
All of you are doers of good deeds, all devoted to dharma; becoming the sacrificial victim for the king, provide satisfaction to the fire.
Words: sarve — all; sukṛtakarmāṇaḥ — doers of good deeds; sarve — all; dharmaparāyaṇāḥ — devoted to dharma; paśubhūtā — having become the sacrificial victim; narendrasya — of the king; tṛptim — satisfaction; agneḥ — of the fire; prayacchata — provide, grant
1.61.11
nāthavāṃś ca śunaḥśepo yajñaś cāvighnato bhavet
devatās tarpitāś ca syur mama cāpi kṛtaṃ vacaḥ
Thus Śunaḥśepa will have a protector, the sacrifice will proceed without obstruction, the gods will be gratified, and my word too will be fulfilled.”
Words: nāthavāṃś ca — and possessed of a protector; śunaḥśepo — Śunaḥśepa; yajñaś — the sacrifice; cāvighnato — and without obstruction; bhavet — would be; devatās — the deities; tarpitāś ca — and gratified; syur — would be; mama — my; cāpi — and also; kṛtaṃ — fulfilled, done; vacaḥ — word
1.61.12
munes tu vacanaṃ śrutvā madhuṣyandādayaḥ sutāḥ
sābhimānaṃ naraśreṣṭha salīlam idam abruvan
But hearing the sage's words, the sons headed by Madhuṣyanda, O best of men, spoke this with arrogance and mockery:
Words: munes tu — but of the sage; vacanaṃ — the words; śrutvā — having heard; madhuṣyandādayaḥ — headed by Madhuṣyanda; sutāḥ — the sons; sābhimānaṃ — with arrogance; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; salīlam — mockingly, in sport; idam — this; abruvan — said
1.61.13
katham ātmasutān hitvā trāyase 'nyasutaṃ vibho
akāryam iva paśyāmaḥ śvamāṃsam iva bhojane
“How is it, O lord, that abandoning your own sons you would save another's son? We regard this as a thing not to be done, like dog's flesh among foods.
Words: katham — how; ātmasutān — your own sons; hitvā — having abandoned; trāyase — you would save; 'nyasutaṃ — another's son; vibho — O lord; akāryam — a thing not to be done; iva — as, like; paśyāmaḥ — we regard, see; śvamāṃsam — dog's flesh; iva — like; bhojane — among food, in eating
1.61.14
teṣāṃ tad vacanaṃ śrutvā putrāṇāṃ munipuṃgavaḥ
krodhasaṃraktanayano vyāhartum upacakrame
Hearing those words of his sons, the bull among sages, his eyes red with anger, began to speak:
Words: teṣāṃ — their; tad vacanaṃ — those words; śrutvā — having heard; putrāṇāṃ — of the sons; munipuṃgavaḥ — the bull among sages; krodhasaṃraktanayano — his eyes red with anger; vyāhartum — to speak; upacakrame — began
1.61.15
niḥsādhvasam idaṃ proktaṃ dharmād api vigarhitam
atikramya tu madvākyaṃ dāruṇaṃ romaharṣaṇam
“This that you have shamelessly spoken, transgressing my word, is condemned even by dharma — cruel and hair-raising.
Words: niḥsādhvasam — shamelessly, without misgiving; idaṃ — this; proktaṃ — spoken; dharmād api — even by dharma; vigarhitam — condemned, reprehensible; atikramya — having transgressed; tu — and, but; madvākyaṃ — my word; dāruṇaṃ — cruel, harsh; romaharṣaṇam — hair-raising
1.61.16
śvamāṃsabhojinaḥ sarve vāsiṣṭhā iva jātiṣu
pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu pṛthivyām anuvatsyatha
You shall all become eaters of dog's flesh, like the sons of Vasiṣṭha among the (outcast) births, and shall dwell upon the earth for a full thousand years.”
Words: śvamāṃsabhojinaḥ — eaters of dog's flesh; sarve — all; vāsiṣṭhā — the sons of Vasiṣṭha; iva — like; jātiṣu — among the births, castes; pūrṇaṃ — full; varṣasahasraṃ — a thousand years; tu — and, indeed; pṛthivyām — upon the earth; anuvatsyatha — you shall dwell
1.61.17
kṛtvā śāpasamāyuktān putrān munivaras tadā
śunaḥśepam uvācārtaṃ kṛtvā rakṣāṃ nirāmayām
Having subjected his sons to the curse, the best of sages then, having made a flawless protective charm, spoke to the distressed Śunaḥśepa:
Words: kṛtvā — having made; śāpasamāyuktān — subjected to the curse; putrān — his sons; munivaras — the best of sages; tadā — then; śunaḥśepam — to Śunaḥśepa; uvācārtaṃ — spoke to the distressed one; kṛtvā — having made; rakṣāṃ — a protective charm; nirāmayām — flawless, free from harm
1.61.18
pavitrapāśair āsakto raktamālyānulepanaḥ
vaiṣṇavaṃ yūpam āsādya vāgbhir agnim udāhara
“Bound with sacred cords, wearing red garlands and unguents, approach the sacrificial post of Viṣṇu and invoke the fire with (these) words.
Words: pavitrapāśair — with sacred cords; āsakto — bound, fastened; raktamālyānulepanaḥ — wearing red garlands and unguents; vaiṣṇavaṃ — of Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava; yūpam — the sacrificial post; āsādya — having approached; vāgbhir — with words; agnim — the fire; udāhara — invoke, proclaim
1.61.19
ime tu gāthe dve divye gāyethā muniputraka
ambarīṣasya yajñe 'smiṃs tataḥ siddhim avāpsyasi
And sing these two divine verses at this sacrifice of Ambarīṣa, O son of a sage; then you shall attain success.”
Words: ime — these; tu — and, indeed; gāthe — two verses, songs; dve — two; divye — divine; gāyethā — you should sing; muniputraka — O son of a sage; ambarīṣasya — of Ambarīṣa; yajñe — at the sacrifice; 'smiṃs — this; tataḥ — then; siddhim — success, accomplishment; avāpsyasi — you shall attain
1.61.20
śunaḥśepo gṛhītvā te dve gāthe susamāhitaḥ
tvarayā rājasiṃhaṃ tam ambarīṣam uvāca ha
Śunaḥśepa, having learned those two verses, well composed, quickly spoke to that lion among kings, Ambarīṣa:
Words: śunaḥśepo — Śunaḥśepa; gṛhītvā — having grasped, learned; te — those; dve — two; gāthe — verses; susamāhitaḥ — well composed, intent; tvarayā — with haste, quickly; rājasiṃhaṃ — the lion among kings; tam — that; ambarīṣam — Ambarīṣa; uvāca — spoke; ha — indeed
1.61.21
rājasiṃha mahāsattva śīghraṃ gacchāvahe sadaḥ
nivartayasva rājendra dīkṣāṃ ca samupāhara
“O lion among kings, O greatly mighty one, let us quickly go to the sacrificial assembly; turn back thither, O king of kings, and undertake the consecration.”
Words: rājasiṃha — O lion among kings; mahāsattva — O greatly mighty one; śīghraṃ — quickly; gacchāvahe — let us two go; sadaḥ — to the sacrificial assembly; nivartayasva — turn back, return; rājendra — O king of kings; dīkṣāṃ — the consecration; ca — and; samupāhara — undertake, set about
1.61.22
tad vākyam ṛṣiputrasya śrutvā harṣaṃ samutsukaḥ
jagāma nṛpatiḥ śīghraṃ yajñavāṭam atandritaḥ
Hearing those words of the sage's son, the king, filled with joy and eager, went quickly and untiring to the sacrificial enclosure.
Words: tad vākyam — those words; ṛṣiputrasya — of the sage's son; śrutvā — having heard; harṣaṃ — joy, delight; samutsukaḥ — greatly eager; jagāma — went; nṛpatiḥ — the king; śīghraṃ — quickly; yajñavāṭam — to the sacrificial enclosure; atandritaḥ — unwearied, diligent
1.61.23
sadasyānumate rājā pavitrakṛtalakṣaṇam
paśuṃ raktāmbaraṃ kṛtvā yūpe taṃ samabandhayat
With the assent of the officiating priests, the king, having made the victim marked with purificatory signs and clad in red garments, bound him to the post.
Words: sadasyānumate — with the assent of the officiants; rājā — the king; pavitrakṛtalakṣaṇam — marked with purificatory signs; paśuṃ — the sacrificial victim; raktāmbaraṃ — clad in red garments; kṛtvā — having made; yūpe — to the post; taṃ — him; samabandhayat — bound
1.61.24
sa baddho vāgbhir agryābhir abhituṣṭāva vai surau
indram indrānujaṃ caiva yathāvan muniputrakaḥ
Bound (there), the sage's son with excellent words duly praised the two gods, Indra and Indra's younger brother (Viṣṇu).
Words: sa — he; baddho — bound; vāgbhir — with words; agryābhir — excellent, foremost; abhituṣṭāva — praised; vai — indeed; surau — the two gods; indram — Indra; indrānujaṃ — Indra's younger brother; caiva — and; yathāvan — duly, as is fitting; muniputrakaḥ — the sage's son
1.61.25
tataḥ prītaḥ sahasrākṣo rahasyastutitarpitaḥ
dīrgham āyus tadā prādāc chunaḥśepāya rāghava
Then the thousand-eyed one (Indra), pleased, gratified by the secret hymn of praise, granted long life to Śunaḥśepa, O Rāghava.
Words: tataḥ — then; prītaḥ — pleased; sahasrākṣo — the thousand-eyed one (Indra); rahasyastutitarpitaḥ — gratified by the secret hymn of praise; dīrgham — long; āyus — life; tadā — then; prādāc — granted; chunaḥśepāya — to Śunaḥśepa; rāghava — O Rāghava
1.61.26
sa ca rājā naraśreṣṭha yajñasya ca samāptavān
phalaṃ bahuguṇaṃ rāma sahasrākṣaprasādajam
And that king, O best of men, gained the completion of the sacrifice and its manifold fruit, O Rāma, born of the favor of the thousand-eyed one.
Words: sa ca — and he; rājā — the king; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; yajñasya — of the sacrifice; ca — and; samāptavān — gained the completion of; phalaṃ — the fruit; bahuguṇaṃ — manifold, of many qualities; rāma — O Rāma; sahasrākṣaprasādajam — born of the favor of the thousand-eyed one
1.61.27
viśvāmitro 'pi dharmātmā bhūyas tepe mahātapāḥ
puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha daśavarṣaśatāni ca
And Viśvāmitra too, the righteous one of great austerity, practiced austerity once more at Puṣkara for another ten hundred years, O best of men.
Words: viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; 'pi — too, also; dharmātmā — the righteous one; bhūyas — again, further; tepe — practiced austerity; mahātapāḥ — of great austerity; puṣkareṣu — at Puṣkara (the Puṣkara lakes); naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; daśavarṣaśatāni — ten hundred years; ca — and
← 1.60 Story of Viśvāmitra: Śunaḥśepa is bought for sacrifice · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.62 Story of Viśvāmitra: Menakā and the unfinished mastery of desire →
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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