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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 63: Story of Viśvāmitra: Rambhā and the failure to master anger

Summary. Indra sends Rambhā to tempt him, Viśvāmitra turns her to stone and realizes that anger has again consumed his austerity

Sequence

  1. Indra orders Rambhā to seduce Viśvāmitra (1.63.1)
  2. she protests that she fears Viśvāmitra's wrath → Indra reassures her, promising to support her in springtime as a cuckoo, with Kāma beside him (1.63.2–6)
  3. she assumes an enchanting form and approaches → Viśvāmitra hears the cuckoo and her song and looks at her with pleasure (1.63.7–8)
  4. suspicion follows → recognizing Indra's scheme, he angrily curses her to remain stone for ten thousand years, until a powerful brāhmaṇa frees her (1.63.9–12)
  5. Rambhā turns to stone, and Kāma departs → Viśvāmitra feels remorse: his anger has again consumed his austerity and shown that he has not mastered his senses. (1.63.13–15)

Verses 1.63.1–15

1.63.1

surakāryam idaṃ rambhe kartavyaṃ sumahat tvayā
lobhanaṃ kauśikasyeha kāmamohasamanvitam

“This is a very great service to the gods that must be done by you, O Rambhā — the seduction of Kauśika here, joined with the delusion of desire.

Words: surakāryam — a service to the gods; idaṃ — this; rambhe — O Rambhā; kartavyaṃ — to be done; sumahat — very great; tvayā — by you; lobhanaṃ — the enticement, seduction; kauśikasyeha — of Kauśika here; kāmamohasamanvitam — joined with the delusion of desire

1.63.2

tathoktā sāpsarā rāma sahasrākṣeṇa dhīmatā
vrīḍitā prāñjalir bhūtvā pratyuvāca sureśvaram

Addressed thus, O Rāma, by the wise thousand-eyed one, that apsaras, embarrassed, with palms joined, replied to the lord of the gods:

Words: tathoktā — thus addressed; sāpsarā — that apsaras; rāma — O Rāma; sahasrākṣeṇa — by the thousand-eyed one; dhīmatā — by the wise one; vrīḍitā — embarrassed, ashamed; prāñjalir — with palms joined; bhūtvā — having become; pratyuvāca — replied; sureśvaram — to the lord of the gods

1.63.3

ayaṃ surapate ghoro viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ
krodham utsrakṣyate ghoraṃ mayi deva na saṃśayaḥ
tato hi me bhayaṃ deva prasādaṃ kartum arhasi

“This terrible great sage Viśvāmitra, O lord of the gods, will loose his terrible wrath upon me, O god — there is no doubt. Therefore I am afraid, O god; you ought to show me your favor.”

Words: ayaṃ — this; surapate — O lord of the gods; ghoro — terrible; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahāmuniḥ — the great sage; krodham — wrath; utsrakṣyate — will loose, cast forth; ghoraṃ — terrible; mayi — upon me; deva — O god; na saṃśayaḥ — (there is) no doubt; tato — therefore; hi — indeed; me — to me, mine; bhayaṃ — fear; deva — O god; prasādaṃ — favor, grace; kartum — to show, do; arhasi — you ought

1.63.4

tām uvāca sahasrākṣo vepamānāṃ kṛtāñjalim
mā bhaiṣi rambhe bhadraṃ te kuruṣva mama śāsanam

The thousand-eyed one said to her as she trembled with palms joined: “Do not be afraid, O Rambhā — blessings on you — carry out my command.

Words: tām — to her; uvāca — said; sahasrākṣo — the thousand-eyed one; vepamānāṃ — trembling; kṛtāñjalim — with palms joined; mā bhaiṣi — do not fear; rambhe — O Rambhā; bhadraṃ te — blessings on you; kuruṣva — carry out, do; mama — my; śāsanam — command

1.63.5

kokilo hṛdayagrāhī mādhave ruciradrume
ahaṃ kandarpasahitaḥ sthāsyāmi tava pārśvataḥ

(Becoming) a heart-captivating cuckoo in the springtime, among the lovely trees, I, together with Kandarpa (the god of love), will stand at your side.

Words: kokilo — a cuckoo; hṛdayagrāhī — heart-captivating; mādhave — in the springtime (month of Mādhava); ruciradrume — among the lovely trees; ahaṃ — I; kandarpasahitaḥ — together with Kandarpa; sthāsyāmi — will stand; tava — your; pārśvataḥ — at the side

1.63.6

tvaṃ hi rūpaṃ bahuguṇaṃ kṛtvā paramabhāsvaram
tam ṛṣiṃ kauśikaṃ rambhe bhedayasva tapasvinam

You, having assumed a form of many charms and supremely radiant, break down that ascetic seer Kauśika, O Rambhā.”

Words: tvaṃ — you; hi — indeed; rūpaṃ — form, beauty; bahuguṇaṃ — of many charms; kṛtvā — having made, assumed; paramabhāsvaram — supremely radiant; tam — that; ṛṣiṃ — seer; kauśikaṃ — Kauśika; rambhe — O Rambhā; bhedayasva — break down, cause to swerve; tapasvinam — the ascetic

1.63.7

sā śrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kṛtvā rūpam anuttamam
lobhayām āsa lalitā viśvāmitraṃ śucismitā

Having heard his word, she assumed a peerless form, and the graceful one, sweetly smiling, sought to entice Viśvāmitra.

Words: sā — she; śrutvā — having heard; vacanaṃ — word; tasya — his; kṛtvā — having assumed; rūpam — form; anuttamam — peerless; lobhayām āsa — sought to entice, tempted; lalitā — the graceful one; viśvāmitraṃ — Viśvāmitra; śucismitā — of bright, pure smile

1.63.8

kokilasya tu śuśrāva valgu vyāharataḥ svanam
saṃprahṛṣṭena manasā tata enām udaikṣata

He heard the sweet note of the cuckoo singing melodiously; and with a thoroughly delighted mind he then looked up at her.

Words: kokilasya — of the cuckoo; tu — and; śuśrāva — heard; valgu — sweet, lovely; vyāharataḥ — as it uttered, sang; svanam — the note, sound; saṃprahṛṣṭena — with thoroughly delighted; manasā — mind; tata — then; enām — at her; udaikṣata — looked up

1.63.9

atha tasya ca śabdena gītenāpratimena ca
darśanena ca rambhāyā muniḥ saṃdeham āgataḥ

Then, at that sound, and at the incomparable song, and at the sight of Rambhā, the sage grew suspicious.

Words: atha — then; tasya ca — and of that; śabdena — by the sound; gītenāpratimena ca — and by the incomparable song; darśanena ca — and by the sight; rambhāyā — of Rambhā; muniḥ — the sage; saṃdeham — suspicion, doubt; āgataḥ — came to, grew

1.63.10

sahasrākṣasya tat karma vijñāya munipuṃgavaḥ
rambhāṃ krodhasamāviṣṭaḥ śaśāpa kuśikātmajaḥ

Recognizing this to be the work of the thousand-eyed one, the bull among sages, the son of Kuśika, filled with anger, cursed Rambhā:

Words: sahasrākṣasya — of the thousand-eyed one; tat karma — that deed; vijñāya — having recognized; munipuṃgavaḥ — the bull among sages; rambhāṃ — Rambhā; krodhasamāviṣṭaḥ — filled with anger; śaśāpa — cursed; kuśikātmajaḥ — the son of Kuśika

1.63.11

yan māṃ lobhayase rambhe kāmakrodhajayaiṣiṇam
daśavarṣasahasrāṇi śailī sthāsyasi durbhage

“Since you seek to tempt me, O Rambhā, who strive to conquer desire and anger, you shall stand as stone for ten thousand years, O luckless one.

Words: yan — since, in that; māṃ — me; lobhayase — you tempt, entice; rambhe — O Rambhā; kāmakrodhajayaiṣiṇam — striving to conquer desire and anger; daśavarṣasahasrāṇi — for ten thousand years; śailī — (as) stone, rock; sthāsyasi — you shall stand, remain; durbhage — O luckless one

1.63.12

brāhmaṇaḥ sumahātejās tapobalasamanvitaḥ
uddhariṣyati rambhe tvāṃ matkrodhakaluṣīkṛtām

A brahmin of very great splendor, endowed with the power of austerity, will deliver you, O Rambhā, defiled by my wrath.”

Words: brāhmaṇaḥ — a brahmin; sumahātejās — of very great splendor; tapobalasamanvitaḥ — endowed with the power of austerity; uddhariṣyati — will deliver, lift up; rambhe — O Rambhā; tvāṃ — you; matkrodhakaluṣīkṛtām — defiled by my wrath

1.63.13

evam uktvā mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ
aśaknuvan dhārayituṃ kopaṃ saṃtāpam āgataḥ

Having spoken thus, the greatly resplendent great sage Viśvāmitra, unable to restrain his anger, fell into remorse.

Words: evam uktvā — having spoken thus; mahātejā — the greatly resplendent one; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahāmuniḥ — the great sage; aśaknuvan — being unable; dhārayituṃ — to restrain, hold back; kopaṃ — anger; saṃtāpam — remorse, distress; āgataḥ — came to, fell into

1.63.14

tasya śāpena mahatā rambhā śailī tadābhavat
vacaḥ śrutvā ca kandarpo maharṣeḥ sa ca nirgataḥ

By his mighty curse Rambhā then became stone; and hearing the great sage's word, Kandarpa too departed.

Words: tasya — his; śāpena mahatā — by the mighty curse; rambhā — Rambhā; śailī — stone; tadābhavat — then became; vacaḥ — the word; śrutvā ca — and having heard; kandarpo — Kandarpa; maharṣeḥ — of the great sage; sa ca — he too; nirgataḥ — departed, went away

1.63.15

kopena sa mahātejās tapo 'paharaṇe kṛte
indriyair ajitai rāma na lebhe śāntim ātmanaḥ

Since his austerity had been robbed through anger, and his senses were still unconquered, O Rāma, he found no peace of mind.

Words: kopena — through anger; sa — he; mahātejās — the greatly resplendent; tapo 'paharaṇe kṛte — his austerity having been robbed; indriyair — by the senses; ajitai — unconquered; rāma — O Rāma; na lebhe — did not find; śāntim — peace; ātmanaḥ — of himself, of mind

← 1.62 Story of Viśvāmitra: Menakā and the unfinished mastery of desire · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.64 Story of Viśvāmitra: Restraint and recognition as brahmarṣi →

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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