# Bāla Kāṇḍa 62 — Story of Viśvāmitra: Menakā and the unfinished mastery of desire *Menakā interrupts his austerity for ten years, renewed effort wins the rank of maharṣi, but Brahmā withholds brahmarṣi until his senses are mastered* Portion: Story of Viśvāmitra · Verses: 26 · Ref format: 1.62. ## Sequence - After the thousand years, Brahmā recognizes Viśvāmitra as a ṛṣi → Viśvāmitra continues his austerities (62.1–3) - later he sees Menakā bathing at Puṣkara, beautiful like lightning in a cloud → overcome by desire, he invites her to live with him (62.4–6) - she stays, and ten happy years pass (62.7–8) - realizing how much time he has lost, he becomes ashamed and interprets the interruption as the Suras' design against his austerity (62.9–12) - seeing Menakā trembling before him, he dismisses her gently → he moves north to the Kauśikī and resolves to master his senses (62.13–14). - After another thousand years, the alarmed Suras ask Brahmā to recognize him as a maharṣi → Brahmā grants that distinction (62.15–18) - Viśvāmitra asks for the higher standing of brahmarṣi and confirmation of mastery over his senses → Brahmā says he has not yet conquered them and must continue (62.19–21) - Viśvāmitra stands with raised arms, lives on air, endures five fires in summer, stays exposed to the rains, and stands in water day and night through winter (62.22–23) - after a thousand years of this ordeal, the Suras grow deeply alarmed → Indra turns to Rambhā to interrupt him (62.24–26). ## Verses **1.62.1** pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu vratasnātaṃ mahāmunim abhyāgacchan surāḥ sarve tapaḥphalacikīrṣavaḥ When a full thousand years had passed, all the gods, wishing to grant the fruit of his austerity, approached the great sage who had completed his vows. **1.62.2** abravīt sumahātejā brahmā suruciraṃ vacaḥ ṛṣis tvam asi bhadraṃ te svārjitaiḥ karmabhiḥ śubhaiḥ Brahmā of very great splendor spoke a most lovely word: “You are (now) a ṛṣi — blessings on you! — by reason of your well-earned holy deeds.” **1.62.3** tam evam uktvā deveśas tridivaṃ punar abhyagāt viśvāmitro mahātejā bhūyas tepe mahat tapaḥ Having thus spoken to him, the lord of the gods went back again to heaven; and Viśvāmitra of great splendor once more performed great austerity. **1.62.4** tataḥ kālena mahatā menakā paramāpsarāḥ puṣkareṣu naraśreṣṭha snātuṃ samupacakrame Then, after a long time, Menakā, the foremost of apsarases, O best of men, set about bathing in the Puṣkara lakes. **1.62.5** tāṃ dadarśa mahātejā menakāṃ kuśikātmajaḥ rūpeṇāpratimāṃ tatra vidyutaṃ jalade yathā The greatly resplendent son of Kuśika saw that Menakā there, unequalled in beauty, like lightning in a cloud. **1.62.6** dṛṣṭvā kandarpavaśago munis tām idam abravīt apsaraḥ svāgataṃ te 'stu vasa ceha mamāśrame anugṛhṇīṣva bhadraṃ te madanena sumohitam Seeing her and falling under the sway of Kandarpa (the god of love), the sage said this to her: “O apsaras, welcome to you! Dwell here in my hermitage, and favor me — blessings on you — who am utterly bewildered by love.” **1.62.7** ity uktā sā varārohā tatrāvāsam athākarot tapaso hi mahāvighno viśvāmitram upāgataḥ Addressed thus, that fair-hipped one then made her dwelling there; and indeed a great obstacle to his austerity had come upon Viśvāmitra. **1.62.8** tasyāṃ vasantyāṃ varṣāṇi pañca pañca ca rāghava viśvāmitrāśrame saumya sukhena vyaticakramuḥ While she dwelt (there), O Rāghava, ten years (five and five) passed happily in Viśvāmitra's hermitage, gentle one. **1.62.9** atha kāle gate tasmin viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ savrīḍa iva saṃvṛttaś cintāśokaparāyaṇaḥ Then, when that time had passed, the great sage Viśvāmitra became as if ashamed, given over to anxiety and grief. **1.62.10** buddhir muneḥ samutpannā sāmarṣā raghunandana sarvaṃ surāṇāṃ karmaitat tapo'paharaṇaṃ mahat A thought, full of indignation, arose in the sage, O delight of the Raghus: “All this is the work of the gods, a great robbing of my austerity. **1.62.11** ahorātrāpadeśena gatāḥ saṃvatsarā daśa kāmamohābhibhūtasya vighno 'yaṃ pratyupasthitaḥ Under the guise of days and nights, ten years have gone by; this obstacle has befallen me, overcome by the delusion of desire. **1.62.12** viniḥśvasan munivaraḥ paścāt tāpena duḥkhitaḥ Sighing deeply, the best of sages, afterward pained by remorse... **1.62.13** bhītām apsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā vepantīṃ prāñjaliṃ sthitām menakāṃ madhurair vākyair visṛjya kuśikātmajaḥ uttaraṃ parvataṃ rāma viśvāmitro jagāma ha Seeing the apsaras Menakā frightened, trembling, standing with palms joined, the son of Kuśika dismissed her with gentle words; and Viśvāmitra went, O Rāma, to a mountain in the north. **1.62.14** sa kṛtvā naiṣṭhikīṃ buddhiṃ jetukāmo mahāyaśāḥ kauśikītīram āsādya tapas tepe sudāruṇam The greatly glorious one, having made a firm resolve and wishing to conquer (his senses), reached the bank of the Kauśikī and performed most terrible austerity. **1.62.15** tasya varṣasahasraṃ tu ghoraṃ tapa upāsataḥ uttare parvate rāma devatānām abhūd bhayam As he practiced dreadful austerity for a thousand years on the northern mountain, O Rāma, fear arose among the gods. **1.62.16** amantrayan samāgamya sarve sarṣigaṇāḥ surāḥ maharṣiśabdaṃ labhatāṃ sādhv ayaṃ kuśikātmajaḥ All the gods, together with the hosts of seers, having assembled, took counsel: “Let this son of Kuśika rightly obtain the title of maharṣi.” **1.62.17** devatānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sarvalokapitāmahaḥ abravīn madhuraṃ vākyaṃ viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam Hearing the gods' word, the Grandsire of all the worlds spoke a gentle word to Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity: **1.62.18** maharṣe svāgataṃ vatsa tapasogreṇa toṣitaḥ mahattvam ṛṣimukhyatvaṃ dadāmi tava kauśika “Welcome, O maharṣi, my child! I am pleased by your fierce austerity; I grant you greatness and pre-eminence among seers, O Kauśika.” **1.62.19** brahmaṇaḥ sa vacaḥ śrutvā viśvāmitras tapodhanaḥ prāñjaliḥ praṇato bhūtvā pratyuvāca pitāmaham Hearing that word of Brahmā, Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity, with palms joined and bowing low, replied to the Grandsire: **1.62.20** brahmarṣi śabdam atulaṃ svārjitaiḥ karmabhiḥ śubhaiḥ yadi me bhagavān āha tato 'haṃ vijitendriyaḥ “If the venerable one declares me (to have won) the incomparable title of brahmarṣi by my well-earned holy deeds, then (may it be that) I have conquered my senses.” **1.62.21** tam uvāca tato brahmā na tāvat tvaṃ jitendriyaḥ yatasva muniśārdūla ity uktvā tridivaṃ gataḥ Then Brahmā said to him: “Not yet have you conquered your senses; strive on, O tiger among sages.” And having so spoken, he went to heaven. **1.62.22** viprasthiteṣu deveṣu viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ ūrdhvabāhur nirālambo vāyubhakṣas tapaś caran When the gods had departed, the great sage Viśvāmitra, with arms upraised, without support, feeding on air, practiced austerity — **1.62.23** dharme pañcatapā bhūtvā varṣāsv ākāśasaṃśrayaḥ śiśire salilasthāyī rātryahāni tapodhanaḥ In the hot season practicing the five-fire penance, in the rains exposed to the open sky, in winter standing in water day and night — that treasury of austerity (persevered). **1.62.24** evaṃ varṣasahasraṃ hi tapo ghoram upāgamat tasmin saṃtapyamāne tu viśvāmitre mahāmunau Thus for a thousand years he underwent dreadful austerity; and while the great sage Viśvāmitra was mortifying himself so, **1.62.25** saṃbhramaḥ sumahān āsīt surāṇāṃ vāsavasya ca rambhām apsarasaṃ śakraḥ saha sarvair marudgaṇaiḥ A very great alarm came upon the gods and upon Vāsava (Indra); and Śakra, together with all the hosts of Maruts, (spoke) to the apsaras Rambhā — **1.62.26** uvācātmahitaṃ vākyam ahitaṃ kauśikasya ca ...spoke a word beneficial to himself but harmful to the son of Kuśika (Viśvāmitra).