27 shlokas
लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद्वाक्यं निशम्य परमाद्भुतम् । सुप्रीतश्चाभवद्रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 7.53.1 ।।
lakṣmaṇasya tu tadvākyaṃ niśamya paramādbhutam | suprītaścābhavadrāmo vākyametaduvāca ha || 7.53.1 ||
Translation
Having heard that most wonderful speech of Lakshmana, Rama became greatly pleased and spoke these words.
दुर्लभस्त्वीदृशो बन्धुरस्मिन्काले विशेषतः । यादृशस्त्वं महाबुद्धेर्मम सौम्य मनो ऽनुगः ।। 7.53.2 ।।
durlabhastvīdṛśo bandhurasminkāle viśeṣataḥ | yādṛśastvaṃ mahābuddhermama saumya mano 'nugaḥ || 7.53.2 ||
Translation
"Such a kinsman is hard to find, especially in these times, as you are — one who follows the mind of me, the highly wise, O gentle one."
यच्च मे हृदये किञ्चिद्वर्तते शुभलक्षण । तन्निशामय च श्रुत्वा कुरुष्व वचनं मम ।। 7.53.3 ।।
yacca me hṛdaye kiñcidvartate śubhalakṣaṇa | tanniśāmaya ca śrutvā kuruṣva vacanaṃ mama || 7.53.3 ||
Translation
"And whatever is stirring somewhat in my heart, O you of auspicious marks, hear it; and having heard, carry out my word."
चत्वारो दिवसाः सौम्य कार्यं पौरजनस्य वै । अकुर्वाणस्य सौमित्रे तन्मे मर्माणि कृन्तति ।। 7.53.4 ।।
catvāro divasāḥ saumya kāryaṃ paurajanasya vai | akurvāṇasya saumitre tanme marmāṇi kṛntati || 7.53.4 ||
Translation
"Four days, O gentle one, of not attending to the affairs of the townspeople, O son of Sumitra — that cuts me to the very quick."
आहूयन्तां प्रकृतयः पुरोधा मन्त्रिणस्तथा । कार्यार्थिनश्च पुरुषाः स्त्रियश्च पुरुषर्षभ ।। 7.53.5 ।।
āhūyantāṃ prakṛtayaḥ purodhā mantriṇastathā | kāryārthinaśca puruṣāḥ striyaśca puruṣarṣabha || 7.53.5 ||
Translation
"Let the subjects be summoned, the family priest, and the ministers likewise, and the men who have business to bring, and the women too, O bull among men."
पौरकार्याणि यो राजा न करोति दिने दिने । संवृते नरके घोरे पतितो नात्र संशयः ।। 7.53.6 ।।
paurakāryāṇi yo rājā na karoti dine dine | saṃvṛte narake ghore patito nātra saṃśayaḥ || 7.53.6 ||
Translation
The king who fails day after day to attend to the affairs of his subjects falls, beyond all doubt, into a dreadful enclosed hell.
श्रूयते हि पुरा राजा नृगो नाम महायशाः । बभूव पृथिवीपालो ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवाक् शुचिः ।। 7.53.7 ।।
śrūyate hi purā rājā nṛgo nāma mahāyaśāḥ | babhūva pṛthivīpālo brahmaṇyaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ || 7.53.7 ||
Translation
For it is told that long ago there was a king of great renown named Nriga, a protector of the earth, devoted to the brahmins, truthful in speech, and pure.
स कदाचिद्गवां कोटीः सवत्साः स्वर्णभूषिताः । नृदेवो भूमिदेवेभ्यः पुष्करेषु ददौ नृपः ।। 7.53.8 ।।
sa kadācidgavāṃ koṭīḥ savatsāḥ svarṇabhūṣitāḥ | nṛdevo bhūmidevebhyaḥ puṣkareṣu dadau nṛpaḥ || 7.53.8 ||
Translation
On one occasion that king, a god among men, gave to the brahmins—gods upon the earth—crores of cows together with their calves, adorned with gold, at Pushkara.
ततः सङ्गाद्गता धेनुः सवत्सा स्पर्शिता ऽनघ । ब्राह्मणस्याहिताग्नेश्च दरिद्रस्योञ्छवर्तिनः ।। 7.53.9 ।।
tataḥ saṅgādgatā dhenuḥ savatsā sparśitā 'nagha | brāhmaṇasyāhitāgneśca daridrasyoñchavartinaḥ || 7.53.9 ||
Translation
Then, O sinless one, a cow with her calf strayed away from the herd and was given to a poor brahmin who maintained the sacred fires and lived by gleaning grains.
स नष्टां गां क्षुधार्तो वै अन्विषंस्तत्र तत्र च । नापश्यत्सर्वराज्येषु संवत्सरगणान्बहून् ।। 7.53.10 ।।
sa naṣṭāṃ gāṃ kṣudhārto vai anviṣaṃstatra tatra ca | nāpaśyatsarvarājyeṣu saṃvatsaragaṇānbahūn || 7.53.10 ||
Translation
Tormented by hunger and searching for his lost cow here and there, he could not find her throughout all the kingdoms for many years on end.
ततः कनखलं गत्वा जीर्णवत्सां निरामयाम् । ददर्श गां स्वकां धेनुं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने ।। 7.53.11 ।।
tataḥ kanakhalaṃ gatvā jīrṇavatsāṃ nirāmayām | dadarśa gāṃ svakāṃ dhenuṃ brāhmaṇasya niveśane || 7.53.11 ||
Translation
Then, having gone to Kanakhala, he saw his own cow—the milch-cow, healthy and with an aged calf—in the dwelling of another brahmin.
अथ तां नामधेयेन स्वकेनोवाच स द्विजः । आगच्छ शबलेत्येवं सा तु शुश्राव गौः स्वरम् ।। 7.53.12 ।।
atha tāṃ nāmadheyena svakenovāca sa dvijaḥ | āgaccha śabaletyevaṃ sā tu śuśrāva gauḥ svaram || 7.53.12 ||
Translation
Then that brahmin called her by her own name, saying, "Come here, Shabala!"—and the cow heard his voice.
तस्य तं स्वरमाज्ञाय क्षुधार्तस्य द्विजस्य वै । अन्वगात्पृष्ठतः सा गौर्गच्छन्तं पावकोपमम् ।। 7.53.13 ।।
tasya taṃ svaramājñāya kṣudhārtasya dvijasya vai | anvagātpṛṣṭhataḥ sā gaurgacchantaṃ pāvakopamam || 7.53.13 ||
Translation
Recognizing the voice of that hunger-stricken brahmin, who was like blazing fire, the cow followed behind him as he went.
यो ऽपि पालयते विप्रः सो ऽपि गामन्वगाद्द्रुतम् । गत्वा तमृषिमाचष्ट मम गौरिति सत्वरम् ।। 7.53.14 ।।
yo 'pi pālayate vipraḥ so 'pi gāmanvagāddrutam | gatvā tamṛṣimācaṣṭa mama gauriti satvaram || 7.53.14 ||
Translation
The brahmin who was tending her also swiftly followed the cow, and going up to that sage he declared at once, "This is my cow."
स्पर्शिता राजसिंहेन मम दत्ता नृगेण ह । तयोर्ब्राह्मणयोर्वादो महानासीद्विपश्चितोः ।। 7.53.15 ।।
sparśitā rājasiṃhena mama dattā nṛgeṇa ha | tayorbrāhmaṇayorvādo mahānāsīdvipaścitoḥ || 7.53.15 ||
Translation
"She was bestowed by the lion among kings; she was given to me by Nriga." Thus a great quarrel arose between those two learned brahmins.
विवदन्तौ ततो ऽन्योन्यं दातारमभिजग्मतुः । तौ राजभवनद्वारि न प्राप्तौ नृगशासनम् ।। 7.53.16 ।।
vivadantau tato 'nyonyaṃ dātāramabhijagmatuḥ | tau rājabhavanadvāri na prāptau nṛgaśāsanam || 7.53.16 ||
Translation
Disputing thus with one another, the two went to the giver; but arriving at the gate of the royal palace, they did not obtain Nriga's decree.
अहोरात्राण्यनेकानि वसन्तौ क्रोधमीयतुः । ऊचतुश्च महात्मानौ तावुभौ द्विजसत्तमौ ।। क्रुद्धौ परमसम्प्राप्तौ वाक्यं घोराभिसंहितम् ।। 7.53.17 ।।
ahorātrāṇyanekāni vasantau krodhamīyatuḥ | ūcatuśca mahātmānau tāvubhau dvijasattamau || kruddhau paramasamprāptau vākyaṃ ghorābhisaṃhitam || 7.53.17 ||
Translation
Dwelling there many days and nights, those two high-souled, most excellent brahmins fell into wrath; and the two, greatly enraged, spoke a terrible word charged with dire intent.
अर्थिनां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं यस्मात्त्वं नैषि दर्शनम् । अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कृकलासो भविष्यसि ।। 7.53.18 ।।
arthināṃ kāryasiddhyarthaṃ yasmāttvaṃ naiṣi darśanam | adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ kṛkalāso bhaviṣyasi || 7.53.18 ||
Translation
"Because you do not grant audience for the accomplishment of the petitioners' business, you shall become a lizard, invisible to all beings."
बहुवर्षसहस्राणि बहुवर्षशतानि च । श्वभ्रे ऽस्मिन् कृकलासो वै दीर्घकालं वसिष्यसि ।। 7.53.19 ।।
bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi bahuvarṣaśatāni ca | śvabhre 'smin kṛkalāso vai dīrghakālaṃ vasiṣyasi || 7.53.19 ||
Translation
"For many thousands of years and many hundreds of years you shall dwell as a lizard in this pit for a long time."
उत्पत्स्यते हि लोके ऽस्मिन्यदूनां कीर्तिवर्धनः । वासुदेव इति ख्यातो विष्णुः पुरुषविग्रहः ।। 7.53.20 ।।
utpatsyate hi loke 'sminyadūnāṃ kīrtivardhanaḥ | vāsudeva iti khyāto viṣṇuḥ puruṣavigrahaḥ || 7.53.20 ||
Translation
"For there shall arise in this world one who increases the glory of the Yadus, renowned as Vasudeva—Vishnu in human form."
स ते मोक्षयिता राजंस्तस्माच्छापाद्भविष्यसि । कृता च तेन कालेन निष्कृतिस्ते भविष्यति ।। 7.53.21 ।।
sa te mokṣayitā rājaṃstasmācchāpādbhaviṣyasi | kṛtā ca tena kālena niṣkṛtiste bhaviṣyati || 7.53.21 ||
Translation
"He, O king, shall be your deliverer; through him you shall be freed from that curse, and when that time has come your release shall be accomplished."
भारावतरणार्थं हि नरनारायणावुभौ । उत्पत्स्येते महावीर्यौ कलौ युग उपस्थिते ।। 7.53.22 ।।
bhārāvataraṇārthaṃ hi naranārāyaṇāvubhau | utpatsyete mahāvīryau kalau yuga upasthite || 7.53.22 ||
Translation
"For the two of mighty valor, Nara and Narayana, shall be born to lift the burden of the earth when the Kali age has arrived."
एवं तौ शापमुत्सृज्य ब्राह्मणौ विगतज्वरौ । तां गां हि दुर्बलां वृद्धां ददतुर्ब्राह्मणाय वै ।। 7.53.23 ।।
evaṃ tau śāpamutsṛjya brāhmaṇau vigatajvarau | tāṃ gāṃ hi durbalāṃ vṛddhāṃ dadaturbrāhmaṇāya vai || 7.53.23 ||
Translation
Having thus pronounced the curse, the two brahmins, their fever of anger gone, gave that weak and aged cow to a brahmin.
एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुङ्क्ते सुदारुणम् ।। 7.53.24 ।।
evaṃ sa rājā taṃ śāpamupabhuṅkte sudāruṇam || 7.53.24 ||
Translation
Thus that king is enduring that most dreadful curse.
कार्यार्थिनां विमर्दो हि राज्ञां दोषाय कल्पते । तच्छीघ्रं दर्शनं मह्यमभिवर्तन्तु कार्यिणः ।। 7.53.25 ।।
kāryārthināṃ vimardo hi rājñāṃ doṣāya kalpate | tacchīghraṃ darśanaṃ mahyamabhivartantu kāryiṇaḥ || 7.53.25 ||
Translation
For the harassment of those who seek their affairs settled turns to the fault of kings; therefore let those with business come quickly into my presence.
सुकृतस्य हि कार्यस्य फलं नापैति पार्थिवः । तस्माद्गच्छ प्रतीक्षस्व सौमित्रे कार्यवाञ्जनः ।। 7.53.26 ।।
sukṛtasya hi kāryasya phalaṃ nāpaiti pārthivaḥ | tasmādgaccha pratīkṣasva saumitre kāryavāñjanaḥ || 7.53.26 ||
Translation
For a king does not lose the fruit of a deed well performed; therefore go, Saumitri, and wait there, for a man who has work to do.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 53 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe tripañcāśaḥ sargaḥ || 53 ||
Translation
Thus ends the fifty-third sarga in the Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic poem composed by the sage Valmiki.