22 shlokas
एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरो ऽभिहितो मया । यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम् ।। 7.55.1 ।।
eṣa te nṛgaśāpasya vistaro 'bhihito mayā | yadyasti śravaṇe śraddhā śṛṇuṣvehāparāṃ kathām || 7.55.1 ||
Translation
This account of Nriga's curse has now been related to you by me in full; if you have the desire to listen, hear now this further tale.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत् । तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप ।। 7.55.2 ।।
evamuktastu rāmeṇa saumitriḥ punarabravīt | tṛptirāścaryabhūtānāṃ kathānāṃ nāsti me nṛpa || 7.55.2 ||
Translation
Thus addressed by Rama, Lakshmana, the son of Sumitra, spoke again: O king, there is no satiety for me of these wondrous stories.
लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.55.3 ।।
lakṣmaṇenaivamuktastu rāma ikṣvākunandanaḥ | kathāṃ paramadharmiṣṭhāṃ vyāhartumupacakrame || 7.55.3 ||
Translation
Thus addressed by Lakshmana, Rama, the delight of the Ikshvakus, began to relate a tale most full of righteousness.
आसीद्राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः ।। 7.55.4 ।।
āsīdrājā nimirnāma ikṣvākūṇāṃ mahātmanām | putro dvādaśamo vīrye dharme ca pariniṣṭhitaḥ || 7.55.4 ||
Translation
There was a king named Nimi, the twelfth son of the great-souled Ikshvaku, firmly established in both valor and righteousness.
स राजा वीर्यसम्पन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम् । निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु ।। 7.55.5 ।।
sa rājā vīryasampannaḥ puraṃ devapuropamam | niveśayāmāsa tadā abhyāśe gautamasya tu || 7.55.5 ||
Translation
That king, endowed with valor, then founded a city resembling the city of the gods, in the vicinity of Gautama's hermitage.
पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम् । निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिर्निमिश्चक्रे महायशाः ।। 7.55.6 ।।
purasya sukṛtaṃ nāma vaijayantamiti śrutam | niveśaṃ yatra rājarṣirnimiścakre mahāyaśāḥ || 7.55.6 ||
Translation
The city which that royal sage Nimi of great fame established there as his settlement was well-built and renowned by the name Vaijayanta.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम् । यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन्मनः ।। 7.55.7 ।।
tasya buddhiḥ samutpannā niveśya sumahāpuram | yajeyaṃ dīrghasatreṇa pituḥ prahlādayanmanaḥ || 7.55.7 ||
Translation
After founding that very great city, a thought arose in him: 'I shall perform a sacrifice with a long sacrificial session, gladdening the heart of my father.'
ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम् । वसिष्ठं वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम् ।। 7.55.8 ।।
tataḥ pitaramāmantrya ikṣvākuṃ hi manoḥ sutam | vasiṣṭhaṃ varayāmāsa pūrvaṃ brahmarṣisattamam || 7.55.8 ||
Translation
Then, having taken leave of his father Ikshvaku, the son of Manu, he first chose Vasishtha, the most excellent of the Brahmin sages, as his priest.
अनन्तरं स राजर्षिर्निमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः । अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोधनम् ।। 7.55.9 ।।
anantaraṃ sa rājarṣirnimirikṣvākunandanaḥ | atrimaṅgirasaṃ caiva bhṛguṃ caiva tapodhanam || 7.55.9 ||
Translation
Thereafter that royal sage Nimi, the delight of the Ikshvakus, chose also Atri, Angiras, and Bhrigu, rich in austerities.
तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निमिं राजर्षिसत्तमम् । वृतो ऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय ।। 7.55.10 ।।
tamuvāca vasiṣṭhastu nimiṃ rājarṣisattamam | vṛto 'haṃ pūrvamindreṇa antaraṃ pratipālaya || 7.55.10 ||
Translation
But Vasishtha said to Nimi, that most excellent of royal sages: 'I have been chosen beforehand by Indra; wait for the interval until then.'
अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत् । वसिष्ठो ऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत् ।। 7.55.11 ।।
anantaraṃ mahāvipro gautamaḥ pratyapūrayat | vasiṣṭho 'pi mahātejā indrayajñamathākarot || 7.55.11 ||
Translation
Thereupon the great Brahmin Gautama filled the office of priest in his stead, while Vasishtha of mighty splendor went and performed Indra's sacrifice.
निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान्समानीय नराधिपः । अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः । पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामुपागमत् ।। 7.55.12 ।।
nimistu rājā viprāṃstānsamānīya narādhipaḥ | ayajaddhimavatpārśve svapurasya samīpataḥ | pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi rājā dīkṣāmupāgamat || 7.55.12 ||
Translation
But King Nimi, the lord of men, having assembled those Brahmins, performed his sacrifice on the slope of the Himalaya near his own city; and the king entered upon the consecration for five thousand years.
इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवनृषिः । सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः ।। 7.55.13 ।।
indrayajñāvasāne tu vasiṣṭho bhagavanṛṣiḥ | sakāśamāgato rājño hautraṃ kartumaninditaḥ || 7.55.13 ||
Translation
At the conclusion of Indra's sacrifice, the venerable and blameless sage Vasishtha came into the presence of the king to perform the office of the officiating priest.
तदन्तरमथापश्यद्गौतमेनाभिपूरितम् । कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः ।। 7.55.14 ।।
tadantaramathāpaśyadgautamenābhipūritam | kopena mahatāviṣṭo vasiṣṭho brahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ || 7.55.14 ||
Translation
Then Vasishtha, the son of Brahma, saw that the interval had been filled by Gautama, and he was seized with great wrath.
स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्तं समुपाविशत् । तस्मिन्नहनि राजर्षिर्निद्रया ऽपहृतो भृशम् ।। 7.55.15 ।।
sa rājño darśanākāṅkṣī muhūrtaṃ samupāviśat | tasminnahani rājarṣirnidrayā 'pahṛto bhṛśam || 7.55.15 ||
Translation
Desiring an audience with the king, he sat down for a while; but on that day the royal sage was deeply overcome by sleep.
ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः । अदर्शनेन राजर्षेर्व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे ।। 7.55.16 ।।
tato manyurvasiṣṭhasya prādurāsīnmahātmanaḥ | adarśanena rājarṣervyāhartumupacakrame || 7.55.16 ||
Translation
Then anger arose in the great-souled Vasishtha, and on account of not being received by the royal sage he began to speak.
यस्मात्त्वमन्यं वृतवान्मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव । चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्तव भविष्यति ।। 7.55.17 ।।
yasmāttvamanyaṃ vṛtavānmāmavajñāya pārthiva | cetanena vinābhūto dehastava bhaviṣyati || 7.55.17 ||
Translation
'Because you, O king, disregarding me, have chosen another, your body shall become bereft of consciousness.'
ततः प्रबुद्धो राजर्षिः श्रुत्वा शापमुदाहृतम् । ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच संरम्भात् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ।। 7.55.18 ।।
tataḥ prabuddho rājarṣiḥ śrutvā śāpamudāhṛtam | brahmayonimathovāca saṃrambhāt krodhamūrcchitaḥ || 7.55.18 ||
Translation
Then the royal sage, awakened and hearing the curse that had been uttered, in his agitation, beside himself with anger, addressed him who was born of Brahma.
अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः । मुक्तवान्मयि शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम् ।। 7.55.19 ।।
ajānataḥ śayānasya krodhena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ | muktavānmayi śāpāgniṃ yamadaṇḍamivāparam || 7.55.19 ||
Translation
While I lay asleep, unaware, he, his mind clouded by anger, hurled at me the fire of a curse, like a second rod of Yama.
तस्मात्तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विना कृतः । देहः सुरुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः ।। 7.55.20 ।।
tasmāttavāpi brahmarṣe cetanena vinā kṛtaḥ | dehaḥ suruciraprakhyo bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 7.55.20 ||
Translation
Therefore, O Brahmarshi, your body too, though radiant and most beautiful in appearance, shall be deprived of consciousness; of this there is no doubt.
इति रोषवशादुभौ तदानीमन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ । सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेहौ तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ।। 7.55.21 ।।
iti roṣavaśādubhau tadānīmanyonyaṃ śapitau nṛpadvijendrau | sahasaiva babhūvaturvidehau tattulyādhigataprabhāvavantau || 7.55.21 ||
Translation
Thus, overpowered by wrath, the two of them at that moment cursed one another—the king and the foremost of the twice-born—and both, possessed of equal power thus attained, were suddenly rendered bodiless.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।। 55 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe pañcapañcāśaḥ sargaḥ || 55 ||
Translation
Thus ends the fifty-fifth canto in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the sacred Ramayana, the first poem composed by the sage Valmiki.