31 shlokas
श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं वाक्यं मम राम शुभाक्षरम् । प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्युवाचेदं स स्वर्गी रघुनन्दन ।। 7.78.1 ।।
śrutvā tu bhāṣitaṃ vākyaṃ mama rāma śubhākṣaram | prāñjaliḥ pratyuvācedaṃ sa svargī raghunandana || 7.78.1 ||
Translation
Having heard the words I spoke, auspicious in their syllables, O Rama, delight of the Raghus, that denizen of heaven, with joined palms, replied thus to me.
शृणु ब्रह्मन्पुरा वृत्तं ममैतत्सुखदुःखयोः । अनतिक्रमणीयं हि यथा पृच्छसि मां द्विज ।। 7.78.2 ।।
śṛṇu brahmanpurā vṛttaṃ mamaitatsukhaduḥkhayoḥ | anatikramaṇīyaṃ hi yathā pṛcchasi māṃ dvija || 7.78.2 ||
Translation
Hear, O brahmin, this tale of my former joys and sorrows, which must not be passed over in silence, even as you ask me, O twice-born one.
पुरा वैदर्भको राजा पिता मम महायशाः । सुदेव इति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान् ।। 7.78.3 ।।
purā vaidarbhako rājā pitā mama mahāyaśāḥ | sudeva iti vikhyātastriṣu lokeṣu vīryavān || 7.78.3 ||
Translation
In olden times there was a king of the Vidarbhas, my father, of great renown, famed by the name Sudeva, valiant throughout the three worlds.
तस्य पुत्रद्वयं ब्रह्मन्द्वाभ्यां स्त्रीभ्यामजायत । अहं श्वेत इति ख्यातो यवीयान्सुरथो ऽभवत् ।। 7.78.4 ।।
tasya putradvayaṃ brahmandvābhyāṃ strībhyāmajāyata | ahaṃ śveta iti khyāto yavīyānsuratho 'bhavat || 7.78.4 ||
Translation
To him, O brahmin, two sons were born of two wives: I was the one known as Shveta, and the younger came to be Suratha.
ततः पितरि स्वर्याते पौरा मामभ्यषेचयन् । तत्राहं कृतवान्राज्यं धर्म्यं च सुसमाहितः ।। 7.78.5 ।।
tataḥ pitari svaryāte paurā māmabhyaṣecayan | tatrāhaṃ kṛtavānrājyaṃ dharmyaṃ ca susamāhitaḥ || 7.78.5 ||
Translation
Then, when my father had gone to heaven, the citizens consecrated me as king; and there I ruled the kingdom righteously, fully composed and attentive.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि समतीतानि सुव्रत । राज्यं कारयतो ब्रह्मन्प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षतः ।। 7.78.6 ।।
evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇi samatītāni suvrata | rājyaṃ kārayato brahmanprajā dharmeṇa rakṣataḥ || 7.78.6 ||
Translation
Thus, O you of good vows, thousands of years passed away while I administered the kingdom, O brahmin, protecting the people in accordance with dharma.
सो ऽहं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिद्विज्ञातायुर्द्विजोत्तम । कालधर्मं हृदि न्यस्य ततो वनमुपागमम् ।। 7.78.7 ।।
so 'haṃ nimitte kasmiṃścidvijñātāyurdvijottama | kāladharmaṃ hṛdi nyasya tato vanamupāgamam || 7.78.7 ||
Translation
Then I, O best of the twice-born, having through a certain sign come to know the span of my life, set the law of death within my heart and thereupon withdrew to the forest.
सो ऽहं वनमिदं दुर्गं मृगपक्षिविवर्जितम् । तपश्चर्तुं प्रविष्टो ऽस्मि समीपे सरसः शुभे ।। 7.78.8 ।।
so 'haṃ vanamidaṃ durgaṃ mṛgapakṣivivarjitam | tapaścartuṃ praviṣṭo 'smi samīpe sarasaḥ śubhe || 7.78.8 ||
Translation
So I entered this impenetrable forest, devoid of beasts and birds, to perform austerities, near a lovely lake.
भ्रातरं सुरथं राज्ये ह्यभिषिच्य महीपतिम् । इदं सरः समासाद्य तपस्तप्तं मया चिरम् ।। 7.78.9 ।।
bhrātaraṃ surathaṃ rājye hyabhiṣicya mahīpatim | idaṃ saraḥ samāsādya tapastaptaṃ mayā ciram || 7.78.9 ||
Translation
Having consecrated my brother Suratha as king and lord of the earth, and having reached this lake, I performed austerities for a long time.
सो ऽहं वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्त्रीणि महावने । तप्त्वा सुदुष्करं प्राप्तो ब्रह्मलोकमनुत्तमम् ।। 7.78.10 ।।
so 'haṃ varṣasahasrāṇi tapastrīṇi mahāvane | taptvā suduṣkaraṃ prāpto brahmalokamanuttamam || 7.78.10 ||
Translation
So I, for three thousand years in the great forest, having performed exceedingly hard austerities, attained the supreme, unsurpassed world of Brahma.
तस्य मे स्वर्गभूतस्य क्षुत्पिपासे द्विजोत्तम । बाधेते परमोदार ततो ऽहं व्यथितेन्द्रियः । गत्वा त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पितामहमुवाच ह ।। 7.78.11 ।।
tasya me svargabhūtasya kṣutpipāse dvijottama | bādhete paramodāra tato 'haṃ vyathitendriyaḥ | gatvā tribhuvanaśreṣṭhaṃ pitāmahamuvāca ha || 7.78.11 ||
Translation
But for me, become a dweller in heaven, O best of the twice-born, O most magnanimous one, hunger and thirst tormented me; then, distressed in my senses, I went to the foremost being of the three worlds, the Grandfather, and spoke to him.
भगवन्ब्रह्मलोको ऽयं क्षुत्पिपासाविवर्जितः । कस्यायं कर्मणः पाकः क्षुत्पिपासानुगो ह्यहम् ।। 7.78.12 ।।
bhagavanbrahmaloko 'yaṃ kṣutpipāsāvivarjitaḥ | kasyāyaṃ karmaṇaḥ pākaḥ kṣutpipāsānugo hyaham || 7.78.12 ||
Translation
O Blessed One, this world of Brahma is free from hunger and thirst; of what deed is this the ripened fruit, that I am pursued by hunger and thirst?
आहारः कश्च मे देव तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ।। 7.78.13 ।।
āhāraḥ kaśca me deva tanme brūhi pitāmaha || 7.78.13 ||
Translation
And what, O god, is to be my food? Tell me that, O Grandfather.
पितामहस्तु मामाह तवाहारः सुदेवज । स्वादूनि स्वानि मांसानि तानि भक्षय नित्यशः ।। 7.78.14 ।।
pitāmahastu māmāha tavāhāraḥ sudevaja | svādūni svāni māṃsāni tāni bhakṣaya nityaśaḥ || 7.78.14 ||
Translation
Then the Grandfather said to me: 'Your food, O son of Sudeva, is your own savory flesh; eat that perpetually.'
स्वशरीरं त्वया पुष्टं कुर्वता तप उत्तमम् । अनुप्तं रोहते श्वेत न कदाचिन्महामते ।। 7.78.15 ।।
svaśarīraṃ tvayā puṣṭaṃ kurvatā tapa uttamam | anuptaṃ rohate śveta na kadācinmahāmate || 7.78.15 ||
Translation
'Your own body was nourished by you while you performed the highest austerity; what is not sown never grows, O Shveta, never at all, O you of great wisdom.'
तृप्तिर्न ते ऽस्ति सूक्ष्मा ऽपि वने सत्वनिषेविते । पुरा तु भिक्षमाणाय भिक्षा वै यतये नृप । न हि दत्ता त्वयेन्द्राभ यस्मादतिथये ऽपि वै ।। 7.78.16 ।।
tṛptirna te 'sti sūkṣmā 'pi vane satvaniṣevite | purā tu bhikṣamāṇāya bhikṣā vai yataye nṛpa | na hi dattā tvayendrābha yasmādatithaye 'pi vai || 7.78.16 ||
Translation
There is not even the slightest satisfaction for you in this forest haunted by wild beasts. For in former times, O king, when an ascetic came to you begging for alms, you gave him nothing; and because of that, O Indra-like one, you gave nothing even to a guest.
दत्तं न ते ऽस्ति सूक्ष्मो ऽपि तप एव निषेवसे । तेन स्वर्गगतो वत्स बाध्यसे क्षुत्पिपासया ।। 7.78.17 ।।
dattaṃ na te 'sti sūkṣmo 'pi tapa eva niṣevase | tena svargagato vatsa bādhyase kṣutpipāsayā || 7.78.17 ||
Translation
You bestowed nothing in charity, nor did you practice even the slightest austerity; through that, my child, having gone to heaven, you are now tormented by hunger and thirst.
स त्वं सुपुष्टमाहारैः स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम् । भक्षयित्वामृतरसं तेन तृप्तिर्भविष्यति ।। 7.78.18 ।।
sa tvaṃ supuṣṭamāhāraiḥ svaśarīramanuttamam | bhakṣayitvāmṛtarasaṃ tena tṛptirbhaviṣyati || 7.78.18 ||
Translation
Therefore, when you have eaten your own most excellent body, which is well nourished by foods and has the flavor of nectar, by that means satisfaction shall come to you.
यदा तु तद्वनं श्वेत अगस्त्यः सुमहानृषिः । आगमिष्यति दुर्धर्षस्तदा कृच्छ्राद्विमोक्ष्यते ।। 7.78.19 ।।
yadā tu tadvanaṃ śveta agastyaḥ sumahānṛṣiḥ | āgamiṣyati durdharṣastadā kṛcchrādvimokṣyate || 7.78.19 ||
Translation
But when the great and unassailable sage Agastya shall come to that forest, O Shveta, then you shall be released from this torment.
स हि तारयितुं सौम्य शक्तः सुरगणानपि । किं पुनस्त्वां महाबाहो क्षुत्पिपासावशं गतम् ।। 7.78.20 ।।
sa hi tārayituṃ saumya śaktaḥ suragaṇānapi | kiṃ punastvāṃ mahābāho kṣutpipāsāvaśaṃ gatam || 7.78.20 ||
Translation
For he, O gentle one, is able to deliver even the hosts of the gods; how much more you, O mighty-armed one, who have fallen under the sway of hunger and thirst.
सो ऽहं भगवतः श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य निश्चयम् । आहारं गर्हितं स्वशरीरं द्विजोत्तम ।। 7.78.21 ।।
so 'haṃ bhagavataḥ śrutvā devadevasya niścayam | āhāraṃ garhitaṃ svaśarīraṃ dvijottama || 7.78.21 ||
Translation
And so, O best of the twice-born, having heard the resolve of the Lord, the God of gods, I took my own body, censured as food, for my sustenance.
बहून्वर्षगणान्ब्रह्मन्भुज्यमानमिदं मया । क्षयं नाभ्येति ब्रह्मर्षे तृप्तिश्चापि ममोत्तमा ।। 7.78.22 ।।
bahūnvarṣagaṇānbrahmanbhujyamānamidaṃ mayā | kṣayaṃ nābhyeti brahmarṣe tṛptiścāpi mamottamā || 7.78.22 ||
Translation
For many groups of years, O brahmin, this body of mine, though devoured by me, comes to no diminishing, O brahmin-sage, and my satisfaction is most excellent.
तस्य मे कृच्छ्रभूतस्य कृच्छ्रादस्माद्विमोचय । अन्येषां न गतिर्ह्यत्र कुम्भयोनिमृते द्विजम् ।। 7.78.23 ।।
tasya me kṛcchrabhūtasya kṛcchrādasmādvimocaya | anyeṣāṃ na gatirhyatra kumbhayonimṛte dvijam || 7.78.23 ||
Translation
Deliver me, who have fallen into distress, from this distress; for there is no recourse here for me, apart from the pot-born twice-born one, Agastya.
इदमाभरणं सौम्य तारणार्थं द्विजोत्तम । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। 7.78.24 ।।
idamābharaṇaṃ saumya tāraṇārthaṃ dvijottama | pratigṛhṇīṣva bhadraṃ te prasādaṃ kartumarhasi || 7.78.24 ||
Translation
This ornament, O gentle one, O best of the twice-born, is for the sake of my deliverance; accept it — blessings be upon you — and be pleased to grant me your favor.
इदं तावत्सुवर्णं च धनं वस्त्राणि च द्विज । भक्ष्यं भोज्यं च ब्रह्मर्षे ददात्याभरणानि च ।। 7.78.25 ।।
idaṃ tāvatsuvarṇaṃ ca dhanaṃ vastrāṇi ca dvija | bhakṣyaṃ bhojyaṃ ca brahmarṣe dadātyābharaṇāni ca || 7.78.25 ||
Translation
Here, moreover, O twice-born one, is gold, and wealth, and garments, O brahmin-sage; he offers food to chew and food to eat, and ornaments as well.
सर्वान्कामान्प्रयच्छामि भोगांश्च मुनिपुङ्गव । तारणे भगवन्मह्यं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। 7.78.26 ।।
sarvānkāmānprayacchāmi bhogāṃśca munipuṅgava | tāraṇe bhagavanmahyaṃ prasādaṃ kartumarhasi || 7.78.26 ||
Translation
I grant you all desires and all enjoyments, O bull among sages; O blessed one, be pleased to grant me your favor for my deliverance.
तस्याहं स्वर्गिणो वाक्यं श्रुत्वा दुःखसमन्वितम् । तारणायोपजग्राह तदाभरणमुत्तमम् ।। 7.78.27 ।।
tasyāhaṃ svargiṇo vākyaṃ śrutvā duḥkhasamanvitam | tāraṇāyopajagrāha tadābharaṇamuttamam || 7.78.27 ||
Translation
Having heard the sorrow-laden words of that dweller in heaven, I took up that most excellent ornament for the sake of his deliverance.
मया प्रतिगृहीते तु तस्मिन्नाभरणे शुभे । मानुषः पूर्वको देहो राजर्षेर्विननाश ह ।। 7.78.28 ।।
mayā pratigṛhīte tu tasminnābharaṇe śubhe | mānuṣaḥ pūrvako deho rājarṣervinanāśa ha || 7.78.28 ||
Translation
And when that auspicious ornament had been accepted by me, the former human body of that royal sage perished utterly.
प्रनष्टे तु शरीरे ऽसौ राजर्षिः परया मुदा । तृप्तः प्रमुदितो राजा जगाम त्रिदिवं सुखम् ।। 7.78.29 ।।
pranaṣṭe tu śarīre 'sau rājarṣiḥ parayā mudā | tṛptaḥ pramudito rājā jagāma tridivaṃ sukham || 7.78.29 ||
Translation
And when his body had perished, that royal sage, with supreme joy, satisfied and gladdened, went happily to the heavenly world.
तेनेदं शक्रतुल्येन दिव्यमाभरणं मम । तस्मिन्निमित्ते काकुत्स्थ दत्तमद्भुतदर्शनम् ।। 7.78.30 ।।
tenedaṃ śakratulyena divyamābharaṇaṃ mama | tasminnimitte kākutstha dattamadbhutadarśanam || 7.78.30 ||
Translation
By him, who was the equal of Indra, this divine ornament of mine, wondrous to behold, was given to me on that occasion, O Kakutstha.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे ऽष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः ।। 78 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe 'ṣṭasaptatitamaḥ sargaḥ || 78 ||
Translation
Thus ends the seventy-eighth canto in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the sage Valmiki.