Sarga 21: Vashishtha Intercedes
Vasishtha Madhyastha
Enraged at Dasaratha's refusal, Vishvamitra threatens to leave; the earth trembles until Vashishtha calms the king, vouching for Vishvamitra's incomparable mastery of celestial weapons and persuading Dasaratha to relent.
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तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम्। समन्यु: कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।।1.21.1।।
Meaning
Hearing those words of his, faltering with fondness, Kaushika, filled with anger, replied to the king.
पूर्वमर्थं प्रतिश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुमिच्छसि। राघवाणामयुक्तोऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्यय:।।1.21.2।।
Meaning
"Having first promised the thing, you now wish to abandon your word — such reversal is unbecoming of the line of Raghu."
यदीदं ते क्षमं राजन् गमिष्यामि यथाऽगतम्। मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञ: काकुत्स्थ सुखीभव सबान्धव:।।1.21.3।।
Meaning
"If this suits you, O king, I shall go as I came — be happy, O Kakutstha, with your kinsmen, false to your promise."
तस्य रोषपरीतस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमत:। चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना विवेश च भयं सुरान्।।1.21.4।।
Meaning
As the wise Vishvamitra was overcome with wrath, the whole earth trembled and fear entered the gods.
त्रस्तरूपं तु विज्ञाय जगत्सर्वं महानृषि:। नृपतिं सुव्रतो धीरो वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।1.21.5।।
Meaning
Perceiving the whole world stricken with fear, the great sage Vashishtha, steadfast in his vows, spoke these words to the king.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातस्साक्षाद्धर्म इवापर:। धृतिमान् सुव्रत: श्रीमान्नधर्मं हातुमर्हसि।।1.21.6।।
Meaning
"Born in the line of Ikshvaku, you are righteousness itself in another form — resolute, of good vows and glorious, you should not abandon righteousness."
त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातो धर्मात्मा इति राघव। स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व नाधर्मं वोढुमर्हसि।।1.21.7।।
Meaning
"Renowned in the three worlds as righteous, O Raghava, uphold your own duty — you should not bear the burden of unrighteousness."
संश्रुत्यैवं करिष्यामीत्यकुर्वाणस्य राघव। इष्टापूर्तवधो भूयात्तस्माद्रामं विसर्जय।।1.21.8।।
Meaning
"O Raghava, if you fail to do what you promised to do, the merit of your charitable and pious works will perish — therefore send Rama forth."
कृतास्त्रमकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसा:। गुप्तं कुशिकपुत्रेण ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा।।1.21.9।।
Meaning
"Whether trained in weapons or not, the rakshasas cannot harm him, guarded by Kaushika as nectar is guarded by fire."
एष विग्रहवान् धर्म एष वीर्यवतां वर:। एष बुध्याऽधिको लोके तपसश्च परायणम्।।1.21.10।।
Meaning
"He is righteousness embodied, the foremost among the valorous, unmatched in intellect in the world, and devoted wholly to austerity."