---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 53"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-53"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 53

> लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद् वाक्यं निशम्य परमाद्भुतम्।  
> सुप्रीतश्चाभवद् रामो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह॥ १॥

Hearing those most striking words of Lakṣmaṇa, Śrī Rāma was highly pleased and spoke in the following manner: (1)

> दुर्लभस्त्वीदृशो बन्धुरस्मिन् काले विशेषतः।  
> यादृशस्त्वं महाबुद्धिर्मम सौम्य मनोऽनुगः॥ २॥

“A kinsman as faithful and wise as you, O courteous one, is difficult to be found, specially at this time. (2)

> यच्च मे हृदये किंचिद् वर्तते शुभलक्षण।  
> तन्निशामय च श्रुत्वा कुरुष्व वचनं मम॥ ३॥

“O noble one! bearing auspicious marks, whatever is passing in my mind, I shall say: listen to it and do as I say. (3)

> चत्वारो दिवसाः सौम्य कार्यं पौरजनस्य च।  
> अकुर्वाणस्य सौमित्रे तन्मे मर्माणि कृन्तति॥ ४॥

Our full four days, O lovely one, have passed, and the duties towards citizens have not been attended to, O son of Sumitrā, that negligence eats as if my vitals. (4)

> आहूयन्तां प्रकृतयः पुरोधा मन्त्रिणस्तथा।  
> कार्यार्थिनश्च पुरुषाः स्त्रियो वा पुरुषर्षभ॥ ५॥

“Let all my subjects be called, so also the priest and the counsellors, and even men or women too seeking their business. (5)

> पौरकार्याणि यो राजा न करोति दिने दिने।  
> संवृते नरके घोरे पतितो नात्र संशयः॥ ६॥

“The king, who does not perform the daily duties to his subjects falls undoubtedly into the dreadful Saṁvṛta (airless) hell. (6)

> श्रूयते हि पुरा राजा नृगो नाम महायशाः।  
> बभूव पृथिवीपालो ब्रह्मण्यः सत्यवाक् शुचिः॥ ७॥

“In the days of yore, there was a king, Nṛga by name, of high fame, protector of the earth, devoted to Brāhmaṇas, truth-speaking and pure of heart and conduct. (7)

> स कदाचिद् गवां कोटीः सवत्साः स्वर्णभूषिताः।  
> नृदेवो भूमिदेवेभ्यः पुष्करेषु ददौ नृपः॥ ८॥

“That king, at one time gave away millions of cows ornamented with gold and accompanied with calves to Brāhmaṇas (the gods on earth) at the holy pilgrim-centre of Puṣkara. (8)

> ततः सङ्गाद् गता धेनुः सवत्सा स्पर्शितानघ।  
> ब्राह्मणस्याहिताग्नेस्तु दरिद्रस्योञ्छवर्तिनः॥ ९॥

“A cow with its calf belonging to a poor Brāhmaṇa, who had laid the sacrificial fire and subsisted on gleaning, was also touched among the assemblage of cows by that king, for gift given away. (9)

> स नष्टां गां क्षुधार्तो वै अन्विषंस्तत्र तत्र ह।  
> नापश्यत् सर्वराष्ट्रेषु संवत्सरगणान् बहून्॥ १०॥

“Afflicted by hunger, he (the Brāhmaṇa) roamed about all the provinces in quest of the missing cow for many years, and yet could not find it (the cow). (10)

> ततः कनखलं गत्वा जीर्णवत्सां निरामयाम्।  
> ददृशे तां स्विकां धेनुं ब्राह्मणस्य निवेशने॥ ११॥

“Then reaching Kanakhala* he saw his own cow in good health accompanied by a full grown calf, in the abode of a Brāhmaṇa. (11)

> अथ तां नामधेयेन स्वकेनोवाच ब्राह्मणः।  
> आगच्छ शबलेत्येवं सा तु शुश्राव गौः स्वरम्॥ १२॥

“The Brāhmaṇa then called the cow by the name given to her by himself thus: “O Śabalā! come. That cow too heard the voice of the Brāhmaṇa. (12)

> तस्य तं स्वरमाज्ञाय क्षुधार्तस्य द्विजस्य वै।  
> अन्वगात् पृष्ठतः सा गौर्गच्छन्तं पावकोपमम्॥ १३॥

“Responding indeed to that call of the hungry Brāhmaṇa, who was like the sacred fire, the cow followed him, as he went. (13)

> योऽपि पालयते विप्रः सोऽपि गामन्वगाद् द्रुतम्।  
> गत्वा च तमृषिं चष्टे मम गौरिति सत्वरम्॥ १४॥

“The Brāhmaṇa, who had looked after the cow, too followed the cow in haste and approaching the Ṛṣi at once declared: “This is my cow.’ (14)

> स्पर्शिता राजसिंहेन मम दत्ता नृगेण ह।  
> तयोर्ब्राह्मणयोर्वादो महानासीद् विपश्चितोः॥ १५॥

“The other Brāhmaṇa on the other hand said, ‘This cow is touched and given to me by Nṛga, the lion among kings’. Thus great dispute arose between the two learned Brāhmaṇas. (15)

> विवदन्तौ ततोऽन्योन्यं दातारमभिजग्मतुः।  
> तौ राजभवनद्वारि न प्राप्तौ नृगशासनम्॥ १६॥

“Quarrelling among themselves, the two Brāhmaṇas approached the donor (Nṛga); both waited at the gate of the Royal palace, but could not gain entry into the palace on Nṛga’s orders. (16)

> अहोरात्राण्यनेकानि वसन्तौ क्रोधमीयतुः।  
> ऊचतुश्च महात्मानौ तावुभौ द्विजसत्तमौ॥ १७॥  
> क्रुद्धौ परमसंतप्तौ वाक्यं घोराभिसंहितम्।  
> अर्थिनां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं यस्मात्त्वं नैषि दर्शनम्॥ १८॥  
> अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कृकलासो भविष्यसि।  
> बहुवर्षसहस्राणि बहुवर्षशतानि च॥ १९॥

“Spending many days and nights staying there, both good Brāhmaṇas were enraged, and in rage, being totally anguished spoke out these dreadful words: ‘As you fail to appear before us to fulfil the demands of those, who seek business, you shall attain the form of a lizard and remain invisible to all beings for many thousands and hundreds of years. (17—19)

> श्वभ्रे त्वं कृकलीभूतो दीर्घकालं निवत्स्यसि।  
> उत्पत्स्यते हि लोकेऽस्मिन् यदूनां कीर्तिवर्धनः॥ २०॥

“ ‘You will stay inside the pit as a lizard. In this world, there will be born God Viṣṇu in human form, known as Vāsudeva (the son of Vasudeva), who will add to the fame of the line of the Yadus. (20)

> वासुदेव इति ख्यातो विष्णुः पुरुषविग्रहः।  
> स ते मोक्षयिता शापाद् राजंस्तस्माद् भविष्यसि॥ २१॥  
> कृता च तेन कालेन निष्कृतिस्ते भविष्यति।  
> भारावतरणार्थं हि नरनारायणावुभौ॥ २२॥  
> उत्पत्स्येते महावीर्यौ कलौ युग उपस्थिते।  
> एवं तौ शापमुत्सृज्य ब्राह्मणौ विगतज्वरौ॥ २३॥  
> तां गां हि दुर्बलां वृद्धां ददतुर्ब्राह्मणाय वै।  
> एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुङ्क्ते सुदारुणम्॥ २४॥  
> कार्यार्थिनां विमर्दो हि राज्ञां दोषाय कल्पते।  
> तच्छीघ्रं दर्शनं मह्यमभिवर्तन्तु कार्यिणः॥ २५॥

“ ‘He will release you from the curse. O king! henceforth, you will be a lizard and after a long time, your deliverance shall take place as pronounced. Both Nara and Nārāyaṇa will be born in Kali Age to deliver beings of this world from the weight of sin.’ Thus pronouncing the curse, both Brāhmaṇas, free from affliction now, gave away at last that weak and old cow to another Brāhmaṇa.” “Thus that king fell under the curse so terrible. Negligence towards a dispute among those who come with plaint, indeed constitutes a fault for the king. Therefore, please, do not neglect men with plaint and seeking my presence. (21—25)

> सुकृतस्य हि कार्यस्य फलं नावैति पार्थिवः।  
> तस्माद् गच्छ प्रतीक्षस्व सौमित्रे कार्यवाञ्जनः॥ २६॥

“The king does not attain the fruits of the good deeds. Hence wait upon the men who seek business, O son of Sumitrā.” (26)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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