Uttara Kanda, Sarga 55
एष ते नृगशापस्य विस्तरोऽभिहितो मया। यद्यस्ति श्रवणे श्रद्धा शृणुष्वेहापरां कथाम्॥ १॥
Meaning
“Thus I have narrated to you in detail the story of the curse pronounced on Nṛga. If you are interested in hearing more of such stories, then do listen now to another story. (1)
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण सौमित्रिः पुनरब्रवीत्। तृप्तिराश्चर्यभूतानां कथानां नास्ति मे नृप॥ २॥
Meaning
Thus asked by Śrī Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa again said, “O king! I do not feel contented by listening to such wonderful stories.” (2)
लक्ष्मणेनैवमुक्तस्तु राम इक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। कथां परमधर्मिष्ठां व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥ ३॥
Meaning
Having been thus told by Lakṣmaṇa, Śrī Rāma, a source of delight to the Ikṣvāku family, began narrating the highly moral story. (3)
आसीद् राजा निमिर्नाम इक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम्। पुत्रो द्वादशमो वीर्ये धर्मे च परिनिष्ठितः॥ ४॥
Meaning
“O Lakṣmaṇa (the joy of Sumitrā) there was a king named Nimi, who was the twelfth among the sons of Ikṣvāku. He was eminently full of prowess and highly religious. (4)
स राजा वीर्यसम्पन्नः पुरं देवपुरोपमम्। निवेशयामास तदा अभ्याशे गौतमस्य तु॥ ५॥
Meaning
“The powerful king founded a city, like the city of the gods, near the hermitage of Gautama. (5)
पुरस्य सुकृतं नाम वैजयन्तमिति श्रुतम्। निवेशं यत्र राजर्षिर्निमिश्चक्रे महायशाः॥ ६॥
Meaning
“Vaijayanta was the good and famous name given to the city after the name of Indra’s palace, where the highly renowned sage-like king built his abode. (6)
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य सुमहापुरम्। यजेयं दीर्घसत्रेण पितुः प्रह्लादयन् मनः॥ ७॥
Meaning
“After founding the big city it occurred to him that he should perform a long term sacrifice that would make his father happy. (7)
ततः पितरमामन्त्र्य इक्ष्वाकुं हि मनोः सुतम्। वसिष्ठं वरयामास पूर्वं ब्रह्मर्षिसत्तमम्॥ ८॥ अनन्तरं स राजर्षिर्निमिरिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। अत्रिमङ्गिरसं चैव भृगुं चैव तपोनिधिम्॥ ९॥
Meaning
“Then, having obtained the permission of his father, Ikṣvāku, son of Manu, the sage-like king Nimi, a source of delight to Ikṣvāku, first of all chose Vasiṣṭha, the best of Brahmarṣis, as his principal priest. Subsequently he invited Atri, Aṅgirā and Bhṛgu, who had austerities for their treasure. (8-9)
तमुवाच वसिष्ठस्तु निमिं राजर्षिसत्तमम्। वृतोऽहं पूर्वमिन्द्रेण अन्तरं प्रतिपालय॥ १०॥
Meaning
“But Vasiṣṭha said to Nimi, the best of sage-like kings, “I have already been chosen by Indra, so please wait for sometime until Indra’s sacrifice concludes.” (10)
अनन्तरं महाविप्रो गौतमः प्रत्यपूरयत्। वसिष्ठोऽपि महातेजा इन्द्रयज्ञमथाकरोत्॥ ११॥
Meaning
“Later on (after Vasiṣṭha had left) the great Brāhmaṇa Gautama undertook the task of officiating as principal priest, at Nimi’s sacrifice. And majestic Vasiṣṭha officiated as priest at Indra’s sacrifice. (11)
निमिस्तु राजा विप्रांस्तान् समानीय नराधिपः। अयजद्धिमवत्पार्श्वे स्वपुरस्य समीपतः। पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि राजा दीक्षामथाकरोत्॥ १२॥
Meaning
“Inviting the Brāhmaṇas (viz., Atri and others) king Nimi, the lord of men, however, performed the sacrifice near his city Vaijayanta, in the vicinity of the Himālayas. The King took the initiation of sacrifice for five thousand years. (12)
इन्द्रयज्ञावसाने तु वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः। सकाशमागतो राज्ञो हौत्रं कर्तुमनिन्दितः॥ १३॥ तदन्तरमथापश्यद् गौतमेनाभिपूरितम्। कोपेन महताविष्टो वसिष्ठो ब्रह्मणः सुतः॥ १४॥
Meaning
“After the conclusion of Indra’s sacrifice the blameless, holy sage Vasiṣṭha came back to king Nimi) to act as priest. He found that the intervening period (set by Vasiṣṭha for the king to wait) was taken up by Gautama. At this Vasiṣṭha, son of Brahmā, was very much annoyed. (13—14)
स राज्ञो दर्शनाकाङ्क्षी मुहूर्तं समुपाविशत्। तस्मिन्नहनि राजर्षिर्निद्रयापहृतो भृशम्॥ १५॥ ततो मन्युर्वसिष्ठस्य प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनः। अदर्शनेन राजर्षेर्व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥ १६॥
Meaning
“In order to meet the king, he sat there for sometime. That day, however, the king was very much overtaken by sleep. Being unable to meet the king, the high-souled Vasiṣṭha became angry and began addressing the king as follows: (15-16)
यस्मात् त्वमन्यं वृतवान् मामवज्ञाय पार्थिव। चेतनेन विनाभूतो देहस्ते पार्थिवैष्यति॥ १७॥
Meaning
“O King! since, disregarding me, you chose someone else as officiating priest your body will be devoid of consciousness.” (17)
ततः प्रबुद्धो राजा तु श्रुत्वा शापमुदाहृतम्। ब्रह्मयोनिमथोवाच स राजा क्रोधमूर्च्छितः॥ १८॥
Meaning
“On waking up the king heard about the curse pronounced by the sage and infatuated by wrath, the king said to Vasiṣṭha, the son of Brahmā. (18)
अजानतः शयानस्य क्रोधेन कलुषीकृतः। उक्तवान् मम शापाग्निं यमदण्डमिवापरम्॥ १९॥
Meaning
“Defiled by anger you pronounced a fire-like curse, like a second staff of Yama on me, who was asleep, unaware of your arrival. (19)
तस्मात् तवापि ब्रह्मर्षे चेतनेन विनाकृतः। देहः स सुचिरप्रख्यो भविष्यति न संशयः॥ २०॥
Meaning
“Therefore, O Brahmarṣi! This ever handsome body of your’s also undoubtedly be devoid of consciousness.” (20)
इति रोषवशादुभौ तदानी- मन्योन्यं शपितौ नृपद्विजेन्द्रौ। सहसैव बभूवतुर्विदेहौ तत्तुल्याधिगतप्रभाववन्तौ ॥ २१॥
Meaning
Thus the great king and the great Brāhmaṇa, who cursed each other immediately became devoid of their physical body. (21)
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