---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 67"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-67"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 67

> प्रस्थाप्य च बलं सर्वं मासमात्रोषितः पथि।  
> एक एवाशु शत्रुघ्नो जगाम त्वरितं तदा॥ १॥

Despatching the entire army, residing for a month only in Ayodhyā on his way, Śatrughna alone proceeded in haste. (1)

> द्विरात्रमन्तरे शूर उष्य राघवनन्दनः।  
> वाल्मीकेराश्रमं पुण्यमगच्छद् वासमुत्तमम्॥ २॥

After spending two nights on the way, Śatrughna, descendant of the Raghus, reached the holy hermitage of Vālmīki, the best of the places to dwell. (2)

> सोऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं वाल्मीकिं मुनिसत्तमम्।  
> कृताञ्जलिरथो भूत्वा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह॥ ३॥

Śatrughna after saluting him with folded hands spoke these words to Vālmīki, the best among the ascetics: (3)

> भगवन् वस्तुमिच्छामि गुरोः कृत्यादिहागतः।  
> श्वः प्रभाते गमिष्यामि प्रतीचीं वारुणीं दिशम्॥ ४॥

‘Sir, I desire to stay here; I have come for a mighty purpose. I shall go tomorrow morning to the west, the quarter of Varuṇa.’ (4)

> शत्रुघ्नस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गवः।  
> प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं स्वागतं ते महायशः॥ ५॥

Having heard those words of Śatrughna, the best among the ascetics, Vālmīki, said cheerfully to him (Śatrughna), the noble one: “Welcome to thee, O famous one. (5)

> स्वमाश्रममिदं सौम्य राघवाणां कुलस्य वै।  
> आसनं पाद्यमर्घ्यं च निर्विशङ्कः प्रतीच्छ मे॥ ६॥

“O gracious one, this hermitage is indeed your own, the family of the descendants of Raghu. Accept without hesitation the Pādya (ablutions of the foot), Arghya and the seat offered by me.” (6)

> प्रतिगृह्य तदा पूजां फलमूलं च भोजनम्।  
> भक्षयामास काकुत्स्थस्तृप्तिं च परमां गतः॥ ७॥

Accepting then the homage and the fruits and the roots, the scion of Kakutstha, took the food and was fully satisfied. (7)

> स भुक्त्वा फलमूलं च महर्षिं तमुवाच ह।  
> पूर्वा यज्ञविभूतीयं कस्याश्रमसमीपतः॥ ८॥

Having taken the fruits and the roots, he (Śatrughna) said to that great Ṛṣi: ‘To whom belong all these accoutrements of sacrifice that are seen on the eastern side, close to the hermitage’ (8)

> तत् तस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्।  
> शत्रुघ्न शृणु यस्येदं बभूवायतनं पुरा॥ ९॥

Hearing these words of Śatrughna, Vālmīki spoke out: “O Śatrughna! listen as to whom this place of sacrifice belonged formerly. (9)

> युष्माकं पूर्वको राजा सुदासस्तस्य भूपतेः।  
> पुत्रो वीरसहो नाम वीर्यवानतिधार्मिकः॥ १०॥

“Among your ancestors there was Saudāsa, and of that king, was a son named Vīrasaha, who was very brave and extremely pious. (10)

> स बाल एव सौदासो मृगयामुपचक्रमे।  
> चञ्चूर्यमाणं ददृशे स शूरो राक्षसद्वयम्॥ ११॥

“Although young, yet valiant Saudāsa went out for hunting in forest and saw two Rākṣasas roaming about. (11)

> शार्दूलरूपिणौ घोरौ मृगान् बहुसहस्रशः।  
> भक्षमाणावसंतुष्टौ पर्याप्तिं नैव जग्मतुः॥ १२॥

“Those two Rākṣasas assuming the dreadful shape of the lion and devouring many thousands of animals, yet they were still unsatiated. (12)

> स तु तौ राक्षसौ दृष्ट्वा निर्मृगं च वनं कृतम्।  
> क्रोधेन महताविष्टो जघानैकं महेषुणा॥ १३॥

“Seeing those two Rākṣasas and the forest devoid of animals, he, Saudāsa, was enraged and killed one of them with a mighty shaft. (13)

> विनिपात्य तमेकं तु सौदासः पुरुषर्षभः।  
> विज्वरो विगतामर्षो हतं रक्षो ह्युदैक्षत॥ १४॥

“Having killed one of the Rākṣasas the bull among men, Saudāsa, without worry and anger looked at the slain Rākṣasa. (14)

> निरीक्षमाणं तं दृष्ट्वा सहायं तस्य रक्षसः।  
> संतापमकरोद् घोरं सौदासं चेदमब्रवीत्॥ १५॥  
> यस्मादनपराधं तं सहायं मम जघ्निवान्।  
> तस्मात् तवापि पापिष्ठ प्रदास्यामि प्रतिक्रियाम्॥ १६॥

“Having seen the dead Rākṣasa, his comrade was greatly pained and said to Saudāsa: ‘As you have killed that Rākṣasa, a friend of mine, who was not at all guilty, so O sinful one, I shall take my revenge on you.” (15-16)

> एवमुक्त्वा तु तद् रक्षस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत।  
> कालपर्याययोगेन राजा मित्रसहोऽभवत्॥ १७॥

Having said so, that Rākṣasa disappeared. After the lapse of some time, Mitrasaha (Vīrasaha) became the king of Ayodhyā. (17)

> राजापि यजते यज्ञमस्याश्रमसमीपतः।  
> अश्वमेधं महायज्ञं तं वसिष्ठोऽप्यपालयत्॥ १८॥

The king also performed the great sacrifice, the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice) near the hermitage and Vasiṣṭha also participated in that sacrifice. (18)

> तत्र यज्ञो महानासीद् बहुवर्षगणायुतः।  
> समृद्धः परया लक्ष्म्या देवयज्ञसमोऽभवत्॥ १९॥

The great sacrifice lasted for many years and was comparable with the sacrifice of the gods being performed with great pomp. (19)

> अथावसाने यज्ञस्य पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्।  
> वसिष्ठरूपी राजानमिति होवाच राक्षसः॥ २०॥

Now at the end of this sacrifice, the Rākṣasa in the form of Vasiṣṭha remembering the former enmity spoke to the king. (20)

> अद्य यज्ञावसानान्ते सामिषं भोजनं मम।  
> दीयतामतिशीघ्रं वै नात्र कार्या विचारणा॥ २१॥

‘At the conclusion of the last part of the sacrifice, give me immediately my food consisting of flesh, and do not ponder over this.’ (21)

> तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं रक्षसा ब्रह्मरूपिणा।  
> सूदान् संस्कारकुशलानुवाच पृथिवीपतिः॥ २२॥

Hearing those words, spoken by Rākṣasa in the form of Brāhmaṇa Vasiṣṭha, the king spoke to the expert cooks: (22)

> हविष्यं सामिषं स्वादु यथा भवति भोजनम्।  
> तथा कुरुत शीघ्रं वै परितुष्येद् यथा गुरुः॥ २३॥

‘Prepare soon such food possessed of flesh, fatty and worthy of offering, so that our preceptor, Vasiṣṭha, is satisfied.’ (23)

> शासनात् पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य सूदः सम्भ्रान्तमानसः।  
> तच्च रक्षः पुनस्तत्र सूदवेषमथाकरोत्॥ २४॥

The chief of the cooks was perturbed in mind at the orders of the king; then that Rākṣasa soon took the form of the cook. (24)

> स मानुषमथो मांसं पार्थिवाय न्यवेदयत्।  
> इदं स्वादु हविष्यं च सामिषं चान्नमाहृतम्॥ २५॥

He brought human flesh to the king and said: “This tasteful food, possessed of flesh, has been brought by me.’ (25)

> स भोजनं वसिष्ठाय पत्न्या सार्धमुपाहरत्।  
> मदयन्त्या नरश्रेष्ठ सामिषं रक्षसा हृतम्॥ २६॥

That best among men (Vīrasaha) together with his wife Madayantī offered this food possessed of flesh brought by the Rākṣasa to Vasiṣṭha. (26)

> ज्ञात्वा तदामिषं विप्रो मानुषं भाजनं गतम्।  
> क्रोधेन महताविष्टो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥ २७॥  
> यस्मात् त्वं भोजनं राजन् ममैतद् दातुमिच्छसि।  
> तस्माद् भोजनमेतत् ते भविष्यति न संशयः॥ २८॥

Knowing human flesh to have been brought as food, the Brāhmaṇa (Vasiṣṭha) possessed of great anger ventured to speak thus: ‘O king as you desire to give such food to me, so no doubt this shall be your food’. (27-28)

> ततः क्रुद्धस्तु सौदासस्तोयं जग्राह पाणिना।  
> वसिष्ठं शप्तुमारेभे भार्या चैनमवारयत्॥ २९॥

Then Saudāsa enraged by this, took up a hand-full of water and was on the point of cursing Vasiṣṭha; his wife, however, checked him. (29)

> राजन् प्रभुर्यतोऽस्माकं वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः।  
> प्रतिशप्तुं न शक्तस्त्वं देवतुल्यं पुरोधसम्॥ ३०॥

‘As the holy Ṛṣi Vasiṣṭha is our venerable preceptor and a chief priest comparable to the gods, O king! so you cannot curse him in return.’ (30)

> ततः क्रोधमयं तोयं तेजोबलसमन्वितम्।  
> व्यसर्जयत धर्मात्मा ततः पादौ सिषेच च॥ ३१॥

Then the pious Saudāsa employed the water held in his hand, which was infused with anger and his spiritual power and sprinkled his feet with it. (31)

> तेनास्य राज्ञस्तौ पादौ तदा कल्माषतां गतौ।  
> तदाप्रभृति राजासौ सौदासः सुमहायशाः॥ ३२॥  
> कल्माषपादः संवृत्तः ख्यातश्चैव तथा नृपः।  
> स राजा सह पत्न्या वै प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः।  
> पुनर्वसिष्ठं प्रोवाच यदुक्तं ब्रह्मरूपिणा॥ ३३॥

By it (this sprinkling) the feet of the king became variegated in colour, and thence the king by name Saudāsa, became famous as Kalmāṣapāda (with feet of dark-variegated colour), and was so known. That King with his wife falling at the feet of Vasiṣṭha again and again repeated to Vasiṣṭha what was uttered by the Rākṣasa, in the form of a Brāhmaṇa. (32-33)

> तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य रक्षसा विकृतं च तत्।  
> पुनः प्रोवाच राजानं वसिष्ठः पुरुषर्षभम्॥ ३४॥

After having heard what the King said and knowing the food being contaminated by the Rākṣasa, Vasiṣṭḥa again spoke to Saudāsa, the bull among men: (34)

> मया रोषपरीतेन यदिदं व्याहृतं वचः।  
> नैतच्छक्यं वृथा कर्तुं प्रदास्यामि च ते वरम्॥ ३५॥

‘These words that have been uttered by me in anger, cannot be rendered ineffective, I will, however, grant you a boon. (35)

> कालो द्वादशवर्षाणि शापस्यान्तो भविष्यति।  
> मत् प्रसादाच्च राजेन्द्र अतीतं न स्मरिष्यसि॥ ३६॥

The curse will come to an end after twelve years and by my grace, you will not remember the past.” (36)

> एवं स राजा तं शापमुपभुज्यारिसूदनः।  
> प्रतिलेभे पुना राज्यं प्रजाश्चैवान्वपालयत्॥ ३७॥

Thus that King, the extirpator of enemies, having borne that curse, regained his kingdom and protected his subjects. (37)

> तस्य कल्माषपादस्य यज्ञस्यायतनं शुभम्।  
> आश्रमस्य समीपेऽस्य यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव॥ ३८॥

‘Of that Kalmāṣapāda is this holy place of sacrifice, near the hermitage about which you asked me’. (38)

> तस्य तां पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य कथां श्रुत्वा सुदारुणाम्।  
> विवेश पर्णशालायां महर्षिमभिवाद्य च॥ ३९॥

Having heard this dreadful story of that king Kalmāṣapāda, Śatrughna saluted the great Ṛṣi and entered the hutment. (39)

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