---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 80"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-80"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 80

> श्रुत्वा तु भाषितं वाक्यं मम राम शुभाक्षरम्।  
> प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्युवाचेदं स स्वर्गी रघुनन्दन॥ १॥

Hearing the words comprised of holy syllables spoken by me, O descendant of Raghu, Śrī Rāma, the celestial being, with folded hands replied thus: (1)

> शृणु ब्रह्मन् पुरा वृत्तं ममैतत् सुखदुःखयोः।  
> अनतिक्रमणीयं च यथा पृच्छसि मां द्विज॥ २॥

“O Brāhmaṇa ! listen to what happened formerly, that could not be resisted and which is the cause of my pleasure and sorrow, as you desire to know it. (2)

> पुरा वैदर्भको राजा पिता मम महायशाः।  
> सुदेव इति विख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु वीर्यवान्॥ ३॥

“In the old days, my father Vaidarbha of great fame was possessed of great power and was known in the three worlds by the name of Sudeva. (3)

> तस्य पुत्रद्वयं ब्रह्मन् द्वाभ्यां स्त्रीभ्यामजायत।  
> अहं श्वेत इति ख्यातो यवीयान् सुरथोऽभवत्॥ ४॥

“Two sons were born to him from his two wives. I, the elder one, was known as Śweta, while my younger brother was known as Suratha. (4)

> ततः पितरि स्वर्याते पौरा मामभ्यषेचयन्।  
> तत्राहं कृतवान् राज्यं धर्म्यं च सुसमाहितः॥ ५॥

“On my father having attained heaven, the citizens consecrated me. And I ruled righteously, with care. (5)

> एवं वर्षसहस्राणि समतीतानि सुव्रत।  
> राज्यं कारयतो ब्रह्मन् प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षतः॥ ६॥

“O Brāhmaṇa, observer of vows, thus a thousand years passed by, with my ruling over the kingdom and protecting my subjects. (6)

> सोऽहं निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चिद् विज्ञातायुर्द्विजोत्तम।  
> कालधर्मं हृदि न्यस्य ततो वनमुपागमम्॥ ७॥  
> सोऽहं वनमिदं दुर्गं मृगपक्षिविवर्जितम्।  
> तपश्चर्तुं प्रविष्टोऽस्मि समीपे सरसः शुभे॥ ८॥

“ So, O best among Brāhmaṇas, knowing from some men about the span of my life, keeping in mind the approach of death, I came and entered this forest near the beautiful lake, difficult to enter and with no animals or birds residing therein to perform penances. (7-8)

> भ्रातरं सुरथं राज्ये अभिषिच्य महीपतिम्।  
> इदं सरः समासाद्य तपस्तप्तं मया चिरम्॥ ९॥

“Having consecrated Suratha as the king, and reaching this lake, I performed penances for long. (9)

> सोऽहं वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्त्रीणि महावने।  
> तप्त्वा सुदुष्करं प्राप्तो ब्रह्मलोकमनुत्तमम्॥ १०॥

“Practising severe austerities for three thousand years in this great forest, I obtained the world of Brahmā (heaven) excelling all other worlds. (10)

> तस्येमे स्वर्गभूतस्य क्षुत्पिपासे द्विजोत्तम।  
> बाधेते परमोदार ततोऽहं व्यथितेन्द्रियः॥ ११॥

“Having reached the heaven, O best among Brāhmaṇas, great hunger and thirst pained me and my senses were badly afflicted. (11)

> गत्वा त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पितामहमुवाच ह।  
> भगवन् ब्रह्मलोकोऽयं क्षुत्पिपासाविवर्जितः॥ १२॥

“Then approaching Brahmā the best in the three worlds, I said, ‘Sir, this world of Brahmā is free from hunger and thirst. (12)

> कस्यायं कर्मणः पाकः क्षुत्पिपासानुगो ह्यहम्।  
> आहारः कश्च मे देव तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥ १३॥

“ ‘As a consequence of which actions I am afflicted by hunger and thirst? What my food is, O God? O Brahmā! please tell me that’. (13)

> पितामहस्तु मामाह तवाहारः सुदेवज।  
> स्वादूनि स्वानि मांसानि तानि भक्षय नित्यशः॥ १४॥

“On this Brahmā told me, ‘O son of Sudeva, your food is your own tasty flesh, eat that for ever. (14)

> स्वशरीरं त्वया पुष्टं कुर्वता तप उत्तमम्।  
> अनुप्तं रोहते श्वेत न कदाचिन्महामते॥ १५॥

“You have well-nourished your own body performing the best of penances. That which is not sown, shall never sprout O wise one. (15)

> दत्तं न तेऽस्ति सूक्ष्मोऽपि तप एव निषेवसे।  
> तेन स्वर्गगतो वत्स बाध्यसे क्षुत्पिपासया॥ १६॥

“You have not given even the smallest thing in charity, and have only practised great penances. Therefore, having reached heaven hunger and thirst afflict you. (16)

> स त्वं सुपुष्टमाहारैः स्वशरीरमनुत्तमम्।  
> भक्षयित्वामृतरसं तेन वृत्तिर्भविष्यति॥ १७॥

“As you eat your own body, well-nourished by edibles, full of the flavour of nectar; therefore, by that (eating flesh) you will live. (17)

> यदा तु तद्वनं श्वेत अगस्त्यः स महानृषिः।  
> आगमिष्यति दुर्धर्षस्तदा कृच्छ्राद् विमोक्ष्यसे॥ १८॥

“When the great and unconquerable sage Agastya will come to that forest, O Śweta, you will be delivered of this trouble. (18)

> स हि तारयितुं सौम्य शक्तः सुरगणानपि।  
> किं पुनस्त्वां महाबाहो क्षुत्पिपासावशं गतम्॥ १९॥

“O gracious one, Agastya is capable of delivering even the host of gods, what to say of you, afflicted with hunger and thirst, O long-armed one! (19)

> सोऽहं भगवतः श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य निश्चयम्।  
> आहारं गर्हितं कुर्मि स्वशरीरं द्विजोत्तम॥ २०॥

“Thus having learnt of the decision of the god of the gods, Brahmā, O best among men, I make food of my own body. (20)

> बहून् वर्षगणान् ब्रह्मन् भुज्यमानमिदं मया।  
> क्षयं नाभ्येति ब्रह्मर्षे तृप्तिश्चापि ममोत्तमा॥ २१॥

“O Brāhmaṇa, this body does not exhaust, although enjoyed by me for many years, and O Ṛṣi! I am fully quenched too.(21)

> तस्य मे कृच्छ्रभूतस्य कृच्छ्रादस्माद् विमोक्षय।  
> अन्येषां न गतिर्ह्यत्र कुम्भयोनिमृते द्विजम्॥ २२॥

“So deliver me—troubled one, from the difficulty. None other than Agastya, the pitcher-born ascetic, has power to do so. (22)

> इदमाभरणं सौम्य तारणार्थं द्विजोत्तम।  
> प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ २३॥

“O gracious one, best among Brāhmaṇas, accept this ornament for wearing, may welfare be with you. Please favour me by accepting this. (23)

> इदं तावत् सुवर्णं च धनं वस्त्राणि च द्विज।  
> भक्ष्यं भोज्यं च ब्रह्मर्षे ददात्याभरणानि च॥ २४॥

“All this gold, wealth, apparel, edibles and enjoyables, O Ṛṣi among Brāhmaṇas, I offer you as also the ornaments. (24)

> सर्वान् कामान् प्रयच्छामि भोगांश्च मुनिपुङ्गव।  
> तारणे भगवन् मह्यं प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ २५॥

“All desirables and enjoyables also I surrender to you. I deserve to be favoured by you by releasing me of troubles.” (25)

> तस्याहं स्वर्गिणो वाक्यं श्रुत्वा दुःखसमन्वितम्।  
> तारणायोपजग्राह तदाभरणमुत्तमम्॥ २६॥

‘Having heard these words full of sorrow from the celestial one, I accepted this wonderful ornament for releaving him. (26)

> मया प्रतिगृहीते तु तस्मिन्नाभरणे शुभे।  
> मानुषः पूर्वको देहो राजर्षेर्विननाश ह॥ २७॥  
> प्रणष्टे तु शरीरेऽसौ राजर्षिः परया मुदा।  
> तृप्तः प्रमुदितो राजा जगाम त्रिदिवं सुखम्॥ २८॥

‘As soon as I accepted that auspicious ornament, the former body of the Ṛṣi among kings (Śweta) vanished and the Ṛṣi among kings, extremely happy and satisfied, went to the heaven. (27-28)

> तेनेदं शक्रतुल्येन दिव्यमाभरणं मम।  
> तस्मिन्निमित्ते काकुत्स्थ दत्तमद्भुतदर्शनम्॥ २९॥

‘By him (Śweta) equal to Indra, this divine ornament, of wonderful form, was given to me, O scion of Kakutstha, for that purpose.’ (29)

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

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