Verse 1
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम् । समन्युः कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ॥
Hearing the king’s words, which were filled with affection for his son, Vishvamitra, the son of Kusha, became angry and spoke to the lord of the earth.
Verse 2
पूर्वमर्थं प्रतिश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुमिच्छसि । राघवाणामयुक्तोऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्ययः ॥
Having previously promised to fulfill my purpose, you now wish to abandon your promise. Such conduct is not proper for this lineage of the Raghus.
Verse 3
यदिदं ते क्षमं राजन् गमिष्यामि यथागतम् । मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञः काकुत्स्थ सुखी भव सुहृद्वृतः ॥
O King, if this is what you consider proper, I shall depart as I came. O Kakutstha, having become false to your promise, remain happy surrounded by your friends.
Verse 4
धर्मो हि परमो लोके कुर्वतां तस्य पालनम् । तस्य त्वं नानृतं कर्तुमिच्छसे रघुनन्दन ॥
Righteousness is supreme in this world for those who uphold it. Yet, O delight of the Raghu dynasty, you now wish to act contrary to your promise.
Verse 5
पूर्वं प्रतिश्रुतं हित्वा तदिदं तु करिष्यसि । मिथ्यावादीति लोके त्वं यशः प्राप्स्यसि पातकम् ॥
Abandoning what you previously promised and acting otherwise, you will become known in the world as one who speaks falsely and will incur blame.
Verse 6
अहं हि वचनाद्राजन् गमिष्यामि यथागतम् । सिद्धार्थोऽस्मि गमिष्यामि यथा ते रोचते नृप ॥
O King, because of your words I shall depart as I came. I have accomplished my purpose, and I shall go according to your wish.
Verse 7
इत्युक्त्वा मुनिशार्दूलो विश्वामित्रो महायशाः । प्रतस्थे मुनिभिः सार्धं यथागतपथं पुनः ॥
Having spoken thus, the illustrious Vishvamitra, the tiger among sages, prepared to depart again along the path by which he had come, together with the sages.
Verse 8
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिशार्दूलं यान्तं मुनिगणैर्वृतम् । वसिष्ठः परमप्रीतो विश्वामित्रमुवाच ह ॥
Seeing the tiger among sages departing surrounded by other sages, Vashishtha, greatly pleased, spoke to Vishvamitra.
Verse 9
न हि सत्यं परित्यक्तुं शक्यं राज्ञा कथञ्चन । सत्यं हि परमं ब्रह्म सत्ये धर्मः प्रतिष्ठितः ॥
A king can never abandon truth under any circumstances. Truth itself is the supreme Brahman, and righteousness is established in truth.
Verse 10
सत्यं ते प्रतिजानामि रामं दास्यति राघवः । न चास्य किञ्चिदप्यस्ति तव कार्यं विघातितम् ॥
I assure you that Raghava will give you Rama. Your purpose will not be obstructed in any way.
Verse 11
अस्त्रविद्यां महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । रामाय प्रददात्येष तस्य कार्यं करिष्यति ॥
The greatly radiant great sage Vishvamitra will impart the knowledge of celestial weapons to Rama, and Rama will accomplish his purpose.
Verse 12
अस्त्राणि सर्वशस्त्राणि दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि राघवः । प्राप्स्यते कौशिकादेव नात्र कार्यं विचारणा ॥
Raghava will receive from Kaushika all the celestial weapons and all the knowledge of their use. There is no need for doubt concerning this.
Verse 13
पूर्वं दत्तानि चास्त्राणि विश्वामित्रेण धीमता । रामाय दास्यते सर्वं तेन रक्षिष्यते मुनिः ॥
The wise Vishvamitra will give Rama all the weapons that he has previously obtained, and Rama will protect the sage.
Verse 14
एष वीर्यवतां वीर्यो रामो दशरथात्मजः । तस्य शक्तिं न संदेहो विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः ॥
This Rama, the son of Dasharatha, possesses the strength of the strongest among warriors. There is no doubt about the power of the wise Vishvamitra.
Verse 15
यस्यास्त्रबलमाश्रित्य त्रैलोक्यं न च कम्पते । तमृषिं कौशिकं रामं नयस्व रघुनन्दन ॥
Taking Rama with the sage Kaushika, whose mastery of weapons is such that the three worlds do not tremble before him, send him forth, O delight of the Raghu dynasty.
Verse 16
न हि तस्यापराधोऽस्ति यदर्थं त्वमिहागतः । स तु तस्य महात्मा वै कार्यस्य परिपूरकः ॥
There is no fault in the purpose for which he has come here. That great-souled sage will bring the work for which he has come to completion.
Verse 17
तस्यास्त्राणि महाभाग पूर्वमप्राप्तवानपि । प्रदास्यति महातेजा रामाय मुनिसत्तमः ॥
The greatly radiant and excellent sage will give Rama the celestial weapons, even those that Rama has not previously obtained.
Verse 18
तेषां निग्रहणे शक्तः स्वयं च कुशिकात्मजः । तव पुत्रहितार्थाय त्वामुपेत्याभियाचते ॥
The son of Kusha himself is capable of restraining those Rakshasas. He has approached you and is requesting Rama for the welfare of your son.
Verse 19
न हि रामस्य राजेन्द्र शक्तोऽस्ति निवारणे । विश्वामित्रस्य महतो यज्ञविघ्नकरान् रिपून् ॥
O king among kings, there is no one capable of preventing Rama from destroying the enemies who are causing obstacles to the great sacrifice of Vishvamitra.
Verse 20
एवं वीर्यो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महायशाः । न रामगमने राजन् संशयं गन्तुमर्हसि ॥
Such is the valor and great radiance of the highly renowned Vishvamitra. O King, you should not have any doubt about Rama’s going with him.
Verse 21
इति मुनिवचनात्प्रसन्नचित्तो रघुवृषभश्च मुमोद पार्थिवाग्र्यः । गमनमभिरुरोच राघवस्य प्रथितयशाः कुशिकात्मजाय बुद्ध्या ॥
Thus, having heard the sage’s words, the foremost of the Raghus, the supreme among kings, became pleased in mind. The renowned Dasharatha gladly and wholeheartedly consented to Rama’s departure with the son of Kushika.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः ॥