Verse 1
जनकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शतानन्दो महामुनिः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् ॥
Hearing the words of Janaka, the great sage Shatananda spoke sweetly to the great sage Vishvamitra.
Verse 2
स्वागतं ते महामुने विश्वामित्र महायशः ।
कुशलं ते महाभाग कच्चित्ते कुशलं गृहे ॥
“O great sage Vishvamitra, greatly renowned one, welcome to you. O greatly fortunate one, I hope you are well and that everything is well in your hermitage.”
Verse 3
महातेजा महाप्राज्ञः कौशिकः कुशलं वदन् ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं शतानन्दं महामुनिम् ॥
The greatly radiant and highly wise Kaushika spoke sweetly to the great sage Shatananda, enquiring about his welfare.
Verse 4
कुशलं ते महाभाग शतानन्द तपोधन ।
कच्चिदाश्रमवासे ते नित्यं कुशलमस्ति हि ॥
“O greatly fortunate Shatananda, whose wealth is austerity, I hope you are well. I hope everything is always well in your life at the hermitage.”
Verse 5
ततः शतानन्दो रामं दृष्ट्वा राजीवलोचनम् ।
पप्रच्छ कुशलं वीरं कौसल्यायाः प्रियं सुतम् ॥
Then Shatananda saw Rama, the lotus-eyed hero and beloved son of Kausalya, and enquired about his welfare.
Verse 6
कच्चिद्दशरथस्य त्वं राम पुत्रो महात्मनः ।
कच्चिद्विश्वामित्रस्य त्वं शिष्यः कुशलवर्त्मनः ॥
“O Rama, are you indeed the son of the great-souled Dasharatha? Are you the disciple of Vishvamitra, who follows the righteous path?”
Verse 7
कच्चित्ते कुशलं राम लक्ष्मणेन सहानघ ।
कच्चिदस्ति तपोवृद्धिः कौशिकस्य महात्मनः ॥
“O sinless Rama, are you well together with Lakshmana? Is the austerity and spiritual power of the great-souled Kaushika increasing?”
Verse 8
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शतानन्दस्य राघवः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं शतानन्दं महामुनिम् ॥
Hearing the words of Shatananda, Rama spoke sweetly to the great sage Shatananda.
Verse 9
कुशलं मे महाभाग सर्वं च कुशलं गुरोः ।
तवापि कुशलं ब्रह्मन् पितुश्चैव महात्मनः ॥
“O greatly fortunate one, I am well, and everything is well with my teacher. O Brahman, I hope you too are well, as is my great-souled father.”
Verse 10
ततः शतानन्दो रामं विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः ।
कथयामास विस्तीर्णं चरितं परमाद्भुतम् ॥
Then Shatananda narrated to Rama the extraordinary and extensive story of the wise Vishvamitra.
Verse 11
महर्षेस्तस्य काकुत्स्थ कौशिकस्य महात्मनः ।
यथावृत्तं पुरावृत्तं कथयामास सादरम् ॥
O Kakutstha, he respectfully narrated the ancient history of the great sage Kaushika exactly as it had happened.
Verse 12
राजा किल महातेजाः प्रजापालनतत्परः ।
कुशस्य पुत्रो धर्मात्मा कुशनाभ इति स्मृतः ॥
There was once a greatly radiant king, devoted to protecting his subjects. He was the righteous son of Kusha and was known as Kushanabha.
Verse 13
कुशनाभस्य धर्मात्मा पुत्रोऽभूद्गाधिनामकः ।
गाधेः पुत्रो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥
The righteous Kushanabha had a son named Gadhi. The greatly radiant Vishvamitra, the great sage, was the son of Gadhi.
Verse 14
राजा विश्वामित्रो नाम प्रजाः सम्यगुपालयन् ।
स कदाचिन्महातेजा वसिष्ठस्याश्रमं ययौ ॥
King Vishvamitra properly protected his subjects. Once, that greatly radiant king went to the hermitage of Vasistha.
Verse 15
तत्र दृष्ट्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठं वसिष्ठं तपसि स्थितम् ।
पूजयामास धर्मात्मा विधिवत्सुसमाहितः ॥
There he saw the foremost of sages, Vasistha, engaged in austerities. The righteous king respectfully worshipped him according to the proper rites.
Verse 16
तं दृष्ट्वा मुनिशार्दूलं विश्वामित्रं महामुनिः ।
वसिष्ठः परमप्रीतोऽभ्यागतं प्रत्यपूजयत् ॥
Seeing Vishvamitra, the tiger among sages, the great sage Vasistha became exceedingly pleased and properly honoured his guest.
Verse 17
अर्घ्यं पाद्यं च गां चैव मधुपर्कं तथैव च ।
निवेदयामास विधिवद्राज्ञे परमधार्मिकः ॥
The highly righteous Vasistha duly offered the king arghya, water for washing his feet, a cow and madhuparka.
Verse 18
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजां विश्वामित्रो महाबलः ।
कृतार्थोऽभून्महातेजा वसिष्ठेन महात्मना ॥
Having accepted that honour, the mighty and greatly radiant Vishvamitra felt fulfilled by the hospitality of the great-souled Vasistha.
Verse 19
ततः कुशलमव्यग्रं वसिष्ठो मुनिपुङ्गवः ।
पप्रच्छ मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् ॥
Then Vasistha, the foremost of sages, calmly enquired about the welfare of the great sage Vishvamitra in sweet words.
Verse 20
कच्चित्ते कुशलं राजन् राज्ये च बले च ते ।
मित्रेषु च सुहृच्चैव कच्चित्सुखमवाप्स्यसि ॥
“O king, I hope you are well, as are your kingdom and army. I hope your friends and well-wishers are also well and that you are living happily.”
Verse 21
कच्चित्ते कुशलं राम सर्वत्र च नरेश्वर ।
कच्चिद्भृत्याः प्रसन्नास्ते कच्चित्तेऽस्ति धनागमः ॥
“O Rama, I hope everything is well with you everywhere, O lord of men. I hope your servants are content and that wealth is coming to you.”
Verse 22
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं वसिष्ठं मुनिसत्तमम् ॥
Hearing those words, the great sage Vishvamitra spoke sweetly to the excellent sage Vasistha.
Verse 23
कुशलं मे महाभाग सर्वत्र कुशलं मम ।
राज्यं च कुशलं सर्वं बलं च कुशलं तथा ॥
“O greatly fortunate one, I am well, and everything is well with me. My kingdom is prosperous, and my army too is in good condition.”
Verse 24
मित्राणि च सुहृच्चैव भृत्याश्च कुशलाः सदा ।
धनागमश्च मे ब्रह्मन् कुशलं च यथातथम् ॥
“My friends and well-wishers are well, and my servants are also always well. O Brahman, wealth is coming to me, and everything is as it should be.”
Verse 25
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
वसिष्ठं मुनिशार्दूलं पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत ॥
Having spoken thus, the greatly radiant great sage Vishvamitra again addressed Vasistha, the tiger among sages.
Verse 26
इमौ कुमारौ भद्रं ते देवतुल्यपराक्रमौ ।
रामो दशरथस्यायं लक्ष्मणश्चापि वीर्यवान् ॥
“These two princes are of divine-like prowess. May you be blessed. This is Rama, the son of Dasharatha, and this is the mighty Lakshmana.”
Verse 27
इमौ मुनिवरश्रेष्ठं मां शुश्रूषापरायणौ ।
आगतौ सहिता वीरौ यज्ञस्य परिरक्षणे ॥
“These two heroic princes have come with me, devoted to serving me and protecting my sacrifice.”
Verse 28
अहं वेद्मि महात्मानौ रामलक्ष्मणयोर्बलम् ।
न वेत्ति हि भवान् सर्वं तयोर्वीर्यं महामुने ॥
“O great sage, I know the strength of these two great-souled princes, Rama and Lakshmana. You do not yet know all the extent of their valour.”
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the fifty-first Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.