Verse 1
ततः संतप्तहृदयः स्मरन्निग्रहमात्मनः ।
विनिःश्वस्य विनिःश्वस्य कृतवैरः महात्मना ॥
Then Vishvamitra, remembering his humiliation by the great-souled Vasistha, became distressed at heart and repeatedly sighed, filled with resentment.
Verse 2
स दक्षिणां दिशं गत्वा महिष्या सह राघव ।
तताप परमं घोरं विश्वामित्रो महातपाः ॥
O Raghava, that great ascetic Vishvamitra went to the southern direction with his chief queen and performed extremely severe austerities.
Verse 3
फलमूलाशनो दान्तश्चचार महतं तपः ।
अथास्य जज्ञिरे पुत्राः सत्यधर्मपरायणाः ॥
Living on fruits and roots and controlling his senses, he performed great austerities. Then sons devoted to truth and righteousness were born to him.
Verse 4
हविष्पन्दो मधुष्पन्दो दृढनेत्रो महारथः ।
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ॥
His sons were Havishpanda, Madhushpanda, Dridhanetra and Maharatha. When a thousand years had been completed, Brahma, the grandsire of the worlds, appeared.
Verse 5
अब्रवीन्मधुरं वाक्यं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम् ।
जिता राजर्षिलोकास्ते तपसा कुशिकात्मज ॥
Brahma, seeing Vishvamitra, whose wealth was austerity, spoke sweet words: “O son of Kushika, through your austerities you have attained the worlds of the royal sages.”
Verse 6
अनेन तपसा त्वां हि राजर्षिरिति विद्महे ।
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा जगाम सह दैवतैः ॥
त्रिविष्टपं ब्रह्मलोकं लोकानां परमेश्वरः ॥
“We recognize you through this austerity as a Rajarshi.” Having spoken thus, the greatly radiant Brahma, the supreme Lord of the worlds, departed with the gods to the heavenly and Brahma worlds.
Verse 7
विश्वामित्रोऽपि तच्छ्रुत्वा ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः ।
दुःखेन महताविष्टः स मन्युरिदमब्रवीत् ॥
Hearing this, Vishvamitra became somewhat downcast with shame. Overcome by great sorrow and anger, he spoke these words.
Verse 8
तपश्च सुमहत् तप्तं राजर्षिरिति मां विदुः ।
देवाः सर्षिगणाः सर्वे नास्ति मन्ये तपःफलम् ॥
“I have performed extremely great austerities, yet all the gods and sages still regard me only as a Rajarshi. I therefore think that my austerities have borne no fruit.”
Verse 9
एवं निश्चित्य मनसा भूय एव महातपाः ।
तपश्चचार काकुत्स्थ परमं परमात्मवान् ॥
O Kakutstha, having firmly resolved this in his mind, the great ascetic Vishvamitra again undertook supreme austerities with great determination.
Verse 10
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः ।
त्रिशङ्कुरिति विख्यात इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धनः ॥
At this very time there was a truthful king named Trishanku, renowned as an enhancer of the Ikshvaku dynasty and one who had conquered his senses.
Verse 11
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना यजेयमिति राघव ।
गच्छेयं स्वशरीरेण देवानां परमां गतिम् ॥
O Raghava, an idea arose in his mind: “I shall perform a sacrifice by which I may go with my own body to the highest abode of the gods.”
Verse 12
वसिष्ठं स समाहूय कथयामास चिन्तितम् ।
अशक्यमिति चाप्युक्तो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना ॥
He summoned Vasistha and told him what he had conceived. But the great-souled Vasistha told him that it was impossible.
Verse 13
प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन स ययौ दक्षिणां दिशम् ।
ततः तत्कर्मसिद्ध्यर्थं पुत्रांस्तस्य गतो नृपः ॥
Rejected by Vasistha, the king went to the southern direction. Then, for the purpose of accomplishing that undertaking, he went to the sons of Vasistha.
Verse 14
वासिष्ठा दीर्घतपसस्तपो यत्र हि तेपिरे ।
त्रिशङ्कुः सुमहातेजाः शतम् परमभास्वरम् ॥
Trishanku, the greatly radiant king, went to the place where the sons of Vasistha were performing prolonged austerities.
Verse 15
वसिष्ठपुत्रान् ददृशे तप्यमानान् यशस्विनः ।
He saw the renowned sons of Vasistha engaged in austerities.
Verse 16
सोऽभिगम्य महात्मानः सर्वानेव गुरोः सुतान् ।
अभिवाद्यानुपूर्व्येण ह्रिया किंचिदवाङ्मुखः ॥
Trishanku approached all those great-souled sons of his teacher and respectfully greeted them according to seniority, somewhat downcast with embarrassment.
Verse 17
अब्रवीत् स महात्मानः सर्वानेव कृताञ्जलिः ।
शरणं वः प्रपद्येऽहं शरण्यान् शरणागतः ॥
He spoke to all those great-souled sages with folded hands: “I seek refuge in you. I have come to you who are protectors of those seeking refuge.”
Verse 18
प्रत्याख्यातोऽस्मि भद्रं वो वसिष्ठेन महात्मना ।
यष्टुकामो महायज्ञं तदनुज्ञातुमर्हथ ॥
“May you be blessed. The great-souled Vasistha has rejected me. I desire to perform a great sacrifice, and you should grant me permission to undertake it.”
Verse 19
गुरुपुत्रानहं सर्वान् नमस्कृत्य प्रसादये ।
शिरसा प्रणतो याचे ब्राह्मणांस्तपसि स्थितान् ॥
“I bow to all the sons of my teacher and seek your favour. With my head bowed, I request you, O Brahmins established in austerity.”
Verse 20
ते मां भवन्तः सिद्ध्यर्थं याजयन्तु समाहिताः ।
सशरीरो यथाहं वै देवलोकमवाप्नुयाम् ॥
“Please, all of you, with concentrated minds, perform the sacrifice for my purpose, so that I may attain the world of the gods with my physical body.”
Verse 21
प्रत्याख्यातो वसिष्ठेन गतिमन्यां तपोधनाः ।
गुरुपुत्रानृते सर्वान्नाहं पश्यामि काञ्चन ॥
“O Brahmins whose wealth is austerity, having been rejected by Vasistha, I do not see any other means except you, the sons of my teacher.”
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the fifty-seventh Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.