Chapter 10
Rishyasringa enticed and brought from the woods
30 Verses
सुमंत्रश्चोदितो राज्ञा प्रोवाचेदं वचस्तदा | यथर्ऋष्यशृङ्गस्त्वानीतो येनोपायेन मंत्रिभिः तन्मे निगदितं सर्वं शृणु मे मंत्रिभिः सह || १-१०-१
sumaMtraH codito raaj~naa provaaca idam vacaH tadaa | yathaa R^iShyashR^i~NgaH tu aaniito yena upaayena maMtribhiH tanme nigaditam sarvam shR^iNu me maMtribhiH saha || 1-10-1
Sumantra thus motivated by King Dasharatha, said these words to king "Oh! King, how and with which idea Sage Rishyasringa is brought by the ministers of Romapada, all that will be spoken... that may please be listened from me along with ministers... [1-10-1]
रोमपादमुवाचेदं सहामात्यः पुरोहितः | उपायो निरपायोऽयमस्माभिरभिचिन्तितः || १-१०-२
romapaadam uvaaca idam saha amaatyaH purohitaH | upaayo nirapaayo ayam asmaabhiH abhicintitaH || 1-10-2
"The ministers along with clergyman have spoken this way to King Romapaada, "this is a non-harmful plan, well thought over by us..." [1-10-2]
ऋष्यशृङ्गो वनचरस्तपःस्वाध्यायसंयुतः | अनभिज्ञस्तु नारीणां विषयाणां सुखस्य च || १-१०-३
R^iShyashR^i~Ngo vanacaraH tapaH svaadhyaaya saMyutaH | anabhij~naH tu naariiNaam viShayaaNaam sukhasya ca || 1-10-3
"Rishyasringa is a forest-dweller absorbed in ascesis and self-study of Vedic scriptures, and he is not aware of women, or of worldly-matters or of even worldly-pleasures...[1-10-3]
इन्द्रियार्थैरभिमतैर्नरचित्तप्रमाथिभिः | पुरमानाययिष्यामः क्षिप्रं चाध्यवसीयताम् ||१-१०-४
indriyaarthaiH abhimataiH naracitta pramaathibhi | puram aanaayayiShyaamaH kShipram ca adhyavasiiyataam ||1-10-4
"With much desired sense-pleasing objects that will be disquieting the minds of men, we wish bring him to the city... Let it be decided quickly... [1-10-4]
गणिकास्तत्र गच्छन्तु रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः | प्रलोभ्य विविधोपायैरानेष्यन्तीह सत्कृताः || १-१०-५
gaNikaaH tatra gacChantu ruupavatyaH svalaMkR^itaaH | pralobhya vividha upaayaiH aaneShyanti iha satkR^itaaH || 1-10-5
"Beautiful and well decorated courtesans will go there to bring him hither by tempting with many a feint, and let the courtesans be given ample gifts... [1-10-5]
श्रुत्वा तथेति राजा च प्रत्युवाच पुरोहितम् | पुरोहितो मंत्रिणश्च तथा चक्रुश्च ते तदा || १-१०-६
shrutvaa tathaa iti raajaa ca pratyuvaaca purohitam | purohito maMtriNaH ca tathaa cakruH ca te tathaa || 1-10-6
"Hearing that the King replied the priest, "Let it be so..." and then the priests and ministers have carried out the plan that way... [1-10-6]
वारमुख्यास्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा वनं प्रविविशुर्महत् | आश्रमस्याविदूरेऽस्मिन्यत्नं कुर्वन्ति दर्शने || १-१०-७ ऋषेः पुत्रस्य धीरस्य नित्यमाश्रमवासिनः |
vaaramukhyaaH tu tat shrutvaa vanam pravivishuH mahat | aashramasya aviduure asmin yatnam kurvanti da.rshane || 1-10-7 R^iSheH putrasya dhIrasya nityam aashrama vaasinaH |
"On hearing that order of the king those best courtesans have entered that great forest, and they camped not very far from that hermitage, making all the trials for showing themselves off to a glance of that sage. [1-10-7]
पितुः स नित्यसंतुष्टो नातिचक्राम चाश्रमात् || १-१०-८ न तेन जन्मप्रभृति दृष्टपूर्वं तपस्विना | स्त्री वा पुमान्वा यच्चान्यत्सत्त्वं नगरराष्ट्रजम् || १-१०-९
pituH sa nitya saMtuShTo na aticakraama ca aashramaat || 1-10-8 na tena janma prabhR^iti dR^iShTa puurvam tapasvinaa | strii vaa pumaan vaa yaccha anyat sattvam nagara raaShTrajam || 1-10-9
"Always satisfied is sage Rishyasringa to be in hermitage, thus he never stirred out of that hermitage, and thus he has not seen any female, or a male, or even any other objects of pleasure, either of city or of countryside from the time of birth onwards... [1-10-8b, 9]
ततः कदाचित्तं देशमाजगाम यदृच्छया | विभाण्डकसुतस्तत्र ताश्चापश्यद्वरांगनाः || १-१०-१०
taaH citra veShaaH pramadaa gaayaMtyo madhura svaram | R^iShi putram upaagaMya sarvaa vacanam abruvan || 1-10-11
"Then at one time Rishyasringa casually arrived at that place, and has seen those comely females. [1-10-10]
ताश्चित्रवेषाः प्रमदा गायंत्यो मधुरस्वरम् | ऋषिपुत्रमुपागम्य सर्वा वचनमब्रुवन् || १-१०-११
kaH tvam kim vartase brahman j~naatum icChaamahe vayam | ekaH tvam vijane duure vane carasi shaMsa naH || 1-10-12
"They the lustful women are amazingly attired and singing melodious tunes, all of them neared the sage's son and spoke these words... [1-10-11]
कस्त्वं किं वर्तसे ब्रह्मन् ज्ञातुमिच्छामहे वयम् | एकस्त्वं विजने घोरे वने चरसि शंस नः || १-१०-१२
adR^iShTa ruupaaH taaH tena kaaMya ruupaa vane striyaH | haardaat tasya matiH jaataa akhyaatum pitaram svakam || 1-10-13
"Who you are? Why you move lonely in these deep and desolate forests, why you conduct yourself like this? Oh! Brahman, we are interested to know... please tell us..." [1-10-12]
अदृष्टरूपास्तास्तेन काम्यरूपा वने स्त्रियः | हार्दात्तस्य मतिर्जाता ह्याख्यातुं पितरं स्वकम् || १-१०-१३
pitaa vibhaaNDako asmaakam tasya aham suta aurasaH | R^iShyashR^i~Nga iti khyaatam naama karma ca me bhuvi || 1-10-14
"Those women are in most desirable form and hitherto he has not seen such forms in that forest, hence a kind of friendship spouted, with which he is inclined to detail about his father... [1-10-13]
पिता विभाण्डकोऽस्माकं तस्याहं सुत औरसः | ऋष्यशृङ्ग इति ख्यातं नामकर्म च मे भुवि || १-१०-१४
iha aashrama pado.asmaakam samiipe shubha darshanaaH | kariShye vo.atra puujaam vai sarveShaam vidhi puurvakam || 1-10-15
"My father is Sage Vibhandaka and I am his true descent son. I am known as Rishyasringa, by my name and by an event on my birth, and thus renowned on earth..."
इहाश्रमपदोऽस्माकं समीपे शुभदर्शनाः | करिष्ये वोऽत्र पूजां वै सर्वेषां विधिपूर्वकम् || १-१०-१५
R^iShi putra vacaH shrutvaa sarvaasaam matiraasa vai | tat aashrama padam draShTum jagmuH sarvaaH tato aMganaH || 1-10-16
"Our hermitage is here only, oh, august ones, I wish to perform scripturally worship to you all verily there..." thus said the sage to the courtesans. [1-10-15]
ऋषिपुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वासां मतिरास वै | तदाश्रमपदं द्रष्टुं जग्मुः सर्वास्ततोऽङ्गनाः || १-१०-१६
gataanaam tu tataH puujaam R^iShi putraH cakaara ha | idam arghyam idam paadyam idam muulam phalam ca naH || 1-10-17
"On hearing the words of sage's son, all those courtesans are verily inclined to see the threshold of that hermitage, then all the women went to hermitage. [1-10-16]
गतानां तु ततः पूजां ऋषिपुत्रश्चकार ह | इदमर्घ्यमिदं पाद्यमिदं मूलं फलं च नः || १-१०-१७
pratigR^ihya tu taam puujaam sarvaa eva samutsukaaH | R^iSher bhiitaaH ca shiighram tu gamanaaya matim dadhuH || 1-10-18
"On going there, then the Sage's son performed worship saying "Here is our hand-wash, here is our feet-wash, here are our tuber fruits, here are the juicy fruits of ours... " [1-10-17]
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजां सर्वा एव समुत्सुकाः | ऋषेर्भीताश्च शीघ्रं तु गमनाय मतिं दधुः || १-१०-१८
asmaakam api mukhyaani phalaani imaani he dvija | gR^ihaaNa vipra bhadram te bhakShayasva ca maa aciram || 1-10-19
"All of them have received that kind of worship much enthusiastically, but dread at the arrival of the sage Vibhandaka, they quickly made-up their mind to make away from there. [1-10-18]
अस्माकमपि मुख्यानि फलानीमानि वै द्विज | गृहाण विप्र भद्रं ते भक्षयस्व च मा चिरम् || १-१०-१९
tataH taaH tam samaaliMgya sarvaa harSha samanvitaaH | modakaan pradaduH tasmai bhakShyaam ca vividhaan shubhaan || 1-10-20
" 'Take these important fruits of ours, oh, Brahman, you be safe, oh, holy one... eat them before long....' Said courtesans to Rishyasringa.] [1-10-19]
ततस्तास्तं समालिंग्य सर्वा हर्षसमन्विताः | मोदकान्प्रददुस्तस्मै भक्ष्यांश्च विविधान् शुभान् || १-१०-२०
taani ca aasvaadya tejasvii phalaani iti sma manyate | anaasvaadita puurvaaNi vane nitya nivaasinaam || 1-10-21
"Then all of the courtesans have embraced him and all of them with a kind of mirthfulness in the offing, presented sweet-balls and other varieties of best sweetmeats to him. [1-10-20]
तानि चास्वाद्य तेजस्वी फलानीति स्म मन्यते | अनास्वादितपूर्वाणि वने नित्यनिवासिनाम् || १-१०-२१
aapR^icChya ca tadaa vipram vrata caryaam nivedya ca | gacChanti sma apadeshaat taa bhiitaaH tasya pituH striyaH || 1-10-22
"Having relished the sweets, that resplendent sage supposed them to be fruits only, for he did not taste sweets earlier, as he is always forest-bound. [1-10-21]
आपृच्छ्य च तदा विप्रं व्रतचर्यां निवेद्य च | गच्छन्ति स्मापदेशात्ताः भीतास्तस्य पितुः स्त्रियः || १-१०-२२
gataasu taasu sarvaasu kaashyapasya aatmajo dvijaH | asvastha hR^idayaH ca aasiit duHkhaat cha parivartate || 1-10-23
"Taking leave of the Sage Rishyasringa on pretence that they also have to perform devotional duties, they the courtesans departed from there on the pretext of their daily worship, while they actually feared for the arrival of Rishyasringa's father who may hurl curses on his arrival... [1-10-22]
गतासु तासु सर्वासु काश्यपस्यात्मजो द्विजः | अस्वस्थहृदयश्चासीद् दुःखाच्च परिवर्तते || १-१०-२३
tato.apare dyuH tam desham aajagaama sa viiryavaan | vibhaaNDaka sutaH shriimaan manasaa vichintayan muhuH || 1-10-24 manoj~naa yatra taa dR^iShTaa vaaramukhyaaH svalaMkR^itaaH |
"After the departure of all them the courtesans, that Brahman Rishyasringa, the grandson of Sage Kaashyapa, is disturbed at heart and even behaved sadly... [1-10-23]
ततोऽपरेद्युस्तं देशमाजगाम स वीर्यवान् | विभाण्डकसुतः श्रीमान्मनसा चिन्तयन्मुहुः || १-१०-२४ मनोज्ञा यत्र ता दृष्टा वारमुख्याः स्वलंकृताः |
dR^iShTvaa eva ca tato vipram aayaantam hR^iShTa maanasaaH || 1-10-25 upasR^itya tataH sarvaaH taaH tam uucur idam vacaH | ehi aashrama padam sauMya asmaakam iti ca abruvan || 1-10-26
"Then on the next day Rishyasringa, son of Vibhandaka and the prosperous sage with ascetic power has arrived at that place where he saw well-decorated and delightful courtesans recollecting in mind repetitively about them alone. [1-10-24, 25a]
दृष्टैव च ततो विप्रमायान्तं हृष्टमानसाः || १-१०-२५ उपसृत्य ततः सर्वास्तास्तमूचुरिदं वचः | एह्याश्रमपदं सौम्य ह्यस्माकमिति चाब्रुवन् || १-१०-२६
chitraaNi atra bahuuni syuH muulaani ca phalani ca | tatra api eSha visheSheNa vidhiH hi bhavitaa dhruvam || 1-10-27
" Then on seeing the arrival of that Brahman, the courtesans felt happy at heart, and all of those courtesans on surrounding him said, "oh, gentle one, welcome to the threshold of our hermitage... [1-10-25b, 26]
चित्राण्यत्र बहूनि स्युर्मूलानि च फलनि च | तत्राप्येष विशेषेण विधिर्हि भविता ध्रुवम् || १-१०-२७
tatra ca aaniiyamaane tu vipre tasmin mahaatmani | vavarSha sahasaa devo jagat prahlaadayan tadaa || 1-10-29
"There are excellent tuber fruits and fruits and there will be a very distinctive hospitality... definitely indeed..." So said the courtesans.[1-10-27]
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तासां सर्वासां हृदयङ्गमम् | गमनाय मतिं चक्रे तं च निन्युस्तदा स्त्रियः || १-१०-२८
varSheNa eva aagatam vipram taapasam sa naraadhipaH | prati udgaMya munim prahvaH shirasaa ca mahiim gataH || 1-10-30 arghyam ca pradadau tasmai nyaayataH susamaahitaH | vavre prasaadam vipreindraat maa vipram manyuH aavishet || 1-10-31
"On hearing the heart-pleasing words of all those courtesans, Rishyasringa made up his mind to go over there, and then those women took him away [to their place in Anga Kingdom.] [1-10-28]
तत्र चानीयमाने तु विप्रे तस्मिन्महात्मनि | ववर्ष सहसा देवो जगत्प्रह्लादयंस्तदा || १-१०-२९
antaHpuram praveshya asmai kanyaam dattvaa yathaavidhi | shaaMtaam shaantena manasaa raajaa harSham avaapa saH || 1-10-32
"While that great soul ad Brahman Rishyasringa while being brought into Anga Kingdom, then the Rain-god quickly showered rain in Anga kingdom to the delight of the world. [1-10-29]
वर्षेणैवागतं विप्रं विषयं स्वं नराधिपः | प्रत्युद्गम्य मुनिं प्रह्वः शिरसा च महीं गतः || १-१०-३० अर्घ्यं च प्रददौ तस्मै न्यायतः सुसमाहितः | वव्रे प्रसादं विप्रेन्द्रान्मा विप्रं मन्युराविशेत् || १-१०-३१
evam sa nyavasat tatra sarva kaamaiH supuujitaH | R^iShyashR^~Ngo mahaatejaa shantaayaa saha bhaaryayaa || 1-10-33
"The king Romapada personally proceeded towards that Brahman Rishyasring who is now entering Anga kingdom along with rains, made prostratiion before him, offered water customarily with dedication, and then the king Romapada besought beneficence of the best sage Rishyasringa to save him and his kingdom from the fury of his father Sage Vibhandaka, if sage Vibhandaka were to know about this pursuit of bringing Rishyasringa to Anga country, at a later time ... [1-10-30, 31]
अन्तःपुरं प्रविश्यास्मै कन्यां दत्त्वा यथाविधि | शांतां शान्तेन मनसा राजा हर्षमवाप सः || १-१०-३२
"On entering the palace princess Shanta is given to Rishyasringa in customary marriage, and then that King Romapada obtained rejoice with a peaceful mind. [1-10-32]
एवं स न्यवसत्तत्र सर्वकामैः सुपूजितः | ऋष्यशृङ्गो महातेजाः शन्तया सह भार्यया || १-१०-३३
" Thus that great fulgent Rishyasringa lived in Anga kingdom along with his wife Shanta, and with all his desires fulfilled and also well worshipped" [Thus Sumantra said the legend of Rishyasringa to King Dasharatha.] [1-10-33]
