Rāmāyana | Bala Kaṇḍa | Chapter 62

Sargam [Chapter]: 62
Śunahśepha and Viśvāmitra

[In Puṣkara, when Śunahśepha sees Viśvāmitra, he requests him to save him. Viśvāmitra's sons refuse to help him. Viśvāmitra curses them and later teaches a Mantra which saves the life of Śunahśepha. Viśvāmitra continues his penance.]

"Oh best among men, Oh son of Raghu clan, that famous King carrying Śunahśepha reached Puṣkara by noon and took rest there. 62.1

"After reaching sacred Puṣkara that King was taking rest. The famous Śunahśepha was greatly aggrieved; he saw his maternal uncle Viśvāmitra performing sacrifices in the company of other sages there." 62.2

"With wan face, greatly worn out by thirst and fatigue, he fell on the sage's lap and told these words." 62.3

"Oh gentle one, oh great sage, to me neither mother nor father exist; nor I have clan relations or other relations. It is only proper, by the tenets of Dharma, that you, a gentleman, should protect me." 62.4

"Oh great sage, you give protection to all as you are the promoter of welfare of others. May the King fulfil his purpose and let me become imperishable by performing matchless penances and go to heaven." 62.5-62.6

"Oh soul of Dharma, as I am an orphan, as you are my lord, please protect me like a father who protects his son." 62.7

"That mighty sage Viśvāmitra, hearing all those different words, consoled him, addressed his sons and told." 62.8

"Parents, who want to get auspiciousness, for their well-being in other worlds, beget sons at the proper time." 62.9

"Oh sons of sage, the young boy has requested protection from me and oh sons, offer him protection so that he retains his soul." 62.10

"All of you have done good deeds and are engaged in observation of Dharma; One of you become the sacrificial animal for the King and give satisfaction to the Fire God." 62.11

"Then Śunahśepha will have a protector, the Yagna would continue without hindrance, devas would be gratified and my words also would become the truth." 62.12

"Oh best among men, hearing the words of the sage, Maduchanda and his other sons, with great self esteem and playfulness told." 62.13

"Oh Lord, abandoning ones sons and rescuing the sons of other people is like eating the flesh of a dog, which is a prohibited act." 62.14

"Hearing these words from them, the great sage, flew in to great anger and with reddened eyes commenced to speak." 62.15

"You have not only gone against my words but also broken Dharma. These words are bad, makes my hairs stand erect and it needs to be censured. " 62.16

"You would all live in this earth for another thousand years eating the flesh of a dog like the sons of Vasiṣṭha," 62.17

"That great sage, having doomed the life of his sons by a curse, spoke to Śunahśepha, who was filled with sorrow, so that his pain will be relieved." 62.18

"Once you reach the Vaishnava sacrificial spot, they will anoint you with red sandal paste, dress you in red cloth and tie you to the sacrificial post with sacrificial ropes. When you reach there, pray to fire God using this prayer." 62.19

"Oh son of a sage, in the sacrifice of Ambariṣa, chant these two Mantras and you will definitely achieve success." 62.20

"Śunahśepha, with a concentrated mind, learnt those verses well and approached Ambariṣa, a lion among kings, and told him." 62.21

"Oh lion among kings, you are endowed with great strength. We shall go to the sacrificial assembly without any delay and Oh Indra among kings, let you perform the sacrificial rituals on me." 62.22

"With great joy and enthusiasm, the King heard the words of sage's son; They started speedily to reach the place of fire sacrifice." 62.23

"The King, with the consent of the assembly, formed sacred knots of Kuśa grass, dressed him in red and having thus made him a sacrificial animal tied him to the sacrificial post." 62.24

"That son of the sage, having been tied like this, properly praised the two devatās Indra and Upendra." 62.25

"Then Indra, who was gratified by the praise of those secret verses, blessed Śunahśepha to have a long life." 62.26

"Oh great man, Oh Rāma, that King was able to complete the Yagna properly by the grace of the thousand eyed one and obtained rewards much higher than what he had expected." 62.27

"Oh best among men, the soul of Dharma, sage Viśvāmitra continued his penance at that sacred spot for another one thousand years." 62.28

This is the end of Sixty Second Sarga of Bala Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.