Bala Kanda: Chapter 53

एवमुक्ता वसिष्ठेन शबला शत्रुसूदन। विदधे कामधुक् कामान् यस्य यस्येप्सितं यथा॥
Thus addressed by Vasiştha, that bestower of all that was desired, Sabala, O destroyer of your foes, brought forth everything that was desired by everyone.

इथून मधूंस्तथा लाजान् मैरेयांश्च वरासवान्। पानानि च महार्हाणि भक्ष्यांश्चोच्चावचानपि॥ उष्णाढ्यस्यौदनस्यात्र राशयः पर्वतोपमाः। मृष्टान्यन्नानि सब्दलंश्च दधिकुल्यास्तथैव च॥ नानास्वादुरसानां च खाण्डवानां तथैव च। भोजनानि सुपूर्णानि गौडानि च सहस्रशः॥
And she produced sugarcanes, and honies, and fried rice, and excellent Maireyas, (A kind of wine prepared from molasses). A preparation of milk rice. and costly drinks, and various viands, and heaps of warm rice resembling hills, and other kinds of edibles, and soups, and Dadhikulyas, together with silver plates by thousands filled with meats of diverse tastes.

सर्वमासीत् सुसंतुष्टं हृष्टपुष्टजनायुतम्। विश्वामित्रबलं राम वसिष्ठेन सुतर्पितम्॥
And, O Rāma, the tarry of Viśvāmitra being superbly entertained by Vasiştha, heartily filled, became exceedingly gratified.

विश्वामित्रो हि राजर्षिर्हष्टपुष्टस्तदाभवत्। सान्तःपुरवरो राजा सब्राह्मणपुरोहितः॥
And the royal saint, Viśvāmitra himself, together with the priests and Brāhmaṇas and the inmates of the inner apartment, was also heartily filled.

सामात्यो मन्त्रिसहितः सभृत्य पूजितस्तदा। युक्तः परमहर्षेण वसिष्ठमिदमब्रवीत्॥
And being hospitably entertained with his courtiers and counsellors and retainers, he, exceedingly de-lighted, spoke to Vasistha, saying.

पुजितोऽहं त्वया ब्रह्मन् पूजाण सुसत्कृतः। श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि वाक्यं वाक्यविशारद॥
Received and excellently entertained have I been by you, O Brāhmaṇa, who thyself art worthy of being honoured. Do you, O you conversant with speech, listen to me. I will tell you a word.

गवां शतसहस्रेण दीयतां शबला मम। रत्नं हि भगवनेतद् रत्नहारी च पार्थिवः॥ तस्मान्मे शबलां देहि ममैषा धर्मतो द्विज ।
Do you bestow on me Śabala for an hundred thousand kine. O worshipful one, verily this one is a jewel; and as it is the function of kings to acquire jewels, do you confer on me Śabala; for, O twice-born one, this one by right belongs to me.

एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान् वसिष्ठो मुनिपुङ्गवः॥ विश्वामित्रेण धर्मात्मा प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम्।
Thus addressed by Viśvāmitra, the righteous and adorable Vasiştha best of ascetics, replied to that lord of earth.

नाहं शतसहस्रेण नापि कोटिशतैर्गवाम्॥ राजन् दास्यामि शबलां राशिभी रजतस्य वा। न परित्यागमयं मत्सकाशादरिंदम ॥
O king, neither for an hundred thousand nor for an hundred Koți of kine, nor yet for heaps of silver, will I part with Sabala. O subduer of enemies, this one deserves not to be separated from my side.

शाश्वती शबला मह्यं कीर्तिरात्मवतो यथा। अस्यां हव्यं च कव्यं च प्राणयात्रा तथैव च॥
Even like to the fame of the mighty, this Śabala is ever joined with me. my oblations to the gods and the Pitrs as well as my subsistence itself are established even in her. And my Agnihotras, (Maintenance of the perpetual fire). bali, (Offering to the spirits of air) and Homa (Burnt offerings) depend upper her.

आयत्तमग्निहोत्रं च बलि)मस्तथैव च। स्वाहाकारवषट्कारौ विद्याश्च विविधास्तथा॥
And, O royal saint, my Svahākāras and Vasaſkāras* as well as my various lore depend upon her. *Sacrifice performed with the exclamation of svadhả and Vașat respectively.

आयत्तमत्र राजर्षे सर्वमेतन संशयः। सर्वस्वमेतत् सत्येन मम तुष्टिकरी तथा॥ कारणैर्बहुभी राजन् न दास्ये शबलां तव।
All this is so: there is no doubt about it. Verily she is my all; and in her do I find my delight. And many are the reasons, O king, why I cannot give to you Sabala.'

वसिष्ठेनैवमुक्तस्तु विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीत् तदा॥ संरब्धतरमत्यर्थं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः।
Thus addressed by Vasiștha, that one versed in speech, Viśvāmitra, eagerly rejoined.

हैरण्यकक्षौवेयान् सुवर्णाङ्कुशभूषितान् ॥ ददामि ते कुञ्जराणां ते सहस्राणि चतुर्दश।
I shall confer upon you fourteen thousand elephants decked in gold chains and gold neckornaments and hooks.

हैरण्यानां रथानां च श्वेताश्वानां चतुर्युजाम्॥ ददामि ते शतान्यष्टौ किंकिणीकविभूषितान्। हयानां देशजातानां कुलजानां महौजसाम्। सहस्रमेकं दश च ददामि तव सुव्रत॥ नानावर्णविभक्तानां वयःस्थानां तथैव च। ददाम्येकां गवां कोटिं शबला दीयतां मम॥
I will confer upon you cight hundred golden cars furnished with bells and reins, and each yoked with four white horses; and, O you of auspicious vows, I will confer upon you one thousand and ten high-mettled horses of noble breeds, and I will confer upon you a koți of youthful and variegated kine, do you grant to me Sabala.

यावदिच्छसि रत्नानि हिरण्यं वा द्विजोत्तम। तावद् ददामि ते सर्वं दीयतां शबला मम॥
And as much of gems and gold, O best of regenerate ones, as you will ask for, shall I bestow upon you: do you grant me Sabala.'

एवमुक्तस्तु भगवान् विश्वामित्रेण धीमता। न दास्यामीति शबलां प्राह राजन् कथंचन ॥
Thus besought by the intelligent Viśvāmitra, that adorable one replied, saying, 'Oking, Śabala I will not by any means give.'

एतदेव हि मे रत्नमेतदेव हि मे धनम्। एतदेव हि सर्वस्वमेतदेव हि जीवितम्॥ दर्शश्च पौर्णमासश्च यज्ञाश्चैवाप्तदक्षिणाः। एतदेव हि मे राजन् विविधाश्च क्रियास्तथा॥
This is verily my jewel: this is verily my riches: this is verily my all: this is verily my subsistence. And this is my Darsa,* Gifts to Brāhmaṇas on occasions of sacrifice. and this my Paurnamäsa, and this my various sacrifices with dakşiņās; and, O king, this my various rites. *Bi-monthly sacrifice, performed at change of the moon by persons maintaining a perpetual fire. A ceremony performed at the full moon by persons maintaining a perpetual fire.

अतोमूलाः क्रियाः सर्वा मम राजन् न संशयः। बहुना किं प्रलापेन न दास्ये कामदोहिनीम्॥
This, O king, is without doubt, the root of all my rites. And what need of dilating? This one bestowing everything that is desired will I not part with.