तथा संचोदितः सूतो लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना। तद्वाक्यमृषिणा प्रोक्तं व्याहर्तुमुपनक्रमे॥
Being thus requested by the high-souled Laks maņa, Sumantra began to reveal the mystery of Durbasa's account.
पुरा नाम्ना हि दुर्वासा अत्रेः पुत्रो महामुनिः। वसिष्ठस्याश्रमे पुण्ये वार्षिक्यं समुवास ह॥
In the days of yore the great ascetic Durbāsā, the son of Atri, resided for a year in the holy hermitage of Vasiştha.
तमाश्रमं महातेजाः पिता ते सुमहायशाः। पुरोहितं महात्मानं दिदृक्षुरगमत्स्वयम्॥
At that time your sire, the highly effulgent and illustrious Dasaratha, with a view to see his high-souled priest Vasistha, repaired there.
स दृष्ट्वा सूर्यसंकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा। उपविष्टं वसिष्ठस्य सव्यपार्श्वे महामुनिम्॥
He saw the great ascetic Durbásā, burning like the sun in his effulgence, seated on the right hand side of Vasiștha. Thereupon he humbly saluted those two leading ascetics.
तौ मुनी तापसश्रेष्ठौ विनीतावभ्यवादयत्। स ताभ्यां पूजितो राजा स्वागतेनासनेन च। पाद्येन फलमूलैश्च उवास मुनिभिः सह॥
And they too, welcoming him, received him duly with seat, water to wash feet, Arghya, fruits and roots, Then he lived there in the company of the ascetics.
तेषां तत्रोपविष्टानां तास्ताः सुमधुराः कथाः। बभूवुः परमर्षीणां मध्यादित्यगतेऽहनि॥
Thereupon during the noon, all those ascetics, seated there, began to dwell upon various pleasant topics.
ततः कथायां कस्यांचित्प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहो नृपः। उवाच तं महात्मानमत्रेः पुत्रं तपोधनम्॥
During an interval Dasaratha, with folded hands and uplifted arms, said to the high-souled son of Atri-Durbāsā, having asceticism for his wealth.
भगवन्किप्रमाणेन मम वंशो भविष्यति। किमायुश्च हि मे रामः पुत्राश्चान्ये किमायुषः॥
O illustrious Sir, how long shall my family remain in existence? What is the extent of the lease of life granted to Rāma and my other sons?
रामस्य च सुता ये स्युस्तेषामायुः कियद्भवेत्। काम्यया भगवन्ब्रूहि वंशस्यास्य गतिं मम॥
How long shall the descendants of Rāma live? And what shall be the end of my race? Do you relate all this to me.
तच्छ्रुत्वा व्याहृतं वाक्यं राज्ञो दशरथस्य तु। दुर्वासाः सुमहातेजा व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥
Hearing the words of the king Dasaratha the highly effulgent Durbāsā replied.
शृणु राजन्पुरावृतं तदा देवासुरे युधि। दैत्याः सुरैर्भय॑माना भृगुपत्नी समाश्रिताः। तया दत्ताभयास्तत्र न्यवसन्नभयास्तदा॥
Hear, the early history, O king. During the encounter between the celestials and Asuras, the demons, ,, being remonstrated with by the celestials sought shelter of the wife of Bhrguyour priest. Bhrgu's wife having promised them help they lived there fearlessly.
तया परिगृहीतांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धः सुरेश्वरः। चक्रेण शितधारेण भृगुपन्याः शिरोऽहरत्॥
Having beheld the demons thus helped by Bhrgu's wife, Hari, the king of celestials, enraged, chopped off her head with his sharp discuss.
ततस्तां निहतां दृष्ट्वा पत्नीं भृगुकुलोद्वहः। शशाप सहसा क्रुद्धो विष्णुं रिपुकुलार्दनम्॥
And angry on beholding his wife slain, Bhrgu, imprecated a curse on Vişņu, the slayer of enemies' race, saying.
यस्मादवध्यां मे पत्नीमवधीः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। तस्मात्त्वं मानुषे लोके जनिष्यसि जनार्दन॥ तत्र पत्नीवियोगं त्वं प्राप्स्यसे बहुवार्षिकम्।
Being beside yourself with anger you have slain my wife, not worthy of being killed; therefore, O Janārddana, you shall be born in the region of mortals. And there you shall remain separated from your spouse for many long years.
शापाभिहतचेतास्तु स्वात्मना भावितोऽभवत्॥ अर्चयामास तं देवं भृगुः शापेन पीडितः। तपसाराधितो देवो ह्यब्रवीद्भक्तवत्सलः॥ लोकानां संप्रियार्थ तं शापं मृह्यमुक्तवान्।
Having imprecated this curse, Bhțgu was greatly pained and being propitiated by his adoration, Visnu, fond of disciples, said. “Having slain Rāvaņa and others, I shall be, for the behoof of . mankind, subject to this imprecation."
इति शप्तो महातेजा भृगुणा पूर्वजन्मनि॥ इहागतो हि पुत्रत्वं तव पार्थिवसत्तम। राम इत्यभिविख्यातस्त्रिषु लोकेषु मानद ॥
O bestower of kings, the highly effulgent Vişnu, thus imprecated by Bhrgu in the days of yore, has been born as your son in this birth and has been celebrated under the appellation of Rama.
तत्फलं प्राप्स्यते चापि भृगुशापकृतं महत्। अयोध्यायाः पती रामो दीर्घकालं भविष्यति ॥
O conferer of honours, for sooth shall Rāma partake of the fruits of Bhrgu's curse. He shall reign in Ayodhyā for a long time.
सुखिनश्च समृद्धाश्च भविष्यन्त्यस्य येऽनुगाः। दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च॥ रामो राज्यमुपासित्वा ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यति।
All his followers shall be happy and prosperous. Having reigned for eleven thousand years Rāma shall repair to the region of Brahmă.
समृद्धैश्चाश्वमेधैश्च इष्ट्वा परमदुर्जयः॥ राजवंशांश्च बहुशो बहून्संस्थापयिष्यति।
None shall be able to vanquish him. He shall celebrate many a horse-sacrifice with profuse gifts and shall establish many royal families.
द्वौ पुत्रौ तु भविष्येते सीतायां राघवस्य तु॥ स सर्वमखिलं राज्ञो वंशस्याह गतागतम्। आख्याय सुमहातेजास्तूष्णीमासीन्महामुनिः।।२३
He shall beget on Sită two sorts. Having thus related to Dasaratha the past and future of his family the highly effulgent great ascetic Durbāsā became silent.
तूष्णीभूते तदा तस्मिनराजा दशरथो मुनौ। अभिवाद्य महात्मानौ पुनरायात्पुरोत्तमम्॥
He being silent-the great king Dasaratha, having bowed to the two high-souled ascetics, again returned to his city Ayodhyā.
एतद्वचो मया तत्र मुनिना व्याहृतं पुरा। श्रुतं हृदि च निक्षिप्तं नान्यथा तद्भविष्यति॥
I had heard there all there words of the great ascetic Durbāså. Up to this time they are lying in my heart. Rsis' words shall never prove fruitless.
सीतायाश्च ततः पुत्रावभिषेक्ष्यति राघवः। अन्यत्र न त्वयोध्यायां मुनेस्तु वचनं यथा॥
According to the words of Rși Rāma shall install two sons of Sītā in Ayodhyā, not anywhere else.
एवं गते न संतापं कर्तुमर्हसि राघव। सीतार्थे राघवार्थे वा दृढो भव नरोत्तम॥
Under these circumstances, O Laksmana, you should not grieve for Sītā or Rāma; in their interest do you become patient.
श्रुत्वा तु व्याहृतं वाक्यं सूतस्य परमाद्भुतम्। प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे साधु साध्विति चाब्रवीत्॥
Hearing those wondrous words of the charioteer Sumantra, Lakşmaņa became greatly happy and eulogised him again and again?
ततः संवदतोरेवं सूतलक्ष्मणयोः पथि। अस्तम गते वासं केशिन्यां तावथोषतुः॥
They thus conversing with one another on their way back, the sun set. They accordingly spent that night on the banks of Kesini.