स मुहूर्तादुपश्रुत्य देवर्षिरमितप्रभः। स्वमाश्रमं शिष्यवृतः क्षुधातः संन्यवर्तत॥ सोऽपश्यदरजां दीनां रजसा समभिप्लुताम्। ज्योत्स्नामिव ग्रहग्रस्तां प्रत्यूषे न विराजतीम्॥
Thereupon having heard everything about Arajă from a disciple, he, surrounded by his pupils, arrived at his own hermitage and beheld her there poorly, soiled with dust and like to the morning rays of the moon possessed by a planet.
तस्य रोषः समभवत्क्षुधार्तस्य विशेषतः। निर्दहत्रिव लोकांस्त्रीशिष्यांश्चैतदुवाच ह॥
He was stricken with hunger and was greatly incensed on beholding his daughter in that wretched plight, as if burning the three worlds with rage. Addressing his pupils, he said.
पश्यध्वं विपरीतस्य दण्डस्याविदितात्मनः। विपत्तिं घोरसंकाशां क्रुद्धादग्निशिखामिव॥
Do you witness today the dreadful calamity, arising out of my flaming ire, of the vicious Daņda treading the path of immorality.
क्षयोऽस्य दुर्मतेः प्राप्तः सानुगस्य महात्मनः। यः प्रदीप्तां हुताशस्य शिखां वै स्पष्टुमर्हति॥
This vicious wight has placed his hands in the burning flame so he shall, along with followers, meet with destruction.
यस्मात्स कृतवान्पापमीदृशं घोरसंहितम्। तस्मात्प्राप्स्यति दुर्मेधाः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः॥
Since that vile being has perpetrated such a dreadful crime he shall forsooth suffer the consequence thereof.
सप्तरात्रेण राजासौ सपुत्रबलवाहनः। पापकर्मसमाचारो वधं प्राप्स्यति दुर्मतिः॥
Within seven nights, the wicked and vicious Daņda, with his son, soldiers and retinue, shall meet with death.
समन्ताद्योजनशतं विषयं चास्य दुर्मतेः। धक्ष्यते पांसुवर्षेण महता पाकशासनः।।।।।
Showering dust Indra shall destroy, to the extent of a hundred Yojana, the territory of this vicious king.
सर्वसत्वानि यानीह स्थावराणि चराणि च। महता पांसुवर्षेण विलयं सर्वतोऽगमन्।।।
And all creatures mobile and immobile, wherever they might be, shall be destroyed with this downpour of dust.
दण्डस्य विषयो यावत्तावत्सवं समुच्छ्रयम्। पांसुवर्षमिवालक्ष्यं सप्तरात्रं भविष्यति॥
All animals as far as this Daņdas' territory extends, shall be destroyed within seven nights.
इत्युक्त्वा क्रोधताम्राक्षस्तमाश्रमनिवासिनम्। जनं जनपदान्तेषु स्थीयतामिति चाब्रवीत्॥
Having said this, with eyes reddened with ire, USanas, Bhrgu's son, said to the inmates of his hermitage: Do you all go and wait outside this kingdom.
श्रुत्वा तूशनसो वाक्यं सोऽश्रमावसथो जनः। निषक्रान्तो विषयात्तस्मात्स्थानं चक्रेऽथ बाह्यतः॥
Hearing the words of the preceptor Sukra, the inmates left the hermitage and lived at a place beyond the limit of Danda's territories.
स तथोक्त्वा मुनिजनमरजामिदमब्रवीत्। इहैव वस दुर्मेधे आश्रमे सुसमाहिता॥
Having thus addressed the inmates of the hermitage the great saint, said to Arajās. O unfortunate girl, with a devoted mind do you wait at this hermitage.
इदं योजनपर्यन्तं सरः सुरुचिरप्रभम्। अरजे विज्वरा भुझ्व कालश्चात्र प्रतीक्ष्यताम्॥
Without any anxiety O Arajās, do you wait for the time at the picturesque banks of this pond extending over a Yojana.
त्वत्समीपे च ये सत्त्वा वासमेष्यन्ति तां निशाम्। अवध्याः पांसुवर्षेण ते भविष्यन्ति नित्यदा॥
Within seven nights whoever shall approach you, shall be destroyed with this downpour of dust.
श्रुत्वा नियोगं ब्रह्मर्षेः सारजा भार्गवी तदा। तथेति पितरं प्राह भार्गवं भृशदुःखिता॥
Hearing the words of the Brāhmaṇa saint and preceptor śukra, Arajās sorrowfully said to her father 'it shall be done.'
इत्युक्त्वा भार्गवो वासमन्यत्र समकारयत्। तच्च राज्यं नरेन्द्रस्य सभृत्यबलवाहनम् ॥ सप्ताहाद्भस्मसाद्भूतं यथोक्तं ब्रह्मवादिना।
There upon Sukrācārya went away and lived elsewhere. According to the words of the saint, the entire kingdom of Danda, with servants, army, and conveyances, was destroyed within seven nights.
तस्यासौ दण्डविषयो विन्ध्यशैवलयोनृप॥ शप्तो ब्रह्मर्षिणा तेन वैधर्म्य सहिते कृते। ततः प्रभृति काकुत्स्थ दण्डकारण्यमुच्यते॥
O Rāma, in the golden age, the province between the mountains Vindhya and Saivala comprising Danda's territories, imprecated by the Brāhmaṇa saint, in consequence of the iniquity of the vicious souled, was reduced into a desert. From that time it passes by the name of Dandaka forest.
तपस्विनः स्थिता ह्यत्र जनस्थानमतोऽभवत्। एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यन्मां पृच्छसि राघव॥
And it is otherwise called Janasthāna because the ascetics used to perform austerities there. O Rāghava, I have thus related to you, all you did ask of me.
संध्यामुपासितुं वीर समयो ह्यतिवर्तते। एते महर्षयः सर्वे पूर्णकुम्भाः समन्ततः॥
O hero, the time for performing evening rites has come. Behold O foremost of men, having performed ablution, the great saints, on all sides, with jars full of water, are worshipping the sun.
कृतोदका नरव्याघ्र आदित्यं पर्युपासते। स तैाह्मणमभ्यस्तं सहितैर्ब्रह्मवित्तमैः। रविरस्तंगतो राम गच्छोदकमुपस्पृश ॥
Having accepted adoration in the shape of Vedic hymns chanted by Brāhmaṇas, wellversed in Vedas, the illustrious Aditya is about to be set. Therefore, O Rāma, do you perform the ceremony.