May 16 - Sargas 51 and 52 of Balakanda.
Now Sri Rama gets to hear from sage Shatananda the incredible story of sage Vishwamitra and his rise to the status of Brahmarshi.
Shatananda happens to be the son of... Ahalya and Gautama. You can imagine his gratitude and relief that his mother had been delivered from the curse by Sri Rama. Therefore he speaks now with deep reverence to Viswamitra and gratitude and recognition to Sri Rama.
अपि कौशिक भद्रं ते गुरुणा मम सङ्गता।
माता मम मुनिश्रेष्ठ रामसंदर्शनादितः ॥
अपि शान्तेन मनसा गुरुर्मे कुशिकात्मज।
इहागतेन रामेण प्यतेनाभिवादितः ॥
Shatananda says to sage Viswamitra : "Glory to you sir, for having gone and met my guru and father sage Gautama. (I am sure you have told Sri Rama about the despicable act of Indra towards my noble mother and the tapas she had to undergo as a consequence of their act due to the curse of sage Gautama). "
Thank you very much for taking Sri Rama to my mother (and her emancipation). I do hope my dear father and guru Gautama has been now placated and come to peace. I do hope Sri Rama showed him due reverence before coming here. "
Sage Vishwamitra puts Shatananda at ease by replying,
नातिक्रान्तं मुनिश्रेष्ठ यत् क्रतव्यं कृतं मया।
सङ्गता मुनिना पत्नी भार्गवेणेव रेणुका ॥
" Oh supreme sage, yes, I have done my duty without lapse. Now your dear mother is reunited with her husband the great sage Gautama much like Renuka devi reunited with sage Jamadagni in the past."
Now sage Shatananda begins to tell Sri Rama the story of the incomparable Vishwamitra:
नास्ति धन्यतरो राम त्वत्तोऽन्यो भुवि कश्चन ।
गोप्ता कुशिकपुत्रस्ते येन तप्तं महातपः ॥
विश्वामित्रः महातेजाः पालयामास मेदिनीम् ।
बहुवर्षसहस्राणि राजा राज्यमकारयत् ॥
"Oh Sri Rama, know that there is none in this world as fortunate as you to have come under the care of this sage Vishwamitra of the royal lineage of Kushikas, because he has performed the most glorious tapas in the past.
" This Kushika putra, now called Vishwamitra, endowed with great brilliance, once ruled the earth as a king for many thousands of years."
***
We begin to piece together the story of Vishwamitra. When he had arrived at Dasharatha's court, sage Vasishtha had mentioned how all the hundred divine weapons were bestowed on him by the gods. We also heard on the bank of the river Kaushiki the story of his royal lineage tracing all the way to Brahma, and how he had lived on Himalayan slopes. Now we hear about his ascent from kingship to becoming the most celebrated sage with the title, "Friend of the World".
King Kaushika (Vishwamitra) once undertook a large expedition - Vijaya Yatra - with all his ministers, priests and his very large army. After covering many countries, cities, rivers and mountains and ashramasbin forests, they arrived at the ashrama of sage Vasishtha.
***
वसिष्ठाश्रमपदं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम् ।
नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम् ॥
वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं ब्रह्मलोकमिवापरम्।
ददर्शजयतां श्रेष्ठो विश्वामित्रो महाबलः ॥
Then they arrived at the herimitage of sage Vasishtha, surrounded by many big trees, and wild animals of all kinds living peacefully. The place was served by those endowed with special powers and celestials.
The celebrated king Vishwamitra, with his large army, saw the ashrama which was outstanding in every way like Brahmaloka=seventh heaven.
***
The king was received with much hospitality by sage Vasishtha. His disciples perfoming fire oblations conducted the welcome rituals.
The custom has always been in India for everyone to receive guests - and especially guests coming unannounced- with hospitality as a form of worship. In fact the word atithi means a guest who has come uninvited and unannounced. He is said represent God, as per the Vedas.
Sage Valmiki excels in penning the conversation between Vasishtha and Vishwamitra.
First Vishwamitra enquires of the sage how his ashrama is doing, how his disciples are faring, how is the state of plants and animals in the forest. The sage gives answers happily.
The sage now makes many enquiries of the king, having made sure he is comfortable in every way:
How are you faring oh king? All well? Are you ruling righteously? Oh brave king, are you taking care of your citizens as per your raja dharma?
How are your administrators and servants? How are the people faring in countries you have conquered? How are your army, treasury and your allies faring? How are your children and grandchildren?
King Viswamitra replies to all queries with great politeness.
Then comes the tricky part.
***
आतिथ्यं कर्तुमिच्छामि बलस्यास्य महाबल।
तव चैवाप्रमेयस्य यथार्हं संप्रतीच्छ मे ॥
सत्क्रियां तु भवानेतां प्रतीच्धतु मयोद्यताम् ।।
राजंस्त्वमतिथिश्रेष्ठः पूजनीयः प्रयत्नतः ॥
"Oh great king, I wish to extend hospitality to you, a king of immeasurable glory, and to your large army."
Please deem to accept my hospitality, offered to my best ability as it is my duty to such a venerable and supreme guest as yourself."
King Viswamitra, keenly aware that he is in an ashrama and his army is a large one, wants to avoid any embarassment of inadequacy. So he replies that he has already received much hospitality in the form of roots and fruits and feels gratified that he has met the sage and received his goodwill.
But the sage persists that it has been nothing and a befitting feast should be offered to the army and the king should please accept it.
The king is unable to fathom how such a feast could be arranged but he says let it be so and it would be their pleasure to partake of the feast.
A happy sage Vasishtha, of great spiritual power, son of Brahma, now calls to his divine cow Kamadhenu, who is of a speckled colour.
(We know that this divine cow can fulfill any wish.)
***
भोजनेन महार्हेण सत्कारं संविधत्स्व मे।
यस्य यस्य यथाकामं षड्रसेष्वभिपूजितम् ॥
तत्सर्वं कामधुक् क्षिप्रमभिवर्ष कृते मम ।
रसेनान्नेन पानेन लेह्यचोष्येण संयुतम् ॥
Oh dear Kamadhenu, kindly bestow as per my wish a grand feast befitting our guests, to each one as per his preference, full of the six tastes as desired (sweet, spicy, salty, tangy, chilly-hot) with succulent rice, drink, and lickable and suckable foods of the best quality, as per my instruction. Please do so at once, without delay. "
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
