May 22 - Sargas 63 and 64 of Balakanda.
The challenges faced by Kaushika Vishwamitra during his exertions of tapas continue.
After a thousand years of tapas, he is visited by the gods who grant boons. Lord Brahma says in a pleased voice, "Oh Vishwamitra, as a result of your auspicious exertions, you have earned the title of Rishi (Implying that his kshatriya tendencies have disappeared)."
Vishwamitra, who is after the holy grail of Brahmarshi status, continues his tapas for many more years.
Then one day the celestial beauty and enchantress Menaka is seen bathing in the lake near his ashram. He is competely smitten by her beauty.
***
दृष्ट्वा कन्दर्पवशगो मुनिस्तामिदमब्रवीत् ।
अप्सरः स्वागतं तेऽस्तु वस चेह ममाश्रमे ॥
अनुगृह्णीष्व भद्रं ते मदनेन सुमोहितम् ।
इत्युक्ता सा वरारोहा तत्र वासमथाकरोत् ॥
अहोरात्रापदेशेन गताः संवत्सरा दश ।
काममोहाभिभूतस्य विघ्नोऽयं प्रत्युपस्थितः ॥
Swept away by Cupid (overcome by lust), Vishwamitra said to Menaka, "welcome, oh divine beauty, please come. and live with me in my ashrama. I have been overcome by the influence of Manmatha, and seek your favours. My best wishes for your welfare, too." Menaka coyly accepted his love and moved in.
Ten years fled. Days and nights were a whirl of love-making. Suddenly Vishwamitra's eyes opened to the fact that his tapas had been again rendered ineffectual, given his surrender to lust. He blamed the gods for this "set-up. " Menaka was terrified of his imminent outburst. But he sent her away with a wry smile, without pronouncing any curse.
Full of chagrin and remorse, he redoubled his tapas. he proceeded to the himalayan banks of the Kaushiki river, and performed severe tapas for another thousand years.
The gods went to Brahma and recommended that Vishwamitra should be granted the title of Maharishi. When a pleased Brahma did him the honours, he replied, without joy or sadness, "oh lord, gratified am I that you have pronounced me a Maharishi. But tell me, have I managed to conquer my senses with their attachments to outside objects?" Brahma said, "No Vishwamitra, not yet!", and left.
Now Vishwamitra, who knew only one thing, "if you don't succeed try harder!", escalated the tapas. He neither ate nor drank anything. With arms raised, with no support, he stood balanced in summer with fires on all sides, in rain with no cover, immersed in water day and night during winter.
Now Mr. Indra got worried. He summoned Rambha from his court, the most fabulous of all apsaras. He told her to go and seduce Viswamitra.
Rambha said, "come on, I shall only incur a most terrible curse if I do anything. Please take back your order, oh lord Indra"! Indra told Rambha, as she shook in utter fear and foreboding, that she need not worry and he, with Manmatha, and all the forces of nature to sway Vishwamitra, would be with her and she will have to do his bidding. He told her to enhance her beauty multi-fold for maximum effect.
Thus did Rambha go. She tempted Vishwamitra with all her wiles. Cuckoos cooed, trees blossomed and cast a magical spell with a seductive breeze.
A pleasantly surprised Vishwamitra then saw Rambha. Now he wised up to Indra's plot.
***
यन्मां लोभयसे रम्भे कामक्रोधजयैषिणम् ।
दश वर्षसहस्राणि शैली स्थास्यसि दुर्भगे ॥
ब्राह्मणः सुमहातेजास्तपोबलसमन्वितः ।
उद्धरिष्यति रम्भे त्वां मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृतम् ॥
"Oh Rambha, you wicked one, since you have come to tempt me away from my austerity to conquer lust and anger, I curse you to be pertified and remain in a stony state for ten thousand years.
" Only a Brahmin with a great brilliance of powers from long tapas can come and redeem you from this curse uttered by me in rage".
***
Indra and Manmatha vanished from the scene, having succeeded in their plot.
A defeated Vishwamitra felt great contempt for himself. He shall never again allow anger, temptation and such lapses. Not any more. He uttered a terrible oath that he would do tapas with neither food and not even air (breath) for a thousand years to achieve this end.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
