शुनःशेपं नरश्रेष्ठ गृहीत्वा तु महायशाः। व्यश्रमत् पुष्करे राजा मध्याह्ने रघुनन्दन ॥
O foremost of men, taking Sunaḥsepa, that illustrious king at noon rested in Puşkara, O descendant of Raghu.
तस्य विश्रममाणस्य शुन:शेपो महायशाः। पुष्करं ज्येष्ठमागम्य विश्वामित्रं ददर्श ह॥ तप्यन्तमृषिभिः सार्धं मातुलं परमातुरः। विषण्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च ॥
And having arrived at the excellent Puskara, as the king was resting, the famous Sunaḥsepa with an aggrieved heart saw his maternal uncle Viśvāmitra in company with some saints engaged in asceticism. Thereupon, with a woebegone countenance, and sore afflicted with fatigue and thirst, he, O Rāma, flung himself into (Viśvāmitra's) lap, and said.
पपाताङ्के मुने राम वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह। न मेऽस्ति माता न पिता ज्ञातयो बान्धवाः कुतः॥ त्रातुमर्हसि मां सौम्य धर्मेण मुनिपुङ्गव ।
I have neither father, nor mother, nor relatives, nor friends anywhere. It therefore behoves you, O gentle one, to save me in the interests of virtue, O foremost of ascetics.
त्रातां त्वं हि नरश्रेष्ठ सर्वेषां त्वं हि भावनः॥ राजा च कृतकार्यः स्यादहं दीर्घायुरव्ययः। स्वर्गलोकमुपाश्नीयां तपस्तप्त्वा ह्यनुत्तमम्॥
And, O best of men, you are the protector of all, and their refuge. May the king have his desire and may I at the same time, attaining long life, and undeteriorating, gain heaven, having performed meritorious austerities!
स मे नाथो ह्यनाथस्य भव भव्येन चेतसा। पितेव पुत्रं धर्मात्मंस्त्रातुमर्हसि किल्विषात्॥
Do you with a delighted heart become a lord to me that am without one. And, O righteous one, even as a father rescue a son, do you deliver me from this peril.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महातपः। सान्त्वयित्वा बहुविधं पुत्रानिदमुवाच ह॥
Hearing his words, Viśvāmitra of mighty austerities, pacifying him by every means, spoke to this sons, saying,
यत्कृते पितरः पुत्राञ्जनयन्ति शुभार्थिनः। परलोकहितार्थाय तस्य कालोऽयमागतः॥
That in view of which fathers beget wellwishing sons, the compassing of other's welfare is at hand.
अयं मुनिसुतो बालो मत्तः शरणमिच्छति। अस्य जीवितमात्रेण प्रियं कुरुत पुत्रकाः॥
This youthful son. of the ascetic crave my protection. O you sons, do accomplish my desire by saving his life.
सर्वे सुकृतकर्माणः सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः। पशुभूता नरेन्द्रस्य तृप्तिमग्नेः प्रयच्छत॥
You are all of virtuous deeds, you are all engaged in the observance of righteousness, do you confer satisfaction upon Agni by one of you becoming the (sacrificial) beast of the lord of men.
नाथवांश्च शुन:शेपो यज्ञस्याविघ्नतो भवेत्। देवतास्तर्पिताश्च स्युर्मम चापि कृतं वचः॥
Thus Sunaḥsepa will obtain protection, the sacrifice will be freed from hindrance the deities will be propitiated, and finally my word will be made good.
मुनेस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मधुच्छन्दादयः सुताः। साभिमानं नरश्रेष्ठ सलीलमिदमब्रुवन्॥
Hearing the ascetic's words, his sons, Madhucchanda and others, O foremost of me, haughtily and tauntingly answered.
कथमात्मसुतान् हित्वा त्रायसेऽन्यसुतं विभो। अकार्यमिव पश्यामः श्वमांसमिव भोजने॥
O lord, how, neglecting your own sons, you desire to deliver that of another? This we consider as heinous, even like to eating one's own flesh.
तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां मुनिपुङ्गवः। क्रोधसंरक्तनयनो व्याहर्तुमुपचक्रमे॥
Hearing this speech of his sons, that best of anchorets, with eyes reddened with anger, said.
निःसाध्वसमिदं प्रोक्तं धर्मादपि विगर्हितम्। अतिक्रम्य तु मद्वाक्यं दारुणं रोमहर्षणम्॥ श्वमांसभोजिनः सर्वे वासिष्ठा इव जातिषु । पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु पृथिव्यामनुवत्स्यथ ॥
Disregarding my words, you have uttered this audacious and shocking speech, disclaimed by morality, and capable of causing one's hair to stand on end. Therefore, becoming Mustikas, and living on dogs' flesh, do you all, even like Vasiştha's sons, inhabit the earth for a thousand years.
कृत्वा शापसमायुक्तान् पुत्रान् मुनिवरस्तदा। शुनःशेपमुवाचार्तं कृत्वा रक्षां निरामयाम्॥
Having cursed his sons, that best of ascetics then, by all means cheering up the distressed Śunaḥsepa as to his protection, addressed him.
पवित्रपाशैराबद्धो रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः। वैष्णवं यूपमासाद्य वाग्भिरग्निमुदाहर॥ इमे च गाथे द्वे दिव्ये गायेथा मुनिपुत्रक। अम्बरीषस्य यज्ञेऽस्मिस्ततः सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि॥
Do you donning on a sacred zone, and wearing a garland of red flowers, and bedaubing your person with red sand paste, hymn Agni with mantras, approaching the Vaisnava sacrificial stake; and, O ascetic's son, (at the same time) chant these two verses in that sacrifice of Amvarisha. Then you will attain success.
शुनःशेपो गृहीत्वा ते द्वे गाथे सुसमाहितः। त्वरया राजसिंहं तमम्बरीषमुवाच ह॥
Thereupon, with a concentrated mind securing those two verses, Sunaḥsepa speedily presented himself before that leonine monarch saying,
राजसिंह महाबुद्धे शीघ्रं गच्छावहे वयम्। निवर्तयस्व राजेन्द्र दीक्षां च समुदाहर॥
O lion of a king, O you endued with high intelligence, let us without delay repair hence. And, O foremost of monarchs, do you engage in the sacrifice and commence upon the initiation.
तद् वाक्यमृषिपुत्रस्य श्रुत्वा हर्षसमन्वितः जगाम नृपतिः शीघ्रं यज्ञवाटमतन्द्रितः॥
Hearing those words of the ascetic's son, the king, filled with delight, readily at once repaired to the sacrificial ground.
सदस्यानुमते राजा पवित्रकृतलक्षणम्। पशुं रक्ताम्बरं कृत्वा यूपे तं समबन्धयत्॥
With the consent of his court, the king fastened Sunaħsepa with a Kuśa cord, and investing him with a crimson apparel tethered him to the stake as the (sacrificial) beast.
स बद्धो वाग्भिरग्र्याभिरभितुष्टाव वै सुरो। इन्द्रमिन्द्रानुजं चैव यथावन्मुनिपुत्रकः॥
Being bound (to the stake), the ascetic's son first of all duly hymned Agni, and next those deities, Indra and his younger brother.
ततः प्रीतः सहस्राक्षो रहस्यस्तुतितोषितः। दीर्घमायुस्तदा प्रादाच्छुनःशेपाय वासवः॥
Thereupon, gratified with the excellent eulogy, the thousand eyed Väsava conferred upon Sunaḥsepa long life.
स च राजा नरश्रेष्ठ यज्ञस्य च समाप्तवान्। फलं बहुगुणं राम सहस्राक्षप्रसादजम्॥
And, O foremost of men, that king also, having completed the sacrifice, obtained the manifold fruit thereof through the grace of the thousand-eyed deity,
विश्वामित्रोऽपि धर्मात्मा भूयस्तेपे महातपाः। पुष्करेषु नरश्रेष्ठ दशवर्षशतानि च॥
O Rāma, And, O best of men, the righteous Viśvāmitra of mighty asceticism again carried on austerities at Puskara for ten hundred years.