अथ पुत्रः पुलस्त्यस्य विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः। अचिरेणैव कालेन पितेव तपसि स्थितः॥
Pulastya's son-that prime of ascetics-Visravāin a short time was engaged in asceticism like his father.
सत्यवाञ्शीलवान्दान्तः स्वाध्यायनिरतः शुचि। सर्वभोगेष्वसंसक्तो नित्यं धर्मपरायणः॥
And he was truthful, and of excellent character and controlled senses; was engaged in the study of the Vedas; and was of the sanctified spirit; and he was not addicted to any of the pleasures of life, and was always studious of religion.
ज्ञात्वा तस्य तु तद्वृत्तं भरद्वाजो महामुनिः। ददौ विश्रवसे भार्यां स्वसुतां देववर्णिनीम्॥ प्रतिगृह्य तु धर्मेण भरद्वाजसुतां तदा। प्रजान्वीक्षिकया बुद्ध्या श्रेयो ह्यस्य विचिन्तयन्॥ मुदा परमया युक्तो विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः। स तस्यां वीर्यसंपन्नमपत्यं परमाद्भुतम्॥ जनयामास धर्मज्ञः सर्वैर्ब्रह्मगुणैर्वृतम्। तस्मिञ्जाते तु संहृष्टः स बभूव पितामहः॥ दृष्ट्वा श्रेयस्करी बुद्धिं धनाध्यक्षो भविष्यति। नाम चास्याकरोत्प्रीतः सार्धं देवर्षिभिस्तदा॥ यस्माद्विश्रवसोऽपत्यं सादृश्याद्विश्रवा इव। तस्माद्वैश्रवणो नाम भविष्यत्येष विश्रुतः॥
Learning of his ways, that mighty ascetic, Bharadvāja, gave to Visravā for his wife, his daughter, Devavarņinſ. And having religiously wed Bhāradvāja's daughter, that foremost of ascetics, Visravā, conceiving the highest delight, began to reflect on the welfare of his offspring with an intelligence concentrated on them. And on her that one cognisant of righteousness begot child, exceedingly wonderful, endowed with energy, and adorned with all Brahma* qualities. On his having been born, his grand-father was rejoiced, and, marking the profitable intelligence (of the boy, he thought that) he would be the lord of riches. And well-pleased, (Pulastya) in company with the Devarsis (thought), Inasmuch as this is Viśravá's offspring, and as he resembles Viśravā himself, so he should be known by the name of Vaisravana. own a *Such as self-control, asceticism, purity, etc.
स तु वैश्रवणस्तत्र तपोवनगतस्तदा। अवर्धताहुतिहुतो महातेजा यथानलः॥
Then the exceedingly energetic Vaiśravana, repairing to the wood of asceticism, increased in power) like to a fire fed by sacrificial oblations.
तस्याश्रमपदस्थस्य बुद्धिर्जज्ञे महात्मनः। चरिष्ये परमं धर्म धर्मो हि परमा गतिः॥
And as he was staying in the hermitage, that high-souled one thought, 'I shall practice prime righteousness: verily virtue is the supreme way.'
स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महावने। यन्त्रितो नियमैरुप्रैश्चकार सुमहत्तपः॥
For a thousand years, he, having his senses controlled, practised rigid austerities in that mighty forest, observing (all the while) the most rigorous restrictions.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रान्ते तं तं विधिमकल्पयत्। जलाशी मारुताहारो निराहारस्तथैव च। एवं वर्षसहस्राणि जग्मुस्तान्येकवर्षवत्॥
And on a thousand years having been numbered, he by turns observed the rules relative to each term; (at first) living on water, (then) on air, and (last) going absolutely without any food. Thus passed away a thousand years like one.
अथ प्रीतो महातेजाः सेन्द्रैः सुरगणैः सह। गत्वा तस्याश्रमपदं ब्रह्मेदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते वत्स कर्मणानेन सुव्रत। वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते वराहस्त्वं महामते॥
Then the highly energetic Brahmā along with the Indra and the celestials, coming to that asylum, addressed (Vaisravana), saying, '0 child, I am well-pleased with you for this act of your, O you of excellent vows. Do you, good betide you, ask for the 'boon (that you would have), for, O magnanimous one, you are worthy of a boon.'
अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणः पितामहमुपस्थितम्। भगवॅल्लोकपालत्वमिच्छेयं लोकरक्षणम्॥
Then Vaisravaņa said to the Pitāmaha, who was present, 'O reverend one, I crave for the power of maintaining and protecting people.'
अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणं परितुष्टेन चेतसा। ब्रह्मा सुरगणैः सार्धं बाढमित्येव हृष्टवत्॥
Thereat, Brahmä along with the deities gladly said to Vaiśravana in a gratified spirit, Very well!
अहं वै लोकपालानां चतुर्थं स्रष्टुमुद्यतः। यमेन्द्रवरुणानां च पदं यत्तव चेप्सितम्॥
I am about to create the fourth of the Protectors of the creatures-Yama, Indra and Varuna, the position which is sought for by you.
तद्गच्छ बत धर्मज्ञ निधीशत्वमवाप्नुहि । शक्राम्बुपयमानां च चतुर्थस्त्वं भविष्यसि ॥
Do you, O you cognisant of righteousness, attain the same; do you receive the position of the lord of riches. You shall be the fourth among the Sakra, the lord of waters, etc.
एतच्च पुष्पकं नाम विमानं सूर्यसंनिभम्। प्रतिगृह्णीष्व यानार्थं त्रिदशैः समतां व्रज॥
Do you take for your vehicle this car, named Puşpaka, resembling the Sun himself, and thus raise yourself to an equality with the celestials.
स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामः सर्व एव यथागतम्। कृतकृत्या वयं तात दत्त्वा तव वरद्वयम्॥
Good betide you! We shall (now) go whither we had come, having, my child, done my duty and bestowed on you the couple of boons.
इत्युक्त्वा स गतो ब्रह्मा स्वस्थानं त्रिदशैः सह। गतेषु ब्रह्मपूर्वेषु देवेष्वथ नभस्तलम्॥ धनेशः पितरं प्राह प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतात्मवान्। भगवल्लब्धवानस्मि वरमिष्टं पितामहात्॥ निवासनं न मे देवो विदधे स प्रजापतिः। तं पश्य भगवन्कंचिनिवासं साधु मे प्रभो। न च पीडा भवेद्यत्र प्राणिनो यस्य कस्यचित्।।२३ एवमुक्तस्तु पुत्रेण विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः। वचनं प्राह धर्मज्ञ श्रूयतामिति सत्तम॥
Having said this, Brahmă along with the celestials went to his own quarters. On the deities with Brahmã at their head, having departed foe the heavenly regions, the selfpossessed lord of wealth of subdued senses with joined hands spoke to his sire, saying, 'o reverend one, I have received the wished-for boon from the great-father, but the exalted lord of creatures has not fixed any abode for me. Therefore, O lord, do you seek out some dwelling for me, where no creature whatever can come by misfortune. Thus accosted by his son, that best of ascetics, Viśravä, spoke, O righteous one,' Listen! O excellent one.
दक्षिणस्योदधेस्तीरे त्रिकूटो नाम पर्वतः। तस्याने तु विशाला सा महेन्द्रस्य पुरी यथा॥ लङ्का नाम पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा। राक्षसानां निवासार्थं यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती॥ तब त्वं वस भद्रं ते लङ्कायां नात्र संशयः। हेमप्राकारपरिखा यन्त्रशस्त्रसमावृता॥ रमणीया पुरी सा हि रुक्मवैदूर्यतोरणा।
On the shore of the Southern sea there is a mount named Trikūta. On its brow is a beautiful and broad city built by Viśvakarmā, named Lankā, resembling the city itself of Indra the great, designed for the abode of Rākşasas, like to the Amaravati of Indra. There in Lanka, do you, forsooth, reside. That romantic city is surrounded with a golden wall and a moat, and is furnished with engines and weapons, and has gateways of gold and lapises.
राक्षसैः सा परित्यक्ता पुरा विष्णुभयार्दितैः॥ शून्या रक्षोगणैः सर्वै रसातलतलं गतः। शून्या संप्रति लङ्का सा प्रभुस्तस्या न विद्यते॥ स त्वं तत्र निवासाय गच्छ पुत्र यथासुखम्। निर्दोषस्तत्र ते वासो न बाधस्तत्र कस्यचित् ॥
Formerly she was renounced by the Raksasas afflicted with the fear of Vişnu; and was empty of swarms of Rākşasa, who had gone to the nethermost regions. Now Lanka is vacant, and there is no one that lords it over her. Do you, my child, for abode, at your ease repair thither. Your stay there shall meet with no rub, and no manner of disturbance shall occur there.
एतच्छुत्वा स धर्मात्मा धर्मिष्ठं वचनं पितुः। निवासयामास तदा लङ्कां पर्वतमूर्धनि ॥
Hearing the righteous speech of his sire, that virtuous-souled one along with thousands of delighted and joyous Rākşasas, began to reside in Lanka stationed on the ion of the mount.
नैर्ऋतानां सहस्रैस्तु हृष्टैः प्रमुदितैः सदा। अचिरेणैव कालेन संपूर्णा तस्य शासनात्॥ स तु तत्रावसत्प्रीतो धर्मात्मा नैर्ऋतर्षभः। समुद्रपरिखायां स लङ्कायां विश्रवात्मजः॥
In a short time (Lankā), through his sway, abounded (in wealth). And that foremost of Nairtas, the righteous-son of Visrava, wellpleased, abode in Lankā having the Ocean for her entrenchment.
काले काले तु धर्मात्मा पुष्पकेण धनेश्वरः। अभ्यागच्छद्विनीतात्मा पितरं मातरं च हि ॥
At times the righteous-souled lord of riches, mounted on Pușpaka, in humble guise visited his father and mother.
स्तथाप्सरोनृत्यबिभूषितालयः। गभस्तिभिः सूर्य इवावभासयन् पितुः समीपं प्रययौ स वित्तपः॥
And hymned by hosts of deities and Gandharvas, having his mansion graced with the dancing of Apsarās, and floating on rays like the sun himself, that ruler of riches went to his sire.