Chapter XXI

Hearing those words of Daśaratha’s composed of letters faltering with affection, Kuśika’s son, stirred up with anger, answered the monarch, saying,

Having promised me first, you endeavour to renounce that promise of yours. This surely is unworthy of a descendant of Raghu, and this can bring destruction upon the dynasty.

If, O king, in acting thus, you have acted properly, I will then repair to the place whence I had come. O Kākutstha’s descendant false in promise, do you attain happiness, being surrounded by your friends.

And when the intelligent Viśvāmitra was exercised with wrath, the entire earth began to tremble, and the gods even were inspired with awe.

And knowing that the entire universe was in trepidation, that mighty saint, the sedate Vasiṣṭha of excellent vows, said these words to the king.

Born in the line of Ikṣvāku, you are the very second self of virtue. And endowed with patience, and auspicious, and observing excellent vows, you ought not to renounce virtue.

The descendant of Raghu is famed over the three worlds as righteous-souled. Do you maintain your habit of adhering to promise; for it does not behove you to act unrighteously,

If having promised, I will do so, you do not act up to your word, the merit you have achieved by digging tanks, shall come to naught, therefore do you renounce Rama!

Accomplished or not accomplished in weapons, the Rākṣasas cannot bear him protected by Kuśika’s son, like ambrosia, by flaming fire.

This one is Virtue incarnate: this one is the foremost of those possessing prowess. This one surpass all others in learning, and is the refuge of asceticism.

This one is congnizant of all that exist in the three worlds furnished with mobile and immobile things;—but others do not know him,—nor yet shall know him hereafter.

And neither the gods, nor the saints, nor the immortals, nor the Rākṣasas, nor the foremost of Gandharvas and Yakṣas, nor the Kinnaras, nor the mighty Serpents can know him.

And formerly while the descendant of Kuśika was ruling his kingdom, Śiva conferred upon him the highly famous sons of Kṛśāśva in the shane of all weapons.

Those sons of Kṛśāśva were the offspring of Prajāpati’s daughters. And they were endowed with various forms, and were effulgent and dreadful.

And Dakṣa’s daughters of elegant waists, Jayā and Suprabhā, brought forth an hundred exceedingly effulgent weapons.

And by virtue of her boon, Jayā obtained fifty sons of immeasurable strength and endued with the power of becoming invisible for the purpose of slaughtering the hosts of the Asuras.

Suprabhā also brought forth fifty sons named Sanhāras, incapable of being borne, and infallible and powerful.

Kuśika’s son is adequately conversant with all those weapons. And that one knowing duty is also capable of creating wonderful weapons.

O descendant of Raghu, there is nothing present, past, or future which is not known by that foremost of ascetics of high soul, and cognizant of morality.

Such is the prowess of that highly famous Viśvāmitra possessed of mighty energy. Therefore, O king, it behove you not to hesitate in the matter of Rāma’s going.

The descendant of Kuśika is himself capable of repressing the Rākṣasas; and it is in order to your son’s welfare that coming to you, he ask for him of you.

At this speech of the ascetic, that foremost of Raghus, the king, well-pleased, became exceedingly delighted. And that famous one, relishing the journey of Rāma, began to reflect in his mind about consigning him to Kuśika’s son.