Chapter LXII

O foremost of men, taking Śunaḥsepa, that illustrious king at noon rested in Puṣkara, O descendant of Raghu.

And having arrived at the excellent Puṣkara, as the king was resting, the famous Śunaḥsepa 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.

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.

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!

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.

Hearing his words, Viśvāmitra of mighty austerities, pacifying him by every means, spoke to this sons, saying,

That in view of which fathers beget well-wishing sons, the compassing of other's welfare is at hand.

This youthful son. of the ascetic crave my protection. O you sons, do accomplish my desire by saving his life.

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.

Thus Śunaḥsepa will obtain protection, the sacrifice will be freed from hindrance the deities will be propitiated, and finally my word will be made good.

Hearing the ascetic’s words, his sons, Madhucchanda and others, O foremost of me, haughtily and tauntingly answered.

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.

Hearing this speech of his sons, that best of anchorets, with eyes reddened with anger, said.

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 Muṣṭikas, and living on dogs’ flesh, do you ah, even like Vasiṣṭha’s sons, inhabit the earth for a thousand years.

Having cursed his sons, that best of ascetics then, by all means cheering up the distressed Śunaḥsepa as to his protection, addressed him.

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 Vaiṣṇava sacrificial stake; and, O ascetic’s son, (at the same time) chant these two verses in that sacrifice of Ambarīṣa. Then you will attain success.

Thereupon, with a concentrated mind securing those two verses, Śunaḥsepa speedily presented himself before that leonine monarch saying,

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.

Hearing those words of the ascetic’s son, the king, filled with delight, readily at once repaired to the sacrificial ground.

With the consent of his court, the king fastened Śunaḥsepa with a Kuśa cord, and investing him with a crimson apparel tethered him to the stake as the (sacrificial) beast.

Being bound (to the stake), the ascetic’s son first of all duly hymned Agni, and next those deities, Indra and his younger brother.

Thereupon, gratified with the excellent eulogy, the thousand eyed Vāsava conferred upon Śunaḥsepa long life.

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,

O Rāma, And, O best of men, the righteous Viśvāmitra of mighty asceticism again carried on austerities at Puṣkara for ten hundred years.