Critical Edition
वसिष्ठ उवाच मा भैः पुत्रि न भेतव्यं रक्षसस्ते कथंचन नैतद्रक्षो भयं यस्मात्पश्यसि त्वमुपस्थितम्
M. N. Dutt: Vasishtha said : O daughter, do not fear; there is nothing to be afraid of from any Rakshasas. There is no fear from Rakshasas whom you see coming.
राजा कल्माषपादोऽयं वीर्यवान्प्रथितो भुवि स एषोऽस्मिन्वनोद्देशे निवसत्यतिभीषणः
M. N. Dutt: He is the king Kalmashapada celebrated in the world as being a very powerful (monarch). That fearful man lives in this forest.
गन्धर्व उवाच तमापतन्तं संप्रेक्ष्य वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः वारयामास तेजस्वी हुंकरेणैव भारत
M. N. Dutt: The Gandharva said : O descendant of Bharata, the illustrious and the effulgent Rishi Vasishtha, seeing him advancing, stopped him by uttering a loud roar.
मन्त्रपूतेन च पुनः स तमभ्युक्ष्य वारिणा मोक्षयामास वै घोराद्राक्षसाद्राजसत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Sprinkling over him water sanctified by Mantras (incantations), he freed the king from the terrible curse.
स हि द्वादश वर्षाणि वसिष्ठस्यैव तेजसा ग्रस्त आसीद्गृहेणेव पर्वकाले दिवाकरः
M. N. Dutt: He (the king) had been overwhelmed by the effulgence of Vasislitha's son as the sun by the planet (Rahu) at the time of an eclipse.
रक्षसा विप्रमुक्तोऽथ स नृपस्तद्वनं महत् तेजसा रञ्जयामास संध्याभ्रमिव भास्करः
M. N. Dutt: Having been thus freed froin the Rakshasas by that Brahmana (Vasishtha) the king illuminated the great forest by his splendour, as the sun illuminates the evening clouds.
प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञामभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः उवाच नृपतिः काले वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Regaining his consciousness, the king saluted the Rishi with joined hands and he thus spoke to that best of Rishis Vasishtha.
सौदासोऽहं महाभाग याज्यस्ते द्विजसत्तम अस्मिन्काले यदिष्टं ते ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते
M. N. Dutt: "O illustrious Sir, I am the son of Saudasa; O excellent Rishi, I am your disciple. Tell me what is your desire now and what I am to do."
वसिष्ठ उवाच वृत्तमेतद्यथाकालं गच्छ राज्यं प्रशाधि तत् ब्राह्मणांश्च मनुष्येन्द्र मावमंस्थाः कदाचन
M. N. Dutt: Vasishtha said: o king of men, my desire has been fulfilled at the proper time. Return to your kingdom and rliic your subjects. Never (again) disregard the Brahmanas.
राजोवाच नावमंस्याम्यहं ब्रह्मन्कदाचिद्ब्राह्मणर्षभान् त्वन्निदेशे स्थितः शश्वत्पुजयिष्याम्यहं द्विजान्
M. N. Dutt: The King said: O illustrious sir, I shall never again disregard the best Brahmanas. In obedience to your command, I shall properly worship the Brahmanas.
इक्ष्वाकूणां तु येनाहमनृणः स्यां द्विजोत्तम तत्त्वत्तः प्राप्तुमिच्छामि वरं वेदविदां वर
M. N. Dutt: O best of the twice-born, O best of all men learned in the Vedas. I desire to obtain from you that by which I may be freed from the debt I owe to the race of Ikshaku.
अपत्यायेप्सितां मह्यं महिषीं गन्तुमर्हसि शीलरूपगुणोपेतामिक्ष्वाकुकुलवृद्धये
M. N. Dutt: O excellent man, you should grant me a son, I desire to have, who will posses beauty, accomplishments and good behaviour.
गन्धर्व उवाच ददानीत्येव तं तत्र राजानं प्रत्युवाच ह वसिष्ठः परमेष्वासं सत्यसंधो द्विजोत्तमः
M. N. Dutt: The Gandharva said : The best of the twice born, ever devoted to truth Vasishtha, replied to that great bowman, the king saying, “I will give."
ततः प्रतिययौ काले वसिष्ठसहितोऽनघ ख्यातं पुरवरं लोकेष्वयोध्यां मनुजेश्वरः
M. N. Dutt: O king of men, after sometime, Vasishtha, accompanied by him (the king), went to his capital, known all over the world by the name of Ayodhya.
तं प्रजाः प्रतिमोदन्त्यः सर्वाः प्रत्युद्ययुस्तदा विपाप्मानं महात्मानं दिवौकस इवेश्वरम्
M. N. Dutt: The people came out in joy to receive the sinless and the illustrious one, as the celestials do their chief (Indra).
अचिरात्स मनुष्येन्द्रो नगरीं पुण्यकर्मणाम् विवेश सहितस्तेन वसिष्ठेन महात्मना
M. N. Dutt: The accompanied by the great Rishi Vasishtha entered without delay his auspicious capital.
ददृशुस्तं ततो राजन्नयोध्यावासिनो जनाः पुष्येण सहितं काले दिवाकरमिवोदितम्
M. N. Dutt: The citizens of Ayodhya saw the king accompanied by his priest (Vasishtha), as if he were the rising sun.
स हि तां पूरयामास लक्ष्म्या लक्ष्मीवतां वरः अयोध्यां व्योम शीतांशुः शरत्काल इवोदितः
M. N. Dutt: The king, most handsome of all handsome men, filled Ayodhya with the whole sky with his splendour.
संसिक्तमृष्टपन्थानं पताकोच्छ्रयभूषितम् मनः प्रह्लादयामासा तस्य तत्पुरमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: His (king's) mind was filled with joy on seeing that excellent city with its well-watered and well-swept streets and with banners and pendants flying all around.
तुष्टपुष्टजनाकीर्णा सा पुरी कुरुनन्दन अशोभत तदा तेन शक्रेणेवामरावती
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Kuru, that city, full of well-fed and happy men, looked as gay as Amravati with the presence of Indra.
ततः प्रविष्टे राजेन्द्रे तस्मिन्राजनि तां पुरीम् तस्य राज्ञोऽऽज्ञया देवी वसिष्ठमुपचक्रमे
M. N. Dutt: After the royal sage (the king Kalmashapada) had entered that excellent city, the queen at his command, came to Vasishtha.
ऋतावथ महर्षिः स संबभूव तया सह देव्या दिव्येन विधिना वसिष्ठः श्रेष्ठभागृषिः
M. N. Dutt: The best of Rishis, Vasishtha, made an agreement with her and he united himself with her according to the highest ordinance.
अथ तस्यां समुत्पन्ने गर्भे स मुनिसत्तमः राज्ञाभिवादितस्तेन जगाम पुनराश्रमम्
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, when the queen conceived by him, that best of Rishis (Vasishtha), receiving the salutation of the king, went away to his hermitage.
दीर्घकालधृतं गर्भं सुषाव न तु तं यदा साथ देव्यश्मना कुक्षिं निर्बिभेद तदा स्वकम्
M. N. Dutt: When she had borne the conception for a long time, the illustrious lady tore open her womb with a piece of stone.
द्वादशेऽथ ततो वर्षे स जज्ञे मनुजर्षभ अश्मको नाम राजर्षिः पोतनं यो न्यवेशयत्
M. N. Dutt: Thus was born after a conception of twelve years that best of men, that royal sage, Ashmaka, who founded Pandava (a city).