Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Aug 2011 11:56 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:56
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 64
Hearing the words of the highly effulgent Rama, Lakshmana, conversant with discrimanative knowledge replied with folded hands, saying "O Kakutstha, it is for a very simple folly that the two Brahmanas imprecated that curse upon the king Nriga, dreadful as the rod of Vana. May I ask thee, O foremost of men, what did that King say unto the Brahmans when he was thus imprecated?" Whereto Rama replied saying: "O gentle one, hear, what the king Nriga said when imprecated. Hearing of the depature of the Brahmanas he sent for his priest, minister, the citizens and subjects and filled with sorrow said: Do ye all hear attentively my words.
Having imprecated a dreadful curse upon me the jolly saint Narada and the ascetic Parvata have speedily, like the wind, repaired to the region of Brahma. Do ye therefore, even today, place the prince Vasu on the throne, and let the architects prepare a pleasant den for me. Living therein I shall waste the curse of the Brahmans.
Let the architects dig one den to protect me against the rains, one against the affliction of the winter and one against the distresses of summer. Let them enhance the picturesqueness of those dens by planting many trees having profuse branches and fruits and flowers. As long as time shall not change so long I shall spend my days happily in that den.
For half a league on all sides around me let lower trees be planted." Having made those arrangements and placed Vasu on the throne the king Nriga said "Do not swerve from the path of morality, O my son, and do thou duly govern the subjects according to the custom of the Kshatriyas. Thou hast seen, with thine own eyes, the curse that the Brahmanas have given me being enraged for a very trifling folly of mine.
Do thou not repent for me. My son, time is the lord of happiness and sorrow ;it is by the influence of time that I have fallen into such a disaster. Creatures must meet with what is kept in store by destiny ;they must go where they are bound for and they must acquire what is set apart for them, Pristine actions are the root of all these; so, be not sorry, O my son.
O foremost of men, having given this advice unto his son, the highly illustrious king Nriga proceeded to live in the sweet fragrant den. Having entered the den filled with many jewels the high souled king began to spend his days in the satisfaction of the curse imprecated by the two Brahmanas."
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