Bal Kanda
Narration
Sadananda says: Seeing all those forest-dwelling sages who had come for the yajna taking their leave, the supremely radiant Vishwamitra said to them, “Great sages, living here in the south has caused great obstacles to our austerities. So now we shall all move to another direction and practice our penance there. In the vast west lie the three Pushkars of the great soul Brahma. We will stay near them and practice our austerities peacefully, because that grove is very pleasant.” Saying this, the glorious great sage went to Pushkar, and there, living on fruits and roots, began fierce and invincible penance.
Around the same time, King Ambarisha of Ayodhya began preparing for a yajna. While he was engaged in the sacrifice, Indra stole the sacrificial animal. When the animal was lost, the royal priest said to the king, “O King, the animal brought here has been lost due to your mismanagement. A king who does not protect the sacrificial animal is ruined by many faults. Before the ritual action truly begins, quickly search for the lost animal and bring it back, or else buy a human substitute to serve as the sacrificial victim. That alone is the great expiation for this sin.”
Hearing the priest’s words, the very wise, best of men, King Ambarisha searched for a man to purchase at the price of thousands of cows. O descendant of Raghu, while searching through various countries, provinces, cities, forests, and holy hermitages, King Ambarisha reached Mount Bhrigutunga. There he saw the sage Ruchika seated with his wife and sons. The exceedingly handsome and highly radiant royal sage Ambarisha bowed to the great sage Ruchika, who was devoted to austerity, and pleased him. First he inquired after the welfare of all that belonged to him; then he spoke as follows:
“O blessed one, descendant of Bhrigu! If, in exchange for one hundred thousand cows, you would sell one of your sons to become the sacrificial victim, I would be fulfilled. I have traveled through all the lands, but nowhere could I find an animal fit for the sacrifice. So please accept a fair price and give me one of your sons.”
At this, the radiant Ruchika replied, “Best of men, I will not, under any circumstance, sell my eldest son.” Hearing Ruchika, the mother of the boys also spoke to the lion-like King Ambarisha: “Lord, the divine Bhargavas say the eldest son must never be sold. But know this: our youngest son, Sunaka, is very dear to me. Therefore, O lord of earth, I will never give you my youngest. Generally, the eldest sons are dear to fathers, and the youngest to mothers. So I will certainly protect my youngest son.”
O Rama, when the sage and his wife had said this, the middle son, Shunahshepha, himself spoke: “Prince, since father has declared the eldest unfit to sell, and mother has declared the youngest unfit to sell, I understand that in their eyes the middle son alone is fit to be sold. Therefore, take me.”
When the middle son, learned in Brahman, spoke thus, King Ambarisha was very pleased. In exchange for ten million gold coins, heaps of jewels, and one hundred thousand cows, he took Shunahshepha and set off home. The supremely radiant, highly renowned royal sage Ambarisha seated Shunahshepha on his chariot and hurried forward at great speed.
Sadananda continues: O best of men, descendant of Raghu, taking Shunahshepha with him, the illustrious King Ambarisha reached the holy place of Pushkar at noon and rested there. O Rama, while they were resting, the most renowned Shunahshepha went to the chief Pushkar where the sages were practicing austerity and met his maternal uncle, Vishwamitra. He was extremely distressed; his face had grown pale with exhaustion from hunger, thirst, and toil. He fell into the sage’s lap and spoke:
“Gentle best of sages, I have no mother and no father—how then could I have brothers or kin? I am helpless. Please protect me by the path of Dharma. O best of men, you are the protector of all and the granter of cherished aims. May King Ambarisha have his sacrifice completed, and may I too, free of stain and long-lived, by practicing the highest austerity, attain heaven—grant me this grace. O righteous one, become, with your pure heart, the guardian of me, an orphan and the unprotected. As a father protects his son, save me from this sin-born calamity.”
Hearing Shunahshepha’s plea, the great ascetic Vishwamitra consoled him in many ways and then spoke to his own sons: “My children, a father who desires his sons’ supreme otherworldly welfare—now is the time for that purpose to be fulfilled. This boy, the young sage, seeks protection from me. By giving your very lives, do him this kindness. You are all virtuous and devoted to Dharma. Therefore, become the sacrificial victim in the king’s yajna and satisfy Agni. In this way Shunahshepha will be saved; the king’s sacrifice will be completed without obstacle; the gods will be pleased; and through you my command will also be carried out.”
Hearing their father’s words, the sons—like Manu, Chand, and the others—answered with pride and disrespect: “Lord, how can you abandon many of your own sons to protect another’s one son? Just as pure food becomes unfit if dog’s meat falls into it, in the same way, where the protection of one’s own sons is required, we see the work of protecting another’s son as something not to be done.”
Hearing their speech, the great sage Vishwamitra’s eyes reddened with righteous anger. He said, “You have fearlessly spoken what is bereft of Dharma and blameworthy, defying my command with terrible, hair-raising words. For this offense, you too—like Vashishtha’s sons—shall be born among the tribes that eat dog’s flesh, such as the Pushtikas and others, and live thus for a full thousand years.”
Having thus cursed his sons, the great sage, at that time, safeguarded the grieving Shunahshepha without obstruction and said to him: “Young sage, when, in King Ambarisha’s sacrifice, you are bound at the yupa with the holy cords of Kusha, adorned with a garland of red flowers and red sandal paste, then go to the hymns related to Lord Vishnu and, with your voice, praise Agni, Indra, and Vishnu. Chant these two divine gathas. By this you will obtain your heart’s desire.”
Shunahshepha, with one-pointed mind, received those two hymns and, going to King Ambarisha, said quickly, “O king of kings, supremely wise ruler, let us both go at once. Take the vow for the sacrifice and complete the rite.”
Hearing the sage-boy’s words, King Ambarisha cast off lethargy, blossomed with joy, and swiftly entered the sacrificial hall. With the council’s consent, the king bound Shunahshepha with the sacred cords of Kusha, endowed him with the marks of a sacrificial victim, clothed him in red, and fastened him to the yupa. Bound there, the sage-boy Shunahshepha praised Indra and Upendra with excellent words, just as taught.
Pleased by that secret, profound praise, thousand-eyed Indra was delighted and granted Shunahshepha long life. O best of men, by Indra’s grace, King Ambarisha obtained the most excellent and multifold fruit of that yajna. After this, the great ascetic and righteous Vishwamitra again practiced intense austerity at the holy Pushkar for another thousand years.