|| om tat sat ||

विश्वामित्रोमहात्माsथ प्रस्थितान् प्रेक्ष्य तान् ऋषीन् ।
अब्रवीन्नरशार्दूल सर्वांस्तान् वनवासिनः ॥

’'Oh Rama ! Then the great soul Viswamitra addressed the Rishis about to leave and all the forest dwellers'

Balakanda
Sarga Sixty one

Satananda continued the narration of the story of Viswamitra.

' Oh Rama ! Then the great soul Viswamitra addressed the Rishis about to leave and all the forest dwellers'.

'Viswamitra said , "Being in this southern direction there have been great impediments. Let us move in another direction. We will do our penance there. Great souls are in the spacious Pushkaras in the westerly direction. We will do our penance there in peace. The penance groves there are the best".

'Having said so the supremely radiant venerable sage went on doing intense penance in those Pushkaras. Living only on fruits and roots he did such intense penance which is not possible for any others'.

'At the same time there was a king of Ayodhya by name Ambarisha who started a sacrifice. The sacrificial animal of the sacrifice was stolen by Indra .

When the animal was thus stolen the priests told the following to the king. "Oh Rajan ! because of your poor leadership the animal was trapped and lost today. O King the lapse of being unable to protect can be fatal to the king. O King ! For the expiation of the great sin while the sacrifice is going on quickly get the sacrificial animal or a man in its place "

'Having heard the Purohits words, that king ,a bull among men, went in search of a right animal in exchange for thousands of cows as gift . The king went to various lands , cities, forest groves,auspicious Ashramas in his search'.

' O Dear one ! Raghunandana ! On the mountain side of Brigutunga, the king saw Sage Ruchika seated along with his wife and children. Having paid obeisance and obtaining his grace , The king spoke to the venerable sage who is a Brahmarshi glowing with the power of penance.

Having enquired about his welfare, Ambarisha spoke to sage Ruchika as follows. "Oh Bhargava ! If you can sell your son in exchange for the sacrificial animal I will deem myself to be successful. I was searching for the sacrificial animal in all lands. But I cannot find the animal. Give me your son for the right amount".

'When the highly radiant one spoke as above , venerable sage Ruchika replied as follows. "I cannot give my eldest son under any circumstances". Hearing the words of the great soul , the mother of those sons spoke to Ambarisha, the tiger among men. " Bhagavan Bhargava said he cannot part with the eldest son. Oh King! For me my youngest son Sunaka is dear! So I cannot part with him. Oh King in general the eldest is dear to a father and the youngest is dear to the mother . Hence I will protect the youngest".

'Oh Rama hearing those words of the sage as well as the sage's wife, the middle son Sunahsepha spoke as follows. "Oh King the father will not part with the eldest. The mother said she will not part with the youngest. I conclude that the middle one is sold. O king so you may take me along !."

'Oh Raghunandana ! Giving hundred thousand cows the king took Sunahsepha and went happily. Ambarisha who is highly radiant and also a Rajarshi took Sunahsepha on his chariot and went to his city'.

Thus the sixty first chapter of Balakanda in Ramayana comes to an end.

|| Om tat sat ||

अंबरीषस्तु राजर्षी रथमारोप्य सत्वरः ।
शुनश्शेफं महातेजा जगामाशु महायशाः ॥

'Ambarisha who is highly radiant and also a Rajarshi took Sunahsepha on his chariot and went to his city'.

|| Om tat sat ||