Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 65: Viśvāmitra Becomes a Brahmarṣi
Text 1.65.2
मौनं वर्षसहस्रस्य कृत्वा व्रतमनुत्तमम्।
चकाराप्रतिमं राम तपः परमदुष्करम्॥
maunaṁ varṣa-sahasrasya kṛtvā vratam anuttamam
cakārāpratimaṁ rāma tapaḥ parama-duṣkaram
maunam = of silence; varṣa-sahasrasya = for a thousand years; kṛtvā = resolving to take up; vratam = the vow; anuttamam = excellent; cakāra = he performed; apratimam = unparalleled; rāma = O Rāma; tapaḥ = austerities; parama-duṣkaram = most difficult to perform.
O Rāma, resolving to take up the excellent vow of silence for a thousand years, he performed unparalleled austerities most difficult to perform.