Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

पुत्रत्वम् तु गते विष्णौ राज्ञः तस्य महात्मनः
उवाच देवताः सर्वाः स्वयंभूः भगवान् इदम्

putratvam tu gate viṣṇau rājñaḥ tasya mahātmanaḥ
uvāca devatāḥ sarvāḥ svayaṃbhūḥ bhagavān idam

SYNONYMS

viṣṇauḥ tasya rājñaḥ putratvam gate: Vishnu's, that, king's, sonship, when attained | mahātmana: of great soul Dasharatha | bhagavān svayam bhuḥ = god, self, created: Brahma | sarvāḥ devatāḥ idam uvāca: to all, gods, this, said. |

TRANSLATION

When Vishnu attained the sonship of the great-souled king Dasharatha, then Brahma the self-created addressed all of the gods this way. [1-17-1]

VERSE 2

सत्य संधस्य वीरस्य सर्वेषाम् नो हितैषिणः
विष्णोः सहायान् बलिनः सृजध्वम् काम रूपिणः

satya saṃdhasya vīrasya sarveṣām no hitaiṣiṇaḥ
viṣṇoḥ sahāyān balinaḥ sṛjadhvam kāma rūpiṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Let mighty and guise changing helpmates be procreated to that truth abiding and valorous Vishnu who is the well-wisher of all of us. [1-17-2]

VERSE 3

माया विदः च शूराम् च वायु वेग समान् जवे
नयज्ञान् बुद्धि संपन्नान् विष्णु तुल्य पराक्रमान्

māyā vidaḥ ca śūrām ca vāyu vega samān jave
nayajñān buddhi saṃpannān viṣṇu tulya parākramān

SYNONYMS

māyā vidaḥ ca: miracle, knowing [wizards] also | śurān ca: audacious ones, too | jave vāyu vega samān: in travel, air's, speed, equivalent to | naya jñān: morals, knowing | buddhi sampannān: intellectual, bestowed with | viṣṇnu tulya parākramān: Vishnu, equalling, in valour | a + samhāryān = in, destructible ones: ineliminable ones | upāya jñānān: ideation, knowers of | divya samhanana anvitān: divine, bodies, along with | sarva astra guṇa sampannānām: all, missiles', [assaultive] aspects, endowed with | amṛta prāśanān iva: ambrosia, drinkers, like tulya paraakramaan = equalling, [your] valour [godly, like you hunger-less thirst-less gods] | putrān: sons | mukhyāsu apsarassu: in prominent, apsara-s, in celestial courtesans | gandharvāṇām: in gandharva ladies, celestial scholars | tanūṣu ca: from their bodies | kanyāsu: = girls | ca: also | kiṃnarīṇām ca gātreṣu: from kinnaraa-s, also, bodies of | vānarīnām tanūsu ca: from she-monkey's, bodies, also | hari rūpeṇa: monkey, shaped | sṛjadhvam: be procreated. |

TRANSLATION

"Let monkey-shaped progeny equalling Vishnu's valour be procreated from the physiques of prominent apsara-s and gandharva-s, from the girls of yaksha-s and pannaga-s, and also thus from the bodies of kinnaraa-s, she-vidyaadharaa-s, she-riksha-s and she-monkeys, and they shall be wizards of miracles and audacious ones, in travel they shall have air's speed, bestowed with intellect they shall be the knowers of ideation, and with their divine physique they shall be ineliminable, they shall be endowed with all the assaultive aspects of all missiles, and they shall be untiring in their efforts, like you who thrive on amrita, the ambrosia, unmindful of thirst and hunger. [1-17-3, 4, 5, 6]

PURPORT

Gandharva-s (Southey's Glendoveers) are celestial musicians inhabiting Indra's heaven and forming the orchestra at all the banquets of the principal deities. Yaksha-s, demigods attendant especially on Kubera, and employed by him in the care of his garden and treasures. Kimpurusha-s, demigods attached also to the service of Kubera, celestial musicians, represented like centaurs reversed with human figures and horses' heads. Siddha-s, are demigods or spirits of undefined attributes, occupying with the Vidyaadharaa-s the middle air or region between the earth and the sun. Griffith.

VERSE 7

पूर्वम् एव मया सृष्टो जांबवान् ऋक्ष पुङ्गवः
जृंभमाणस्य सहसा मम वक्रात् अजायत

pūrvam eva mayā sṛṣṭo jāṃbavān ṛkṣa puṅgavaḥ
jṛṃbhamāṇasya sahasā mama vakrāt ajāyata

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"I have already created the eminent bear Jambavanta in earlier times, as he suddenly came forth from my yawning face. [1-17-7]

PURPORT

This is to say that Brahma has already created such a typical being, namely Jambavanta, prior to all the gods, as a role model in creation.

VERSE 8

ते तथा उक्ताः भगवता तत् प्रति श्रुत्य शासनम्
जनयामासुः एवम् ते पुत्रान् वानर रूपिणः

te tathā uktāḥ bhagavatā tat prati śrutya śāsanam
janayāmāsuḥ evam te putrān vānara rūpiṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

When Brahma addressed them thus, those gods have agreed to his order and accordingly started to parent sons in the semblance of monkeys. [1-17-8]

PURPORT

This pedigree is not yet given the label of monkeys. They are lookalike of monkeys but not monkeys, vaana ruupiNam resembling monkeys, as said in the verse. The word vanara is vane carati iti vanara-s because they range far and wide over forests they are called vanara-s, but not exactly a monkey race.

VERSE 9

ऋषयः च महात्मानः सिद्ध विद्याधर उरगाः
चारणाः च सुतान् वीरान् ससृजुः वन चारिणः

ṛṣayaḥ ca mahātmānaḥ siddha vidyādhara uragāḥ
cāraṇāḥ ca sutān vīrān sasṛjuḥ vana cāriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The great-souled celestial groups, namely the sages, siddha-s, vidyaadharaa-s, caarana-s have created valiant sons that are forest rangers. [1-17-9]

VERSE 10

वानरेन्द्रम् महेन्द्र आभम् इन्द्रः वालिनम् आत्मजम्
सुग्रीवम् जनयामास तपनः तपताम् वरः

vānarendram mahendra ābham indraḥ vālinam ātmajam
sugrīvam janayāmāsa tapanaḥ tapatām varaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Indra procreated the lord of vanara-s, namely Vali, who by his physique is like Mt. Mahendra, and the highest humidifier among all the humidifiers, namely the Sun, procreated Sugreeva. [1-17-10]

VERSE 11

बृहस्पतिः तु अजनयत् तारम् नाम महा कपिम्
सर्व वानर मुख्यानाम् बुद्धिमन्तम् अनुत्तमम्

bṛhaspatiḥ tu ajanayat tāram nāma mahā kapim
sarva vānara mukhyānām buddhimantam anuttamam

SYNONYMS

bṛhaspatiḥ tu: Brihaspati, the Jupiter, but | sarva vānara mukhyānām: among all, Vaanaras, the important one | an uttamam = none, better than him: excellent one | buddhimantam: intelligent one | tāram nāma: Tara, named | maha kapim ajanayat: to great, monkey, gave rise. |

TRANSLATION

Brihaspati, the Jupiter, gave rise to a great monkey named Tara, who is the most important one among all vanara-s, and who excels all by his intelligence. [1-17-11]

PURPORT

Tara here is a vanara hero but not Lady Tara, the wife of Vali. Here we have the wording of kapiH the monkey - for these forest rangers for first time.

VERSE 12

धनदस्य सुतः श्रीमान् वानरो गन्धमादनः
विश्वकर्मा तु अजनयन् नलम् नाम महा कपिम्

dhanadasya sutaḥ śrīmān vānaro gandhamādanaḥ
viśvakarmā tu ajanayan nalam nāma mahā kapim

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The brilliant Gandhamaadana is the son of Kubera, while the divine architect Vishvakarma procreated the great monkey called Nala. [1-17-12]

VERSE 13

पावकस्य सुतः श्रीमान् नीलः अग्नि सदृश प्रभः
तेजसा यशसा वीर्यात् अत्यरिच्यत वीर्यवान्

pāvakasya sutaḥ śrīmān nīlaḥ agni sadṛśa prabhaḥ
tejasā yaśasā vīryāt atyaricyata vīryavān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The bright son of Fire is Neela whose blaze is like that of fire and who excels other monkeys by his in resplendence, renown and courage. [1-17-13]

VERSE 14

रूप द्रविण संपन्नौ अश्विनौ रूपसंमतौ
मैन्दम् च द्विविदम् च एव जनयामासतुः स्वयम्

rūpa draviṇa saṃpannau aśvinau rūpasaṃmatau
maindam ca dvividam ca eva janayāmāsatuḥ svayam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The Ashwin twin gods whose wealth is their beautiful appearance have personally procreated two vanara-s namely Mainda and Dvivida, blessing them with beautiful appearance.[1-17-14]

VERSE 15

वरुणो जनयामास सुषेणम् नाम वानरम्
शरभम् जनयामास पर्जन्यः तु महाबलः

varuṇo janayāmāsa suṣeṇam nāma vānaram
śarabham janayāmāsa parjanyaḥ tu mahābalaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The Rain-god procreated the vanara named Susheshana, and Thunder-god gave rise to the great mighty Sharabha. [1-17-15]

VERSE 16

मारुतस्य औरसः श्रीमान् हनुमान् नाम वानरः
वज्र संहननोपेतो वैनतेय समः जवे

mārutasya aurasaḥ śrīmān hanumān nāma vānaraḥ
vajra saṃhananopeto vainateya samaḥ jave

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The direct son of Air-god is the marvellous and adventurous Hanuma with an indestructible body, and one identical in the speed of lady Vinata's son, namely Garuda, the divine eagle vehicle of Vishnu, and among all monkey chiefs he is the intelligent and the indefatigable one too. [1-17-16, 17a]

PURPORT

Garuda: The bird and vehicle of Vishnu. He is generally represented as a being something between a man and a bird and considered as the sovereign of the feathered race. He may be compared with the Simurgh of the Persians, the Ank of the Arabs, the Griffin of chivalry [without lion's body,] the Phoenix of Egypt, and the bird that sits upon the ash Yggdrasil of the Edda. - Griffith.

VERSE 17

ते सृष्टा बहु साहस्रा दशग्रीव वधे उद्यताः

te sṛṣṭā bahu sāhasrā daśagrīva vadhe udyatāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Thus the gods have procreated many thousands of such valorous and guise changing monkeys who with their immeasurable strength and bravery are manifest for the elimination of the decahedral demon Ravana. [1-17-17b, 18a]

VERSE 19

ते गज अचल संकाशा वपुष्मंतो महाबलाः

te gaja acala saṃkāśā vapuṣmaṃto mahābalāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

And they with their elephantine, mountainous and prodigious bodies quickly took birth in bears, monkeys, sacred langoors. [1-17-18b, 19a]

VERSE 20

यस्य देवस्य यद् रूपम् वेषो यः च पराक्रमः

yasya devasya yad rūpam veṣo yaḥ ca parākramaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those that are procreated have attained the shape, getup and valour of the god that has fathered them, and thus the monkey race is procreated separately and individually. [1-17-19b, 20a]

VERSE 21

गोलान्गूलेषु च उत्पन्नाः किंचिद् उन्नत विक्रमाः

golāngūleṣu ca utpannāḥ kiṃcid unnata vikramāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Some of the vanara-s endowed with superior valour are born to female langoors, and like that some more to female bears and kinnaraa-s. [1-17-20b, 21a]

VERSE 22

देवा महर्षि गन्धर्वाः तार्क्ष्य यक्षा यशस्विनः

devā maharṣi gandharvāḥ tārkṣya yakṣā yaśasvinaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Several of the gods, great-sages, gandharva-s, eagles, yaksha-s, and the celebrated reptiles, kimpusha-s, siddha-s, vidyaadharaa-s, uraga-s and caarana-s and even the prominent maidens of apsara-s, she-vidyaadharaa-s, naaga, gandharva-s then gladly procreated all of the thousands of forest-ranging and valiant vanara sons from their bodies that are forest rangers. [21b, 22, 23, 24a, b]

VERSE 25

काम रूप बलोपेता यथा काम विचारिणः

kāma rūpa balopetā yathā kāma vicāriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

kāma rūpa: by wish, guise-changers | bala upeta = might, endoved vith: mighty ones | yathā kāma vicāriṇaḥ = according, their viś, they move frīly: born free | darpeṇa ca: by their pride, and | balena ca: by might, as well | simha śārdūla sadṛśā: lion, tiger, identical to. |

TRANSLATION

They are endowed with guise changing faculties, with bodily might and by their pride and might are identical to lions and tigers, and they are born-free in their movement in forests. [1-17-24b, 25a]

VERSE 26

शिला प्रहरणाः सर्वे सर्वे पर्वत योधिनः

śilā praharaṇāḥ sarve sarve parvata yodhinaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

All of them are the assaulters with stones, and all are the attackers with trees, and all have their nails and claws as their weapons, yet all are experts in missiles. [1-17-25b, 26a]

PURPORT

Rama and Lakshmana will use arrows and missiles as their weaponry in the ensuing final war with Ravana. The vanara soldiers use stones, trees, and their own claws and nails. The golden maces or clubs handled by Hanuma, Sugreeva, and Vali usually depicted in pictures are for more mythical ornamentation to glorify the characters. However, these Vaanaras are well versed in the knowledge of such tactical weaponry, only to save themselves from their usage against them, but do not use them necessarily. In Sundara Kanda Hanuma will be tied by a magical weapon called Brahma astra when he is in Lanka. Though knowing the release from that Brahma astra, Hanuma does not utilise that knowledge there.

VERSE 27

विचाल येयुः शैलेन्द्रान् भेद येयुः स्थिरान् द्रुमान्

vicāla yeyuḥ śailendrān bheda yeyuḥ sthirān drumān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

They can rock greatest mountains, rip firm rooted trees, and with their speed they can agitate the of lord of rivers, namely the ocean. [1-17-26b, 27a]

VERSE 28

दार येयुः क्षितिम् पद्भ्याम् आप्लवेयुः महा अर्णवन्

dāra yeyuḥ kṣitim padbhyām āplaveyuḥ mahā arṇavan

SYNONYMS

b, 28a| padbhyam kśitim dārayeyuḥ: with their two feet, ground, they cleave, shatter | mahā arṇavan āplaveyuḥ: great ocean, they leap and cross over | nabhaḥ talam: sky, surface of � arch of heaven | viśeyuḥ ca: they can enter, also | toya dān api gṛhṇīyuḥ: clouds, even, they seize. |

TRANSLATION

They can shatter the ground with their two feet, leap and cross over great oceans, and they can seize the clouds entering arch of heaven. [1-17-27b, 28a]

VERSE 29

गृह्णीयुर् अपि मातंगान् मत्तान् प्रव्रजतो वने

gṛhṇīyur api mātaṃgān mattān pravrajato vane

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

They can catch ruttish elephants that tumultuously move in forests, and just with the sound of their blare they make sky flying birds to fall. [1-17-28b, 29a]

VERSE 30

ईदृशानाम् प्रसूतानि हरीणाम् काम रूपिणाम्

īdṛśānām prasūtāni harīṇām kāma rūpiṇām

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Thus the gods and others have procreated millions of such noble souled Vaanaras as the chiefs of warriors who can change their guise at their wish. [1-17-29b, 30a]

VERSE 31

ते प्रधानेषु यूथेषु हरीणाम् हरियूथपाः

te pradhāneṣu yūtheṣu harīṇām hariyūthapāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those vanara generals who took birth thus became the prominent generals among the principle battalions of monkeys, and they have also procreated brave monkeys on their own. [1-17-30a, 31b]

VERSE 32

अन्ये ऋक्षवतः प्रस्थान् उपतस्थुः सहस्रशः

anye ṛkṣavataḥ prasthān upatasthuḥ sahasraśaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Some thousands of them stayed on the ridges of Mt. Riskshavat while others reached many kinds of other mountains and forests. [1-17-31b, 32a]

VERSE 33

सूर्य पुत्रम् च सुग्रीवम् शक्र पुत्रम् च वालिनम्

sūrya putram ca sugrīvam śakra putram ca vālinam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

All of the monkeys stood by the brothers, namely the son of Indra Vali, and the son of sun Sugreeva, and even with the monkey generals like Nala, Neela and Hanuma et al. [1-17-32b, 33]

VERSE 34

ते तार्क्ष्य बल संपन्नाः सर्वे युद्ध विशारदाः
विचरन्तो।अर्दयन् सर्वान् सिंह व्याघ्र महोरगान्

te tārkṣya bala saṃpannāḥ sarve yuddha viśāradāḥ
vicaranto|ardayan sarvān siṃha vyāghra mahoragān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

All of those who are well-versed in warfare and endowed with the might of divine eagle Garuda, used to thwart the pride of lions, tigers and great snakes just by their own prideful subjugation while they move about the forests. [1-17-34]

VERSE 35

महाबलो महाबाहुः वाली विपुल विक्रमः
जुगोप भुज वीर्येण ऋक्ष गोपुच्छ वानरान्

mahābalo mahābāhuḥ vālī vipula vikramaḥ
jugopa bhuja vīryeṇa ṛkṣa gopuccha vānarān

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

He who is adroit, extremely mighty, and highly indomitable, that Vali protected bears, langoors, and monkeys just by the strength of his arms. [1-17-35]

VERSE 36

तैः इयम् पृध्वी शूरैः सपर्वत वन अर्णवा
कीर्णा विविध संस्थानैः नाना व्यंजन लक्षणैः

taiḥ iyam pṛdhvī śūraiḥ saparvata vana arṇavā
kīrṇā vividha saṃsthānaiḥ nānā vyaṃjana lakṣaṇaiḥ

SYNONYMS

śūraiḥ: with brave ones | vividha samsthānaiḥ: with diverse, physiques | nānā vyanjana lakśanaiḥ: many, physical, indications [indicating their peculiar race] | taiḥ: by them | saha parvata vana arṇavā: with mountains, forests, and oceans [oceanward provinces] | iyam prithvī kīrṇā: this, earth is, overspread. |

TRANSLATION

The earth with its mountains, forests and oceanward places is overspread with those brave ones that possess diverse physiques and peculiar indication marks of their stock. [1-17-36]

VERSE 37

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे सप्तदशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe saptadaśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

The earth is thus suffused with those mighty army generals of Vanara race whose physiques resembled the clusters of clouds and peaks of mountains, and who have emerged for the reason of helping Rama. [1-17-37]