Chapter 21

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

तत् श्रुत्वा वचनम् तस्य स्नेह पर्याकुलाक्षरम्
समन्युः कौशिको वाक्यम् प्रति उवाच महीपतिम्

tat śrutvā vacanam tasya sneha paryākulākṣaram
samanyuḥ kauśiko vākyam prati uvāca mahīpatim

SYNONYMS

tasya sneha paryākula akśaram: his [Dasharatha's,] with fond [for son,] wavery, letters [words] | tat vacanam śrutvā: that, sentence, on hearing | sa manyuḥ kauśikaḥ: with, wrath, Vishvamitra | mahī patim vākyam prati uvāca = to land, lord: king | sentence, in turn said: replied. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing the wavery words of Dasharatha that are full of fond for his son, Vishvamitra wrathfully replied this sentence to the king. [1-21-1]

VERSE 2

पूर्वम् अर्थम् प्रति श्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञाम् हातुम् इच्छसि
राघवाणाम् अयुक्तो।अयम् कुलस्य अस्य विपर्ययः

pūrvam artham prati śrutya pratijñām hātum icchasi
rāghavāṇām ayukto|ayam kulasya asya viparyayaḥ

SYNONYMS

pūrvam artham pratiśrutya = firstly, object: promise, having promised | pratijñām hātum icchasi: promise, to repudiate, you wish [now] | ayam viparyayaḥ: this, deviation | rāghavāṇām asya kulasya a yuktaḥ: for [kings of] Raghava-s, this, dynasty's, not, deserving. |

TRANSLATION

"On promising me to fulfil my object in the first instance you wish to repudiate it now, undeserving is this kind of deviation for the kings of Raghava dynasty. [1-21-2]

VERSE 3

यद् इदम् ते क्षमम् राजन् गमिष्यामि यथा आगतम्
मिथ्या प्रतिज्ञः काकुत्स्थ सुखी भव सु हृद् वृतः

yad idam te kṣamam rājan gamiṣyāmi yathā āgatam
mithyā pratijñaḥ kākutstha sukhī bhava su hṛd vṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

rājan: oh, king | idam te kśamam yadi: this is, to you, worth while, if | yathā āgatam gama iṣyāmi: as, I have come, to go away, I wish | kākutha: oh, Kakutstha | mithyā pratijñaḥ: one with feigned, promise | sa bāndhava sukhi bhava: with, kinsmen, happy, you be [nonchalant.] |

TRANSLATION

"If this is worth while to you, oh, king, I wish to go away as I have come, and you with your feigned promises be nonchalantly happy with your kinsmen." So said Vishvamitra to the king. [1-21-3]

VERSE 4

तस्य रोष परीतस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः
चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना देवानाम् च भयम्

tasya roṣa parītasya viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ
cacāla vasudhā kṛtsnā devānām ca bhayam

SYNONYMS

dhīmataḥ: prudent one | tasya viśvamitrasya roṣa parītasya: that, Vishvamitra, in fury, when he is enwrapped in | kṛtsnā vasudhā cacālaḥ: entire, earth, trembled | surān bhayam viveśa ca: to gods, scare, entered [in their minds.] |

TRANSLATION

When that prudent sage Vishvamitra is thus enwrapped in fury, then the whole earth trembled and the gods are scared. [1-21-4]

VERSE 5

त्रस्त रूपम् तु विज्ञाय जगत्सर्वम् महान् ऋषिः
नृपतिम् सुव्रतो धीरो वसिष्ठो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्

trasta rūpam tu vijñāya jagatsarvam mahān ṛṣiḥ
nṛpatim suvrato dhīro vasiṣṭho vākyam abravīt

SYNONYMS

su vrataḥ: one with high vows | dhīraḥ: insightful one | mahān ṛśiḥ: great, sage | jagat sarvam: world, entire | trasta rūpam tu vijñāya: appalled, appearance, then, knowing | nṛpam: to king | vākyam abravīt: words, said. |

TRANSLATION

On knowing the appalled appearance of the entire world at the fury of Vishvamitra, Vashishta the great sage with high vows and an insightful one too, said these words to the king. [1-21-5]

VERSE 6

इक्ष्वाकूणाम् कुले जातः साक्षात् धर्म इव अपरः
धृतिमान् सुव्रतः श्रीमान् न धर्मम् हातुम् अर्हसि

ikṣvākūṇām kule jātaḥ sākṣāt dharma iva aparaḥ
dhṛtimān suvrataḥ śrīmān na dharmam hātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

ikśvākūṇām kule jātaḥ: in Ikshwaku, dynasty, born [are you] | sākśāt aparaḥ dharam iva: apparently, another, god of ethics, [you are] like | dhṛtimān: staunch person | su vrataḥ: rightly, vowed one | śrīmān: glorious one | dharmam hātum na arhasi: ethics, to forsake, not, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"Born in Ikshwaku dynasty you are apparently the other god of ethics on earth, a staunch one with righteous vows and a glorious one too, such as you are, it will be unapt of you to forsake ethics." [1-21-6]

VERSE 7

त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातो धर्मात्मा इति राघव
स्व धर्मम् प्रतिपद्यस्व न अधर्मम् वोढुम् अर्हसि

triṣu lokeṣu vikhyāto dharmātmā iti rāghava
sva dharmam pratipadyasva na adharmam voḍhum arhasi

SYNONYMS

rāghava: oh, Raghu's descendent | dharmātmā iti: right-minded one, thus as | triṣu lokeśu vikhyataḥ: in three, worlds, you are renowned | sva dharmam pratipadyasva: your own, uprightness, adhere to | a dharmam voḍhum na arhasi: un-righteousness, to bear [adhering to,] not, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"In three worlds you are renowned as the right-minded one, oh, Raghava, hence adhere to your own uprightness, and adhering to unrighteousness will be unapt of you. [1-21-7]

VERSE 8

प्रति श्रुत्य करिष्ये इति उक्तम् वाक्यम् अकुर्वतः
इष्टापूर्त वधो भूयात् तस्मात् रामम् विसर्जय

prati śrutya kariṣye iti uktam vākyam akurvataḥ
iṣṭāpūrta vadho bhūyāt tasmāt rāmam visarjaya

SYNONYMS

rāghavaḥ: oh, Raghava | iti kariṣye = this dīd/vay, vill be done: effectuated | pratiśrutya: having promised | uktam vākyam a kurvataḥ: said [promised,] word, not, doing | iṣṭapūrta vadham bhūyāt: [to the merits of] Vedic rituals, doom, it becomes | tasmāt ramam vi sarjaya = therefore, ṟama, be left of: let go. |

TRANSLATION

"Promising to effectuate something in any way and not effectuating the given word results in the perdition to the merits of iSTapurta Vedic rituals, hence oh, Raghava, leave hold of Rama. [1-21-8]

PURPORT

In some Vedic rituals activates for social service are undertaken, and they are known as iSTaapuurta rituals, in which digging wells, lakes and other social facilities will be undertaken.
VERSE 9

कृतास्त्रम् अकृतास्त्रम् वा न एवम् शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसाः
गुप्तम् कुइशिक पुत्रेण ज्वलनेन अमृतम् यथा

kṛtāstram akṛtāstram vā na evam śakṣyanti rākṣasāḥ
guptam kuiśika putreṇa jvalanena amṛtam yathā

SYNONYMS

kṛta astram = done: trained in, weaponry [trained] | a kṛta astram vā: un, trained, in weaponry, or | kuśika putreṇa guptam = by k͟huśika's son: by Vishvamitra, protected | enam: him [Rama] | jvalanena amṛta yathā: [protected] by fire, ambrosia, as with | rākśasāḥ na śakśanti: demons, cannot, trounce. |

TRANSLATION

"Whether Rama is trained in weaponry or not, demons cannot trounce Rama as long as Kushi's son Vishvamitra protects him, like the heavenly firewall that protects divine nectar. [1-21-9]

PURPORT

In heaven an unapproachable firewall encircles the vessel of ambrosia protecting it from thieving by the demons.
VERSE 10

एष विग्रहवान् धर्म एष वीर्यवताम् वरः
एष विद्य अधिको लोके तपसः च परायणम्

eṣa vigrahavān dharma eṣa vīryavatām varaḥ
eṣa vidya adhiko loke tapasaḥ ca parāyaṇam

SYNONYMS

eṣa vigrahavān dharmaḥ: he is [Vishvamitra is,] an embodiment of, virtue | eṣa vīryavatām varaḥ: he is, among venturesome, matchless | eṣa budhyā: he is, by intellect | loke adhikaḥ: [among all] in world, peerless | tapasaḥ parāyaṇam: for ascesis, flawless one. |

TRANSLATION

"He is an embodiment of virtue, matchless among the venturesome, peerless in intellect among all in the world, and flawless in ascesis. [1-21-10]

VERSE 11

एषो अस्त्रान् विविधान् वेत्ति त्रैलोक्ये स चराचरे
न एनम् अन्यः पुमान् वेत्ति न च वेत्स्यन्ति केचन

eṣo astrān vividhān vetti trailokye sa carācare
na enam anyaḥ pumān vetti na ca vetsyanti kecana

SYNONYMS

eṣa vividhān astrān vetti: he, various, missiles, is in know-how | enam: him [about Vishvamitra] | sa cara a cara: with, mobile, sessile | trai lokye: in three, worlds | anyaḥ pumān na vetti: other, person, doest not, know [excepting me] | kecana na vetsyanti ca: someone, not, [be able to] know, even. |

TRANSLATION

"He is in the know-how of various missiles, and no other person is there in the triad of worlds, inclusive of sessile and mobile worlds, who is knowledgeable about him, or someone who can know him will be there in future, excepting myself. [1-21-11]

VERSE 12

न देवा न ऋषयः के चित् न अमरा न च राक्षसाः
गन्धर्व यक्ष प्रवराः स किन्नर महोरगाः

na devā na ṛṣayaḥ ke cit na amarā na ca rākṣasāḥ
gandharva yakṣa pravarāḥ sa kinnara mahoragāḥ

SYNONYMS

devāḥ: gods | na: no | ṛśaṣayaḥ kecit na: sages, anybody, no | amarāḥ na: immortals, no | rākśasāḥ ca: demons, also | sa kinnara maha uragāḥ ghandharva yakśa pravarāḥ: together with, kinnaraa, great reptile beings, gandharva, yaksha, eminent ones | [na: no.] |

TRANSLATION

"While Gods cannot know Vishvamitra, can anybody from sages - no; immortals- no; demons - no; the gandharva-s and eminent yaksha-s together with the kinnaraa-s and great reptile beings - no, they cannot know him. [1-21-12]

VERSE 13

सर्व अस्त्राणि कृशाश्वस्य पुत्राः परम धार्मिकाः
कौशिकाय पुरा दत्ता यदा राज्यम् प्रशासति

sarva astrāṇi kṛśāśvasya putrāḥ parama dhārmikāḥ
kauśikāya purā dattā yadā rājyam praśāsati

SYNONYMS

kṛśāsvasya: Krishaasva's parama dhaarmikaaH putraaH = highly righteous, sons | sarva astrāaṇi: all, missiles [known to Vishvamitra] are | yadā purāa rājyam praśāsati: when, earlier, kingdom, he was ruling | kauśikāya datta = to k͟hauśuka: Viswamitra, they were given [by god Shiva.] |

TRANSLATION

"All the missiles known to Vishvamitra are the highly righteous children of Krishaasva Prajapati, where Prajapati-s were the earliest ruler of mankind, and god Shiva gave them to Vishvamitra when was ruling kingdom. [1-21-13]

VERSE 14

ते अपि पुत्रा कृशाश्वस्य प्रजापति सुता सुताः
न एक रूपा महावीर्या दीप्तिमंतो जयावहाः

te api putrā kṛśāśvasya prajāpati sutā sutāḥ
na eka rūpā mahāvīryā dīptimaṃto jayāvahāḥ

SYNONYMS

prajāpati sutā sutāḥ: [Daksha] Prajaapati's, daughter's, sons | kṛśāśvasya putrā: Krishaasva Prajapati, sons | te api: they, even | na eka rūpa = not, in one, form: disparate | maha vīryā: very, intrepid ones | dīptimantaḥ: dazzling | jayā vahā: victory, carriers of. |

TRANSLATION

"Those missiles are the sons of Daksha Prajaapati's daughters and her husband Krishaasva Prajapati, and they are disparate in their form, intrepid, dazzling, and victory-oriented missiles. [1-21-14]

VERSE 15

जया च सुप्रभा च एव दक्ष कन्ये सुमध्यमे
ते सूते अस्त्र शस्त्राणि शतम् परम भास्वरम्

jayā ca suprabhā ca eva dakṣa kanye sumadhyame
te sūte astra śastrāṇi śatam parama bhāsvaram

SYNONYMS

jaya ca suprabha eva: Jaya, and, Suprabha, also | su madhyame: best waisted ones | dakśa kanye: Daksha Prajaapati's daughters | te: they | to them, parama bhāsvaram: supremely, flaring | astra śatrāṇi: to missiles, weapons | śatam: hundred | sūte: gave birth. |

TRANSLATION

"Jaya and Suprabha, the daughters of Daksha Prajapati, endowed with best waists gave birth to a hundred missiles and weaponry whose flare is supreme. [1-21-15]

VERSE 16

पंचाशतम् सुतान् लेभे जया लब्ध वरा वरान्
वधायासुरसैन्यानामप्रमेयानरूपिणः
यद्वा
वधाय असुर सैन्यानाम् अप्रमेयान् अरूपिणः

paṃcāśatam sutān lebhe jayā labdha varā varān
vadhāyāsurasainyānāmaprameyānarūpiṇaḥ
- yadvā -
vadhāya asura sainyānām aprameyān arūpiṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

jaya nāma: Jaya, named [lady] | labdha varā: on getting, boon | asura sainyānām vadhāya: ungodly beings, armies, for destruction of | a prameyān: with immeasurable [fortitude] | a rūpiṇaḥ: without, form | varān: the bests ones [missile sons] | pancāśatam sutān labhe: fifty, sons, benefited with. |

TRANSLATION

"On getting a boon Jaya named wife of Krishaasva Prajapati is benefited with fifty best and formless sons with immeasurable fortitude for the destruction of ungodly beings. [1-21-16]

VERSE 17

सुप्रभा अजनयत् च अपि पुत्रान् पंचाशतम् पुनः
संहारान् नाम दुर्धर्षान् दुराक्रामान् बलीयसः

suprabhā ajanayat ca api putrān paṃcāśatam punaḥ
saṃhārān nāma durdharṣān durākrāmān balīyasaḥ

SYNONYMS

suprabha api: Suprabha, even | durdharśān: unassailable ones | dur ākramān: unconquerable ones | balīyasaḥ: very mighty ones | punaḥ = again: another | samhāran nāma putrān: eliminators, named, sons | pancaśatam ajanayat: to fifty of them, gave birth. |

TRANSLATION

"Suprabha, another wife of Krishaasva Prajapati, gave birth to another fifty unassailable, unconquerable and mighty sons named the Eliminators. [1-21-17]

VERSE 18

तानि च अस्त्राणि वेत्ति एष यथावत् कुशिक आत्मजः
अपूर्वाणाम् च जनने शक्तो भूयः च धर्मवित्

tāni ca astrāṇi vetti eṣa yathāvat kuśika ātmajaḥ
apūrvāṇām ca janane śakto bhūyaḥ ca dharmavit

SYNONYMS

eṣa kuśika ātmajaḥ: this, Kaushika's, son [sage Vishvamitra] | tāni astrāṇi yathāvat vetti: them, the missiles, as it is, he knows | dharma vit = virtue, knover: principled one | saḥ būyaḥ: he, again | a pūravāṇām = not, available earlier: new missiles | janane śaktaḥ ca: creating, capable of, also. |

TRANSLATION

"And this sage Vishvamitra is in the precise know of the said missiles, and this principled one is also capable of creating hitherto unavailable missiles. [1-21-18]

VERSE 19

तेन अस्य मुनि मुख्यस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः
न किंचिद् अस्ति अविदितम् भूतम् भव्यम् च राघव

tena asya muni mukhyasya dharmajñasya mahātmanaḥ
na kiṃcid asti aviditam bhūtam bhavyam ca rāghava

SYNONYMS

tena: thereby | rāghava: oh, Dasharatha | muni mukhyasya: by sage, the distinguished | dharma jñasya: virtue-knower | asya: to him | mahā ātmanaḥ: great-souled | bhūtam bhavyam ca: in past, in future, too | a viditam: unknown thing | kimcit na asti: in the least, is not, there. |

TRANSLATION

"Thereby, oh, Raghava, nothing whatsoever is unknown to this great-souled Vishvamitra, who is a distinguished sage and the knower of virtue, either that has happened or that is happening. [1-21-19]

VERSE 20

एवम् वीर्यो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महा यशाः
न राम गमने राजन् संशयम् गन्तुम् अर्हसि

evam vīryo mahātejā viśvāmitro mahā yaśāḥ
na rāma gamane rājan saṃśayam gantum arhasi

SYNONYMS

mahā tejā: great, resplendent | mahā yaśaḥ: highly, renowned | evam vīryaḥ: this sort of, with enterprise | rājan: oh, king | rāma gamane: Rama's, accompanying [the sage] | samśayam gantum: doubt, enter into | na: not | arhasi: apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus, the highly renowned and great resplendent sage Vishvamitra has this sort of enterprise, oh, king, allowing a doubt enter your mind in Rama's accompanying the sage will be unapt of you. [1-21-20]

VERSE 21

तेषाम् निग्रहणे शक्तः स्वयम् च कुशिकात्मजः
तव पुत्र हितार्थाय त्वाम् उपेत्य अभि याचते

teṣām nigrahaṇe śaktaḥ svayam ca kuśikātmajaḥ
tava putra hitārthāya tvām upetya abhi yācate

SYNONYMS

kuśika ātmaja: Kushi's son, Vishvamitra | svayam ca: himself, even | teṣām nigrahaṇa śaktaḥ: them [the demons,] to control, capable of | tava putra hita arthāya: for your, son's, benefit, intending to | tvām upetya: to you, on approaching | abhi yācate: imploring upon you. |

TRANSLATION

"This son of Kushi, Vishvamitra, can as well control those demons by himself, but intending to accord beneficence to your son he approached you and imploring upon you. [1-21-21]

VERSE 22

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बाल काण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādikāvye bāla kāṇḍe ekaviṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

raghu vṛśabhaḥ = in ṟaghu's dynasty, prominent one,: Dasharatha | iti muni vacanāt: thus, sage Vashishta's, words | prassanna cittaḥ: serene, minded | pārthiva agrya: among kings, supreme one | mumoda: gladdened | prathita yaśāḥ = pronouncedly, renovned one: Dasharatha | kuśika ātmajāya: for Kushika's son, sage Vishvamitra | rāghavasya gamanam: Rama's, travel | budhyā: wholeheartedly | abhi ruroca: verily, consented to. |

TRANSLATION

Thus the prominent king from Raghu dynasty, namely Dasharatha, became serene-minded by sage Vashishta's words, and he who is supreme among other kings and who has pronounced renown, that Dasharatha then gladly and wholeheartedly consented to the travel of Rama along with the sage Vishvamitra. [1-21-21]