Chapter 31

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

अथ ताम् रजनीम् तत्र कृतार्थौ राम लक्षणौ
ऊषतुर् मुदितौ वीरौ प्रहृष्टेन अंतरात्मना

atha tām rajanīm tatra kṛtārthau rāma lakṣaṇau
ūṣatur muditau vīrau prahṛṣṭena aṃtarātmanā

SYNONYMS

atha: then | kṛta arthau: those who achieved, results | muditau: rejoicing ones | vīrau: brave ones | rāma lakṣaṇau: Rama, Lakshmana | tām rajanīm: that, night | pra hṛṣṭena antar ātmanā = vell, gladdened, in inner, souls: heart of hearts | tatra: there | ūṣatuḥ: resided. |

TRANSLATION

Rejoicing for achieving the result of their journey with Vishvamitra, the brave Rama and Lakshmana then resided in that hermitage for that night, gladdening in their heart of hearts. [1-31-1]

VERSE 2

प्रभातायाम् तु शर्वर्याम् कृत पौर्व अह्णिक क्रियौ
विश्वामित्रम् ऋषीम् च अन्यान् सहितौ अभिजग्मतुः

prabhātāyām tu śarvaryām kṛta paurva ahṇika kriyau
viśvāmitram ṛṣīm ca anyān sahitau abhijagmatuḥ

SYNONYMS

śarvaryām prabhātāyām tu: of night, on [becoming] morning, but | kṛta paurva ahṇika kriyau: on performing, early, morning, chores | sahitau: together | viśvāmitram anyān ṛṣīm ca: to Vishvamitra, to other, sages, also | abhi jagmatuḥ = tovards, on going: approached. |

TRANSLATION

When that night turned into a new day, performing their morning chores both of the brother jointly approached Sage Vishvamitra, who is along with other sages by then. [1-31-2]

VERSE 3

अभिवाद्य मुनि श्रेष्ठम् ज्वलंतम् इव पावकम्
ऊचतुर् परमोदारम् वाक्यम् मधुर भाषिणौ

abhivādya muni śreṣṭham jvalaṃtam iva pāvakam
ūcatur paramodāram vākyam madhura bhāṣiṇau

SYNONYMS

madhura bhāṣiṇau = gentle, tvo speakers: Rama and Lakshmana | jvalantam pāvakam iva: radiant, ritual-fire, as with | muni śreṣṭham: at sage, the eminent | abhivādya: on reverencing | parama udāram vākyam ūcatuḥ: highly, courteous, sentence, they spoke. |

TRANSLATION

And those gentle-speakers on reverencing that eminent sage Vishvamitra, whose radiance is akin to the ritual-fire, they two spoke this highly courteous sentence to him. [1-31-3]

VERSE 4

इमौ स्म मुनि शार्दूल किंकरौ समुपस्थितौ
आज्ञापय मुनिश्रेष्ठ शासनम् करवाव किम्

imau sma muni śārdūla kiṃkarau samupasthitau
ājñāpaya muniśreṣṭha śāsanam karavāva kim

SYNONYMS

muni śārdūla: oh, sagely, tiger | kimkarau imau: attendants, these are | sam upa sthitau = vell, afore, available: in attendance | sma = ve are: available | muni śreṣṭha: oh, saint, the eminent | ājñāpaya: order us | kim śāsanam karavāva: what, orders, we have to carry out. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, tigerly-sage, here are your attendants sir, available in your attendance, what order is to be carried out further, oh, eminent saint, that you may order us. [1-31-4]

VERSE 5

एवम् उक्ते तयोः वाक्यम् सर्व एव महर्षयः
विश्वामित्रम् पुरस्कृत्य रामम् वचनम् अब्रुवन्

evam ukte tayoḥ vākyam sarva eva maharṣayaḥ
viśvāmitram puraskṛtya rāmam vacanam abruvan

SYNONYMS

tayoḥ vākyam evam ukte: by them, sentence, that way, when said | maharṣayaḥ sarva eva: great sages, all, thus | viśvāmitram puraskṛtya = Viśvamitra, kīping ahead: at helm of affairs | rāmam vacanam abruvan: to Rama, sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

When they have said that way all those great sages spoke to Rama, keeping Vishvamitra at the helm of affairs. [1-31-5]

VERSE 6

मैथिलस्य नरश्रेष्ठ जनकस्य भविष्यति
यज्नः परम धर्मिष्ठः तत्र यास्यामहे वयम्

maithilasya naraśreṣṭha janakasya bhaviṣyati
yajnaḥ parama dharmiṣṭhaḥ tatra yāsyāmahe vayam

SYNONYMS

nara śreṣṭha: man, the best | maithilasya: of Mithila | janakasya: Janaka's | parama dharmiṣṭhaḥ yajñaḥ: highly, righteous, Vedic-ritual | bhaviṣyati: is going to take place | vayam tatra yāsyāmahe = ve are, there, travelling: going. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, best one among men, a highly righteous Vedic ritual belonging to King Janaka of Mithila is going to take place, and we the sages are going over there. [1-31-6]

VERSE 7

त्वम् चैव नरशार्दूल सह अस्माभिर् गमिष्यसि
अद्भुतम् च धनू रत्नम् तत्र त्वम् द्रष्टुम् अर्हसि

tvam caiva naraśārdūla saha asmābhir gamiṣyasi
adbhutam ca dhanū ratnam tatra tvam draṣṭum arhasi

SYNONYMS

nara śārdūla: oh, tigerly man | tvam ca eva: your, also, thus | asmābhiḥ saha: with us, along with | gamiṣyasi = if you go: if you come with us | tatra = there: at Mithila | adbhutam dhanū ratnam ca: monumental, bow, gem of, also | tvam draṣṭum arhasi: you, to see, expedient for you. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, tigerly-man Rama, if you can come along with us, it will be expedient for you to see a monumental gem of bow there. [1-31-7]

PURPORT

The sages are not insisting on Rama to come along, but advising him to have a glimpse of that marvellous bow of Shiva, which none can lift to string, so far. The topic of Seetha is also not brought out by them, either, because it is in the know of Vishvamitra alone, and not known to these sages. Kings and princes have their own protocol of proper invitation. Here a third party is inviting Rama to some other king's ritual, which Rama may reject for being a prince. But it is suggestive to say the maxim an aahuuto adhvaryam gacChet 'even uninvited can attend a Vedic-ritual...' Thus the sages are tempting, rather than inviting Rama to come to Mithila in the name of a divine bow, seeing which any valiant prince would easily get excited to string.
VERSE 8

तद्धि पूर्वम् नरश्रेष्ठ दत्तम् सदसि दैवतैः
अप्रमेय बलम् घोरम् मखे परम भास्वरम्

taddhi pūrvam naraśreṣṭha dattam sadasi daivataiḥ
aprameya balam ghoram makhe parama bhāsvaram

SYNONYMS

nara śreṣṭha: man, the best | makhe: in war | a prameya balam: un, imaginable, with power | ghoram: awesome | parama bhāsvaram: superbly, incandescent | tat dattam: that, bow | pūrvam: in early times | daivataiḥ: by gods, | [veda] sadasi dattam hi: in Vedic-ritual congregation, given [to an erstwhile king,] indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, best one among men, in early times indeed gods gave that awesome bow which has an unimaginable power and which is superbly incandescent in wars to an erstwhile king of Mithila in a congregation of a Vedic-ritual. [1-31-8]

PURPORT

This is the bow of Shiva with which He destroyed the ritual of Daksha. Then gods pleased Shiva and obtained this bow from Him. Then gods gave it to Devaraata, an earlier king of Mithila as a boon of Vedic-ritual.
VERSE 9

न अस्य देवा न गंधर्वा न असुरा न च राक्षसाः
कर्तुम् आरोपणम् शक्ता न कथंचन मानुषाः

na asya devā na gaṃdharvā na asurā na ca rākṣasāḥ
kartum āropaṇam śaktā na kathaṃcana mānuṣāḥ

SYNONYMS

asya: its [bow's] | āropaṇam kartum = lifting for stinging, to make: to lift | devāḥ na śaktā: god, not, capable of | gandharvā na: gandharva-s, not | asurā: asura-s, not | na ca rākṣasāḥ: not, also, demons | mānuṣāḥ kathamcana na: humans, in any way, not. |

TRANSLATION

"Gods cannot capably lift it to string; gandharva-s, no; asura-s, no; demons, no; and for human beings, not in any way. [1-31-9]

VERSE 10

धनुषस्य तस्य वीर्यम् हि जिज्ञासन्तो महीक्षितः
न शेकुर् आरोपयितुम् राजपुत्रा महाबलाः

dhanuṣasya tasya vīryam hi jijñāsanto mahīkṣitaḥ
na śekur āropayitum rājaputrā mahābalāḥ

SYNONYMS

[bahavaḥ: many] | rāja putrā mahā balāḥ: king's, sons, great, mighty ones | mahīkṣitaḥ: kings | tasya dhanuṣasya: of that, bow's | vīryam jijñāsantaḥ: power, inquisitive about | [te sarve: all of them] | āropayitum na śekuḥ: to string bowstring, not, capable. |

TRANSLATION

"Though many kings were inquisitive about the power of that bow, all of those great mighty princes are rendered incapable to string its bowstring. [1-31-10]

VERSE 11

तद् धनुर् नरशार्दूल मैथिलस्य महात्मनः
तत्र द्रक्ष्यसि काकुत्स्थ यज्ञम् च परम अद्भुतम्

tad dhanur naraśārdūla maithilasya mahātmanaḥ
tatra drakṣyasi kākutstha yajñam ca parama adbhutam

SYNONYMS

nara śārdūla: oh, man, the tiger | kākutstha: oh, Kakutstha, Rama | mahātmanaḥ maithilasya: of great-soul, of Mithila king's | tat dhanuḥ = that: particular, bow | parama adbhutam yajñam ca: highly, admirable, Vedic ritual, too | tatra drakṣyasi = there, you can sī: in Mithila, if you come with us. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, tigerly-man Rama, there in Mithila you can see that particular bow of the great-souled king of Mithila and his highly admirable Vedic ritual too, if you come with us. [1-31-11]

VERSE 12

तद्धि यज्ञ फलम् तेन मैथिलेन उत्तमम् धनुः
याचितम् नर शार्दूल सुनाभम् सर्व दैवतैः

taddhi yajña phalam tena maithilena uttamam dhanuḥ
yācitam nara śārdūla sunābham sarva daivataiḥ

SYNONYMS

nara śārdūla: oh, man, the tiger | su nābham: best, at navel [at central grip, handle] | tat uttamam dhanuḥ: that, supreme, bow | tena maithilena = by him, by king of ṃithila: namely Devarata | sarva [sarvaiḥ] daivataiḥ: by all, gods | yajña phalam: as ritual's, fruit | yācitam hi: prayed for, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Once Devaraata, the grandparent of the present king Janaka of Mithila, conducted a Vedic-ritual and he indeed prayed only for this supreme bow with a best grip-handle as the fruit of that ritual from all of the gods and oh, tigerly man Rama, he got the same from them. [1-31-12]

PURPORT

For this kuurma puraaNa, padma puraNna puts it as: priitaH ca bhagavaan iisaH trisuulii niila lohitaH | pradadau satru naasaartham janakaaya adbhutam dhanuH || kuurma puraaNa | | caapam shambhoH dayaat dattam - padma puraaNa ' Satisfying with the ritual of Devaraata of Janaka, the Trident holder and holder of venom in throat, namely god Shiva, gave the marvellous bow to eliminate enemies.'
VERSE 13

आयागभूतम् नृपतेः तस्य वेश्मनि राघव
अर्चितम् विविधैः गन्धैः धूपैः च अगुरु गंध्भिः

āyāgabhūtam nṛpateḥ tasya veśmani rāghava
arcitam vividhaiḥ gandhaiḥ dhūpaiḥ ca aguru gaṃdhbhiḥ

SYNONYMS

rāghava: oh, Raghava | tasya nṛpateḥ veśmani: in that, king's, house | āyāga bhūtam: that which is primarily worshipped in dhanur utsava-s, bow-and-arrow worship ceremony | vividhaiḥ gandhaiḥ: with a variety of, sandalwood pastes | aguru gandhbhiḥ: with the substance of true aloe [aloe vera,] its scents | dhūpaiḥ ca: with incenses, also | arcitam: is worshipped. |

TRANSLATION

"That bow has got a regular worship and especially during the periods of dhanur utsava -s, festivals of bows-and- arrows. Hence it is kept in the palace of King of Mithila, and oh, Raghava it is worshipped with a variety of sandalwood pastes, scents of aloe substance, and with incenses." [1-31-13]

VERSE 14

एवम् उक्त्वा मुनिवरः प्रस्थानम् अकरोत् तदा
स ऋषि संघः स काकुत्स्थ आमंत्र्य वन देवताः

evam uktvā munivaraḥ prasthānam akarot tadā
sa ṛṣi saṃghaḥ sa kākutstha āmaṃtrya vana devatāḥ

SYNONYMS

muni varaḥ evam uktvā: saint, the best, thus, saying | sa ṛṣi sanghaḥ: with, sages, assemblages of | sa kākutstha = vith, ṟama, ḻakśmana: who by now may be assumed to have said 'yes' speechlessly | vana devatāḥ āmantrya: to woodland, deities of, bidding farewell | tadā prasthānam akarot: then, travel, started to. |

TRANSLATION

Saying so that best saint Vishvamitra started to travel on along with the assemblages of sages, and even along with Rama and Lakshmana, whose tacit consent to follow the sage is obtained by now, and on bidding farewell to the deities of woodlands of that Accomplished Hermitage, where his ritual is accomplished with the help of Rama and Lakshmana. [1-31-14]

VERSE 15

स्वस्ति वो अस्तु गमिष्यामि सिद्धः सिद्ध आश्रमात् अहम्
उत्तरे जाह्नवी तीरे हिमवंतम् शिलोच्चयम्

svasti vo astu gamiṣyāmi siddhaḥ siddha āśramāt aham
uttare jāhnavī tīre himavaṃtam śiloccayam

SYNONYMS

vaḥ svasti astu = to you all, safe, let become: everything bodes well to you all | siddhaḥ: on accomplishment [of my work, of ritual] | aham āśramāt: I am, from the Accomplished, Hermitage | uttare jāhnavī tīre = vhic is there at: northern, Ganga's, bank | himavantam: towards Himalayan | śila uccayam = stone, heights of: mountains, ranges | gamiṣyāmi: I wish to go. |

TRANSLATION

"Adieu, georgic deities, everything bodes well to you all, on accomplishment of the ritual I have undertaken here, I wish to go from this Accomplished Hermitage towards the ranges of Himalayan Mountains that are on the northern bank of River Ganga." [1-31-15]

VERSE 16

इति उक्त्वा मुनिशार्दूलः कौशिकः स तपोधनः
उत्तराम् दिशम् उद्दिश्य प्रस्थातुम् उपचक्रमे

iti uktvā muniśārdūlaḥ kauśikaḥ sa tapodhanaḥ
uttarām diśam uddiśya prasthātum upacakrame

SYNONYMS

iti uktvā muni śārdūlaḥ: thus, saying, saint, tiger | saḥ kauśikaḥ he that, k͟hauśika's: descendent - Vishvamitra, tapo dhanaH = whose wealth is ascesis | uttarām diśam uddiśya: northern, side, intending to | pra sthātum upa cakrame: well, journeying, started. |

TRANSLATION

Thus saying farewell to woodland-deities that descendent of Kaushika, namely Vishvamitra, the saint whose wealth is his ascesis started to journey on aiming to reach the northern side of River Ganga. [1-31-16]

VERSE 17

तम् व्रजंतम् मुनिवरम् अन्वगात् अनुसारिणाम्
शकटी शत मात्रम् तु प्रयाणे ब्रह्म वादिनाम्

tam vrajaṃtam munivaram anvagāt anusāriṇām
śakaṭī śata mātram tu prayāṇe brahma vādinām

SYNONYMS

vrajantam tam muni varam: journeying, him, saint, best | anu sāriṇām: of close, followers | brahma vādinām: Brahma [Vedic,] advocators of | prāyāṇe: approximately | śakaṭī śata mātram tu: carts, hundred, in number | anvagāt [anu āgāt] = closely, journeyed: moved behind. |

TRANSLATION

While that best saint set forth, the team of his close followers who are the advocators of Vedic canons have moved behind him, approximately with a hundred carts loaded with their ritual paraphernalia. [1-31-17]

VERSE 18

मृग पक्षि गणाः चैव सिद्ध आश्रम निवासिनः
अनुजग्मुर् महात्मानम् विश्वामित्रम् तपोधनम्

mṛga pakṣi gaṇāḥ caiva siddha āśrama nivāsinaḥ
anujagmur mahātmānam viśvāmitram tapodhanam

SYNONYMS

, 19a| siddha āśrama nivāsinaḥ: Accomplished, Hermitage, residents of | mṛga pakṣi gaṇāḥ caiva: animals, birds, herds / flocks of, also, even | mahā ātmānam tapaḥ dhanam viśvāmitram: great, souled one, ascetically, wealthy, after Vishvamitra | anu jagmuḥ: closely, followed | saḥ ṛsi: he, that Sage Vishvamitra | tataḥ: then | sa pakśiṇaḥ sanghaḥ: those, birds, flocks of | [ mṛgān api: animas, even] | ni vartayāmāsa =back, made to turn: caused to return to their places. |

TRANSLATION

Even the residents of that Hermitage of Accomplishment, namely animals and birds, closely followed that great-souled Vishvamitra, whose wealth is his ascesis, in herds and flocks. But that sage Vishvamitra made those flocks of birds and the herds of animals to return to their places, as they have shown enough courtesy. [1-31-18, 19a]

PURPORT

This following of animals and birds is to suggest that while any guest proceeding from their place, it is the courtesy of the residents of that place or house, to see him off for a distance, unlike 'showing a person the door.' Here Vishvamitra is the guest at these woodlands.
VERSE 19

ते गत्वा दूरम् अध्वानम् लम्बमाने दिवाकरे

te gatvā dūram adhvānam lambamāne divākare

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| te muni gaṇāḥ: those, sages', assemblages | dūram adhvānam gatvā: far, on the way, on going | divā kare lambamāne = day, maker: sun, while dangling - towards west | samāhitāḥ: collectively | śoṇā kūle: River Sona, on the bank of | vāsam cakruḥ: camp, they made. |

TRANSLATION

Those assemblages of sages on going far on their path made a camp on the bank of River Sona when the sun is dangling towards west. [1-31-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

ते अस्तम् गते दिनकरे स्नात्वा हुत हुताशनाः

te astam gate dinakare snātvā huta hutāśanāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| a mita ojasaḥ = those vith: un, limited, resplendence | te: those sages | dina kare astam gate = day, maker: sun, dusk, when entered | snātvā: taking bath | huta: kindling | huta aśanāḥ = that vhic is kindled, consumer of it: Ritual fire - consuming items oblated in fire | viśvāmitram puraskṛtya: Vishvamitra, keeping afore | niṣeduḥ: they squatted. |

TRANSLATION

When the sun went into dusk those sages with illimitable resplendence took their bath and on kindling the consumer of kindled oblations they completed their evening fire ritual, and then squatted before sage Vishvamitra. [1-31-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

रामो अपि सह सौमित्रिः मुनीम् तान् अभिपूज्य च

rāmo api saha saumitriḥ munīm tān abhipūjya ca

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| saha saumitriḥ rāmaḥ api: with, Lakshmana, Rama, even | tān munīm abhipūjya ca: them, sages, worshipped, also | atha: then | dhīmataḥ viśvāmitrasya agrataḥ: the intellectual, Vishvamitra, before | niṣasāda: squatted. |

TRANSLATION

And even Rama along with Lakshmana on worshipping those sages squatted before that intellectual Vishvamitra. [1-31-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

अथ रामो महातेजा विश्वामित्रम् तपोधनम्

atha rāmo mahātejā viśvāmitram tapodhanam

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| mahātejā rāmaḥ: great-resplendent, Rama | tataḥ: then | viśvāmitram tapaḥ dhanam: at Vishvamitra, ascetically, wealthy sage | muni śārdūlam: sagely, tiger | kautūhala samanvitaḥ = inquisitiveness, together vith: growing | papraccha: asked. |

TRANSLATION

With growing inquisitiveness that resplendent Rama has asked the tigerly sage Vishvamitra whose wealth is his ascesis. [1-31-22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

भगवन् कः नु अयम् देशः समृद्ध वन शोभितः

bhagavan kaḥ nu ayam deśaḥ samṛddha vana śobhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 24a| bhagavan: oh, god | sam vṛddha vana śobhitaḥ: well, developed, with woodlands, glistening | ayam deśaḥ: this, place | kaḥ nu: what, really is | śrotum icchāmi: to listen, I wish | te bhadram = to you, let there be safety: you be blest | tattvataḥ vaktum arhasi = in essence, to talk: to tell, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, godly sage, this place is glistening with well-developed woodlands, really what is this place? You be blest! It will be apt of you tell about it, in essence." Thus Rama asked Vishvamitra.[1-31-23b, 24a]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे एक त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe eka triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| su vrataḥ: one with unselfish, vows | mahā tapāḥ = one vho has: exalted, ascesis | rāma vākyena coditaḥ: Rama, by words, motivated | ṛṣi madhye: sages, amidst [staying] | tasya deśasya nikhilam: that, place's, all about | kathayāmāsa: started to tell. |

TRANSLATION

Sage Vishvamitra whose vows are unselfish and whose ascesis is exalted is motivated with the words of Rama and staying amidst the sages he started to tell all about that place. [1-31-24b, c]