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Chapter 32

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

ब्रह्म योनिर् महान् आसीत् कुशो नाम महातपाः
अक्लिष्ट व्रत धर्मज्ञः सज्जन प्रति पूजकः

brahma yonir mahān āsīt kuśo nāma mahātapāḥ
akliṣṭa vrata dharmajñaḥ sajjana prati pūjakaḥ

SYNONYMS

brahma yoniḥ = Brahma, as causation: Brahma's, brainchild | mahā tapāḥ: on with higher order, ascesis | a kliṣṭa vrata dharma jñaḥ = one vho has: without, hampered, vows, their virtue, knower - who has never flouted the rules of rituals and vows | sat jana: virtue, knowers | prati pūjakaḥ = in turn, revered: one who reveres virtue knowers | mahān = highly righteous: kingly sage | kuśaḥ nāma: Kusha, named | āsīt: [once upon a time] was there. |

TRANSLATION

"Once there was a highly righteous kingly sage who is the brainchild of Brahma, whose ascesis is of higher order, who has never flouted the rules of rituals or his vows, and who revered the knowers of virtue by name Kusha." Thus Sage Vishvamitra commenced narration. [1-32-1]

VERSE 2

स महात्मा कुलीनायाम् युक्तायाम् सुमहाबलान्
वैदर्भ्याम् जनयाम् आस चतुरः सदृशान् सुतान्

sa mahātmā kulīnāyām yuktāyām sumahābalān
vaidarbhyām janayām āsa caturaḥ sadṛśān sutān

SYNONYMS

, 3a| saḥ mahā ātmā: he, great, soul | kulīnāyām: one with noble birth | yuktāyām: an eligible one [as wife] | vaidarbhyām: in the princess from Vidarbha | kuśāmbam kuśanābham āssūrtarajasam vasum: Kushamba, Kushanaabha, Asuurtaraja, Vasu | su mahā balān: very, great, mighty ones | sadṛśān: selfsame ones | caturaḥ sutān janayāmāsa: four, sons, he begot. |

TRANSLATION

"That great-souled Kusha begot four selfsame and mighty sons, namely Kusumba, Kushanaabha, Asuurtarajasa, or also called Adhuurtarajasa, and Vasu through the princess of Vidarbha, which princess is of noble birth and an eligible wife of Kusha. [1-32-2, 3a]

VERSE 3

दीप्ति युक्तान् महोत्साहान् क्षत्रधर्म चिकीर्षया

dīpti yuktān mahotsāhān kṣatradharma cikīrṣayā

SYNONYMS

b, 4| kuśaḥ: Kusha | dīpti yuktān: brilliance, having | mahā utsāhān: highly, enthusiastic ones | dharmiṣṭhān: virtue abiding | satya vādinaḥ: truth, advocators of | tān putrān: to those, sons | kṣatra dharma cikīrṣayā: Kshatriya, principle, with an aspiration to uphold | uvāca: spoke to them | putrā: oh, sons | pālanam kriyatām = ruling over [kingdom,] let it be done: establish your rulership | puṣkalam dharmam prāpyatha: in abundance, righteousness, you achieve. |

TRANSLATION

"With an aspiration that his sons shall uphold the principles of Kshatriya-s, Kusha spoke to them who are brilliant, highly enthusiastic, virtue abiding, and the advocators of truth saying, 'establish your rulership, sons, and achieve righteousness abundantly.' [1-32-3b, 4a]

VERSE 5

कुशस्य वचनम् श्रुत्वा चत्वारो लोक सत्तमाः
निवेशम् चक्रिरे सर्वे पुराणाम् नृ वराः तदा

kuśasya vacanam śrutvā catvāro loka sattamāḥ
niveśam cakrire sarve purāṇām nṛ varāḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | kuśasya vacanam śrutvā: Kusha's, words, on hearing | loka sattamāḥ: in world, formidable ones | catvāraḥ: four of them | nṛ varāḥ: among people's, best ones | sarve: all of them | purāṇām niveśam cakrire = of cities, initiation: building, the started to do. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing the words of Kusha those four sons that are the formidable ones in the world and the best men among people initiated to build four cities. [1-32-5]

VERSE 6

कुशाम्बः तु महातेजाः कौशांबीम् अकरोत् पुरीम्
कुशनाभः तु धर्मात्मा पुरम् चक्रे महोदयम्

kuśāmbaḥ tu mahātejāḥ kauśāṃbīm akarot purīm
kuśanābhaḥ tu dharmātmā puram cakre mahodayam

SYNONYMS

mahātejāḥ kuśāmbaḥ tu: great-resplendent one, Kushamba, for his part | kauśāmbīm purīm akarot: Kaushaambi, city, built | dharmātmā kuśanābhaḥ tu: virtue-souled, Kushanaatha, for his part | mahodayam puram cakre: Mahodaya [named,] city, built. |

TRANSLATION

"Great-resplendent Kushamba built the city named Kaushambii for his part, and for his part the virtue-souled Kushanaabha built a city named Mahodaya. [1-32-6]

VERSE 7

असूर्तरजसो राम धर्मारण्यम् महामतिः
चक्रे पुरवरम् राजा वसुर् नाम गिरिव्रजम्

asūrtarajaso rāma dharmāraṇyam mahāmatiḥ
cakre puravaram rājā vasur nāma girivrajam

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | mahāmatiḥ asūrtarajasaḥ: noble-minded, Asuurtarajasa | dharmāraṇyam = ḍharmāraṇya: namely | pura varam: city, the best | cakre: built | rājā vasuḥ: king, Vasu | girivrajam nāma: Girivraja, in the name of- city he built. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Rama, noble-minded Asuurtarajasa built a city named Dharmaaranya, and king Vasu built a city in the name of Girivraja. [1-32-7]

PURPORT

It is believed that the city Kaushambii is the present day Kannauj and Girivraja the present day Rajgir.
VERSE 8

एषा वसुमती नाम वसोः तस्य महात्मनः
एते शैलवराः पंच प्रकाशन्ते समंततः

eṣā vasumatī nāma vasoḥ tasya mahātmanaḥ
ete śailavarāḥ paṃca prakāśante samaṃtataḥ

SYNONYMS

eṣā: this one | tasya mahātmanaḥ vasoḥ: of that, virtue-souled one, Vasu's | vasumatī nāma: land, known as | samantataḥ: all around | ete panca śaila varāḥ: these, five mountains, best ones | prakāśante = śine forth: standing high. |

TRANSLATION

"This land on which we are presently staying is known as the land of virtue-souled Vasu, all around which these five best mountains are standing high. [1-32-8]

VERSE 9

सुमागधी नदी रंया मागधान् विश्रुता आययौ
पंचानाम् शैल मुख्यानाम् मध्ये माला इव शोभते

sumāgadhī nadī raṃyā māgadhān viśrutā āyayau
paṃcānām śaila mukhyānām madhye mālā iva śobhate

SYNONYMS

ramyā: charming one | viśrutā: well known | su: worthy of respect | māgadhī nadī = māgadhī: worthy River Sona which took birth in Magadha country | māgadhān: into Magadha country | ā yayau = coming, going: on entering and exiting | pancānām śaila mukhyānām madhye = five of, mountains, important: elevated ones, amid | mālā iva śobhate: garland, like, shines forth. |

TRANSLATION

"This charming river that enters and exits Magadha province is well known as the worthy River Maagadhi, and flowing amid the five of these elevated mountains it shines forth like a garland enwreathing them. [1-32-9]

PURPORT

This river is said to be the present day River Son
VERSE 10

सा एषा हि मागधी राम वसोः तस्य महात्मनः
पूर्व अभिचरिता राम सुक्षेत्रा सस्य मालिनी

sā eṣā hi māgadhī rāma vasoḥ tasya mahātmanaḥ
pūrva abhicaritā rāma sukṣetrā sasya mālinī

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | sā eṣā māgadhī: this, that, river Maagadhi | mahā ātmanaḥ tasya vasoḥ: of the great-souled one, his, of Vasu [this is that river which pertains to the developmental works of king Vasu] | pūrva abhi caritā = to east, tovards, vhile going: flowing | su kṣetrā: she has best, farmlands | sasya mālinī: crops, garland of. |

TRANSLATION

"This Maagadhi is that river which pertains to the developmental works of the great-souled king Vasu and oh, Rama, flowing towards east to its confluence in Ganga, this river garlands best farmlands and their crops on its way. [1-32-10]

PURPORT

The confluence of this river with Ganga is said as the one now available near at Patna, Bihar.
VERSE 11

कुशनाभः तु राजर्षिः कन्या शतम् अनुत्तमम्
जनयामास धर्मात्मा घृताच्याम् रघु नंदन

kuśanābhaḥ tu rājarṣiḥ kanyā śatam anuttamam
janayāmāsa dharmātmā ghṛtācyām raghu naṃdana

SYNONYMS

raghu nandana: oh, Raghu's descendent | dharmātmā rājarṣiḥ: virtue-souled one, kingly saint | kuśanābhaḥ tu: Kushanaabha, but | ghṛtācyām: through [celestial maiden] Ghritaachi | an uttamam: un, excelling | kanyā śatam: maids, hundred | janayāmāsa: engendered. |

TRANSLATION

"The virtue-souled kingly saint Kushanaabha gave birth to a hundred daughters with unexcelled beauty through a celestial female called Ghritaachi. [1-32-11]

PURPORT

Children begotten through celestial maidens are of superior nature for further procreating a divine generation, like Shakuntala, who begot Bharata, the earliest dynastic king.
VERSE 12

ताः तु यौवन शालिन्यो रूपवत्यः स्वलंकृताः
उद्यान भूमिम् आगंय प्रावृषि इव शतह्रदाः

tāḥ tu yauvana śālinyo rūpavatyaḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ
udyāna bhūmim āgaṃya prāvṛṣi iva śatahradāḥ

SYNONYMS

rāghava: oh, Raghava | yauvana śālinyaḥ: youthfulness, having | rūpavatyaḥ: having loveliness | tāḥ: those girls | sva alankṛtāḥ: themselves, decorating well | udyāna bhūmim āgamya: park, lands, arriving at | prā vṛṣi: in rainy season | śata hradāḥ iva = in hundred vay, floving: like hundred streaked lightning | gāyantyaḥ nṛtyamānāḥ ca vādayantyaḥ ca: singing, dancing, also, playing instruments | vara ābharaṇa bhūṣitāḥ: select, ornaments, decorated with | paramam āmodam jagmuḥ: fantastic, felicity, they went into. |

TRANSLATION

"Those girls when attained youthfulness they are lovely and on an occasion they have gone to gardens and moved there about like one lightning with a hundred streaks during rainy season, and while those girls that are decorated with select ornaments are singing, dancing and playing musical instruments, they got into a fantastic felicity. [1-32-12, 13]

VERSE 14

अथ ताः चारु सर्व अंग्यो रूपेण अप्रतिमा भुवि
उद्यान भूमिम् आगंय तारा इव घन अन्तरे

atha tāḥ cāru sarva aṃgyo rūpeṇa apratimā bhuvi
udyāna bhūmim āgaṃya tārā iva ghana antare

SYNONYMS

atha: then | cāru sarva angyaḥ = pretty, all, vith limbs: whose all limbs are pretty | rūpeṇa bhuvi a pratimā: by aspect, on earth, un, paralleled | tāḥ: those girls | udyāna bhūmim āgamya: park, lands, on coming to | ghana antare: in clouds, amid | tārā iva: stars, like |

TRANSLATION

"On their coming to parklands those girls whose all limbs are pretty and whose looks are unparalleled on earth, they looked like stars amid clouds within the cloudy thickets of garden bushes. [1-32-14]

VERSE 15

ताः सर्वगुण संपन्ना रूप यौवन संयुताः
दृष्ट्वा सर्वात्मको वायुर् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

tāḥ sarvaguṇa saṃpannā rūpa yauvana saṃyutāḥ
dṛṣṭvā sarvātmako vāyur idam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

sarva ātmakaḥ vāyuḥ: all, pervading, Air-god | sarva guṇa sampannā: in all, aspects, well off | rūpa yauvana samyutāḥ: comeliness, ripeness, together with | tāḥ: them | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | idam vacanam abravīt: this, word, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing them who are flourishing with all their aspects together with comeliness and ripeness, the all pervading Air-god, Vayu, spoke this word to them. [1-32-15]

VERSE 16

अहम् वः कामये सर्वा भार्या मम भविष्यथ
मानुषः त्यज्यताम् भावो दीर्घम् आयुर् अवाप्स्यथ

aham vaḥ kāmaye sarvā bhāryā mama bhaviṣyatha
mānuṣaḥ tyajyatām bhāvo dīrgham āyur avāpsyatha

SYNONYMS

aham vaḥ sarvā kāmaye: I, all, you, have a desire for | mama bhāryā bhaviṣyatha: my, wives, you become | mānuṣaḥ tyajyatām bhāvaḥ: pertaining to humans, leave off, notion | dīrgham āyuḥ avāpsyatha = long, life, you acquire: like divinities. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I have a desire for you all, hence leaving off the notions pertaining to human beings you all become my wives, thereby you too will acquire longevity like divinities. [1-32-16]

VERSE 17

चलम् हि यौवनम् नित्यम् मानुषेषु विशेषतः
अक्षयम् यौवनम् प्राप्ता अमर्यः च भविष्य्थ

calam hi yauvanam nityam mānuṣeṣu viśeṣataḥ
akṣayam yauvanam prāptā amaryaḥ ca bhaviṣytha

SYNONYMS

nityam yauvanam calam hi: always, teenage, is moving, indeed | mānuṣeṣu viśeṣataḥ: in humans, expressly | a kśayam yauvanam prāptā: un, diminishing, youthfulness, on achieving | amaryaḥ ca bhaviṣytha: as immortal females, also, you can become. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Teenage is always transitory, expressly in humans, but on marrying me you will achieve undiminished youthfulness and forever you can be youthful like immortal females.' Thus Air-god said to those girls. [1-32-17]

VERSE 18

तस्य तद् वचनम् श्रुत्वा वायोः अक्लिष्ट कर्मणः
अपहास्य ततो वाक्यम् कन्या शतम् अथ अब्रवीत्

tasya tad vacanam śrutvā vāyoḥ akliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ
apahāsya tato vākyam kanyā śatam atha abravīt

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | a kliṣṭa karmaṇaḥ: one with un, impeded, strives | tasya vāyoḥ: of that, Air-god | tat vacanam śrutvā = that, sentence: proposal, on hearing | apahāsya = laughing off: his proposal | kanyā śatam: maidens, hundred | atha vākyam abravīt: then, sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing that proposal of Vayu, the Air-god whose strives are unimpeded, then those hundred girls spoke this sentence laughing off his proposal. [1-32-18]

VERSE 19

अन्तः चरसि भूतानाम् सर्वेषाम् त्वम् सुर सत्तम
प्रभावज्ञाः च ते सर्वाः किम् अर्थम् अवमन्यसे

antaḥ carasi bhūtānām sarveṣām tvam sura sattama
prabhāvajñāḥ ca te sarvāḥ kim artham avamanyase

SYNONYMS

sura sattama: oh, divinity, the ablest | tvam sarveṣām bhūtānām: you, in all, of the beings | antaḥ carasi = inside, you move: you inspirit | sarvāḥ te prabhāva jñāḥ ca: all of us, your, uniqueness, knowers, also | [asmān: us] | kim artham ava manyase: for what, reason, not, you honour [you dishonour us.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'we are aware that you inspirit all the living beings from inside, oh, the ablest divinity, we are also aware of your uniqueness. But, what for you are dishonouring all of us. [1-32-19]

VERSE 20

कुशनाभ सुताः देवम् समस्ता सुर सत्तम
स्थानात् च्यावयितुम् देवम् रक्षामः तु तपो वयम्

kuśanābha sutāḥ devam samastā sura sattama
sthānāt cyāvayitum devam rakṣāmaḥ tu tapo vayam

SYNONYMS

sura sattama: oh, divinity, the best | samastā vayam: all, of us are | kuśanābha sutāḥ: Kushanaabha's, daughters | devam: as god | sthānāt cyāvayitum: from your realm, to displace | samarthā: we are capable] | deva: oh, god | tu: but we are | tapaḥ rakṣāmaḥ: [our] asceticism, we are conserving. |

TRANSLATION

" 'We are the daughters of Kushanaabha, oh, best divinity, and we are all capable of displacing you from your realm, but oh, god, we are restraining ourselves in doing so only to conserve our ascetic values. [1-32-20]

VERSE 21

मा भूत् स कालो दुर्मेधः पितरम् सत्य वादिनम्
अवमन्यस्व स्व धर्मेण स्वयम् वरम् उपास्महे

mā bhūt sa kālo durmedhaḥ pitaram satya vādinam
avamanyasva sva dharmeṇa svayam varam upāsmahe

SYNONYMS

dur medhaḥ = oh, evil, minded one: god with sordid thinking | satya vādinam = truth, advocate of: veracious | pitaram: father | ava manya = dis, regarding: overlooking | sva dharmeṇa: at our, liberty | svayam varam upāsmahe: independently, groom, [at which time we] look up | saḥ kālaḥ mā bhūt: that, time, not, to come. |

TRANSLATION

" 'That time shall never come, oh, god with sordid thinking, when we, at our liberty, may look up for our grooms overlooking our veracious father.' [1-32-21]

VERSE 22

पिता हि प्रभुर् अस्माकम् दैवतम् परमम् च सः
यस्य नो दास्यति पिता स नो भर्ता भविष्यति

pitā hi prabhur asmākam daivatam paramam ca saḥ
yasya no dāsyati pitā sa no bhartā bhaviṣyati

SYNONYMS

asmākam: for us | pitā prabhuḥ hi: father [alone is,] lord, indeed | saḥ paramam daivatam ca: he [alone,] ultimate, god, also | pitā: father | naḥ yasya dāsyati: us, to whom [he] gives | saḥ naḥ bhartā bhaviṣyati: he [alone,] our, husband, becomes. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Our father is indeed our lord and for us he is the ultimate god too. To whomever we are offered by our father in marriage he alone becomes our husband.' So said hundred girls to Air-god. [1-32-22]

VERSE 23

तासाम् तु वचनम् श्रुत्वा हरिः परम कोपनः
प्रविश्य सर्व गात्राणि बभंज भगवान् प्रभुः

tāsām tu vacanam śrutvā hariḥ parama kopanaḥ
praviśya sarva gātrāṇi babhaṃja bhagavān prabhuḥ

SYNONYMS

tāsām tu vacanam śrutvā: their, but, sentence, on hearing | bhagavān prabhuḥ: god, who has high impact | hariḥ [vāyuḥ] parama kopanaḥ: god, Air, very, angrily | sarva gātrāṇi praviśya: all, body-parts, on entering | babhanja: crooked [disfigured]. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing their sentence of rejection, Vayu, the Air-god whose impact is powerful, very angrily entered into all of the limbs of those girls only to disfigure them. [1-32-23]

VERSE 24

ताः कन्या वायुना भग्ना विविशुर् नृपतेः गृहम्
प्रविश्य च सुसंभ्रान्ताः स लज्जाः स अस्र लोचन

tāḥ kanyā vāyunā bhagnā viviśur nṛpateḥ gṛham
praviśya ca susaṃbhrāntāḥ sa lajjāḥ sa asra locana

SYNONYMS

vāyunā bhagnā: by Air-god, disfigured | tāḥ kanyā: those, girls | nṛpateḥ gṛham viviśuḥ: king's, house [palace,] entered | su sam bhrāntāḥ: very, highly, diffident | sa lajjāḥ: with, embarrassment | sa asra locana: with, tears, in eyes | praviśya: entered. |

TRANSLATION

"Those girls whom Air-god disfigured in that way have entered palace-chambers of the king, but they have entered diffidently, embarrassedly, and tearfully. [1-32-24]

VERSE 25

स च ता दयिता भग्नाः कन्याः परम शोभनाः
दृष्ट्वा दीनाः तदा राजा संभ्रांत इदम् अब्रवीत्

sa ca tā dayitā bhagnāḥ kanyāḥ parama śobhanāḥ
dṛṣṭvā dīnāḥ tadā rājā saṃbhrāṃta idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

saḥ rājā: he, the king | tadā: then | dayitā: dear ones | dīnāḥ: despondent ones | parama śobhanāḥ: [once] very, attractive ones | tāḥ kanyāḥ: those, girls | bhagnāḥ: disfigured | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | sam bhrānta: he is highly, perturbed | idam abravīt: this, said. |

TRANSLATION

"That king on seeing his dear and attractive daughters as disfigured and despondent girls he is highly perturbed and said this. [1-32-25]

VERSE 26

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे द्वि त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe dvi triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

putryaḥ: oh, daughters | idam kim: this, what is | kaḥ dharmam ava manyate: who is, probity, not, regarding | kathyatām: let it be said | sarvāḥ kubjāḥ: all of you, dwarfed [with hunchbacks, disfigured] | kena kṛtāḥ: by whom, made | ceṣṭantyaḥ na abhibhāṣatha: you gesticulate, not, saying | rājā evam: king, this way [on saying] | tataḥ: then | viniḥśvasya: sighed | samādhim sam dadhe = rumination, imposed upon himself: remained silent for their reply. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, daughters, what all is this? Who disregarded probity? Who disfigured you all? Let it be said! Why you gesticulate saying nothing.' asking thus that king sighed and quietened down waiting for a reply." Thus Sage Vishvamitra continued his narration. [1-32-26]