Chapter 36

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

उक्त वाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन् उभौ राघव लक्ष्मणौ
प्रतिनंद्य कथाम् वीरौ ऊचतुः मुनि पुंगवम्

ukta vākye munau tasmin ubhau rāghava lakṣmaṇau
pratinaṃdya kathām vīrau ūcatuḥ muni puṃgavam

SYNONYMS

tasmin munau: = that, sage | ukta vākye = vho has spoken vord: who said so - finished narration | vīrau rāghava lakṣmaṇau ubhau: brave, Raghava, Lakshmana, both | kathām prati nandya: at the story, in turn, praised it | muni punigavam ūcatuḥ: to, sage, eminent, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

When that sage Vishvamitra has finished narration of the legend of the daughters of Himavanta, both the brave ones, namely Raghava and Lakshmana in their turn have extolled that legend and spoke to that eminent-sage. [1-36-1]

VERSE 2

धर्म युक्तम् इदम् ब्रह्मन् कथितम् परमम् त्वया
दुहितुः शैल राजस्य ज्येष्ठाय वक्तुम् अर्हसि
विस्तरम् विस्तरज्ञो असि दिव्य मानुष संभवम्

dharma yuktam idam brahman kathitam paramam tvayā
duhituḥ śaila rājasya jyeṣṭhāya vaktum arhasi
vistaram vistarajño asi divya mānuṣa saṃbhavam

SYNONYMS

brahman: oh, Brahman | dharma yuktam: righteousness, exhaustive of | paramam = admirable: story | idam: this | tvayā kathitam: by you, discoursed | śaila rājasya jyeṣṭhāya duhituḥ: mountain, king [Himavanta] elder, daughter of [Ganga] | divya mānuṣa sambhavam: divine, humanly [legend,] happenings | vistaram vaktum arhhasi: emphatically, to tell, apt of you | vistara jñaḥ asi = ekṣpatiation, knover: aware olf, you are. |

TRANSLATION

"This admirable discourse given by you about Ganga is exhaustive in righteousness, oh, Brahman, and it will be apt of you to tell emphatically about the divine and earthly legend of the elder daughter of Himavanta, namely Ganga, for you are aware to expatiate upon it. [1-36-2]

VERSE 3

त्रीन् पथो हेतुना केन पावयेत् लोक पावनी
कथम् गङ्गा त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरित् उत्तमा

trīn patho hetunā kena pāvayet loka pāvanī
katham gaṅgā tripathagā viśrutā sarit uttamā

SYNONYMS

, 4a| loka pāvanī = vorlds, purifier of: Ganga | kena hetunā: by which, reason | trīn pathaḥ plāvayet = thrī, paths, śe is flūding: flowing | dharma jña: oh, virtue-knower [Vishvamitra] | tri patha gā: in three, way, coursing | gaṅgā: Ganga | kaiḥ karmabhiḥ samanvitā = by vhic, dīds, śe is connected vith: deeds of merit | triṣu lokeṣu: in three, worlds | sarit uttamā: among rivers, the best one | [katham: in which way] | vi śrutā vell, knovn: renowned. |

TRANSLATION

"By which reason that world purifier Ganga influxes into three paths? Oh, virtue-knower, and connected with which deeds of merit this triple-courser Ganga is renowned as the best one among all the rivers in three worlds?" Thus Rama and Lakshmana have asked the sage Vishvamitra. [1-36-3, 4a]

VERSE 4

तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे विश्वामित्रः तपोधनः

tathā bruvati kākutsthe viśvāmitraḥ tapodhanaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 5a| kākutsthe tathā bruvati: by Kakutstha-s [Rama, Lakshmana,] that way, said | tapaḥ dhanaḥ viśvāmitraḥ: ascesis-wealthy, Vishvamitra | sarvām kathām nikhilena: all, legend, in entirety | ṛṣi madhye nyavedayat = sages, among, submitted: spoken. |

TRANSLATION

When Kakutstha-s have enquired that way, the ascetically-wealthy sage Vishvamitra has narrated all the legend of Ganga in its entirety, staying among the sages. [1-36-4b, 5a]

VERSE 5

पुरा राम कृत उद्वाहः शिति कण्ठो महा तपाः

purā rāma kṛta udvāhaḥ śiti kaṇṭho mahā tapāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 6a| rāma: oh, Rama | purā kṛta udvāhaḥ: once, getting, married [to Uma] | mahā tapāḥ śiti kaṇṭhaḥ = sublime, ascetic, blue, throated god: Shiva | devīm: consort [Shiva's consort, Goddess Uma] | dṛṣṭvā = on sīing: having a penchant | bhagavān maithunāya upacakrame = ġod: Siva, for lovemaking, began. |

TRANSLATION

"On his getting married to Uma, oh, Rama, the sublime-ascetic and bluish throated god Shiva, as his throat became blue when he consumed poison during the churning of Milky Ocean, at one time with a predilection towards her he has started lovemaking with her. [1-36-5b, 6a]

VERSE 6

तस्य संक्रीडमानस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः
शितिकण्ठस्य देवस्य दिव्यम् वर्ष शतम् गतम्

tasya saṃkrīḍamānasya mahādevasya dhīmataḥ
śitikaṇṭhasya devasya divyam varṣa śatam gatam

SYNONYMS

b, c, 7| param tapa rāma: oh, enemy-scorcher, Rama | mahā dhīmataḥ: of that sagacious one | devasya śitikaṇṭhasya samkrīḍamānasya = of god, blue: throated Shiva, while nuptial merrymaking - lovemaking | tasya devasya: of that, god's | divyam varṣa śatam gatam: divine, years, hundred, elapsed | api ca = even, also: even then | tasyām = in her: in Uma | tanayaḥ na āsīt = son, has not, become: not born. |

TRANSLATION

"While that sublime, sagacious and blue-throated God Shiva is in lovemaking, oh, enemy-scorcher Rama, a hundred divine years have elapsed, even then he had no son in her, namely Goddess Uma. [1-36-6b, c, 7]

PURPORT

The hundred divine years are said to be 36,000 mortal years and this goes with the calculation of yuga Indian 'era' calculation where two thousand of four yuga-s, kR^ita, treta, dvaapara, kali yuga-s are one brahma dina Brahma's day etc.
VERSE 7

सर्वे देवाः समुद्युक्ताः पितामह पुरोगमाः

sarve devāḥ samudyuktāḥ pitāmaha purogamāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 8a| [tataḥ: then] | pitāmaha purogamāḥ: Forefather [Brahma], going before- leading the delegation | devāḥ: gods | iha = in this: goddess Uma | yat bhūtam utpadyate: which, being, emerges | tat: that being | kaḥ prati sahiṣyati: who, in turn [inevitably], sustains | sarve samudyuktāḥ [sam udyuktāḥ,: all, prepared for action | [or, sam udvignā: all are worried.] |

TRANSLATION

"All the gods headed by Brahma have then started to ponder, 'is there anybody who can inevitably sustain that being which emerges from this goddess Uma after this prolonged yogic act of copulation with Shiva?' This being the worry of all gods they have prepared for action. [1-36-7b, 8a]

VERSE 8

अभिगंय सुराः सर्वे प्रणिपत्य इदम् अब्रुवन्

abhigaṃya surāḥ sarve praṇipatya idam abruvan

SYNONYMS

b, 9| surāḥ sarve abhi gamya = gods, all of them, tovards, on going: on approaching Shiva | praṇipatya idam abruvan: paying deference to [Siva,] this, they spoke | deva deva: oh, God of Gods, asya lokasya hite rata = of this, world's, welfare, oh, one who is interested in | mahā deva: oh, Great-God | surāṇām: of gods, such as we are | praṇipātena: by ['consideration of] supplication | prasādam kartum arhasi: grace, to bestow, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"All of the gods on approaching and paying their deference to Shiva spoke this to him, 'oh, God of Gods, oh, one who is interested in the welfare of these worlds, oh, Great-God, considering the supplication of all gods it will be apt of you to bestow grace.' [1-36-8b, 9]

PURPORT

This prolonged act of copulation is an act of yoga called mahaa maithuna. The Shaktaite Tantriks who practise panca ma kaara : madya, maamsa, matsya, mudra, maithuna 'liquor' 'mutton' 'fish' 'postures' [loosely: callisthenics] and 'copulation' make use of these things. In these practises, the yogis use mudra-s 'posture' 'callisthenics' at the time of copulation even, so that there will be no ejaculation for a longer period. This is their 'Five-element theory...'
VERSE 10

न लोका धारयिष्यन्ति तव तेजः सुरोत्तम
ब्राह्मेण तपसा युक्तो देव्या सह तपः चर

na lokā dhārayiṣyanti tava tejaḥ surottama
brāhmeṇa tapasā yukto devyā saha tapaḥ cara

SYNONYMS

, 11| sura uttama = oh, of gods, supreme one: oh, supreme god | tava tejaḥ: your, offspring born out of your effulgence | lokā na dhārayiṣyanti: worlds, cannot be, capable to bear | brāhmeṇa tapasā yuktaḥ: as per Vedic ancillary [Yoga,] postulates of asceticism, unified with | devyā saha: with Goddess Uma, along with | tapaḥ cara: asceticism, you practise | trailokya hita kāma artham: three, world's, welfare, desiring | tejaḥ tejasi dhāraya: your refulgent seed, in your own radiance, you sustain. rakSa sarvaan imaan lokaan = protect, all, these, worlds [in universe] | na a lokam kartum arhasi: not, devoid of [annihilate], worlds [in universe,] to render, apt of you |

TRANSLATION

" 'Worlds cannot capably bear your offspring born out of your effulgence, oh, Supreme-God, hence you may practice yogic asceticism along with your consort Goddess Uma in unison with Vedic postulates of Yoga, rather than progeniture, and desiring the welfare of the three worlds you may please retain your refulgent seed within your own radiance, thus protect this universe, since it will not be apt of you to render it devoid of worlds with the efflux of the unmanageable potence of yours .' So said gods to Shiva. [1-36-10, 11]

PURPORT

The word tejas also means semen, or offspring, besides resplendence tejaH paraakrame praaNe varcas arciShi retasi - ratnamaala thus the prospective offspring through ejaculation is the problem here, because Kumara, or, Skanda takes birth with all the irrepressible effulgence of Shiva, plus his own.
VERSE 12

देवतानाम् वचः श्रुत्वा सर्व लोक महेश्वरः
बाढम् इति अब्रवीत् सर्वान् पुनः च इदम् उवाच ह

devatānām vacaḥ śrutvā sarva loka maheśvaraḥ
bāḍham iti abravīt sarvān punaḥ ca idam uvāca ha

SYNONYMS

sarva loka maheśvaraḥ: all, universe's, Rarefied-God [Shiva] | devatānām vacaḥ śrutvā: of gods, words, on listening | bāḍham: = so be it | punaḥ = again: further | sarvān: to all gods | idam uvāca ha: this, spoke, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening the words of gods that Rarefied-God of Universe, namely Shiva said, 'so be it,' and further spoke this to all of the gods, indeed. [1-36-12]

VERSE 13

धारयिष्यामि अहम् तेजः तेजसि एव सह उमया
त्रिदशाः पृथिवी चैव निर्वाणम् अधिगच्छतु

dhārayiṣyāmi aham tejaḥ tejasi eva saha umayā
tridaśāḥ pṛthivī caiva nirvāṇam adhigacchatu

SYNONYMS

umayā saha aham: Uma, along with, I | tejaḥ tejasi eva: sperm, in virility | dhārayiṣyāmi: I wish to bear | tridaśāḥ pṛthivī caiva: divinities [immortals,] earthly [mortals,] also | nirvāṇam adhigacchatu: perfect bliss, enter upon derive. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I wish to bear my sperm in my virility and Uma in hers, let the immortals and mortals as well, derive a perfect bliss. [1-36-13]

VERSE 14

यद् इदम् क्षुभितम् स्थानात् मम तेजो हि अनुत्तमम्
धारयिष्यति कः तत् मे ब्रुवन्तु सुर सत्तमाः

yad idam kṣubhitam sthānāt mama tejo hi anuttamam
dhārayiṣyati kaḥ tat me bruvantu sura sattamāḥ

SYNONYMS

mama: mine | anuttamam: unexcelled [semen] | yat: that which | idam tejaḥ: this, refulgence is, semen is | sthānāt kṣubhitam: from its place, stirred up | tat: that, that much semen | kaḥ dhārayiṣyati: who, will bear | sura sattamāḥ: oh, gods, eminent ones | me bruvantu: to me, you tell. |

TRANSLATION

" 'But that part which has already stirred up from its place is irrestrainable, as such, oh gods of eminence, you tell me who can contain that part of the unexcelled potence.' So said Shiva to gods. [1-36-14]

VERSE 15

एवम् उक्ताः ततो देवाः प्रत्यूचुर् वृषभ ध्वजम्
यत् तेजः क्षुभितम् हि अद्य तद् धरा धारयिष्यति

evam uktāḥ tato devāḥ pratyūcur vṛṣabha dhvajam
yat tejaḥ kṣubhitam hi adya tad dharā dhārayiṣyati

SYNONYMS

evam uktāḥ: thus, who are spoken to [by Shiva] | tataḥ: then | devāḥ: gods | vṛṣabha dhvajam: Divine-Bull, bannered [god Shiva] | prati ūcuḥ: in reply, spoke to | yat tejaḥ kṣubhitam: that which, sperm, stirred up | tat adya = that: part, now | dharā dhārayiṣyati hi: earth, endures, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus spoken by Shiva, then the gods in reply spoke to him whose banner is Divine-Bull, namely Shiva, 'that part of the potence which has already stirred up, the earth indeed endures that now. [1-3-15]

VERSE 16

एवम् उक्तः सुर पतिः प्रमुमोच महाबलः
तेजसा पृथिवी येन व्याप्ता स गिरि कानना

evam uktaḥ sura patiḥ pramumoca mahābalaḥ
tejasā pṛthivī yena vyāptā sa giri kānanā

SYNONYMS

evam uktaḥ: thus, said [by gods] | sura patiḥ: god's, god | yena tejasā = by vhic, refulgence: of Shiva | sa giri kānanā pṛthivī: with, mountains, forests, earth is | vyāptā: overspread | [mahī tale: on earth's, surface] | mahābalaḥ: greatly virile one [Yogi, of par excellence] | pra mumoca: well, discharged. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus said by the gods that Yogi of par excellence and the God of Gods, Shiva, discharged his refulgent semen with which the earth together with its mountains and forests is overspread. [1-36-16]

VERSE 17

ततो देवाः पुनर् इदम् ऊचुः च अपि हुताशनम्
आविश त्वम् महातेजो रौद्रम् वायु समन्वितः

tato devāḥ punar idam ūcuḥ ca api hutāśanam
āviśa tvam mahātejo raudram vāyu samanvitaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: thereby | devāḥ: gods | punaḥ: in turn | huta aśanam api: to Fire-oblations, consumer [Fire-god,] even | idam ūcuḥ ca: this, said, also | tvam vāyu samanvitaḥ: you, Wind-god, along with | raudram: pertaining to Rudra | mahātejaḥ: his semen, great-potence | āviśa: enter. |

TRANSLATION

"Thereby the gods in their turn said even to Fire-god, 'you enter the great-potence of Rudra along with Wind-god, lest that potence may annihilate the earth and earthlings, because you can consume anything that comes in touch with you. [1-36-17]

VERSE 18

तद् अग्निना पुनर् व्याप्तम् संजातम् श्वेत पर्वतम्
दिव्यम् शरवणम् चैव पावक आदित्य संनिभम्

tad agninā punar vyāptam saṃjātam śveta parvatam
divyam śaravaṇam caiva pāvaka āditya saṃnibham

SYNONYMS

, 19a| agninā: by Fire-god | vyāptam: pervaded | tat: that great-potence | punaḥ: again | śveta parvatam sam jātam: as white, mountain, well, emerged | pāvaka āditya samnibham: Fire, Sun, equal in shine | divyam śara vaṇam caiva: divine, reeds, forest, also thus | yatra: wherefrom | mahātejāḥ: highly brilliant | agni sambhavaḥ: one who is born out of the refulgence of Shiva through Fire-god | kārtikeyaḥ: one who is suckled by Krittika-s | jātaḥ: has emerged. |

TRANSLATION

"And when Fire-god invaded that great-potence of Shiva it has emerged as White-mountain, also thus it has become as a divine forest of reeds equalling the Sun and Fire in its resplendence, wherefrom the highly brilliant Kumara has emerged. [1-36-18, 19a]

PURPORT

Because Kumara, or Skanda took birth through Fire-god from the great-potence of Shiva, he is called the one born out of fire. Because Krittika stars have suckled him he is also called as Kaaritkeya. The birth and legend of Kaartikeya is detailed in the next chapter relating to Ganga.
VERSE 19

अथ उमाम् च शिवम् चैव देवाः स ऋषि गणाः तदा

atha umām ca śivam caiva devāḥ sa ṛṣi gaṇāḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| atha: later | sa ṛṣi gaṇāḥ devāḥ: with, sages, assemblages of, gods | tataḥ: thereby, as it has happened so | su prīta manasaḥ: well, pleased, at heart | tadā: then | umām ca śivam caiva: Uma, also, Shiva, also thus | ati artham pūjayāmāsuḥ: fulsomely, adored. |

TRANSLATION

"Later on, the gods together with the assemblages of sages are well pleased at heart as it has happened according to their prayer, thereby they fulsomely adored Shiva and even Uma. [1-36-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

अथ शैल सुता राम त्रिदशान् इदम् अब्रवीत्

atha śaila sutā rāma tridaśān idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| rāma: oh, Rama | atha: then | śaila sutā = mountain's, daughter: Uma | sa manyuḥ: with, ire | tridaśān idam abravīt: to divinities, this, said | krodha sam rakta locanā: in anger, with, reddened, eyes | sarvān aśapat: all of them, cursed. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Rama, but the daughter of Himalayan Mountain, namely Uma, while irefully saying this to the divinities she cursed them all with her eyes reddened in anger. [1-36-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

यस्मात् निवारिता च अहम् संगता पुत्र कांयया

yasmāt nivāritā ca aham saṃgatā putra kāṃyayā

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| yasmāt: wherefore | putra kāmyayā: son, desirous of | aham samgatā ni vāritā = ī am, from intimacy, back, moved: prevented | [tasmāt: therefore] | sveṣu dāreṣu: in one's own, wives | apatyam: progeny | na utpadayitum arhatha = not, to bring forth, eligible: worthy enough, infecund - you are prevented to bear children. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Wherefore, I who am desirous of a son had been prevented from the intimacy with my husband, therefore you shall be infecund to beget progeny through your own wives. [1-36-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

अद्य प्रभृति युष्माकम् अप्रजाः सन्तु पत्नयः

adya prabhṛti yuṣmākam aprajāḥ santu patnayaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 23a| adya prabhṛti: from now, onwards | yuṣmākam: yours | patnayaḥ: wives | a prajāḥ: without, progeny | santu = they vill be: they remain | sarvān surān: to all, gods | evam uktvā: this way, on saying [by Uma,] | pṛthivīm api: to earth, also | śaśāpa = cursed: gave a curse. |

TRANSLATION

" 'And from now onwards you wives shall remain infertile...' and on saying this way to all of the gods she also gave a curse to the earth. [1-36-22, 23a]

PURPORT

Thus the celestials do not directly breed. They take the agency of humans or other mortals to bring forth their offspring as in the case of the monkey race, and Menaka, and as in the case of Vishvamitra giving birth to Shakuntala, who in her turn gave birth to Bharata, so on.
VERSE 23

अवने न एक रूपा त्वम् बहु भार्या भविष्यसि

avane na eka rūpā tvam bahu bhāryā bhaviṣyasi

SYNONYMS

b, 24| avane: oh, earth | tvam: you | na eka rūpā = not, vith one, appearance: sui generis, bizarre | bahu bhāryā: to many, as wife | bhaviṣyasi: you will become | su dur medhe: oh, very, base, minded one [earth] | mama putram an icchatī = to me, son, not, desirous: you are bigoted | mat krodha kaluṣī kṛtā = by my, anger, sully, rendered: sullied by my anger | putra kṛtām prītim ca: by children, caused, delight, even | na prāpsyasi: not, you will get. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Earth, your appearance shall be bizarre and you will be a wife to many. And oh, verily base-minded earth, rendered sully by my anger you shall have no gratification caused by the children as you are bigoted against my son. [1-36-23b, 24]

PURPORT

The sin of earth to bear the curse of Uma Devi is to accept the semen of Shiva on her surface. The appearance of earth will not be in one kind or quality for it has lands and oceans, deserts and forests, volcanoes and mountains, ice and humidity, etc. Further, the earth is the official wife to numerous kings. The earth is also cursed to not to have the delight of her children. The earth has Naraka, the demon, and Seetha as her children. But these two are not begotten through any seminal contact by earth, and further, for earth it is as good as not having these two as her children, for such is the plight of these two so-called children of earth on earth. After many tumults in her life, even Seetha asks her mother on earth, i.e., mother earth herself, to take her back into her womb.
VERSE 25

तान् सर्वान् पीडितान् दृष्ट्वा सुरान् सुरपतिः तदा
गमनाय उपचक्राम दिशम् वरुण पालिताम्

tān sarvān pīḍitān dṛṣṭvā surān surapatiḥ tadā
gamanāya upacakrāma diśam varuṇa pālitām

SYNONYMS

sura patiḥ = god's, god: Shiva | tadā: then | pīḍitān [vrīḍitān]: distressed [ashamed] | tān sarvān surān dṛṣṭvā = them, all, gods, on sīing: ill at ease to see their plight | varuṇa pālitām: by Rain-god, ruled by | diśam: towards the quarter of compass | gamanāya upacakrāma: to go, started to. |

TRANSLATION

"That God of Gods Shiva becoming ill at ease to look at all of the distressed gods, equally feeling small to convince his consort Uma, he has started to journey towards the western quarter which is ruled by Rain-god. [1-36-25]

VERSE 26

स गत्वा तप आतिष्ठत् पार्श्वे तस्य उत्तरे गिरेः
हिमवत् प्रभवे शृंगे सह देव्या महेश्वरः

sa gatvā tapa ātiṣṭhat pārśve tasya uttare gireḥ
himavat prabhave śṛṃge saha devyā maheśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ maheśvaraḥ = he: Shiva | gatvā: having gone to west | tasya gireḥ uttare pārśve: of that, mountain [Himalayas,] northern, side | himavat prabhave śṛṃge: in Himalayas, emerged [a mountain,] on its peak | devyā saha: concert [Uma,] along with | tapa ātiṣṭhat: in ascesis, settled down. |

TRANSLATION

"On going to the northern side of Himalayan Mountains, that God of Gods, Shiva settled down in ascesis along with his consort Uma on the peak of a mountain emerged from Himalayas. [1-36-26]

PURPORT

Here some say the mountain on which Shiva settled for ascesis as himavat prabhava giving it a full name, like Mt. Kailash or Kanchanjunga etc. If any such mountain peak is named and available in mythologies or in Himalayas, this needs a revision.
VERSE 27

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे षट् त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe ṣaṭ triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | śaila putryā: pertaining to mountain's, daughter eSa = this [Uma's legend] | vistaraḥ te niveditaḥ: vividly, to you, narrated | gangāyāḥ prabhavam caiva: about Ganga's, emergence, also even | saha lakṣmaṇa: with, Lakshmana | śṛṇu me: listen, from me. |

TRANSLATION

"This is the legend of mountain's daughter, namely Goddess Uma vividly narrated to you, oh, Rama, and now listen from me along with Lakshmana about the emergence of Ganga. [1-36-27]