Chapter 37
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
तप्यमाने तदा देवे स इन्द्राः स अग्नि पुरोगमाः
सेनापतिम् अभीप्सन्तः पितामहम् उपागमन्
tapyamāne tadā deve sa indrāḥ sa agni purogamāḥ
senāpatim abhīpsantaḥ pitāmaham upāgaman
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"While god Shiva is undertaking ascesis thus, then the gods desiring an Army Chief for celestial forces have arrived in the audience of Forefather Brahma, along with Indra and keeping Fire-god at their fore." Sage Vishvamitra continued his narration to Rama. [1-37-1]
ततो अब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे भगवंतम् पितामहम्
प्रणिपत्य सुराः राम स इन्द्राः स अग्नि पुरोगमाः
tato abruvan surāḥ sarve bhagavaṃtam pitāmaham
praṇipatya surāḥ rāma sa indrāḥ sa agni purogamāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On approaching the Forefather Brahma, oh, Rama, all of the celestials headed by Fire-god and along with Indra have venerated and then spoke this to him. [1-37-2]
येन सेनापतिः देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा
स तपः परम् आस्थाय तप्यते स्म सह उमया
yena senāpatiḥ deva datto bhagavatā purā
sa tapaḥ param āsthāya tapyate sma saha umayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, god Brahma, he who has hypothetically given a Chief of Celestial Army in the form of his potence that god Shiva is undertaking a supreme ascesis, indeed along with Goddess Uma. [1-37-3]
PURPORT
यत् अत्र अनंतरम् कार्यम् लोकानाम् हित कांयया
संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वम् हि नः परमा गतिः
yat atra anaṃtaram kāryam lokānām hita kāṃyayā
saṃvidhatsva vidhānajña tvam hi naḥ paramā gatiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Looking forward for the welfare of the worlds, oh, knower of the procedures, Brahma, you may order us clearly what is to be done next, as you alone are our ultimate recourse. [1-37-4]
देवतानाम् वचः श्रुत्वा सर्व लोक पितामहः
सान्त्वयन् मधुरैः वाक्यैः त्रिदशान् इदम् अब्रवीत्
devatānām vacaḥ śrutvā sarva loka pitāmahaḥ
sāntvayan madhuraiḥ vākyaiḥ tridaśān idam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On listening the words of gods, Brahma, the Forefather of all the worlds, soothingly spoke this to the celestials with sweet words. [1-37-5]
शैल पुत्र्या यत् उक्तम् तत् न प्रजाः स्वासु पत्निषु
तस्या वचनम् अक्लिष्टम् सत्यम् एव न संशयः
śaila putryā yat uktam tat na prajāḥ svāsu patniṣu
tasyā vacanam akliṣṭam satyam eva na saṃśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'What the Daughter of Mountain, namely Goddess Uma, has said that 'you shall have no posterity in your own wives' is true and it cannot be decried, and it is unambiguous too. [1-37-6]
इयम् आकाश गंगा यस्याम् पुत्रम् हुताशनः
जनयिष्यति देवानाम् सेनापतिम् अरिंदमम्
iyam ākāśa gaṃgā yasyām putram hutāśanaḥ
janayiṣyati devānām senāpatim ariṃdamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'In whom the Fire-god can procreate an enemy-destroying Chief of Celestial Armies, such an empyreal Ganga is there. [1-37-7]
ज्येष्ठा शैलेन्द्र दुहिता मानयिष्यति तम् सुतम्
उमायाः तत् बहुमतम् भविष्यति न संशयः
jyeṣṭhā śailendra duhitā mānayiṣyati tam sutam
umāyāḥ tat bahumatam bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'The elder daughter King of Mountains, namely Ganga, will graciously welcome the offspring from Fire-god, and that act of Ganga in welcoming the offspring through Fire-god will also be pleasurable in many ways to the younger daughter of King of Mountains, namely Uma, no doubt about it.' So said Brahma to all the gods. [1-37-8]
तत् श्रुत्वा वचनम् तस्य कृतार्था रघुनन्दन
प्रणिपत्य सुराः सर्वे पितामहम् अपूजयन्
tat śrutvā vacanam tasya kṛtārthā raghunandana
praṇipatya surāḥ sarve pitāmaham apūjayan
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On hearing those words of Brahma, oh, Rama, the delight of Raghu's dynasty, all the gods have praisefully worshipped him, as their ends are achieved at the bidding fair of Brahma. [1-37-9]
ते गत्वा परमम् राम कैलासम् धातु मण्डितम्
अग्निम् नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थम् सर्व देवताः
te gatvā paramam rāma kailāsam dhātu maṇḍitam
agnim niyojayāmāsuḥ putrārtham sarva devatāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On going to that supreme Mt. Kailash, oh, Rama, which is heaped up with many ores, all of those gods have assigned the Fire-god to father a son. [1-37-10]
देव कार्यम् इदम् देव समाधत्स्व हुताशन
शैल पुत्र्याम् महातेजो गंगायाम् तेज उत्सृज
deva kāryam idam deva samādhatsva hutāśana
śaila putryām mahātejo gaṃgāyām teja utsṛja
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, Fire-god, you please coordinate the mission of gods, oh, great-resplendent god of Fire, you may release the potence of Shiva, which you have contained so far, in the daughter of King of Mountains, namely River Ganga.' Thus, all gods have requested the Fire-god. [1-37-11]
देवतानाम् प्रतिज्ञाय गंगाम् अभ्येत्य पावकः
गर्भम् धारय वै देवि देवतानाम् इदम् प्रियम्
devatānām pratijñāya gaṃgām abhyetya pāvakaḥ
garbham dhāraya vai devi devatānām idam priyam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On assuring the gods that he will do his best, the Fire-god approached Ganga entreating, 'Oh, Goddess Ganga, you verily bear pregnancy with the potence of Shiva, since this is the select process of all the gods.' So said Fire-god to River Ganga. [1-37-12]
इति एतत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा दिव्यम् रूपम् अधारयत्
स तस्या महिमाम् दृष्ट्वा समंतात् अवकीर्यत
iti etat vacanam śrutvā divyam rūpam adhārayat
sa tasyā mahimām dṛṣṭvā samaṃtāt avakīryata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On listening that sentence of Fire-god, River Ganga adopted a celestial form readying herself, and on seeing her glorious mien the Fire-god seeped throughout her. [1-37-13]
समंततः तदा देवीम् अभ्यषिंचत पावकः
सर्व स्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गंगाया रघुनन्दन
samaṃtataḥ tadā devīm abhyaṣiṃcata pāvakaḥ
sarva srotāṃsi pūrṇāni gaṃgāyā raghunandana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The Fire-god then drenched River Ganga from all over with the potence of Shiva which he contained so far, oh, Raghu's delight Rama, and every rill and channel of Ganga is replete with it. [1-37-14]
तम् उवाच ततो गंगा सर्व देव पुरोगमम्
अशक्ता धारणे देव तेजः तव समुद्धतम्
tam uvāca tato gaṃgā sarva deva purogamam
aśaktā dhāraṇe deva tejaḥ tava samuddhatam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"River Ganga then spoke this to the Fire-god who is in the lead of all gods, 'oh, god, I am incapable to bear up the rampant fervour of yours, and while being burnt with the fire of god Shiva compounded with that of yours my life-force is very highly tortured.' [1-37-15, 16a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"He who consumes fire-oblations on behalf of all the gods, that Fire-god seeing the miserable condition of River Ganga then spoke this to her, ''you may lay away that embryo here at the side of Himalayan Mountains.' So said Fire-god to River Ganga. [1-37-16b, 17a]
श्रुत्वा तु अग्नि वचो गंगा तम् गर्भम् अतिभास्वरम्
śrutvā tu agni vaco gaṃgā tam garbham atibhāsvaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, great-resplendent Rama, on hearing the words of Fire-god, oh, charming prince Rama, River Ganga indeed ejected that great-radiant embryo of Shiva from all her rills and channels. [1-37-17b, 18a]
यत् अस्या निर्गतम् तस्मात् तप्त जांबूनद प्रभम्
yat asyā nirgatam tasmāt tapta jāṃbūnada prabham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Which refulgent embryo with the glitter of molten gold has emerged from River Ganga is there that has reached earth, and from that the silver, and even the gold with its matchless dazzle have emerged. [1-37-18]
ताम्रम् कार्ष्णायसम् चैव तैक्ष्ण्यात् एव अभिजायत
tāmram kārṣṇāyasam caiva taikṣṇyāt eva abhijāyata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In that process, copper and iron are also generated from that combustion of fires of Shiva and Fire-god, and the residua have become tin and lead, and thus that embryo on reaching the earth has evolved itself into various other elements also. [1-37-19b, 20]
निक्षिप्त मात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिः अभिरंजितम्
सर्वम् पर्वत संनद्धम् सौवर्णम् अभवत् वनम्
nikṣipta mātre garbhe tu tejobhiḥ abhiraṃjitam
sarvam parvata saṃnaddham sauvarṇam abhavat vanam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"But, just when that embryo is laid down on Himalayan mountains, entire reed-garden sprouted on that mountain is made brilliant by that glittering embryo and the reed-garden itself has become golden. [1-37-21]
जातरूपम् इति ख्यातम् तदा प्रभृति राघव
सुवर्णम् पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशन सम प्रभम्
तृण वृक्ष लता गुल्मम् सर्वम् भवति कांचनम्
jātarūpam iti khyātam tadā prabhṛti rāghava
suvarṇam puruṣavyāghra hutāśana sama prabham
tṛṇa vṛkṣa latā gulmam sarvam bhavati kāṃcanam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, tigerly-man, from then onwards the gold with its brilliance equalling that of the Fire-god is renowned by the name of jaata ruupa , one that retains its birth-time form, and oh, Raghava, everything on the mountain, say grass, trees, climbers, and shrubs, all have become golden. [1-37-22]
PURPORT
तम् कुमारम् ततो जातम् स इन्द्राः सह मरुद् गणाः
क्षीर संभावन अर्थाय कृत्तिकाः समयोजयन्
tam kumāram tato jātam sa indrāḥ saha marud gaṇāḥ
kṣīra saṃbhāvana arthāya kṛttikāḥ samayojayan
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then for the boy who took birth from the embryo deposited in Himalayas, the Wind-gods along with Indra have arranged Krittika stars to simultaneously suckle him. [1-37-23]
ताः क्षीरम् जात मात्रस्य कृत्वा समयम् उत्तमम्
ददुः पुत्रो अयम् अस्माकम् सर्वासाम् इति निश्चिताः
tāḥ kṣīram jāta mātrasya kṛtvā samayam uttamam
daduḥ putro ayam asmākam sarvāsām iti niścitāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Those Krittika stars have decided among themselves that 'this boy shall be the son for all of us,' and on making such a best resolve they suckled the just born boy. [1-37-24]
ततः तु देवताः सर्वाः कार्तिकेय इति ब्रुवन्
पुत्रः त्रैलोक्य विख्यातो भविष्यति न संशयः
tataḥ tu devatāḥ sarvāḥ kārtikeya iti bruvan
putraḥ trailokya vikhyāto bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"All the gods have then said, 'this boy will be renowned in all the three world as Kaarthikeya, as Krittika-stars have suckled him, with any doubt.' [1-37-25]
तेषाम् तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा स्कन्नम् गर्भ परिस्रवे
स्नापयन् परया लक्ष्ंया दीप्यमानम् यथा अनलम्
teṣām tat vacanam śrutvā skannam garbha parisrave
snāpayan parayā lakṣṃyā dīpyamānam yathā analam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On hearing that blessing of gods Krittika stars gave a wash to that excellently auspicious boy who is radiant like fire, and who slid down from the secretion of the womb of Ganga. [1-37-26]
स्कंद इति अब्रुवन् देवाः स्कन्नम् गर्भ परिस्रवात्
कार्तिकेयम् महाबाहुम् काकुत्स्थ ज्वलन उपमम्
skaṃda iti abruvan devāḥ skannam garbha parisravāt
kārtikeyam mahābāhum kākutstha jvalana upamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"And gods called that boy, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, whose glow is like that of flaring fire and who is ambidextrous as 'Skanda' for he slid down from the secretions of a womb. [1-37-27]
प्रादुर्भूतम् ततः क्षीरम् कृत्तिकानाम् अनुत्तमम्
षण्णाम् षड् आननो भूत्वा जग्राह स्तनजम् पयः
prādurbhūtam tataḥ kṣīram kṛttikānām anuttamam
ṣaṇṇām ṣaḍ ānano bhūtvā jagrāha stanajam payaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then an unexcelled milk instantly came forth from the breasts of the six Krittika-stars, and becoming a six-faced one that boy too sucked that milk from the six Krittika-stars at the same time. [1-37-28]
PURPORT
गृहीत्वा क्षीरम् एक अह्ना सुकुमार वपुः तदा
अजयत् स्वेन वीर्येण दैत्य सैन्य गणान् विभुः
gṛhītvā kṣīram eka ahnā sukumāra vapuḥ tadā
ajayat svena vīryeṇa daitya sainya gaṇān vibhuḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On sipping the milk just for one day he became an adolescent boy on that day itself, and even though he is of delicate constitution as a boy, that taskmaster triumphed over the army troops of demons by his own vigour. [1-37-29]
सुर सेना गण पतिम् अभ्यषिंचत् महाद्युतिम्
ततः तम् अमराः सर्वे समेत्य अग्नि पुरोगमाः
sura senā gaṇa patim abhyaṣiṃcat mahādyutim
tataḥ tam amarāḥ sarve sametya agni purogamāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"All of the celestial have then come together under the leadership of Fire-god and they anointed that highly resplendent boy, Skanda, or Kaarthikeya, as the Chief of Celestial Army troops. [1-37-30]
एष ते राम गंगाया विस्तरो अभिहितो मया
कुमार संभवः चैव धन्यः पुण्यः तथैव च
eṣa te rāma gaṃgāyā vistaro abhihito mayā
kumāra saṃbhavaḥ caiva dhanyaḥ puṇyaḥ tathaiva ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This way, I have vividly narrated the legend of Ganga to you, oh, Rama, like that the Divine and Meritorious legend of the emergence of Kumara, namely Skanda is also narrated. [1-37-31]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे सप्त त्रिंशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe sapta triṃśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"He who is a devotee of Kartikeyaa, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, he thrives with longevity, also with sons, grandsons on this humanly earth in his mortal life, and on its conclusion he becomes one with Skanda on journeying to Skanda's abode. [1-37-32]