Chapter 38

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

ताम् कथाम् कौशिको रामे निवेद्य मधुर अक्षरम्
पुनः एव अपरम् वाक्यम् काकुत्स्थम् इदम् अब्रवीत्

tām kathām kauśiko rāme nivedya madhura akṣaram
punaḥ eva aparam vākyam kākutstham idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

kauśikaḥ: descendent of Kaushika, Vishvamitra | tām kathām: that, legend of Kaarthikeya | rāme nivedya = in ṟama, to ṟama, on submitting: describing | punaḥ eva = again, thus: further | idam aparam vākyam: , this, best, sentence | madhura akṣaram: in melodious, words | kākutstham abravīt: to Rama of Kakutstha, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

Describing that legend of Kaartikeya to Rama, the descendent of Kaushi, namely sage Vishvamitra has further spoken this best sentence worded melodiously to Rama, the descendent of Kakutstha. [1-38-1]

VERSE 2

अयोध्या अधिपतिः वीरः पूर्वम् आसीत् नराधिपः
सगरो नाम धर्मात्मा प्रजाकामः स च अप्रजः

ayodhyā adhipatiḥ vīraḥ pūrvam āsīt narādhipaḥ
sagaro nāma dharmātmā prajākāmaḥ sa ca aprajaḥ

SYNONYMS

pūrvam: once upon a time | ayodhyā adhipatiḥ: Ayodhya's, king | vīraḥ dharmātmā: valiant one, virtue-souled one | sagaraḥ nāma: Sagara, renowned as | saḥ: he was | a prajaḥ: without, offspring | prajā kāmaḥ ca: offspring, longing for, also. |

TRANSLATION

"Once there was a valiant an virtue-souled king of Ayodhya named Sagara, who is without offspring, as such he was longing for offspring. [1-38-2]

VERSE 3

वैदर्भ दुहिता राम केशिनी नाम नामतः
ज्येष्ठा सगर पत्नी सा धर्मिष्ठा सत्य वादिनी

vaidarbha duhitā rāma keśinī nāma nāmataḥ
jyeṣṭhā sagara patnī sā dharmiṣṭhā satya vādinī

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: oh, Rama | vaidarbha duhitā: Vidarbha [king of], daughter | nāmataḥ keśinī nāma: by name, Keshini, renowned as | jyeṣṭhā sagara patnī: elder, Sagara's, wife | sā dharma iṣṭhā satya vādinī: she is, virtue, minded, truth, advocate of. |

TRANSLATION

"The daughter of King of Vidarbha, renowned by name Keshini, is the eldest wife of Sagara, and she was virtue-minded, and an advocate of truth. [1-38-3]

VERSE 4

अरिष्ठनेमि दुहिता सुपर्ण भगिनी तु सा
द्वितीया सगरस्य आसीत् पत्नी सुमति संज्ञिता

ariṣṭhanemi duhitā suparṇa bhaginī tu sā
dvitīyā sagarasya āsīt patnī sumati saṃjñitā

SYNONYMS

ariṣṭhanemeḥ duhitā: Arishtanemi's, daughter | suparṇa bhaginī tu: Garuda's, sister, on her part | sumati samjñitā = ṣumati, indicated by: designated by that name | sā sagarasya: she is of Sagara | dvitīyā patnī āsīt: second, wife, was there. |

TRANSLATION

"The daughter of Arishtanemi, namely sage Kashyapa, and who is also the sister of Garuda, the Divine-Eagle-vehicle of Vishnu, is the second wife of Sagara, who is known by the name Sumati. [1-38-4]

VERSE 5

ताभ्याम् सह महाराजा पत्नीभ्याम् तप्तवान् तपः
हिमवंतम् समासाद्य भृगु प्रस्रवणे गिरौ

tābhyām saha mahārājā patnībhyām taptavān tapaḥ
himavaṃtam samāsādya bhṛgu prasravaṇe girau

SYNONYMS

tābhyām patnībhyām saha: with them two, with two wives, along with | [saḥ: he that] | mahārājā: great-king | himavantam sam āsādya: Himalayas, on well-reaching | bhṛgu pra sravaṇe girau: on Brhugu-prasavana, mountain | tapaḥ taptavān: ascesis, he undertook |

TRANSLATION

"Reaching the Himalayan Mountains along with his two wives that great King Sagara practised asceticism on a mountain called Brugu-prsravana for progeny. [1-38-5]

PURPORT

The Mt. Brugu-prsravana is said to be among Himalayan range on which the kindness of Sage Bhrigu is ever- flowing.
VERSE 6

अथ वर्ष शते पूर्णे तपसा आराधितो मुनिः
सगराय वरम् प्रादाद् भृगुः सत्यवताम् वरः

atha varṣa śate pūrṇe tapasā ārādhito muniḥ
sagarāya varam prādād bhṛguḥ satyavatām varaḥ

SYNONYMS

atha varṣa śate pūrṇe: then, years, hundred, on completion of | tapasā ārādhitaḥ: with asceticism, one who is worshipped | satyavatām varaḥ: among patrons of truth, prominent one | bhṛguḥ muniḥ: Bhrugu, the sage | sagarāya varam prādād: to Sagara, boon, bestowed. |

TRANSLATION

"On completion of a hundred years of ascesis, and when the Sage Bhrugu is worshipped with asceticism, that sage who is a prominent one among the patrons of truth bestowed a boon to Sagara. [1-38-6]

VERSE 7

अपत्य लाभः सुमहान् भविष्यति तव अनघ
कीर्तिम् च अप्रतिमाम् लोके प्राप्स्यसे पुरुषर्षभ

apatya lābhaḥ sumahān bhaviṣyati tava anagha
kīrtim ca apratimām loke prāpsyase puruṣarṣabha

SYNONYMS

anagha: oh, merited one | tava: to you | su mahān apatya labhaḥ bhaviṣyati: very, admirable, progeny, achievement, will be there | puruṣarṣabha: oh, best one among men | loke: in world | a pratimām kīrtim ca: not, paralleled, renown, also |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, merited one, you will achieve very admirable progeny, and oh, best one among men, you will also acquire an unparalleled renown in the world. [1-38-7]

VERSE 8

एका जनयिता तात पुत्रम् वंशकरम् तव
षष्टिम् पुत्र सहस्राणि अपरा जनयिष्यति

ekā janayitā tāta putram vaṃśakaram tava
ṣaṣṭim putra sahasrāṇi aparā janayiṣyati

SYNONYMS

tāta: oh, dear-sire | ekā = one: wife | tava vamśa karam: your, dynasty, enriching | putram: one son | janayiṣyati: will give birth to | aparā: the other [wife] | ṣaṣṭim putra sahasrāṇi = sikṣty, sons, a thousand of: six thousand sons | janayitā: will beget. |

TRANSLATION

" 'One of your wives will mother a son who enriches your dynasty, oh, dear sire, and the other mothers sixty thousand sons.' Said Sage Bhrigu to Sagara. [1-38-8]

VERSE 9

भाषमाणम् महात्मानम् राज पुत्र्यौ प्रसाद्य तम्
ऊचतुः परम प्रीते कृतांजलि पुटे तदा

bhāṣamāṇam mahātmānam rāja putryau prasādya tam
ūcatuḥ parama prīte kṛtāṃjali puṭe tadā

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | parama prīte: highly, gladdened | rāja putryau = king's, daughters: queens of Sagara | kṛta anjali puṭe: on making, adjoined palm's, planes | bhāṣamāṇam mahātmānam = he vho is saying thus, great: soul - Sage Bhrigu | prasādya: on gaining his grace | tam ūcatuḥ: to him spoke. |

TRANSLATION

Highly gladdened are the daughters of kings of Vidarbha and Aristanemi, i.e., the queens of Sagara, and on making palm-fold in supplication at the sage who is speaking that way, and on gaining the grace of that sage they spoke to him. [1-38-9]

VERSE 10

एकः कस्याः सुतो ब्रह्मन् का बहून् जनयिष्यति
श्रोतुम् इच्छावहे ब्रह्मन् सत्यम् अस्तु वचः तव

ekaḥ kasyāḥ suto brahman kā bahūn janayiṣyati
śrotum icchāvahe brahman satyam astu vacaḥ tava

SYNONYMS

brahman: oh, Brahman | kasyāḥ ekaḥ sutaḥ = to vhom, one, son: will be there | śrotum icchāvahe: to listen, we two wish to | tava vacaḥ satyam astu: your, word, let come, true. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Which of us will carry one son, oh, Brahma-sage, and which of us begets numerous sons, we two wish to listen about that, oh, Brahman, let your word betide truth.' Thus, the queens of Sagara spoke to the sage. [1-38-10]

VERSE 11

तयोः तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा भृगुः परमधार्मिकः
उवाच परमाम् वाणीम् स्वच्छन्दो अत्र विधीयताम्

tayoḥ tat vacanam śrutvā bhṛguḥ paramadhārmikaḥ
uvāca paramām vāṇīm svacchando atra vidhīyatām

SYNONYMS

parama dhārmikaḥ bhṛguḥ = one vith: sublime, sanctity, sage Bhrigu | tayoḥ tat vacanam śrutvā: of their, words, on listening | paramām vāṇīm uvāca: with glorious, tone, spoke | atra = in this matter: this issue | svacchandaḥ vidhīyatām = [your] frīvill, be brought to bear: you may exercise. |

TRANSLATION

On listening their words the Sage Bhrigu spoke in a glorious tone, 'let your freewill be brought to bear this issue. [1-38-11]

VERSE 12

एको वंश करो वा अस्तु बहवो वा महाबलाः
कीर्तिमन्तो महोत्साहाः का वा कम् वरम् इच्छति

eko vaṃśa karo vā astu bahavo vā mahābalāḥ
kīrtimanto mahotsāhāḥ kā vā kam varam icchati

SYNONYMS

vamśa karaḥ ekaḥ astu vā: dynasty, enriching, one son, there shall be, whether | mahā balāḥ: highly, energetic ones | kīrtimantaḥ: highly renowned ones | mahā utsāhāḥ: highly, enthusiastic ones | bahavaḥ vā: numerous, whether | kā vā = vho, either: among you two | kam varam icchati: what, boon, wanted. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Whether one wants one son who enriches dynasty, or whether numerous sons who will be highly energetic, highly renowned, and highly enthusiastic. Who wants which boon from either of them?' Thus, the Sage gave them the option. [1-38-12]

VERSE 13

मुनेः तु वचनम् श्रुत्वा केशिनी रघुनंदन
पुत्रम् वंश करम् राम जग्राह नृप संनिधौ

muneḥ tu vacanam śrutvā keśinī raghunaṃdana
putram vaṃśa karam rāma jagrāha nṛpa saṃnidhau

SYNONYMS

raghu nandana: oh, Raghu's, delight Rama | rāma: oh, Rama | muneḥ tu vacanam śrutvā: of sage, but, words, on listening | keśinī vamśa karam putram: queen Keshini, dynasty, enriching, son | nṛpa sannidhau jagrāha = king [ṣagara,] in the presence of, taken: chosen. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening the words of the sage, oh, Rama, oh, delighter of Raghu's dynasty, the first queen Keshini has chosen one son who enriches the dynasty in the presence of King Sagara. [1-38-13]]

VERSE 14

षष्टिम् पुत्र सहस्राणि सुपर्ण भगिनी तदा
महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमतिः सुतान्

ṣaṣṭim putra sahasrāṇi suparṇa bhaginī tadā
mahotsāhān kīrtimato jagrāha sumatiḥ sutān

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | su parṇa bhaginī: mighty winged -m Garudas, sister | sumatiḥ: Sumati | maha utsāhān kīrtimataḥ: great, enthusiastic, highly reputed ones | ṣaṣṭim: sixty | putra sahasrāṇi: sons, thousand | sutān: as sons | jagrāha: taken [chosen,], sons. |

TRANSLATION

"Sumati, the sister of mighty-winged Garuda and the second queen of Ssagara has then chosen sixty thousand sons with great enthusiasm and high reputation. [1-38-14]

VERSE 15

प्रदक्षिणम् ऋषिम् कृत्वा शिरसा अभिप्रणंय च
जगाम स्व पुरम् राजा सभार्या रघु नन्दन

pradakṣiṇam ṛṣim kṛtvā śirasā abhipraṇaṃya ca
jagāma sva puram rājā sabhāryā raghu nandana

SYNONYMS

raghu nandana: oh, Raghu's, scion of | sa bhāryā rājā: with, wives, king | ṛṣim pradakṣiṇam kṛtvā: to sage, circumambulation, on performing | śirasā abhi praṇamya ca: head-bent, reverenced, also | sva puram jagāma: own, city proceeded to. |

TRANSLATION

"On performing circumambulations to the Sage Bhrigu along with wives, oh, Raghu's scion, also on reverencing him head-bent, the king Sagara proceeded to his own city. [1-38-15]

VERSE 16

अथ काले गते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठा पुत्रम् व्यजायत
असमंज इति ख्यातम् केशिनी सगरात्मजम्

atha kāle gate tasmin jyeṣṭhā putram vyajāyata
asamaṃja iti khyātam keśinī sagarātmajam

SYNONYMS

atha: then | tasmin kāle gate: that, time, on passing | jyeṣṭhā keśinī = elder: wife, Keshini | sagara ātmajam: Sagara's, son | asamanja iti khyāta = āsamanja, thus: known as | putram vyajāyata: to son, gave birth. |

TRANSLATION

"When the time rolled by then the elder wife Keshini gave birth to the son of Sagara who is reputed by the name Asamanja. [1-38-16]

VERSE 17

सुमतिः तु नरव्याघ्र गर्भ तुंबम् व्यजायत
षष्टिः पुत्र सहस्राणि तुंब भेदात् विनिःसृताः

sumatiḥ tu naravyāghra garbha tuṃbam vyajāyata
ṣaṣṭiḥ putra sahasrāṇi tuṃba bhedāt viniḥsṛtāḥ

SYNONYMS

nara vyāghra: man, the tiger | sumati tu: Sumati, on her part | garbha tumbam: neonate, which is gourd-like | vyajāyata [vi a jāyatā]: verily, delivered | tumba bhedāt: gourd-like egg, on breaking up | ṣaṣṭiḥ putra sahasrāṇi: sixty, sons, thousand | viniḥsṛtāḥissued forth: from that gourd-like egg. |

TRANSLATION

"But the second queen Sumati on part, oh, tigerly-man Rama, verily delivered a round and long egg which is like a single gourd, and on breaking it up sixty thousand sons are issued forth from that cucumber like egg. [1-38-17]

VERSE 18

घृत पूर्णेषु कुंभेषु धात्र्यः तान् समवर्धयन्
कालेन महता सर्वे यौवनम् प्रतिपेदिरे

ghṛta pūrṇeṣu kuṃbheṣu dhātryaḥ tān samavardhayan
kālena mahatā sarve yauvanam pratipedire

SYNONYMS

dhātryaḥ: childminders | tān: them, the sons came from egg | ghṛta pūrṇeṣu kumbheṣu: ghee [clarified butter,] filled with, in vessels | sam vavardhayanv: brought up the siblings | sarve = all of them: the children | mahatā kālena: after protracted, time | yauvanam pratipedire: youthfulness, attained. |

TRANSLATION

"The childminders brought up those siblings in vessels filled with ghee, the clarified butter, and after a protracted time all of the children have attained youthfulness. [1-38-18]

VERSE 19

अथ दीर्घेण कालेन रूप यौवनशालिनः
षष्टिः पुत्र सहस्राणि सगरस्य अभवन् तदा

atha dīrgheṇa kālena rūpa yauvanaśālinaḥ
ṣaṣṭiḥ putra sahasrāṇi sagarasya abhavan tadā

SYNONYMS

atha dīrgheṇa kālena: after, a long, time | sagarasya: of Sagara | ṣaṣṭiḥ putra sahasrāṇi: sixty, sons, thousand | tadā: then | rūpa yauvana śālinaḥ: with [handsome] aspect, with youthfulness | abhavat: they became. |

TRANSLATION

"After a long time the sixty thousand sons of king Sagara have become youthful, and handsome in their aspects. [1-38-19]

VERSE 20

स च ज्येष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठ सगरस्य आत्म संभवः
बालान् गृहीत्वा तु जले सरय्वा रघुनंदन

sa ca jyeṣṭho naraśreṣṭha sagarasya ātma saṃbhavaḥ
bālān gṛhītvā tu jale sarayvā raghunaṃdana

SYNONYMS

, 21a| nara śreṣṭha = oh, man, best among: Rama | raghu nandana: oh, Raghu's, delight | jyeṣṭhaḥ: elder one [Asamanja] | saḥ sagarasya ātma sambhavaḥ = he, that ṣagara's, ovn, born: son | nityam bālān gṛhītvā: always, children, on grabbing | sarayvā jale prakṣipya = ṟiver ṣarayu's, in vater, on hurling: the children | majjataḥ tān nirīkṣya: drowning, them, on seeing | prahasan vai = used to laugh, indīd: used to enjoy. |

TRANSLATION

But, oh, best one among men, oh, Rama, the elder son of the king Sagara, namely Asamanja, always used to grab and hurl children into the waters of River Sarayu, and on seeing the drowning children he used to enjoy with laughter. [1-38-20, 21a]

VERSE 21

एवम् पाप समाचारः सज्जन प्रतिबाधकः

evam pāpa samācāraḥ sajjana pratibādhakaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| evam: this way | pāpa samācāraḥ: sinister, with practise activity | sajjana prati bādhakaḥ: goodmen, towards, torturer | paurāṇām a hite yuktaḥ = of citizens, not, desirable: sadistic thinking, delighted in | pitrā purāt nirvāsitaḥ: by father, from city, expatriated. |

TRANSLATION

This way, when that son Asamanja is with sinister activity, a torturer of goodmen, and delighter in the undesirable activities towards citizens, his father king Sagara expatriated him from the city. [1-38-21b, 22a]

PURPORT

This Asamanja appears to be the person from the first-generation of sadistic child abusers, prior to Kamsa of Bhagavata.
VERSE 22

तस्य पुत्रो अंशुमान् नाम असमंजस्य वीर्यवान्

tasya putro aṃśumān nāma asamaṃjasya vīryavān

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| tasya asamanjasya putraḥ: his, of Asamanja, son | vīryavān: a valorous one | amśumān nāma: Anshuman, by name | sarva lokasya sammataḥ: by all, people, acceptable one | sarvasya api priyam vadaḥ: with all [people,] even, fondly, one who converses with. |

TRANSLATION

But Asamanja's son is a valorous one, who by name is Anshuman, and who is an acceptable one for all people and who fondly converses with all. [1-38 -22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

ततः कालेन महता मतिः समभिजायत

tataḥ kālena mahatā matiḥ samabhijāyata

SYNONYMS

b, 24a| naraśreṣṭha = oh, best: of-men - Rama | tataḥ mahatā kālena: then, after a long, time | sagarasya: for Sagara | yajeyam iti: I will perform ritual, thus | niścitā matiḥ sam abhijāyata: decided, thought, well, chanced. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, best one among men, Rama, then after along time a decided thought has occurred to king Sagara that, 'I shall perform a Vedic-ritual.'[1-38-23b, 24a]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे अष्टा त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe aṣṭā triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| tadā: then | veda jñaḥ = Veda: s, knower of - expert in | saḥ rājā: he, that king Sagara | saha upādhyāya gaṇaḥ: along with, religious-teachers, assemblages of | yajña karmaṇi: in respect of Vedic-ritual's, proceedings | niścayam kṛtvā: decision, on making | yaṣṭum sam upa cakrame: to perform ritual, [well, near, started] commenced. |

TRANSLATION

"That king Sagara who is an expert in Vedic-procedures has then taken a decision along with the assemblages of his religious-teachers insofar as the procedures of the ritual are concerned, and he commenced to perform the Vedic-ritual. [1-38-24b, c]