Chapter 38
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
ताभ्याम् सह महाराजा पत्नीभ्याम् तप्तवान् तपः
हिमवंतम् समासाद्य भृगु प्रस्रवणे गिरौ
tābhyām saha mahārājā patnībhyām taptavān tapaḥ
himavaṃtam samāsādya bhṛgu prasravaṇe girau
SYNONYMS
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
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
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]
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
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]
एका जनयिता तात पुत्रम् वंशकरम् तव
षष्टिम् पुत्र सहस्राणि अपरा जनयिष्यति
ekā janayitā tāta putram vaṃśakaram tava
ṣaṣṭim putra sahasrāṇi aparā janayiṣyati
SYNONYMS
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]]
षष्टिम् पुत्र सहस्राणि सुपर्ण भगिनी तदा
महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमतिः सुतान्
ṣaṣṭim putra sahasrāṇi suparṇa bhaginī tadā
mahotsāhān kīrtimato jagrāha sumatiḥ sutān
SYNONYMS
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]
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
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]
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
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]
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
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]
घृत पूर्णेषु कुंभेषु धात्र्यः तान् समवर्धयन्
कालेन महता सर्वे यौवनम् प्रतिपेदिरे
ghṛta pūrṇeṣu kuṃbheṣu dhātryaḥ tān samavardhayan
kālena mahatā sarve yauvanam pratipedire
SYNONYMS
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]
अथ दीर्घेण कालेन रूप यौवनशालिनः
षष्टिः पुत्र सहस्राणि सगरस्य अभवन् तदा
atha dīrgheṇa kālena rūpa yauvanaśālinaḥ
ṣaṣṭiḥ putra sahasrāṇi sagarasya abhavan tadā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"After a long time the sixty thousand sons of king Sagara have become youthful, and handsome in their aspects. [1-38-19]
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
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]
SYNONYMS
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
SYNONYMS
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]
SYNONYMS
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]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे अष्टा त्रिंशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe aṣṭā triṃśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
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]