Chapter 53
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
एवम् उक्ता वसिष्ह्ठेन श्हबला श्हत्रु सूदन
विदधे कामधुक् कामान् यस्य यस्य ईप्सितम् यथा
evam uktā vasiṣhṭhena śhabalā śhatru sūdana
vidadhe kāmadhuk kāmān yasya yasya īpsitam yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, enemy-chastener Rama, when the Divine Cow Shabala is spoken in this way by Sage Vashishta, then that milker bestowed each and every fancy, fancied by each and every fancier, according to one's own fancy." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Shabala or Kaamadhenu, as a part of the legend of Vishvamitra to Rama and others. [1-53-1]
इक्ष्हून् मधून् तथा लाजान् मैरेयान् छ वर आसवान्
पानानि छ महाअर्हाणि भक्ष्ह्यान् छ उछ्छ अवछान् तथा
ikṣhūn madhūn tathā lājān maireyān cha vara āsavān
pānāni cha mahāarhāṇi bhakṣhyān cha uchcha avachān tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Shabala bestowed dishes of sugar cane and honey, and flakes of all sorts, like cornflakes, rice-flakes, also best arracks and liquors in best wineglasses, further, the drinks and foodstuffs that are very diverse and verily apposite to royalties and army-men. [1-53-2]
उष्ह्ण आढ्यस्य ओदनस्य अपि राश्हयः पर्वतोपमाः
मृष्ह्ट अन्नानि छ सूपाः छ दधि कुल्याः तथैव छ
uṣhṇa āḍhyasya odanasya api rāśhayaḥ parvatopamāḥ
mṛṣhṭa annāni cha sūpāḥ cha dadhi kulyāḥ tathaiva cha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
There emerged mountainous stacks of steamy foodstuffs, palatable side-dishes and desserts of rice etc., also the dumplings of cooked pulses, like that the cascades of curds and the other milk products likes butter, ghee, cheese etc. Thousands of silver dishes and hollowware fully replete with daintily soft drinks, like that full with sugar-candy preparations, and with preparations that comprise all the six tastes have come up together with delectable foodstuffs made out of treacly dumplings of cane sugar. [1-53-3, 4]
सर्वम् आसीत् सुसंतुष्ह्टम् हृष्ह्ट पुष्ह्ट जन आयुतम्
विश्ह्वामित्र बलम् राम वसिष्ह्ठेन सुतर्पितम्
sarvam āsīt susaṃtuṣhṭam hṛṣhṭa puṣhṭa jana āyutam
viśhvāmitra balam rāma vasiṣhṭhena sutarpitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Rama, all of the men in the forces of Vishvamitra, who are already rejoiced and regaled by the regular feasts accorded by their king Vishvamitra, are now comparatively well gladdened when feasted by Sage Vashishta, in which they rejoiced and regaled, for a good measure. [1-53-5]
विश्ह्वामित्रो अपि राजर्ष्हिः हृष्ह्ट पुष्ह्टः तदा अभवत्
स अन्तः पुर वरो राजा स ब्राह्मण पुरोहितः
viśhvāmitro api rājarṣhiḥ hṛṣhṭa puṣhṭaḥ tadā abhavat
sa antaḥ pura varo rājā sa brāhmaṇa purohitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Partaking that feast together with the best royal ladies of palace chambers, and with the court-scholars and the court-priests even the king Vishvamitra, who by his nature is a kingly sage, became exultant and energetic. [1-53-6]
स अमात्यो मंत्रि सहितः स भृत्यः पूजितः तदा
युक्तः परम हर्ष्हेण वसिष्ह्ठम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
sa amātyo maṃtri sahitaḥ sa bhṛtyaḥ pūjitaḥ tadā
yuktaḥ parama harṣheṇa vasiṣhṭham idam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When honoured along with his advisers, ministers and attendants by way of receiving a royal banquet, king Vishvamitra then in high admiration spoke this to Vashishta. [1-53-7]
पूजितो अहम् त्वया ब्रह्मन् पूज अर्हेण सुसत्कृतः
श्ह्रूयताम् अभिधास्यामि वाक्यम् वाक्य विश्हारद
pūjito aham tvayā brahman pūja arheṇa susatkṛtaḥ
śhrūyatām abhidhāsyāmi vākyam vākya viśhārada
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'You showed me a generous hospitality whereby I am esteemed by an estimable sage like you, oh, expert in sententiousness, now I wish to say for myself to which you may please listen. [1-53-8]
गवाम् श्हत सहस्रेण दीयताम् श्हबला मम
रत्नम् हि भगवन् एतत् रत्न हारी छ पार्थिवः
gavām śhata sahasreṇa dīyatām śhabalā mama
ratnam hi bhagavan etat ratna hārī cha pārthivaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, godly sage, this Shabala may be given to me for a barter of a lakh, a hundred thousand, cows. Indeed this do-all cow is a treasure, and the kings are the gatherers of treasures. Therefore bestow this cow to me. As rule this cow also belongs to me.' Thus Vishvamitra said to Vashishta. [1-53-9, 10a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When Vishvamitra addressed him in that way, the reverential sage Vashishta, who is a virtue-souled eminent saint, on his part replied the king in this way. [1-53-10b, 11a]
न अहम् श्हत सहस्रेण न अपि कोटि श्हतैः गवाम्
na aham śhata sahasreṇa na api koṭi śhataiḥ gavām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'I cannot afford Shabala, neither by the barter of a hundred thousand cows, nor by hundreds of millions of cows, nor by lots and lots of silver, either. [1-53-11b, 12a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Abandoning her from my proximity is unmeet for her, oh, enemy-subjugator, you cannot even subjugate me terroristically and try to wean this cow away from me, as Shabala is everlastingly and inseparably mine, as with the everlasting and inseparable respectability of a self-respectful person. [1-53-12b, 13a]
अस्याम् हव्यम् छ कव्यम् छ प्राण यात्रा तथैव छ
asyām havyam cha kavyam cha prāṇa yātrā tathaiva cha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This cow makes the journey of my life possible. Oblations to gods or manes, enkindling of Ritual-fire, religious sacrifices, homa -s, the sacred rituals conducted as darsha, paurNa maasi , all are dependent on her. [1-53-13b, 14a]
स्वाहा कार वष्हट् कारौ विद्याः छ विविधाः तथा
svāhā kāra vaṣhaṭ kārau vidyāḥ cha vividhāḥ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This cow is the bedrock for everything in its entirety, and regarding diverse and numerous indoctrinations, and even for add-on syllabics like svaaha, vaSaT , they are all dependent on this cow, there is no doubt about it. [1-53-14b 15a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" "In truth, this cow is everything to me and ever-gratifier, that way by so many reasons, oh, king, I cannot afford Shabala to you or to anyone." So said Vashishta to Vishvamitra. [1-53-15b, 16a]
वसिष्ह्ठेन एवम् उक्तः तु विश्ह्वामित्रो अब्रवीत् तदा
vasiṣhṭhena evam uktaḥ tu viśhvāmitro abravīt tadā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though Vashishta spoke thus Vishvamitra being an expert in sententiousness then spoke this sentence compellingly and argumentatively. [1-53-16b, 17a]
हैरण्य कक्ष्ह्या ग्रैवेयान् सुवर्ण अंकुश्ह भूष्हितान्
hairaṇya kakṣhyā graiveyān suvarṇa aṃkuśha bhūṣhitān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'I bestow upon you fourteen thousand elephants adorned with golden girdles, golden necklets and golden goads. [1-53-17b, 18a]
हैरण्यानाम् रथानाम् छ श्ह्वेत अश्ह्वानाम् छतुर् युजाम्
hairaṇyānām rathānām cha śhveta aśhvānām chatur yujām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'I will grant you eight hundred golden chariots whichever can be yoked on with four whitely-white horses trimmed up with the sets of tintinnabulating bells. [1-53-18b, 19a]
हयानाम् देश्ह जातानाम् कुल जानाम् महौजसाम्
सहस्रम् एकम् दश्ह छ ददामि तव सुव्रत
hayānām deśha jātānām kula jānām mahaujasām
sahasram ekam daśha cha dadāmi tava suvrata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'I grant you, oh, superbly vowed sage, eleven thousand fleetly galloping horses of high pedigree born in best countries of best horse breeding. [1-53-19b, c]
नाना वर्ण विभक्तानाम् वयःस्थानाम् तथैव छ
ददामि एकाम् गवाम् कोटिम् श्हबला दीयताम् मम
nānā varṇa vibhaktānām vayaḥsthānām tathaiva cha
dadāmi ekām gavām koṭim śhabalā dīyatām mama
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'I award ten million diversely coloured and differently divisionalized cows, whichever of them will be came of age as milker, thereby, let this do-all cow Shabala be given to me. [1-53-20]
यावत् इछ्छ्हसि रत्नानि हिरण्यम् वा द्विजोत्तम
तावत् ददामि ते सर्वम् दीयताम् श्हबला मम
yāvat ichchhasi ratnāni hiraṇyam vā dvijottama
tāvat dadāmi te sarvam dīyatām śhabalā mama
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Or, oh, eminent Brahman, if you yearn either for gems or gold, I gift that much of everything as much as you can yearn, let Shabala be given to me." Thus Vishvamitra entreated again. [1-53-21]
एवम् उक्तः तु भगवान् विश्ह्वामित्रेण धीमता
न दास्यामि इति श्हबलाम् प्राह राजन् कथंछन
evam uktaḥ tu bhagavān viśhvāmitreṇa dhīmatā
na dāsyāmi iti śhabalām prāha rājan kathaṃchana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When the shrewd king Vishvamitra spoke to the reverential sage Vashishta, that sage has clearly said, 'whatever it is oh, king, I do not surrender Shabala, the cow.' [1-53-22]
एतदेव हि मे रत्नम् एतदेव हि मे धनम्
एतदेव हि सर्वस्वम् एतदेव हि जीवितम्
etadeva hi me ratnam etadeva hi me dhanam
etadeva hi sarvasvam etadeva hi jīvitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Really this alone is my gemmy cow, thus I do not require your jewels or gems... truly, this alone is my treasure, thus I do not require your gilded chariots, horses or elephants... really, this alone is my everything, thus I need nothing from you... and actually, this alone is my alter-ego, thus you cannot separate me from myself. [1-53-23]
दर्श्हः छ पौर्ण मासः छ यज्ञाः छैव आप्त दक्ष्हिणाः
एतदेव हि मे राजन् विविधाः छ क्रियाः तथा
darśhaḥ cha paurṇa māsaḥ cha yajñāḥ chaiva āpta dakṣhiṇāḥ
etadeva hi me rājan vividhāḥ cha kriyāḥ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'This alone is my darsha, puurNa maasa rituals, and like that this alone is all my Vedic-rituals with worthwhile donations and oh, king, this essentially is of service in diverse activities of mine. [1-53-24]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे त्रि पंछाश्हः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe tri paṃchāśhaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, king, all of my activities are instated in this cow, then wherefore a lot of palavering a bargain or barter? I do not give away this milker any wish." So said VashishtaT to Vishvamitra, and thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration of the legend of Sacred Cow. [1-53-25]