Chapter 54

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

कामधेनुम् वसिष्ह्ठो अपि यदा न त्यजते मुनिः
तदा अस्य श्हबलाम् राम विश्ह्वामित्रो अन्वकर्ष्हत

kāmadhenum vasiṣhṭho api yadā na tyajate muniḥ
tadā asya śhabalām rāma viśhvāmitro anvakarṣhata

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | vasiṣṭhaḥ muniḥ: Vashishta, sage | kāmadhenum: desire-milker cow | yadā: when | na tyajate: not, gave up | tadā: then | viśvāmitraḥ asya śabalām anvakarṣata = Viśvamitra, that, ṣabala, dragged: started to seize. |

TRANSLATION

"When Sage Vashishta did not yield Kaamadhenu, the milker of any desire, oh, Rama, then Vishvamitra started to seize it." Sage Shataananda continued the narration of the legend of Vishvamitra. [1-54-1]

VERSE 2

नीयमाना तु श्हबला राम राज्ञा महात्मना
दुःखिता छिन्तयामास रुदंती श्होक कर्श्हिता

nīyamānā tu śhabalā rāma rājñā mahātmanā
duḥkhitā chintayāmāsa rudaṃtī śhoka karśhitā

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | mahā ātmanā = by great: soul - a determined one | rājñā = by king: Vishvamitra | nīyamānā = being led avay: dragged her away | śabalā duḥkhitā: Shabala, saddened | śoka karśitā: by anguish, stung | rudantī: while wailing | cintayāmāsa: mulled over. |

TRANSLATION

"While the determined king Vishvamitra dragged her away from Vashishta, oh, Rama, Shabala is saddened and tearfully mulled over stung by the anguish of her secession from the sage. [1-54-2]

VERSE 3

परित्यक्ता वसिष्ह्ठेन किम् अहम् सुमहात्मना
या अहम् राज भृतैः दीना ह्रियेयम् भृश्ह दुःखिता

parityaktā vasiṣhṭhena kim aham sumahātmanā
yā aham rāja bhṛtaiḥ dīnā hriyeyam bhṛśha duḥkhitā

SYNONYMS

dīnā: a pitiable one | bhṛśa duḥkhitā: muchly, anguishing one | yā aham = vhic, me: such as I am | rāja bhṛtaiḥ: by king's, servants | hriyiyeyam = vho am stolen: being led away | aham = ī am: am I | mahātmanā vasiṣṭhena parityaktā: by great-souled, Vashishta, abandoned | kim: or what? |

TRANSLATION

" 'A pitiable and highly anguished one, such as I am. I am being dragged away by the servants of the king. Has this great souled Sage Vashishta abandoned me, or what? [1-54-3]

VERSE 4

किम् मया अपकृतम् तस्य महर्ष्हेः भावित आत्मनः
यन् माम् अनागसम् भक्ताम् इष्ह्टाम् त्यजति धार्मिकः

kim mayā apakṛtam tasya maharṣheḥ bhāvita ātmanaḥ
yan mām anāgasam bhaktām iṣhṭām tyajati dhārmikaḥ

SYNONYMS

dhārmikaḥ: pietist [Vashishta] | an āgasam: less, of error [errorless one] | bhaktām: a reverent one | iṣṭām: cherished one | mām: me | yat tyajati: he who [whereby,] leaving off | bhāvita ātmanaḥ: sacred, souled one | tasya maharṣeḥ = to: towards, great-sage | mayā: by me | kim: what | apa kṛtam: misdeed done. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Or, did I do any misdeed towards that great sage of sacred soul whereby he is leaving me off. I have always been reverent and a cherished cow to that pietist and am I no errant.' That cow eulogised in this manner. [1-54-4]

VERSE 5

इति संछिन्तयित्वा तु निःश्ह्वस्य छ पुनः पुनः
जगाम वेगेन तदा वसिष्ह्ठम् परम ओजसम्

iti saṃchintayitvā tu niḥśhvasya cha punaḥ punaḥ
jagāma vegena tadā vasiṣhṭham parama ojasam

SYNONYMS

śatru sūdana: oh, enemy-subjugator, Rama | [sā: she, the cow] | iti sam cintayitvā: thus, on well, thinking | punaḥ punaḥ niḥśvasya ca: again, again, on suspiring, also | tadā: thenl anila vegena = gust, with speed of | tām śataśaḥ bhṛtyān: them, hundreds of, attendants [of king] | nir dhūya: utterly, shoving off | parama ojasam vasiṣṭham: towards highly energetic one, to Vashishta | vegena jagāma: hastily, went [rushed to] | mahātmanaḥ: of great-souled one | pāda mūlam jagāma: to foot, base, she went to. |

TRANSLATION

"On thinking thus and suspiring repeatedly, oh, enemy-subjugator, Rama, then she that Sacred Cow hastily rushed with the speed a gust and went to that highly energetic Vashishta on utterly shoving off hundreds of attendants of the king who are roping her, and then she straight went to the base of the feet of the great-souled Vashishta. [1-54-5, 6]

VERSE 7

श्हबला सा रुदन्ती छ क्रोश्हन्ती छ इदम् अब्रवीत्
वसिष्ह्ठस्य अग्रतः स्थित्वा मेघ निःस्वना

śhabalā sā rudantī cha krośhantī cha idam abravīt
vasiṣhṭhasya agrataḥ sthitvā megha niḥsvanā

SYNONYMS

sā śabalā: she, that Shabala | rudantī ca krośantī ca: moaning, also, groaning, also | vasiṣṭhasya agrataḥ sthitvā: of Vashishta, before, staying | megha niḥsvanā = cloud, vith bellovs: bellowing like thunder of the cloud | idam abravīt: this, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"She that moaning and groaning Shabala staying before the Sage Vashishta spoke this bellowing like a thunderous cloud. [1-54-7]

VERSE 8

भगवन् किम् परित्यक्ता त्वया अहम् ब्रह्मणः सुत
यस्मात् राज भटा माम् हि नयन्ते त्वत् सकाश्हतः

bhagavan kim parityaktā tvayā aham brahmaṇaḥ suta
yasmāt rāja bhaṭā mām hi nayante tvat sakāśhataḥ

SYNONYMS

brahmaṇaḥ suta: oh, Brahma's, son [brainchild] | bhagavan: oh, god | aham tvayā kim parityaktā: I, by you, why, discarded | yasmāt: whereby | rāja bhaṭā: kings, attendants | tvat sakāśataḥ: from your, proximity | mām nayante hi: me, taking away, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Son of Brahma, why I am discarded by you, whereby oh, god, the king's attendants are weaning me away from your proximity.' So Shabala urged Vashishta. [1-54-8]

VERSE 9

एवम् उक्तः तु ब्रह्मर्ष्हिर् इदम् वछनम् अब्रवीत्
श्होक संतप्त हृदयाम् स्व सारम् इव दुःखिताम्

evam uktaḥ tu brahmarṣhir idam vachanam abravīt
śhoka saṃtapta hṛdayām sva sāram iva duḥkhitām

SYNONYMS

evam uktaḥ tu brahmarṣiḥ: thus, spoke to, on his part, Brahma-sage | śoka santapta hṛdayām: by worry, worrying, hearted [to worrisome Shabala] | duḥkhitām sva sāram iva: worried, to his own, sister, as with | idam vacanam abravīt: this, sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"When he is spoken thus, then that Brahma-sage spoke this sentence to worrisome Shabala, whose heart is worrying with worry, as he would speak with his own sister in her worriment. [1-54-9]

VERSE 10

न त्वाम् त्यजामि श्हबले न अपि मे अपकृतम् त्वया
एष्ह त्वाम् नयते राजा बलात् मत्तः महाबलः

na tvām tyajāmi śhabale na api me apakṛtam tvayā
eṣha tvām nayate rājā balāt mattaḥ mahābalaḥ

SYNONYMS

śabale: oh, Shabala | tvām na tyajāmi: you, not, I am forswearing | tvayā me na apakṛtam api = by you, to me, not, misdīd done, even: you too have not fouled me | mahābalaḥ: great-mighty one | eṣa rājā: this, king is | mattaḥ [mat taḥ: from me | or, matta = ecstatic by his ovn might: king] | balāt: forcibly | tvām nayate: you, weaning away. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Neither I forswear you nor you fouled me, oh, Shabala, this king is forcibly weaning you away from me as he is beside himself with kingly arrogance. [1-54-10]

VERSE 11

न हि तुल्यम् बलम् मह्यम् राजा तु अद्य विश्हेष्हतः
बली राजा क्ष्हत्रियः छ पृथिव्याः पतिः एव छ

na hi tulyam balam mahyam rājā tu adya viśheṣhataḥ
balī rājā kṣhatriyaḥ cha pṛthivyāḥ patiḥ eva cha

SYNONYMS

mahyam balam = of mine, strength: ability | tulyam: balanceable [with his] | na hi: not, isn't it | adya viśeṣataḥ: now, above all | rājā tu: [he is a] king, on his part | rājā balī: a king, will be mighty | kṣatriyaḥ ca: Kshatriya, also | pṛthivyāḥ patiḥ eva ca: of earth, lord, even, also. |

TRANSLATION

" 'My ability is not balanceable with his, isn't it. Above all, on his part he is a king now, and a king will be mighty, he is the lord of the land and a Kshatriya, and thus we have to be subservient to a Kshatriya, isn't it. [1-54-11]

VERSE 12

इयम् अक्ष्हौहिणी पूर्णा गज वाजि रथ आकुला
हस्ति ध्वज समाकीर्णा तेन असौ बलवत्तरः

iyam akṣhauhiṇī pūrṇā gaja vāji ratha ākulā
hasti dhvaja samākīrṇā tena asau balavattaraḥ

SYNONYMS

gaja vāji ratha ākulā: elephants, horses, chariots, overcrowded | hasti dhvaja sam ākīrṇā: elephants, flags, overspread with | iyam akṣauhiṇī: this, akshauhini [unit of army] | pūrṇā: is plethoric | tena: thereby | asau balavat taraḥ = he is, in might, higher in degrī: mightier than me. |

TRANSLATION

" 'This akshauhini unit of army is plethoric, overcrowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, and overspread with flags and elephants, thereby he is mightier than me.' Thus Vashishta tried to pacify that Sacred-Cow. [1-54-12]

VERSE 13

एवम् उक्ता वसिष्ह्ठेन प्रत्युवाछ विनीतवत्
वछनम् वछनज्ञा सा ब्रह्मर्ष्हिम् अतुल प्रभम्

evam uktā vasiṣhṭhena pratyuvācha vinītavat
vachanam vachanajñā sā brahmarṣhim atula prabham

SYNONYMS

vasiṣṭhena evam uktā: by Vashishta, that way, spoken [to Cow] | vacana jñā: sentence, knower | : she that cow | atula prabham: to the one with un-balanceable, resplendence | brahmarṣim: to Brahma-sage | vacanam: sentence | vinītavat: as an obedient one | prati uvāca = in turn, spoke: replied. |

TRANSLATION

"She who is spoken that way by Vashishta, that sententious Sacred Cow, Shabala, in her turn obediently spoke this sentence to that Brahma-sage of un-balanceable resplendence. [1-54-13]

VERSE 14

न बलम् क्ष्हत्रियस्य आहुः ब्राह्मणो बलवत्तरः
ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्म बलम् दिव्यम् क्ष्हत्रात् तु बलवत्तरम्

na balam kṣhatriyasya āhuḥ brāhmaṇo balavattaraḥ
brahman brahma balam divyam kṣhatrāt tu balavattaram

SYNONYMS

brahman: oh, Brahman | kṣatriyasya balam: Kshatriya's [sovereignty's,] might | na āhuḥ: not, speak of [unstated as 'balavat taraH' mighty, more = mightier than a Brahman's, i.e., than the might of a sage] | brāhmaṇaḥ balavattaraḥ: a Brahman [sagacity is,] mightier | kṣatrāt tu: of Kshatriya's [of sovereignty's might,] but | brahma balam divyam balavat taram: Brahman's [Sage's] might, divine [angelic,] mighty, than [mightier.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Brahman, unstated is that the might of sovereignty as mightier than the might of sagacity. A sage is mightier than a sovereign. A sage's might is mightiest than the mightier sovereign, for a sage's might is angelic.' So Shabala started talking to the sage. [1-54-14]

PURPORT

This is the relevant stanza for the later time debates or essay competitions under the caption of 'pen vs. sword... which is mightier...' Here, though Vishvamitra is well aware that a sage's possession cannot be usurped, he resorted to the same. The Sacred Cow is telling the above with intolerance towards Vishvamitra's violation of the norms. saa api asahamaanaa kaama dohinii shaantyaa kShamayaa yuktam vashiShTam avocat - What a king has got to do with a sage's wealth? A sage acquires it with his ascesis and it is not another king's kingdom to conquer. sarva dhamaj~nasyaa api vishvaamitrasya etaadR^ishii buddhiH abuut | yasmai devaa prayacchanti puruShaaya paraabhavam - bala avalepana vishvamitro vashiShTha vaakyam anaadR^itya brahmasva hareNa mahaa doSham jaanan api balaat eva shabalaam aacakarSha - dk The scriptures, norms, ethics demand that a sagacious person shall not be robbed off his possession, which he acquires by his personal merit. But Vishvamitra's brain tilted this way because of his all-conquering avarice and he thought that this cow is also conquerable, and gods give such a mind only to see the greedy to fail and thus insulted of their might. na tu eva kadaacit svayam raajaa brahmaNasva adadiita - bodhaayana suutra - atha api udaaharanti - na viSham viSham iti aahuH brahmasvam viSham ucya te | brahmasvam putra pautra ghnam viSham ekaakinam haret | 'a sagacious person's possession is not to be snatched away - bodhaayana suutraa-s; 'a poison if consumed kills one that consumes it... but the possession of a sagacious person, if tried for consumption, it consumes whole lot of the consumer's sons, grandsons and his clan itself, besides the consumer...for sage's possession in itself is a lethal poison...'
VERSE 15

अप्रमेय बलम् तुभ्यम् न त्वया बलवत्तरः
विश्ह्वामित्रो महावीर्यः तेजः तव दुरासदम्

aprameya balam tubhyam na tvayā balavattaraḥ
viśhvāmitro mahāvīryaḥ tejaḥ tava durāsadam

SYNONYMS

tubhyam: to you | a prameya balam = not, matcable [immutable,] pover: is there | mahāvīryaḥ viśvāmitraḥ = great: mighty, Vishvamitra - though he is | tvayā: than you | balavat taraḥ = mighty, more than: mightier than you | na: he is not | tava tejaḥ durāsadam: your, dynamism, is invincible. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Immutable is your power as you are mightier than great-mighty Vishvamitra and invincible is your dynamism. [1-54-15]

VERSE 16

नियुङ्क्ष्ह्व माम् महातेजः त्वत् ब्रह्म बल संभृताम्
तस्य दर्पम् बलम् यत्नम् नाश्हयामि दुरात्मनः

niyuṅkṣhva mām mahātejaḥ tvat brahma bala saṃbhṛtām
tasya darpam balam yatnam nāśhayāmi durātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahātejaḥ: oh, highly resplendent one | tvat brahma bala sam bhṛtām: with your, Brahma's [sagacity's] power, replete with [i.e., me] | mām: me | niyuṅkṣva: you ordain | durātmanaḥ: of bad minded [injudicious king] | tasya darpam balam yatnam: his [Vishvamitra's,] vanity, valour, venture [to wean me from you] | nāśayāmi: I destroy [I disprove.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'Ordain me, oh, highly resplendent sage, who am replete with the power of your sagacity, and I will disprove the vanity, valour, and venture of that injudicious king for this injudicious seizure.' Thus Shabala implored the sage Vashishta. [1-54-16]

VERSE 17

इति उक्तः तु तया राम वसिष्ह्ठः सुमहायश्हाः
सृजस्व इति तदा उवाछ बलम् पर बल अर्दनम्

iti uktaḥ tu tayā rāma vasiṣhṭhaḥ sumahāyaśhāḥ
sṛjasva iti tadā uvācha balam para bala ardanam

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | tayā iti uktaḥ: by her, thus, spoken to | su mahā yaśāḥ: of very, high, glory | vasiṣṭhaḥ tu: Vashishta, on his part | tadā: then | para bala ardanam: opponent's, power, overpowering | balam sṛjasva: a power, you create | iti uvāca: thus, [sage] said to her. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Rama, when spoken by her thus, that highly glorious Vashishta said to Shabala, the do-all cow, 'create a power that can overpower the power of opponent.' Vashishta said so to Shabala.[1-54-17]

VERSE 18

तस्य तत् वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा सुरभिः सा असृजत् तदा
तस्या हुंभा रव उत्सृष्ह्टाः पह्लवाः श्हतश्हो नृप

tasya tat vachanam śhrutvā surabhiḥ sā asṛjat tadā
tasyā huṃbhā rava utsṛṣhṭāḥ pahlavāḥ śhataśho nṛpa

SYNONYMS

, 19a| tasya tat vacanam śrutvā: his, that, sentence, on hearing | sā surabhiḥ: she, that hope fulfilling cow | tadā: then | asṛjat: created [army] | nṛpa = oh, king: Rama | tasyāḥ: of her | humbhā rava utsṛṣṭāḥ: hum, mooing, sprang forth | pahlavāḥ: Pahlava-s | śataśaḥ: in hundreds | viśvāmitrasya paśyataḥ: of Vishvamitra, while witnessing | sarvam balam nāśayanti: in entirety, army [of Vishvamitra,] annihilated. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing his sentence, oh, Rama, that Sacred Cow Shabala then created Pahlava kings, sprang forth from her mooing 'hums', and hundreds of them annihilated the army of Vishvamitra in its entirety just while Vishvamitra is witnessing it. [1-54-18, 19a]

VERSE 19

स राजा परम क्रुद्धः क्रोध विस्फारित ईक्ष्हणः

sa rājā parama kruddhaḥ krodha visphārita īkṣhaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| saḥ rājā parama kruddhaḥ: he, king, utterly, infuriated | krodha visphārita īkṣaṇaḥ: by anger, wide-opened, eyed | uccāvacaiḥ śastraiḥ: many kinds of, weaponry | pahlavān nāśayāmāsa api: Pahlava-s, started to destroy, even. |

TRANSLATION

"King Vishvamitra was utterly infuriated and with wide-eyed anger he started to destroy those Pahlava-s with many a kind of his weaponry. [1-54-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

विश्ह्वामित्र अर्दितान् दृष्ह्ट्वा पह्लवान् श्हतश्हः तदा

viśhvāmitra arditān dṛṣhṭvā pahlavān śhataśhaḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| viśvāmitra arditān: by Vishvamitra, subdued by | śataśaḥ pahlavān dṛṣṭvā: hundreds, of Pahlava-s, on seeing | tadā: then | bhūya eva: again, thus | yavana miśritān: with Yavana-s, mingled with | ghorān: deadly | śakān: Shaka-s | asṛjat: she generated. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing the subdual of hundreds of Pahlava-s by Vishvamitra, then the Sacred Cow again generated deadly Shaka-s hobnobbed with Yavana-s through her mooing 'hums'. [1-54-20b, 21a]

PURPORT

These Shaka-s and Yavana-s are the Shakas, or the Scythians, or the Indo-Scythians of Max Muller. Some discussion about this is included in the endnote of Kishkindha, Ch. 43. Dharmaakuutam says: tadanu vashiShTha abhyanuj~naataa shabalaa nirmita pahlava aadi - nikR^iShTa jaati - niShuuditam svam balam vishvaamitra - iti - dk These are viewed as deadly, lowly, ruffian class of warriors in Indian viewpoint and created out of thin air by this Sacred Cow.
VERSE 21

तैः आसीत् संवृता भूमिः श्हकैः यवन मिश्ह्रितैः

taiḥ āsīt saṃvṛtā bhūmiḥ śhakaiḥ yavana miśhritaiḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| prabhāvadbhiḥ: by them who have effectuation | mahā vīryaiḥ: by them who have bravery | hema kinjalka sannibhaiḥ: those that are golden, pistils, similar to | taiḥ: with them | yavana miśritaiḥ: Yavana-s, associated with | śakaiḥ: with Shaka-s | bhūmiḥ samvṛtā āsīt: earth, covered, it became. |

TRANSLATION

"Then the earth was pervaded with the Shaka-s associated with Yavana-s, who have effectuation and bravery in overcoming their enemy forces, and who are golden in bodily colour similar to the golden pistils of flowers which complexion is outlandish. [1-54- 21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

दीर्घासिपट्टिश्हधरैर्हेमवर्णाम्बराअवृतैः

dīrghāsipaṭṭiśhadharairhemavarṇāmbarāavṛtaiḥ

SYNONYMS

b| dīrgha asi paṭṭiśa dharaiḥ: bowie, knives, broad-lances, wielding | hema varṇa ambara āvṛtaiḥ: golden, coloured, dress, clad in | pradīptaiḥ pāvakaiḥ iva = vho are: glowing, fires, as with | tat sarvam balam: that, entire, force [of Vishvamitra] | nir dagdham: is completely, burnt down. |

TRANSLATION

"Yavana-s and Shaka-s, who are wielding bowie knives and broad lances and who are clad in golden coloured dresses, and who looked like glowing fires have completely burnt down entire force of Vishvamitra. [1-54-22, 23a]

VERSE 23

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे छतुः पंछाश्हः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe chatuḥ paṃchāśhaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | mahātejāḥ viśvāmitraḥ: great-resplendent, Vishvamitra | astrāṇi mumoca ha: missiles, released, indeed | taiḥ taiḥ: by them, by them [missiles] | yavana kāmbhojā barbarāḥ ca: Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, Barbara-s, also | akulī kṛtāḥ: helter-skelter, rendered to. |

TRANSLATION

"Then that great-resplendent Vishvamitra indeed released his missiles, by which Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, and the Barbara-s, are rendered helter-skelter." Thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration of Vishvamitra. [1-54-23b,c.]

PURPORT

The Barbara-s are said in this text whereas other mms contain it as "Pahlava-s'. Even on taking Barbara-s, they are an outlandish clan and the word 'Barbara' might have been the ancestor word of the present day 'Barbarian.'