Chapter 58

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

ततः त्रिश्हंकोः वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा क्रोध समन्वितम्
ऋष्हि पुत्र श्हतम् राम राजानम् इदम् अब्रवीत्

tataḥ triśhaṃkoḥ vachanam śhrutvā krodha samanvitam
ṛṣhi putra śhatam rāma rājānam idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | triśankoḥ vacanam śrutvā: Trishanku's, sentence, on hearing | tataḥ: then | ṛṣi putra śatam: sage, sons, hundred | krodha sam anvitam: fury, very, conjoined [infuriated] | rājānam idam abravīt: to king, this, said. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing the sentence of Trishanku, oh, Rama, the hundred sons of sage Vashishta infuriately said this to that king." Thus, sage Shataananda continued his narration to Rama and others. [1-58-1]

VERSE 2

प्रत्याख्यातो असि दुर्बुद्धे गुरुणा सत्य वादिना
तम् कथम् समतिक्रंय श्हाखा अन्तरम् उपेयिवान्

pratyākhyāto asi durbuddhe guruṇā satya vādinā
tam katham samatikraṃya śhākhā antaram upeyivān

SYNONYMS

dur buddhe: oh, slow, witted one [king] | satya vādinā guruṇā prati ākhyātaḥ asi: truth, advocator of, by mentor [Vashishta,] against, said [denounced,] you are | tam: him | sam ati kramya = verily, over, stepping: transgressing | śākhā antaram: branch, another | katham: how | upeyivān = come nigh of: approaching. |

TRANSLATION

" 'You slow-witted king, your veracious mentor has denounced you. But transgressing him how do you approach another branch of the same tree of wisdom, when that very tree rejected you?' So the sons of Vashishta have started to denounce Trishanku. [1-58-2]

VERSE 3

इक्ष्ह्वाकूणाम् हि सर्वेष्हाम् पुरोधाः परमा गतिः
न छ अतिक्रमितुम् श्हक्यम् वछनम् सत्य वादिनः

ikṣhvākūṇām hi sarveṣhām purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ
na cha atikramitum śhakyam vachanam satya vādinaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarveṣām ikṣvākūṇām: for all, Ikshvaku-s | purodhāḥ paramā gatiḥ hi: Royal Priest is, ultimate, course, isn't it | satya vādinaḥ = of truth, advocator's: veracious priest | vacanam = sentence: words of advise | atikramitum: to transgress | na śakyam: not, possible. |

TRANSLATION

" 'The Royal Priest is the ultimate course for all of Ikshvaku-s, isn't it. It is impossible to transgress the word of advise of such a veracious Priest. [1-58-3]

VERSE 4

अश्हक्यम् इति स उवाछ वसिष्ह्ठो भगवान् ऋष्हिः
तम् वयम् वै समाहर्तुम् क्रतुम् श्हक्ताः कथंछन

aśhakyam iti sa uvācha vasiṣhṭho bhagavān ṛṣhiḥ
tam vayam vai samāhartum kratum śhaktāḥ kathaṃchana

SYNONYMS

vasiṣṭhaḥ bhagavān ṛṣiḥ: Vashishta is, most reverential, sage | saḥ: such [a sage] | a śakyam iti: not, possible, thus | uvāca: has [already] said | tam: that [type of] | kratum: ritual | sam āhartum: to effectuate | vayam: we | kathamcana śaktāḥ: in which way, capable. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Vashishta is the most reverential sage and such a sage has already said it is impossible to conduct such a Vedic-ritual. Then, in which way we are capable to conduct such a Vedic-ritual? [1-58-4]

VERSE 5

बालिश्हः त्वम् नर श्ह्रेष्ह्ठ गंयताम् स्व पुरम् पुनः
याजने भगवान् श्हक्तः त्रैलोक्यस्य अपि पार्थिव

bāliśhaḥ tvam nara śhreṣhṭha gaṃyatām sva puram punaḥ
yājane bhagavān śhaktaḥ trailokyasya api pārthiva

SYNONYMS

, 6a| nara śreṣṭha: for men, the best [here, king of subjects] | tvam bāliśaḥ: you are, childish | punaḥ sva puram gamyatām: again, [to your] own, city, get back | pārthiva: oh, king | bhagavān: godlike [Vashishta is] | trailokyasya api: by [kings] of three worlds | yājane śaktaḥ: in orchestration of ritual, is capable | [tat: therefore] | tasya: his [to reputation] | ava mānam: not, reputing [to disrepute] | kartum: to do | vayam katham śakśāyāmahe: we, how, capable of. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh king of subjects, better get back to your own city again for you are childish. That godlike Vashishta alone is capable to orchestrate any ritual by any king in all the three worlds. Oh, king, how then we are capable to cause a disrepute to his reputation.' Thus, the sons of Vashishta refuted Trishanku. [1-58-5, 6a]

VERSE 6

तेष्हाम् तद् वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा क्रोध पर्याकुल अक्ष्हरम्

teṣhām tad vachanam śhrutvā krodha paryākula akṣharam

SYNONYMS

b, 7a| saḥ rājā: that, king | krodha paryākula akṣaram: with fury, highly faltering, having words | teṣām tat vacanam śrutvā: from them, that, sentence, on hearing | punaḥ eva: further, thus | etān idam vacanam abravīt: to all of them, this, sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing that sentence of theirs which is highly faltering with words of fury that king further spoke this sentence to all of them." So Shataananda continued. [1-58-6b, 7a]

VERSE 7

प्रत्याख्यातो भगवता गुरु पुत्रैः तथैव हि

pratyākhyāto bhagavatā guru putraiḥ tathaiva hi

SYNONYMS

b, 8a| tapaḥ dhanāḥ: oh, ascetically, wealthy [scholars] | bhagavatā: by godlike [Vashishta] | tathā eva: like that, even | guru putraiḥ: by mentor's, sons | pratyākhyātaḥ: I am rejected | hi: indeed | anyām gatim gamiṣyāmi: another, objective, I wish to reach at | svasti vaḥ astu: safe, to you, betide |

TRANSLATION

" 'I am indeed rejected by the godlike Vashishta, likewise even by you, the sons of the same mentor, as such oh, ascetically wealthy scholars, in this state obloquy I will resort to another recourse, let safety betide you.' So Trishanku bade farewell to the sons of Vashishta, but... [1-58-7b, 8a]

VERSE 8

ऋष्हि पुत्राः तु तत् श्ह्रुत्वा वाक्यम् घोर अभिसंहितम्

ṛṣhi putrāḥ tu tat śhrutvā vākyam ghora abhisaṃhitam

SYNONYMS

b, 9a| ṛṣi putrāḥ tu: sage's, sons, on their part | ghora abhi sam hitam: calamity, towards, well, inclusive of [an idea inclusive of and leading towards a calamitous situation] | tat vākyam śrutvā: that, sentence, on hearing | parama sam kruddhāḥ: highly, verily, with fury | caṇḍālatvam gamiṣyasi: state of a [basely] profaner, you get into | śepuḥ: cursed. |

TRANSLATION

"But the sons of the sage Vashishta, on hearing that sentence of the king, that is inclusive of and leading to a calamitous situation, have become very highly infuriated and cursed saying, 'you shall get into a state of basely profaner.' That is the curse issued by the sons of Vashishta to Trishanku. [1-58-8b, 9a]

PURPORT

This expression caNDaal has its own impact. The nomenclature of caNDaal is not the present day 'untouchable' 'outcaste' or a 'pariah' etc., because he is also a member and an important functionary in Hindu system of castes. In Aranya Kanda Seetha admonishes Ravana with the same wording at 3-56-18. The analogy she uses there is to differentiate between functionaries like the Vedic-scholar and the caste-bound Profaner [meaning: one who is not initiated into religious rites or any esoteric knowledge... but socially designated as a Cremator] and between the Altar of Fire and Fire of Pyre, and between the Vedic Ritual and Funeral Rites, both involving Vedic-hymns. A Vedic scholar, or a true Brahmin may perhaps conduct a yaj~na but he is no authority to conduct antya kriya 'funerals' till its end. At best, a priest's function is until the lighting of the pyre, and even perhaps until kapaala moksha 'breakage of cranium...' and from then on it is the function of this caNDaal to take care of the corpse consigned to fire and for its complete cremation, since leaving half burnt corpse to vultures and wolves is sinning as well as for unsanitary situations. Thus, if a Vedic scholar conducts jaata aadi kriyaaH 'rites from birth onwards...' as an initiator, then a caNDaal conducts antya, uttara kriyaaH 'rites of death afterwards...' as a terminator. This verbiage is to demark the relative values of functionaries, according to the maxim 'a donkey is to bear and a dog is to bark...' and if their functions are reversed, reversed are our results.
VERSE 9

इति उक्त्वा ते महात्मानो विविश्हुः स्वम् स्वम् आश्ह्रमम्

iti uktvā te mahātmāno viviśhuḥ svam svam āśhramam

SYNONYMS

b, 10a| mahātmānaḥ: those who are great-souls | te iti uktvā: they, this way, on saying | svam svam āśramam viviśuḥ = [into their] ovn, [their] ovn, hermitage, entered: they withdrew | atha rātryām vyatītāyām: then, night, when elapsed | rājā caṇḍālatām gataḥ: king, state of basely profaner, entered into. |

TRANSLATION

"On saying thus those great-souled sons of Vashishta withdrew to one's own hermitage and when that night elapsed into day then the king lapsed into a state of basely profaner. [1-58-9b, 10a]

VERSE 10

नील वस्त्र धरो नीलः परुष्हो ध्वस्त मूर्धजः

nīla vastra dharo nīlaḥ paruṣho dhvasta mūrdhajaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 11a| nīla vastra dharaḥ: black, cloths, wearing | nīlaḥ: a blackamoor | paruṣaḥ = one lacking gentleness or refinement: rugged person | dhvasta mūrdha jaḥ: spoiled [shaggy,] head, born [hair, head-hair] | citya: funeral/crematory | mālya: wreaths | anulepaḥ ca: smeared items [ashes,] also | āyasa ābharaṇaḥ: iron, decorations | abhavat: rendered into. |

TRANSLATION

"He is now wearing blackish cloths which on yestereve were ochry silks, he is now a blackamoor who on yestereve was a gilt-royalty, his head-hair is shaggy which earlier was silkily soft, and his royal garlands which were richly fragrant are now funeral wreaths, and he is besmeared with crematory ashes which were regal emollients, and his royal jewellery is now rendered into iron adornments. [1-58-10b, 11a]

VERSE 11

तम् दृष्ह्ट्वा मंत्रिणः सर्वे त्यज्य छण्डाल रूपिणम्

tam dṛṣhṭvā maṃtriṇaḥ sarve tyajya chaṇḍāla rūpiṇam

SYNONYMS

b, 12a| rāma: oh, Rama | caṇḍāla rūpiṇam: one in profaner's, mien | tam dṛṣṭvā: him, on seeing | sarve: all | mantriṇaḥ: ministers | paurāḥ: citizens | ye asya anugāminaḥ: subjects, who, followers [retinue] | tyajya: on deserting him | sahitā prādravan = collectively: in masses, took to flight |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing him in the mien of a profaner, oh, Rama, all of his ministers and the subjects and his own retinue have deserted him and took to flight in masses. [1-58-11b, 12a]

VERSE 12

एको हि राजा काकुत्स्थ जगाम परम आत्मवान्

eko hi rājā kākutstha jagāma parama ātmavān

SYNONYMS

b, 13a| kākutstha: Rama of Kakutstha | parama ātmavān: highly [resolutely,] soulful one [self-assured one] | rājā: king | ekaḥ divā rātram: for one, day, night | dahyamānaḥ: being seethed | tapaḥ dhanam viśvāmitram jagāma: to ascetically, prosperous one, to Vishvamitra, went. |

TRANSLATION

"Though that resolutely self-assured king seethed for one night and day for this mishap, then went to the ascetically prosperous Vishvamitra. [1-58-12b, 13a]

VERSE 13

विश्ह्वामित्रः तु तम् दृष्ह्ट्वा राजानम् विफली कृतम्

viśhvāmitraḥ tu tam dṛṣhṭvā rājānam viphalī kṛtam

SYNONYMS

b, 14a| rāma: oh, Rama | muniḥ viśvāmitraḥ tu: sage, Vishvamitra, on his part | vi phalī kṛtam: without, fruit [failed, precluded one,] made as | caṇḍāla rūpiṇam: profaner's, in mien | tam rājānam dṛṣṭvā: that, king, on seeing | kāruṇyam āgataḥ = sympathy, came: Vishvamitra became sympathetic. |

TRANSLATION

But on seeing at that mien of the king which is rendered to that of a precluded profaner from kingship and for officiating rituals etc., oh, Rama, sage Vishvamitra because sympathetic. [1-58-13b, 14a]

PURPORT

The preclusion of the king by way of his transfiguring into a profaner is not only from his kingship, by which he is debarred from officiating Vedic rituals etc., but also from his aihika aamuSmika bhogaaH 'earthly and heavenly enjoyments...' because a king is a godsend being.
VERSE 14

कारुण्यात् स महातेजा वाक्यम् परम धार्मिकः

kāruṇyāt sa mahātejā vākyam parama dhārmikaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 15a| mahā tejāḥ: great-resplendent one | parama dhārmikaḥ: highly, generous one | saḥ: he that Vishvamitra | kāruṇyāt: owing to compassion | ghora darśanam rājānam: who is terrible, in his aspect, to king | te bhadram: to you, safety | idam vākyam jagāda: this, sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

"The great-resplendent sage and highly generous Vishvamitra firstly said to that king who is in a terrible aspect 'let safety betide you,' and then spoke on this sentence to him. [1-58-14b, 15a]

VERSE 15

किम् आगमन कार्यम् ते राजपुत्र महाबल

kim āgamana kāryam te rājaputra mahābala

SYNONYMS

, 16a| mahābala rāja putra = oh, great: mighty, king's, son - prince | te āgamana kāryam kim: your, arrival [visit,] work [purpose,] what is | ayodhyā adhipate vīra: Ayodhya's, chieftain, oh, brave one | śāpāt caṇḍālatām gataḥ: by curse, state of profaner, you got [accurst.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'What is the purpose of your visit, oh, great-mighty prince Trishanku, oh, brave lord of Ayodhya, you are accurst to the state of profaner.' [1-58-15, 16a]

VERSE 16

अथ तत् वाक्यम् आकर्ण्य राजा छण्डालताम् गतः

atha tat vākyam ākarṇya rājā chaṇḍālatām gataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| atha: then | caṇḍālatām gataḥ: state of profaner, accurst to | vākya jñaḥ rājā = sentence, knover, king: diligent king, Trishanku | tat vākyam ākarṇya: that, sentence, on listening | prānjaliḥ vākya kovidam vākyam abravīt: with adjoined-palms, to sentence, expert [sententious Vishvamitra,] sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"Then that king who is accurst to a state of profaner on listening that sentence, as a diligent sentence maker spoke this sentence with his palms adjoined to the sententious sage Vishvamitra. [1-58-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

प्रत्याख्यातो अस्मि गुरुणा गुरु पुत्रैः तथा एव छ

pratyākhyāto asmi guruṇā guru putraiḥ tathā eva cha

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| guruṇā: by mentor | tathā eva ca: like that, also | guru putraiḥ: by mentor's, sons | pratyākhyātaḥ asmi: spurned off, I am | tam kāmam an avāpya eva: that, aspiration, not, achieved, thus | mayā: by me | vi paryayaḥ: negative, effect [discrepancy] | prāptaḥ = becanced: I obtained. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I am spurned off by my mentor Vashishta and also like that by his sons. My aspiration remained unachievable, besides, this discrepancy has bechanced upon me. [1-58-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

स श्हरीरो दिवम् यायामि इति मे सौंय दर्श्हन

sa śharīro divam yāyāmi iti me sauṃya darśhana

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| saumya: oh, gentle Vishvamitra | sa śarīraḥ divam yāyāmi: with, body, to heaven, I go | iti me darśana: thus, my, opinion | mayā kratu śatam iṣṭam: by me, rituals, hundred, are performed [earlier] | tat phalam na avāpyate: that, fruit, not, achieved. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, gentle Vishvamitra, my aspiration is nothing but to go to heaven with my body. I have performed hundred rituals but I have not achieved the fruit.' Thus Trishanku started tell his sad tale.

VERSE 19

अनृतम् न उक्त पूर्वम् मे न छ वक्ष्ह्ये कदाछन

anṛtam na ukta pūrvam me na cha vakṣhye kadāchana

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| saumya: oh, gentle one | me: by me | anṛtam na ukta pūrvam: lie, not, said, heretofore | kadācana: any time [hereinafter] | kṛcchreṣu gataḥ api: into predicament, on going, even if | na vakṣye: not, going to speak [a lie] | kṣatra dharmeṇa te śape: by Kshatriya's, virtue, to you, I take pledge. |

TRANSLATION

" 'And now if you doubt me to be a liar, I am no liar either. I spoke no lie heretofore, and even if I were to land into any predicament I do not speak lies anytime hereinafter. Oh, gentle sage, this I pledge you upon my virtue of Kshatriya-hood. [1-58-19, 20a]

PURPORT

A liar is hell-bound but not the other way as said yaj~no anR^ite na rakshati... 'a Vedic ritual would not save liars...'
VERSE 20

यज्ञैः बहु विधैः इष्ह्टम् प्रजा धर्मेण पालिताः

yajñaiḥ bahu vidhaiḥ iṣhṭam prajā dharmeṇa pālitāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| bahu vidhaiḥ yajñaiḥ iṣṭam: with many, kinds of, Vedic-rituals, propitiated gods | prajā dharmeṇa pālitāḥ: people, conscientiously, reigned over | mahātmānaḥ: high-souled ones | guravaḥ ca: savants, also | śīla vṛttena toṣitāḥ: by conduct, by comport, pleased. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I have propitiated gods with many kinds of Vedic-rituals. I have reigned over people conscientiously. And with my conduct and comport the high-souled savants are also pleased. [1-58-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य यज्ञम् छ आहर्तुम् इछ्छ्हतः

dharme prayatamānasya yajñam cha āhartum ichchhataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| muni pumgava: oh, saint, the eminent | dharme prayatamānasya: in probity, being a pursuant | yajñam āhartum: ritual, to avail of, icChataH ca = one who is expectant also | guravaḥ: to mentors | pari toṣam = complete contentment, na gacchanti = not, they are getting at: not deriving. |

TRANSLATION

" 'While I am a pursuant in probity I expect to avail myself of the fruition of this kind of Vedic-ritual. Oh, eminent sage Vishvamitra, but my mentors are not deriving complete contentment by my pursuit. Hence, they shove me off. [1-58-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

दैवम् एव परम् मन्ये पौरुष्हम् तु निरर्थकम्

daivam eva param manye pauruṣham tu nirarthakam

SYNONYMS

b, 23a| daivam eva param manye: god [here, destiny,] only, ultimate, I deem | pauruṣam tu nir arthakam = manly effort, but, less, meaning: meaningless | daivena ākramyate sarvam: by god [destiny,] surmounts, everything | daivam paramā gatiḥ hi: god [destiny,] ultimate, course, isn't it. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I deem destiny is the only ultimate, and manly efforts are meaningless, for destiny surmounts everything. Destiny is the ultimate course, isn't it? [1-58-22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

तस्य मे परम आर्तस्य प्रसादम् अभिकांक्ष्हतः
कर्तुम् अर्हसि भद्रम् ते दैव उपहत कर्मणः

tasya me parama ārtasya prasādam abhikāṃkṣhataḥ
kartum arhasi bhadram te daiva upahata karmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| parama ārtasya: for highly, anguished one | abhi kānkṣataḥ = forvard, lūking to: a sincere requester | daiva upahata karmaṇaḥ: by destiny, marred, endeavourer | tasya me: such as, as I am | prasādam kartum arhasi: favour, to do [to accord,] apt of you | te bhadram: to you, let safety be there. |

TRANSLATION

" 'A highly anguished endeavourer, marred by destiny, a sincere requester, such as I am, it will be apt of you to accord, you be safe, your favour upon me. [1-58-23b, c]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे अष्ह्ट पंछाश्हः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe aṣhṭa paṃchāśhaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

anyām gatim na gamiṣyāmi: alternate, course, not, I wish to course through | me anyaḥ śaraṇam na asti: to me, alternative, shelterer, is not there | daivam puruṣa kāreṇa: god/destiny, in man's, mien | ni vartayitum arhasi: counter, move [vail,] apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

" 'In no alternate course I wish to course through and no alternative shelter is there for me. Hence, it will be apt of you, a god in man's mien, to countervail my destiny.' Thus Trishanku prayed for the grace of Vishvamitra..." So said Sage Shataananda to Rama and others continuing the legend of Vishvamitra. [1-58-24]