Chapter 59

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

उक्त वाक्यम् तु राजानम् कृपया कुश्हिक आत्मजः
अब्रवीत् मधुरम् वाक्यम् साक्ष्हात् छण्डालताम् गतम्

ukta vākyam tu rājānam kṛpayā kuśhika ātmajaḥ
abravīt madhuram vākyam sākṣhāt chaṇḍālatām gatam

SYNONYMS

ukta vākyam tu = spoken, vord: one who spoke thus, Trishanku, but | sākṣāt caṇḍālatām gatam: in reality, profaner-hood, attained one | rājānam: to king | kṛpayā kuśika ātmajaḥ: piteously, Kushi's, son [Vishvamitra] | madhuram vākyam abravīt: mellowly, sentence, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

"Vishvamitra, the son of Kushi, piteously spoke this mellowly sentence to king Trishanku who spoke thus, and who in reality attained a state of profaner." Thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration. [1-59-1]

VERSE 2

इक्ष्ह्वाको स्वागतम् वत्स जानामि त्वाम् सुधार्मिकम्
श्हरणम् ते भविष्ह्यामि मा भैष्हीः नृप पुंगव

ikṣhvāko svāgatam vatsa jānāmi tvām sudhārmikam
śharaṇam te bhaviṣhyāmi mā bhaiṣhīḥ nṛpa puṃgava

SYNONYMS

ikṣvākoḥ vatsa: oh, Ikshvaku-s, progeny, [oh, Trishanku] | svāgatam: welcome | tvām su dhārmikam jānāmi: you, as highly, righteous [king,] I am aware | nṛpa pungava: oh, king, the best | mā bhaiṣīḥ: do not, fear | [aham: I] | te śaraṇam bhaviṣyāmi: to you, haven, I accord. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Trishanku, the legatee of Ikshvaku-s, you are welcome. I am aware that you are a highly righteous king. Oh, the best king, you need not be dismayed, for I accord you haven. [1-59-2]

VERSE 3

अहम् आमंत्रये सर्वान् महर्ष्हीन् पुण्य कर्मणः
यज्ञ साह्य करान् राजन् ततो यक्ष्ह्यसि निर्वृतः

aham āmaṃtraye sarvān maharṣhīn puṇya karmaṇaḥ
yajña sāhya karān rājan tato yakṣhyasi nirvṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

aham: I will | puṇya karmaṇaḥ: of pious, activities | yajña sāhya karān: ritual, assistance, renderers | sarvān maharṣīn āmantraye: all, great-sages, I will invite | tataḥ rājan: then, oh, king | nirvṛtaḥ yakṣyasi: composedly, you can perform ritual. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I will invite all the sages with pious activities who will render assistance in the ritual, oh, king, then you can perform the ritual self-composedly. [1-59-3]

VERSE 4

गुरु श्हाप कृतम् रूपम् यत् इदम् त्वयि वर्तते
अनेन सह रूपेण स श्हरीरो गमिष्ह्यसि

guru śhāpa kṛtam rūpam yat idam tvayi vartate
anena saha rūpeṇa sa śharīro gamiṣhyasi

SYNONYMS

guru śāpa kṛtam: by mentor, curse, made | yat idam rūpam: which, this, form | tvayi vartate = in you, is there: which you got by curse | anena rūpeṇa saha: with this, form, along with | sa śarīraḥ gamiṣyasi = vith, body, you can go: to heaven. |

TRANSLATION

" 'You can go to heaven with this body of yours, as well as with the form which is deformed by the curse of mentor Vashishta through his sons. [1-59-4]

VERSE 5

हस्त प्राप्तम् अहम् मन्ये स्वर्गम् तव नरेश्ह्वर
यः त्वम् कौश्हिकम् आगंय श्हरण्यम् श्हरणागतः

hasta prāptam aham manye svargam tava nareśhvara
yaḥ tvam kauśhikam āgaṃya śharaṇyam śharaṇāgataḥ

SYNONYMS

nareśvara: oh, subject's, king | yaḥ tvam: which, you | śaraṇyam kauśikam āgamya: [all] sheltering one, to Kaushika [to Vishvamitra,] having approached | śaraṇa āgataḥ: for shelter, you came | tava: to you | svargam hasta prāptam: heaven, in hand, obtained [handy] | aham manye: I, deem. |

TRANSLATION

" 'I deem that heaven is handy to you, oh, king of subjects, as you have approached the all-sheltering Vishvamitra and sought shelter.' Thus Vishvamitra solaced Trishanku. [1-59-5]

VERSE 6

एवम् उक्त्वा महातेजाः पुत्रान् परम धार्मिकान्
व्यादिदेश्ह महाप्राज्ञान् यज्ञ संभार कारणात्

evam uktvā mahātejāḥ putrān parama dhārmikān
vyādideśha mahāprājñān yajña saṃbhāra kāraṇāt

SYNONYMS

mahātejāḥ: great-resplendent Vishvamitra | evam uktvā: thus, on saying | parama dhārmikān: highly, righteous ones | mahā prājñān: astutely, brilliant ones | putrān: sons | yajña sambhāra kāraṇāt: ritual, arrangements, to cause [to organise] | vyādideśa [vi ādi deśa]: ordered. |

TRANSLATION

"On saying thus to Trishanku that great-resplendent Vishvamitra ordered his highly righteous and astutely brilliant sons to organise the arrangements for the ritual. [1-59-6]

VERSE 7

सर्वान् श्हिष्ह्यान् समाहूय वाक्यम् एतत् उवाछ ह
सर्वान् ऋष्हि वरान् वश्हिष्ह्ठान् आनयध्वम् मम आज्ञया

sarvān śhiṣhyān samāhūya vākyam etat uvācha ha
sarvān ṛṣhi varān vaśhiṣhṭhān ānayadhvam mama ājñayā

SYNONYMS

, 8a: sarvān śiṣyān samāhūya: all, disciples, calling forth | etat vākyam uvāca ha: this, sentence, said, indeed | [vatsāḥ: oh, boys] | mama ājñayā: by my, order | sa śiṣyān suhṛdaḥ caiva: with, [their] disciples, friends, also thus | sa ṛtvijaḥ: with, ritwiks [conductors of rituals] | su bahu śrutān: very, many, heard [well-read pundits in Veda-s] | sarvān ṛṣi varān: all, sages, eminent one | vaśiṣṭhān: [sons] of Vashishta | ānayadhvam: be invited. |

TRANSLATION

"Vishvamitra calling forth all of his disciples said this sentence, 'invite all the eminent sages who are well-read in many Veda-s, along with their disciples and friends, and their ritwiks, the conductors of rituals, and even the sons of Vashishta, at my order. [1-59-7, 8a]

VERSE 8

यत् अन्यो वछनम् ब्रूयात् मत् वाक्य बल छोदितः

yat anyo vachanam brūyāt mat vākya bala choditaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 9a: anyaḥ: other [someone] | mat vākya bala coditaḥ: my, word, forcefulness, incited by | yat vacanam brūyāt: whichever, words, if speaks | akhilena: by all invitees [whoever] | uktam an ādṛtam: spoken, not, considerately | tat sarvam mama ākhyeyam: that [whatever,] all, to me, reported. |

TRANSLATION

" 'If someone speaks inconsiderately incited by the forcefulness of my word, whoever speaks it, whichever word it may be, all that is to be reported to me, whatever it is.' Thus Vishvamitra ordered his disciples. [1-59-8]

VERSE 9

तस्य तत् वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा दिश्हो जग्मुः तत् आज्ञया

tasya tat vachanam śhrutvā diśho jagmuḥ tat ājñayā

SYNONYMS

b, 10a| tasya tat vacanam śrutvā: his [of Vishvamitra,] that, word, on listening | tat ājñayā: by that, order | diśaḥ jagmuḥ: to [all] directions, [disciples] went | atha: then | sarvebhyaḥ deśebhyaḥ: from all, provinces | brahma vādinaḥ: all, Brahma, advocators of [Vedic scholars] | ājagmuḥ: started to arrive. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening that word of Vishvamitra his disciples went to all directions inviting all by his order, and then the Vedic scholars started to arrive from all provinces. [1-59-9 b, 10a]

VERSE 10

ते छ श्हिष्ह्याः समागंय मुनिम् ज्वलित तेजसम्

te cha śhiṣhyāḥ samāgaṃya munim jvalita tejasam

SYNONYMS

b, 11a| te śiṣyāḥ sarve samāgamya: they, disciples, all of them, on returning | jvalita tejasam munim: of fulgent, resplendence, to sage | sarveṣām brahma vādinām: of all, of Vedic, scholars | vacanam: words [spoken by scholars] | ūcuḥ = = said: reported. |

TRANSLATION

"All of the disciples have returned to the fulgently resplendent sage Vishvamitra, and reported the words spoken by all the Vedic scholars. [1-59-10b, 11a]

VERSE 11

श्ह्रुत्वा ते वछनम् सर्वे समायान्ति द्विजातयः

śhrutvā te vachanam sarve samāyānti dvijātayaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 12a| te vacanam śrutvā: your, sentence [invitation,] on listening | sarve dvijātayaḥ samāyānti: all, Brahmans, are coming | mahāudayam varjayitvā: Mahodaya, excepting for | sarva deśeṣu agacchan: from all, provinces, have came. |

TRANSLATION

" 'On listening your word all the Brahmans from all provinces have started to come and some have already come, leaving alone Mahodaya, the son of Vashishta.' Thus, the disciples have started to inform Vishvamitra. [1-59-11b, 12a]

VERSE 12

वासिष्ह्ठम् तत् श्हतम् सर्वम् क्रोध पर्याकुल अक्ष्हरम्

vāsiṣhṭham tat śhatam sarvam krodha paryākula akṣharam

SYNONYMS

b, 13a| muni pungava: oh, sage, the eminent | sarvam: all [that is said] | tat vāsiṣṭham śatam: that, of Vashishta, hundred [sons] | krodha paryākula akṣaram: fury, explosive, with words | [yat: which] | vacanam āha: words, [they] said | yathā: as to how [they said] | [tat: that] | sarvam tvam śṛṇu: all, you, listen. |

TRANSLATION

" 'What all said by those hundred sons of Vashishta is explosively worded in their fury, oh, eminent sage, and what all they have said that you may please listen. [1-59-12b, 13a]

VERSE 13

क्ष्हत्रियो याजको यस्य छण्डालस्य विश्हेष्हतः

kṣhatriyo yājako yasya chaṇḍālasya viśheṣhataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 14a| yasya: to whom | kṣatriyaḥ yājakaḥ: a Kshatriya, officiator of ritual | viśeṣataḥ caṇḍālasya: especially, of a profaner | tasya sadasi: in such a, ritual-assembly [of a profaner] | sura ṛṣayaḥ: gods, sages | haviḥ katham bhoktāraḥ: oblation, how, one can partake of. |

TRANSLATION

" 'A Kshatriya is the officiator, and a profaner is the performer. How then the gods or sages can partake of the remnants of oblations in that ritual-assembly, especially that of a profaner?' Thus, the sons of Vashishta exclaimed. [1-59-13b, 14a]

PURPORT

One who is uninitiated into any esoteric knowledge is venturing to perform a Vedic ritual and a king, who can perform a ritual, but who cannot officiate ritual or teach Veda-s like a Brahman, is officiating it. Thus both of these, officiator and performer have no Vedic sanctity.
VERSE 14

ब्राह्मणा वा महात्मानो भुक्त्वा छण्डाल भोजनम्

brāhmaṇā vā mahātmāno bhuktvā chaṇḍāla bhojanam

SYNONYMS

b, 15a| viśvāmitreṇa pālitāḥ: by Vishvamitra, [even though] ruled over [rather, embarrassed] | mahātmānaḥ brāhmaṇā vā: great-souled [sages,] Brahmans, either | caṇḍāla bhojanam bhuktvā: profaner's, food, by partaking of | svargam katham gamiṣyanti: to heavens, how, they go. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Though the Brahmans or the high-souled sages are now embarrassed by Vishvamitra, how can they go to heaven even after their demise, partaking of the food of a profaner? [1-59-14b, 15a]

VERSE 15

एतत् वछनम् नैष्ह्ठुर्यम् ऊछुः संरक्त लोछनाः

etat vachanam naiṣhṭhuryam ūchuḥ saṃrakta lochanāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| muni śārdūla: oh, sage, the tiger | saha mahodayāḥ sarve: with, Mahodaya, all of them | vāsiṣṭhā: of Vashishta [his sons] | samrakta locanāḥ = vith reddennig, eyes: in anger | etat vacanam naiṣṭhuryam: all these, sentences, derisive | ūcuḥ: spoke. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, tigerly sage Vishvamitra, all the sons of Vashishta including Mahodaya spoke these derisive sentences with their eyes reddening in anger.' Thus, the disciples reported to Vishvamitra. [1-59-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

तेष्हाम् तत् वछनम् श्ह्रुत्वा सर्वेष्हाम् मुनि पुंगवः

teṣhām tat vachanam śhrutvā sarveṣhām muni puṃgavaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| muni pungavaḥ: sage, the eminent | teṣām sarveṣām tat vacanam śrutvā: their, all of them, that, sentence, on listening | krodha samrakta nayanaḥ: with fury, bloodshot, eyes | sa roṣam: with, rancour | idam abravīt: this, said. |

TRANSLATION

"The eminent sage Vishvamitra having heard those words of the sons of Vashishta from all of his disciples, said this rancorously with bloodshot eyes. [1-59-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

यत् दूष्हयन्ति अदुष्ह्टम् माम् तप उग्रम् संआस्थितम्

yat dūṣhayanti aduṣhṭam mām tapa ugram saṃāsthitam

SYNONYMS

b, 18a: ugram tapaḥ sam āsthitam: rigorous, ascesis, verily, abiding in | a duṣṭam: not, reprovable one | mām: me | yat dūṣayanti: who, reproves | dura ātmānaḥ: not, reverent minded | bhasmībhūtā bhaviṣyanti: state of ashes, turns to | na samśayaḥ: no, doubt. |

TRANSLATION

" 'He who reproves me, who am abiding in rigorous ascesis, and who am an unreprovable one by my ascetic merit, that irreverent person will be reduced to ashes, and there is no doubt about it. [1-59-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

अद्य ते काल पाश्हेन नीता वैवस्तव क्ष्हयम्

adya te kāla pāśhena nītā vaivastava kṣhayam

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| te: they | adya kāla pāśena: now, by Time's, lasso | vaivastava kṣayam nītā: Yama, [the Terminator's,] to house, dragged | sapta jāti śatāni eva = seven, births, hundred, thus: for seven hundred births to come | sarvaśaḥ = anyvise: come what may | mṛta pāḥ: dead, eaters [devourers of corpse] | santu: they will become. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Now they will be dragged by the lasso of Time to the House of Yama, the Terminator, and from now to seven hundred births to come they take birth as devourers of corpses, come what may. [1-59-18b, 19a]

VERSE 19

श्ह्व मांस नियत आहारा मुष्ह्टिका नाम निर्घृणाः

śhva māṃsa niyata āhārā muṣhṭikā nāma nirghṛṇāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| nir ghṛṇāḥ = vithout, ruth: ruthless | muṣṭikā nāma = ṃuśtika, named: sect - taking birth in that sect | śva māmsa niyata āhārā = dog, fleś, alvays [staple,] as fūd: eating it | vikṛtāḥ ca virūpāḥ ca: disfigured, also, deformed, also | imān lokān anucarantu: these, [mortal] worlds [in them,] they wander about. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Those who reprove me will be wandering about these mortal worlds on taking birth as disfigured and deformed beings in the ruthless sect of Mustika-s that always feed on dog's flesh. [1-59-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

महोदयः छ दुर्बुद्धिः माम् अदूष्ह्यम् हि अदूष्हयत्

mahodayaḥ cha durbuddhiḥ mām adūṣhyam hi adūṣhayat

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| dur buddhiḥ mahodayaḥ ca: wrong, headed, Mahodaya, also | a dūṣyam: not, reproachable one | mām: me | adūṣayat hi: he reproached, indeed | sarva lokeṣu dūṣitaḥ: by all, world, reproached | niṣādatvam gamiṣyati: tribal-hood, obtains. |

TRANSLATION

" 'That wrong-headed Mahodaya also reproached me, who am irreproachable on my part, hence he gets into tribal-hood and becomes a reproachable tribal for the entire world. [1-59-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

प्राण अतिपात निरतो निरनुक्रोश्हताम् गतः

prāṇa atipāta nirato niranukrośhatām gataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| mama krodhāt: by my, fury | prāṇa atipāta nirataḥ: lives, out falling [taking out, murderous bent,] occupied with | niranukrośatām [nir anu krośatām] gataḥ: utter barbarity, on obtaining | dīrgha kālam: for a long, time | dur gatim vartayiṣyati: worst, living, cycles through. |

TRANSLATION

" 'By my fury he obtains an utter barbarity and he will be occupied with a murderous bent, and he cycles through a worst possible living for a long time. [1-59-21b, 22a]

VERSE 22

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे एको न ष्हष्ह्टितमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe eko na ṣhaṣhṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| mahā tapāḥ: great-ascetic | mahātejā: highly-resplendent | mahāmuniḥ: great-sage | viśvāmitraḥ: Vishvamitra | ṛṣi madhye: sages, among | etāvat vacanam uktvā: this much, sentence [of curse,] on saying | virarāma: paused. |

TRANSLATION

"On saying this much sentence of curse among the sages who have already arrived, that great-resplendent, greatly ascetic, great sage Vishvamitra paused. [1-59-22]

PURPORT

The poet in the last line remembers the sages who have already arrived, only to say that, 'had they not come at the beck and call of Vishvamitra, they too are liable for the above curses, maybe some more curses too, from Vishvamitra. So, knowing this Vedic-ritual of ineligible Trishanku and unqualified Vishvamitra is an improper egotistical extravaganza of Vishvamitra, those who have already come, have come at the cost of their Brahman-hood.'