Chapter 64

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

सुर कार्यम् इदम् रंभे कर्तव्यम् सुमहत् त्वया
लोभनम् कौश्हिकस्य इह काम मोह समन्वितम्

sura kāryam idam raṃbhe kartavyam sumahat tvayā
lobhanam kauśhikasya iha kāma moha samanvitam

SYNONYMS

rambhe: oh, Rambha | iha: now | kauśikasya: of Vishvamitra | kāma moha samanvitam = lust, craving, inclusive of: a craving caused by lust | lobhanam: called enchanting | su mahat: very, great [task] | idam sura kāryam: this, god's, task | tvayā kartavyam: by you, it is to be undertaken. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, Rambha, now you have to undertake this very great task of gods in enchanting Vishvamitra with a craving caused by lust, for lusting after you.' Thus Indra ordered Rambha..." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-64-1]

VERSE 2

तथा उक्ता स अप्सरा राम सहस्राक्ष्हेण धीमता
व्रीडिता प्रांजलिः वाक्यम् प्रत्युवाछ सुर ईश्ह्वरम्

tathā uktā sa apsarā rāma sahasrākṣheṇa dhīmatā
vrīḍitā prāṃjaliḥ vākyam pratyuvācha sura īśhvaram

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | dhīmatā: by the intellectual one | sahasra akṣeṇa: by Thousand-eyed Indra | tathā uktā sa apsara: thus, spoken to, she, celestial wench | vrīḍitā prānjaliḥ: diffidently, with well-adjoined-palms | sura īśvaram vākyam pratyuvāca: to gods', chief, sentence, in reply, said. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Rama, when that celestial wench is spoken thus by the Thousand-eyed Indra, she diffidently said to that chief of gods while adjoining her palms suppliantly. [1-64-2]

VERSE 3

अयम् सुर पते घोरो विश्ह्वामित्रो महामुनिः
क्रोधम् उत्स्रछ्यते घोरम् मयि देव न संश्हयः

ayam sura pate ghoro viśhvāmitro mahāmuniḥ
krodham utsrachyate ghoram mayi deva na saṃśhayaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 4a| sura pate: oh, gods', chief | ayam mahā muniḥ viśvāmitraḥ: he, great saint, Vishvamitra is | ghoraḥ: a dangerous one | deva: oh, god | mayi: on me | ghoram krodham utsracyate: deadly, anger, he releases | samśayaḥ na: doubt, is not there | tataḥ me bhayam hi: thereby, for me, fear, indeed | prasādam kartum arhasi: forbearance, to accord, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Oh, chief of gods, Indra, that great saint Vishvamitra is a dangerous one and undoubtedly he releases his deadly anger on me. Oh, god, thereby I am fearful of him. Hence, oh, god, it will be apt of you to accord forbearance.' So said Rambha to Indra. [1-64-3, 4a]

VERSE 4

एवम् उक्तः तया राम स भयम् भीतया तदा

evam uktaḥ tayā rāma sa bhayam bhītayā tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 5a| rāma: oh, Rama | bhītayā tayā: by fearful one, by her | tadā evam uktaḥ: then, that way, when he is said | sahasrākṣaḥ: Thousand-eyed Indra | sa bhayam vepamānām: with, fear, to her who is shuddering | kṛtānjalim: she who made palm-fold | tām uvāca: to her, said. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Rama, the Thousand-eyed Indra replied Rambha when she spoke to him in that way while shuddering in fear and making palm fold in supplication. [1-64-4b, 5a]

VERSE 5

मा भैष्ही रंभे भद्रम् ते कुरुष्ह्व मम श्हासनम्

mā bhaiṣhī raṃbhe bhadram te kuruṣhva mama śhāsanam

SYNONYMS

b, 6| rambhe: oh, Rambha | mā bhaiṣī: you need not, be fearful | te bhadram: you, will be safe | mama śāsanam kuruṣva: my, command, you carryout | aham: I | rucira drume mādhave: which has pleasing, trees, in springtime | hṛdaya grāhī kokilaḥ: heart, stealer, black-songbird | [bhūtvā: on becoming] | kandarpa sahitaḥ: Love-god, along with | tava pārśvataḥ: at your, side | sthāsyāmi: I will stay. |

TRANSLATION

" 'You need not be fearful, Rambha, carry out my command, safe betides you, I on becoming a heart-stealing black-songbird will be at your side along with Love-god in the pleasing trees of springtime. [1-64-5b, 6]

VERSE 7

त्वम् हि रूपम् बहु गुणम् कृत्वा परम भास्वरम्
तम् ऋष्हिम् कौश्हिकम् रंभे भेदयस्व तपस्विनम्

tvam hi rūpam bahu guṇam kṛtvā parama bhāsvaram
tam ṛṣhim kauśhikam raṃbhe bhedayasva tapasvinam

SYNONYMS

rambhe: oh, Rambha | tvam bahu guṇam: you, multi-, multiplex | parama bhāsvaram: highly, sparkling | rūpam kṛtvā hi: semblance, on assuming [savoir faire,] indeed | tapasvinam: ascetical one | tam ṛṣim kauśikam: him, sage, Kaushika | bhedayasva: disengage [from ascesis.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'Indeed on your assuming a highly sparkling semblance, and multi-multiplexing your savoir faire, with bon viveurs and bon vivants, you disengage that ascetical sage Kaushika from his ascesis.' So said Indra to Rambha. [1-64-7]

VERSE 8

सा श्ह्रुत्वा वछनम् तस्य कृत्वा रूपम् अनुत्तमम्
लोभयामास ललिता विश्ह्वामित्रम् श्हुछि स्मिता

sā śhrutvā vachanam tasya kṛtvā rūpam anuttamam
lobhayāmāsa lalitā viśhvāmitram śhuchi smitā

SYNONYMS

sā tasya vacanam śrutvā: she, his [Indra's,] sentence, on hearing | an uttamam rūpam kṛtvā: un, excelled, physique, on adopting | lalitā: lovely lady | śuci smitā: bight, smiles [with giggly grins] | viśvāmitram lobhayāmāsa: Vishvamitra, she started to entice. |

TRANSLATION

"On hearing the sentence of Indra she adopted an unexcelled physique, and on becoming a pulchritudinous damsel she started to entice Vishvamitra with giggly grins. [1-64-8]

VERSE 9

कोकिलस्य तु श्हुश्ह्राव वल्गु व्याहरतः स्वनम्
संप्रहृष्ह्टेन मनसा स एनाम् अन्वैक्ष्हत

kokilasya tu śhuśhrāva valgu vyāharataḥ svanam
saṃprahṛṣhṭena manasā sa enām anvaikṣhata

SYNONYMS

saḥ: he tht Vishvamitra | valgu vyāharataḥ: melodiously, saying [trilling] | kokilasya svanam śuśrāva: songbird's, tune, he heard | [tataḥ: then] | samprahṛṣṭena manasā: with very, highly, gladdened, heart | [saḥ: he, Vishvamitra] | enām anvaikṣata: at her [at Rambha,] stared. |

TRANSLATION

"Vishvamitra has heard melodious trilling tune of songbird, and while his heart is highly gladdening about the ambience, he incidentally saw and stared at Rambha. [1-64-9]

VERSE 10

अथ तस्य छ श्हब्देन गीतेन अप्रतिमेन छ
दर्श्हनेन छ रंभाया मुनिः संदेहम् आगतः

atha tasya cha śhabdena gītena apratimena cha
darśhanena cha raṃbhāyā muniḥ saṃdeham āgataḥ

SYNONYMS

atha: then | tasya śabdena: , its [songbird's,] by trilling | a pratimena = vithout, matc: exceptional | gītena ca: by tune, also | rambhāyā darśanena ca: of Rambha, by [usual, run-of-the-mill, unexceptional] tableau, also | muniḥ sandeham āgataḥ: sage, wariness, came to [he is on the qui vive.] |

TRANSLATION

"By the exceptional trilling tune of that songbird and by the unexceptional tableau of Rambha the sage is on his qui vive. [1-64-10]

VERSE 11

सहस्राक्ष्हस्य तत् कर्म विज्ञाय मुनिपुंगवः
रंभाम् क्रोध समाविष्ह्टः श्हश्हाप कुश्हिक आत्मजः

sahasrākṣhasya tat karma vijñāya munipuṃgavaḥ
raṃbhām krodha samāviṣhṭaḥ śhaśhāpa kuśhika ātmajaḥ

SYNONYMS

munipungavaḥ: saint, the best | kuśika ātmajaḥ: Kushika's, son, Vishvamitra | tat sahasrākṣasya karma: that, as Thousand-eyed Indra's, deed [escapade] | vijñāya: on knowing | krodha samāviṣṭaḥ rambhām śaśāpa: in wrath, enwrapped, Rambha, he cursed. |

TRANSLATION

"On knowing that as an escapade of the Thousand-eyed Indra, Vishvamitra is enwrapped in wrath and he cursed Rambha. [1-64-11]

VERSE 12

यत् माम् लोभयसे रंभे काम क्रोध जय एष्हिणम्
दश्ह वर्ष्ह सहस्राणि श्हैली स्थास्यसि दुर्भगे

yat mām lobhayase raṃbhe kāma krodha jaya eṣhiṇam
daśha varṣha sahasrāṇi śhailī sthāsyasi durbhage

SYNONYMS

dur bhage: you un, lucky female | rambhe: oh, Rambha | kāma krodha jaya eṣiṇam: wonton, wroth, to win over, wisher | mām: me | yat lobhayase: whereof, you entice | daśa varṣa sahasrāṇi: ten, years, thousand | śailī sthāsyasi = rock [like,] you vill stay: you become a statued wastrel. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Whereof you tried to entice me who am wishing to win over the wanton and wroth, you unlucky female Rambha, thereof you will become a rocklike statued wastrel. [1-64-12]

VERSE 13

ब्राह्मणः सुमहातेजाः तपो बल समन्वितः
उद्धरिष्ह्यति रंभे त्वाम् मत् क्रोध कलुष्ही कृताम्

brāhmaṇaḥ sumahātejāḥ tapo bala samanvitaḥ
uddhariṣhyati raṃbhe tvām mat krodha kaluṣhī kṛtām

SYNONYMS

rambhe: oh, Rambha | su mahā tejāḥ: very, high, resplendent one | tapaḥ bala sam anvitaḥ: ascetical, power, having | brāhmaṇaḥ: a Brahman | mat krodha kaluṣī kṛtām = by my, anger, blemiś, made: one blemished by my anger | tvām: you | uddhariṣyati: he redeems. |

TRANSLATION

" 'A highly resplendent Brahman who is ascetically powerful redeems you, oh, Rambha, who are now blemished by my anger.' Vishvamitra cursed Rambha in this way. [1-64-13]

PURPORT

This ascetically powerful Brahman-saviour of Rambha is none other than the Sage Vashishta, the brainchild of Brahma. Even though Vishvamitra is at loggerheads with Vashishta, he holds Vashishta in high respect.
VERSE 14

एवम् उक्त्वा महातेजा विश्ह्वामित्रो महामुनिः
अश्हक्नुवन् धारयितुम् कोपम् संतापम् आगतः

evam uktvā mahātejā viśhvāmitro mahāmuniḥ
aśhaknuvan dhārayitum kopam saṃtāpam āgataḥ

SYNONYMS

mahātejāḥ: great-resplendent one | mahāmuniḥ viśvā mitraḥ: great-saint, Vishvamitra | kopam dhārayitum a śaknuvan: anger, to contain, not, a capable sage | evam uktvā = thus, on saying: for uttering a curse angrily | santāpam āgataḥ: compunction, came [to him, he became compunctious.] |

TRANSLATION

"Thus the great-resplendent Vishvamitra became compunctious when that great-saint could not contain his anger in uttering an angry curse. [1-64-14]

PURPORT

Angering for trivial reasons, or on trivially inferiors ones is a demeritorious triviality in loosing ascetic power. Irrestrainable temperament will not only ruin the ascetic powers but also breeds a prolonged compunction. Manu defines jita indriya as one who shrutvaa spR^iShTvaa ca dR^iShTvaa ca bhaktvaa ghraatvaa ca yau naraH | na hR^iShyati glaayati vaa sa vij~neyo jitendriyaH || - manu 'he who on hearing, touching, seeing, eating, smelling, but neither gladdens nor saddens, is a self-senses-conquered one...' The same is said in Bhagavad Gita, and the whole of karma yoga deals with the same subject, and it is said there: tasmaat tvam indriyaaNi aadau niyamya bharatarShabha paapmaanam prajahi hi enam j~naana vij~naana naashanam || giita 3-41 He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt, / Disparting self from service, soul from works, / Enlightened and emancipate, my Prince! / Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain / With sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata! - Sir Edwin Arnold.
VERSE 15

तस्य श्हापेन महता रम्भा श्हैली तदा अभवत्
वछः श्ह्रुत्वा छ कन्दर्पो महर्ष्हेः स छ निर्गतः

tasya śhāpena mahatā rambhā śhailī tadā abhavat
vachaḥ śhrutvā cha kandarpo maharṣheḥ sa cha nirgataḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | tasya mahatā śāpena: by his, great, curse | rambhā śailī abhavat: Rambha, rocklike statue, became | maharṣeḥ vacaḥ śrutvā: of great-saint, words, on hearing | kandarpaḥ: Love-god | saḥ ca: he [Indra,] also | nir gataḥ: out, gone [took flight.] |

TRANSLATION

"Then Rambha has become a rocklike statue by that great curse of Vishvamitra, and having heard the words of that great-saint Love-god and Indra also took flight. [1-64-15]

VERSE 16

कोपेन स महातेजाः तपो अपहरणे कृते
इन्द्रियैर् अजितै राम न लेभे श्हान्तिम् आत्मनः

kopena sa mahātejāḥ tapo apaharaṇe kṛte
indriyair ajitai rāma na lebhe śhāntim ātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

rāma: oh, Rama | mahātejāḥ saḥ: great-resplendent one, he | kopena: by angering | tapaḥ apaharaṇe kṛte: ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to] | a jitai indriyaiḥ: not, governable, with senses | ātmanaḥ śāntim na lebhe: for himself, peace, not, attained. |

TRANSLATION

"Owing to his angering that great-resplendent Vishvamitra is now divested of his ascetical merit, and he has no peace of mind owing to ungovernable senses. [1-64-16]

VERSE 17

बभूव अस्य मनः छिंता तपो अपहरणे कृते
न एव क्रोधम् गमिष्ह्यामि न छ वक्ष्ह्ये कथंछन

babhūva asya manaḥ chiṃtā tapo apaharaṇe kṛte
na eva krodham gamiṣhyāmi na cha vakṣhye kathaṃchana

SYNONYMS

tapaḥ apaharaṇe kṛte: ascetical [merit,] in divesture of, made [owing to] | asya manaḥ cintā babhūva: his, conscience, sentimental, became | krodham na eva gamiṣyāmi: wrath, not, thus, I go into [a fit of raze] | kathamcana: in anyway | na ca vakśye = not, also, talk: put into words. |

TRANSLATION

"His conscience became sentimental owing to the divesture of his ascetical merit, and he soliloquised, 'I shall not succumb to wrath in anyway, nor I put my presentiment into words.' [1-64-17]

VERSE 18

अथवा न उछ्छ्हासिष्ह्यामि संवत्स्र श्हतानि अपि
अहम् हि श्होष्हयिष्ह्यामि आत्मानम् विजितेन्द्रियः

athavā na uchchhāsiṣhyāmi saṃvatsra śhatāni api
aham hi śhoṣhayiṣhyāmi ātmānam vijitendriyaḥ

SYNONYMS

athavā: otherwise | samvatsra śatāni api: years, hundred, even for | na ucchāsiṣyāmi: not, I respire | aham: I | vi jita indriyaḥ = verily, conquered, senses: until I become conqueror my own senses | ātmānam śoṣayiṣyāmi hi: myself, I emaciate, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Otherwise, I do not even respire for a hundred years for the respiratory gestures will also exhibit moods, and I indeed emaciate myself until I become a real conqueror of my own senses. [1-64-18]

VERSE 19

तावत् यावत् हि मे प्राप्तम् ब्राह्मण्यम् तपसा आर्जितम्
अनुछ्छ्ह्वसन् अभुंजाः तिष्ह्ठेयम् श्हाश्ह्वती समाः

tāvat yāvat hi me prāptam brāhmaṇyam tapasā ārjitam
anuchchhvasan abhuṃjāḥ tiṣhṭheyam śhāśhvatī samāḥ

SYNONYMS

me: to me | tapasā: by [merit of] ascesis | ārjitam brāhmaṇyam hi: acquired, Brahman-hood, indeed | yāvat: till such time | prāptam: bechances | tāvat: until then | an ucchvasan: without, respiring [breathless] | a bhuṃjāḥ: without, food [foodless] | śāśvatī samāḥ: for endless, years | tiṣṭheyam: bide my time | tapyamānasya: one who is in ascesis | mūrtayaḥ: my, bodily organs | kśayam: deterioration | na yāsyanti hi: not, undergo, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Till such time as I acquire Brahman-hood with the merit of my own ascesis I will be breathless and foodless, even if it is going to take endless years, and while I am in ascesis my bodily organs indeed will not undergo any deterioration.' So said Vishvamitra to himself. [1-64-19]

VERSE 20

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे छतुः ष्हष्ह्टितमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe chatuḥ ṣhaṣhṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

raghunndana: oh, Raghu's, legatee, Rama | saḥ munipungavaḥ: he, the sage, eminent | evam: in this way | loke a pratimām: in world, not, parallel [nonpareil] | vearṣa śasrasya dīkśām: years, thousands, commitment | pratijñām cakāra: vow, undertook. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus that eminent sage abided by the commitment to the vow for a thousand years, oh, Rama, the legatee of Ragu, which is a nonpareil vow in the world." Thus Shataananda continued. [1-64-20]