Chapter 66
Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
ततः प्रभाते विमले कृत कर्मा नराधिपः
विश्ह्वामित्रम् महात्मानम् आजुहाव स राघवम्
tataḥ prabhāte vimale kṛta karmā narādhipaḥ
viśhvāmitram mahātmānam ājuhāva sa rāghavam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then on performing morning time rites in the aurora of next morning, king Janaka invited great souled Vishvamitra, along with Raghava-s. [1-66-1]
तम् अर्छयित्वा धर्माअत्मा श्हास्त्र दृष्ह्टेन कर्मणा
राघवौ छ महात्मानौ तदा वाक्यम् उवाछ ह
tam archayitvā dharmāatmā śhāstra dṛṣhṭena karmaṇā
rāghavau cha mahātmānau tadā vākyam uvācha ha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On reverencing Vishvamitra and the noble souled Raghava-s according to the formalities envisaged by scriptures, then the virtue souled Janaka spoke these words, indeed. [1-66-2]
भगवन् स्वागतम् ते अस्तु किम् करोमि तव अनघ
भवान् आज्ञापयतु माम् आज्ञाप्यो भवता हि अहम्
bhagavan svāgatam te astu kim karomi tava anagha
bhavān ājñāpayatu mām ājñāpyo bhavatā hi aham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, god, you are welcome, oh, holy sage, bid me as to what I should for you, for I am biddable by you, indeed... [1-66-3]
एवम् उक्तः स धर्मात्मा जनकेन महात्मना
प्रत्युवाछ मुनिर् वीरम् वाक्यम् वाक्य विश्हारदः
evam uktaḥ sa dharmātmā janakena mahātmanā
pratyuvācha munir vīram vākyam vākya viśhāradaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When said thus by the foreseer Janaka, [who can foresee as to why Vishvamitra came with Raghava-s this far, and thus asked him as to what next is to be done,] that sage Vishvamitra, for he is presager and wordsmith, [and who knows what is to be done next,] said these words in reply to that valiant king Janaka. [1-66-4]
पुत्रौ दश्हरथस्य इमौ क्ष्हत्रियौ लोक विश्ह्रुतौ
द्रष्ह्टु कामौ धनुः श्ह्रेष्ह्ठम् यत् एतत् त्वयि तिष्ह्ठति
putrau daśharathasya imau kṣhatriyau loka viśhrutau
draṣhṭu kāmau dhanuḥ śhreṣhṭham yat etat tvayi tiṣhṭhati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"These two are the sons of Dasharatha, well-renowned Kshatriya-s in world, and they are desirous to see that marvellous bow which has a place with you... [1-66-5]
एतत् दर्श्हय भद्रम् ते कृत कामौ नृप आत्मजौ
दर्श्हनात् अस्य धनुष्हो यथा इष्ह्टम् प्रतियास्यतः
etat darśhaya bhadram te kṛta kāmau nṛpa ātmajau
darśhanāt asya dhanuṣho yathā iṣhṭam pratiyāsyataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You may show that bow, well bodes you, and on beholding that bow the desire of these two princes will come true, and they will go back as they like... [1-66-6]
एवम् उक्तः तु जनकः प्रत्युवाछ महामुनिम्
श्ह्रूयताम् अस्य धनुष्हो यत् अर्थम् इह तिष्ह्ठति
evam uktaḥ tu janakaḥ pratyuvācha mahāmunim
śhrūyatām asya dhanuṣho yat artham iha tiṣhṭhati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
But Janaka replied the great sage Vishvamitra when he was addressed thus, "I shall [firstly] tell by which reason that bow has its place here... [1-66-7]
देवरात इति ख्यातो निमेः ज्येष्ह्ठो मही पतिः
न्यासो अयम् तस्य भगवन् हस्ते दत्तो महात्मना
devarāta iti khyāto nimeḥ jyeṣhṭho mahī patiḥ
nyāso ayam tasya bhagavan haste datto mahātmanā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, godly sage, there was a king renowned as Devaraata, sixth one from Nimi, [the originator of our lineage,] and this bow was handed down to him for custodial care by the Sublime Soul, Shiva... [1-66-8]
PURPORT
दक्ष्ह यज्ञ वधे पूर्वम् धनुः आयंय वीर्यवान्
रुद्रः तु त्रिदश्हान् रोष्हात् स लीलम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
dakṣha yajña vadhe pūrvam dhanuḥ āyaṃya vīryavān
rudraḥ tu tridaśhān roṣhāt sa līlam idam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Once, during the devastation of the Vedic-ritual of Daksha Prajapati, the mettlesome god Rudra, rancorously outstretching the bowstring of this bow, said this to all gods, superciliously... [1-66-9]
यस्मात् भाग अर्थिनो भागान् न अकल्पयत मे सुराः
वर अंगानि महाअर्हाणि धनुष्हा श्हातयामि वः
yasmāt bhāga arthino bhāgān na akalpayata me surāḥ
vara aṃgāni mahāarhāṇi dhanuṣhā śhātayāmi vaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" 'Oh, gods, whereby you have not apportioned my portion [of oblations in Vedic-ritual s, as I am also the] desirer of such portion, [thereby] I will shred the highly revered heads of yours with this bow...' [So said Shiva to gods.] [1-66-10]
ततो विमनसः सर्वे देवा वै मुनिपुंगव
प्रसादयन्ति देवेश्हम् तेष्हाम् प्रीतो अभवत् भवः
tato vimanasaḥ sarve devā vai munipuṃgava
prasādayanti deveśham teṣhām prīto abhavat bhavaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then, oh, best saint Vishvamitra, all gods are truly dismayed, and on their supplicating, Bhava, namely Shiva, the God of Gods is gladdened... [1-66-11]
प्रीति युक्तः तु सर्वेष्हाम् ददौ तेष्हाम् महात्मनाम्
तत् एतत् देवदेवस्य धनू रत्नम् महात्मनः
prīti yuktaḥ tu sarveṣhām dadau teṣhām mahātmanām
tat etat devadevasya dhanū ratnam mahātmanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"And that Sublime Soul Shiva gladly gave that bow to all of the great souled gods, and oh, godly saint, then those great souled gods gave this gem of a bow of Shiva, the God of Gods, to our ancestor [Devaraata,] for custodial care... [1-66-12, 13a]
अथ मे कृष्हतः क्ष्हेत्रम् लांगलात् उत्थिता मम
atha me kṛṣhataḥ kṣhetram lāṃgalāt utthitā mama
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Later, when I was ploughing the ritual field then raised by the plough [from the furrow is a baby girl... since she is] gained while consecrating the ritual-field, she is named as Seetha, and thus she is renowned... [1-66-13b, 14a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Hers is a non-uterine birth as she surfaced from the surface of the earth, but fostered as my own soul-born girl and I determined [to giver her in marriage to a bridegroom where his] boldness is the only bounty, [I receive in that marriage...] [1-66-14b, 15a]
PURPORT
भूतलात् उत्थिताम् ताम् तु वर्धमानाम् मम आत्मजाम्
bhūtalāt utthitām tām tu vardhamānām mama ātmajām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, eminent sage, as my daughter has surfaced from the surface of earth and has come of age, the kings, [having heard my declaration that the bounty for Seetha is boldness alone,] have come and besought for her... [1-66-15b, 16a]
तेष्हाम् वरयताम् कन्याम् सर्वेष्हाम् पृथिवीक्ष्हिताम्
teṣhām varayatām kanyām sarveṣhām pṛthivīkṣhitām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"To all of those kings who are beseeching for the girl, I have not given my daughter, saying that she will be given for a bounty of boldness... [1-6-16b, 17a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then all the kings convoked and on arriving at Mithila, then they wanted to ascertain the calibre [of the bow, vis-a-vis their own...] [1-66-17b, 18a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"For them, those who wanted to ascertain the calibre of the bow, that bow of Shiva is fetched to their proximity, but they are incapable to joggle it, or even to catch hold of it... [1-66-18b, 19a]
PURPORT
तेष्हाम् वीर्यवताम् वीर्यम् अल्पम् ज्ञात्वा महामुने
teṣhām vīryavatām vīryam alpam jñātvā mahāmune
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, great saint, on knowing the valour of those valorous ones as valueless, I countermanded them... oh, ascetically wealthy Vishvamitra, by that you may know [the sequel of it...] [1-66-19b, 20a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then, oh, eminent sage, those kings beleaguered Mithila in a blind fury, since a self-mistrust bechanced among them all, about their own valour... [1-66-20b, 21a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"They surmised for themselves that they are brushed off by me, and they possessed by a high rancour, they strangled the City of Mithila... [1-66-21b, 22a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then elapsed is an year and in anyway the possessions for livelihood went into a decline, oh, eminent sage, thereby I am highly anguished [1-66-22b, 23a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then I have assuaged the assemblages of gods by my ascesis and gods are also highly gladdened and gave me fourfold forces... [1-66-23b, 24a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then those evildoers and self-mistrustful kings while being drubbed [by the heaven-sent army, they have become] vigourless and broken, and they beat a hasty retreat... [1-66-24b, 25a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, tigerly sage this is that supremely radiant bow, and oh, saint of sacred vows, I will show it, even to Rama and Lakshmana... [1-66-25b, 26a]
PURPORT
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे ष्हट् ष्हष्ह्टितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe ṣhaṭ ṣhaṣhṭitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"If Rama strings the bowstring of that bow, oh, sage, I will offer my daughter, whose birth is non-uterine, to Dasharatha's Rama..." [So said Janaka to Vishvamitra.] [1-66-26b, c]