Chapter 68

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

जनकेन समादिष्ह्टा दूताः ते क्लान्त वाहनाः
त्रि रात्रम् उष्हिता मार्गे ते अयोध्याम् प्राविश्हन् पुरीम्

janakena samādiṣhṭā dūtāḥ te klānta vāhanāḥ
tri rātram uṣhitā mārge te ayodhyām prāviśhan purīm

SYNONYMS

janakena samādiṣṭā: by Janaka, clearly ordered | te dūtāḥ: those, envoys | mārge: en route | tri rātram uṣitāḥ: three, nights, on sojourning | klānta vāhanāḥ: overtired, vehicles [who have got overtired horses] | te ayodhyām purīm prāviśan: they, in Ayodhya, in city, entered. |

TRANSLATION

Those envoys who are clearly ordered by Janaka entered the city of Ayodhya on sojourning for three nights en route, and whose horses are overtired for they are galloped so fast to loose no time. [1-68-1]

VERSE 2

ते राज वछनात् गत्वा राजवेश्ह्म प्रवेश्हिताः
ददृश्हुः देव संकाश्हम् वृद्धम् दश्हरथम् नृपम्

te rāja vachanāt gatvā rājaveśhma praveśhitāḥ
dadṛśhuḥ deva saṃkāśham vṛddham daśharatham nṛpam

SYNONYMS

te: they [the envoys] | rāja vacanāt gatvā: by king, words of [of Dasharatha's consent,] on going [to palace] | rāja veśma praveśitāḥ: king's, residence [palace-chambers,] when they are entered into [given a audience] | deva sankāśam: godly, in gleam | vṛddham nṛpam daśaratham: elderly, the king, Dasharatha | dadṛśuḥ: they have seen. |

TRANSLATION

On going to the palace those envoys are given an audience with the consent of Dasharatha, and when they are conducted into the palace-chambers they have seen the elderly king Dasharatha gleaming like a god. [1-68-2]

VERSE 3

बद्ध अंजलि पुटाः सर्वे दूता विगत साध्वसाः
राजानम् प्रश्ह्रितम् वाक्यम् अब्रुवन् मधुर अक्ष्हरम्

baddha aṃjali puṭāḥ sarve dūtā vigata sādhvasāḥ
rājānam praśhritam vākyam abruvan madhura akṣharam

SYNONYMS

sarve dūtā: all, legates | baddha anjali puṭāḥ: bound [enfolding,] both palms, fold | vi gata sādhvasāḥ: completely, gone, angst [on seeing goly Dasharatha] | rājānam: to king | madhura akṣaram: mellowly, worded | praśritam vākyam: compliant, sentence | abruvan: said. |

TRANSLATION

Completely gone is the angst of all the legates on seeing godly Dasharatha, and all of them adjoing palms in reverence said this compliant and mellowly worded sentence to the king. [1-68-3]

PURPORT

Because Dasharatha is caught in the tomfoolery of Kaikeyi he cannot be estimated as an inane personality. It is their domestic cold war. He is famous for his achievements and he fought wars on behalf of no lesser gods. Though Valmiki does not narrate Dasharatha's exploits, other scripts say a lot about them. Hence, whenever Rama's daring, dashing, swashbuckling is to be pictured, he will be indicated as 'Dasharatha's son...' That is the reason why the angst of envoys is said in this verse as 'vanished' just by a glimpse of that godly personality, which hitherto haunted them as to how to countenance such a powerful personality.
VERSE 4

मैथिलो जनको राजा स अग्नि होत्र पुरस्कृतः
मुहुर् मुहुर् मधुरया स्नेह संरक्तया गिरा

maithilo janako rājā sa agni hotra puraskṛtaḥ
muhur muhur madhurayā sneha saṃraktayā girā

SYNONYMS

, 5| mahārāja: oh, exalted emperor [Dasharatha] | maithilaḥ: Mithila's [sovereign] | janakaḥ: of Janaka lineage | rājā: Janaka, king | sa agni hotra puraskṛtaḥ: with, Fire, of Rituals, you who ingratiates yourself with [ever and anon] | sa upādhyāya purohitam: along with that of, [your] teachers' | sa puraḥ saram: with, before, going [afore you a convoys of subjects always precedes, in any event, safeguarding your interests] | tvām: your [highness] | madhurayā: mellowly | sneha samraktayā girā: friendship, instilled, with words | kuśalam ca: wellbeing, also | a vyayam caiva: un, mitigated [prosperity,] also, thus | janakaḥ = zanaka: the present king | muhuḥ muhuḥ: again, again | pṛcchate: is asking after. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, exalted emperor Dasharatha! Janaka, the lineal king of Janaka-s and the present sovereign of Mithila is asking time and time again with mellowly words instilled with friendliness, after the wellbeing and after the unmitigated prosperity of your highness, along with that of your highness' priests and teachers, also that of your highness' subjects, who always precede your highness in convoys in any event, as your highness are the one who ingratiates himself with the Ritual-fires, ever and anon... [1-68-4, 5]

VERSE 6

पृष्ह्ट्वा कुश्हलम् अव्यग्रम् वैदेहो मिथिलाधिपः
कौश्हिक अनुमते वाक्यम् भवन्तम् इदम् अब्रवीत्

pṛṣhṭvā kuśhalam avyagram vaideho mithilādhipaḥ
kauśhika anumate vākyam bhavantam idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

mithila adhipaḥ vaidehaḥ: Mithila's, sovereign, Videha [Janaka] | a vyagram: un, ruffled [at heart, sensibly] | kuśalam pṛṣṭvā: wellbeing, having asked after | kauśika anumate: Kaushika, with the endorse of | bhavantam: to your [highness] | idam vākyam abravīt: this, word, said [to us, that which is sayable to you, his highness is saying this to your highness.] |

TRANSLATION

"His highness Janaka of Videha, and the sovereign of Mithila, having asked after your highness' wellbeing is sensibly saying this word to your highness, with the indorse of Kaushika... [1-68-6]

VERSE 7

पूर्वम् प्रतिज्ञा विदिता वीर्य श्हुल्का मम आत्मजा
राजानः छ कृत अमर्ष्हा निर्वीर्या विमुखी कृताः

pūrvam pratijñā viditā vīrya śhulkā mama ātmajā
rājānaḥ cha kṛta amarṣhā nirvīryā vimukhī kṛtāḥ

SYNONYMS

mama ātmajā: my, soul-born [daughter Seetha] | vīrya śulkā [iti]: bravery's, bounty, [thus] | pūrvam pratijñā: earlier, solemnly promised [by me] | viditā = vell: known - to all | kṛta amarṣā: turned out, as rancorous [kings] | rājānaḥ nir vīryā: kings, without, valour [turned into gutless kings] | vi mukhī kṛtāḥ: turned, face [turned back,] made to | ca [viditā]: also, [well-known.] |

TRANSLATION

" 'Well-known is the solemn promise of mine that my daughter Seetha is a bounty for bravery... also well-know is that the kings who came to lift the bow turned out as gutless kings, and then they turned out as rancorous kings at me, and it is also well-known that I turned them back with my guts... [1-68-7]

VERSE 8

सा इयम् मम सुता राजन् विश्ह्वामित्र पुरस्कृतैः
यदृछ्छ्हया आगतैः वीरैः निर्जिता तव पुत्रकैः

sā iyam mama sutā rājan viśhvāmitra puraskṛtaiḥ
yadṛchchhayā āgataiḥ vīraiḥ nirjitā tava putrakaiḥ

SYNONYMS

rājan: oh, Emperor Dasharatha | sā iyam = suc as śe is, this: girl | mama sutā: my, daughter | viśvāmitra puraskṛtaiḥ: Vishvamitra, keeping afore | yadṛc chayā: coincidentally [serendipitously] | āgataiḥ: arrived [at Mithila] | tava: your | vīraiḥ: valorous | putrakaiḥ: sons / young son | nir jitā: finally, carried off. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, Emperor Dasharatha, your young and valorous son who serendipitously arrived at Mithila along with his younger brother Lakshmana, keeping Vishvamitra at his fore, finally carries off this girl, the well-known daughter of mine... [1-68-8]

PURPORT

Usually this verse gives meaning that 'two of your valorous sons won Seetha...' because of the usage of plural number viiraiH putrakaiH But this is counted as 'royal we' sort of expression to honour Rama. Hence this ka pratyaya , though used in the verse, will be read as singular. There is another shade of wording for this verse: seyam mama sutaa raajan vishvaamitrsya shaashanaat | puriim imaam samaagatya tava pureNa nirjitaa || which uses only singular for Rama.
VERSE 9

तत् छ रत्नम् धनुर् दिव्यम् मध्ये भग्नम् महात्मना
रामेण हि महाबाहो महत्याम् जन संसदि

tat cha ratnam dhanur divyam madhye bhagnam mahātmanā
rāmeṇa hi mahābāho mahatyām jana saṃsadi

SYNONYMS

mahā bāhuḥ = oh, highly dekṣtrous: king Dasharatha | divyam: divine [bow] | tat dhanuḥ ratnam ca: that, bow, gem of a, also | mahatyām jana samsadi: a grand, peoples, assembly | mahā ātmanā rāmeṇa: by noble-souled, Rama | madhye bhagnam: in central point, wrecked. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Also, oh, highly dextrous king Dasharatha, noble souled Rama wrecked that divine bow, which is a gem of a bow among bows, at its central point before a grand assembly of people... [1-68-9]

VERSE 10

अस्मै देया मया सीता वीर्य श्हुल्का महात्मने
प्रतिज्ञाम् तर्तुम् इछ्छ्हामि तत् अनुज्ञातुम् अर्हसि

asmai deyā mayā sītā vīrya śhulkā mahātmane
pratijñām tartum ichchhāmi tat anujñātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

vīrya śulkā sītā: bravery's, bounty, Seetha | asmai mahātmane: to him, to noble souled [Rama] | mayā deyā: by me, is to be given | pratijñām: solemn promise | tartum = to svim over: to keep up | icchāmi: I wish to | tat anujñātum arhasi: as suh, to give consent, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Seetha is the bounty for bravery and I shall have to afford her to the noble-souled Rama, as such it will be apt of you to give your consent as I wish to keep up my solemn promise... [1-68-10]

VERSE 11

स उपाध्यायो महाराज पुरोहित पुरस्कृतः
श्हीघ्रम् आगछ्छ्ह भद्रम् ते द्रष्ह्टुम् अर्हसि राघवौ

sa upādhyāyo mahārāja purohita puraskṛtaḥ
śhīghram āgachchha bhadram te draṣhṭum arhasi rāghavau

SYNONYMS

mahārāja: oh, great emperor | sa upādhyāyaḥ: with, teachers | purohita puraskṛtaḥ: with priest [namely Vashishta,] keeping ahead | śīghram āgaccha: apace, you come | te bhadram: safe betides, you | rāghavau draṣṭum arhasi: at both Raghava-s, [Rama and Lakshmana,] to take a look, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

" 'Keeping your royal priest Vashishta and other teachers ahead of you, oh, great emperor, I wish you to come apace, let safe betide you, for it will be apt of you to take a look at your ennobled son Rama, and Lakshmana, too... [1-68-11]

VERSE 12

प्रतिज्ञाम् मम राजेन्द्र निर्वर्तयितुम् अर्हसि
पुत्रयोः उभयोः एव प्रीतिम् त्वम् अपि लप्स्यसे

pratijñām mama rājendra nirvartayitum arhasi
putrayoḥ ubhayoḥ eva prītim tvam api lapsyase

SYNONYMS

rājendra: oh, king, the best | mama pratijñām nirvartayitum arhasi: my, solemn promise, to [make it] maintainable, apt of you | tvam api: you, even | [dṛṣṭvā: on your seeing] | ubhayoḥ putrayoḥ eva: both, from sons, that way | prītim: delight | upalapsyase: you, derive. |

TRANSLATION

" 'It will be apt of you to make my solemn promise maintainable, and that way you will derive delight on seeing both of your sons...' [1-68-12]

PURPORT

'by the by, you will also derive delight in seeing Seetha, for she is also a hyphenated daughter of yours, sutascha sutaa ca tayoH eka sheSaH... with another suffix, in-law...'
VERSE 13

एवम् विदेह अधिपतिः मधुरम् वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
विश्ह्वामित्र अभ्यनुज्ञातः श्हताअनन्द मते स्थितः

evam videha adhipatiḥ madhuram vākyam abravīt
viśhvāmitra abhyanujñātaḥ śhatāananda mate sthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

videha adhipatiḥ: Videha's, sovereign | viśvāmitra abhyanujñātaḥ: by Vishvamitra, consentient to [the proposal] | śatāananda mate sthitaḥ: Sage Shataananda, in counsel, abiding by | evam: in this way | madhuram vākyam abravīt = svīt [endearing,] vords, said: and paused. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus the sovereign of Videha kingdom said these endearing words, abiding by the counsel of Sage Shataananda, and Sage Vishvamitra is also consentient to the proposal..." Thus the envoys conveyed the proposal and paused. [1-68-13]

VERSE 14

दूत वाक्यम् तु तत् श्ह्रुत्वा राजा परम हर्ष्हितः
वसिष्ह्ठम् वामदेवम् छ मंत्रिणः छ एवम् अब्रवीत्

dūta vākyam tu tat śhrutvā rājā parama harṣhitaḥ
vasiṣhṭham vāmadevam cha maṃtriṇaḥ cha evam abravīt

SYNONYMS

rājā = king: Dasharatha | tat dūta vākyam śrutvā: that [word of delegate, word [message,], on hearing | parama harṣitaḥ: highly, gladdened | vasiṣṭham vāmadevam ca: to Vashishta, to Vaamadeva, also | mantriṇaḥ ca: to [other] ministers, as well | evam abravīt: this way, said. |

TRANSLATION

King Dasharatha is highly gladdened on hearing that message from the delegates, and said this way to Vashishta, Vaamadeva, and to his other ministers, as well. [1-68-14]

VERSE 15

गुप्तः कुश्हिक पुत्रेण कौसल्य आनन्द वर्धनः
लक्ष्ह्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा विदेहेष्हु वसति असौ

guptaḥ kuśhika putreṇa kausalya ānanda vardhanaḥ
lakṣhmaṇena saha bhrātrā videheṣhu vasati asau

SYNONYMS

asau = that [boy]: Rama | kausalya ānanda vardhanaḥ: Kausalya's, rejoice, enhancer | kuśika putreṇa guptaḥ: by Kushika's, son [Vishvamitra,] taken care | bhrātrā lakṣmaṇena saha: brother, Lakshmana, along with | videheṣu vasati = in Videha [kingdom,] he is living: he is stopping over. |

TRANSLATION

"This one Rama, the enhancer of Kausalya's rejoice, is stopping over at Videha kingdom along with his brother Lakshmana, and Vishvamitra is taking care of both these boys... [1-68-15]

VERSE 16

दृष्ह्ट वीर्यः तु काकुत्स्थो जनकेन महात्मना
संप्रदानम् सुतायाः तु राघवे कर्तुम् इछ्छ्हति

dṛṣhṭa vīryaḥ tu kākutstho janakena mahātmanā
saṃpradānam sutāyāḥ tu rāghave kartum ichchhati

SYNONYMS

kākutsthaḥ = of k͟hakutstha ṟama: on his part | mahātmanā janakena dṛṣṭa vīryaḥ: by noble-souled, by Janaka, one whose valour has been observed [on observing Rama's valour] | sutāyāḥ sampradānam: of daughter, gift of bride | rāghave kartum icchati: in respect of Raghava, to do, he wishes. |

TRANSLATION

"On observing the valour of Kakutstha Rama, noble souled Janaka wishes to gift his daughter as bride to Raghava Rama... [1-68-16]

VERSE 17

यदि वो रोछते वृत्तम् जनकस्य महात्मनः
पुरीम् गछ्छ्हामहे श्हीघ्रम् मा भूत् कालस्य पर्ययः

yadi vo rochate vṛttam janakasya mahātmanaḥ
purīm gachchhāmahe śhīghram mā bhūt kālasya paryayaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahātmanaḥ janakasya vṛttam = noble: souled, Janaka's, what has happened to - surprised assent to give daughter | vaḥ rocate yadi: to you, interested, if | śīghram purīm gacchāmahe: quickly, to city [Mithila,] we proceed | kālasya paryayaḥ mā bhūt: time's, lapse, let not, happen. |

TRANSLATION

"If you all favour the tidings from the noble-souled Janaka as to what has happened in Mithila, we quickly proceed to that city, let not the time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha informed his counsel. [1-68-17]

PURPORT

The word vR^ittam 'happening' 'history' and it is generally translated as 'the history, legend, and the familial characteristics of Janaka...' But when Janaka already is famous through the bow of Shiva, and that bow itself is broken now, no more 'verification of antecedents' of Janaka is needed, and it is 'what has happened now' i.e., the impossible deed of breaking it.
VERSE 18

मंत्रिणो बाढम् इति आहुः सह सर्वैः महर्ष्हिभिः
सु प्रीतः छ अब्रवीत् राजा श्ह्वः यात्रा इति छ मंत्रिणः

maṃtriṇo bāḍham iti āhuḥ saha sarvaiḥ maharṣhibhiḥ
su prītaḥ cha abravīt rājā śhvaḥ yātrā iti cha maṃtriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarvaiḥ maha rṣibhiḥ saha mantriṇaḥ: with, all, great sages, ministers | bāḍham iti āhuḥ: 'most welcome', thus, they said | su prītaḥ rājā: highly, pleased, king | śvaḥ yātrā iti: tomorrow, is the travel, thus | mantriṇaḥ abravīt: to ministers, said. |

TRANSLATION

The ministers along with all of the great sages said in consonance, "Most Welcome..." and then that highly pleased king Dasharatha said to the ministers, "we travel tomorrow..." [1-68-18]

VERSE 19

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे अष्ह्ट ष्हष्ह्टितमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe aṣhṭa ṣhaṣhṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarvaiḥ guṇaiḥ samanvitāḥ: with all, talents, gifted with | narendrasya mantriṇaḥ: of king [Janaka,] ministers | parama sat kṛtāḥ: given grateful hospitality | pramuditāḥ: over joyed | sarve rātrim ūṣuḥ = all, that night, they dvelled: in Ayodhya. |

TRANSLATION

The ministers of king Janaka who are gifted with all talents are given grateful hospitality by Dasharatha, and they all dwelt that night in Ayodhya, overjoyed at the successful completion of their august legatine, called sIta kalyANam... [1-68-19]