Chapter 8

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

तस्य च एवम् प्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः
सुतार्थम् तप्य मानस्य न असीत् वंशकरः सुतः

tasya ca evam prabhāvasya dharmajñasya mahātmanaḥ
sutārtham tapya mānasya na asīt vaṃśakaraḥ sutaḥ

SYNONYMS

evam prabhāvasya: this kind of, effectual king | dharmajñasya: virtue knower | mahātmanaḥ: great soul | suta artham tapyamānasya: children, to beget, burning, at heart | tasya ca: to him, also | vaṃśakarḥ sutaḥ: dynasty, enriching, son | nāsīt: is not, there. |

TRANSLATION

To him, to such an effectual and virtuously great-souled King Dasharatha, , a dynasty-enriching son is not begotten though his heart is burning to beget children. [1-8-1]

VERSE 2

चिन्तयानस्य तस्य एवम् बुद्धिः आसीन् महात्मनः
सुतार्थम् वाजिमेधेन किम् अर्थम् न यजामि अहम्

cintayānasya tasya evam buddhiḥ āsīn mahātmanaḥ
sutārtham vājimedhena kim artham na yajāmi aham

SYNONYMS

cintayānasya: while thinking | tasya: to him | mahātmanaḥ: to that great soul | evam: this way | buddhiḥ āsīt: thought, occurred | suta artham: sons, for the purpose of | vāji medhena: by Horse Ritual | kim artham: why, not | na yajāmi aham: not, perform, I shall. |

TRANSLATION

To that anguished great-soul, a thought occurred this way, "To beget sons, why should not I perform Horse ritual...[and thus appease the gods in order to beget worthy sons..."] [1-8-2]

VERSE 3

स निश्चिताम् मतिम् कृत्वा यष्टव्यम् इति बुद्धिमान्
मंत्रिभिः सह धर्मात्मा सर्वैः अपि कृत आत्मभिः

sa niścitām matim kṛtvā yaṣṭavyam iti buddhimān
maṃtribhiḥ saha dharmātmā sarvaiḥ api kṛta ātmabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

, 4| buddhimān: intellectual one | dharma ātmā: conscientious souled | kṛta ātmabhiḥ: with decent, souled [sagacious ministers] | sarvaiḥ api: with all, even | mantribhiḥ: with ministers | yaṣṭavyam iti: performable, thus | niścitām matim kṛtvā: resolved, mind, on making | tataḥ: then | mantri sattamam sumantram: best of ministers, to Sumantra | abravīt: addressed | sa purohitān: with, clerics | tān sarvān: them, all | me gurūn: my teachers | śīghram ānaya: quickly, fetch. |

TRANSLATION

That intellectual and a conscientious king having resolved with all of his sagacious ministers that such a Vedic ritual is performable, then addressed best ne among ministers, namely Sumantra, "fetch all my teachers and clerics, quickly.." [1-8-3,4]

VERSE 5

ततः सुमंत्रः त्वरितम् गत्वा त्वरित विक्रमः
सम् आनयत् स तान् सर्वान् समस्तान् वेद पारगान्

tataḥ sumaṃtraḥ tvaritam gatvā tvarita vikramaḥ
sam ānayat sa tān sarvān samastān veda pāragān

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | tvaritaḥ vikramaḥ: in quickness, dauntless | sumantraḥ: Sumantra | tvaritam gatvā: quickly, gone | suyajñam: Suyajna | vāmadevam: Vaama Deva | ca: also | atha: then | jābālim: Jaabaali | kāśyapam: Kaashyapa | purohitam: the clerics | vaśiṣṭham ca: Vashishta, also | ye anye dvija uttamāḥ: those, other, Brahman-s, eminent ones | veda pāragān: Vedic scholars are there | samānayat: fetched | tān sarvān: them, all. |

TRANSLATION

Then Sumantra gone quickly, for he in quickness is a dauntless one, and fetched all of the clerics like Suyajna, Vaama Deva, Jaabala, Kshyapa, and even Sage Vashishta, and also those other eminent Brahman that are Vedic scholars. [1-8-5,6]

VERSE 7

तान् पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथः तदा
इदम् धर्म अर्थ सहितम् श्लक्ष्णम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

tān pūjayitvā dharmātmā rājā daśarathaḥ tadā
idam dharma artha sahitam ślakṣṇam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

dharmātmā rājā daśarathaḥ: virtuous king, Dasharatha | tadā: then | tān pūjayitvā: them, on adoring | idam: this | dharma artha sahitam: justification, meaning, having | ślakṣṇam vacanam abravīt: impressible, sentence, spoke to. |

TRANSLATION

Then on adoring them virtuous King Dasharatha spoke this impressible sentence that included justification and meaning. [1-8-7]

VERSE 8

मम लालस्य मानस्य सुतार्थम् नास्ति वै सुखम्
तदर्थम् हयमेधेन यक्ष्ह्यामि इति मतिर् मम

mama lālasya mānasya sutārtham nāsti vai sukham
tadartham hayamedhena yakṣhyāmi iti matir mama

SYNONYMS

sutārtham: for sons | lālasya mānasya: tumultuous, mind | mama: my | sukham: quietude | na asti: not there | vai: verily | tat artham: for that, reason | haya medhena: by Horse Ritual | yakṣhyami: Vedic worship | iti: thus | matiḥ mama: thinking, of mine. |

TRANSLATION

"My mind is tumultuous without quietude for I have no sons... for that reason, I wish perform Aswametha, Vedic Horse Ritual... this is my thinking... [1-8-8]

VERSE 9

तत् अहम् यष्टुम् इच्छमि शास्त्र दृष्टेन कर्मणा
कथम् प्राप्स्यामि अहम् कामम् बुद्धिः अत्र विचिन्त्यताम्

tat aham yaṣṭum icchami śāstra dṛṣṭena karmaṇā
katham prāpsyāmi aham kāmam buddhiḥ atra vicintyatām

SYNONYMS

tat aham: therefore, I | śāstra dṛṣṭena: scriptures, point of view [as enshrined in] | karmaṇā: rite-oriented | yaṣṭum iccami: to perform ritual, I contemplate to | katham: how | prāpyāmi: I get | kāmam: my desire | buddhiḥ atra vicintyatām: contemplation, for that, be thought of. |

TRANSLATION

"Therefore, I contemplate to perform that ritual as enshrined in the scriptures and as a rite-oriented one as well... let this contemplation of mine be well thought of... and as to how my desire to beget sons will be fulfilled... [1-8-9]

VERSE 10

ततः साधु इति तद्वाक्यम् ब्राह्मणाः प्रत्यपूजयन्
वशिष्ठ प्रमुखाः सर्वे पार्थिवस्य मुखेरितम्

tataḥ sādhu iti tadvākyam brāhmaṇāḥ pratyapūjayan
vaśiṣṭha pramukhāḥ sarve pārthivasya mukheritam

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | vaśiṣṭhaḥ: Sage Vashishta | brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahman-s | pramukhāḥ sarve: important personalities, all of them | pārthivasya mukha īritam: from king's, mouth, voiced | tat vākyam: that, sentence [idea] | sādhu iti: splendid, it is | prati apūjayan: in turn, honoured him |

TRANSLATION

Then the Brahman scholars along with Sage Vashishta and all other important personalities in their turn have blessed and honoured him, saying that "splendid is this idea..." thus, for that which is voiced by the king. [1-8-10]

VERSE 11

ऊचुः च परम प्रीताः सर्वे दशरथम् वचः
संभाराः संभ्रियंताम् ते तुरगः च विमुच्यताम्

ūcuḥ ca parama prītāḥ sarve daśaratham vacaḥ
saṃbhārāḥ saṃbhriyaṃtām te turagaḥ ca vimucyatām

SYNONYMS

sarve: all of them | parama prītāḥ: very, happy | daśaratham: to Dasharatha | vacaḥ: these words | ucuḥ ca: they said, also | sambhārāḥ: paraphernalia | saṃbhriyantām: be provided | te turagaḥ ca vimucyatām: your, horse, also, be released. |

TRANSLATION

All of them becoming happy have also said to King Dasharatha, "let the paraphernalia be provided, and your ritual-horse be released... [1-8-11]

VERSE 12

सरय्वाः च उत्तरे तीरे यज्ञ भूमिर् विधीयताम्
सर्वथा प्राप्स्यसे पुत्रान् अभिप्रेतान् च पार्थिव

sarayvāḥ ca uttare tīre yajña bhūmir vidhīyatām
sarvathā prāpsyase putrān abhipretān ca pārthiva

SYNONYMS

, 13a| pārthiva: oh king | sarvathā: by all means | prāpyase: you will beget | abhipretān ca: as you desired | putrān: sons | sarayvāḥ ca uttare tīre: River Sarayu's, on northern banks | yajña bhūmiḥ vidhīyatām: ritual, ground, be arranged yasya te = to whom, like you | dhārmikī buddhiḥ iyam: virtuous, thought, like this | putra artham āgatā: to beget sons, suggested itself to. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, king, by all means you will beget sons as you desired, since you, to whom an upright thinking has suggested itself... let the ritual ground be arranged on the northern banks of River Sarayu..." So said the scholars. [1-8-12, 13a]

VERSE 13

ततः तुष्टो।अभवत् राजा श्रुत्वा तद् द्विज भाषितम्

tataḥ tuṣṭo|abhavat rājā śrutvā tad dvija bhāṣitam

SYNONYMS

b, 14| tataḥ: then | rājā: king | tat dvija bhāṣitam śrutvā: that, Brahmans', saying, on hearing | tuṣṭaḥ abhavat: glad, he became | harṣa paryākula locanaḥ: happiness, lurching, on eyes | amātyān abravīt: to ministers, spoke to | iha me gurūṇām vacanāt: now, on my, teacher's, advise | sambhārāḥ saṃbhriyantām: paraphernalia, be procured. |

TRANSLATION

" Then King Dasharatha is gladdened on hearing the sayings of those Brahmans. And with happiness lurching on his eyes the king spoke to the ministers, "As advised by my Vedic teachers let the paraphernalia be procured... [1-8-13b, 14]

VERSE 15

समर्थ अधिष्ठितः च अश्वः सः उपाध्यायो विमुच्यताम्
सरय्वाः च उत्तरे तीरे यज्ञ भूमिर् विधीयताम्

samartha adhiṣṭhitaḥ ca aśvaḥ saḥ upādhyāyo vimucyatām
sarayvāḥ ca uttare tīre yajña bhūmir vidhīyatām

SYNONYMS

sarayavyāḥ ca uttare tīre: of River Sarayu, on northern banks | yajña bhūmiḥ vidhīyatām: ritual, ground, be arranged | samartha adhiṣṭitaḥ: capable ones [warriors,] monitored by | saha upādhyāyaḥ: with, religious teachers [following] | aśvaḥ vimucyatām: Ritual Horse, be released. |

TRANSLATION

"On the northern banks of River Sarayu the ritual ground be arranged... and the Ritual-Horse be released monitored by capable warriors, along with the religious teachers..." So said the king. [1-8-15]

VERSE 16

शान्तयः च अपि वर्धन्ताम् यथा कल्पम् यथा विधि
शक्यः प्राप्तुम् अयम् यज्ञः सर्वेण अपि महीक्षिता
न अपराधो भवेत् कष्टो यदि अस्मिन् क्रतु सत्तमे
१८१६

śāntayaḥ ca api vardhantām yathā kalpam yathā vidhi
śakyaḥ prāptum ayam yajñaḥ sarveṇa api mahīkṣitā
na aparādho bhavet kaṣṭo yadi asmin kratu sattame
1-8-16

SYNONYMS

, 17a| śāntayāḥ ca api: peace invocations, also, even | vardhantām: be prevailing | yathā kalpam: as ordained [by tradition] | yathā vidhi: as per scriptures | ayam yajñaḥ: this, ritual | kaṣṭtaḥ aparādhaḥ: difficult, fault | yadi: if | na bhavet: not occurs | asmin: in that | kratu sattame: ritual, the great | sarveṇa api mahī kṣitā: by all, even, kings, on earth | śakyaḥ prāptum: possible, to obtain [to perform and obtain results.] |

TRANSLATION

"Let peace invocations be prevailing and prospering, as ordained in the scriptures and tradition...if it is possible for the correct performance to obtain results of this ritual, and if it is possible to conduct this ritual without any difficult faults during its performance, then all the kings on earth would have performed it... [1-8-16, 17a]

VERSE 17

छिद्रम् हि मृगयन्ते स्म विद्वांसो ब्रह्म राक्षसाः
विधि हीनस्य यज्ञस्य सद्यः कर्ता विनश्यति

chidram hi mṛgayante sma vidvāṃso brahma rākṣasāḥ
vidhi hīnasya yajñasya sadyaḥ kartā vinaśyati

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| atra: therein the ritual | vidvāṃsaḥ brahma rākṣasāḥ: scholarly, Brahmans [who became] Brahma-demons | cidram hi mṛgayante: faults, alone, they hunt for | vidhi hīnasya: procedure, depraved | yaj'asya: ritual's | kartā: performer | vinaśyati: gets ruined. |

TRANSLATION

"Scholarly Brahma-demons will be hunting for the faults alone in the course of this ritual... should the procedure of this ritual be depraved of its set rules, the performer gets ruined... [1-8-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

तद्यथा विधि पूर्वम् मे क्रतुरेष समाप्यते
तथा विधानम् क्रियताम् समर्थाः साधनेषु इति

tadyathā vidhi pūrvam me kratureṣa samāpyate
tathā vidhānam kriyatām samarthāḥ sādhaneṣu iti

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| tat: therefore | me eṣa kratuḥ: my, this, ritual | vidhi pūrvam: procedurally | yathā samāpyate: as to how, it will be concluded | tathā vidhānam kriyatām: in that way, it shall be done | samarthāḥ sādhaneṣu: experts, [you all] in [such] performances | iti: thus [the king said to his teachers.] |

TRANSLATION

"Therefore, you all shall see as to how this ritual of mine be conducted and concluded procedurally, and all of you are evidently experts in conducting such rituals... isn't it! [1-8-18b, 19a]

PURPORT

Vedic Brahmans are to be very cautious and vigilant while performing the ritual in the order of ritual acts, faultless rendering of the Vedic hymns and other observant items of the Vedic canon. Should they by overconfidence or by negligence commit any mistake or fault, they take rebirth as Brahma-demons. After taking rebirth as such demons they, with their inherent jealousy and ire will always be hunting for such mistakes in other's ritual performances. If they cannot find one, they cause certain hindrances in that performance, so that the performer may commit mistakes and get ruined in the present life span and then take rebirth as Brahma-demon. Hence, every Vedic-ritual performer shall be vigilant.
VERSE 19

तथा इति च अब्रुवन् सर्वे मंत्रिणः प्रतिपूजिता
पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तद् वाक्यम् यथा पूर्वम् निशंय ते

tathā iti ca abruvan sarve maṃtriṇaḥ pratipūjitā
pārthivendrasya tad vākyam yathā pūrvam niśaṃya te

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| te sarve mantriṇaḥ: those, all, ministers | pārthiva indrasya tat vākyam: king's, the best one's, that, word | niśamya: on listening | pratipūjitā: adored him | yathā pūrvam: as, earlier [ as has been conducted] | tathā: that way [this will also be conducted] | iti: thus | ca abruvan: also, said [assured.] |

TRANSLATION

On listening the words of the king all the ministers adored and assured him saying, 'It will be conducted faultlessly as has been conducted earlier...' [1-8-19b, 20a]

VERSE 20

तथा द्विजाः ते धर्मज्ञा वर्थयतो नृपोत्तमम्
अनुज्ञाताः ततः सर्वे पुनर् जग्मुर् यथा आगतम्

tathā dvijāḥ te dharmajñā varthayato nṛpottamam
anujñātāḥ tataḥ sarve punar jagmur yathā āgatam

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| dharmajñā: virtue knowers | te dvijāḥ: those, Brahmans | tathā varthayataḥ nṛpottamam: enhancing [his royal stature,] of that king | tataḥ anujñātāḥ: then, permitted | sarve yathā āgatam: all, as they have come | punaḥ jagmuḥ: again, went away. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing those words of that best king, and what that is spoken earlier, then the virtue knowing Brahman scholars hailing that best king took leave of him and wentaway as they have come. [1-8-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

विसर्जयित्वा तान् विप्रान् सचिवान् इदम् अब्रवीत्
ऋत्विग्भिः उपसंदिष्टो यथावत् क्रतुर् आप्यताम्

visarjayitvā tān viprān sacivān idam abravīt
ṛtvigbhiḥ upasaṃdiṣṭo yathāvat kratur āpyatām

SYNONYMS

b, 22a| tataḥ: then | visarjayitvā: sending off | sarve: all | tān: them | viprān: Brahmans | sacivān idam abravīt: to ministers, this, said | ṛtvigbhiḥ: by the Vedic scholars | upasaṃdiṣṭaḥ: as advised | yathā vat kratuḥ āpyatām: procedurally, ritual, be conducted |

TRANSLATION

Then on sending off those Brahman scholars, the king spoke this way to the ministers... "As advised by the Vedic scholars this ritual shall be conducted, procedurally..." [1-8-21b, 22A]

VERSE 22

इति उक्त्वा नृप शार्दूलः सचिवान् समुपस्थितान्
विसर्जयित्वा स्वम् वेश्म प्रविवेश महामतिः

iti uktvā nṛpa śārdūlaḥ sacivān samupasthitān
visarjayitvā svam veśma praviveśa mahāmatiḥ

SYNONYMS

B, 23a| mahā matiḥ nṛpa śārdūlaḥ: highly intelligent, kingly tiger Dasharatha | samupasthitān: who are in audience | sacivān: to misters | iti uktvā: thus, on saying | visarjayitvā: sent them off | svam veśma praviveśa: his, palace, entered. |

TRANSLATION

Tha tigerly-king and highly intellectual Dasharatha, on saying thus to his ministers who are still in his audience, sent away those ministers also, and he entered his palace. [1-8-22b, 23a]

VERSE 23

ततः स गत्वा ताः पत्नीर् नरेन्द्रो हृदयंगमाः
उवाच दीक्षाम् विशत यक्षे।अहम् सुत कारणात्

tataḥ sa gatvā tāḥ patnīr narendro hṛdayaṃgamāḥ
uvāca dīkṣām viśata yakṣe|aham suta kāraṇāt

SYNONYMS

b, 24a| tataḥ: then | saḥ: he | narendraḥ: the king, the best | hṛdayaṃgamā: heartily dear ones | tāḥ patnīḥ: to them his wives | gatvā: on approaching | uvāca: spoke | aham: I am | suta kāraṇāt: sons, for the reason of | yakṣye: performing ritual | dīkṣām viśata: vow, you enter |

TRANSLATION

And on approaching his wives, that best king's heartily dear ones, he said to them, " I am performing a Vedic ritual for the reason of begetting sons, and you all shall enter a vow..." [1-8-23b, 24a]

VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि कावे अष्टमः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāve aṣṭamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, c| ati kāntinena: most pleasing | vacanena: by words [of king] | suvarcasām: already lustrous | tāsām: their [the queens] | mukha padmāni: countenances, lotuses | padmān iva: lotuses, like | tena: by those [words of king] | himātyaye: dew-fall, clearance of | aśobhanta: became more gleaming. |

TRANSLATION

On hearing those words of the king, the lustrous countenances of the queens have become more gleaming, like the blooming lotuses after the clearance of dew-fall. [1-8-24b, c]