Chapter 9

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

VERSE 1

एतत् श्रुत्वा रहः सूतो राजानम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
श्रूयताम् तत् पुरा वृत्तम् पुराणे च मया श्रुतम्

etat śrutvā rahaḥ sūto rājānam idam abravīt
śrūyatām tat purā vṛttam purāṇe ca mayā śrutam

SYNONYMS

etat śrutvā sūtaḥ: all this, having heard, charioteer, Sumantra | rājānam: to king [Dasharatha] | rahaḥ idam abravīt: in confidence, in this way, said | śrūyatām tat: I will tell, that | purā vṛttam: an early, legend | purāṇe ca mayā śrutam: legendary narration, also, by me, listened. |

TRANSLATION

Sumantra, the charioteer and one of the misters of King Dasharatha, having heard all about the king's desire to perform a Vedic ritual, said this in confidence to king, "oh, king, I will tell an early legend, an early legendary narration that I listened... [1-9-1]

VERSE 2

ऋत्विग्भिः उपदिष्टो।अयम् पुरा वृत्तो मया श्रुतः
सनत्कुमारो भगवान् पूर्वम् कथितवान् कथाम्

ṛtvigbhiḥ upadiṣṭo|ayam purā vṛtto mayā śrutaḥ
sanatkumāro bhagavān pūrvam kathitavān kathām

SYNONYMS

, 3a| rājan: oh King | ṛtvigbhiḥ upadiṣṭaḥ: by Vedic scholars, advised | ayam purā vṛttaḥ: this is, earlier, happened [narrated] | sanat kumāraḥ bhagavān: Sage Sanatkumara, godly one | pūrvam kathitavān kathām: once, narrated, an account [about your progeny] | ṛṣīṇām sannidhau: of [other] sages, presence of | tava putra āgamam prati: about arrival of, your, sons, about | mayā śrutaḥ: by me, heard. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, king, I have earlier heard of this present advice given to you by Vedic scholars, as godly Sage Sanatkumara has once narrated an account about the arrival of your sons in the presence of other sages, and sage Sanat Kumara said... [1-9-2, 3a]

VERSE 3

काश्यपस्य च पुत्रो।अस्ति विभाण्डक इति श्रुतः

kāśyapasya ca putro|asti vibhāṇḍaka iti śrutaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 4| kāśyapasya ca: for Sage Kashyapa | putraḥ asti: son, was there | vibhāṇḍaka iti śrutaḥ: Vibhaandaka, thus, known as | tasya putraḥ: his son [Vibhandaka's son,] will be | ṛśyasringa iti khyāta: Rishyasringa, thus, renowned | bhaviśyati: will be there | saḥ muniḥ vane nitya samvṛddhaḥ: he, that saint [Rishyasringa,] always, in forest, grown up | vana cara sadā: [that sage] Rishyasringa, forest, dwelling, always. |

TRANSLATION

"He said that "Sage Kashyapa has a son known as Vibhaandaka, and his son will be the renowned Sage Rishyasringa, and that Sage Rishyasringa will grow up in forests, and will always be dwelling in forest... [1-9-3b, 4]

PURPORT

Here the word used by Sumantra is tava putra aagamam , it renders as 'the arrival of your sons', meaning that sons of King Dasharatha arrive from Heavens, but not through an ordinary parturition. Even earlier in time to that of Dasharatha, Sage Sanatkumara predicted the 'arrival' of Vishnu as Rama. The birth-event associated with Rishyasringa's name is that he is born with a horn on the crown of his head. Thus he is named as Rishyasringa, i.e., em> R^iSi the Sage; shR^i~Nga horn; a Sage with a horn on his forehead at his birth time. This being the mythological import, he is an acme among sages, as shR^i~Nga also means a peak.
VERSE 5

ओर्

or

SYNONYMS

vipra indraḥ: Brahman, the best | na anyam jānāti: not, others, knowing [not knowing others] | nityam pitra anu vartanāt: always, father, abiding | dvai vidhyam: hindrance, [or, two kinds] | brahma caryasya: of his celibacy | bhaviṣyasi: he will be following/will occur to him | mahātmanaḥ: to that great soul. |

TRANSLATION

"Not knowing others, that Brahman the best, namely Rishyasringa, will always be abiding his father and he will follow celibacy of two kinds Brahmanical vows namely vratitva , praajaapatya ... Not knowing others that Brahman the best, will always be abiding his father, lest his renowned celibacy always praised by the Brahmans, will be hindered. [1-9-5]

PURPORT

The word dvaividhyam also means two kinds of celibacy, vratitva and prajaapatyam . One, as a bachelor and the other after marriage, voluntarily distancing away from his wife on certain forbidden days like full moon and new moon days, during daytime, eclipses, and other astronomical occurrences and some more. This kind of self-imposed celibacy is one way of observing sustained family planning methods, instead of resorting to medicaments. Here, this word is more nearer to mean 'hindrance', than to mean the 'two way celibacy' as deciphered by some commentators.
VERSE 6

लोकेषु प्रथितम् राजन् विप्रैः च कथितम् सदा
तस्य एवम् वर्तमानस्य कालः समभिवर्तत

lokeṣu prathitam rājan vipraiḥ ca kathitam sadā
tasya evam vartamānasya kālaḥ samabhivartata

SYNONYMS

lokeṣu prathitam: in the world, famous | rājan: O King | vipraiḥ ca kathitam sadā: by Brahmans, praised, always | tasya evam vartamānasya: him, thus, with that conduct | kālaḥ sam abhi vartata: time, will pass on. |

TRANSLATION

"In the world he becomes famous for his celibacy, oh king, and he will always be praised by Brahmans, and thus time will pass on with that kind of his conduct, [1-9-6]

VERSE 7

अग्निम् शुश्रूषमाणस्य पितरम् च यशस्विनम्
एतस्मिन् एव काले तु रोमपादः प्रतापवान्

agnim śuśrūṣamāṇasya pitaram ca yaśasvinam
etasmin eva kāle tu romapādaḥ pratāpavān

SYNONYMS

, 8a| agnim: to Sacrificial Fire | śuśruṣamāṇasya: while in servitor-ship of | pitaram ca: to his father, also | yaśasvinam: prosperous one | etasmin eva: in this, only | kāle: meantime | pratāpavān: valiant one | rājā: king | romapādaḥ: Romapaada | angeśu: in Anga kingdom | prathitaḥ: famed one | bhaviṣyati: will be there | mahābalaḥ: very strong one. |

TRANSLATION

Sage Rishyasringa looses no time with his servitor-ship to the Sacrificial Fire and also to his celebrated father, and during this period alone there will be a famed and very strong king Romapaada, a valiant in Anga country... [1-9-7, 8a]

VERSE 8

तस्य व्यतिक्रमात् राज्ञो भविष्यति सुदारुणा

tasya vyatikramāt rājño bhaviṣyati sudāruṇā

SYNONYMS

b, 9| tasya rājñaḥ vyatikramāt: his, that king's, violation of righteousness | su ghorā: very, devastating | su dāruṇā: verily, shocking | sarva loka bhayāavahā: to all, living beings, frightening one | anāvṛṣṭiḥ bhaviṣyati: famine, will be there. |

TRANSLATION

"But by a violation of righteousness of that king there will be a shocking and devastating famine in that country...[1-9-8b, 9]

VERSE 9

अनावृष्ट्याम् तु वृत्तायाम् राजा दुःख समन्वितः

anāvṛṣṭyām tu vṛttāyām rājā duḥkha samanvitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 10a| anāvṛṣṭyām: due to drought | vṛttāyāam: [famine] while besetting | rājā: the king | duḥkha: grim | samanvitaḥ: afflicted with | brāhmanān: Brahmans | śruta samvriddhānām: in scriptures well versed ones[learned, scholars] | samānīya: onn summoning | pravakśyati: addresses them. |

TRANSLATION

"While the famine is besetting that king Roamapada will be afflicted with grim, and on summoning Brahmans and learned scholars he will address them... [1-9-9b. 10a]

VERSE 10

भवन्तः श्रुत कर्माणो लोक चारित्र वेदिनः

bhavantaḥ śruta karmāṇo loka cāritra vedinaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 11a| bhavantaḥ: all of you | śruta: well versed | kararmāṇaḥ: in rituals | loka cāritra vedinaḥ: world, history, knowers | sam ādiśatantu: order me | yathā: as to how | niyamam: the procedure is | prāyascittam: for purification | bhavet: will be. |

TRANSLATION

"All of you are well versed in rituals and knowers of the world history... order me how to how the purification from sin will be... [1-9-10b, 11a]

VERSE 11

इति उक्ताः ते ततो राज्ञा सर्वे ब्राह्मण सत्तमाः

iti uktāḥ te tato rājñā sarve brāhmaṇa sattamāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 12| iti uktavā te rājñā sarve: thus, said, to them, by king, to all | brāhmaṇa sattamaḥ: those Brahmans, scholarly ones | veda pāragāḥ brāhmaṇā: Brahmans, Veda scholars | mahīpālam: to the king | te vakśyanti: they, will say | rājan: oh king | vibhāṇḍaka sutam: Sage Vibhandaka's son | sarva upāyaiḥ: by all, methods | iha ānaya: here, you fetch. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus said by king those scholarly Brahmans and Vedic scholars will say to the king, 'oh, king, son of Sage Vibhaandaka, namely Rishyasringa, is to be fetched by all methods... [1-9-11b, 12]

VERSE 13

आनाय्य तु महीपाल ऋश्यशृङ्गम् सुसत्कृतम्
विभाण्डक सुतम् राजन् ब्राह्मणम् वेद पारगम्
प्रयच्छ कन्याम् शान्ताम् वै विधिना सुसमाहितः

ānāyya tu mahīpāla ṛśyaśṛṅgam susatkṛtam
vibhāṇḍaka sutam rājan brāhmaṇam veda pāragam
prayaccha kanyām śāntām vai vidhinā susamāhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahīpala: oh king | ānāyya: on bringing | ṛṣyaśṛngam: Rishyasringa | vibhāṇḍaka sutam: Vibhaandaka's son | brāhmaṇam veda pāragam: Brahman, Veda, scholar | susatkṛtam: well, honoured one | samāhitaḥ: with good care | kanyām śāntām vidhinā prayaccha: girl [daughter,] Shanta, procedurally, you give [in marriage.] |

TRANSLATION

"Oh! King, having brought Sage Rishyasringa and honouring him well with good care, procedurally give him your daughter Shanta in marriage to that Vedic Brahman and the son of Sage Vibhaandaka... [1-9-13]

VERSE 14

तेषाम् तु वचनम् श्रुत्वा राजा चिन्ताम् प्रपत्स्यते
केन उपायेन वै शक्यम् इह आनेतुम् स वीर्यवान्

teṣām tu vacanam śrutvā rājā cintām prapatsyate
kena upāyena vai śakyam iha ānetum sa vīryavān

SYNONYMS

teṣām tu: their, but | vacanam: words | śrutvā: having listening | rājā: the king | cintām prapatsyate: thought, will obtain [becomes thoughtful] | kena upāyena: by which, means | śakyam: possible | saḥ vīryavān: he, who has controlled his senses | iha ānetum: to here, be fetched. |

TRANSLATION

"On listening them the king becomes thoughtful about the idea by which it is possible to bring that self-controlled sage to his place... [1-9-14]

VERSE 15

ततो राजा विनिश्चित्य सह मंत्रिभिः आत्मवान्
पुरोहितम् अमात्याम् च प्रेषयिष्यति सत्कृतान्

tato rājā viniścitya saha maṃtribhiḥ ātmavān
purohitam amātyām ca preṣayiṣyati satkṛtān

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | rājā: the king | viniścitya: decides | saha: along with | mantribhiḥ: ministers | ātmavān: one with intelligence | purohitam: clergymen | amātyām ca: ministers, also | preśyati: will send. |

TRANSLATION

"Then that intellectual king decides along with ministers, to dispatch clergymen and ministers, honouring them well, and then sends them... [1-9-15]

VERSE 16

ते तु राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा व्यथिता विनत आननाः
न गच्छेम ऋषेः भीता अनुनेष्यन्ति तम् नृपम्

te tu rājño vacaḥ śrutvā vyathitā vinata ānanāḥ
na gacchema ṛṣeḥ bhītā anuneṣyanti tam nṛpam

SYNONYMS

te tu: they, but | rājnaḥ vacaḥ: king's, words | śrutvā: on hearing | vyathitāḥ: awestruck | vi nata ānanāḥ: lowering, faces | na gacchema: [we] can not go | ṛṣeḥ bhītāḥ: of that sage, afraid of | anuneśyanti: plead for mercy | tam nripam: of that, king. |

TRANSLATION

"They on hearing king's words are awestruck and lowering their faces they will say, 'we can not go there as we are afraid of sage Vibhandaka, father of Rishyasringa...' [1-9-16]

VERSE 17

वक्ष्ष्यन्ति चिंतयित्वा ते तस्य उपायाम् च तान् क्षमान्
आनेष्यामो वयम् विप्रम् न च दोषो भविष्यति

vakṣṣyanti ciṃtayitvā te tasya upāyām ca tān kṣamān
āneṣyāmo vayam vipram na ca doṣo bhaviṣyati

SYNONYMS

cintayitā te vakṣyanti: after thinking over, they [as a second thought,] will say | tat kśamān upāyām tasya: that, plan, to bring the sage | vayam vipram āneṣyāmaḥ: will fetch, we, that Brahman, Rishyasringa, | na ca dośaḥ bhaviśyati: no, also, stigma will occur. |

TRANSLATION

"After thinking over they will say as a second thought, and having found a solution with a plan to bring that sage, 'we will fetch that Brahman and also by that no stigma will occur...' [1-9-18]

VERSE 18

एवम् अङ्गाधिपेन एव गणिकाभिः ऋषेः सुतः
आनीतो।अवर्षयत् देव शान्ता च अस्मै प्रदीयते

evam aṅgādhipena eva gaṇikābhiḥ ṛṣeḥ sutaḥ
ānīto|avarṣayat deva śāntā ca asmai pradīyate

SYNONYMS

evam anga adhipena eva: thus, Anga country's, king [Romapaada.] thus | gaṇikābhiḥ: by courtesans | ṛṣeḥ sutaḥ: Sage's, son [Rishyasringa] | ānītaḥ: [sage will be] brought | [then] devaḥ avarṣayat: god, Rain-god, rains, will give rain | śānta pradīyate ca: Shanta, to him, will be given, also. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus by the king of Anga kingdom and by his courtesans the son of sage Rishyasringa will be brought and the presiding deity for rains will showers rains, and Shanta will also be given in marriage to that sage...' [1-9-18]

VERSE 19

ऋष्यशृङ्गः तु जामाता पुत्रान् तव विधास्यति
सनत्कुमार कथितम् एतावत् व्याहृतम् मया

ṛṣyaśṛṅgaḥ tu jāmātā putrān tava vidhāsyati
sanatkumāra kathitam etāvat vyāhṛtam mayā

SYNONYMS

ṟiśyasringaḥ tu jāmātā: Rishyasringa, but, son-in-law | putrān tava vidhāsyati: sons, to you, bless with | etāvat vyāhṛtam mayā: all this, retold, by me | sanatkumāra kathitam: Sanatkumaara, as said by. |

TRANSLATION

"Sage Rishyasringa, son-in-law of Romapaada, King of Anga ad as well as to you, if invited to our kingdom he will bless you to beget sons, oh! King... so said Sage Sanatkumaara to other sages and all this is retold by me." [Thus the charioteer and the Minister Sumantra completed his narration in confidence to King Dasharatha.] [1-9-19]

PURPORT

Comment: Sage Rishyasringa is also a son-in-law to King Dasharatha. Princess Shanta, in a distant relationship is a daughter to King Dasharatha in relation and the adopted daughter of Romapaada, the King of Anga. Thus Sumantra's saying son-in-law also means Dasharatha's son-in-law, besides Romapada's.
VERSE 20

इति वल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे नवमः सर्गः

iti valmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye bāla kāṇḍe navamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

athaḥ hṛṣṭaḥ daśarathaḥ: then, delighted, Dasharatha | sumantram prati abhāṣata: to Sumantra, in turn, spoke | yathā ṛṣyaśṛṅgaḥ ānītaḥ: how, Rishyasringa, brought [to Anga Kingdom] | yena upāyena sa uccyatām: by what, idea, that be said. |

TRANSLATION

Then King Dasharatha is delighted and in turn spoke to Sumantra "By what idea Rishyasringa is brought to Anga kingdom, that shall be said..." [1-9-20]