Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose
Sarga 31

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On the morning of that night on performing their morning chores, they on going towards Sage Vishvamitra, who is along with other sages. And on reverencing that eminent sage, whose burnish is akin to the ritual-fire, they two spoke this sentence, those gentle-speakers.

"We, oh, Tigerly-sage are available well afore you, order us... what orders have we to carry out, oh, eminent-sage..."

Thus that sentence when said by them, all those great sages spoke to Rama, in the fore of Vishvamitra said,  "Oh, Best of Men, there will be a supremely immaculate Vedic-ritual of King Janaka of Mithila, thereto we are travelling... Also, oh, Tigerly-man, on your proceeding along with us, to see a monumental gem of bow there, is expedient for you...

Comment: The sages are not insisting on Rama to come along, but advising him to have a glimpse of that marvellous bow of Shiva, which none can lift to string, so far. The topic of Seetha is also not brought out by them, either, because in the know of Vishvamitra alone, not by these sages. Kings and princes have their own protocol of proper invitation. Here a third part is inviting to some other king's ritual, of which Rama may reject for being a prince. But it is suggestive to say the maxim an aahuuto adhvaryam gacChet 'even uninvited can attend a Vedic-ritual...' Thus the sages are tempting Rama to come to Mithila in the name of a divine bow, of which any valiant prince would easily get excited.

"Oh, Best of men, in early times that is given in the congregation of a Vedic-ritual, verily... that awesome bow is having an unimaginable power and superbly incandescent in wars...

Comment: This is the bow of Lord Shiva with which He destroyed the ritual of Daksha. Then gods pleased Shiva and obtained this bow from Him. From them, the gods, it was given to Devaraata, an earlier king of Mithila as a boon of Vedic-ritual.

"Not by gods, not by gandharva, not by asura-s, not by the demons it was capably lifted to string, then in the least, even by men... Though kingly clansmen were verily inquisitive about the capacity of that bow, great mighty princes are rendered incapable to bend it to string...

'Oh, Tigerly-man of Kakutstha dynasty, you can see the king of Mithila, that ritual, and that supremely amazing bow, [should you come with us...]

"That verily is the fruit of king's ritual... for the king of Mithila, namely Devaraata, grandparent of Janaka, prayed for that supreme bow, oh, Tigerly-man, and that bow with its best central grip-handle is given by all gods...

Comment: For this kuurma puraaNa, padma puraNna puts this as: prŸta× ca bhagav˜n Ÿsa× tris¨lŸ nŸla lohita× | pradadau satru n˜s˜rtham janak˜ya adbhutam dhanu× || k¨rma pur˜õa | | c˜pam þambho× day˜t dattam - padma pur˜õa 'Satisfying with the ritual of Devaraata of Janaka, Lord Shiva Trident holder and holder of venom in throat, gave the marvellous bow... to eliminate enemies...'

"It is worshipful [regularly and especially during the periods of dhanur utsava bow and arrow festivals,] kept in the palace of King of Mithila, and oh, Raghava it is worshipped with sandalwood pastes, incenses with the true aloe substance and their scents..."

Thus saying that best saint Vishvamitra started on travel along with groups of sages and Kakutstha-s, Rama and Lakshmana, bidding farewell to the deities of woodlands of that siddha aashrama, where the ritual is accomplished with the help of Rama and Lakshmana, and thus it again retained its title Siddha Ashrama...

"You all shall be propitious! On accomplishment of the ritual here, I wish to go from this Accomplished Hermitage, and I am going from the northern bank of river Ganga towards the ranges of Himalayan Mountains..." Thus saying farewell to woodland-deities, that descendent of Kaushika and an enriched one in asceticism, intending his journey to northern side, he started well.

Him, that best saint Vishvamitra thus journeying, his close followers followed him closely, in a hundred numbers of carts that contain the paraphernalia of Vedic-rituals, of those advocators of Veda-s. Even, batches of animals and birds also, that dwell in the Hermitage of Accomplishment, closely followed him, that great-souled Vishvamitra, a wealthy in penances...

Comment: This following of animals and birds is to suggest that while any guest proceeding from their place, it is the courtesy of the residents of that place or house, to see his off for a distance, unlike 'showing a person the door...'

Vishvamitra made them, those groups of sages and those bird folks to return from there, back to Hermitage, for enough is the courtesy. They, Vishvamitra and others, on going a distance on their way, the sun started to dangle in the sky westward...

They the group of sages made a camp on the bank of River Sona gathering together, and on that day- maker, the sun entering dusk, they bathed and enkindled the kindle consumer, namely the ritual-fire.

Keeping Sage Vishvamitra afore, those sages of unlimited resplendence squatted before him, and even Rama with Lakshmana, also on worshipping them the sages, then Rama also squatted before that intellectual Vishvamitra, then that resplendent Rama at penance wealthy Vishvamitra started to speak... asking that sagely-tiger, inquisitiveness enwrapping him,

"Oh, God, what place is this verily, glistening with its well developed forests...  I wish to listen, safe you be, you are apt one to tell all, in its essence..." Thus Rama asked Vishvamitra.

 Entreated by the words of Rama that well-vowed sage began to tell all about that place among all sages, that ascetically great sage, Vishvamitra...

Thus, this is the 31st chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

© 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao