Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
Rama arrives at Mithila along with Lakshmana led on by Vishvamitra. On hearing that Vishvamitra has arrived at their city Mithila, King Janaka proceeds to him welcomingly. On seeing Rama and Lakshmana near at Vishvamitra, Janaka inquisitively asks Vishvamitra about these two princes. Vishvamitra announces them as the sons of Dasharatha and informs about the adventurous deeds the boys have undertaken. |
tt> àakœ %Äram! gTva ram> saEimiÇ[a sh,
ivñaimÇm! purs!k«Ty y} vaqm! %pagmt!. 1£50£1
1. tataH= then; raamaH saumitriNaa saha= Rama, Soumitri, along with; vishvaamitram puraskR^itya= Vishvamitra, keeping afore; praak uttaraam gatvaa=, to east, north, [direction,] on going; [janakasya] yaj~na vaaTam upaagamat= [Janaka's,] Vedic-ritual, hall, neared.
Rama then travelled along with Lakshmana towards northeast direction keeping Vishvamitra afore and neared the hall of Vedic ritual of Janaka in Mithila kingdom. [1-50-1]
The northeast is an auspicious direction, and even today it is held high for any ritual or in the architecture. This direction is presided over by iishaana The God.
ram> tu muin zaËRlm! %vac sh lúm[>,
saXvI y} sm&iÏ> ih jnkSy mhaTmn>. 1£50£2
2. saha lakSmaNaH raamaH tu= with, Lakshmana, Rama, on his part; muni shaarduulam uvaaca= to saint, tigerly - Vishvamitra, spoke; mahaa aatmanaH janakasya= of noble-souled, Janaka; yaj~na samR^iddhiH= Vedic-ritual's, bountifulness; saadhvii hi= is excellent, indeed.
Rama who is with Lakshmana spoke to the tigerly saint Vishvamitra, " the Vedic-ritual of noble-souled Janaka is excellent, indeed with bountifully garnered paraphernalia of the ritual. [1-50-2]
bøin #h shöai[ nana dez invaisnam!,
äaü[anam! mha-ag ved AXyyn zailnam!. 1£50£3
\i; vaqa> c †ZyNte zkqI zt s<k…la>,
dezae ivxIytam! äün! yÇ vTSyamhe vym!. 1£50£4
3. mahaabhaaga= oh, highly fortunate one [Vishvamitra]; iha= here - this place; naanaa desha nivaasinaam= very many, in provinces, dwellers; veda adhyayana shaalinaam= Veda, in practices, experts; braahmaNaanaam= of Brahmans; sahasraaNi bahuuni= thousands, many; shakaTii shata sankulaaH= carts, hundreds, rife with; R^iSi vaaTaaH ca= sages', cottages, also; dR^ishyante= are appearing; brahman= oh, Brahman; vayam yatra vatsyaamahe= we, where, take lodge; such a; deshaH= place - campsite; vidhiiyataam= let it be decided.
"Oh, highly fortunate sage, this place abounds with many thousands of Brahmans who are experts in Vedic practises and who seem to be the dwellers of numerous provinces, and also discernable are the cottages of sages rife with hundreds of carts full with their ceremonial chattels, as such oh, Brahman, a campsite may be decided for us too, as I discern every inch is inhabited." Thus Rama spoke to Vishvamitra. [1-50-3, 4]
ramSy vcnm! ïuTva ivñaimÇae mhamuin>,
invezm! Akraet! deze ivive sill Aayute. 1£50£5
5. mahaamuniH vishvaamitraH= great-saint, Vishvamitra; raamasya vacanam shrutvaa= Rama's, words, on hearing; salila aayute [anvite]= [refreshing] waters, having; vivikte deshe= in an unfrequented, place; nivesham akarot= camp, made [arranged];
On hearing the words of Rama that great-saint Vishvamitra arranged a camp at an unfrequented place that has refreshing water. [1-50-5]
ivñaimÇm! AnuàaÝm! ïuTva n&pvr> tda,
ztan<dm! purSk«Ty puraeihtm! AiniNdtm!. 1£50£6
àit %¾gam shsa ivnyen smiNvt>,
6, 7a. nR^ipa varaH= king, the best - Janaka; tadaa= then; vishvaamitram anupraaptam shrutvaa= Vishvamitra's, one chanced [at Mithila,] on hearing; a ninditam= not, reprovable one; purohitam= priest; shataanandam= Shataananda; puraskR^itya= keeping afore; vinayena samanvitaH= with deference, embodied with [in deference to Vishvamitra]; sahasaa= instantly; prati ut jagaama= towards [Vishvamitra,] forged ahead.
On hearing that Vishvamitra has arrived in Mithila, then the best king Janaka instantly forged ahead towards Vishvamitra, keeping his unreprovable priest Shataananda afore of the team, in deference to Vishvamitra. [1-50-6, 7a]
\iTvjae Aip mhaTman> tu A¸yRm! Aaday s Tvrm!.1£50£7
ivñaimÇay xmeR[ ddaE xmR purSk«tm!,
7b, 8a. mahaatmaanaH= of the great-souled one - Janaka's; R^itvijaH api= administrators of Vedic-ritual, even; sa tvaram= with, haste; arghyam aadaaya= water, on taking; dharma [mantra] puraskR^itam= ritual, [sanctified,] in view of [ritualistically]; dharmeNa vishvaamitraaya dadau= ritually, to Vishvamitra, offered.
Even the Ritvik-s, the administrators of that Vedic-ritual, of the great souled king Janaka arrived with post-haste taking holy waters, and they have ritualistically offered that sanctified water to Vishvamitra. [1-50-7b, 8a]
àitg&ý tu tam! pUjam! jnkSy mhaTmn>. 1£50£8
pàCD k…zlm! ra}ae y}Sy c inramym!,
8b, 9a. mahaatmanaH janakasya= of great-souled one, Janaka's; taam puujaam pratigR^ihya= that, veneration, on receiving; Vishvamitra; raaj~naH kushalam= king's [Janaka's,] well-being; yaj~nasya nir aamayam ca= of Vedic-ritual, without, hindrance [unhindered proceedings,] also; papracCha= asked after.
On receiving that veneration from the great souled Janaka, Vishvamitra asked after the well-being of the king Janaka, as well about the unhindered proceedings of that Vedic-ritual. [1-50-8b, 9a]
s tam! c Aw munIn! p&òœva s %paXyay puraexs>. 1£50£9
ywa AhRm! \i;i-> svER> smagCDt! àùòvt!,
9b, 10a. saH= he - Vishvamitra; sa upaadhyaaya purodhasaH taam muniin= with, mentors, clerics, those, saints; yathaa arham== as, befitting; [kushalam] pR^iSTvaa= [well-being] on asking after; atha= then; prahR^iSTavat= as a happy-soul; sarvaiH R^iSibhiH samaagacChat= with all, sages, joined them.
Then Vishvamitra asked after the well-being of saints, mentors, clerics, as befitting to their order, and joined the company of all of the sages as a happy-souled sage. [1-50-9b, 10a]
Aw raja muin ïeóm! k«t A<jil> A-a;t. 1£50£10
Aasne -gvan! AaStam! sh @i-> muin sÄmE>,
10b, 11a. atha= then; raajaa kR^ita anjaliH= king, with palm-fold; muni shreSTham abhaaSata= to eminent-sage Vishvamitra, spoke; bhagavaan= oh, reverend sage - Vishvamitra; ebhiH muni sattamaiH saha= these, saint, eminent ones, along with; aasane aastaam= in seat, be seated - please be seated on a high seat.
The king Janaka adjoining his palms then spoke to that eminent-sage Vishvamitra, "oh, reverend sage, please be seated on this high seat, along with these eminent saints in their respective seats." Thus Janaka spoke to Vishvamitra [1-50-10b, 11a]
jnkSy vc> ïuTva in;sad mhamuin>. 1£50£11
puraexa \iTvj> cEv raja c sh m<iÇi->,
11b, 12a. janakasya vacaH shrutvaa= Janaka's, words, on hearing; mahaamuniH= great-sage Vishvamitra; niSasaada= sat down [took his seat]; purodhaa R^itvijaH caiva= [royal] priest Shataananda, administers of Vedic-ritual, Ritvik-s, also thus; mantribhiH saha= ministers, along with; raajaa ca= king, also - took seat.
On hearing the words of Janaka that great-sage Vishvamitra took his seat, and king Janaka also took seat along with his royal priest Shataananda, and the administrators of that Vedic-ritual, namely Ritvik-s, and along with his ministers. [1-50-11b, 12a]
Aasne;u ywa Nyaym! %pivòan! smNtt>. 1£50£12
†òœva s n&pit> tÇ ivñaimÇm! Aw AävIt!,
12b, 13a. atha= then; saH nR^ipatiH= he, the king [Janaka]; tatra= there; samantataH= all about; yathaa nyaayam= according, to procedure [procedurally]; aasaneSu upaviSTaan= in seats, who are sitting; dR^iSTvaa= on beholding; vishvaamitram abraviit= to Vishvamitra, spoke to.
On beholding all of them seated all about in their respective seats as demanded by procedure king Janaka then spoke to Vishvamitra. [1-50-12b, 13a]
A* y} sm&iÏ> me s)la dEvtE> k«ta. 1£50£13
A* y} )lm! àaÝm! -gvdœ dzRnat! mya,
13b, 14a. adya= today; me yaj~na samR^iddhiH= my, Vedic-ritual, is enriched; sa phalaa= with, fruit - as a fructified one; daivataiH kR^itaa= by gods, effectuated - gods fructified the ritual; adya= today; bhagavat darshanaat= at god [godlike you,] on viewing; mayaa yaj~na phalam praaptam= by me, fruit [outcome,] of Vedic-ritual, [deemed to have been] obtained.
"Today my Vedic ritual is enriched with your advent, whereby I deem that gods have fructified the ritual. Let the ritual be like that. I deem that I have obtained the fruit of the ritual just on seeing godlike you here today. [1-50-13b, 14a]
xNyae AiSm Anug&hItae AiSm ySy me muin pu<gv. 1£50£14
y} %psdnm! äün! àaÝae Ais muini-> sh,
14b, 15a. muni pungava= oh, sage, eminent; brahman= oh, Brahman; munibhiH saha= [so many] sages, along with; yasya me= to which [ritual hall,] mine; yaj~na upasadanam= to Vedic-ritual, hall; praaptaH asi= arrived, you have; such as I am I am; dhanyaH asmi anugR^ihiitaH asmi= honoured, I am, hallowed, I am.
"Oh, Brahman, at which Vedic-ritual hall you have arrived along with so many sages that happens to be mine, whereby, oh, eminent saint, I feel that I am honoured and hallowed. [1-50-14b, 15a]
Öadz Ahm! tu äü;eR dI]am! Aa÷> mnIi;[>. 1£50£15
ttae -ag AiwRnae devan! Ôòum! Arœhis kaEizk,
15b, 16a. brahmarSe= oh, Brahma-sage; maniiSiNaH= scholars; dvaadasha aham tu= twelve, days, only; diikshaam= ritual-pledge; [sheSam= remaining]; aahuH= they are saying; kaushika= oh, Kaushika; tataH bhaaga arthinaH devaan= then [after those twelve days,] their due, desirers of, gods; draSTum arhasi= to see, apt of you.
"Oh, Brahma-sage, the scholarly Ritvik-s conducting my Vedic-ritual are saying that only twelve more days are remaining to complete the observation of ritual-pledge, and then oh, Kaushika, it will be apt of you to see the gods who arrive at the conclusion of this Vedic-ritual expecting their due in the ritual." So said king Janaka to Vishvamitra. [1-50-15b, 16a]
#it %®va muin zaËRlm! àùò vdn> tda. 1£50£16
pun> tm! pirpàCD àa<jil> àytae n&p>,
16a, 17a. nR^ipaH= king; muni shaarduulam iti uktvaa= to sage, the tiger, in this way, on saying; tadaa prahR^iSTa vadanaH= then, with gladdened, face; praanjaliH prayataH= palms-enfolded, inquisitively; punaH tam paripapracCha= again, him [Vishvamitra,] pointedly asked.
On speaking to that tigerly sage Vishvamitra in this way, the king again asked the sage pointedly and inquisitively with adjoined palms and with a gladdened face. [1-50-16b, 17a]
#maE k…maraE -Ôm! te dev tuLy pra³maE. 1£50£17
gj tuLy gtI vIraE zaËRl v&;- %pmaE,
pÒ pÇ ivzal A]aE ofœg tU[I xnurœ xraE,
AiñnaE #v êpe[ smupiSwt yaEvnaE. 1£50£18
y†CDya @v gam! àaÝaE dev laekat! #v AmraE,
kwm! pÑ(am! #h àaÝaE ikm! AwRm! kSy va mune. 1£50£19
17b, 18, 19. mune= oh, saint; te bhadram= you, be safe; deva tulya paraakramau= with god Vishnu, matching, in valour; gaja simha gatii= [like audacious] elephant, [like arrogant] lion, with strides; viirau= two valrous ones; shaarduula vR^iSabha upamau [adventurous] tiger, [adamantine] Holy Bull, in similitude; padma patra vishaala akSau= lotus, petal, broad, eyed ones; khaDga tuuNii dhanuH dharau= sword, quiver, bow, wielding; ruupeNa ashvinau iva= by physique, Ashwin, the Twin-god brothers, like; sam upasthita yauvanau= in the offing, youthfulness is; deva lokaat= from gods', abode; yadR^icChayaa iva== at their pleasure, as if; gaam praaptau= on earth, chanced; a + marau= not, dying ones [deathless, immortals]; iva= as if like; imau kumaarau= these, youngsters; iha= here, to this place; padbhyaam= with two feet – by footslogging; katham= how; kim artham= what, for; praaptau= how, they chanced; kasya vaa= whose [scions,] are they.
"These two youngsters, oh, sage, let safety betide you, striding like audacious elephants and arrogant lions, bearing a similitude to adventurous tigers and adamantine bulls, and wielding quivers, swords, and bows, are valorous with their valour matching that of Vishnu, and with their eyes broad like lotus-petals and with youthfulness in the offing they look like the exceptionally beautiful twin-gods, Ashwin-brothers, by their physique. How these two have footslogged and chanced here as though immortals have chanced on earth from the abode of gods at their pleasure? What for they have come here, and whose scions are they? [1-50-17b, 18, 19]
These foots are the same as king Sumati's dialogue at 1-48-2, 3, 4 including anvaya , parsing.
vr Aayux xraE vIraE kSy puÇaE mhamune,
-U;yNtaE #mm! dezm! cNÔ sUyaER #v A<brm!. 1£50£20
prSprSy s†zaE àma[ #iNgt ceiòtE>,
kak p] xraE vIraE ïaetum! #CDaim tÅvt>. 1£50£21
20, 21. mahaa mune= oh, great-saint; vara aayudha dharau viirau= best, weapons, brandishing, valiant ones; kasya putrau= whose, sons are they; candra suuryau ambaram iva= Moon, Sun, [brightening the] sky, as with; imam desham bhuuSayantau= this, province, they are embellishing; pramaaNa ingita ceSTitaiH= by postural [language,] by facial [language,] by body [language]; parasparasya sadR^ishau= each to each, clonal; kaaka pakSa dharau= crow, wing [similar jet-black curls,] wearing; viirau= about valorous ones; tattvataH shrotum icChaami= in actuality to listen, I wish.
"Oh, great-saint, whose sons are these two valiant youngsters who are brandishing best weapons? They are embellishing this province as the Sun and Moon doeth the sky. Each to each they are clonal by postural-language, by facial-language and by body language. They appear valorous but boyish in their appearance, as their curls are still jet-black like crow-wings. Thus, whether they are immature by age though mature by their valour or so, I wish to listen about them in actuality. [1-50-20, 21]
Import of verses is the same as at 1-48-5, 6, with a little difference in anvaya , parsing.
tSy tt! vcnm! ïuTva jnkSy mhaTmn>,
Nyvedyt! Amey AaTma puÇaE dzrwSy taE. 1£50£22
22. mahaatmanaH tasya janakasya tat vacanam shrutvaa= great-souled one, his, of Janaka, that, sentence, on hearing; a + meya aatmaa= not, measurable, souled [anima having, Vishvamitra]; tau= them two - Rama, Lakshmana; dasharathasya putrau= as Dasharatha's, sons; nyavedayat= submitted - announced.
On hearing the words of great-souled Janaka, Vishvamitra whose anima is immeasurable, has announced that those two as the sons of king Dasharatha. [1-50-22]
isÏ Aaïm invasm! c ra]sanam! vxm! twa,
tÇ Aagmnm! AVy¢m! ivzalaya> c dzRnm!. 1£50£23
AhLya dzRnm! cEv gaEtmen smagmm!,
mhaxnui; ij}asam! ktuRm! Aagmnm! twa. 1£50£24
@tt! svRm! mhateja jnkay mhaTmne,
inve* ivrram Aw ivñaimÇae mhamuin>. 1£50£25
23. mahaatejaaH mahaamuniH vishvaamitraH= great-resplendent one, great-saint, Vishvamitra; siddha aashrama nivaasam ca= Accomplishment, Hermitage, stopover in, also; tathaa= like that; raakSasaanaam vadham= demons, elimination; avyagram tatra aagamanam= indefatigably, to there coming - travelling with him; vishaalaayaaH darshanam ca= City of Vishaala, beholding, also; ahalyaa darshanam caiva= Ahalya, seeing, also thus; gautamena samaagamam= with Gautama, [Ahalya's] reuniting; tathaa== likewise; mahaa dhanuSi= of great, bow [of Shiva]; jij~naasaam kartum= to know about - to have a grasp of it; aagamanam= coming [hitherward]; etat sarvam= all this; mahaa aatmane janakaaya= to great-souled, Janaka; nivedya= on submitting - on informing; viraraama= then, [he Vishvamitra] paused.
The highly resplendent great-saint Vishvamitra has informed the high souled Janaka about the coming of Rama and Lakshmana to the Hermitage of Accomplishment, their stopping over there and elimination of demons at that place, their indefatigable travel along with him, beholding City of Vishaala, seeing Ahalya, her reuniting with Sage Gautama, likewise their coming hitherward to gain a grasp of great bow of Shiva. On informing all these incidents to Janaka as well as to Shataananda, who incidentally is the son of Ahalya, sage Vishvamitra paused. [1-50-23, 24, 25]
#it vaLmIik ramay[e Aaid kaVye bal ka{fe p<caz> sgR
Thus, this is the 50th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Nov, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : November 04]