Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
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Dasharatha decides to perform an elaborate Vedic ritual, called Aswametha yajna, Horse Ritual, to beget children. He being a considerate king in taking conscience of the courtiers, he discusses this aspect with the Vedic scholars and ministers of his court, beforehand. |
tasya ca evam prabh˜vasya dharmajñasya mah˜tmana× |
sut˜rtham tapya m˜nasya na asŸt vaÕþakara× suta× || 1-8-1
1. evam prabhaavasya= this kind of, effectual king; dharmaj~nasya= virtue knower; mahaatmanaH= great soul; suta artham tapyamaanasya= children, to beget, burning, at heart; tasya cha= to him, also; vamshakarH sutaH= dynasty, enriching, son; naasiit= is not, there.
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]
cintay˜nasya tasya evam buddhi× ˜sŸn mah˜tmana× |
sut˜rtham v˜jimedhena kim artham na yaj˜mi aham || 1-8-2
2. chintayaanasya= while thinking; tasya= to him; maha aatmanaH= to that great soul; evam= this way; buddhiH aasiit= thought, occurred; suta artham= sons, for the purpose of; vaaji medhena= by Horse Ritual; kim artham= why, not; na yajaami aham= not, perform, I shall.
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]
sa niþcit˜m matim k®tv˜ yaÿ÷avyam iti buddhim˜n |
mantribhi× saha dharm˜tm˜ sarvai× api k®ta ˜tmabhi× || 1-8-3
tato'bravŸt mah˜tej˜× sumantram mantri sattamam |
þŸghram ˜naya me sarv˜n gur¨n t˜n sa purohit˜n || 1-8-4
3, 4. buddhimaan= intellectual one; dharma aatmaa= conscientious souled; kR^ita aatmabhiH= with decent, souled [sagacious ministers]; sarvaiH api= with all, even; mantribhiH = with ministers; yaSTavyam iti= performable, thus; nischitaam matim kR^itvaa = resolved, mind, on making; tataH= then; mantri sattamam sumantram= best of ministers, to Sumantra; abraviit= addressed; sa purohitaan= with, clerics; taan sarvaan= them, all; me guruun= my teachers; shiighram aanaya= quickly, fetch.
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]
tata× sumantra× tvaritam gatv˜ tvarita vikrama× |
sam ˜nayat sa t˜n sarv˜n samast˜n veda p˜rag˜n || 1-8-5
suyajñam v˜madevam ca j˜b˜lim atha k˜þyapam |
purohitam vaþiÿ÷ham ca ye ca api anye dvijottam˜× || 1-8-6
5. tataH= then; tvaritaH vikramaH= in quickness, dauntless; sumantraH= Sumantra; tvaritam gatvaa= quickly, gone; suyajnam= Suyajna; vaamadevam= Vaama Deva; cha= also; atha= then; jaabaalim= Jaabaali; kaashyapam= Kaashyapa; purohitam= the clerics; vashiSTham cha= Vashishta, also; ye anye dwija uttamaaH = those, other, Brahman-s, eminent ones; veda paaragaan= Vedic scholars are there; samaanayat= fetched; taan sarvaan= them, all.
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]
t˜n p¨jayitv˜ dharm˜tm˜ r˜j˜ daþaratha× tad˜ |
idam dharma artha sahitam þlakÿõam vacanam abravŸt ||1-8-7
7. dharmaatmaa raajaa dasarathaH= virtuous king, Dasharatha; tadaa= then; taan puujayitvaa= them, on adoring; idam= this; dharma artha sahitam= justification, meaning, having; shlakshnam vachanam abraviit= impressible, sentence, spoke to.
Then on adoring them virtuous King Dasharatha spoke this impressible sentence that included justification and meaning. [1-8-7]
mama l˜lasya m˜nasya sut˜rtham n˜sti vai sukham |
tadartham hayamedhena yakÿy˜mi iti matir mama || 1-8-8
8. sutaartham= for sons; laalasyamaanasya= tumultuous, mind; mama= my; sukham= quietude; na asti= not there; vai= verily; tat artham= for that, reason; haya medhena = by Horse Ritual; yakshhyami= Vedic worship; iti= thus; matiH mama= thinking, of mine.
"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]
tat aham yaÿ÷um icchami þ˜stra d®ÿ÷ena karmaõ˜ |
katham pr˜psy˜mi aham k˜mam buddhi× atra vicintyat˜m || 1-8-9
9. tat aham= therefore, I; shaastra dR^iSTena = scriptures, point of view [as enshrined in]; karmaNaa= rite-oriented; yaSTum icChami= to perform ritual, I contemplate to; katham= how; praapyaami= I get; kaamam = my desire; buddhiH atra vichintyataam= contemplation, for that, be thought of.
"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]
tata× s˜dhu iti tadv˜kyam br˜hmaõ˜× pratyap¨jayan |
vaþiÿ÷ha pramukh˜× sarve p˜rthivasya mukheritam || 1-8-10
10. tataH= then; vashiSThaH= Sage Vashishta; braahmaNaaH= Brahman-s; pramukhaaH sarve= important personalities, all of them; paarthivasya mukha iiritam= from king's, mouth, voiced; tat vaakyam= that, sentence [idea]; saadhu iti= splendid, it is; prati apuujayan= in turn, honoured him
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]
¨cu× ca parama prŸt˜× sarve daþaratham vaca× |
sambh˜r˜× sambhriyant˜m te turaga× ca vimucyat˜m || 1-8-11
11. sarve= all of them; parama priitaH= very, happy; dasaratham= to Dasharatha; vachaH= these words; uchuH cha= they said, also; sambhaaraaH= paraphernalia; sambhriyantaam= be provided; te turagaH cha vimuchyataam= your, horse, also, be released.
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]
sarayv˜× ca uttare tŸre yajña bh¨mir vidhŸyat˜m |
sarvath˜ pr˜psyase putr˜n abhipret˜n ca p˜rthiva || 1-8-12
yasya te dharmikŸ buddhi× iyam putr˜rtham ˜gat˜ |
12, 13a. paarthiva= oh king; sarvathaa= by all means; praapyase= you will beget; abhipretaancha= as you desired; putraan= sons; sarayvaaH ca uttare tire= River Sarayu's, on northern banks; yaj~na bhuumiH vidhiiyataam= ritual, ground, be arranged yasya te= to whom, like you; dhaarmikii buddhiH iyam= virtuous, thought, like this; putra artham aagataa= to beget sons, suggested itself to.
"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]
tata× tuÿ÷o'bhavat r˜j˜ þrutv˜ tad dvija bh˜ÿitam || 1-8-13
am˜ty˜n abravŸt r˜j˜ harÿa pary˜kula locana |
sambh˜r˜× sambhriyant˜m me gur¨õ˜m vacan˜t iha || 1-8-14
13b, 14. tataH= then; raajaa= king; tat dvija bhaaSitam shrutvaa= that, Brahmans’, saying, on hearing; tuSTaH abhavat= glad, he became; raajaa= king; harSa paryaakula lochanaH= happiness, lurching, on eyes; amaatyaan abraviit= to ministers, spoke to; iha me guruNaam vachanaat= now, on my, teacher's, advise; sambhaaraaH sambhriyantaam= paraphernalia, be procured.
" 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]
samartha adhiÿ÷hita× ca aþva× sa× up˜dhy˜yo vimucyat˜m |
sarayv˜× ca uttare tŸre yajña bh¨mir vidhŸyat˜m || 1-8-15
15. sarayavyaaH cha uttare tiire= of River Sarayu, on northern banks; yaj~na bhuumiH vidhiiyataam= ritual, ground, be arranged; samartha adhiSTitaH= capable ones [warriors,] monitored by; saha upaadhyaayaH= with, religious teachers [following]; asvaH vimuchyataam= Ritual Horse, be released.
"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]
þ˜ntaya× ca api vardhant˜m yath˜ kalpam yath˜ vidhi |
þakya× pr˜ptum ayam yajña× sarveõa api mahŸkÿit˜ || 1-8-16
na apar˜tho bhavet kaÿ÷o yadi asmin kratu sattame |
16, 17a. shaantayaaH cha api= peace invocations, also, even; vardhantaam= be prevailing; yathaa kalpam= as ordained [by tradition]; yathaa vidhi= as per scriptures; ayam yaj~naH= this, ritual; kaSTtaH aparathaH= difficult, fault; yadi= if; na bhavet= not occurs; asmin= in that; kratu sattame= ritual, the great; sarveNa api mahii kshitaa= by all, even, kings, on earth; shakyaH praaptum= possible, to obtain [to perform and obtain results.]
"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]
cchidram hi m®gayante sma vidv˜Õso brahma r˜kÿas˜× || 1-8-17
vidhi hŸnasya yajñasya sadya× kart˜ vinaþyati |
17b, 18a. atra= therein the ritual; vidvaamsaH brahma raakshasaaH= scholarly, Brahmans [who became] Brahma-demons; cChidram hi mR^igayante= faults, alone, they hunt for; vidhi hiinasya= procedure, depraved; yaj~asya= ritual's; kartaa= performer; vinasyati= gets ruined.
"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]
tadyath˜ vidhi p¨rvam me kratureÿa sam˜pyate || 1-8-18
tath˜ vidh˜nam kriyat˜m samarth˜× s˜dhaneÿu iti |
18b, 19a. tat= therefore; me eSa kratuH= my, this, ritual; vidhi puurvam= procedurally; yathaa samaapyate= as to how, it will be concluded; tathaa vidhaanam kriyataam= in that way, it shall be done; samarthaaH saadhaneSu= experts, [you all] in [such] performances; iti=thus [the king said to his teachers.]
”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]
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.
tath˜ iti ca abruvan sarve mantriõa× pratip¨jit˜ || 1-8-19
p˜rthivendrasya tad v˜kyam yath˜ p¨rvam niþamya te |
19b, 20a. te sarve mantrinaH= those, all, ministers; paarthiva indrasya tat vaakyam = king's, the best one’s, that, word; nishamya= on listening; pratipuujitaa= adored him; yathaa puurvam= as, earlier [ as has been conducted]; tathaa= that way [this will also be conducted]; iti= thus; cha abruvan= also, said [assured.]
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]
tath˜ dvij˜× te dharmajñ˜ varthayato n®pottamam || 1-8-20
anujñ˜t˜× tata× sarve punar jagmur yath˜ ˜gatam |
20b, 21a. dharmaj~naa= virtue knowers; te dwijaaH= those, Brahmans; tathaa varthayataH nR^ipottamam= enhancing [his royal stature,] of that king; tataH anuj~naataaH= then, permitted; sarve yathaa aagatam= all, as they have come; punar jagmuH= again, went away.
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]
visarjayitv˜ t˜n vipr˜n saciv˜n idam abravŸt || 1-8-21
®tvigbhi× upasandiÿ÷o yath˜vat kratur ˜pyat˜m |
21b, 22a. tataH= then; visarjayitvaa= sending off; sarve= all; taan= them; vipraan= Brahmans; sachivaan idam abraviit= to ministers, this, said; R^itvigbhiH= by the Vedic scholars; upasamdiSTaH= as advised; yathaa vat kratuH aapyataam= procedurally, ritual, be conducted
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]
iti uktv˜ n®pa þ˜rd¨la× saciv˜n samupasthit˜n || 1-8-22
visarjayitv˜ svam veþma praviveþa mah˜mati× |
22B, 23a. mahaa mmatiH nR^ipa shaardUlaH= highly intelligent, kingly tiger Dasharatha; samupasthitaan= who are in audience; sachivaan= to misters; iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; visarjayitvaa= sent them off; svam veshma pravivesha= his, palace, entered.
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]
tata× sa gatv˜ t˜× patnŸr narendro h®dayaðgam˜× || 1-8-23
uv˜ca dŸkÿ˜m viþata yakÿe'ham suta k˜raõ˜t |
23b, 24a. tataH= then; saH=he; narendraH= the king, the best; hR^idayangamaa= heartily dear ones; taaH patniiH= to them his wives; gatvaa= on approaching; uvaacha= spoke; aham= I am; suta kaarNaat= sons, for the reason of; yakshye= performing ritual; diikshaam vishata= vow, you enter;
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]
t˜s˜m tena ati k˜ntena vacanena suvarcas˜m |
mukha padm˜n aþobhanta padm˜nŸva him˜tyaye || 1-8-24
24b, c. ati kaantinena= most pleasing; vachanaena= by words [of king]; suvarchasaam= already lustrous; taasaam= their [the queens]; mukha padmaani= countenances, lotuses; padmaan iva= lotuses, like; tena= by those [words of king]; himaatyaye= dew-fall, clearance of; ashobhanta= became more gleaming.
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]
iti v˜lmŸki r˜m˜yaõe ˜di k˜ve aÿ÷ama× sarga×
Thus, this is the 8th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© 1999, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : March, 04]