Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda

King Dasharatha sends Rama and Lakshmana along with Sage Vishvamitra as requested by the sage. In their course of travel, Sage Vishvamitra imparts a secret knowledge to the young princes Rama and Lakshmana, called bala atibala vidya-s, by practicing which nothing can wither their vigour and vitality.

tathaa vasiSTe bruvati raajaa dasharathaH svayam |
prahR^iSTa vadano raamam aajuhaava sa lakSmaNam || 1-22-1

1. vasiSThe tathaa bruvati= by Vashishta, that way, when said; raajaa dasaratha = king Dasharatha; pra hR^iSTa vadanaH= very, satisfied, face - expression; svayam= personally; raamam sa lakshmana juhaava = Rama, with Lakshmana, is called for.

When Vashishta said that way king Dasharatha with an air of satisfaction personally fetched Rama along with Lakshmana. [1-22-1]

kR^itaH svastyayanam maatraa pitraa dasharathena ca |
purodhasaa vasiSThena ma~NgalaiH abhima.ntritam || 1-22-2
sa putram muurdhni upaaghraaya raajaa dasharathaH tadaa |
dadau kushika putraaya supriitena a.ntaraatmanaa || 1-22-3

2. saH dasarathaH raajaa= he, Dasharatha, king; maatraa= by mother Kausalya; pitraa dasarathen cha= by father, Dasharatha, also; kR^itaH svasti ayanam= one [for whom bon voyage is] performed, blessing, for travel - Rama; purodhasaa vasiSThtena= by priest, Vashishta; ma~NgaliaH abhimantritam= blessings, [for who they are] rendered Vedic hymns; on such son Rama's forehead; tadaa= then; putram muurdhni upaaaghraaya= son's, forehead, smelled [kissing forehead]; su priitena antaraatmanaa= well, pleased, with heart of hearts; kushika putraaya= to Vishvamitra; dadau= entrusted.

Rama is blessed for a propitious travel firstly by his mother Kausalya and then by his father king Dasharatha, thereupon the royal priest Vashishta rendered Vedic hymns blessing the journey, then Dasharatha well pleased in his heart of hearts kissed his son Rama on forehead and entrusted him to Vishvamitra. [1-22-2, 3]

The mother is the first one to bless sons. prathamam m˜t® k®ta maðgala pratipadanena itara k®ta maðgala apekÿay˜ m˜t® k®ta maðgalasya ˜vaþyikat˜ vyatirekeõa anvayena ca s¨citam Duryodhana of Maha Bharata knows about this rule position and when he wanted to gain victory over Pandava-s he approaches his mother Gandhari, seeking her blessings, at first. vyatireka× t˜vat p˜õýav˜n jetu k˜mo duryodhana× - þivam ˜þamsa me m˜ta× yudhyam˜na sva þatrubhi× - iti aÿ÷˜ daþa ˜h˜ni ap sva m˜taram g˜ndh˜rŸm pr˜rthitav˜n | sa ca - yato dharma× tato jaya× - iti vadantŸ maðgalam na kurvatŸ - dharm˜k¨tam When Duryodhana sought for his mother Gandhari's blessings even for eighteen days, where eighteen is the particular number of Maha Bharata, she said 'where there is virtue there will be victory'. Hence, mothers are the first ones to bless sons in every enterprise, and here Rama's enterprise as incarnate of Vishnu is commencing.

tato vaayuH sukha sparsho niirajasko vavau tadaa |
vishvaamitra gatam raamam dR^iSTvaa raajiiva locanam || 1-22-4

4. tataH= afterwards; raajiiva lochanam raamam= lotus eyed one, Rama; Vishvamitra gatam= after Vishvamitra, when followed; dR^iSTwaa= on seeing; tadaa= then; vaayuH sukha sparshaH = then, breeze, pleasant, to touch; niirajaskaH [nir+rajaH]= without, pollen/dust - dustless; vavau= breezed.

Then on seeing the lotus-eyed Rama following Vishvamitra the breeze became dustless and breezed pleasant for touch. [1-22-4]

puSpa vR^iSTiH mahatI aasiit deva dundubhi niHsvanaiH |
sha~Nkha dundubhi nirghoSaH prayaate tu mahaatmani || 1-22-5

5. mahaatmani= great soul [Rama/Vishvamitra]; prayaate tu= forged ahead; mahatii pushpa vR^iSTiH abounding, flowers, downpour; deva dundubhi niswanam= divine, drums, rumbling; shankha dundubhi nirghoSaH= conch-shell, drums [of Ayodhya,] whistling; asiit= have happened.

When the great-souled Rama forged ahead there occurred an abounding downpour of flowers with the booming of divine drums, together with the boom and blare of drums and conch-shells of Ayodhya. [1-22-5]

vishvaamitro yayau agre tato raamo mahaayashaaH |
kaaka pakSa dharo dhanvii tam ca saumitriH anvagaat || 1-22-6

6. Vishvamitra; yayau agre = travelled, ahead; tataH= next; kaaka paksha dharaH= crow's, wings, wearing [having black hair-locks]; dhanuH dharaH raamaH = bow, handling, Rama; dhanvii suumitriH= with bow; Sumitra's son [Lakshmana]; anvagaat= followed.

Rama with jet-black hair-locks handling his bow followed Vishvamitra who walked ahead, while Lakshmana handling his own bow followed Rama. [1-22-6]

kalaapinau dhanuS paaNii shobhayaanau disho dasha |
vishvaamitram mahaatmaanam tri shiirSau iva pannagau |
anujagmatuH akSudrau pitaamaham iva ashvinau || 1-22-7

7, 8. kalaapinau= with quivers; dhanuS paaNii= bows, in hands; dishaH dasha shobhayaanau = directions, ten, making lambent; a+kshudrau analpa ruupa viiryaadi prabhaavaaH= not, with meagre physical and vital impact – highly dynamic in physiques and spiritedness; tri shiirSau pannagau iva = three, headed, serpents, as with; Rama, Lakshmana; mahaatmaanam vishvamitram= great, souled one, after Vishvamitra; ashvinau pitaamaH iva= the twin Ashwin gods, after Forefather Brahma, as with; anujagmatuH= followed.

Rama and Lakshmana, with two quivers each and two bows in their hands, and making all the ten directions of compass lambent followed Vishvamitra, as if three headed serpents followed Vishvamitra, and with their highly dynamic physiques and spiritedness they look as if like the Ashwin twin gods of unequal charm following Brahma, the Forefather. [1-22-7, 8]

Each one is having two quivers tied on each shoulder. Thus the upper portions of the quivers with feathered shafts, with the tips of arrows inside, are giving a picture of two more heads, on either side of the princes' heads. Thus Rama and Lakshmana are appearing like three headed serpents. That is to say they are too young with the size of their heads equalling the mouth of the quiver.

The meaning of As'vins from as'va a horse, Persian asp, Greek ιππος Latin equus, Welsh *eck, is Horsemen. They were twin deities of whom frequent mention is made in the Vedas and the Indian myths. The As'vins have much in common with the Dioscuri of Greece, and their mythical genealogy seems to indicate that their origin was astronomical. They were, perhaps, at first the morning star and evening star. They are said to be the children of the sun and the nymph As'viní, who is one of the lunar asterisms personified. In the popular mythology they are regarded as the physicians of the Gods. Gorresio/Griffith.

tadaa kushika putram tu dhanuS paaNii svala.nkR^itau |
baddha godha a.nguli traaNau khaDgavantau mahaadyutii || 1-22-8
kumaarau caaru vapuSau bhraatarau raama laxmaNau |
anuyaatau shriyaa dIptau shobhayetaam aninditau || 1-22-9
sthaaNum devam iva acintyam kumaarau iva paavakii |

8, 9, 10a. tataH= then; kumaarau= youngsters; chaaru vapuSau= charming, bodied ones; sva lankR^itau= bejewelled ones; dhanuS paaNii= bow, in hands; baddha godha angulii traaNau= tied, leathern, fingers, covers; khadga vantau= swords, having; mahaa dyutii= highly, resplendent ones; shriyaa diiptau= with worth, effulgent; a + ninditau= unreprovable ones; bhraatarau= two brothers; Rama; Lakshmana; anuyaatau= going while following; paavakii= birthed by Fire-god; kumaarau iva= sons, like; a+chintyam devam = not, thinkable – inscrutable potential, the god - Shiva; shtaaNum iva= Shiva, as with; kushika putram shobhayetaam= Kusi's son [Vishvamitra,] made to shine.

Those two youngsters with charming and bejewelled physiques are handling bows and swords and their fingers have leathern covers. Both the unreprovable brothers Rama and Lakshmana are highly resplendent and effulgent by their worth. While they are following Vishvamitra they looked like the sons of Fire-god, namely Skanda and Vishakha, following the great god with inscrutable potential, namely Shiva, and thus the brothers have made Vishvamitra to shine forth in even pose with god Shiva. [1-22-8, 9, 10a]

The Supreme Being that is resident like an atom. stha Being, aNum atom like. In every mobile or sessile being he is there. Here it is Shiva. Shiva's sons are two, one Ganesha and the other Kumara, of which Kumara is the Army General of Gods. According to Maha Bharata, Kumara is said to have become four in a split-second, known as 1- Skanda, 2- Vishaakha, 3- Shaaka, 4- Naigamesha. Here the first two aspects of Kumara, namely Skanda and Vishaakha, are incorporated in simile to Rama and Lakshmana.

adhyardha yojanam gatvaa sarayvaa dakSiNe taTe | 1-22-10
raamaa iti madhuraam vaaNiim vishvaamitraH abhyabhaaSata |

10b, 11a. adhyartha yojanam gatvaa= one and half, yojana on going; sarayvaa daskhiNe taTe = Sarayu river's, southern bank; Vishvamitra; raama iti madhuram vaaNiim= 'oh, Rama', thus, in harmonious, voice; abhya bhaaSata= spoke.

And on going one and half yojana distance Vishvamitra addressed Rama in a harmonious voice calling, 'oh, Rama', on the southern riverbank of Sarayu. [1-22-10b, 11a]

gR^ihaaNa vatsa salilam maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH || 1-22-11
ma.ntra graamam gR^ihaaNa tvam balaam atibalaam tathaa |

11b, 12a. vatsa salilam gR^ihaaNa = my boy, water, you take; tvam tathaa = you, like that; mantra graamam= hymns, group of; balaam atibalaam= bala, atibala hymns; gR^ihaaNa= receive; kaalasya paryayaH maa bhuut = time's, lapse , not, let there be.

" "Take water, my boy, and like that you receive a group of hymns, bala and ati bala from me, and let no time lapse. [1-22-11b, 12a]

Since the Vedic hymns cannot be taught after sunset, now it shall be evening time before sunset, when oblations will be offered at sunset, and hence no time lapse is envisaged. Govindaraja.

na shramo na jvaro vaa te na ruupasya viparyayaH || 1-22-12
na ca suptam pramattam vaa dharSa iSyanti nairR^itaaH |

12b, 13a. te= to you; shramaH= tiredness; na = not - will not be there; jvaraH vaa na = fever, or, no; ruupasya viparyayaH na= form - personality, misshaping, no; suptam vaa pramattam= sleeping, either, [or] unvigilant; nairR^itaaH= demons; na dharSa iSyanti= not, attack [you.]

"On receiving these hymns neither tiredness nor fever, nor disfiguring of personality can effect you, nor the demons can charge you either you are sleeping or unvigilant. [1-11-12b, 13a]

na baahvoH sadR^isho viirye pR^ithivyaam asti kashcana || 1-22-13
triSu lokeSu vaa raama na bhavet sadR^ishaH tava |

13b, 14a. Rama; baahvaH viirye= by arms, strength - dexterity; [tava= your]; sadR^ishaH= coequal; kaschana= none; pR^ithivyaam [na] asti= on earth, [is not,] there; triSu lokeshu vaa= in three worlds, either; tava sadR^isha= your, coequal; na bhavet= will not, be there.

"As it is none whosoever on earth can equal you in dexterity, Rama, and by reciting these hymns none can equal you in the three worlds. [1-22-13b, 14a]

balaam atibalaam caiva paThataH taata raaghava || 1-22-14
na saubhaagye na daakSiNye na j~naane buddhi nishcaye |
na uttare prati vak{}tavye samo loke tava anagha || 1-22-15

14b, 15. taata= my dear; raaghava= Raghava; balaam atibalaam ca eva= bala, atibala, also thus; paThataH= if practised; anagha= oh, impeccable one; saubhaagye tava samaH= in handsomeness [apart from fortune,] your, equal; loke na = in world, will not be there; daakshiNe= by calibre; na= no; j~naane= in erudition; buddhi nishchaye= mental, determination - discernment; na= no; uttare prati+vaktavye= in replying, or rebutting; na= no.

"My dear Raghava, if bala atibala hymns are practised, oh, impeccable one, none can equal you in the world by your handsomeness, calibre, erudition, by your discernment, and even in replying or rebutting you. [1-22-14b, 15]

etat vidyaa dvaye labdhe na bhavet sadR^ishaH tava |
balaa ca atibalaa caiva sarva j~naanasya maatarau || 1-22-16

16. etat vidyaa dvaye labdhe= these, teachings, two of them, on receiving; tava sadR^ishaH na bhavet = your, similar, will not, be there; balaat atibalaat cha eva= by bala and atibala, also, only; sarva j~naanasya maatarau= all, knowledge's, mothers of.

"On receiving these two teachings there will be none similar to you, for bala and atibala are the mothers of all knowledge. [1-22-16]

kSut pipaase na te raama bhaviSyete narottama |
balaam atibalaam caiva paThataH taata raaghava || 1-22-17

17. nara uttama raaghava = people, best among, Raghava; balam atibalam cha eva= bala and atibala hymns; paThataH= if recited; taata= my dear; te= to you; raama= Rama; kSut= hunger; pipaasa= thirst; na bhaviSyete= not, will be there.

"Oh, best one among men, Raghava, if you go on reciting bala and atiblala hymns, my dear Rama, there will be no hunger or thirst to you. [1-22-17]

gR^ihaaNa sarva lokasya guptaye raghu nandana |
vidyaa dvayam adhiiyaane yashaH ca atha bhavet bhuvi |
pitaamaha sute hi ete vidye tejaH samanvite || 1-22-18
pradaatum tava kaakutthsa sadR^iashaH tvam hi paarthiva |

18, 19a. vidyaa dvayam= teachings, two; adhiiyaane= if practised; bhuviH= on earth; a+tula= not, weighable [inestimable]; yashaH cha = renown, also; atha bhavet = then, will accrue; raghu nandana= oh, Raghu's legatee; tejaH samanvite= brilliance, possessed with [hymns]; pitaamaha sute= Forefather's [Brahma's,] daughters; kakuthsa= oh, Kakutstha Rama; tava pradaatum = to you, to be given; dhaarmika= virtuous one; twam sadR^ishaH= hi you are, befitting – most eligible one, indeed; gR^ihaaNa= you take; sarva lokasya guptaye vidye = from all, world, kept safe, [are these teachings.]

"And if these twin teachings are practised an inestimable renown will also accrue, oh, Raghu's legatee, these two hymns that possess brilliance are the daughters of Forefather Brahma, and oh, Rama of Kakutstha, I intend to impart these hymns to you, oh virtuous one, as you are the most eligible one, hence take the teachings that are kept safe from the world. [1-22-18, 19a]

kaamam bahuguNaaH sarve tvayi ete na atra sa.mshayaH |1-22-19
tapasaa sa.mbhR^ite ca ete bahu ruupe bhaviSyataH |

19b, 20a. ete= these; bahu guNaaH= numerous, qualities; sarve= all of them; kaamam= abundantly; te= in you [are available]; atra na samshayaH= in that matter, no, doubt; tapasaa sambhR^ute ete= by ascesis, when nurtured, these [hymns]; bahu ruupe= various forms; bhaviSyataH= the become – yield various kinds of results.

"Though all of these numerous qualities are undoubtedly available with you, that too in abundance, yet these hymns if ascetically nurtured will yield various results." Thus spoke Sage Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-22-19b, 20a]

tato raamo jalam spR^iSTvaa prahR^iSTa vadanaH shuciH | 1-22-20
prati jagraaha te vidye maharSer bhaavita aatmanaH |

20b, 21a. tataH raamaH jalam spR^iSTvaa= then, Rama, waters, having touching; shuchiH= becoming purified; prahR^iSTa vadanaH= with gladdened, with face; maharSeH= from great sage; bhaavita aatmanaH= of contemplative, soul Vishvamitra; te vidye pratijagraaH = those, teachings, received.

Then Rama on touching water to purify himself received those teachings from the contemplative soul Vishvamitra with gladness beaming on his face. [1-22-20b, 21a]

vidyaa samudito raamaH shushubhe bhiima vikramaH || 1-22-21
sahasra rashmiH bhagvaan sharadiiva divaakaraH |
guru kaaryaaNi sarvaaNi niyujya kushika aatmaje |
uuSuH taam rajaniim tatra sarayvaam susukham trayaH || 1-22-22

21b, 22. bhuuri vikramaH= one with marvellous, valiance; Rama; vidyaa samuditaH= teachings, on obtaining; kushikaatmaje= in respect of Vishvamitra; sarvaaNi guru kaaryaaNi = all, teacher's, works – works to be done in respect of teacher; niyujya= on performing; sharadi= in autumn; sahasra rasmiH bhagavaan = thousand, rayed, god; divaa karaH iva= sun, like – like sun with thousands of sunbeams; sushubhe= shone forth; trayaH= those three; tatra saryvaam= there, on Sarayu riverbank; su sukham= very, happily; taam rajaneem uuSuH = that, night, they stayed.

Rama, the one with marvellous valiance, on obtaining those teachings performed all his duties of a student in respect of a teacher and then shone forth like the thousand rayed sun on a cloudless sky of autumn. Then those three very happily stayed on the riverbank of Sarayu for that night. [1-22-21b, 22]

Here guru kaaryaaNi , are the duties demanded of a true disciple towards a guru, who is his mantra aachaarya, teacher according hymns. Without performing these duties the studentship remains unfulfilled. These works are fetching food for teacher, arranging his bed, pressing his sore-legs called paada samvaahana , etc. Rama does these services to any elderly person, more so to his father as at this canto 1-18-28.

Throughout this chapter Vishvamitra addresses Rama alone to learn the hymns. It may not be construed that Lakshmana is eliminated or avoided but he said to be one with Rama when it comes to education. Thus these hymn are imparted to Lakshmana also, not to Rama alone.

dasharatha nR^iipa suunu sattamaabhyaam
tR^iNa shayane anuchite tadaa uSitaabhyaam |
kushika suta vacho.anulaalitaabhyaam |
sukhamiva saa vibabhau vibhaavarI cha || 1-22-23

24. an uchite= un, deserving; tR^iNa shayane= grass, bed; saha uSitaaabhyaam= together, slept, those two; kushika suta= Kusha's, son [Vishvamitra's]; vachaH =by words; anu laalitaaabhyaam= nestled close together with words; dasharatha suunu sattamaabhyaam= Dasharatha's, children, noteworthy ones – to Rama, Lakshmana; saa vibhaavarii= that, night; sukham iva vibabhau= pleasant, as though, it became.

Though both Rama and Lakshmana slept on an undeserving grass bed, nestled by the comfortable words of Vishvamitra that night is as though pleasant to the noteworthy children of Dasharatha. [1-22-24]

Sage Vishvamitra is the Seer for Gayatri hymn. He is the same Sage to impart bala atibala hymns to Rama and Lakshmana. For those readers that are interested to know or to practice, the Upanishad of bala atibala is included hereunder. This hymn is yet another aspect of Gayatri, and there is no hymn superior than Gayatri, na gaayatriyaaH paramam japam

bal˜tibalayo× vir˜÷ puruÿa ®ÿi× | g˜yatrŸ devat˜ | g˜yatrŸ chanda× | ak˜ra ok˜ramak˜r˜ bŸj˜dy˜× | kÿudh˜di nirasane viniyoga× |kl˜mity˜di ÿaýaðga ny˜sa× |kl˜m aðguÿ÷˜bhy˜m nama× | klŸm tarjanŸbhy˜m nama× | kl¨m madhyam˜bh˜mnama× | klaim an˜mik˜bhy˜m nama× | klom kaniÿ÷ik˜bh˜m nama× | kla× karatalakarap®ÿ÷˜bhy˜m nama× ||kl˜m h®day˜ya nama× | klŸm þirase sv˜h˜ | kl¨m þikh˜yaivaÿa÷ | klaim kavac˜ya hum | klom netratray˜yavauÿa÷ | kla× astr˜ya pha÷ | bh¨rbhuvassuvaromiti digbandha× |
|| dhy˜nam ||
am®ta karatal˜rdrau sarva sañjŸvan˜ýhy˜ avaghaharaõa sudkÿau veda s˜re may¨khe|
praõavamaya vik˜rau bh˜skar˜k˜ra dehau satatamanubhave'ham tau bal˜tŸbaleþau ||

om hrŸm bale mah˜devi hrŸm mah˜bale klŸm catur vidha puruÿartha siddhi prade tatsavitur varad˜tmike hrŸm vareõyam bhargo devasya varad˜tmike | atibale sarva day˜m¨rte bale sarva kÿud bhrama upan˜þini dhŸmahi dhiyoyonarj˜te pracury˜ pracoday˜tmike praõava þirask˜tmike | hum pha÷ sv˜h˜ || evam vidv˜n k®ta k®tyo bhavati | s˜vitry˜ eva salokat˜m jayati || Ÿtyupaniÿat ||

|| þ˜nti p˜÷ha || om ˜py˜yantu mam˜ðg˜ni v˜kpr˜õaþcakÿu× þrotramatho balamindriy˜õicasarvaõi | sarvam brahmaupaniÿadam | m˜ham brahma nir˜kury˜m m˜ m˜ brahma nir˜karot | anir˜karaõamastu anir˜karaõam me'stu× tad˜tmani nirate ye upaniÿatsu dharm˜ste mayi santu te mayi santu || om þ˜ntiþþ˜ntiþþ˜nti× |

Thus, this is the 22nd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Chapter [Sarga] 22

Introduction

Verse Locator for Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties : Chapter 22