Sage Vishwamitra travels to Mithila kingdom to attend a ritual of King Janaka and also to see the auspicious bow of Shiva that is being worshipped in the palace of Janaka from ages. The other sages suggest to Rama, that he too may go over there along with them to see that marvellous bow. They all proceed from Siddhaashram towards River SoNa, a tributary of Ganga, and camp on its bank for a night.
अथ तां रजनीं तत्र कृतार्थौ रामलक्षणौ |
ऊषतुर्मुदितौ वीरौ प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना || १-३१-१
1. atha = then; kR^itaarthau = those who achieved results; muditau = rejoicing ones; viirau = brave ones; raamalakSmaNau = Rama and Lakshmana; taam rajaniim = that, night; prahR^iSTena antaraatmanaa = well gladdened, in inner souls - heart of hearts; tatra= there; uuSatuH = resided.
Rejoicing for achieving the result of their journey with Vishvamitra, the brave Rama and Lakshmana then resided in that hermitage for that night, gladdening in their heart of hearts. [1-31-1]
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां कृतपौर्वाह्णिकक्रियौ |
विश्वामित्रमृषींश्चान्यान् सहितावभिजग्मतुः || १-३१-२
2. sharvaryaam prabhaataayaam tu = on becoming morning out of night, but; kR^itapaurvaahNikakriyau = on performing early morning chores; sahitau = together; vishvaamitram anyaan R^iSiin ca = to Vishvamitra, to other, sages, also; abhijagmatuH = on going towards - approached.
When that night turned into a new day, performing their morning chores both of the brother jointly approached Sage Vishvamitra, who is along with other sages by then. [1-31-2]
अभिवाद्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं ज्वलंतमिव पावकम् |
ऊचतुः परमोदारं वाक्यं मधुरभाषिणौ || १-३१-३
3. madhurabhaaSiNau = gentle speakers - Rama and Lakshmana; jvalantam paavakam iva = as with radiant ritual-fire; munishreSTham = at the eminent sage; abhivaadya = on reverencing; paramodaaram vaakyam uucatuH = they spoke highly courteous sentence.
And those gentle-speakers on reverencing that eminent sage Vishvamitra, whose radiance is akin to the ritual-fire, they two spoke this highly courteous sentence to him. [1-31-3]
इमौ स्म मुनिशार्दूल किंकरौ समुपस्थितौ |
आज्ञापय मुनिश्रेष्ठ शासनं करवाव किम् || १-३१-४
4. munishaarduula = oh tigerly sage; ki~nkarau imau = attendants, these are; samupasthitau = well afore available - in attendance; sma = we are - available; munishreSTha = oh the eminent saint; aaj~naapaya = order us; kim shaasanam karavaava = what, orders, we have to carry out.
"Oh, tigerly-sage, here are your attendants sir, available in your attendance, what order is to be carried out further, oh, eminent saint, that you may order us. [1-31-4]
एवमुक्ते तयोर्वाक्यं सर्व एव महर्षयः |
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य रामं वचनमब्रुवन् || १-३१-५
5. tayoH vaakyam evam ukte = when said sentence that way by them; maharSayaH sarve eva = all great sages, thus; vishvaamitram puraskR^itya = Vishvamitra, keeping ahead - at helm of affairs; raamam vacanam abruvan = spoke sentence to Rama.
When they have said that way all those great sages spoke to Rama, keeping Vishvamitra at the helm of affairs. [1-31-5]
मैथिलस्य नरश्रेष्ठ जनकस्य भविष्यति |
यज्नः परमधर्मिष्ठस्तत्र यास्यामहे वयम् || १-३१-६
6. narashreSTha = the best man; maithilasya = of Mithila; janakasya = Janaka's; paramadharmiSThaH yaj~naH = highly righteous, Vedic-ritual; bhaviSyati = is going to take place; vayam tatra yaasyaamahe = we are travelling - going there.
"Oh, best one among men, a highly righteous Vedic ritual belonging to King Janaka of Mithila is going to take place, and we the sages are going over there. [1-31-6]
त्वं चैव नरशार्दूल सहास्माभिर्गमिष्यसि |
अद्भुतं च धनूरत्नं तत्र त्वं द्रष्टुमर्हसि || १-३१-७
7. narashaarduula = oh tigerly man; tvam ca eva = you, also, thus; asmaabhiH saha = along with us; gamiSyasi = if you go - if you come with us; tatra = there - at Mithila; adbhutam dhanuuratnam ca = monumental, gem of bow, also; tvam draSTum arhasi = expedient for you to see.
"Oh, tigerly-man Rama, if you can come along with us, it will be expedient for you to see a monumental gem of bow there. [1-31-7]
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 it is in the know of Vishvamitra alone, and not known to these sages. Kings and princes have their own protocol of proper invitation. Here a third party is inviting Rama to some other king's ritual, which Rama may reject for being a prince. But it is suggestive to say the maxim anaahuuto adhvaryam gacChet 'even uninvited can attend a Vedic-ritual...' Thus the sages are tempting, rather than inviting Rama to come to Mithila in the name of a divine bow, seeing which any valiant prince would easily get excited to string.
तद्धि पूर्वं नरश्रेष्ठ दत्तं सदसि दैवतैः |
अप्रमेयबलं घोरं मखे परमभास्वरम् || १-३१-८
8. narashreSTha = the best man; makhe = in war; aprameyabalam = unimaginable power; ghoram = awesome; paramabhaasvaram = superbly incandescent; tat = that bow; puurvam = in early times; daivataiH =by gods; [veda] sadasi dattam hi = in Vedic-ritual congregation, given [to an erstwhile king,] indeed.
"Oh, best one among men, in early times indeed gods gave that awesome bow which has an unimaginable power and which is superbly incandescent in wars to an erstwhile king of Mithila in a congregation of a Vedic-ritual. [1-31-8]
This is the bow of Shiva with which He destroyed the ritual of Daksha. Then gods pleased Shiva and obtained this bow from Him. Then gods gave it to Devaraata, an earlier king of Mithila as a boon of Vedic-ritual.
नास्य देवा न गंधर्वा नासुरा न च राक्षसाः |
कर्तुमारोपणं शक्ता न कथंचन मानुषाः || १-३१-९
19. asya = its [bow's]; aaropaNam kartum = lifting for stinging, to make - to lift; devaaH na shaktaaH = god-s, not, capable of; gandharvaaH na = gandharva-s, not; asuraaH = asura-s, not; na ca raakSasaaH = not, also, demons; maanuSaaH kathamcana na = humans, in any way, not.
"Gods cannot capably lift it to string; gandharva-s, no; asura-s, no; demons, no; and for human beings, not in any way. [1-31-9]
धनुषस्तस्य वीर्यं हि जिज्ञासन्तो महीक्षितः |
न शेकुरारोपयितुं राजपुत्रा महाबलाः || १-३१-१०
10. [bahavaH = many]; raajaputraaH mahaabalaaH = king's sons, great mighty ones; mahiikSitaH = kings; tasya dhanuSaH = of that, bow's; viiryam jij~naasantaH = inquisitive about power; [te sarve = all of them]; aaropayitum na shekuH = not capable to string bowstring.
"Though many kings were inquisitive about the power of that bow, all of those great mighty princes are rendered incapable to string its bowstring. [1-31-10]
तद्धनुर्नरशार्दूल मैथिलस्य महात्मनः |
तत्र द्रक्ष्यसि काकुत्स्थ यज्ञं च परमाद्भुतम् || १-३१-११
11. narashaarduula = oh tigerly man; kaakutstha = oh Kakutstha, Rama; mahaatmanaH maithilasya = of great-soul, of Mithila king's; tat dhanuH = that - particular, bow; paramaadbhutam yaj~nam ca = highly admirable, Vedic ritual, too; tatra drakSyasi = there, you can see - in Mithila (if you come with us).
"Oh, tigerly-man Rama, there in Mithila you can see that particular bow of the great-souled king of Mithila and his highly admirable Vedic ritual too, if you come with us. [1-31-11]
तद्धि यज्ञफलं तेन मैथिलेनोत्तमं धनुः |
याचितं नरशार्दूल सुनाभं सर्वदैवतैः || १-३१-१२
12. narashaarduula = oh tigerly man; sunaabham = best at navel [at central grip, handle]; tat uttamam dhanuH = that, supreme, bow; tena maithilena = by him, by king of Mithila - namely Devarata; sarvadaivataiH = by all gods; yaj~naphalam = as ritual's fruit; yaacitam hi = prayed for, indeed.
"Once Devaraata, the grandparent of the present king Janaka of Mithila, conducted a Vedic-ritual and he indeed prayed only for this supreme bow with a best grip-handle as the fruit of that ritual from all of the gods and oh, tigerly man Rama, he got the same from them. [1-31-12]
For this kuurma-puraaNa, padma-puraaNa puts it as: priitaH ca bhagavaaniishaH trishuulii niilalohitaH | pradadau shatrunaashaartham janakaayaadbhutam dhanuH || kuurma puraaNa | | caapam shambhordayaaddattam - padma puraaNa 'Satisfying with the ritual of Devaraata of Janaka, the Trident holder and holder of venom in throat, namely god Shiva, gave the marvellous bow to eliminate enemies.'
आयागभूतं नृपतेस्तस्य वेश्मनि राघव |
अर्चितं विविधैर्गन्धैर्धूपैश्चागरुगंधिभिः || १-३१-१३
13. raaghava = oh Raghava; tasya nR^ipateH veshmani = in that, king's, house; aayaagabhuutam = that which is primarily worshipped in dhanurutsava-s, bow-and-arrow worship ceremony; vividhaiH gandhaiH = with a variety of, sandalwood pastes; agarugandhibhiH = with the substance of true aloe [aloe vera] scents; dhuupaiH ca = with incenses, also; arcitam = is worshipped.
"That bow has got a regular worship and especially during the periods of dhanurutsava-s, festivals of bows-and- arrows. Hence it is kept in the palace of King of Mithila, and oh, Raghava it is worshipped with a variety of sandalwood pastes, scents of aloe substance, and with incenses." [1-31-13]
एवमुक्त्वा मुनिवरः प्रस्थानमकरोत्तदा |
सर्षिसंघः सकाकुत्स्थः आमंत्र्य वनदेवताः || १-३१-१४
14. munivaraH evam uktvaa = the best saint, thus, saying; sarSisanghaH = with assemblages of sages; sakaakutsthaH = with Rama, Lakshmana - who by now may be assumed to have said 'yes' speechlessly; vanadevataaH aamantrya = bidding farewell to deities of woodland; tadaa prasthaanam akarot = then, started to travel.
Saying so that best saint Vishvamitra started to travel on along with the assemblages of sages, and even along with Rama and Lakshmana, whose tacit consent to follow the sage is obtained by now, and on bidding farewell to the deities of woodlands of that Accomplished Hermitage, where his ritual is accomplished with the help of Rama and Lakshmana. [1-31-14]
स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु गमिष्यामि सिद्धः सिद्धाश्रमादहम् |
उत्तरे जाह्नवीतीरे हिमवंतं शिलोच्चयम् || १-३१-१५
15. [Oh georgic deities]; vaH svasti astu = to you all, safe, let become - everything bodes well to you all; siddhaH = on accomplishment [of my work, of ritual]; aham siddhaashramaat = I am, from the Accomplished Hermitage; uttare jaahnaviitiire = which is there at - northern, Ganga's bank; himavantam = towards Himalayan; shiloccayam = heights of stone - mountains, ranges; gamiSyaami = I wish to go.
"Adieu, georgic deities, everything bodes well to you all, on accomplishment of the ritual I have undertaken here, I wish to go from this Accomplished Hermitage towards the ranges of Himalayan Mountains that are on the northern bank of River Ganga." [1-31-15]
इत्युक्त्वा मुनिशार्दूलः कौशिकः स तपोधनः |
उत्तरां दिशमुद्दिश्य प्रस्थातुमुपचक्रमे || १-३१-१६
16. iti uktvaa munishaarduulaH = thus, saying, tigerly saint; saH kaushikaH he that, Kaushika's - descendent - Vishvamitra; tapodhanaH = whose wealth is ascesis; uttaraam disham uddishya = intending towards northern side; prasthaatum upacakrame = started journeying.
Thus saying farewell to woodland-deities that descendent of Kaushika, namely Vishvamitra, the saint whose wealth is his ascesis started to journey on aiming to reach the northern side of River Ganga. [1-31-16]
तं व्रजंतं मुनिवरमन्वगादनुसारिणाम् |
शकटीशतमात्रं तु प्रयाणे ब्रह्मवादिनाम् || १-३१-१७
17. vrajantam tam munivaram = journeying, him, best saint; anusaariNaam = of close followers; brahmavaadinaam = advocators of Brahma [Vedic]; their team; prayaaNe = in the journey; shakaTiishatamaatram tu = carts hundred in number; anvagaat [anu+agaat] = closely journeyed - moved behind.
While that best saint set forth, the team of his close followers who are the advocators of Vedic canons have moved behind him, with a hundred carts loaded with their ritual paraphernalia. [1-31-17]
मृगपक्षिगणाश्चैव सिद्धाश्रमनिवासिनः |
अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानं विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम् || १-३१-१८
18, 19a. siddhaashramanivaasinaH = residents of Accomplished Hermitage; mR^igapakSigaNaaH ca eva = herds / flocks of animals and birds, also, even; mahaatmaanam tapodhanam vishvaamitram = great souled one, ascetically wealthy, after Vishvamitra; anujagmuH = closely followed; but; tataH = then; pakSisanghaan = those flocks of birds; mR^igaan api = animals, even; nivartayaamaasa = made to turn back - caused to return to their places.
Even the residents of that Hermitage of Accomplishment, namely animals and birds, closely followed that great-souled Vishvamitra, whose wealth is his ascesis, in herds and flocks. But that sage Vishvamitra made those flocks of birds and the herds of animals to return to their places, as they have shown enough courtesy. [1-31-18, 19a]
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 him off for a distance, unlike 'showing a person the door.' Here Vishvamitra is the guest at these woodlands.
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे || १-३१-१९
वासं चक्रुर्मुनिगणाः शोणाकूले समाहिताः |
19b, 20a. te munigaNaaH = those, assemblages of sages'; duuram adhvaanam gatvaa = on going far on the way; divaakare lambamaane = day maker - sun, while dangling - towards west; samaahitaaH = collectively; shoNaakuule = on the bank of River Sona; vaasam cakruH = they made camp.
Those assemblages of sages on going far on their path made a camp on the bank of River Sona when the sun is dangling towards west. [1-31-19b, 20a]
तेऽस्तं गते दिनकरे स्नात्वा हुतहुताशनाः || १-३१-२०
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य निषेदुरमितौजसः |
20b, 21a. amitoujasaH = those with - unlimited resplendence; te = those sages; dinakare astam gate = day maker - sun, dusk, when entered; snaatvaa = taking bath; hutahutaashanaaH = consumer of kindling that which is kindled - Ritual fire - consuming items oblated in fire; (having performed evening rituals) vishvaamitram puraskR^itya = keeping afore Vishvamitra; niSeduH = they squatted.
When the sun went into dusk those sages with illimitable resplendence took their bath and on kindling the consumer of kindled oblations they completed their evening fire ritual, and then squatted before sage Vishvamitra. [1-31-20b, 21a]
रामोऽपि सहसौमित्रिर्मुनींस्तानभिपूज्य च || १-३१-२१
अग्रतो निषसादाथ विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः |
21b, 22a. sahasaumitriH raamaH api = with Lakshmana, Rama, even; taan muniin abhipuujya ca = them, sages, worshipped, also; atha = then; dhiimataH vishvaamitrasya agrataH = before the intellectual Vishvamitra ; niSasaada = squatted.
And even Rama along with Lakshmana on worshipping those sages squatted before that intellectual Vishvamitra. [1-31-21b, 22a]
अथ रामो महातेजा विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम् || १-३१-२२
पप्रच्छ मुनिशार्दूलं कौतूहलसमन्वितः |
22b, 23a. mahaatejaaH raamaH = great-resplendent, Rama; tataH = then; vishvaamitram tapodhanam = at Vishvamitra, ascetically wealthy sage; munishaarduulam = tigerly sage; kautuuhalasamanvitaH = together with(growing) inquisitiveness; papracCha = asked.
With growing inquisitiveness that resplendent Rama has asked the tigerly sage Vishvamitra whose wealth is his ascesis. [1-31-22b, 23a]
भगवन् कोन्वयं देशः समृद्धवनशोभितः || १-३१-२३
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते वक्तुमर्हसि तत्त्वतः |
23b, 24a. bhagavan = oh god; sammR^iddhavanashobhitaH = glistening with well developed woodlands; ayam deshaH = this, place; kaH nu = what, really is; shrotum icChaami = to listen, I wish; te bhadram = let there be safety to you - you be blest; tattvataH vaktum arhasi = apt of you to talk - to tell in essence.
"Oh, godly sage, this place is glistening with well-developed woodlands, really what is this place? You be blest! It will be apt of you tell about it, in essence." Thus Rama asked Vishvamitra.[1-31-23b, 24a]
चोदितो रामवाक्येन कथयामास सुव्रतः |
तस्य देशस्य निखिलमृषिमध्ये महातपाः || १-३१-२४
24b, c. suvrataH = one with unselfish vows; mahaatapaaH = one who has - exalted ascesis; raamavaakyena coditaH = motivated by Rama's words; R^iSimadhye = sages amidst [staying]; tasya deshasya nikhilam = all about that place; kathayaamaasa = started to tell.
Sage Vishvamitra whose vows are unselfish and whose ascesis is exalted is motivated with the words of Rama and staying amidst the sages he started to tell all about that place. [1-31-24b, c]
इति वाल्मीकिरामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकत्रिंशः सर्गः
© 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : July 04]