The seizure of Kaamadhenu, the Sacred Cow, causes anxiety in her and she urges Vashishta
to counteract the atrocity of Vishvamitra. Agreeing to her, the sage asks the Cow
to create a force that can subdue the forces of Vishvamitra. Accordingly, that Cow
generates newer forces and a war ensues.
कामधेनुं वसिष्ठोऽपि यदा न त्यजते मुनिः |
तदास्य शबलां राम विश्वामित्रोऽन्वकर्षत || १-५४-१
1. raama = oh Rama; vasiSThaH muniH = Vashishta, sage; kaamadhenum = desire-milker cow; yadaa = when; na tyajate = not, gave up; tadaa = then; vishvaamitraH asya shabalaam anvakarSata = Vishvamitra, dragged - started to seize that Shabala.
"When Sage Vashishta did not yield Kaamadhenu, the milker of any desire, oh, Rama, then Vishvamitra started to seize it." Sage Shataananda continued the narration of the legend of Vishvamitra. [1-54-1]
नीयमाना तु शबला राम राज्ञा महात्मना |
दुःखिता चिन्तयामास रुदंती शोककर्षिता || १-५४-२
2. raama = oh Rama; mahaatmanaa = by great-soul - a determined one; raaj~naa = by king - Vishvamitra; niiyamaanaa = being led away - dragged her away; shabalaa duHkhitaa = Shabala, saddened; shokakarSitaa = stung by anguish; rudantii = while wailing; cintayaamaasa = mulled over.
While the determined king Vishvamitra dragged her away from Vashishta, oh, Rama, Shabala is saddened and tearfully mulled over stung by the anguish of her secession from the sage. [1-54-2]
परित्यक्ता वसिष्ठेन किमहं सुमहात्मना |
याहं राजभृतैर्दीना ह्रियेयं भृशदुःखिता || १-५४-३
3. diinaa = a pitiable one; bhR^ishaduHkhitaa = muchly anguishing one; yaa aham = which, me - such as I am; raajabhR^itaiH = by king's servants; hriyeyam = who am stolen - being led away; aham = I am - am I; mahaatmanaa vasiSThena parityaktaa = abandoned by great-souled Vashishta ; kim = or what?
A pitiable and highly anguished one, such as I am. I am being dragged away by the servants of the king. Has this great souled Sage Vashishta abandoned me, or what? [1-54-3]
किं मयापकृतं तस्य महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः |
यन्मामनागसं भक्तामिष्टां त्यजति धार्मिकः || १-५४-४
4. dhaarmikaH = pietist [Vashishta]; anaagasam = less of error [errorless one]; bhaktaam = a reverent one; iSTaam = cherished one; maam = me; yat tyajati = he who [whereby,] leaving off; bhaavitaatmanaH = sacred souled one; tasya maharSeH = to - towards, great-sage; mayaa = by me; kim = what; apakR^itam = misdeed done.
'Or, did I do any misdeed towards that great sage of sacred soul whereby he is leaving me off. I have always been reverent and a cherished cow to that priest and am I no errant.' That cow eulogised in this manner. [1-54-4]
इति संचिन्तयित्वा तु निःश्वस्य च पुनः पुनः |
जगाम वेगेन तदा वसिष्ठं परमौजसम् || १-५४-५
निर्धूय तां तदा भृत्यान् शतशः शत्रुसूदन |
जगामानिलवेगेन पादमूलं महात्मनः || १-५४-६
5. shatrusuudana = oh enemy-subjugator, Rama; [saa = she, the cow]; iti samcintayitvaa = thus, on well thinking; punaH punaH niHshvasya ca = again, again, on suspiring, also; tadaa = then; taam shatashaH bhR^ityaan = them, hundreds of, attendants [of king]; nirdhuuya = utterly shoving off; tadaa = then; anilavegena = with speed of gust; paramaujasam vasiSTham = towards highly energetic one, to Vashishta; vegena jagaama = hastily, went [rushed to]; mahaatmanaH = of great-souled one; paadamuulam jagaama = she went to the base of feet.
On thinking thus and suspiring repeatedly, oh, enemy-subjugator, Rama, then she that Sacred Cow hastily rushed with the speed a gust and went to that highly energetic Vashishta on utterly shoving off hundreds of attendants of the king who are roping her, and then she straight went to the base of the feet of the great-souled Vashishta. [1-54-5, 6]
शबला सा रुदन्ती च क्रोशन्ती चेदमब्रवीत् |
वसिष्ठस्याग्रतः स्थित्वा मेघदुन्दुभिनिःस्वना || १-५४-७
7. saa shabalaa = she, that Shabala; rudantii ca kroshantii ca = moaning, also, groaning, also; vasiSThasya agrataH sthitvaa = staying before Vashishta ; meghadundubhiniHsvanaa = bellowing like thunder of the cloud; idam abraviit = spoke this.
She that moaning and groaning Shabala staying before the Sage Vashishta spoke this bellowing like a thunderous cloud. [1-54-7]
भगवन् किं परित्यक्ता त्वयाहं ब्रह्मणः सुत |
यस्माद्राजभटा मां हि नयन्ते त्वत्सकाशतः || १-५४-८
8. brahmaNaH suta = oh Brahma's son [brainchild]; bhagavan = oh god; aham tvayaa kim parityaktaa = why I discarded by you; yasmaat = whereby; raajabhaTaaH = attendants of king; tvat sakaashataH = from your, proximity; maam nayante hi = me, taking away, indeed.
'Oh, Son of Brahma, why I am discarded by you, whereby oh, god, the king's attendants are weaning me away from your proximity.' So Shabala urged Vashishta. [1-54-8]
एवमुक्तस्तु ब्रह्मर्षिरिदं वचनमब्रवीत् |
शोकसंतप्तहृदयां स्वसारमिव दुःखिताम् || १-५४-९
9. evam uktaH tu brahmarSiH = thus, Brahma-sage spoke on his part; shokasantaptahR^idayaam = by worrying heart [to worrisome Shabala]; duHkhitaam svasaaram iva = as with his own sister in her worriment; idam vacanam abraviit = spoke this sentence.
When he is spoken thus, then that Brahma-sage spoke this sentence to worrisome Shabala, whose heart is worrying with worry, as he would speak with his own sister in her worriment. [1-54-9]
न त्वां त्यजामि शबले नापि मेऽपकृतं त्वया |
एष त्वां नयते राजा बलान्मत्तो महाबलः || १-५४-१०
10. shabale = oh Shabala; tvaam na tyajaami = I am not forswearing you; tvayaa me na apakR^itam api = even misdeed not done to me by you - you too have not fouled me; mahaabalaH = great-mighty one; eSaH raajaa = this, king is; mattaH [mat-taH] = from me; or,[ mattaH = ecstatic by his own might - king]; balaat = forcibly; tvaam nayate = weaning you away.
Neither I forswear you nor you fouled me, oh, Shabala, this king is forcibly weaning you away from me as he is beside himself with kingly arrogance. [1-54-10]
न हि तुल्यं बलं मह्यं राजा त्वद्य विशेषतः |
बली राजा क्षत्रियश्च पृथिव्याः पतिरेव च || १-५४-११
11. mahyam balam = strength - ability of mine; tulyam = balanceable [with his]; na hi = not, isn't it; adya visheSataH = now, above all; raajaa tu = [he is a] king, on his part; raajaa balii = a king, will be mighty; kSatriyaH ca = Kshatriya, also; pR^ithivyaaH patiH eva ca = even lord of earth, also.
'My ability is not balanceable with his, isn't it. Above all, on his part he is a king now, and a king will be mighty, he is the lord of the land and a Kshatriya, and thus we have to be subservient to a Kshatriya, isn't it. [1-54-11]
इयमक्षौहिणी पूर्णा गजवाजिरथाकुला |
हस्तिध्वजसमाकीर्णा तेनासौ बलवत्तरः || १-५४-१२
12. gajavaajirathaaakulaa = overcrowded with elephants, horses and chariots; hastidhvajasamaakiirNaa = overspread with elephants and flags; iyam akSauhiNii = this, akshauhini [unit of army]; puurNaa = is plethoric; tena = thereby; asau balavattaraH = he is mightier than me.
'This akShauhiNi unit of army is plethoric, overcrowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, and overspread with flags and elephants, thereby he is mightier than me.' Thus Vashishta tried to pacify that Sacred-Cow. [1-54-12]
एवमुक्ता वसिष्ठेन प्रत्युवाच विनीतवत् |
वचनं वचनज्ञा सा ब्रह्मर्षिमतुलप्रभम् || १-५४-१३
13. vasiSThena evam uktaa = spoken [to Cow] that way by Vashishta; vacanaj~naa = knower of sentence; saa = she that cow; atulaprabham = to the one with un-balanceable resplendence; brahmarSim = to Brahma-sage; vacanam = sentence; viniitavat = as an obedient one; pratyuvaaca = spoke in turn - replied.
She who is spoken that way by Vashishta, that sententious Sacred Cow, Shabala, in her turn obediently spoke this sentence to that Brahma-sage of un-balanceable resplendence. [1-54-13]
न बलं क्षत्रियस्याहुर्ब्राह्मणो बलवत्तरः |
ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मबलं दिव्यं क्षत्रात्तु बलवत्तरम् || १-५४-१४
14. brahman = oh Brahman; kSatriyasya balam = Kshatriya's [sovereignty's,] might; na aahuH = not, speak of [unstated as 'balavattaraH' more mighty = mightier than a Brahman's, i.e., than the might of a sage]; braahmaNaH balavattaraH = a Brahman [sagacity is,] mightier; kSatraat tu = of Kshatriya's [of sovereignty's might,] but; brahmabalam divyam balavattaram = Brahman's [Sage's] might, divine [angelic,] mightier.
'Oh, Brahman, unstated is that the might of sovereignty as mightier than the might of sagacity. A sage is mightier than a sovereign. A sage's might is mightiest than the mightier sovereign, for a sage's might is angelic.' So Shabala started talking to the sage. [1-54-14]
This is the relevant stanza for the later time debates or essay competitions under the caption of 'pen vs. sword... which is mightier...' Here, though Vishvamitra is well aware that a sage's possession cannot be usurped, he resorted to the same. The Sacred Cow is telling the above with intolerance towards Vishvamitra's violation of the norms. saa api asahamaanaa kaamadohinii shaantyaa kShamayaa yuktam vashiShTam avocat -
What a king has got to do with a sage's wealth? A sage acquires it with his ascesis and it is not another king's kingdom to conquer. sarva dharmaj~nasyaapi vishvaamitrasya etaadR^ishii buddhiH abuut | yasmai devaa prayacchanti puruShaaya paraabhavam - balaavalepana vishvaamitro vashiShThavaakyam anaadR^itya brahmasvahareNa mahaadoSham jaanan api balaat eva shabalaam aacakarSha - dk The scriptures, norms, ethics demand that a sagacious person shall not be robbed off his possession, which he acquires by his personal merit. But Vishvamitra's brain tilted this way because of his all-conquering avarice and he thought that this cow is also conquerable, and gods give such a mind only to see the greedy to fail and thus insulted of their might.
na tveva kadaacit svayam raajaa brahmaNasvaadadiita - bodhaayana suutra - atha api udaaharanti - na viSham viSham iti aahuH brahmasvam viSham ucyate | brahmasvam putrapautraghnam viSham ekaakinam haret | 'a sagacious person's possession is not to be snatched away - bodhaayana suutraa-s; 'a poison if consumed kills one that consumes it... but the possession of a sagacious person, if tried for consumption, it consumes whole lot of the consumer's sons, grandsons and his clan itself, besides the consumer...for sage's possession in itself is a lethal poison...'
अप्रमेयबलं तुभ्यं न त्वया बलवत्तरः |
विश्वामित्रो महावीर्यस्तेजस्तव दुरासदम् || १-५४-१५
15. tubhyam = to you; aprameyabalam = not matchable [immutable] power - is there; mahaaviiryaH vishvaamitraH = great-mighty, Vishvamitra - though he is; tvayaa = than you; balavattaraH = mightier than you; na = he is not; tava tejaH duraasadam = your, dynamism, is invincible.
Immutable is your power as you are mightier than great-mighty Vishvamitra and invincible is your dynamism. [1-54-15]
नियुङ्क्ष्व मां महातेजस्त्वद्ब्रह्मबलसंभृताम् |
तस्य दर्पं बलं यत्नं नाशयामि दुरात्मनः || १-५४-१६
16. mahaatejaH = oh highly resplendent one; tvat brahmabalasambhR^itaam = replete with your Brahma's [sagacity's] power; maam = me; niyu~NkSva = you ordain; duraatmanaH = of bad minded [injudicious king]; tasya darpam balam yatnam = his [Vishvamitra's,] vanity, valour, venture [to wean me from you]; naashayaami = I destroy [I disprove.]
'Ordain me, oh, highly resplendent sage, who am replete with the power of your sagacity, and I will disprove the vanity, valour, and venture of that injudicious king for this injudicious seizure.' Thus Shabala implored the sage Vashishta. [1-54-16]
इत्युक्तस्तु तया राम वसिष्ठः सुमहायशाः |
सृजस्वेति तदोवाच बलं परबलार्दनम् || १-५४-१७
17. raama = oh Rama; tayaa iti uktaH = thus, spoken by her; sumahaayashaaH = of very high glory; vasiSThaH tu = Vashishta, on his part; tadaa = then; parabalaardanam = overpowering opponent's power ; balam sR^ijasva = you create a power; iti uvaaca = thus, [sage] said to her.
Oh, Rama, when spoken by her thus, that highly glorious Vashishta said to Shabala, the do-all cow, 'create a power that can overpower the power of opponent.' Vashishta said so to Shabala.[1-54-17]
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सुरभिः सा असृजत्तदा |
तस्या हुंभारवोत्सृष्टाः पह्लवाः शतशो नृप || १-५४-१८
नाशयन्ति बलं सर्वं विश्वामित्रस्य पश्यतः |
18, 19a. tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa = on hearing his that sentence; saa surabhiH = she, that hope fulfilling cow; tadaa = then; asR^ijat = created [army]; nR^ipa = oh king - Rama; tasyaaH = of her; humbhaaravotsR^iSTaaH = sprang forth hum mooing; pahlavaaH = Pahlava-s; shatashaH = in hundreds; vishvaamitrasya pashyataH = while Vishvamitra witnessing; sarvam balam naashayanti = annihilated army [of Vishvamitra] in entirety.
On hearing his sentence, oh, Rama, that Sacred Cow Shabala then created Pahlava kings, sprang forth from her mooing 'hums', and hundreds of them annihilated the army of Vishvamitra in its entirety just while Vishvamitra is witnessing it. [1-54-18, 19a]
स राजा परमक्रुद्धः क्रोधविस्फारितेक्षणः || १-५४-१९
पह्लवान्नाशयामास शस्त्रैरुच्चावचैरपि |
19b, 20a. saH raajaa paramakruddhaH = he the king, utterly infuriated; krodhavisphaaritekSaNaH = wide-opened eyed by anger; uccaavacaiH shastraiH = many kinds of, weaponry; pahlavaan naashayaamaasa api = started to destroy Pahlava-s, even.
King Vishvamitra was utterly infuriated and with wide-eyed anger he started to destroy those Pahlava-s with many a kind of his weaponry. [1-54-19b, 20a]
विश्वामित्रार्दितान् दृष्ट्वा पह्लवान् शतशस्तदा || १-५४-२०
भूय एवासृजद्घोरान् शकान् यवनमिश्रितान् |
20b, 21a. vishvaamitraarditaan = subdued by Vishvamitra; shatashaH pahlavaan dR^iSTvaa = on seeing hundreds of Pahlava-s; tadaa = then; bhuuya eva = again, thus; yavanamishritaan = mingled with Yavana-s ; ghoraan = deadly; shakaan = Shaka-s; asR^ijat = she generated.
On seeing the subdual of hundreds of Pahlava-s by Vishvamitra, then the Sacred Cow again generated deadly Shaka-s hobnobbed with Yavana-s through her mooing 'hums'. [1-54-20b, 21a]
These Shaka-s and Yavana-s are the Shakas, or the Scythians, or the Indo-Scythians of Max Muller. Some discussion about this is included in the endnote of Kishkindha, Ch. 43. Dharmaakuutam says: tadanu vashiShThaabhyanuj~naataa shabalaa nirmitapahlavaadi - nikR^iShTajaati - niShuuditam svam balam vishvaamitra - iti - dk These are viewed as deadly, lowly, ruffian class of warriors in Indian viewpoint and created out of thin air by this Sacred Cow.
तैरासीत् संवृता भूमिः शकैर्यवनमिश्रितैः || १-५४-२१
प्रभावद्भिर्महावीर्यैर्हेमकिंजल्कसंनिभैः |
21b, 22a. prabhaavadbhiH = by them who have effectuation; mahaaviiryaiH = by them who have bravery; hemakinjalkasannibhaiH = those that are similar to golden pistils; taiH = with them; yavanamishritaiH = associated with Yavana-s ; shakaiH = with Shaka-s; bhuumiH samvR^itaa aasiit = earth became covered.
Then the earth was pervaded with the Shaka-s associated with Yavana-s, who have effectuation and bravery in overcoming their enemy forces, and who are golden in bodily colour similar to the golden pistils of flowers which complexion is outlandish. [1-54- 21b, 22a]
दीर्घासिपट्टिशधरैर्हेमवर्णाम्बरावृतैः || १-५४-२२
निर्दग्धं तद्बलं सर्वं प्रदीप्तैरिव पावकैः |
22b. diirghaasi paTTishadharaiH = bowie knives, wielding broad-lances; hemavarNaambaraavR^itaiH = clad in golden coloured dress; with such Yavana-s and Shaka-s; pradiiptaiH paavakaiH iva = who are - as with glowing fires; tat sarvam balam = that, entire, force [of Vishvamitra]; nirdagdham = is completely burnt down.
Yavana-s and Shaka-s, who are wielding bowie knives and broad lances and who are clad in golden coloured dresses, and who looked like glowing fires have completely burnt down entire force of Vishvamitra. [1-54-22, 23a]
ततोऽस्त्राणि महातेजा विश्वामित्रो मुमोच ह |
तैस्तैर्यवनकांभोजा बर्बराश्चाकुलीकृताः || १-५४-२३
23. tataH = then; mahaatejaaH vishvaamitraH = great-resplendent, Vishvamitra; astraaNi mumoca ha = missiles, released, indeed; taiH taiH = by them, by them [missiles]; yavanakaambhojaabarbaraaH ca = Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, Barbara-s, also; akuliikR^itaaH = rendered to helter-skelter .
"Then that great-resplendent Vishvamitra indeed released his missiles, by which Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, and the Barbara-s, are rendered helter-skelter." Thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration of Vishvamitra. [1-54-23b,c.]
The Barbara-s are said in this text whereas other mms contain it as "Pahlava-s'. Even on taking Barbara-s, they are an outlandish clan and the word 'Barbara' might have been the ancestor word of the present day 'Barbarian.'
---
इति वाल्मीकिरामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे चतुःपंचाशः सर्गः
© Dec, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : November 04]
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