Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20
“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20
King Dasharatha Refuses Vishvamitra’s Request
Summary
On enquiring details about those dangerous demons that are ravaging sage's ritual, King Dasharatha refuses to send young Rama along with Sage Vishvamitra on many an account, and thus confronts the Sage's wrath.
Chapter [Sarga] 20 in Detail
tat shrutvaa raaja shaarduulo vishvaamitrasya bhaasitam |
muhuurtam iva nissajnah sajnaavaan idam abraviit || 1-20-1
On hearing what is spoken by Vishvamitra the tigerly-king Dasharatha became insensate [lacking sense or understanding] for a time, and on redeeming senses he said this. [1-20-1]
uuna sodasha varso me raamo raajiiva lochanah |
na yuddha yogyataam asya pashyaami saha raaxasaih || 1-20-2
""Less than sixteen years of age is my lotus-eyed Rama, and I see no warring aptitude [inclination] to him with the demons. [1-20-2]
iyam aksauhinii senaa yasya aham patih iishvarah |
anayaa sahito gatvaa yoddha aham tair nishaacharaih || 1-20-3
"Here is the full-fledged battalion [army], called akshouhini sena , for which I am the leader and controller, and fortified by this army I will go there to encounter those demons. [1-20-3]
Page 1 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 ime shuuraah ca vikraantaa bhrityaah me astra vishaaradaah |
yogyaa raksoganaih yoddhum na raamam netum arhasi || 1-20-4
"Brave and daring are these soldiers of mine, and as experts in weaponry they are the appropriate ones to combat the hordes [crowd] of demons, but, it will be ungentle of you to take Rama with you. [1-20-4]
aham eva dhanuspaanih goptaa samara muurdhani |
yaavat praanaan dharisyaami taavat yotsye nishaacharaih || 1-20-5
"I alone with bow in my hand can protect your ritual, and as long as I bear my lives so long I war with those nightwalkers staying in the van [a usually enclosed wagon] of war. [1-20-5]
nirvighnaa vrata charyaa saa bhavisyati suraksitaa |
aham tatra aagamisyaami na raamam netum arhasi || 1-20-6
“I myself wish to come over there thereby the works of ritual will be well-guarded and unimpeded [not disturbed], but, taking Rama with you will be ungracious of you. [1-20-6]
baalo hi akrita vidyah ca na ca vetti balaabalam |
na ca astra bala sa.myukto na ca yuddha vishaaradah || 1-20-7
na ca asau raksasaa yogyah kuuta yuddhaa hi raakshasaa |
"Why because Rama is boy! And he is unschooled [not trained] in his princely education; does he know the strengths and weaknesses of opponents – no; has he got the equipage [material or articles] of arsenal – no; has he any expertise in warfare - no; is he an equal to the demons – no; be that as it may, those demons definitely conduct a deceitful [deceptive or cunning] warfare, isn't it. [1-19-7, 8a]
viprayukto hi raamena muhuurtam api na utsahe || 1-20-8
jiivitum muni shaarduula na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"Alienated from Rama I am disinclined to live even for a moment, oh, tigerly sage, hence taking Rama with you will be unjust. [1-20-8b, 9a]
Page 2 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 yadi vaa raaghavam brahman netum icchasi suvrata || 1-20-9
catura.nga samaayuktam mayaa saha ca tam naya |
"Otherwise, oh, Brahman with best vows, if you so wish to take Rama along with you, you lead him off along with me, and along with my four kinds of troops. [1-20-9b, 10a]
sastih varsa sahasraani jaatasya mama kaushika || 1-20-10
kricchrena utpaaditah ca ayam na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"Sixty thousand years have passed from my birth, oh! Vishvamitra, and this Rama is engendered [originate] at this age, that too with tribulations [a trying experience], hence taking Rama with you will be inappropriate of you. [1-20-10b, 11a]
caturnaam aatmajaanaam hi priitih paramikaa mama || 1-20-11
jyesthe dharma pradhaane ca na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"I will have exceptional affection for all of my four sons, isn't it, and among them Rama has a significance in the matter of his descent as an eldest son, hence taking Rama with you will be unjust of you. [1-20-11b, 12a]
kim viiryaah raaksasaah te ca kasya putraah ca ke ca te || 1-20-12
katham pramaanaah ke ca etaan raksanti munipu.ngava |
"Oh, eminent sage, of what fortitude are those demons? Whose sons are they? Who are they? How is their size and shape? Also who protects all of them? [1-20-12b, 13a]
katham ca prati kartavyam tesaam raamena raksasaam || 1-20-13
maamakaih vaa balaih brahman mayaa vaa kuuta yodhinaam |
"Oh, Brahman, how Rama, or my forces, or I myself have to retaliate [to get revenge] those demons that are deceitful [cunning] militants. [1-20-13b, 14a]
Page 3 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 sarvam me shamsa bhagavan katham tesaam mayaa rane|| 1-20-14
sthaatavyam dusta bhaavaanaam viiryotsiktaa hi raaksasaah |
tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa vishvaamitro abhyabhaasata || 1-20-15
"Tell me all that, oh, god, how I have to carry on when warring with those evil minded demons, for the demons will be delirious [characteristic of frenzied excitement] by their audacity [bold or arrogance], isn't it..." Thus Dasharatha asked Vishvamitra insistently. On hearing those words Sage Vishvamitra replied this way. [1-20-14b, 15]
paulastya vamsha prabhavo raavano naama raaksasah |
sa brahmanaa datta varah trailokyam baadhate bhrisham || 1-20-16
mahaabalo mahaaviiryo raaksasaih bahubhih vritah |
"One born in Paulastya dynasty, an extremely mighty and exceedingly brave demon named Ravana is there, and he with the boon given by Brahma and accompanied with many other demons is torturing the triad of worlds, contemptuously [lack of respect or reverence]. [1-20- 16, 17a]
shruuyate ca mahaaraajaa raavano raaksasa adhipah || 1-20-17
saaksaat vaishravana bhraataa putro vishravaso muneh |
"Unequivocally that chief of demons is the brother of Kubera and the son of sage Vishravasa, thus we hear. [1-20-17b, 18a]
yadaa na khalu yajnasya vighna kartaa mahaabalah || 1-20-18
tena sa.mcoditau tau tu raaksasau ca mahaabalau |
maariicah ca subaahuh ca yajna vighnam karisyatah || 1-20-19
"That formidable Ravana is not a devastator [destroyer] of rituals by himself, even so, two very mighty demons called Maareecha and Subaahu will cause devastating hindrances to rituals, instigated [provoked] by him." Thus Sage Vishvamitra said to Dasharatha. [1-20-18b, 19]
Page 4 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 iti ukto muninaa tena raaja uvaaca munim tadaa |
na hi shakto asmi sa.mgraame sthaatum tasya duraatmanah || 1-20-20
Thus when he is said so by that sage Vishvamitra, then the king Dasharatha spoke to the sage, "I myself am not capable of standing against that evil minded Ravana, in truth, where is the question of deputing [delegating] my young Rama to confront him? [1-20-20]
sa tvam prasaadam dharmajna kurusva mama putrake |
mama cha eva alpa bhagyasya daivatam hi bhavan guruh || 1-20-21
"You are the knower of probity [adherence to the highest principles and ideals], such as you are, you may please bestow benevolence [act of kindness] upon my boyish son, as well on a less fortunate one like me too, and as our mentor you are indeed a God of ours. [1-20-21]
deva daanava ga.ndharvaa yaksaah pataga pannagaah|
na shaktaa raavanam sodhum kim punar maanavaa yudhi || 1-20-22
"Gods, demons, celestial beings like Gandharva-s, Yaksha-s, winged and reptile beings are incapable to bear the brunt of that Ravana in fight, why tell again about humans. [1-20-22]
sa tu viiryavataam viiryam aadatte yudhi raavanah |
tena ca aham na shakto.asmi sa.myoddhum tasya vaa balaih || 1-20-23
sabalo vaa munishrestha sahito vaa mama aatmajaih |
"But that Ravana depletes [empties] the valor [courage] of valorous [courageous] opponents in a battle, oh, eminent sage, either with my entire forces, or with all my sons I am inadequate to grapple [a contest for superiority or mastery] with all his forces, or with him, individually. [1-20-23, 24a]
Page 5 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 katham api amara prakhyam sangraamaanaam akovidam || 1-20-24
baalam me tanayam brahman naiva daasyaami putrakam |
"My boyish son is Godlike and unfledged in warfare, oh, Brahman, and he is the one who alleviates [relieves] me from punnama naraka the hell of sonless fathers... no, I cannot spare my son in anyway. [1-20-24b, 25a]
atha kaala upamau yuddhe sutau sundopasundayoh || 1-20-25
yajna vighna karau tau te na eva daasyaami putrakam |
"Further, those saboteurs [one that practices destruction] of your ritual namely Maareecha and Subaahu, are similar to Death-god and the descendents of the earliest demons and subverters [to overturn or overthrow from the foundation] of rituals, namely Sunda and Upasunda, no, I cannot spare my son, in any case. [1-20-25b, 26a]
maariicah ca subaahuh ca viiryavantau sushiksitau || 1-20-26
tayoh anyataram yoddhum yaasyaami sa suhrit ganah |
anyathaa tvanunesyaami bhavantam saha baandhava || 1-20-27
"Maareecha and Subaahu are well-trained and valorous ones, hence I will proceed with all my friendly forces to war with either of those two demons, otherwise, I along with all my relatives implore upon you for your exoneration [to clear from accusation or blame] in my failure to comply my own promises. [1-20-26b, 27]
iti narapati jalpanaat dwijendram
kushika sutam sumahan vivesha manyuh |
su huta iva makhe agnih ajya siktah
samabhavat ujwalito maharsi vahnih || 1-20-28
Thus, by the incongruous [unsuitable] talk of Dasharatha, the outstanding Brahman and son of Sage Kushi, namely sage Vishvamitra is overwhelmed with outrageous anger by his mentation [mental activity], and that fire-like glorious sage looked like the ritual fire into which many inflammable oblations are offered, and which is drenched with a lot of clarified butter, whereby it is flaring up its tongues. [1-20-28]
Page 6 of 7 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 20 iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadikaavye baala kaande vi.mshah sargah ||
Thus, this is the 20th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao. (1998). Balakanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
Page 7 of 7