Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77

Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama

Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77

The Return of the Wedding Party to Ayodhya

Summary

The wedding party arrives at Ayodhya on the exit of Parashurama. Yudhaajit, the maternal uncle of Bharata, who came before marriages, now takes Bharata and Shatrughna to his kingdom. Rama and Lakshmana from then on are engaged in the welfare works of their subjects, at the behest [command] of their father. Rama and Seetha will then enter the threshold of their blissful married life.

Chapter [Sarga] 77 – in Detail

gate raame prashaa.nta aatmaa raamo daasharathih dhanuh |

varunaaya aprameyaaya dadau haste mahaayashaah || 1-77-1

On the departure of Rama of Jamadagni, that most glorious Rama of Dasharatha is quietened at heart, and he gave away that longbow of Vishnu into the hand of inimitable [matchless] Rain-God. [1-77-1]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 abhivaadya tato raamo vasistha pramukhaan risiin |

pitaram vihvalam dristvaa provaaca raghuna.ndanah || 1-77-2

On paying respects to sage Vashishta and to the other important sages, Rama, the delight of Raghu's lineage, placatingly [pleasingly] addressed his agitated [confused] father Dasharatha. [1-77-2]

jaamadagnyo gato raamah prayaatu catur anginii |

ayodhyaa abhimukhii senaa tvayaa naathena paalitaa || 1-77-3

Rama of Jamadagni has gone on his way, you may now order the army under your wardship, for which you are the lord, to move on towards Ayodhya... So said Rama to his father. [1-77-3]

raamasya vacanam shrutvaa raajaa dasharathah sutam |

baahubhyaam samparisvajya muurdhni upaaghraaya raaghavam || 1-77-4

gato raama iti shrutvaa hristah pramudito nripah |

punarjaatam tadaa mene putram aatmaanam eva ca || 1-77-5

On hearing the words of Rama king Dasharatha hugged his son with both of his arms, and kissed on the forehead of Raghava, and king Dasharatha is gladdened to listen about the departure of Parashurama, and then he is further gladdened in deeming [believing] that he and his sons took a rebirth. [1-77-4, 5]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 codayaamaasa taam senaam jagaama aashu tatah puriim |

pataakaa dhvajiniim ramyaam tuurya ud ghusta ninaaditaam || 1-77-6

sikta raaja pathaa ramyaam prakiirna kusuma utkaraam |

raaja pravesha sumukhaih pauraih ma.ngala paanibhih || 1-77-7

sampuurnaam praavishat raajaa jana oghaih samalamkritaam |

Then the King Dasharatha ordered that legion [army] to move ahead, and then they all went towards delightful city Ayodhya, whose royal highways are wetted with water, sprinkled with bunches of flowers, decorated with banners and bannerettes [a small banner] up above them, and reverberating [echoing] with high sounding bugle-horns. Further, those highways are replete with urbanites welcomer’s who are handling welcoming kits which are golden handy-crates or plates in which lit camphor, fragrant incenses, vermilion powder, flowers to shower on the incomers are arranged, and those highways are well-decorated with throngs of people who are glee-faced at their king's re-entry, and into such an exhilarating [stimulating] city Ayodhya king Dasharatha and his retinue [group] entered. [1-77-7, 8a]

pauraih prati udgato duuram dvijaih ca pura vaasibhih || 1-77-8

putraih anugatah shriimaan shriimadbhih ca mahaayashaah |

pravivesha griham raajaa himavat sadrisham priyam || 1-77-9

When the citizenry [citizens] and city-dwelling Brahman-s have received him from a distance, that illustrious king Dasharatha followed by his phenomenal and praiseworthy sons then entered his happy house and home, which is like the lofty and lordly Himalayan palazzo [a large imposing building]. [1-77-8b, 9]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 nananda svajanaih raajaa grihe kaamaih supuujitah |

kausalyaa ca sumitraa ca kaikeyii ca sumadhyamaa || 1-77-10

vadhuu pratigrahe yuktaa yaah ca anyaa raaja yositah |

In palace king Dasharatha is overjoyed when he is surrounded with his own inmates of palace-chambers, and when his long cherished ambitions have come true, while his queens, Kausalya, Sumitra, and slender waist Kaikeyi and other wives are overjoyed in the functions of receiving the four brides. [1-77-10]

tatah siitaam mahaabhaagaam uurmilaam ca yashasviniim || 1-77-11

kushadhvaja sute ca ubhe jagrihuh nripa yositah |

Then the womenfolk of the king welcomed the highly propitious [auspicious] Seetha and the highly fortunate Urmila too, along with both the daughters of Kushadhvaja, namely Maandavi and Shrutakiirti, with pageantry [colorful, rich, or splendid display] and festivity. [1-77-11b, 12a]

mangala aalaapanaih homaih shobhitaah ksauma vaasasah || 1-77-12

devata aayatanaani aashu sarvaah taah pratyapuujayan |

All of the brides and bridegrooms clad in silks promptly worshipped the Gods in sanctums [a sacred place] to the benedictory chanting of Vedic hymns and Ritual-fires, thus they shone forth like the tongues of Holy Fires of Vedic Altars. [1-77-12b, 13a]

abhivaadya abhivaadyaan ca sarvaa raaja sutaah tadaa || 1-77-13

remire muditaah sarvaa bhar.htribhih sahitaa rahah |

Then all the princesses paid respects to all of the respectable ones, and they luxuriated [to progress toward] in sequestered [secluded] palace-chambers along with their husbands. [1- 77-13b, 14a]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 krita daaraah krita astraah ca sa dhanaah sa suhrit janaah || 1-77-14

shushruusamaanaah pitaram vartayanti nararsabhaah |

And those best men among men, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, who are by now accomplished persons in weaponry and whose marriages have also come to pass, occupied themselves in the welfare of kingdom while assisting their father and moving around with good hearted people. [1-77-14b, 15a]

kasyacit atha kaalasya raajaa dasharadhah sutam || 1-77-15

bharatam kaikeyii putram abraviit raghunndana |

Then after sometime that king Dasharatha, the legatee [one to whom a legacy is bequeathed] of Raghu-s, spoke to his and Kaikeyi's son, Bharata. [1-77-15b, 16a]

ayam kekaya raajasya putro vasati putraka || 1-77-16

tvaam netum aagato viiro yudhaajit maatulah tava |

This is your maternal uncle and the son of king of Kekaya, and this valiant Yudhaajit came here to take you to Kekaya province, and he is staying behind because of your marriage... thus Dasharatha bade farewell to Bharata suggesting that Bharata may now go with Yudhaajit. [1- 77-16b, 17a]

shrutvaa dasharathasya etat bharatah kaikeyi sutah || 1-77-17

gamanaaya abhicakraama shatrughna sahitah tadaa |

On hearing the opinion of Dasharatha, Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, then readied himself to travel along with Shatrughna to Kekaya province. [1-77-17b, 18a]

aapricchya pitaram shuuro raamam ca aklista karmanam || 1-77-18

maatrih ca api narashresta shatrughna sahito yayau |

That valiant and best one among men Bharata on asking leave from his father, from Rama, an uncomplicatedly dexterous [skillful] one in undertaking deeds, and even from his mothers, Kaikeyi, Sumitra, and Kausalya, traveled on along with Shatrughna. [1-77-18b, 19a]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 yudhaajit praapya bharatam sa shatrughnam praharsitah || 1-77-19

sva puram praviveshat viirah pitaa tasya tutosa ha |

Yudhaajit on clinching not only Bharata, but Shatrughna also, that valiant one is highly gladdened and entered his own city, indeed to the high rejoice of his father, King of Kekaya. [1- 77-19b, 20a]

gate ca bharate raamo lakshmanah ca mahaabalah || 1-77-20

pitaram deva sa.nkaasham puujayaamaasatuh tadaa |

After the departure of Bharata, then the masterly proficient Rama along with Lakshmana started to square with the plans and programs of his Godly father for an ideal-sovereignty [supreme excellence]. [1-77-20b, 21a]

pituh aajnaam puraskritya paura kaaryaani sarvashah || 1-77-21

cakaara raamah sarvaani priyaani ca hitaani ca |

maatribhyo maatri kaaryaani kritvaa parama ya.ntritah || 1-77-22

guruunaam guru kaaryaani kaale kaale anvavaikshata |

Rama keeping his father's directives in view undertook welfare activities for the people that are agreeable and even advantageous to them, and in the entirety of those activities, and he undertook activities to humor motherly affection with his mothers, and educational activities with educators, and in a highly self-disciplined manner he used to review them carefully from time to time. [1-77-22b, 22, 23a]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 evam dasharathah priito braahmanaa naigamaah tathaa || 1-77-23

raamasya shiila vrittena sarvam visaya vaasinah |

tesaam ati yashaa loke raamah satya paraakramah || 1-77-24

svayambhuuh iva bhuutaanaam babhuuva gunavattarah |

That way Dasharatha is pleased with the deportment [behavior] and comportment [actions] of Rama, likewise the Brahman-s and urbanites, and even all of the indwellers in the entire kingdom are pleased, and he who has high distinction, his truthfulness alone is his vantage [advantage] point, and whose hallmarks are of higher degree, that Rama has manifested himself to those subjects in the kingdom, and even to all of the living beings in the world, as the Self- Created Brahma. [1-77-23b, 24, 25a]

raamah ca siitayaa saardham vijahaara bahuun rituun || 1-77-25

manasvii tad gatamaanasya tasyaa hridi samarpitah |

Also, that hearty Rama who permeated [to spread] into the heart of Seetha is ensconced [sheltered] in Seetha's heart alone, and he disported [to amuse oneself in light or lively fashion] for many seasons along with Seetha. [1-77-25b, 26a]

priyaa tu siitaa raamasya daaraah pitri kritaa iti || 1-77-26

gunaat ruupa gunaat ca api priitih bhuuyo abhivardhate |

Seetha has become the beloved of Rama as she is wedded with the assent of his father Dasharatha, further Rama's love for Seetha burgeoned by virtue of Seetha's own virtues and loveliness. [1-77-26b, 27a]

tasyaah ca bhartaa dvigunam hridaye parivar.htate || 1-77-27

antar gatam api vyaktam aakhyaati hridayam hridaa |

Even Rama as her husband made his mark in Seetha's heart twice as good, and they both used to clearly converse about their thoughts in their heart of hearts, just by their hearts. [1- 77-27b, 28a]

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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 77 tasya bhuuyo vishesena maithilii janaka aatmajaa |

devataabhih samaa ruupe siitaa shriih iva ruupinii || 1-77-28

In her mien [appearance] Seetha is identical with Goddesses, and she is like personified Goddess Lakshmi, thus she is the reshaped Divine Prosperity, and as she hails from Holy Mithila she shall be held Holy, and since she is the daughter of Janaka, a loftiest [superior] sagacious [keen and farsighted penetration and judgment] and invincible king, she is sagely and stately [imposing dignity], besides being shapely, and she with all these heaps of natural traits and characteristics, Seetha is rejoicing the heart of Rama. [1-77-28b, c]

tayaa sa raaja risi suto abhikaamayaa

sameyivaan uttama raaja kanyayaa |

atiiva raamah shushubhe mudaa anvito

vibhuh shriyaa visnuh iva amara iishvarah || 1-77-29

When passionately conjugated [relating to] with such a princess from the irreproachable [blameless] king Janaka, Rama, the son of sagely king Dasharatha, has enthusiastically shone forth like the God of Gods and the Efficient Cause, namely Vishnu, when He is together with Goddess Lakshmi. [1-77-29]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande sapta saptatitamah sargah

Thus, this is the 77th, and conclusive chapter of Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

sarve janah sukhino bhavantu

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.

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