ESSENCE OF VALMIKI BAALA RAMAYANA Translated and interpreted byV.D.N.Rao, former General Manager, India Trade Promotion Organization, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, now at Chennai 1 2 Other Scripts by the same Author: Essence of Puranas:-Maha Bhagavata, Vishnu Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Kurma Purana, Vamana Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana; Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana, Markandeya Purana, Devi Bhagavata;Brahma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Agni Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Nilamata Purana; Shri Kamakshi Vilasa Dwadasha Divya Sahasranaama: a) Devi Chaturvidha Sahasra naama: Lakshmi, Lalitha, Saraswati, Gayatri; b) Chaturvidha Shiva Sahasra naama-Linga-Shiva-Brahma Puranas and Maha Bhagavata; c) Trividha Vishnu and Yugala Radha-Krishna Sahasra naama-Padma-Skanda-Maha Bharata and Narada Purana. Stotra Kavacha- A Shield of Prayers -Purana Saaraamsha; Select Stories from Puranas Essence of Dharma Sindhu - Dharma Bindu - Shiva Sahasra Lingarchana-Essence of Paraashara Smriti- Essence of Pradhana Tirtha Mahima Essence of Upanishads : Brihadaranyaka , Katha, Tittiriya, Isha, Svetashwara of Yajur Veda- Chhandogya and Kena of Saama Veda-Atreya and Kausheetaki of Rig Veda-Mundaka, Mandukya and Prashna of Atharva Veda ; Also ‘Upanishad Saaraamsa’ -Essence of Maha Narayanopanishad; Essence of Maitri Upanishad Essence of Virat Parva of Maha Bharata- Essence of Bharat Yatra Smriti Essence of Brahma Sutras Essence of Sankhya Parijnaana- Essence of Knowledge of Numbers for students Essence of Narada Charitra; Essence Neeti Chandrika-Essence of Hindu Festivals and Austerities Essence of Manu Smriti- Quintessence of Manu Smriti- Essence of Paramartha Saara; Essence of Pratyaksha Bhaskra; Essence of Pratyaksha Chandra Essence of Vidya-Vigjnaana-Vaak Devi; Essence of Bhagya -Bhogya-Yogyata Lakshmi Essence of Soundarya Lahari- Essence of Popular Stotras- Essence of Pancha Maha Bhutas Essence of Taittireeya Aranyaka- Quintessence of Soundarya Lahari- Essence of Gayatri Essence of Ganesha Mahima - Essence of Shiva Raatri Mahima Essence of Chaturupanishads- Essence of Ashtaadasha Upanishads -Essence of Bhagavad Gita Note: All the above Scriptures already released on www. Kamakoti. Org/news as also on Google by the respective references. 3 PREFACE The Epic of Valmiki Ramayana- Rama Aayana- denotes Shri Rama‟s journey from vice to virtue. This is relevant now as much as in the past -present and for ever as narrated in Six Khandas or sugar cane stems viz. Baala Khanda-Ayodhya Khanda- Aranya Khanda-Kishkinda Khanda- Sundara Khanda-Yuddha Khanda. Baala Khanda comprises seventy seven Sargas- Ayodhya Khanda one hundred nineteen Sargas- Aranya Khanda has seventy five Sargas-Kishkindha Khanda has sixty seven Sargas-Sundara Khanda comprises of sixty eight Sargas- Yuddha Khanda has one twenty eight Sargas. Addtionally Uttara Khanda has one hundred eleven Sargas. The current presentation is relevant to Baala Khanda. As I had the fortune of approaching HH Vijayendra Sarasvati of Kanchi Kamakoti, who for the last fifteen years or so, blessed me to script the essence of over Ashtaadasha Puranas, Ashtadasha Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Dharma Sindhu, Manu Smriti, Paraashara Smriti, Soundarya Lahari, and on Pancha Bhutas- Surya- Chandra-Lakshmi-Saraswati - Ganesha-Bhagavad Gita and so on. Then he spontaneously directed me to attempt Vaalmiki Ramayana in parts but with posible „vishleshanas‟ or explanatory notes as per the contexts of situations and characters referred to. Indeed this is a massive effort but I have his unimaginable blessings. The present script is a maiden effort of the endless „Itihasa‟. The Instruction is that the digestive exercise be gradual, since centuries old countless versions of Ramayana are available or unavailable, but each such Scripts from „taala grandhaas‟ to the paper world had been absorbed as per the inner grasping vibrations subjectively. Hence the physical intakes of pathana-manana- nidhi dhyaasas are objective realistically. „Baala Khanda‟ is the trend setter in as the Yuga Purusha Rama blossoms. That was how Maharshi Vaalmiki encourages Rama‟s second generation of Lava Kusha Kumaras to sing for us the overview of Ramayana vide the fourth sarga itself! From „Baalya‟ to adolescent youthfulness, Brahmarshi Vishmamitra literally pushes to a jolt to King Dasharatha by equipping Shri Rama with „astra-shastra vidya‟ to fight viciousness and vindicate Dharma and Nyaya. The saga and the role of Vishvamitra from a King to a Brahmarshi is the base note of the symphony of Baala Kanda.The fleeting picturisation of the Demons and Sages alike in the Baala Ramayana is a process of transformation of the Society then and now. The struggle continues as an integral part of Existence and as like an ever staged drama through years- centuries- yugas -kalpas of the eternal time cycle. It is my fortune to imagine as to how the Seers of the yore had showerd the flows of „dhaarmic‟ nectar on HH Vijayendra Saraswati of Kanchi who in turn alllows drops on countless followers like us and to our families too. VDN Rao and family 4 Contents Preface 3 Salutations 5 Introduction 6 Sarga one:Valmiki enquires of Brahmarshi Narada to identify the Purushottama of Tretayuga - 10 Vishleshanas- Ikshvaaku Vamsha; Rules of „Dharma Yuddha‟ ; Chitrakuta mountain; Agastya ; Shabari; Anjaneya: origin and illustrative stutis; Rama Rajya; Ideal kingship; Ashvamedha Yagyna Sarga Two: Maharshi Valmiki while bathing in Tamasa River gets aghast seeing a couple of 26 frolicking Krouncha birds shot down by merciless hunter and his expression was the beginning of Valmiki Ramayana! Sarga Three: The overview of Ramayana by Maharshi in his trance; 28 Sarga Four: This Valmiki Ramayana of 24000 stanzas was sung by Lava- Kusha kumars of 30 Shri Rama Devi Sita at a Conference of Muni Mandali before Shri Rama : Vishleshanas: Nava Rasaas; Gandharva Vidya; Sarga Five: From the ongoing Vaivaswa Manvantara till King Dasharatha to Shri Rama. 33 Vishleshanas on Sagara Chakravarti to Bhagiratha; Ayodhya; Kingship duties; Sargas Six-Seven; eight to Nine : Dashararatha-Vasishtha- Ministers and Charioteer Sumantra 38 & 41 plan to perform Ashvamedha Yagna and despatch request to Maha Rishyashringa; Vishleshana on Rishyashringa Sargas Ten -Eleven ; Twelve to Thirteen: Historic Arrival of Rishyashringa heralding 42& 44 season to rains/ There after Vasishthashtha gave to the King „yagjna diksha‟- removed evil influences - made arrangements of the yagjna like architecture, construction and maintenance; groups of jyotishadi vedangas; workforce; nata- naatya -nartaka groups,cooking, culinary,construction of colonies, conference Halls etc. Sarga Fourteen: Ashva medha yagjna performed gloriously 47 Visleshanas on: Homa kunda- bhojanas of bhakshya-bhojya-lehya- choshya- paneeyaas; Ritviks of yagjna; Sarga Fifteen : Putra Kaamekshi Yagjna- Celestials preparing for arrival of Maha Purusha 52 Vishleshana: Putra Kamekshti from Dharma Sindhu. Sarga Sixteen: Devas and Indra approached Vishnu to desrtoy Ravasnasura as Vishnu said 54 only in human form Rama, Dasharatha‟s son could to so. At the Yagjna, a Maha Purusha emerged from the flames and handed over a „payasa patra‟ to Dasharatha to distribute to his three queens as instructed. Sarga Seventeen: As Rama-Lakshmana-Bharata-Shatrugnas were born thus, Indra and Devas 55 manifested „Vaanaraas‟ including Hanuman with Ashta Siddhis. Visleshnana on Ashta siddhis . 5 Sarga Eighteen: Dasharatha distributes „payasa‟ to queens Koushalya-Sumitra- Kaikeyi 57 Samskararas to Ramaadi Kumaras; Vishleshana on Star-wise birth results; Naama karana- Janmaadi Samskaras; Dolarohana - dugdha paana- jalapuja- Suryaavalokana- nishkramana- Anna Praashana - „Dhanurveda‟ (The Science of Archery and Weaponry) and Rules of Battle; Lakshmana the manifestation of Adi Shesha; Sargas Nineteen-Twenty-Twenty One : Arrival of Brahmarshi Vishvamitra at Ayodhya to 62&64 King Dasharatha. Vishleshanas: Brahmarshi Vishvamitra: 1. Gayatri Mantra- Vishvamitra and Harischandra-Vishvamitra and Vasishtha as their rivalry leads to be birds- Sarga Twenty two: Vasishtha assured Dasharatha about Shri Rama‟s safety in safeguarding 68 the Vishvamitra Yagjna as the satisfied King allowed Rama Lakshmanas and teach Bala-Atibala. Sarga Twenty three: The trio reached Angamuni Ashram 69 Sarga Twenty four: Sarayu-Ganga confluence at Malada- Kurusha Villages where Indra hid; 70 the reason was that Indra killed brahmana Vritraasura. Vishleshana: on Vritrasura and Indra‟s Brahma hatya dosha- They enter „Tataka Vana‟ Sargas Twenty five and twenty six: Rama Lakshmanas encounter Tataka and Vishmamitra prevails on stree hatya 74 Sargas Twenty seven and twenty eight: Vishvamitra teaches most of archery mantras to Rama Lakshmanas 76&77 Sarga Twenty nine: Vishvamitra takes Rama brothers to the „Vamana Ashrama ‟ 77 Vishleshana on Bali Chakravarti and Vamana avatara Sarga Thirty: Yagjnas spoilt in other ashramas by Maricha Subahus punished by Rama 83 Sarga Thirty one: „Ashramavashis‟ conveyed about Janaka‟s Yagjna and Shiva Dhanush 84 Sargas Thirty two-three-four: Vishvamitra seeks take heros to Siddhashrama by difficult terrain and explains about adjacent Kusha Desha, King Kushanabha, Apsara daughters and Vayu Deva 85&87 Sarga Thirty Five-Six-Seven: By boat from Shonabhadra to Ganges, Vishvamitra explains about flows of Ganges - birth of Skanda- Vishleshana on Skanda Janma : Padma-Skanda-Matsya Puranas 88&95 Sarga Thirty Eight/ Nine: King Sagara‟s tapasya for sons- queen