Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28 Vishvamitra Teaches
“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28
Vishvamitra Teaches Rama How to Retract [to draw back] the Weapons
Summary
Rama requests sage Vishvamitra for endowing annulment [to reduce a object to nothing] missiles, besides projectile ones that have been accorded in the previous chapter. Sage Vishvamitra accords them, and while they are journeying further, they chance to see a picturesque forest on their way and Rama enquires about it.
Chapter [Sarga] 28 in Detail
pratigrihya tatah astraani prahrista vadanah shucih |
gacchan eva ca kaakutstho vishvaamitram atha abraviit || 1-28-1
On becoming personally purified Rama, the descendent of Kakutstha-s, received the missiles, and then on their way he is now speaking to Sage Vishvamitra with a pleasant face. [1- 28-1]
grihiita astro asmi bhagavan duraadharsah suraih api |
astraanaam tu aham icchaami sa.mhaaram munipu.mgava || 1-28-2
"Oh, Godly sage, I have taken the missiles and became unassailable [not attacked] even for Gods, but oh, eminent sage, I wish to know the annulment [one that reduces a object to nothing] missiles too." So said Rama to the sage. [1-28-2]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28 evam bruvati kaakutsthe vishvaamitro mahaa tapaah |
sa.mhaaraan vyaajahaara atha dhritimaan suvratah shucih || 1-28-3
When Rama of Kakutstha said thus, next that resolute, well-averred and purified sage of eminence Vishvamitra imparted the knowledge of annulment missiles. [1-28-3]
satyavantam satya kiirtim dhristam rabhasam eva ca |
pratihaarataram naama paraanmukham avaanmukham || 1-28-4
laksyaa alakshyaah imau caiva dridha naabha sunaabhakau |
dashaaksa shatavak.htrau ca dasha shiirsa shata udarau || 1-28-5
padmanaabha mahaanaabhau dundunaabha svanaabhakau |
jyotisam shakunam caiva nairaashya vimalau ubhau || 1-28-6
yauga.ndhara vinidrau ca daitya pramadhanau tathaa |
shuci baahur mahaabaahur niskali virucar tathaa
saarchirmaalii dhritimaalii vrittimaan ruchirah tathaa || 1-28-7
pitryah saumanasah caiva vidhuuta makarau ubhau |
paraviiram ratim caiva dhana dhaanyau ca raaghava || 1-28-8
kaamaruupam kaamarucim moham aavaranam tathaa |
jri.mbhakam sarpanaatham ca panthaana varanau tathaa || 1-28-9
krishaashva tanayaan raama bhaasvaraan kaama ruupinah |
pratiiccha mama bhadram te paatra bhuuto.asi raaghava || 1-28-10
"Oh, Raghava, take these radiant missile-children of Krishaasva from me, namely Satyavanta, Satyakeerti, Dhristha, Rabhasa, Pratihaaratara, Paraanmuka, Avaanmukha, Lakshya, Alakshya, Dhridhanaabha, Sunaabha, Dashaaksha, Shatavaktra, Dashasheersha, Shatodara, Padmanaabha, Mahaanaabha, Dundunaabha, Svanaabha, Jyotisha, Shakuna, Nairaashya, Vimala, Yungandhara, Vinidra, Daitya, Pramadhana, Suchibaahu, Mahaabaahu, Nishkali, Virucha, Saarchirmaali, Dhritimaali, Vrittiman, Ruchira, Pitrya, Ssaumansa, and also thus Vidhoota, Makara, are two of them...Karaveerakara, Dhana, Dhaanya, Kaamaroopa, Kaamaruchira, Moha, Aavarana, and thus Jrimbhaka, Sarvanaabha, Varana... and these are the guise changing wizards and you are the eligible one to handle these missiles, let safety be with you." Thus Vishvamitra gave missiles to Rama. [1-28-4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28 baadham iti eva kaakutstha prahristena a.ntaraatmanaa |
divya bhaasvara dehaah ca muurtimantah sukhapradaah || 1-28-11
kechid a.ngaara sadrishaah kechid dhuuma upamaah tathaa |
chandra arka sadrishaah kechit prahva a.njali putaah tathaa || 1-28-12
raamam praa.njalayo bhuutvaa abruvan madhura bhaasinah |
ime sma narashaarduula shaadhi kim karavaama te || 1-28-13
Gladdening in his heart of hearts Rama of Kakutstha received the annulment [one that to reduce a object to nothing] missiles saying, "Agreed! Sire [father]!" Those missiles are with radiantly divine bodies, appealing and endowing bliss. Some are fire-like, some smoke-like, and some moon-like and some sun-like, and such as they are, some of them holding out their hollowed palms, and some with palms adjoined melodiously spoke to Rama saying, "here we are, oh, manly-tiger, what can we do for you." [1-28-11, 12, 13]
gamyataam iti taan aaha yathaa istam raghunandanah |
maanasaah kaarya kaalesu saahaayyam me karisyatha || 1-28-14
"While remaining in my memory you assist me as and when needed, and till then you may go away as wish," thus that legatee [one to whom a legacy is bequeathed] of Raghu-s said to those deities of annulment missiles. [1-28-14]
atha te raamam aaman.htrya kritvaa ca api pradaksinam |
evam astu iti kaakutstham uktvaa jagmuh yathaaaagatam || 1-28-15
Saying "it will be done that way" to Rama, the legatee of Kakutstha-s, also on performing circumambulation [to go around in circles – pradakshina] to him and then on taking his consent those deities have gone away as they have come. [1-28-15]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28 sa ca taan raaghavo jnaatvaa vishvaamitram mahaamunim |
gacchan eva atha madhuram shlaksnam vacanam abraviit || 1-28-16
After learning the nullifying [to reduce a object to nothing] missiles and then while proceeding on the walkway Raghava asked the great sage Vishvamitra with sweet and soft words. [1-28-16]
kim etan megha sa.mkaasham parvatasya aviduuratah |
vriksa khandam itah bhaati param kautuuhalam hi me || 1-28-17
darshaniiyam mrigaaakiirnam manoharam atiiva ca |
naanaa prakaaraih shakunaih val.hgubhaasaih ala.mkritam || 1-28-18
"What is this cloudlike picturesque thicket shining forth not very far away on this side of mountain, with animals spreading over it, and embellished with numerous kinds of birds that have pleasant callings it is highly soul-delighting, thus, my inquisitiveness [curiosity] is growing very much to know it, what is this, really! [1-28-17, 18]
nihsritaah sma munishrestha kaantaaraat romaharsanaat |
anayaa tu avagacchaami deshasya sukhavattayaa || 1-28-19
sarvam me sha.msa bhagavan kasya aashrama padam tu idam |
"By the nature of happy environs [environing things or surroundings] at this place, oh, eminent sage, I understand that we have come out of the extremely alarming forest of Tataka, but oh, God, whose hermitage's threshold is this, kindly tell me all. [1-28-19]
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Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 28 sampraaptaah yatra te paapaah brahmaghnaah dusta caarinah | 1-28-20
tava yajnasya vighnaaya duraatmano mahaamuneh |
bhagavan tasya ko deshah saa yatra tava yaajnikii || 1-28-21
rakshitavyaa kriyaa brahman mayaa vadhyaah ca raakshasaah |
etat sarvam munishrestah shrotum icchaami aham prabho || 1-28-22
"Oh, great saint, where are those murderers of Brahmans? Oh, venerable one, at which place those evil minded sinners and evildoers will be coming to hinder your ritual? And where, oh, Brahman, I have to safeguard your ritual ceremonies, and demons too are to be eliminated? Oh, eminent sage, what is that place? I would like to hear all of it." Rama asked Vishvamitra in that way. [1-28-20b, 21, 22]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande astaavi.mshah sargah
Thus, this is the 28th 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.
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