Tweet
In this Sarga, King Rōmapāda succeeds in bringing the Muni Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga to his palace and marrying his daughter Ṡānta off to him.
What we call inter-caste marriages today, seems to be common in those days.
This Sarga moves at a simple and smooth pace, making it a nice story that you can read to your children at bed time. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to read out the 'meaning' part to them.
The Ṡlōka 1.10.28 will make a subtle impression on them and they will remember it in one form or the other, throughout their life. It gives them the hope of good times, which is really what carries all of us through tough times.
1.10.1
ஸுமந்த்ரஸ்சோதிதோ ராஜ்ஞா ப்ரோவாசேதம் வசஸ்ததா ।
யதர்ஸ்யஸ்ருங்கஸ்த்வாநீத: ஸ்ருணு மே மந்த்ரிபி: ஸ ஹ ॥
sumantraṡcōditō rājñā prōvācēdaṃ vacastathā ।
yatharṡyaṡṛṅgastvānītaḥ ṡṛṇu mē mantribhiḥ sa ha ॥
Prompted thus by the king, Sumantra said:
"Certainly, I will relay to you the details of
how the ministers brought Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga"
1.10.2
ரோமபாதமுவாசேதம் ஸஹாமாத்யபுரோஹித: ।
உபாயோ நிரபாயோऽயமஸ்மாபிரபிசிந்தித: ॥
rōmapādamuvācēdaṃ sahāmātyapurōhitaḥ ।
upāyō nirapāyō'yamasmābhirabhicintitaḥ ॥
Purōhitas, along with the ministers, told Rōmapāda
that they had a plan that would be safe to pursue.
1.10.3
ருஸ்யஸ்ருங்கோ வநசரஸ்தப:ஸ்வாத்யாயநே ரத: ।
அநபிஜ்ஞ: ஸ நாரீணாம் விஷயாணாம் ஸுகஸ்ய ச ॥
ṛṡyaṡṛṅgō vanacarastapaḥsvādhyāyanē rataḥ ।
anabhijñaḥ sa nārīṇāṃ viṣayāṇāṃ sukhasya ca ॥
Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga lives in the Vana.
His life is limited to Tapa and Svādhyāya.
He does not have any idea of pleasure from a woman
or, for that matter, any sensual pleasure.
Tapa and Svādhyāya: These are the two words with which Rāmāyaṇa started. In simple terms, these words mean Pursuit and Study respectively. These are the two things that characterize a Muni, or a scientist in modern times. The only difference is that the focus of modern day's scientists is on the physical world, whereas the focus of the Munis is on the inner realms and the universe.
1.10.4
இந்த்ரியார்தைரபிமதைர்நரசித்தப்ரமாதிபி: ।
புரமாநாயயிஷ்யாம: க்ஷிப்ரம் சாத்யவஸீயதாம் ॥
indriyārthairabhimatairnaracittapramāthibhiḥ ।
puramānāyayiṣyāmaḥ kṣipraṃ cādhyavasīyatām ॥
We will lure him to the city right away,
with sensual pleasures that would make
any man lose his mind.
1.10.5
கணிகாஸ்தத்ர கச்சந்து ரூபவத்ய: ஸ்வலங்க்ருதா: ।
ப்ரலோப்ய விவிதோபாயைராநயிஷ்யந்தி ஸத்க்ருதா: ॥
gaṇikāstatra gacchantu rūpavatyaḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ ।
pralōbhya vividhōpāyairānayiṣyanti satkṛtāḥ ॥
Let beautiful, bedecked and well-treated courtesans go there.
They will lure him by various means and bring him here.
1.10.6
ஸ்ருத்வா ததேதி ராஜா ச ப்ரத்யுவாச புரோஹிதம் ।
புரோஹிதோ மந்த்ரிணஸ்ச ததா சக்ருஸ்ச தே ததா ॥
ṡrutvā tathēti rājā ca pratyuvāca purōhitam ।
purōhitō mantriṇaṡca tathā cakruṡca tē tadā ॥
Hearing this, the king told the Purōhitas:
“May it be done so”.
And the Purōhitas told the ministers
and the ministers did accordingly.
1.10.7-8a
வாரமுக்யாஸ்து தச்ச்ருத்வா வநம் ப்ரவிவிஸுர்மஹத் ॥
ஆஸ்ரமஸ்யாவிதூரேऽஸ்மிந் யத்நம் குர்வந்தி தர்ஸநே ।
ருஷிபுத்ரஸ்ய தீரஸ்ய நித்யமாஸ்ரமவாஸிந: ॥
vāramukhyāstu tacchrutvā vanaṃ praviviṡurmahat ॥
āṡramasyāvidūrē'smin yatnaṃ kurvanti darṡanē ।
ṛṣiputrasya dhīrasya nityamāṡramavāsinaḥ ॥
Accordingly, the best of the courtesans went to the great Vana
and moved around in the vicinity of the Āṡrama
where the Ṛshi’s son, the Dheera lived
and tried to get within sight of him.
In contemporary language, the word 'Dheera' is used synonymous with 'Veera', indicating valor and heroism.
But in classical literature, the word 'Dheera' implies acute discernment combined with courage of conviction.
A Dheera is open to ideas, facts and not perturbed in the face of situations that would challenge established notions or assumptions. A Dheera would be able to stick to the truth without regard to consequential personal gain or pain. A Dheera would possess the courage of conviction.
This word 'Dheera', in this sense, is used all through in Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata including Bhagavad Geeta and in Upanishads.
1.10.8b-9
பிது: ஸ நித்யஸந்துஷ்டோ நாதிசக்ராம சாஸ்ரமாத் ॥
ந தேந ஜந்மப்ரப்ருதி த்ருஷ்டபூர்வம் தபஸ்விநா ।
ஸ்த்ரீ வா புமாந் வா யச்சாந்யத்ஸர்வம் நகரராஷ்ட்ரஜம் ॥
pituḥ sa nityasantuṣṭō nāticakrāma cāṡramāt ॥
na tēna janmaprabhṛti dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ tapasvinā ।
strī vā pumān vā yaccānyatsarvaṃ nagararāṣṭrajam ॥
The Tapasvi, having been always content with his life,
and having never veered away from the Āṡrama Area,
never came in contact with a woman or for that matter,
with men or any other creatures from the cities or countryside.
Just as people in modern times use the words Urban, Suburban, Rural and Countryside to refer to various areas of dwelling, people in the days of Rāmāyaṇa used the words like: Nagara for urban areas, Janapada for rural areas, Rāshṭra for countryside and Vana for forest areas.
1.10.10
தத: கதாசித்தம் தேஸமாஜகாம யத்ருச்சயா ।
விபண்டகஸுதஸ்தத்ர தாஸ்சாபஸ்யத்வராங்கநா: ॥
tataḥ kadācittaṃ dēṡamājagāma yadṛcchayā ।
vibhaṇḍakasutastatra tāṡcāpaṡyadvarāṅganāḥ ॥
One day, that son of Vibhanḍaka,
accidentally came to the area where the courtesans were,
and happened to see them.
Imagine someone in a remote tribal area, suddenly happening to see visitors from a foreign land, with a different skin color, different attire, different way of walking and talking. That is the situation that Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga is in.
1.10.11
தாஸ்சித்ரவேஷா: ப்ரமதா காயந்த்யோ மதுரஸ்வரை: ।
ருஷிபுத்ரமுபாகம்ய ஸர்வா வசநமப்ருவந் ॥
tāṡcitravēṣāḥ pramadā gāyantyō madhurasvaraiḥ ।
ṛṣiputramupāgamya sarvā vacanamabruvan ॥
Those women with interesting attire,
humming tunes in their sweet voices,
approached the son of the Ṛshi and said:
1.10.12
கஸ்த்வம் கிம் வர்தஸே ப்ரஹ்மந் ஜ்ஞாதுமிச்சாமஹே வயம் ।
ஏகஸ்த்வம் விஜநே கோரே வநே சரஸி ஸம்ஸ ந: ॥
kastvaṃ kiṃ vartasē brahman jñātumicchāmahē vayam ।
ēkastvaṃ vijanē ghōrē vanē carasi ṡaṃsa naḥ ॥
O Brāhmaṇa, may we know who you are
and why you are moving around in this
desolate and dreadful forest?
If you are interested in spoken Sanskrit, these would be good Ṡlōkas for you to learn.
You can use Ṡlōka 1.10.12, with simple modifications, to enquire about any person that you meet for the first time.
And you can use Ṡlōka 1.10.14, with simple modifications, to tell about yourself.
1.10.13
அத்ருஷ்டரூபாஸ்தாஸ்தேந காம்யரூபா வநே ஸ்த்ரிய: ।
ஹார்தாத்தஸ்ய மதிர்ஜாதா ஹ்யாக்யாதும் பிதரம் ஸ்வகம் ॥
adṛṣṭarūpāstāstēna kāmyarūpā vanē striyaḥ ।
hārdāttasya matirjātā hyākhyātuṃ pitaraṃ svakam ॥
To be nice to those magical beings,
who were like none he had ever seen,
he felt like making a conversation
by talking about his father.
1.10.14
பிதா விபண்டகோऽஸ்மாகம் தஸ்யாஹம் ஸுத ஔரஸ: ।
ருஸ்யஸ்ருங்க இதி க்யாதம் நாம கர்ம ச மே புவி ॥
pitā vibhaṇḍakō'smākaṃ tasyāhaṃ suta aurasaḥ ।
ṛṡyaṡṛṅga iti khyātaṃ nāma karma ca mē bhuvi ॥
Vibhanḍaka is my father. I am his son.
I am known as Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga in this world.
1.10.15
இஹாஸ்ரமபதோऽஸ்மாகம் ஸமீபே ஸுபதர்ஸநா: ।
கரிஷ்யே வோऽத்ர பூஜாம் வை ஸர்வேஷாம் விதிபூர்வகம் ॥
ihāṡramapadō'smākaṃ samīpē ṡubhadarṡanāḥ ।
kariṣyē vō'tra pūjāṃ vai sarvēṣāṃ vidhipūrvakam ॥
O Ye pleasant souls! My Āṡrama is nearby.
Please, all of you, come over to receive
my hospitality, in full accordance with custom.
This is another Ṡlōka that gives goose bumps to me. The tradition of inviting people to one's home upon the first meeting, is well-rooted in India, surviving to this day. It is still a living tradition. Whether 100% of people follow it or not, it can be said, 100% of people respect it.
1.10.16
ருஷிபுத்ரவச: ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வாஸாம் மதிராஸ வை ।
ததாஸ்ரமபதம் த்ரஷ்டும் ஜக்மு: ஸர்வாஸ்ச தேந தா: ॥
ṛṣiputravacaḥ ṡrutvā sarvāsāṃ matirāsa vai ।
tadāṡramapadaṃ draṣṭuṃ jagmuḥ sarvāṡca tēna tāḥ ॥
Hearing those words of the son of the Ṛshi
all of the women thought of seeing the Āṡrama and
and went there with him.
1.10.17
ஆகதாநாம் தத: பூஜாம்ருஷிபுத்ரஸ்சகார ஹ ।
இதமர்க்யமிதம் பாத்யமிதம் மூலமிதம் பலம் ॥
āgatānāṃ tataḥ pūjāmṛṣiputraṡcakāra ha ।
idamarghyamidaṃ pādyamidaṃ mūlamidaṃ phalam ॥
The son of the Ṛshi paid respects to them
and offered water to wash their feet,
water to drink and roots and fruits to eat.
1.10.18
ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ய து தாம் பூஜாம் ஸர்வா ஏவ ஸமுத்ஸுகா: ।
ருஷேர்பீதாஸ்து ஸீக்ரம் தா கமநாய மதிம் தது: ॥
pratigṛhya tu tāṃ pūjāṃ sarvā ēva samutsukāḥ ।
ṛṣērbhītāstu ṡīghraṃ tā gamanāya matiṃ dadhuḥ ॥
They all enjoyed the hospitality zestfully
and made up their minds to leave as quickly as possible
as they were afraid of the Ṛshi (Vibhanḍaka).
1.10.19
அஸ்மாகமபி முக்யாநி பலாநீமாநி வை த்விஜ ।
க்ருஹாண ப்ரதி பத்ரம் தே பக்ஷயஸ்வ ச மா சிரம் ॥
asmākamapi mukhyāni phalānīmāni vai dvija ।
gṛhāṇa prati bhadraṃ tē bhakṣayasva ca mā ciram ॥
"O Brāhmaṇa! Here are some great fruits we got for you.
Please take them without delay. May all bode well for you!"
1.10.20
ததஸ்தாஸ்தம் ஸமாலிங்க்ய ஸர்வா ஹர்ஷஸமந்விதா: ।
மோதகாந் ப்ரததுஸ்தஸ்மை பக்ஷாம்ஸ்ச விவிதாந் ஸுபாந் ॥
tatastāstaṃ samāliṅgya sarvā harṣasamanvitāḥ ।
mōdakān pradadustasmai bhakṣāṃṡca vividhān ṡubhān ॥
They all felt very happy and gave a hug to him.
They gave him many sweets and a variety of delicacies.
1.10.21
தாநி சாஸ்வாத்ய தேஜஸ்வீ பலாநீதி ஸ்ம மந்யதே ।
அநாஸ்வாதிதபூர்வாணி வநே நித்யநிவாஸிநாம் ॥
tāni cāsvādya tējasvī phalānīti sma manyatē ।
anāsvāditapūrvāṇi vanē nityanivāsinām ॥
The radiant Ṛshi thought them all to be fruits
having never known any food items other than fruits,
living in the Vana.
1.10.22
ஆப்ருச்ச்ய து ததா விப்ரம் வ்ரதசர்யாம் நிவேத்ய ச ।
கச்சந்தி ஸ்மாபதேஸாத்தா: பீதாஸ்தஸ்ய பிது: ஸ்த்ரிய: ॥
āpṛcchya tu tadā vipraṃ vratacaryāṃ nivēdya ca ।
gacchanti smāpadēṡāttāḥ bhītāstasya pituḥ striyaḥ ॥
The women, apprehensive of being seen by the father,
left the place, saying to the Brāhmaṇa that
they had to attend to their daily chores.
1.10.23
கதாஸு தாஸு ஸர்வாஸு காஸ்யபஸ்யாத்மஜோ த்விஜ: ।
அஸ்வஸ்தஹ்ருதயஸ்சாஸீத்து:கம் ஸ்ம பரிவர்ததே ॥
gatāsu tāsu sarvāsu kāṡyapasyātmajō dvijaḥ ।
asvasthahṛdayaṡcāsīdduḥkhaṃ sma parivartatē ॥
Once all the women left, the Brāhmaṇa,
the grandson of Kāṡyapa was troubled at heart and felt restless.
1.10.24
ததோऽபரேத்யுஸ்தம் தேஸமாஜகாம ஸ வீர்யவாந் ।
மநோஜ்ஞா யத்ர தா த்ருஷ்டா வாரமுக்யா: ஸ்வலங்க்ருதா: ॥
tatō'parēdyustaṃ dēṡamājagāma sa vīryavān ।
manōjñā yatra tā dṛṣṭā vāramukhyāḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ ॥
Next day, that spirited soul,
went to the place where he had first seen
the lovely, beautiful and bejewelled courtesans.
1.10.25
த்ருஷ்ட்வைவ ச ததா விப்ரமாயாந்தம் ஹ்ருஷ்டமாநஸா: ।
உபஸ்ருத்ய தத: ஸர்வாஸ்தாஸ்தமூசுரிதம் வச: ॥
dṛṣṭvaiva ca tadā vipramāyāntaṃ hṛṣṭamānasāḥ ।
upasṛtya tataḥ sarvāstāstamūcuridaṃ vacaḥ ॥
They all felt excited to see him coming to them.
They approached him and said:
1.10.26
ஏஹ்யாஸ்ரமபதம் ஸௌம்ய ஹ்யஸ்மாகமிதி சாப்ருவந் ।
தத்ராப்யேஷ விதி: ஸ்ரீமாந் விஸேஷேண பவிஷ்யதி ॥
ēhyāṡramapadaṃ saumya hyasmākamiti cābruvan ।
tatrāpyēṣa vidhiḥ ṡrīmān viṡēṣēṇa bhaviṣyati ॥
Dear genteel soul, please come and visit our Āṡrama.
You will be received with splendid hospitality.
1.10.27
ஸ்ருத்வா து வசநம் தாஸாம் ஸர்வாஸாம் ஹ்ருதயங்கமம் ।
கமநாய மதிம் சக்ரே தம் ச நிந்யுஸ்ததா ஸ்த்ரிய: ॥
ṡrutvā tu vacanaṃ tāsāṃ sarvāsāṃ hṛdayaṅgamam ।
gamanāya matiṃ cakrē taṃ ca ninyustadā striyaḥ ॥
He agreed, hearing those words
filled with warmth from all of them.
Then, they led him to their place.
1.10.28
தத்ர சாநீயமாநே து விப்ரே தஸ்மிந் மஹாத்மநி ।
வவர்ஷ ஸஹஸா தேவோ ஜகத்ப்ரஹ்லாதயம்ஸ்ததா ॥
tatra cānīyamānē tu viprē tasmin mahātmani ।
vavarṣa sahasā dēvō jagatprahlādayaṃstadā ॥
As that Mahātma, the Brāhmaṇa, went along with them,
Dēvas showered rains immediately, pleasing the world.
1.10.29
ஹர்ஷேணைவாகதம் விப்ரம் விஷயம் ஸ்வம் நராதிப: ।
ப்ரத்யுத்கம்ய முநிம் ப்ரஹ்வ: ஸிரஸா ச மஹீம் கத: ॥
harṣēṇaivāgataṃ vipraṃ viṣayaṃ svaṃ narādhipaḥ ।
pratyudgamya muniṃ prahvaḥ ṡirasā ca mahīṃ gataḥ ॥
Having seen the Brāhmaṇa, the Muni,
who came to his country bringing rain along with him,
the king prostrated on the ground.
1.10.30
அர்க்யம் ச ப்ரததௌ தஸ்மை ந்யாயத: ஸுஸமாஹித: ।
வவ்ரே ப்ரஸாதம் விப்ரேந்த்ராந்மா விப்ரம் மந்யுராவிஸத் ॥
arghyaṃ ca pradadau tasmai nyāyataḥ susamāhitaḥ ।
vavrē prasādaṃ viprēndrānmā vipraṃ manyurāviṡat ॥
With all his heart and mind,
the king offered him Arghya, as per the tradition
and begged for his kindness and blessings
and hoped that he would not be angry.
Arghya is water offered for drinking, often cleansed with Mantras.
1.10.31
அந்த:புரம் ப்ரவிஸ்யாஸ்மை கந்யாம் தத்த்வா யதாவிதி ।
ஸாந்தாம் ஸாந்தேந மநஸா ராஜா ஹர்ஷமவாப ஸ: ॥
antaḥpuraṃ praviṡyāsmai kanyāṃ dattvā yathāvidhi ।
ṡāntāṃ ṡāntēna manasā rājā harṣamavāpa saḥ ॥
He took the Brāhmaṇa to the palace,
and gave his virgin daughter Ṡānta to him
in marriage, with all the traditional
ceremonies and celebrations.
I heard from a feminist 'how is it that Ṡānta was not involved in making decisions about her own marriage?'
That is a good question. The answer is that the social ethos of those days (and in some fortunate families even in these days) was different from those common to our times.
The members of the family, in those days had full trust in the head of the household that he would do the best for everyone considering all factors and within the constraints of the context. This happens even today, not only in good families, but also in good organizations, where leaders gain everyone's respect and everyone’s trust in their judgment.
It, perhaps never occurred to people in those days that a father would do something that is not good for the daughter, unlike in the current days, where there certainly are fathers that would, indeed, take reckless decisions not only about themselves, but also about their family members, warranting the voice of feminists.
1.10.32
ஏவம் ஸ ந்யவஸத்தத்ர ஸர்வகாமை: ஸுபூஜித: ॥
ருஸ்யஸ்ருங்கோ மஹாதேஜாஸ்ஸாந்தயா ஸஹ பார்யயா ।
ēvaṃ sa nyavasattatra sarvakāmaiḥ supūjitaḥ ॥
ṛṡyaṡṛṅgō mahātējāṡṡāntayā saha bhāryayā ।
Ṛṡyaṡṛṅga lived there forever,
well regarded and well respected,
with all his needs well taken care of.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே தஸம: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē daṡamaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the tenth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 360 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.