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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 21
The previous Sarga left us with an infuriated Viṡwāmitra at Daṡaratha’s refusal to send Rāma. The drama of life continues in this Sarga. Vasishṭha, his Guru, is right there, witnessing the happenings. He steps up to counsel Daṡaratha and helps him see the wisdom in Viṡwāmitra’s request. The Sarga ends with Daṡaratha making up his mind to send Rāma.
The trio of Sargas 19, 20, 21 portray the drama that repeats in human lives everywhere, of 'making a proposal', 'refusing a proposal' and 'conceding to the proposal' respectively.
1.21.1
தச்ச்ருத்வா வசநம் தஸ்ய ஸ்நேஹபர்யாகுலாக்ஷரம் ।
ஸமந்யு: கௌஸிகோ வாக்யம் ப்ரத்யுவாச மஹீபதிம் ॥
tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya snēhaparyākulākṣaram ।
samanyuḥ kauṡikō vākyaṃ pratyuvāca mahīpatim ॥
Having heard those incoherent words of
the king which were born out of concern for his son,
the infuriated descendant of Kuṡika said:
1.21.2
பூர்வமர்தம் ப்ரதிஸ்ருத்ய ப்ரதிஜ்ஞாம் ஹாதுமிச்சஸி ।
ராகவாணாமயுக்தோऽயம் குலஸ்யாஸ்ய விபர்யய: ॥
pūrvamarthaṃ pratiṡrutya pratijńāṃ hātumicchasi ।
rāghavāṇāmayuktō'yaṃ kulasyāsya viparyayaḥ ॥
You are reneging on your word of fulfilling my needs.
This is not to be expected of a descendant of Raghu lineage.
These expressions like "this is not expected of you", “live well with all your empty promises” at someone who betrayed a helpless dependent found in these two Ṡlōkas are so much a part of Indic culture. They can be found in all subcultures of India and in every single region and language.
We cannot tell whether the Rāmāyaṇa influenced Indic culture so much that these expressions became a part of it, or whether it has captured these expressions that were already there as the essence of the culture!
One way or the other, it is surprising to find such lively and contemporary expressions in such an ancient and classic work!
Also, notice the reference to the lineage of Raghu. It is this moral pressure that guaranteed the ‘good’ behavior of the rulers in the days past. Nowadays, no such pressure exists on the elected leaders. We elect them, so we pay for their misdeeds.
1.21.3
யதீதம் தே க்ஷமம் ராஜந் கமிஷ்யாமி யதாகதம் ।
மித்யாப்ரதிஜ்ஞ: காகுத்ஸ்த ஸுகீ பவ ஸபாந்தவ: ॥
yadīdaṃ tē kṣamaṃ rājan gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam ।
mithyāpratijńaḥ kākutstha sukhī bhava sabāndhavaḥ ॥
O prince of Kākutstha lineage!
If you are all right with it, I shall return, just as I came.
May you, with your empty promises,
live well, along with your kith and kin!
1.21.4
தஸ்ய ரோஷபரீதஸ்ய விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்ய தீமத: ।
சசால வஸுதா க்ருத்ஸ்நா விவேஸ ச பயம் ஸுராந் ॥
tasya rōṣaparītasya viṡvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ ।
cacāla vasudhā kṛtsnā vivēṡa ca bhayaṃ surān ॥
That infuriation of the sagacious Viṡwāmitra
shook the earth and filled the Dēvas with fear.
1.21.5
த்ரஸ்தரூபம் ஸ விஜ்ஞாய ஜகத்ஸர்வம் மஹாந்ருஷி: ।
ந்ருபதிம் ஸுவ்ரதோ தீரோ வஸிஷ்டோ வாக்யமப்ரவீத் ॥
trastarūpaṃ sa vijńāya jagatsarvaṃ mahānṛṣiḥ ।
nṛpatiṃ suvratō dhīrō vasiṣṭhō vākyamabravīt ॥
Noting that the entire world was gripped with fear,
the Suvrata and Dheera Vasishṭha, said to the king:
Suvrata is someone who has done many Vratas
and thus seasoned in following the rigor
and executing demanding tasks of a spiritual nature.
The name 'Subroto' in Bengal region
comes from this word 'Suvrata'.
1.21.6
இக்ஷ்வாகூணாம் குலே ஜாத: ஸாக்ஷாத்தர்ம இவாபர: ।
த்ருதிமாந் ஸுவ்ரத: ஸ்ரீமாந்ந தர்மம் ஹாதுமர்ஹஸி ॥
ikṣvākūṇāṃ kulē jātaḥ sākṣāddharma ivāparaḥ ।
dhṛtimān suvrataḥ ṡrīmānna dharmaṃ hātumarhasi ॥
You are born into the illustrious lineage of Ikshwāku.
You are considered the embodiment of Dharma.
You are brave and Suvrata and are endowed with riches.
It does not befit you to renege on Dharma.
1.21.7
த்ரிஷு லோகேஷு விக்யாதோ தர்மாத்மா இதி ராகவ: ।
ஸ்வதர்மம் ப்ரதிபத்யஸ்வ நாதர்மம் வோடுமர்ஹஸி ॥
triṣu lōkēṣu vikhyātō dharmātmā iti rāghavaḥ ।
svadharmaṃ pratipadyasva nādharmaṃ vōḍhumarhasi ॥
O descendant of Raghu!
You are widely known in all the three worlds as a Dharmātmā.
Do your Dharma. Do not follow Adharma.
Adharma is lack of Dharma.
1.21.8
ஸம்ஸ்ருத்யைவம் கரிஷ்யாமீத்யகுர்வாணஸ்ய ராகவ ।
இஷ்டாபூர்தவதோ பூயாத்தஸ்மாத்ராமம் விஸர்ஜய ॥
saṃṡrutyaivaṃ kariṣyāmītyakurvāṇasya rāghava ।
iṣṭāpūrtavadhō bhūyāttasmādrāmaṃ visarjaya ॥
O prince of Raghu Dynasty!
Having promised something and then reneging on it,
will nullify the good rewards of all the
Yajńas and charitable acts that you have done thus far.
Hence, send Rāma!
1.21.9
க்ருதாஸ்த்ரமக்ருதாஸ்த்ரம் வா நைநம் ஸக்ஷ்யந்தி ராக்ஷஸா: ।
குப்தம் குஸிகபுத்ரேண ஜ்வலநேநாம்ருதம் யதா ॥
kṛtāstramakṛtāstraṃ vā nainaṃ ṡakṣyanti rākṣasāḥ ।
guptaṃ kuṡikaputrēṇa jvalanēnāmṛtaṃ yathā ॥
The Rākshasas cannot do anything to some one
under the protection of the descendent of Kuṡika
regardless of whether they know or do not know war craft.
It is like Amrita being under the protection of fire.
1.21.10
ஏஷ விக்ரஹவாந் தர்ம ஏஷ வீர்யவதாம் வர: ।
ஏஷ புத்த்யாதிகோ லோகே தபஸஸ்ச பராயணம் ॥
ēṣa vigrahavān dharma ēṣa vīryavatāṃ varaḥ ।
ēṣa buddhyādhikō lōkē tapasaṡca parāyaṇam ॥
He is the embodiment of Dharma.
He is the best among the valorous.
His intelligence beats that of the entire world.
He is the pinnacle of Tapa.
1.21.11
ஏஷோऽஸ்த்ராந் விவிதாந் வேத்தி த்ரைலோக்யே ஸசராசரே ।
நைநமந்ய: புமாந் வேத்தி ந ச வேத்ஸ்யந்தி கேசந ॥
ēṣō'strān vividhān vētti trailōkyē sacarācarē ।
nainamanyaḥ pumān vētti na ca vētsyanti kēcana ॥
He knows about multitudes of Astras.
No one in all the three worlds would know as much as he does.
Neither can anyone in the future be expected to know as much.
1.21.12
ந தேவா ருஷய: கேசிந்நாஸுரா ந ச ராக்ஷஸா: ।
கந்தர்வயக்ஷப்ரவரா: ஸகிந்நரமஹோரகா: ॥
na dēvā ṛṣayaḥ kēcinnāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ ।
gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ sakinnaramahōragāḥ ॥
Neither Dēvas, nor Ṛshis, nor Asuras, nor Rākshasas,
nor Gandharvas, nor Pravaras, nor Kinnaras, nor the great Uragas
would know as much as he does.
1.21.13
ஸர்வாஸ்த்ராணி ப்ருஸாஸ்வஸ்ய புத்ரா: பரமதார்மிகா:।
கௌஸிகாய புரா தத்தா யதா ராஜ்யம் ப்ரஸாஸதி ॥
sarvāstrāṇi bhṛṡāṡvasya putrā: paramadhārmikā:।
kauṡikāya purā dattā yadā rājyaṃ praṡāsati ॥
All the rightful Astras originated as offspring of Bhṛṡāṡva.
They were given to the descendent of Kuṡika,
when he was ruling the kingdom.
From Prajāpati were born not only people, but also faculties and objects. All of them were personified and given names just as people were. In those early realms of genesis, beings as well as faculties and objects were considered as 'beings', so much so that even Astras are referred to as 'sons'.
In today's parlance we use the expression 'brain child', to indicate an idea or gadget created by someone. A good example is: “the iPhone is the 'brain child' of Steve Jobs”.
In those days, the words son and daughter were used to indicate 'brain children' and all forms of creation. If something owed its existence to something else, the former was considered a child, the latter was considered the parent.
People working in the field of object-oriented software can easily relate to the Ṡlōkas here.
(The early realms of creation are extensively, in varying detail, described in Puranas like Brahmāṇḍa Purāna.)
1.21.14
தேऽபி புத்ரா ப்ருஸாஸ்வஸ்ய ப்ரஜாபதிஸுதாஸுதா: ।
நைகரூபா மஹாவீர்யா தீப்திமந்தோ ஜயாவஹா: ॥
tē'pi putrā bhṛṡāṡvasya prajāpatisutāsutā: ।
naikarūpā mahāvīryā dīptimantō jayāvahāḥ ॥
The Astras which were born to Bhṛṡāṡva
through the daughters of (Daksha) Prajāpati
were of varied forms, of great power,
of blinding light, and a guarantee for victory.
1.21.15
ஜயா ச ஸுப்ரபா சைவ தக்ஷகந்யே ஸுமத்யமே ।
தே ஸுவாதேऽஸ்த்ரஸஸ்த்ராணி ஸதம் பரமபாஸ்வரம் ॥
jayā ca suprabhā caiva dakṣakanyē sumadhyamē ।
tē suvātē'straṡastrāṇi ṡataṃ paramabhāsvaram ॥
The daughters of Daksha were slender
and known by the names of Jaya and Suprabha.
They gave birth to a hundred
extremely effervescent Astras.
1.21.16
பஞ்சாஸதம் ஸுதால்லேபே ஜயா நாம பராந் புரா ।
வதாயாஸுரஸைந்யாநாமமேயாந் காமரூபிண: ॥
pańcāṡataṃ sutāँllēbhē jayā nāma parān purā ।
vadhāyāsurasainyānāmamēyān kāmarūpiṇaḥ ॥
Jaya gave birth to fifty of those exclusive Astras
that were capable of adapting as needed
to erase infinitely large armies of Asuras.
Adapting as needed - think of missiles of modern day that
can change direction as needed to chase a moving target.
1.21.17
ஸுப்ரபாஜநயச்சாபி ஸுதாந் பஞ்சாஸதம் புந: ।
ஸம்ஹாராந்நாம துர்த்தர்ஷாந் துராக்ரமாந் பலீயஸ: ॥
suprabhājanayaccāpi sutān pańcāṡataṃ punaḥ ।
saṃhārānnāma durddharṣān durākramān balīyasaḥ ॥
Suprabha gave birth to the other fifty
invincible, mighty strong killer Astras
that could not be subdued.
1.21.18
தாநி சாஸ்த்ராணி வேத்த்யேஷ யதாவத் குஸிகாத்மஜ: ।
அபூர்வாணாம் ச ஜநநே ஸக்தோ பூயஸ்ய தர்மவித் ॥
tāni cāstrāṇi vēttyēṣa yathāvat kuṡikātmajaḥ ।
apūrvāṇāṃ ca jananē ṡaktō bhūyasya dharmavit ॥
The descendent of Kuṡika knows all those Astras well.
Further, he, the knower of Dharma, is capable of
creating Astras that did not exist before, all anew.
1.21.19
ஏவம்வீர்யோ மஹாதேஜா விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாயஸா: ।
ந ராமகமநே ராஜந் ஸம்ஸயம் கந்துமர்ஹஸி ॥
ēvaṃvīryō mahātējā viṡvāmitrō mahāyaṡāḥ ।
na rāmagamanē rājan saṃṡayaṃ gantumarhasi ॥
The well-known and radiant Viṡwāmitra
is of such accomplished abilities.
Hence you need not worry about sending Rāma.
1.21.20
தேஷாம் நிக்ரஹணே ஸக்த: ஸ்வயம் ச குஸிகாத்மஜ: ।
தவ புத்ரஹிதார்தாய த்வாமுபேத்யாபியாசதே ॥
tēṣāṃ nigrahaṇē ṡaktaḥ svayaṃ ca kuṡikātmajaḥ ।
tava putrahitārthāya tvāmupētyābhiyācatē ॥
In fact, this descendent of Kuṡika is verily capable of
taking them (the Rākshasas) on by himself.
It is for the sake of helping your son,
that he is asking your son to be sent with him.
In this Ṡlōka, Vasishṭha essentially tells Daṡaratha that it is 'in your best interest' to send Rāma.
Having a friend, who can be a judicious counselor when needed is the best one can ask for.
As families are becoming atomic and as we are entering the 'dog eat dog' culture in these 'modern' times, the common man today is bereft of any 'trust worthy' advisors.
We are driving people away from our own lives in the name of individuality and independence, not knowing how difficult it actually is, to keep people in our lives. Increasingly, we are left with no one that we can trust and no one that trusts us.
The ideas of individuality and independence are bright. Yet, they cast their own dark shadows, and they come in the form of 'isolating each one of us from the other and making us lonely, stressed and depressed'.
1.21.21
இதி முநிவசநாத் ப்ரஸந்நசித்தோ
ரகுவ்ருஷபஸ்ச முமோத பாஸ்வராங்க: ।
கமநமபிருரோச ராகவஸ்ய ப்ரதிதயஸா:
குஸிகாத்மஜாய புத்த்யா ॥
iti munivacanāt prasannacittō
raghuvṛṣabhaṡca mumōda bhāsvarāṅgaḥ ।
gamanamabhirurōca rāghavasya prathitayaṡāḥ
kuṡikātmajāya buddhyā ॥
With those words of the Muni (Vasishṭha),
the bull of Raghu Dynasty (Daṡaratha)
felt relieved at heart and energetic in every part of his body.
The reputed king, then agreed with all his mind,
for Rāma to leave with the son of Kuṡika.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே
ஆதிகாவ்யே ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஏகவிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē
ādikāvyē ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ēkaviṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the twenty first Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 732 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.