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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 31In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra along with all Munis and the brothers Rāma and Lakshmaṇa leaves Siddhāṡrama to head towards Mithilā where King Janaka is performing a Yajña. The Munis tell Rāma about the incredible bow that is in Mithilā.
1.31.1
அத தாம் ரஜநீம் தத்ர க்ருதார்தௌ ராமலக்ஷ்மணௌ ।
ஊஷதுர்முதிதௌ வீரௌ ப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டேநாந்தராத்மநா ॥
atha tāṃ rajanīṃ tatra kṛtārthau rāmalakṣmaṇau ।
ūṣaturmuditau vīrau prahṛṣṭēnāntarātmanā ॥
They spent the night there, in a happy and elated mood
having successfully accomplished their purpose.
1.31.2
ப்ரபாதாயாம் து ஸர்வர்யாம் க்ருதபௌர்வாஹ்ணிகக்ரியௌ ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் முநீம்ஸ்சாந்யாந் ஸஹிதாவபிஜக்மது: ॥
prabhātāyāṃ tu ṡarvaryāṃ kṛtapaurvāhṇikakriyau ।
viṡvāmitraṃ munīṃṡcānyān sahitāvabhijagmatuḥ ॥
After the day broke, they got up and religiously
completed their morning ablutions.
Both of them, then went to Viṡwāmitra and the Ṛshis.
1.31.3
அபிவாத்ய முநிஸ்ரேஷ்டம் ஜ்வலந்தமிவ பாவகம் ।
ஊசதுர்மதுரோதாரம் வாக்யம் மதுரபாஷிணௌ ॥
abhivādya muniṡrēṣṭhaṃ jvalantamiva pāvakam ।
ūcaturmadhurōdāraṃ vākyaṃ madhurabhāṣiṇau ॥
They paid respects to that celebrated Muni (Viṡwāmitra)
who shone bright like Agni.
In a dignified and respectful manner,
and in their natural pleasing voice, they said to him:
1.31.4
இமௌ ஸ்ம முநிஸார்தூல கிங்கரௌ ஸமுபஸ்திதௌ ।
ஆஜ்ஞாபய யதேஷ்டம் வை ஸாஸநம் கரவாவ கிம் ॥
imau sma muniṡārdūla kiṅkarau samupasthitau ।
ājñāpaya yathēṣṭaṃ vai ṡāsanaṃ karavāva kim ॥
O tiger among Munis!
Here we are at your service!
Please command us at your will.
What can we do for you?
1.31.5
ஏவமுக்தாஸ்ததஸ்தாப்யாம் ஸர்வ ஏவ மஹர்ஷய: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய ராமம் வசநமப்ருவந் ॥
ēvamuktāstatastābhyāṃ sarva ēva maharṣayaḥ ।
viṡvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya rāmaṃ vacanamabruvan ॥
Hearing them, all those Ṛshis, led by
Viṡwāmitra said to Rāma:
1.31.6
மைதிலஸ்ய நரஸ்ரேஷ்ட ஜநகஸ்ய பவிஷ்யதி ।
யஜ்ஞ: பரமதர்மிஷ்டஸ்தஸ்ய யாஸ்யாமஹே வயம் ॥
maithilasya naraṡrēṣṭha janakasya bhaviṣyati ।
yajñaḥ paramadharmiṣṭhastasya yāsyāmahē vayam ॥
O best among men!
We are going to a very righteous Yajña to be performed
in the city of Mithilā by king Janaka.
1.31.7
த்வம் சைவ நரஸார்தூல ஸஹாஸ்மாபிர்கமிஷ்யஸி ।
அத்புதம் தநுரத்நம் ச தத்ர தத்த்ரஷ்டுமர்ஹஸி ॥
tvaṃ caiva naraṡārdūla sahāsmābhirgamiṣyasi ।
adbhutaṃ dhanuratnaṃ ca tatra taddraṣṭumarhasi ॥
O tiger among men! You must also join us.
There, you can see a fascinating gem of a bow.
Though the Munis are heading to Mithilā for the sake of Yajña (of interest to them), they also talked about a bow, that would be of interest to Rāma, a young warrior.
All of us can use this technique in our daily lives.
If you are going to a place for a certain purpose of yours and you want your better half or children or a friend to come along with you, make sure you mention something of interest to them, not to you.
1.31.8
தத்தி பூர்வம் நரஸ்ரேஷ்ட தத்தம் ஸதஸி தைவதை: ।
அப்ரமேயபலம் கோரம் மகே பரமபாஸ்வரம் ॥
taddhi pūrvaṃ naraṡrēṣṭha dattaṃ sadasi daivataiḥ ।
apramēyabalaṃ ghōraṃ makhē paramabhāsvaram ॥
O best among men!
It is indescribably strong and fearsome
and shines bright with translucence.
It was given by Dēvas in a war congregation.
1.31.9
நாஸ்ய தேவா ந கந்தர்வா நாஸுரா ந ச ராக்ஷஸா: ।
கர்துமாரோபணம் ஸக்தா ந கதஞ்சந மாநுஷா: ॥
nāsya dēvā na gandharvā nāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ ।
kartumārōpaṇaṃ ṡaktā na kathañcana mānuṣāḥ ॥
Neither Dēvas, nor Gandharvas, nor Asuras, nor Rākshasas
were able to even string that bow.
What to say of humans?
1.31.10
தநுஷஸ்தஸ்ய வீர்யம் து ஜிஜ்ஞாஸந்தோ மஹீக்ஷித: ।
ந ஸேகுராரோபயிதும் ராஜபுத்ரா மஹாபலா: ॥
dhanuṣastasya vīryaṃ tu jijñāsantō mahīkṣitaḥ ।
na ṡēkurārōpayituṃ rājaputrā mahābalāḥ ॥
Many strong and mighty kings and princes
that wanted to know its strength
tried stringing the bow, but in vain.
In this Ṡlōka, a veiled challenge is thrown at Rāma, a Veera, to make it interesting for him.
1.31.11
தத்தநுர்நரஸார்தூல மைதிலஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
தத்ர த்ரக்ஷ்யஸி காகுத்ஸ்த யஜ்ஞம் சாத்புததர்ஸநம் ॥
taddhanurnaraṡārdūla maithilasya mahātmanaḥ ।
tatra drakṣyasi kākutstha yajñaṃ cādbhutadarṡanam ॥
O tiger among men! O prince of Kākutstha lineage!
It would be an opportunity for you to see that bow
and also the great king Janaka and the exceptional Yajña.
1.31.12
தத்தி யஜ்ஞபலம் தேந மைதிலேநோத்தமம் தநு: ।
யாசிதம் நரஸார்தூல ஸுநாபம் ஸர்வதைவதை: ॥
taddhi yajñaphalaṃ tēna maithilēnōttamaṃ dhanuḥ ।
yācitaṃ naraṡārdūla sunābhaṃ sarvadaivataiḥ ॥
O tiger among men!
That bow with splendid grip
was begotten by the king of Mithilā
as a reward for a Yajña, from all the Dēvas.
1.31.13
ஆயாகபூதம் ந்ருபதேஸ்தஸ்ய வேஸ்மநி ராகவ ।
அர்சிதம் விவிதைர்கந்தைர்மால்யைஸ்சாகருகந்திபி: ॥
āyāgabhūtaṃ nṛpatēstasya vēṡmani rāghava ।
arcitaṃ vividhairgandhairmālyaiṡcāgarugandhibhiḥ ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
Pūja is performed to that bow in the king’s house,
at all the appropriate times, with all
the varieties of aromatic pastes and incense sticks.
Performing Pūja to instruments (including to cars and two-wheelers now-a-days) is a tradition that goes back to the times of Rāmāyaṇa.
Everything that becomes part of our lives or that becomes instrumental in our well-being, deserves our respect and gratitude. Pūja is an expression of that respect and gratitude.
Performing Pūja allows us to humanize the inanimate and to see the power of divinity endowed to us through them.
1.31.14
ஏவமுக்த்வா முநிவர: ப்ரஸ்தாநமகரோத்ததா ।
ஸர்ஷிஸங்க: ஸகாகுத்ஸ்த ஆமந்த்ர்ய வநதேவதா: ॥
ēvamuktvā munivaraḥ prasthānamakarōttadā ।
sarṣisaṅghaḥ sakākutstha āmantrya vanadēvatāḥ ॥
Having said that, the best among Munis (Viṡwāmitra)
started his journey along with all the Ṛshis
and the princes of Kākutstha dynasty,
after properly taking leave of the Vana Dēvatas, saying:
"If you step on it, it is a stone. If you pray to it, it is divine." goes the saying in India. In every single object we can see the divine, if we have the right vision.
Connecting to that divinity enhances the awareness about our own selves. It gives an expression to the connection and longing that all of us inherently possess towards our environment.
We are separated from our environment only with a thin layer of this notion called 'I'.
If we feel precious, pious and noble about ourselves, the same will we see in the mirror, the environment and vice versa.
1.31.15
ஸ்வஸ்தி வோऽஸ்து கமிஷ்யாமி ஸித்த: ஸித்தாஸ்ரமாதஹம் ।
உத்தரே ஜாஹ்நவீதீரே ஹிமவந்தம் ஸிலோச்சயம் ॥
svasti vō'stu gamiṣyāmi siddhaḥ siddhāṡramādaham ।
uttarē jāhnavītīrē himavantaṃ ṡilōccayam ॥
May all bode well for you! We have gained Siddhi
and are taking leave of this Siddhāṡrama!
We are now headed to the Himalaya mountains
on the northern side of river Gaṅga.
1.31.16
ப்ரதக்ஷிணம் தத: க்ருத்வா ஸித்தாஸ்ரமமநுத்தமம் ।
உத்தராம் திஸமுத்திஸ்ய ப்ரஸ்தாதுமுபசக்ரமே ॥
pradakṣiṇaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā siddhāṡramamanuttamam ।
uttarāṃ diṡamuddiṡya prasthātumupacakramē ॥
They then circumambulated the unequaled Siddhāṡrama
and proceeded in the northern direction.
1.31.17
தம் ப்ரயாந்தம் முநிவரமந்வயாதநுஸாரிணம் ।
ஸகடீஸதமாத்ரம் ச ப்ராயேண ப்ரஹ்மவாதிநாம் ॥
taṃ prayāntaṃ munivaramanvayādanusāriṇam ।
ṡakaṭīṡatamātraṃ ca prāyēṇa brahmavādinām ॥
A convoy of about hundred carriages
carrying all the Bhrahmavādis
followed that eminent Muni in the journey.
Bhrahmavādi is a word similar to Nyāyavādi.
Nyāyavādi is an advocate of law.
Bhrahmavādi is an advocate of the universal truths.
1.31.18
ம்ருகபக்ஷிகணாஸ்சைவ ஸித்தாஸ்ரமநிவாஸிந: ।
அநுஜக்முர்மஹாத்மாநம் விஸ்வாமித்ரம் மஹாமுநிம் |
நிவர்தயாமாஸ தத: பக்ஷிஸங்காந் ம்ருகாநபி ॥
mṛgapakṣigaṇāṡcaiva siddhāṡramanivāsinaḥ ।
anujagmurmahātmānaṃ viṡvāmitraṃ mahāmunim |
nivartayāmāsa tataḥ pakṣisaṅghān mṛgānapi ॥
The birds and animals that lived in Siddhāṡrama
also followed the Mahātma Viṡwāmitra (to see him off).
He then goaded them to stay back.
1.31.19
தே கத்வா தூரமத்வாநம் லம்பமாநே திவாகரே ।
வாஸம் சக்ருர்முநிவரா: ஸோணாகூலே ஸமாகதா: ॥
tē gatvā dūramadhvānaṃ lambamānē divākarē ।
vāsaṃ cakrurmunivarāḥ ṡōṇākūlē samāgatāḥ ॥
After travelling a long distance all through the day,
they rested together on the banks of river Ṡoṇa.
1.31.20
தேऽஸ்தங்கதே திநகரே ஸ்நாத்வா ஹுதஹுதாஸநா: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய நிஷேதுரமிதௌஜஸ: ॥
tē'staṅgatē dinakarē snātvā hutahutāṡanāḥ ।
viṡvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya niṣēduramitaujasaḥ ॥
As the sun was setting, those radiant Munis
bathed and performed the Hōmas and sat there
with Viṡwāmitra ahead of them.
1.31.21
ராமோऽபி ஸஹ ஸௌமித்ரிர்முநீம்ஸ்தாநபிபூஜ்ய ச ।
அக்ரதோ நிஷஸாதாத விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்ய தீமத: ॥
rāmō'pi saha saumitrirmunīṃstānabhipūjya ca ।
agratō niṣasādātha viṡvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ ॥
Rāma, along with Lakshmaṇa, the son of Sumitrā,
paid respects to all those Munis and
sat across the ingenious Viṡwāmitra.
1.31.22
அத ராமோ மஹாதேஜா விஸ்வாமித்ரம் மஹாமுநிம் ।
பப்ரச்ச நரஸார்தூல: கௌதூஹலஸமந்வித: ॥
atha rāmō mahātējā viṡvāmitraṃ mahāmunim ।
papraccha naraṡārdūlaḥ kautūhalasamanvitaḥ ॥
Full of curiosity, that tiger among men, the radiant Rāma
asked that eminent Muni, Viṡwāmitra:
1.31.23
பகவந் கஸ்ய தேஸோऽயம் ஸம்ருத்தவநஸோபித: ।
ஸ்ரோதுமிச்சாமி பத்ரம் தே வக்துமர்ஹஸி தத்த்வத: ॥
bhagavan kasya dēṡō'yaṃ samṛddhavanaṡōbhitaḥ ।
ṡrōtumicchāmi bhadraṃ tē vaktumarhasi tattvataḥ ॥
O Bhagawan! May all bode well for you!
I would like to know about this gorgeous place,
which is full of beautiful Vanas!
I am very curious and I trust you can tell about it all!
1.31.24
சோதிதோ ராமவாக்யேந கதயாமாஸ ஸுவ்ரத: ।
தஸ்ய தேஸஸ்ய நிகிலம்ருஷிமத்யே மஹாதபா: ॥
cōditō rāmavākyēna kathayāmāsa suvrataḥ ।
tasya dēṡasya nikhilamṛṣimadhyē mahātapāḥ ॥
Prodded by that question of Rāma,
that great Tapasvi and Suvrata, in the midst of all the Ṛshis
started telling about the place in detail.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஏகத்ரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ēkatriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the thirty first Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 995 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.