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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 49Baala Kaanda - Sarga 49
In this Sarga, the disturbing happenings of the previous Sarga are brought to a meaningful close.
Ṡakra's reason for the transgression is revealed. Ṡakra gets over the predicament of losing his testes. Ahalya completes Tapa to atone for her transgression. Rāma's arrival makes her visible again to the world. She is reunited with Gautama.
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1.49.1
அபலஸ்து தத: ஸக்ரோ தேவாநக்நிபுரோதஸ: ।
அப்ரவீத் த்ரஸ்தவதந: ஸர்ஷிஸங்காந் ஸசாரணாந் ॥
aphalastu tataḥ ṡakrō dēvānagnipurōdhasaḥ ।
abravīt trastavadanaḥ sarṣisaṅghān sacāraṇān ॥
Ṡakra, visibly perturbed after losing his testes,
appealed to all the Dēvas led by Agni
and to the Ṛshis and Cāraṇas:
1.49.2
குர்வதா தபஸோ விக்நம் கௌதமஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
க்ரோதமுத்பாத்ய ஹி மயா ஸுரகார்யமிதம் க்ருதம் ॥
kurvatā tapasō vighnaṃ gautamasya mahātmanaḥ ।
krōdhamutpādya hi mayā surakāryamidaṃ kṛtam ॥
I succeeded in disrupting the Tapa of Mahātma Gautama,
by making him lose his temper,
for the sake of accomplishing the task of Dēvas.
The concept of balance and equilibrium is fundamental to Indic understanding of life and universe, as we have noted in previous Sargas.
Too much of power or riches or energy concentrated at one place or in one person is not good for the world, as we all know. If Gautama continued with his fervor for doing Tapa, he would accumulate too much of spiritual energy. That could disrupt the equilibrium and balance of the universe. The task of Dēvas is to maintain that equilibrium.
In that cause, Indra found no other choice but to incur the wrath of Gautama and bear with the consequences. (Taking personal losses in serving a bigger cause is a theme that is reinforced in the Rāmāyaṇa on many occasions. The message was clearly articulated to Rāma by Viṡwāmitra in Ṡlōka 1.25.17.)
This is the second time in the Rāmāyaṇa alone, that there is mention of Indra doing something inappropriate and taking a personal loss for the sake of serving a larger cause. The earlier one is when Indra killed Vṛtra (see 1.24.18).
1.49.3
அபலோऽஸ்மி க்ருதஸ்தேந க்ரோதாத் ஸா ச நிராக்ருதா ।
ஸாபமோக்ஷேண மஹதா தபோऽஸ்யாபஹ்ருதம் மயா ॥
aphalō'smi kṛtastēna krōdhāt sā ca nirākṛtā ।
ṡāpamōkṣēṇa mahatā tapō'syāpahṛtaṃ mayā ॥
But because of his wrath, I lost my testes.
And Ahalya was also disavowed by him.
Thus I was able to steal away his great Tapa.
1.49.4
தஸ்மாத்ஸுரவரா: ஸர்வே ஸர்ஷிஸங்கா: ஸசாரணா: ।
ஸுரஸாஹ்யகரம் ஸர்வே ஸபலம் கர்துமர்ஹத ॥
tasmātsuravarāḥ sarvē sarṣisaṅghāḥ sacāraṇāḥ ।
surasāhyakaraṃ sarvē saphalaṃ kartumarhatha ॥
All of you, the great Suras, along with Ṛshis and Cāraṇas
should do something to restore my testes,
as I lost them in serving the cause of Dēvas.
1.49.5
ஸதக்ரதோர்வச: ஸ்ருத்வா தேவா: ஸாக்நிபுரோகமா: ।
பித்ருதேவாநுபேத்யாஹு: ஸர்வே ஸஹ மருத்கணை: ॥
ṡatakratōrvacaḥ ṡrutvā dēvāḥ sāgnipurōgamāḥ ।
pitṛdēvānupētyāhuḥ sarvē saha marudgaṇaiḥ ॥
Hearing those words of Ṡakra,
all the Dēvas, led by Agni and along with Maruts,
approached Pitṛ Dēvatas and said:
Pitṛ Dēvatas are humans who have ascended to heaven after leaving the mortal form.
1.49.6
அயம் மேஷ: ஸவ்ருஷண: ஸக்ரோ ஹ்யவ்ருஷண: க்ருத: ।
மேஷஸ்ய வ்ருஷணௌ க்ருஹ்ய ஸக்ராயாஸு ப்ரயச்சத ॥
ayaṃ mēṣaḥ savṛṣaṇaḥ ṡakrō hyavṛṣaṇaḥ kṛtaḥ ।
mēṣasya vṛṣaṇau gṛhya ṡakrāyāṡu prayacchatha ॥
Ṡakra lost his testes.
Hence we request you to give him
the testes of the goat that is offered to you.
1.49.7
அபலஸ்து க்ருதோ மேஷ: பராம் துஷ்டிம் ப்ரதாஸ்யதி ॥
பவதாம் ஹர்ஷணார்தே ச யே ச தாஸ்யந்தி மாநவா: ॥
aphalastu kṛtō mēṣaḥ parāṃ tuṣṭiṃ pradāsyati ॥
bhavatāṃ harṣaṇārthē ca yē ca dāsyanti mānavāḥ ॥
Humans offer goats with testes to you.
You should be just as well happy even if
the testes are not there on them.
1.49.8
அக்நேஸ்து வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா பித்ருதேவா: ஸமாகதா: ।
உத்பாட்ய மேஷவ்ருஷணௌ ஸஹஸ்ராக்ஷே ந்யவேஸயந் ॥
agnēstu vacanaṃ ṡrutvā pitṛdēvāḥ samāgatāḥ ।
utpāṭya mēṣavṛṣaṇau sahasrākṣē nyavēṡayan ॥
Pitṛ Dēvatas considered the request put forward by Agni.
They took out the testes of the goat and
gave them to the thousand-eyed Ṡakra.
1.49.9
ததாப்ரப்ருதி காகுத்ஸ்த பித்ருதேவா: ஸமாகதா: ।
அபலாந் புஞ்ஜதே மேஷாந் பலைஸ்தேஷாமயோஜயந் ॥
tadāprabhṛti kākutstha pitṛdēvāḥ samāgatāḥ ।
aphalān bhuńjatē mēṣān phalaistēṣāmayōjayan ॥
O prince of Kākutstha lineage!
Hence onwards the Pitṛ Dēvatas were
contented with goats without testes.
And those testes go to Indra.
1.49.10
இந்த்ரஸ்து மேஷவ்ருஷணஸ்ததாப்ரப்ருதி ராகவ ।
கௌதமஸ்ய ப்ரபாவேந தபஸஸ்ச மஹாத்மந: ॥
indrastu mēṣavṛṣaṇastadāprabhṛti rāghava ।
gautamasya prabhāvēna tapasaṡca mahātmanaḥ ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
Because of the power of the great Tapa of Gautama,
hence onwards, Indra came to be known as
'Mēsha Vṛshaṇa' (one with the testes of goat).
1.49.11
ததாகச்ச மஹாதேஜ ஆஸ்ரமம் புண்யகர்மண: ।
தாரயைநாம் மஹாபாகாமஹல்யாம் தேவரூபிணீம் ॥
tadāgaccha mahātēja āṡramaṃ puṇyakarmaṇaḥ ।
tārayaināṃ mahābhāgāmahalyāṃ dēvarūpiṇīm ॥
O supremely radiant Rāma!
May you enter this Āṡrama of Gautama of pious deeds,
to redeem the divine and fortunate Ahalya!
1.49.12
விஸ்வாமித்ரவச: ஸ்ருத்வா ராகவ: ஸஹலக்ஷ்மண: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய தமாஸ்ரமமதாவிஸத் ॥
viṡvāmitravacaḥ ṡrutvā rāghavaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ ।
viṡvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya tamāṡramamathāviṡat ॥
The prince of Raghu dynasty, Rāma, along with Lakshmaṇa
then followed Viṡwāmitra and entered that Āṡrama.
1.49.13-15a
ததர்ஸ ச மஹாபாகாம் தபஸா த்யோதிதப்ரபாம் ।
லோகைரபி ஸமாகம்ய துர்நிரீக்ஷ்யாம் ஸுராஸுரை: ॥
ப்ரயத்நாந்நிர்மிதாம் தாத்ரா திவ்யாம் மாயாமயீமிவ ।
ஸதுஷாராவ்ருதாம் ஸாப்ராம் பூர்ணசந்த்ரப்ரபாமிவ ॥
மத்யேऽம்பஸோ துராதர்ஷாம் தீப்தாம் ஸூர்யப்ரபாமிவ ।
dadarṡa ca mahābhāgāṃ tapasā dyōtitaprabhām ।
lōkairapi samāgamya durnirīkṣyāṃ surāsuraiḥ ॥
prayatnānnirmitāṃ dhātrā divyāṃ māyāmayīmiva ।
satuṣārāvṛtāṃ sābhrāṃ pūrṇacandraprabhāmiva ॥
madhyē'mbhasō durādharṣāṃ dīptāṃ sūryaprabhāmiva ।
Then they saw Ahalya, the blessed soul
who was supremely radiant as a result of the long Tapa,
who was created by lord Brahma with discreet effort,
who was pleasing and fascinating, like
the full moon behind white clouds on a snowy day
and into whose eyes neither humans nor Dēvas could
look straight because of her blinding radiance,
that resembled the sun reflected in water.
1.49.15b-16a
ஸா ஹி கௌதமவாக்யேந துர்நிரீக்ஷ்யா பபூவ ஹ ॥
த்ரயாணாமபி லோகாநாம் யாவத்ராமஸ்ய தர்ஸநம் ।
sā hi gautamavākyēna durnirīkṣyā babhūva ha ॥
trayāṇāmapi lōkānāṃ yāvadrāmasya darṡanam ।
She remained invisible thus far, to all the three worlds
because of Gautama's curse,
until the appearance of Rāma at that place.
1.49.16b-17a
ஸாபஸ்யாந்தமுபாகம்ய தேஷாம் தர்ஸநமாகதா ॥
ராகவௌ த்வதிதீ தஸ்யா: பாதௌ ஜக்ருஹதுஸ்ததா ।
ṡāpasyāntamupāgamya tēṣāṃ darṡanamāgatā ॥
rāghavau tvatithī tasyāḥ pādau jagṛhatustadā ।
As the curse was lifted off her on their arrival,
they could see her. The princes of Raghu dynasty
touched her feet in respect.
1.49.17b-18
ஸ்மரந்தீ கௌதமவச: ப்ரதிஜக்ராஹ ஸா ச தௌ ॥
பாத்யமர்க்யம் ததாऽऽதித்யம் சகார ஸுஸமாஹிதா ।
ப்ரதிஜக்ராஹ காகுத்ஸ்தோ விதித்ருஷ்டேந கர்மணா ॥
smarantī gautamavacaḥ pratijagrāha sā ca tau ॥
pādyamarghyaṃ tathā''tithyaṃ cakāra susamāhitā ।
pratijagrāha kākutsthō vidhidṛṣṭēna karmaṇā ॥
Remembering the words of Gautama,
she received them enthusiastically and
gave them water to wash their feet
and water to drink and food to eat in a customary manner.
The prince of Kākutstha dynasty
respectfully received her hospitalities.
1.49.19
புஷ்பவ்ருஷ்டிர்மஹத்யாஸீத்தேவதுந்துபி: நி:ஸ்வநை: ।
கந்தர்வாப்ஸரஸாம் சாபி மஹாநாஸீத்ஸமாகம: ॥
puṣpavṛṣṭirmahatyāsīddēvadundubhiḥ niḥsvanaiḥ ।
gandharvāpsarasāṃ cāpi mahānāsītsamāgamaḥ ॥
Heavens showered flowers accompanied by the
beats of snare drums of the Dēvas.
Gandharvas and Apsaras congregated
(singing and dancing in celebration of that great moment.)
1.49.20
ஸாது ஸாத்விதி தேவாஸ்தாமஹல்யாம் ஸமபூஜயந் ।
தபோபலவிஸுத்தாங்கீம் கௌதமஸ்ய வஸாநுகாம் ॥
sādhu sādhviti dēvāstāmahalyāṃ samapūjayan ।
tapōbalaviṡuddhāṅgīṃ gautamasya vaṡānugām ॥
Ahalya, cleansed by the long Tapa,
reunited with Gautama in full dignity,
praised and hailed by all the Dēvas.
1.49.21
கௌதமோ ஹி மஹாதேஜா அஹல்யாஸஹித: ஸுகீ ।
ராமம் ஸம்பூஜ்ய விதிவத் தபஸ்தேபே மஹாதபா: ॥
gautamō hi mahātējā ahalyāsahitaḥ sukhī ।
rāmaṃ sampūjya vidhivat tapastēpē mahātapāḥ ॥
The supremely radiant, great Tapasvi Gautama,
paid respects to Rāma along with Ahalya and went on to do Tapa.
1.49.22
ராமோऽபி பரமாம் பூஜாம் கௌதமஸ்ய மஹாமுநே: ।
ஸகாஸாத்விதிவத் ப்ராப்ய ஜகாம மிதிலாம் தத: ॥
rāmō'pi paramāṃ pūjāṃ gautamasya mahāmunēḥ ।
sakāṡādvidhivat prāpya jagāma mithilāṃ tataḥ ॥
Rāma, having received high respects from
the great Muni Gautama in a customary manner,
then left for Mithilā.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஏகோநபஞ்சாஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ēkōnapańcāṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty ninth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1492 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.