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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 63
The journey of Viṡwāmitra towards Brahmatva becomes more serious in this Sarga. Brahma and all the Dēvas confer upon him the distinction of being a 'Ṛshi'.
Yet he falls to the lure of the senses and yields to the beauty of Menaka and spends a full ten years with her, only to realize that he had again slipped from his goal.
He continues the Tapa and earns the distinction of being a Maharshi.
The Tapa gets stretched for so long that even readers like us get tired of reading it. But it is not like Viṡwāmitra to give up. That is why he stands out as a star in the array of mythological personalities along with Bhageeratha.
By the way, what is the difference between Bhageeratha's effort and Viṡwāmitra's effort? Bhageeratha’s effort was for the good of others. Viṡwāmitra's effort was for his own betterment. Yet, both were arduous and both were challenging.
Rāma, the young lad, through these stories, is being taught that neither self-development nor social-development is easy, but achievable with persistence.
1.63.1 பூர்ணே வர்ஷஸஹஸ்ரே து வ்ரதஸ்நாதம் மஹாமுநிம் ।
அப்யாகச்சந் ஸுரா: ஸர்வே தப:பலசிகீர்ஷவ: ॥
pūrṇē varṣasahasrē tu vratasnātaṃ mahāmunim ।
abhyāgacchan surāḥ sarvē tapaḥphalacikīrṣavaḥ ॥
As the thousand year Tapa had drawn to a close,
and as the Mahā Muni had taken the end-of-the-ceremony bath
all the Dēvas descended to bestow
him with the reward for the Tapa.
1.63.2 அப்ரவீத் ஸுமஹாதேஜா ப்ரஹ்மா ஸுருசிரம் வச: ।
ருஷிஸ்த்வமஸி பத்ரம் தே ஸ்வார்ஜிதை: கர்மபி: ஸுபை: ॥
abravīt sumahātējā brahmā suruciraṃ vacaḥ ।
ṛṣistvamasi bhadraṃ tē svārjitaiḥ karmabhiḥ ṡubhaiḥ ॥
The magnificently lustrous Brahma said
these sweetest of words:
"You have now become a Ṛshi because of
all the good deeds you have performed.
May all bode well for you!"
1.63.3 தமேவமுக்த்வா தேவேஸஸ்த்ரிதிவம் புநரப்யகாத் ॥
விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாதேஜா பூயஸ்தேபே மஹத்தப: ॥
tamēvamuktvā dēvēṡastridivaṃ punarabhyagāt ॥
viṡvāmitrō mahātējā bhūyastēpē mahattapaḥ ॥
After saying thus, the lord of Dēvas returned to heaven
and the supremely radiant Viṡwāmitra
returned to continue with Mahā Tapa.
1.63.4 தத: காலேந மஹதா மேநகா பரமாப்ஸரா: ।
புஷ்கரேஷு நரஸ்ரேஷ்ட ஸ்நாதும் ஸமுபசக்ரமே ॥
tataḥ kālēna mahatā mēnakā paramāpsarāḥ ।
puṣkarēṣu naraṡrēṣṭha snātuṃ samupacakramē ॥
O best among men (Rāma)!
After a while, Menaka, a foremost Apsara
came to the Pushkara to bathe.
1.63.5 தாம் ததர்ஸ மஹாதேஜா மேநகாம் குஸிகாத்மஜ: ।
ரூபேணாப்ரதிமாம் தத்ர வித்யுதம் ஜலதே யதா ॥
tāṃ dadarṡa mahātējā mēnakāṃ kuṡikātmajaḥ ।
rūpēṇāpratimāṃ tatra vidyutaṃ jaladē yathā ॥
The supremely radiant son of Kuṡika
saw her, the unparalleled beauty,
glittering there like lightning in the sky.
1.63.6-7a த்ருஷ்ட்வா கந்தர்பவஸகோ முநிஸ்தாமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
அப்ஸர: ஸ்வாகதம் தேऽஸ்து வஸ சேஹ மமாஸ்ரமே ।
அநுக்ருஹ்ணீஷ்வ பத்ரம் தே மதநேந ஸுமோஹிதம் ॥
dṛṣṭvā kandarpavaṡagō munistāmidamabravīt ॥
apsaraḥ svāgataṃ tē'stu vasa cēha mamāṡramē ।
anugṛhṇīṣva bhadraṃ tē madanēna sumōhitam ॥
Becoming a slave of Kandarpa after seeing her, the Muni said:
O Apsara! welcome to you. Please stay in my Āṡrama.
I am now overpowered by Madana.
Be kind to me! May all bode well for you.
Kandarpa and Madana are names for the god of love and romance. The direct and no-nonsense approach is typical of stories in the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata.
We see both men (Viṡwāmitra, Rāvaṇa, et al) and women (Ṡūrpaṇakhā, Hidimbi, Rukmiṇi, et al) of these stories expressing their interest directly to the women or men they are attracted to.
However, the degree of interest varies, and can be considered as being of three levels:
Level 1 (Sex): Physical only.
Level 2 (Love): Physical and psychological.
Level 3 (Marriage): Physical, psychological and social.
Society, in those days seems to be more open and clear. People seem to have a common understanding of these three levels. People seem to express their specific level of interest clearly.
Both the acceptance of, and clarity around these multiple levels is murky nowadays. People get into relationships (in the name of dating or wedding), with one of them 'hoping' for Level 3 relationship and the other 'fearing' the Level 3 relationship.
No wonder that the number of broken marriages and stress levels in the marriages are very high.
1.63.7b-8 இத்யுக்தா ஸா வராரோஹா தத்ர வாஸமதாகரோத் ॥
தஸ்யாம் வஸந்த்யாம் வர்ஷாணி பஞ்ச பஞ்ச ச ராகவ ।
விஸ்வாமித்ராஸ்ரமே ராம ஸுகேந வ்யதிசக்ரமு: ॥
ityuktā sā varārōhā tatra vāsamathākarōt ॥
tasyāṃ vasantyāṃ varṣāṇi pańca pańca ca rāghava ।
viṡvāmitrāṡramē rāma sukhēna vyaticakramuḥ ॥
O son of Raghu dynasty!
Then that woman stayed back.
Ten years passed quickly and happily as
she stayed there in Viṡwāmitra's Āṡrama.
1.63.9 அத காலே கதே தஸ்மிந் விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ।
ஸவ்ரீட இவ ஸம்வ்ருத்தஸ்சிந்தாஸோகபராயண: ॥
atha kālē gatē tasmin viṡvāmitrō mahāmuniḥ ।
savrīḍa iva saṃvṛttaṡcintāṡōkaparāyaṇaḥ ॥
After time had gone by in that manner,
the Mahā Muni Viṡwāmitra
felt ashamed and deeply saddened.
1.63.10 புத்திர்முநே: ஸமுத்பந்நா ஸாமர்ஷா ரகுநந்தந ।
ஸர்வம் ஸுராணாம் கர்மைதத்தபோபஹரணம் மஹத் ॥
buddhirmunēḥ samutpannā sāmarṣā raghunandana ।
sarvaṃ surāṇāṃ karmaitattapōpaharaṇaṃ mahat ॥
O son of Raghu dynasty! Then the Muni became angry.
He felt that it must be the act of Dēvas,
Who were trying to deplete him of
his immense spiritual energies.
1.63.11 அஹோராத்ராபதேஸேந கதா: ஸம்வத்ஸரா தஸ ।
காமமோஹாபிபூதஸ்ய விக்நோऽயம் ப்ரத்யுபஸ்தித: ॥
ahōrātrāpadēṡēna gatāḥ saṃvatsarā daṡa ।
kāmamōhābhibhūtasya vighnō'yaṃ pratyupasthitaḥ ॥
"Days and nights, for ten full years, have been lost
due to lust and infatuation, disrupting my efforts".
1.63.12 விநிஸ்வஸந் முநிவர: பஸ்சாத்தாபேந து:கித: ।
பீதாமப்ஸரஸம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா வேபந்தீம் ப்ராஞ்ஜலிம் ஸ்திதாம் ॥
மேநகாம் மதுரைர்வாக்யைர்விஸ்ருஜ்ய குஸிகாத்மஜ: ।
உத்தரம் பர்வதம் ராம விஸ்வாமித்ரோ ஜகாம ஹ ॥
viniṡvasan munivaraḥ paṡcāttāpēna duḥkhitaḥ ।
bhītāmapsarasaṃ dṛṣṭvā vēpantīṃ prāńjaliṃ sthitām ॥
mēnakāṃ madhurairvākyairvisṛjya kuṡikātmajaḥ ।
uttaraṃ parvataṃ rāma viṡvāmitrō jagāma ha ॥
O Rāma! Then that great Muni sighed
with great regret and remorse.
He saw the Apsara who was shaken and scared,
standing in front of him with folded hands.
The son of Kuṡika sent Mēnaka off with gracious words.
Viṡwāmitr, then went to the mountains in the north.
1.63.14 ஸ க்ருத்வா நைஷ்டிகீம் புத்திம் ஜேதுகாமோ மஹாயஸா: ।
கௌஸிகீதீரமாஸாத்ய தபஸ்தேபே ஸுதாருணம் ॥
sa kṛtvā naiṣṭhikīṃ buddhiṃ jētukāmō mahāyaṡāḥ ।
kauṡikītīramāsādya tapastēpē sudāruṇam ॥
That renowned Muni, then taking a vow to follow strict discipline,
reached the banks of river Kouṡiki and did severe Tapa.
1.63.15 தஸ்ய வர்ஷஸஹஸ்ரம் து கோரம் தப உபாஸத: ।
உத்தரே பர்வதே ராம தேவதாநாமபூத்பயம் ॥
tasya varṣasahasraṃ tu ghōraṃ tapa upāsataḥ ।
uttarē parvatē rāma dēvatānāmabhūdbhayam ॥
O Rāma, as he did Tapa for one thousand years
in those northern mountains, the Dēvas became concerned. Colossal amounts of spiritual energy resting in a person who has not overcome his senses, is like an atom bomb in the hands of a mad man. Hence the concern.
1.63.16 ஆமந்த்ரயந் ஸமாகம்ய ஸர்வே ஸர்ஷிகணா: ஸுரா: ।
மஹர்ஷிஸப்தம் லபதாம் ஸாத்வயம் குஸிகாத்மஜ: ॥
āmantrayan samāgamya sarvē sarṣigaṇāḥ surāḥ ।
maharṣiṡabdaṃ labhatāṃ sādhvayaṃ kuṡikātmajaḥ ॥
Then the Dēvas, in consultation with all the Ṛshis,
felt that this son of Kuṡika,
would now deserve to be called a Maharshi.
1.63.17 தேவதாநாம் வச: ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வலோகபிதாமஹ: ।
அப்ரவீந்மதுரம் வாக்யம் விஸ்வாமித்ரம் தபோதநம் ॥
dēvatānāṃ vacaḥ ṡrutvā sarvalōkapitāmahaḥ ।
abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ viṡvāmitraṃ tapōdhanam ॥
In accordance with that recommendation by the Dēvas,
the Progenitor of all the worlds (Brahma) spoke
these sweet words to Viṡwāmitra, who was enriched with Tapa.
1.63.18 மஹர்ஷே ஸ்வாகதம் வத்ஸ தபஸோக்ரேண தோஷித: ।
மஹத்த்வம்ருஷிமுக்யத்வம் ததாமி தவ கௌஸிக ॥
maharṣē svāgataṃ vatsa tapasōgrēṇa tōṣitaḥ ।
mahattvamṛṣimukhyatvaṃ dadāmi tava kauṡika ॥
O dear Maharshi! Welcome to you.
I am pleased with your immense Tapa.
I confer upon you the distinction of
being the foremost among the Ṛshis.
1.63.19 ப்ரஹ்மணஸ்ஸ வச: ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வலோகேஸ்வரஸ்ய ஹ ।
ந விஷண்ணோ ந ஸந்துஷ்டோ விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்தபோதந: ॥
brahmaṇassa vacaḥ ṡrutvā sarvalōkēṡvarasya ha ।
na viṣaṇṇō na santuṣṭō viṡvāmitrastapōdhanaḥ ॥
Hearing those words of Brahma, the lord of all worlds,
Viṡwāmitra, who was rich with Tapa,
felt neither happy nor unhappy. This is a major turning point in Viṡwāmitra's journey towards Brahmatva.
He has now come to the point of being indifferent to success and recognition. This is one of the main characteristics of being a Brāhmaṇa.
1.63.20 ப்ராஞ்ஜலி: ப்ரணதோ பூத்வா ஸர்வலோகபிதாமஹம் ।
ப்ரத்யுவாச ததோ வாசம் விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ॥
prāńjaliḥ praṇatō bhūtvā sarvalōkapitāmaham ।
pratyuvāca tatō vācaṃ viṡvāmitrō mahāmuniḥ ॥
The Mahā Muni Viṡwāmitra, with folded hands
paid respects to the Progenitor of all worlds and said:
1.63.21 மஹர்ஷிஸப்தமதுலம் ஸ்வார்ஜிதை: கர்மபி: ஸுபை: ।
யதி மே பகவாநாஹ ததோऽஹம் விஜிதேந்த்ரிய: ॥
maharṣiṡabdamatulaṃ svārjitaiḥ karmabhiḥ ṡubhaiḥ ।
yadi mē bhagavānāha tatō'haṃ vijitēndriyaḥ ॥
If you, the Bhagawan, tells me that I have
earned the unique distinction of being a Maharshi
through my acts and deeds,
I shall consider myself to have
overcome the lure of the senses.
This Ṡlōka signifies another great turning point in the life of Viṡwāmitra. For the first time he explicitly considers his untamed mind (one of the senses) being his real enemy.
1.63.22 தமுவாச ததோ ப்ரஹ்மா ந தாவத்த்வம் ஜிதேந்த்ரிய: ।
யதஸ்வ முநிஸார்தூல இத்யுக்த்வா த்ரிதிவம் கத: ॥
tamuvāca tatō brahmā na tāvattvaṃ jitēndriyaḥ ।
yatasva muniṡārdūla ityuktvā tridivaṃ gataḥ ॥
Then Brahma said to him,
"O tiger among Munis: You have not yet overcome
the lure of your senses, keep trying",
and departed to heaven.
1.63.23 விப்ரஸ்திதேஷு தேவேஷு விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ।
ஊர்த்த்வபாஹுர்நிராலம்போ வாயுபக்ஷஸ்தபஸ்சரந் ॥
viprasthitēṣu dēvēṣu viṡvāmitrō mahāmuni: ।
ūrddhvabāhurnirālambō vāyubhakṣastapaṡcaran ॥
As the Dēvas left thus, the Mahā Muni Viṡwāmitra
continued with Tapa with hands upwards,
leaning on no support and living only on air.
1.63.24 கர்மே பஞ்சதபா பூத்வா வர்ஷாஸ்வாகாஸஸம்ஸ்ரய: ।
ஸிஸிரே ஸலிலஸ்தாயீ ராத்ர்யஹாநி தபோதந: ॥
ஏவம் வர்ஷஸஹஸ்ரம் ஹி தபோ கோரமுபாகமத் ॥
gharmē pańcatapā bhūtvā varṣāsvākāṡasaṃṡrayaḥ ।
ṡiṡirē salilasthāyī rātryahāni tapōdhanaḥ ॥
ēvaṃ varṣasahasraṃ hi tapō ghōramupāgamat ॥
That Tapasvi continued with his intense Tapa
in the middle of Five Fires in the summer,
standing in the open in the monsoon season,
and standing in waters in the fall and winter,
day and night, for one thousand years.
Five Fires: The hot sun from above plus four fires lit up in four directions.
1.63.25 தஸ்மிந் ஸந்தப்யமாநே து விஸ்வாமித்ரே மஹாமுநௌ ।
ஸம்ப்ரம: ஸுமஹாநாஸீத் ஸுராணாம் வாஸவஸ்ய ச ॥
tasmin santapyamānē tu viṡvāmitrē mahāmunau ।
sambhramaḥ sumahānāsīt surāṇāṃ vāsavasya ca ॥
Dēvas and Indra were amazed and perturbed
by the intense Tapa of the Mahā Muni Viṡwāmitra.
1.63.26 ரம்பாமப்ஸரஸம் ஸக்ரஸ்ஸஹ ஸர்வைர்மருத்கணை: ।
உவாசாத்மஹிதம் வாக்யமஹிதம் கௌஸிகஸ்ய ச ॥
rambhāmapsarasaṃ ṡakrassaha sarvairmarudgaṇaiḥ ।
uvācātmahitaṃ vākyamahitaṃ kauṡikasya ca ॥
Indra, along with all the Maruts, called up on
the Apsara Rambha and said these words
that would advance their cause
and deter the son of Kuṡika from his efforts.
Continuation in the next Sarga.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே த்ரிஷஷ்டிதம: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē triṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the sixty third Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1847 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.