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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 66
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra asks Janaka to show the bow to the young princes, Rāma and Lakshmaṇa.
Janaka then describes the history of that bow, the emergence of Seetā from the soil, and how he decided that Seetā should be claimed only by a worthy hero.
He tells about how he asked the seekers of Seetā's hand to prove their strength by lifting the bow, how they failed and how feeling insulted, they attacked Mithilā.
Janaka makes the offer that he would give Seetā in matrimony to Rāma if he is able to lift the bow.
This Sarga concludes on a high tickling note, which feels fresh forever in the psyche of Indian civilization. One must get the last Ṡlōka of this Sarga by heart. It has a challenge, a reward, and is related to the most celebrated emotion of not only humans, but also of all species, i.e., the prospect of securing a life mate.
1.66.1 தத: ப்ரபாதே விமலே க்ருதகர்மா நராதிப: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் மஹாத்மாநமாஜுஹாவ ஸராகவம் ॥
tataḥ prabhātē vimalē kṛtakarmā narādhipaḥ ।
viṡvāmitraṃ mahātmānamājuhāva sarāghavam ॥
On that fine and clear morning,
after performing the ablutions,
the king invited the Mahātma Viṡwāmitra and
the princes of Raghu dynasty.
1.66.2 தமர்சயித்வா தர்மாத்மா ஸாஸ்த்ரத்ருஷ்டேந கர்மணா ।
ராகவௌ ச மஹாத்மாநௌ ததா வாக்யமுவாச ஹ ॥
tamarcayitvā dharmātmā ṡāstradṛṣṭēna karmaṇā ।
rāghavau ca mahātmānau tadā vākyamuvāca ha ॥
The Dharmātmā (Janaka) then
paid respects to him and provided hospitalities
to the duo of princes of Raghu Dynasty
as was customary, following the proper protocol, and then said:
1.66.3 பகவந் ஸ்வாகதம் தேऽஸ்து கிம் கரோமி தவாநக ।
பவாநாஜ்ஞாபயது மாமாஜ்ஞாப்யோ பவதா ஹ்யஹம் ॥
bhagavan svāgataṃ tē'stu kiṃ karōmi tavānagha ।
bhavānājñāpayatu māmājñāpyō bhavatā hyaham ॥
O Bhagawan! Welcome to you.
O unafflicted one! What can I do for you?
Command me! I must obey your command.
1.66.4 ஏவமுக்தஸ்து தர்மாத்மா ஜநகேந மஹாத்மநா ।
ப்ரத்யுவாச முநிர்வீரம் வாக்யம் வாக்யவிஸாரத: ॥
ēvamuktastu dharmātmā janakēna mahātmanā ।
pratyuvāca munirvīraṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviṡāradaḥ ॥
The judicious Dharmātmā and Muni,
having heard those words of Mahātma Janaka
said these words to that Veera:
1.66.5 புத்ரௌ தஸரதஸ்யேமௌ க்ஷத்ரியௌ லோகவிஸ்ருதௌ ।
த்ரஷ்டுகாமௌ தநு:ஸ்ரேஷ்டம் யதேதத்த்வயி திஷ்டதி ॥
putrau daṡarathasyēmau kṣatriyau lōkaviṡrutau ।
draṣṭukāmau dhanuḥṡrēṣṭhaṃ yadētattvayi tiṣṭhati ॥
These sons of Daṡaratha, renowned Kshatriyas,
would like to see the great bow that is with you.
1.66.6 ஏதத்தர்ஸய பத்ரம் தே க்ருதகாமௌ ந்ருபாத்மஜௌ ।
தர்ஸநாதஸ்ய தநுஷோ யதேஷ்டம் ப்ரதியாஸ்யத: ॥
ētaddarṡaya bhadraṃ tē kṛtakāmau nṛpātmajau ।
darṡanādasya dhanuṣō yathēṣṭaṃ pratiyāsyataḥ ॥
Please show them the bow.
The princes would then return with
their wish of seeing the bow fulfilled.
May all bode well for you!
1.66.7 ஏவமுக்தஸ்து ஜநக: ப்ரத்யுவாச மஹாமுநிம் ॥
ஸ்ரூயதாமஸ்ய தநுஷோ யதர்தமிஹ திஷ்டதி ॥
ēvamuktastu janakaḥ pratyuvāca mahāmunim ॥
ṡrūyatāmasya dhanuṣō yadarthamiha tiṣṭhati ॥
Hearing those words, Janaka replied to the Mahā Muni:
"Let me provide you with the detail of how
that bow has come to be with me!"
1.66.8 தேவராத இதி க்யாதோ நிமேஷ்ஷஷ்டோ மஹீபதி: ।
ந்யாஸோऽயம் தஸ்ய பகவந் ஹஸ்தே தத்தோ மஹாத்மநா ॥
dēvarāta iti khyātō nimēṣṣaṣṭhō mahīpatiḥ ।
nyāsō'yaṃ tasya bhagavan hastē dattō mahātmanā ॥
O Bhagawan! Once upon a time there was a king
by name Dēvarāta, six generations after Nimi.
Mahātma Ṡiva presented this bow in his hands for safe keeping.
1.66.9 தக்ஷயஜ்ஞவதே பூர்வம் தநுராயம்ய வீர்யவாந் ।
ருத்ரஸ்து த்ரிதஸாந் ரோஷாத் ஸலீலமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
dakṣayajñavadhē pūrvaṃ dhanurāyamya vīryavān ।
rudrastu tridaṡān rōṣāt salīlamidamabravīt ॥
Once upon a time during the time of
the destruction of Daksha Yajña,
the valiant Ṡiva held this bow blithely
and angrily said to the Dēvas:
1.66.10 யஸ்மாத்பாகார்திநோ பாகாந்நாகல்பயத மே ஸுரா: ।
வராங்காணி மஹார்ஹாணி தநுஷா ஸாதயாமி வ: ॥
yasmādbhāgārthinō bhāgānnākalpayata mē surāḥ ।
varāṅgāṇi mahārhāṇi dhanuṣā ṡātayāmi vaḥ ॥
O Dēvas! You have not given me the
rightful portion from your Yajña that I asked for.
I am going to cut the best and most valuable
of your limbs off with this bow. One of the major themes of lifestyle in those days of close interaction between humans and gods was that, humans offered Yajña Phala (the essential and symbolic outcome of Yajña) to the Dēvas. Dēvas became more energetic with it and in turn blessed the humans with rains, children and such.
Endowing energy to the Dēvas by humans is an interesting concept by itself. Agamas have taken this theme to a higher level with the concept of Prāṇa Pratishṭha and the Yantra that is placed below the statue of the deity before installation.
Across India, people always talk about the power of one shrine over the other and attribute it to the power of the Brāhmaṇa or Brāhmaṇas who installed the Yantra underneath the statue.
This give and take between humans and gods is a notion that can be seen all across the world. Most of the pristine rituals across the globe have the same theme, regardless of the religion of the land. You can find this notion making its way to the Bhagavad Gita as well as the Bible.
Humans give offerings to gods. Gods bless humans with things such as rains, children and good fortune. This is certainly not an intellectual model, but an instinctual model. Hence this repeats and survives in spite of the corrections that intellectuals attempt.
The same theme is briefly described in a different manner in the Bhagavad Gita (3-14). This Ṡlōka encapsulates this theme in a larger and emergent model of the time: the Brahman who is seen as the propeller of human effort.
1.66.11 ததோ விமநஸ: ஸர்வே தேவா வை முநிபுங்கவ ।
ப்ரஸாதயந்தி தேவேஸம் தேஷாம் ப்ரீதோऽபவத்பவ: ॥
tatō vimanasaḥ sarvē dēvā vai munipuṅgava ।
prasādayanti dēvēṡaṃ tēṣāṃ prītō'bhavadbhavaḥ ॥
O best among Munis!
Then all the Dēvas were alarmed
and placated the lord of Dēvas.
Then Bhava, the Rudra was appeased.
1.66.12 ப்ரீதியுக்த: ஸ ஸர்வேஷாம் ததௌ தேஷாம் மஹாத்மநாம் ।
ததேதத்தேவதேவஸ்ய தநூரத்நம் மஹாத்மந: ।
ந்யாஸபூதம் ததா ந்யஸ்தமஸ்மாகம் பூர்வகே விபோ ॥
prītiyuktaḥ sa sarvēṣāṃ dadau tēṣāṃ mahātmanām ।
tadētaddēvadēvasya dhanūratnaṃ mahātmanaḥ ।
nyāsabhūtaṃ tadā nyastamasmākaṃ pūrvakē vibhō ॥
The pleased Rudra then gave
the bow to all those Dēvas.
The Dēvas in turn gave
that best of bows of the lord of Dēvas
to my ancestor for safe keeping.
1.66.13 அத மே க்ருஷத: க்ஷேத்ரம் லாங்கலாதுத்திதா மயா ।
க்ஷேத்ரம் ஸோதயதா லப்தா நாம்நா ஸீதேதி விஸ்ருதா ॥
atha mē kṛṣataḥ kṣētraṃ lāṅgalādutthitā mayā ।
kṣētraṃ ṡōdhayatā labdhā nāmnā sītēti viṡrutā ॥
On a different note,
as I was tilling the soil with plough to make it clean,
a girl known by name Seetā emerged.
1.66.14 பூதலாதுத்திதா ஸா து வ்யவர்த்தத மமாத்மஜா ।
வீர்யஸுல்கேதி மே கந்யா ஸ்தாபிதேயமயோநிஜா ॥
bhūtalādutthitā sā tu vyavarddhata mamātmajā ।
vīryaṡulkēti mē kanyā sthāpitēyamayōnijā ॥
That girl who emerged from the soil
grew up as my daughter.
I have decided that this Ayōnija
should be claimed by a deserving Veera. Ayōnija means someone who is not born of a human womb. This word has legendary importance similar to that of the immaculate conception of Jesus by Mary in Catholicism.
Anything that emerges by itself from the land belongs to a king or whoever can claim it by defeating or proving the supremacy over the other claimants.
Even today, all naturally occurring assets such as rivers, forests and electromagnetic spectrum (such as the 2G and 3G spectra) belongs to the government by default.
1.66.15 பூதலாதுத்திதாம் தாம் து வர்த்தமாநாம் மமாத்மஜாம் ।
வரயாமாஸுராகம்ய ராஜாநோ முநிபுங்கவ ॥
bhūtalādutthitāṃ tāṃ tu varddhamānāṃ mamātmajām ।
varayāmāsurāgamya rājānō munipuṅgava ॥
O best among Munis! Many kings have come thus far
seeking her, who emerged from the soil
and is growing as my daughter, in matrimony.
1.66.16 தேஷாம் வரயதாம் கந்யாம் ஸர்வேஷாம் ப்ருதிவீக்ஷிதாம் ।
வீர்யஸுல்கேதி பகவந் ந ததாமி ஸுதாமஹம் ॥
tēṣāṃ varayatāṃ kanyāṃ sarvēṣāṃ pṛthivīkṣitām ।
vīryaṡulkēti bhagavan na dadāmi sutāmaham ॥
O Bhagawan! But I declined
the requests of all those kings,
saying that she can be claimed
only by the noblest of heroes.
1.66.17 தத: ஸர்வே ந்ருபதய: ஸமேத்ய முநிபுங்கவ ।
மிதிலாமப்யுபாகம்ய வீர்யஜிஜ்ஞாஸவஸ்ததா ॥
tataḥ sarvē nṛpatayaḥ samētya munipuṅgava ।
mithilāmabhyupāgamya vīryajijñāsavastadā ॥
O best of Munis! Then all of them together
came to Mithilā to show their valor and strength.
1.66.18 தேஷாம் ஜிஜ்ஞாஸமாநாநாம் வீர்யம் தநுருபாஹ்ருதம் ।
ந ஸேகுர்க்ரஹணே தஸ்ய தநுஷஸ்தோலநேऽபி வா ॥
tēṣāṃ jijñāsamānānāṃ vīryaṃ dhanurupāhṛtam ।
na ṡēkurgrahaṇē tasya dhanuṣastōlanē'pi vā ॥
I showed this bow to all those
who were interested in testing their strength,
but none could even hold it or move it.
1.66.19 தேஷாம் வீர்யவதாம் வீர்யமல்பம் ஜ்ஞாத்வா மஹாமுநே ।
ப்ரத்யாக்யாதா ந்ருபதயஸ்தந்நிபோத தபோதந ॥
tēṣāṃ vīryavatāṃ vīryamalpaṃ jñātvā mahāmunē ।
pratyākhyātā nṛpatayastannibōdha tapōdhana ॥
O Mahā Muni! As it became evident
how puny their strength was,
their requests were declined.
O embodiment of Tapa! Please do make note of this.
1.66.20 தத: பரமகோபேந ராஜாநோ ந்ருபபுங்கவ ।
ந்யருந்தந் மிதிலாம் ஸர்வே வீர்யஸந்தேஹமாகதா: ॥
tataḥ paramakōpēna rājānō nṛpapuṅgava ।
nyarundhan mithilāṃ sarvē vīryasandēhamāgatāḥ ॥
O best among Munis! Then those kings
became greatly enraged and attacked Mithilā
to prove their strength, which had become questionable.
1.66.21 ஆத்மாநமவதூதம் தே விஜ்ஞாய ந்ருபபுங்கவா: ।
ரோஷேண மஹதாவிஷ்டா: பீடயந் மிதிலாம் புரீம் ॥
ātmānamavadhūtaṃ tē vijñāya nṛpapuṅgavāḥ ।
rōṣēṇa mahatāviṣṭāḥ pīḍayan mithilāṃ purīm ॥
They felt extremely sour knowing
that they were declined.
They started causing all kinds
of troubles to the city of Mithilā.
1.66.22 தத: ஸம்வத்ஸரே பூர்ணே க்ஷயம் யாதாநி ஸர்வஸ: ।
ஸாதநாநி முநிஸ்ரேஷ்ட ததோऽஹம் ப்ருஸது:கித: ॥
tataḥ saṃvatsarē pūrṇē kṣayaṃ yātāni sarvaṡaḥ ।
sādhanāni muniṡrēṣṭha tatō'haṃ bhṛṡaduḥkhitaḥ ॥
O foremost among Munis!
Over a period of one year, Mithilā was depleted of
all provisions necessary for normal life.
I feel extremely sad and distressed.
1.66.23 ததோ தேவகணாந் ஸர்வாந் தபஸாऽஹம் ப்ரஸாதயம் ।
ததுஸ்ச பரமப்ரீதாஸ்சதுரங்கபலம் ஸுரா: ॥
tatō dēvagaṇān sarvān tapasā'haṃ prasādayam ।
daduṡca paramaprītāṡcaturaṅgabalaṃ surāḥ ॥
Then I did Tapa and pleased the Dēvas.
The pleased Dēvas gave me
several contingents of all the four forces.
The four forces are: infantry, cavalry, elephantry and chariotry.
1.66.24 ததோ பக்நா ந்ருபதயோ ஹந்யமாநா திஸோ யயு: ।
அவீர்யா வீர்யஸந்திக்தா: ஸாமாத்யா: பாபகர்மண: ॥
tatō bhagnā nṛpatayō hanyamānā diṡō yayuḥ ।
avīryā vīryasandigdhāḥ sāmātyāḥ pāpakarmaṇaḥ ॥
O Bhagawan! Then those timid evil mongers,
whose strength became evidently doubtful,
were defeated and they fled in every direction.
1.66.25 ததேதந்முநிஸார்தூல தநு: பரமபாஸ்வரம் ।
ராமலக்ஷ்மணயோஸ்சாபி தர்ஸயிஷ்யாமி ஸுவ்ரத ॥
tadētanmuniṡārdūla dhanuḥ paramabhāsvaram ।
rāmalakṣmaṇayōṡcāpi darṡayiṣyāmi suvrata ॥
O tiger among Munis! I shall certainly show
that luminous bow to the well disciplined
Rāma and Lakshmaṇa also.
1.66.26 யத்யஸ்ய தநுஷோ ராம: குர்யாதாரோபணம் முநே ।
ஸுதாமயோநிஜாம் ஸீதாம் தத்யாம் தாஸரதேரஹம் ॥
yadyasya dhanuṣō rāmaḥ kuryādārōpaṇaṃ munē ।
sutāmayōnijāṃ sītāṃ dadyāṃ dāṡarathēraham ॥
O Muni! Further, if Rāma can lift that bow,
I shall give my daughter Ayōnija,
to this son of Daṡaratha (in matrimony).
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஷட்ஷஷ்டிதம: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ṣaṭṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the sixty sixth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1932 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.