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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 74
In this Sarga, King Janaka gives copious amounts of dowry to his daughters who are leaving forever, to their new home. King Daṡaratha starts his return journey to Ayōdhyā. But on the way, something unexpected happens. Rāma, the son of Jamadagni, who had killed many Kshatriyas in the past as he was enraged at his father's murder, appears all of a sudden. Everyone becomes dazed and concerned at his fearsome and unexpected appearance.
1.74.1-2a
அத ராத்ர்யாம் வ்யதீதாயாம் விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ।
ஆப்ருஷ்ட்வா தௌ ச ராஜாநௌ ஜகாமோத்தரபர்வதம் ।
ஆஸீர்பி: பூரயித்வா ச குமாராம்ஸ்ச ஸராகவாந் ॥
atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ viṡvāmitrō mahāmuniḥ ।
āpṛṣṭvā tau ca rājānau jagāmōttaraparvatam ।
āṡīrbhi: pūrayitvā ca kumārāṃṡca sarāghavān ॥
After the night passed, the Mahā Muni Viṡwāmitra
showered blessings on those young princes of Raghu Dynasty,
took leave of them and left for the northern mountains.
1.74.2b-3a
விஸ்வாமித்ரே கதே ராஜா வைதேஹம் மிதிலாதிபம் ।
ஆப்ருஷ்ட்வாऽத ஜகாமாஸு ராஜா தஸரத: புரீம் ॥
viṡvāmitrē gatē rājā vaidēhaṃ mithilādhipam ।
āpṛṣṭvā'tha jagāmāṡu rājā daṡaratha: purīm ॥
After Viṡwāmitra left, the king Daṡaratha
took leave of the king of Vidēha
and promptly left for his own city.
1.74.3b-4a
கச்சந்தம் தம் து ராஜாநமந்வகச்சந்நராதிப: ।
அத ராஜா விதேஹாநாம் ததௌ கந்யாதநம் பஹு ॥
gacchantaṃ taṃ tu rājānamanvagacchannarādhipa: ।
atha rājā vidēhānāṃ dadau kanyādhanaṃ bahu ॥
The lord of the peoples, the king of Vidēha
followed the departing king and gave
immense dowry to the girls.
In recent times, we refer to the term dowry only in wrong or negative contexts, where money is demanded or extracted by the bridegroom or his side of the family, from the bride’s family.
But in its original connotation, this term used to refer to the gifts property, money, etc., that were given to the bride by her parents, at the time of her departure from the maternal household to her future home, the husband's household. Dowry refers to the gifts given out of love and affection to their daughter.
1.74.4b-6a
கவாம் ஸதஸஹஸ்ராணி பஹூநி மிதிலேஸ்வர: ।
கம்பலாநாம் ச முக்யாநாம் க்ஷௌமகோட்யம்பராணி ச ।
ஹஸ்த்யஸ்வரதபாதாதம் திவ்யரூபம் ஸ்வலங்க்ருதம் ।
ததௌ கந்யாபிதா தாஸாம் தாஸீதாஸமநுத்தமம் ॥
gavāṃ ṡatasahasrāṇi bahūni mithilēṡvara: ।
kambalānāṃ ca mukhyānāṃ kṣaumakōṭyaṃbarāṇi ca ।
hastyaṡvarathapādātaṃ divyarūpaṃ svalaṅkṛtam ।
dadau kanyāpitā tāsāṃ dāsīdāsamanuttamam ॥
That lord of Mithilā and the father of the brides
gave them hundreds of thousands of cows,
excellent woolen blankets, Crores of silk garments,
well-decorated elephants, horses, chariots and foot-soldiers
and excellent male and female servants.
1.74.6b-7a
ஹிரண்யஸ்ய ஸுவர்ணஸ்ய முக்தாநாம் வித்ருமஸ்ய ச ।
ததௌ பரமஸம்ஹ்ருஷ்ட: கந்யாதநமநுத்தமம் ॥
hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya muktānāṃ vidrumasya ca ।
dadau paramasaṃhṛṣṭa: kanyādhanamanuttamam ॥
Immensely pleased, he gave
gold, silver, pearls and corals as dowry.
1.74.7b-8a
தத்த்வா பஹு தநம் ராஜா ஸமநுஜ்ஞாப்ய பார்திவம் ।
ப்ரவிவேஸ ஸ்வநிலயம் மிதிலாம் மிதிலேஸ்வர: ॥
dattvā bahu dhanaṃ rājā samanujñāpya pārthivam ।
pravivēṡa svanilayaṃ mithilāṃ mithilēṡvara: ॥
The lord of Mithilā, after thus giving copious amounts of wealth
went back to his residence in Mithilā
taking proper leave from the king (Daṡaratha).
1.74.8b-9a
ராஜாऽப்யயோத்யாதிபதிஸ்ஸஹ புத்ரைர்மஹாத்மபி: ।
ருஷீந் ஸர்வாந் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய ஜகாம ஸபலாநுக: ॥
rājā'pyayōdhyādhipatissaha putrairmahātmabhi: ।
ṛṣīn sarvān puraskṛtya jagāma sabalānuga: ॥
The King, the lord of Ayōdhyā went ahead,
with his Mahātma sons and all the Ṛshis leading him
and the army following him.
1.74.9b-10a
கச்சந்தம் தம் நரவ்யாக்ரம் ஸர்ஷிஸங்கம் ஸராகவம் ।
கோரா: ஸ்ம பக்ஷிணோ வாசோ வ்யாஹரந்தி ததஸ்தத: ॥
gacchantaṃ taṃ naravyāghraṃ sarṣisaṅghaṃ sarāghavam ।
ghōrā: sma pakṣiṇō vācō vyāharanti tatastata: ॥
As that tiger among men, who was travelling
with hosts of Ṛshis and with the princes of Raghu dynasty,
birds screamed overhead with grating noises, off and on.
1.74.10b-11a
பௌமாஸ்சைவ ம்ருகா ஸ்ஸர்வே கச்சந்தி ஸ்ம ப்ரதக்ஷிணம் ।
தாந் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராஜஸார்தூலோ வஸிஷ்டம் பர்யப்ருச்சத ॥
bhaumāṡcaiva mṛgā ssarvē gacchanti sma pradakṣiṇam ।
tān dṛṣṭvā rājaṡārdūlō vasiṣṭhaṃ paryapṛcchata ॥
All the animals that roam the land
started moving around them in circles.
Seeing that, that tiger among kings asked Vasishṭha:
1.74.11b-12a
அஸௌம்யா: பக்ஷிணோ கோரா ம்ருகாஸ்சாபி ப்ரதக்ஷிணா: ।
கிமிதம் ஹ்ருதயோத்கம்பி மநோ மம விஷீததி ॥
asaumyā: pakṣiṇō ghōrā mṛgāṡcāpi pradakṣiṇā: ।
kimidaṃ hṛdayōtkampi manō mama viṣīdati ॥
The birds are making harsh and terrible noises.
The animals are going around us in a circle.
What is this that makes my heart tremble?
I am worried!
1.74.12b-13a
ராஜ்ஞோ தஸரதஸ்யைதச்ச்ருத்வா வாக்யம் மஹாந்ருஷி: ।
உவாச மதுராம் வாணீம் ஸ்ரூயதாமஸ்ய யத்பலம் ॥
rājñō daṡarathasyaitacchrutvā vākyaṃ mahānṛṣi: ।
uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ ṡrūyatāmasya yatphalam ॥
That Maharshi, hearing those words of the king Daṡaratha
assuaged him with these gentle and pleasing words:
"Listen, I shall tell you what this portends!"
1.74.13b-14a
உபஸ்திதம் பயம் கோரம் திவ்யம் பக்ஷிமுகாச்ச்யுதம் ।
ம்ருகா: ப்ரஸமயந்த்யேதே ஸந்தாபஸ்த்யஜ்யதாமயம் ॥
upasthitaṃ bhayaṃ ghōraṃ divyaṃ pakṣimukhāccyutam ।
mṛgā: praṡamayantyētē santāpastyajyatāmayam ॥
These animals provide relief from a
dreadful event of divine making
portended by the cries of the birds!
Therefore, you may give up your worries!
1.74.14b-15a
தேஷாம் ஸம்வததாம் தத்ர வாயு: ப்ராதுர்பபூவ ஹ ।
கம்பயந் ப்ருதிவீம் ஸர்வாம் பாதயம்ஸ்ச த்ருமாம்ச்சுபாந் ॥
tēṣāṃ saṃvadatāṃ tatra vāyu: prādurbabhūva ha ।
kampayan pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ pātayaṃṡca drumāṃcchubhān ॥
As they were discussing thus, strong winds blew,
shaking the earth and tearing down the trees.
1.74.15b-16a
தமஸா ஸம்வ்ருதஸ்ஸூர்ய ஸ்ஸர்வா ந ப்ரபபுர்திஸ ।
பஸ்மநா சாவ்ருதம் ஸர்வம் ஸம்மூடமிவ தத்பலம் ॥
tamasā saṃvṛtassūrya ssarvā na prababhurdiṡa ।
bhasmanā cāvṛtaṃ sarvaṃ saṃmūḍhamiva tadbalam ॥
The Sun was engulfed by darkness.
There was no light in any direction.
Everything was enveloped in dust.
The army was totally disoriented.
1.74.16b-17a
வஸிஷ்டஸ்சர்ஷயஸ்சாந்யே ராஜா ச ஸஸுதஸ்ததா ।
ஸம்ஸஜ்ஞா இவ தத்ராஸந் ஸர்வமந்யத்விசேதநம் ॥
vasiṣṭhaṡcarṣayaṡcānyē rājā ca sasutastadā ।
saṃsajñā iva tatrāsan sarvamanyadvicētanam ॥
Only Vasishṭha, the Ṛshis, the king and his sons,
remained in their full senses.
Everyone else felt dazed and numbed.
1.74.17b-20
தஸ்மிம்ஸ்தமஸி கோரே து பஸ்மச்சந்நேவ ஸா சமூ: ।
ததர்ஸ பீமஸங்காஸம் ஜடாமண்டலதாரிணம் ।
பார்கவம் ஜாமதக்ந்யம் தம் ராஜராஜவிமர்திநம் ।
கைலாஸமிவ துர்தர்ஷம் காலாக்நிமிவ துஸ்ஸஹம் ।
ஜ்வலம்தமிவ தேஜோபிர்துர்நிரீக்ஷ்யம் ப்ருதக்ஜநை: ।
ஸ்கந்தே சாஸஜ்ய பரஸும் தநுர்வித்யுத்கணோபமம் ।
ப்ரக்ருஹ்ய ஸரமுக்யம் ச த்ரிபுரக்நம் யதா ஸிவம் ॥
tasmiṃstamasi ghōrē tu bhasmacchannēva sā camū: ।
dadarṡa bhīmasaṅkāṡaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam ।
bhārgavaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ taṃ rājarājavimardinam ।
kailāsamiva durdharṣaṃ kālāgnimiva dussaham ।
jvalaṃtamiva tējōbhirdurnirīkṣyaṃ pṛthagjanai: ।
skandhē cāsajya paraṡuṃ dhanurvidyudgaṇōpamam ।
pragṛhya ṡaramukhyaṃ ca tripuraghnaṃ yathā ṡivam ॥
In that dreadful darkness,
the army, looking pale as if covered by ashes,
saw the fearsome descendant of Bhṛgu, the son of Jamadagni,
who was wearing a crown of matted hair,
who had killed all the kings of kings,
who was invincible like the mountain of Kailāsa
who was unbearable like the fire of time,
blazing with blinding light and
impossible for ordinary beings to get a glimpse,
with Paraṡu on his shoulder,
and holding an significant bow in his hand
that shone like swarms of lightning flashes,
reminding of lord Ṡiva that destroyed all the three worlds.
Paraṡu is a two pronged axe. Mount Kailāsa is the abode of Ṡiva.
1.74.21-22a
தம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா பீமஸங்காஸம் ஜ்வலந்தமிவ பாவகம் ।
வஸிஷ்டப்ரமுகா விப்ரா ஜபஹோமபராயணா: ।
ஸங்கதா முநயஸ்ஸர்வே ஸஞ்ஜஜல்புரதோ மித: ॥
taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasaṅkāṡaṃ jvalantamiva pāvakam ।
vasiṣṭhapramukhā viprā japahōmaparāyaṇā: ।
saṅgatā munayassarvē sañjajalpurathō mitha: ॥
Seeing him, so terrible in appearance, like a blazing fire,
all the Brāhmaṇas including the eminent Vasishṭha
who consistently perform Japa and Hōma,
got together and discussed among themselves:
1.74.22b-23
கச்சித்பித்ருவதாமர்ஷீ க்ஷத்ரம் நோத்ஸாதயிஷ்யதி ।
பூர்வம் க்ஷத்ரவதம் க்ருத்வா கதமந்யுர்கதஜ்வர: ।
க்ஷத்ரஸ்யோத்ஸாதநம் பூயோ ந கல்வஸ்ய சிகீர்ஷிதம் ॥
kaccitpitṛvadhāmarṣī kṣatraṃ nōtsādayiṣyati ।
pūrvaṃ kṣatravadhaṃ kṛtvā gatamanyurgatajvara: ।
kṣatrasyōtsādanaṃ bhūyō na khalvasya cikīrṣitam ॥
We hope he is not going to exterminate all the Kshatriyas,
still holding the rage from his father's murder!
He killed Kshatriyas in the past,
till he felt relieved of his rage and pain.
We hope he is not planning to destroy Kshatriyas again!
1.74.24
ஏவமுக்த்வாऽர்க்யமாதாய பார்கவம் பீமதர்ஸநம் ।
ருஷயோ ராம ராமேதி வசோ மதுரமப்ருவந் ॥
ēvamuktvā'rghyamādāya bhārgavaṃ bhīmadarṡanam ।
ṛṣayō rāma rāmēti vacō madhuramabruvan ॥
Thinking thus, the Ṛshis received that
fearsome looking descendant of Bhṛgu,
addressing him 'O Rāma, Rāma!' in a pleasing manner,
offering him Arghya.
Arghya is water offered for drinking, often cleansed with Mantras.
1.74.25
ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ய து தாம் பூஜாம்ருஷிதத்தாம் ப்ரதாபவாந் ।
ராமம் தாஸரதிம் ராமோ ஜாமதக்ந்யோऽப்யபாஷத ॥
pratigṛhya tu tāṃ pūjāmṛṣidattāṃ pratāpavān ।
rāmaṃ dāṡarathiṃ rāmō jāmadagnyō'bhyabhāṣata ॥
The valiant Rāma, the son of Jamadagni,
accepted the homage offered by the Ṛshis, and
spoke to Rāma, the son of Daṡaratha.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
பாலகாண்டே சதுஸ்ஸப்ததிதமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
bālakāṇḍē catussaptatitamassarga: ॥
Thus concludes the seventy fourth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 2158 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.