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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 20
How to say 'no'? Especially when it means negating all that you stand for and are known for! Well, it is not easy. It is embarrassing and awkward. And imagine having to say that in public and in the presence of people who look up to you! Daṡaratha is in that very predicament in this Sarga. He says 'no' to Viṡwāmitra's request. It does not go well.
He is at a ripened age. His glorious days are behind him. His physical and mental strengths are waning. He is trying to lean on his son for support. The fear of losing that support is real and is playing out on the surface.
Every one of us will go through that stage in our lives, inevitably. Until then, it would be difficult for us to identify with the mental state of Daṡaratha. This mental state dictates all the actions of Daṡaratha, in Bāla Kāṇḍa and Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa, until his death.
1.20.1
தச்ச்ருத்வா ராஜஸார்தூலோ விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்ய பாஷிதம் ।
முஹூர்தமிவ நி:ஸஞ்ஜ்ஞ: ஸஞ்ஜ்ஞாவாநிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
tacchrutvā rājaṡārdūlō viṡvāmitrasya bhāṣitam ।
muhūrtamiva niḥsañjñaḥ sañjñāvānidamabravīt ॥
Hearing those words of Viṡwāmitra,
the tiger among kings (Daṡaratha)
lost his senses for a moment and
then recollected himself, and said:
1.20.2
ஊநஷோடஸவர்ஷோ மே ராமோ ராஜீவலோசந: ।
ந யுத்தயோக்யதாமஸ்ய பஸ்யாமி ஸஹ ராக்ஷஸை: ॥
ūnaṣōḍaṡavarṣō mē rāmō rājīvalōcanaḥ ।
na yuddhayōgyatāmasya paṡyāmi saha rākṣasaiḥ ॥
My lotus eyed Rāma is not even sixteen yet.
I cannot think of how he would be able to
take upon the Rākshasas in a duel.
1.20.3
இயமக்ஷௌஹிணீ பூர்ணா யஸ்யாஹம் பதிரீஸ்வர: ।
அநயா ஸம்வ்ருதோ கத்வா யோத்தாऽஹம் தைர்நிஸாசரை: ॥
iyamakṣauhiṇī pūrṇā yasyāhaṃ patirīṡvaraḥ ।
anayā saṃvṛtō gatvā yōddhā'haṃ tairniṡācaraiḥ ॥
I have a full 'Akshouhiṇi' of army in my care and control.
I will go with all of them and fight out those nocturnals.
One Akshouhiṇi is: 1,09,350 foot-soldiers, 65,610 mounted on horses, 21,870 mounted on elephants, and another 21,870 mounted on fully equipped chariots - roughly equivalent in number to the American troops deployed in Iraq war recently, at its height.
Rākshasa are referred to as 'nocturnal' here, both to acknowledge their ability to move at night and to emphasize their tendencies of 'guerrilla fighting', i.e., fighting without coming out in the open.
1.20.4
இமே ஸூராஸ்ச விக்ராந்தா ப்ருத்யா மேऽஸ்த்ரவிஸாரதா: ।
யோக்யா ரக்ஷோகணைர்யோத்தும் ந ராமம் நேதுமர்ஹஸி ॥
imē ṡūrāṡca vikrāntā bhṛtyā mē'straviṡāradāḥ ।
yōgyā rakṣōgaṇairyōddhuṃ na rāmaṃ nētumarhasi ॥
These heroic warriors, who are on my payroll,
are well versed in war craft and
can easily fight out the Rākshasas.
There is no need to bring Rāma for this purpose.
1.20.5
அஹமேவ தநுஷ்பாணிர்கோப்தா ஸமரமூர்த்தநி ।
யாவத்ப்ராணாந் தரிஷ்யாமி தாவத்யோத்ஸ்யே நிஸாசரை: ॥
ahamēva dhanuṣpāṇirgōptā samaramūrddhani ।
yāvatprāṇān dhariṣyāmi tāvadyōtsyē niṡācaraiḥ ॥
I will take up arms myself and lead the fight.
I will fight as long as needed,
till I shed my last drop of blood.
1.20.6
நிர்விக்நா வ்ரதசர்யா ஸா பவிஷ்யதி ஸுரக்ஷிதா ।
அஹம் தத்ர கமிஷ்யாமி ந ராமம் நேதுமர்ஹஸி ॥
nirvighnā vratacaryā sā bhaviṣyati surakṣitā ।
ahaṃ tatra gamiṣyāmi na rāmaṃ nētumarhasi ॥
I will come there in person and protect your Vrata
from any obstructions. You do not need Rāma.
1.20.7-8a
பாலோ ஹ்யக்ருதவித்யஸ்ச ந ச வேத்தி பலாபலம் ।
ந சாஸ்த்ரபலஸம்யுக்தோ ந ச யுத்தவிஸாரத: ॥
ந சாஸௌ ரக்ஷஸாம் யோக்ய: கூடயுத்தா ஹி தே ப்ருஸம் ।
bālō hyakṛtavidyaṡca na ca vētti balābalam ।
na cāstrabalasaṃyuktō na ca yuddhaviṡāradaḥ ॥
na cāsau rakṣasāṃ yōgyaḥ kūṭayuddhā hi tē bhṛṡam ।
He is young. He is not yet fully trained.
He is not suave enough to gauge the enemy.
Nor is he a seasoned warrior.
Nor is his quiver stocked well yet.
He is certainly not a match for the Rākshasas
who are known for their trickery in the battle field!
1.20.8b-9a
விப்ரயுக்தோ ஹி ராமேண முஹூர்தமபி நோத்ஸஹே ॥
ஜீவிதும் முநிஸார்தூல ந ராமம் நேதுமர்ஹஸி ।
viprayuktō hi rāmēṇa muhūrtamapi nōtsahē ॥
jīvituṃ muniṡārdūla na rāmaṃ nētumarhasi ।
O tiger among Munis!
I would not be able to live even for a moment,
after sending my Rāma away.
Please do not ask for taking him away from me.
'Tiger among Munis', is an unusual way of addressing a Muni.
But, the ferocity of Viṡwāmitra is well known.
And Daṡaratha acknowledges it here.
1.20.9b-10a
யதி வா ராகவம் ப்ரஹ்மந் நேதுமிச்சஸி ஸுவ்ரத ॥
சதுரங்கஸமாயுக்தம் மயா ச ஸஹிதம் நய ।
yadi vā rāghavaṃ brahman nētumicchasi suvrata ॥
caturaṅgasamāyuktaṃ mayā ca sahitaṃ naya ।
O Brahman seasoned in Vratas!
Should you insist on having Rāma, please
let me also join him, along
with all the four of my armed forces.
1.20.10b-11a
ஷஷ்டிர்வர்ஷஸஹஸ்ராணி ஜாதஸ்ய மம கௌஸிக ॥
து:கேநோத்பாதிதஸ்சாயம் ந ராமம் நேதுமர்ஹஸி ।
ṣaṣṭirvarṣasahasrāṇi jātasya mama kauṡika ॥
duḥkhēnōtpāditaṡcāyaṃ na rāmaṃ nētumarhasi ।
O descendant of Kuṡika, I had Rāma at this advanced age of
sixty thousand years, after a long saga of trials and efforts.
I plead with you to not take him away from me!
1.20.11b-12a
சதுர்ணாமாத்மஜாநாம் ஹி ப்ரீதி: பரமிகா மம ॥
ஜ்யேஷ்டம் தர்மப்ரதாநம் ச ந ராமம் நேதுமர்ஹஸி ।
caturṇāmātmajānāṃ hi prītiḥ paramikā mama ॥
jyēṣṭhaṃ dharmapradhānaṃ ca na rāmaṃ nētumarhasi ।
He is the dearest and eldest among all the four of my sons.
He is the chief among them to carry on the responsibilities.
I plead with you to not take him away from me!
1.20.12b-13a
கிம்வீர்யா ராக்ஷஸாஸ்தே ச கஸ்ய புத்ராஸ்ச கே ச தே ॥
கதம்ப்ரமாணா: கே சைதாந் ரக்ஷந்தி முநிபுங்கவ ।
kiṃvīryā rākṣasāstē ca kasya putrāṡca kē ca tē ॥
kathampramāṇāḥ kē caitān rakṣanti munipuṅgava ।
How strong are those Rākshasas?
What is their lineage? What is their size?
Who is behind them? Who is supporting them?
1.20.13b-14a
கதம் ச ப்ரதிகர்தவ்யம் தேஷாம் ராமேண ரக்ஷஸாம் ॥
மாமகைர்வா பலைர்ப்ரஹ்மந் மயா வா கூடயோதிநாம் ।
kathaṃ ca pratikartavyaṃ tēṣāṃ rāmēṇa rakṣasām ॥
māmakairvā balairbrahman mayā vā kūṭayōdhinām ।
Tell me how either Rāma or I or my armies
can counter those tricky Rākshasas.
1.20.14b-15a
ஸர்வம் மே ஸம்ஸ பகவந் கதம் தேஷாம் மயா ரணே ॥
ஸ்தாதவ்யம் துஷ்டபாவாநாம் வீர்யோத்ஸிக்தா ஹி ராக்ஷஸா: ।
sarvaṃ mē ṡaṃsa bhagavan kathaṃ tēṣāṃ mayā raṇē ॥
sthātavyaṃ duṣṭabhāvānāṃ vīryōtsiktā hi rākṣasāḥ ।
O Bhagawan! Tell me in detail
as to how I should stand against those Rākshasas
of brutal strength and wicked nature!
1.20.15b-17a
தஸ்ய தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா விஸ்வாமித்ரோऽப்யபாஷத ॥
பௌலஸ்த்யவம்ஸப்ரபவோ ராவணோ நாம ராக்ஷஸ: ।
ஸ ப்ரஹ்மணா தத்தவரஸ்த்ரைலோக்யம் பாததே ப்ருஸம் ॥
மஹாபலோ மஹாவீர்யோ ராக்ஷஸைர்பஹுபிர்வ்ருத: ।
tasya tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā viṡvāmitrō'bhyabhāṣata ॥
paulastyavaṃṡaprabhavō rāvaṇō nāma rākṣasaḥ ।
sa brahmaṇā dattavarastrailōkyaṃ bādhatē bhṛṡam ॥
mahābalō mahāvīryō rākṣasairbahubhirvṛtaḥ ।
Viṡwāmitra heard him and said:
There is a Rākshasa by name
Rāvaṇa from the Pulastya lineage.
He is mighty strong and mightily valiant.
He, along with all his lieutenants,
is menacing around all worlds
with impunity because of the boons
given to him earlier by Brahma.
1.20.17b-18a
ஸ்ரூயதே ஹி மஹாவீர்யோ ராவணோ ராக்ஷஸாதிப: ॥
ஸாக்ஷாத்வைஸ்ரவணப்ராதா புத்ரோ விஸ்ரவஸோ முநே: ।
ṡrūyatē hi mahāvīryō rāvaṇō rākṣasādhipaḥ ॥
sākṣādvaiṡravaṇabhrātā putrō viṡravasō munēḥ ।
He is the brother of Kubēra and son of Muni Viṡravasu.
He is the head of the Rākshasas and
known for his immense valor.
1.20.18b-19
யதா ஸ்வயம் ந யஜ்ஞஸ்ய விக்நகர்தா மஹாபல: ॥
தேந ஸஞ்சோதிதௌ த்வௌ து ராக்ஷஸௌ வை மஹாபலௌ ।
மாரீசஸ்ச ஸுபாஹுஸ்ச யஜ்ஞவிக்நம் கரிஷ்யத: ॥
yadā svayaṃ na yajñasya vighnakartā mahābalaḥ ॥
tēna sañcōditau dvau tu rākṣasau vai mahābalau ।
mārīcaṡca subāhuṡca yajñavighnaṃ kariṣyataḥ ॥
He does not involve directly in obstructing the Yajñas,
but two strong Rākshasas, Māreecha and Subāhu,
do the job for him, at his behest.
1.20.20
இத்யுக்தோ முநிநா தேந ராஜோவாச முநிம் ததா ।
ந ஹி ஸக்தோऽஸ்மி ஸங்க்ராமே ஸ்தாதும் தஸ்ய துராத்மந: ॥
ityuktō muninā tēna rājōvāca muniṃ tadā ।
na hi ṡaktō'smi saṅgrāmē sthātuṃ tasya durātmanaḥ ॥
Having learned the details about the Rākshasas in full,
the king expressed his inability to stand up in fight
against that mighty evil soul.
1.20.21
ஸ த்வம் ப்ரஸாதம் தர்மஜ்ஞ குருஷ்வ மம புத்ரகே ।
மம சைவால்பபாக்யஸ்ய தைவதம் ஹி பவாந் குரு: ॥
sa tvaṃ prasādaṃ dharmajña kuruṣva mama putrakē ।
mama caivālpabhāgyasya daivataṃ hi bhavān guruḥ ॥
O Dharmajña! Please be kind to me and my son,
who are not worthy enough to deserve
this opportunity to serve you!
You are our Guru and Lord!
1.20.22
தேவதாநவகந்தர்வா யக்ஷா: பதகபந்நகா: ।
ந ஸக்தா ராவணம் ஸோடும் கிம் புநர்மாநவா யுதி ॥
dēvadānavagandharvā yakṣāḥ patagapannagāḥ ।
na ṡaktā rāvaṇaṃ sōḍhuṃ kiṃ punarmānavā yudhi ॥
Even Dēvas, Dānavas, Yakshas, Patagas, Pannagas
cannot engage him in a fight.
What can be said of a mere human (like me)?
1.20.23-24a
ஸ ஹி வீர்யவதாம் வீர்யமாதத்தே யுதி ராக்ஷஸ: ।
தேந சாஹம் ந ஸக்நோமி ஸம்யோத்தும் தஸ்ய வா பலை: ।
ஸபலோ வா முநிஸ்ரேஷ்ட ஸஹிதோ வா மமாத்மஜை: ॥
sa hi vīryavatāṃ vīryamādattē yudhi rākṣasaḥ ।
tēna cāhaṃ na ṡaknōmi saṃyōddhuṃ tasya vā balaiḥ ।
sabalō vā muniṡrēṣṭha sahitō vā mamātmajaiḥ ॥
O the best among Munis!
He would suck out the energies of any warrior, in fight.
Neither alone, nor with all my forces, nor with my sons,
would I be able to stand up against him in fight.
1.20.24
கதமப்யமரப்ரக்யம் ஸங்க்ராமாணாமகோவிதம் ।
பாலம் மே தநயம் ப்ரஹ்மந் நைவ தாஸ்யாமி புத்ரகம் ॥
kathamapyamaraprakhyaṃ saṅgrāmāṇāmakōvidam ।
bālaṃ mē tanayaṃ brahman naiva dāsyāmi putrakam ॥
O Brahman! He is my little angel.
He does not know anything about fights and wars.
I will not be able to give my son to you.
1.20.25
அத காலோபமௌ யுத்தே ஸுதௌ ஸுந்தோபஸுந்தயோ: ।
யஜ்ஞவிக்நகரௌ தௌ தே நைவ தாஸ்யாமி புத்ரகம் ॥
atha kālōpamau yuddhē sutau sundōpasundayōḥ ।
yajñavighnakarau tau tē naiva dāsyāmi putrakam ॥
The sons of Sunda and Upasunda (Māreecha and Subāhu)
who are obstructing your Yajña
are the alter egos of death itself, in fight.
I will not be able to give my son to you.
1.20.26
மாரீசஸ்ச ஸுபாஹுஸ்ச வீர்யவந்தௌ ஸுஸிக்ஷிதௌ ।
தயோரந்யதரேணாஹம் யோத்தா ஸ்யாம் ஸஸுஹ்ருத்கண: ॥
mārīcaṡca subāhuṡca vīryavantau suṡikṣitau ।
tayōranyatarēṇāhaṃ yōddhā syāṃ sasuhṛdgaṇaḥ ॥
Māreecha and Subāhu are well trained and strong.
I, along with the best of my men,
may be able to take on, at the most, one of them.
1.20.27
இதி நரபதிஜல்பநாத்த்விஜேந்த்ரம்
குஸிகஸுதம் ஸுமஹாந் விவேஸ மந்யு: ।
ஸுஹுத இவ ஸமித்பிராஜ்யஸிக்த:
ஸமபவதுஜ்ஜ்வலிதோ மஹர்ஷிவஹ்நி: ॥
iti narapatijalpanāddvijēndraṃ
kuṡikasutaṃ sumahān vivēṡa manyuḥ ।
suhuta iva samidbhirājyasiktaḥ
samabhavadujjvalitō maharṣivahniḥ ॥
This babble of the king, made the son of Kuṡika
and the leader among Munis, greatly angry.
That anger arose out of him like fire in
the Hōma Kuṇḍa at its heights aided by Ājya!
Ājya is 'ghee' or clarified butter.
In fact, Daṡaratha was very coherent, as you have seen in these Ṡlōkas, in his reasoning. However, Viṡwāmitra thinks (or Vālmeeki calls) it a babble. Because he contradicts himself in Ṡlōka 5 vs. Ṡlōka 23-24a, even though with a reason.
Every author loves this technique, of letting a character build itself into a bubble, only to be burst by another character (legitimately, though) with a single poke.
This pattern is very common and recurs throughout the Rāmāyaṇa.
In this context, I love the dismissive expression of 'babble' (Jalpa in Sanskrit), because in spite of more or less orderly presentation of the case, Daṡaratha's argument is rooted in nothing but fear, hence the incoherence, hence the fumble, and hence the babble.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே விம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē viṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the twentieth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 711 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.