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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 28
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra passes on the remedial Astras to Rāma and then Rāma enquires Viṡwāmitra about the beautiful Āṡrama that they are approaching.
1.28.1
ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ய ததோऽஸ்த்ராணி ப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டவதந: ஸுசி: ।
கச்சந்நேவ ச காகுத்ஸ்தோ விஸ்வாமித்ரமதாப்ரவீத் ॥
pratigṛhya tatō'strāṇi prahṛṣṭavadanaḥ ṡuciḥ ।
gacchannēva ca kākutsthō viṡvāmitramathābravīt ॥
Having received those Astras,
with face gladdened anew and purified,
the prince of Kākutstha lineage,
asked Viṡwāmitra, en route their journey:
1.28.2
க்ருஹீதாஸ்த்ரோऽஸ்மி பகவந் துராதர்ஷ: ஸுராஸுரை: ।
அஸ்த்ராணாம் த்வஹமிச்சாமி ஸம்ஹாரம் முநிபுங்கவ ॥
gṛhītāstrō'smi bhagavan durādharṣaḥ surāsuraiḥ ।
astrāṇāṃ tvahamicchāmi saṃhāraṃ munipuṅgava ॥
By receiving these Astras, I become, herewith,
a power that cannot be challenged by even Dēvas.
O best among Munis, I would now
like to know how to restrain and withdraw them.
Creating a new power is sometimes easier than containing it. If it goes unchecked, such powers can disturb the environment in an irreversible manner.
The idea of ‘balance’ and ‘equilibrium’ is core to the Indic Philosophy, which is reflected in this concern of Rāma.
1.28.3
ஏவம் ப்ருவதி காகுத்ஸ்தே விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாயஸா: ।
ஸம்ஹாரம் வ்யாஜஹாராத த்ருதிமாந் ஸுவ்ரத: ஸுசி: ॥
ēvaṃ bruvati kākutsthē viṡvāmitrō mahāyaṡāḥ ।
saṃhāraṃ vyājahārātha dhṛtimān suvrataḥ ṡuciḥ ॥
Hearing those words of Rāma,
the able, disciplined and pious Viṡwāmitra
gave him the remedial Astras.
1.28.4-10
ஸத்யவந்தம் ஸத்யகீர்திம் த்ருஷ்டம் ரபஸமேவ ச ।
ப்ரதிஹாரதரம் நாம பராங்முகமவாங்முகம் ॥
லக்ஷாக்ஷவிஷமௌ சைவ த்ருடநாபஸுநாபகௌ ।
தஸாக்ஷஸதவக்த்ரௌ ச தஸஸீர்ஷஸதோதரௌ ॥
பத்மநாபமஹாநாபௌ துந்துநாபஸுநாபகௌ ।
ஜ்யோதிஷம் க்ருஸநம் சைவ நைராஸ்யவிமலாவுபௌ ॥
யோகந்தரஹரித்ரௌ ச தைத்யப்ரஸமநௌ ததா ।
ஸார்சிர்மாலீ த்ருதிர்மாலீ வ்ருத்திமாந் ருசிரஸ்ததா ॥
பித்ருஸௌமநஸம் சைவ விதூதமகராவுபௌ ।
கரவீரகரம் சைவ தநதாந்யௌ ச ராகவ ॥
காமரூபம் காமருசிம் மோஹமாவரணம் ததா ।
ஜ்ரும்பகம் ஸர்வநாபம் ச ஸந்தாநவரணௌ ததா ॥
ப்ருஸாஸ்வதநயாந் ராம பாஸ்வராந்காமரூபிண: ।
ப்ரதீச்ச மம பத்ரம் தே பாத்ரபூதோऽஸி ராகவ ॥
satyavantaṃ satyakīrtiṃ dhṛṣṭaṃ rabhasamēva ca ।
pratihārataraṃ nāma parāṅmukhamavāṅmukham ॥
lakṣākṣaviṣamau caiva dṛḍhanābhasunābhakau ।
daṡākṣaṡatavaktrau ca daṡaṡīrṣaṡatōdarau ॥
padmanābhamahānābhau dundunābhasunābhakau ।
jyōtiṣaṃ kṛṡanaṃ caiva nairāṡyavimalāvubhau ॥
yōgandharaharidrau ca daityapraṡamanau tathā ।
sārcirmālī dhṛtirmālī vṛttimān rucirastathā ॥
pitṛsaumanasaṃ caiva vidhūtamakarāvubhau ।
karavīrakaraṃ caiva dhanadhānyau ca rāghava ॥
kāmarūpaṃ kāmaruciṃ mōhamāvaraṇaṃ tathā ।
jṛmbhakaṃ sarvanābhaṃ ca santānavaraṇau tathā ॥
bhṛṡāṡvatanayān rāma bhāsvarānkāmarūpiṇa: ।
pratīccha mama bhadraṃ tē pātrabhūtō'si rāghava ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty, Rāma!
You are most desirous of these Astras.
May all bode well for you.
Let me pass on the bright and brilliant
Remedial Astras, the sons of Bhṛṡāṡva,
that can change their form at will:
Satyavanta, Satyakeerti, Drishṭa,
Rabhasa, Prateehāratara,
Parānmukha, Avānmukha, Lakshāksha,
Vishama, Sunābha, Driḍhanābha, Sunābha,
Dasāksha, Ṡatavaktra, Daṡaṡeersha, Ṡatōdara,
Padmanābha, Mahānābha, Dundhunābha,
Sunābha, Jyōtisha, Kṛṡana, Nairāṡya, Vimala,
Yōgandhara, Haridra, Daitya, Praṡamana,
Sārchirmāli, Dhṛtirmāli, Vṛttimanta, Ruchira,
Pitṛ Soumanasa, Vidhūta, Makara, Karaveerakara,
Dhanadhānya, Kāmarūpa, Kāmaruchi, Mōha,
Āvaraṇa, Jhṛmbhaka, Sarvanābha, Santāna and Varaṇa.
It would be interesting to translate the names of these Astras into English.
Instead of attempting the translation again, I will quote from the great poetic translation of Rāmāyaṇa by Ralph T. H. Griffith [1870-1874]:
Warder and Progress, swift of pace, Averted-head and Drooping-face; The Seen, and that which Secret flies; The weapon of the thousand eyes; Ten-headed, and the Hundred-faced, Star-gazer and the Layer-waste: The Omen-bird, the Pure-from-spot, The pair that wake and slumber not: The Fiendish, that which shakes amain, The Strong-of-Hand, the Rich-in-Gain: The Guardian, and the Close-allied, The Gaper, Love, and Golden-side;
The poetic and beautiful translation of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa by Ralph T. H. Griffith can be found at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/index.htm
1.28.11-13
பாடமித்யேவ காகுத்ஸ்த: ப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டேநாந்தராத்மநா।
திவ்யபாஸ்வரதேஹாஸ்ச மூர்திமந்தஸ்ஸுகப்ரதா: ॥
கேசிதங்காரஸத்ருஸா: கேசித்தூமோபமாஸ்ததா।
சந்த்ரார்கஸத்ருஸா: கேசித்ப்ரஹ்வாஞ்ஜலிபுடாஸ்ததா ॥
ராமம் ப்ராஞ்ஜலயோ பூத்வாऽப்ருவந் மதுரபாஷிண:।
இமே ஸ்ம நரஸார்தூல ஸாதி கிம் கரவாம தே ॥
bāḍhamityēva kākutstha: prahṛṣṭēnāntarātmanā।
divyabhāsvaradēhāṡca mūrtimantassukhapradā: ॥
kēcidaṅgārasadṛṡā: kēciddhūmōpamāstathā।
candrārkasadṛṡā: kēcitprahvāñjalipuṭāstathā ॥
rāmaṃ prāñjalayō bhūtvā'bruvan madhurabhāṣiṇa:।
imē sma naraṡārdūla ṡādhi kiṃ karavāma tē ॥
The prince of Kākutstha lineage was exhilarated
and said: "As you wish!"
The Astras then took their
luminescence and reassuring forms,
some in the form of burning charcoal,
some in the form of smoke,
some bright like the sun and moon,
and said these pleasing words to Rāma
with suppliant and folded hands:
O tiger among men! Here we are, at your service.
Command us to your will!
We need to divorce intelligence and embrace innocence to enjoy a scene like the one described in this Ṡlōka.
Scenes like these, where non-human entities take human forms transcending the experience of normal human realms give goose bumps.
In modern times, movies like 'Avatar' brought that magic to life and we were fortunate to witness it just few years ago.
By the way, the word बाढम् (which means, “will do”, “so be it”, “OK”, “per your wish”) is used even today in the Upanayanam ceremony.
1.28.14
மாநஸா: கார்யகாலேஷு ஸாஹாய்யம் மே கரிஷ்யத ।
கம்யதாமிதி தாநாஹ யதேஷ்டம் ரகுநந்தந: ॥
mānasāḥ kāryakālēṣu sāhāyyaṃ mē kariṣyatha ।
gamyatāmiti tānāha yathēṣṭaṃ raghunandanaḥ ॥
The prince of Raghu dynasty said to them:
For now, may you be free, at your own will!
When I need you, please come
and stay in my mind to do the needful!
1.28.15
அத தே ராமமாமந்த்ர்ய க்ருத்வா சாபி ப்ரதக்ஷிணம் ।
ஏவமஸ்த்விதி காகுத்ஸ்தமுக்த்வா ஜக்முர்யதாகதம் ॥
atha tē rāmamāmantrya kṛtvā cāpi pradakṣiṇam ।
ēvamastviti kākutsthamuktvā jagmuryathāgatam ॥
The Astras said to Rāma, "As per your wish"
and then took leave of him, after circumambulating him.
1.28.16
ஸ ச தாந் ராகவோ ஜ்ஞாத்வா விஸ்வாமித்ரம் மஹாமுநிம் ।
கச்சந்நேவாத மதுரம் ஸ்லக்ஷ்ணம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
sa ca tān rāghavō jñātvā viṡvāmitraṃ mahāmunim ।
gacchannēvātha madhuraṃ ṡlakṣṇaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
After thus learning about the remedial Astras,
and proceeding further in their journey,
the prince of Raghu dynasty asked Viṡwāmitra
in a pleasing and soft voice:
1.28.17-18
கிம் ந்வேதந்மேகஸங்காஸம் பர்வதஸ்யாவிதூரத: ।
வ்ருக்ஷஷண்டமிதோ பாதி பரம் கௌதூஹலம் ஹி மே ॥
தர்ஸநீயம் ம்ருகாகீர்ணம் மநோஹரமதீவ ச ।
நாநா ப்ரகாரை: ஸகுநைர்வல்குநாதைரலங்க்ருதம் ॥
kiṃ nvētanmēghasaṅkāṡaṃ parvatasyāvidūrataḥ ।
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍamitō bhāti paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi mē ॥
darṡanīyaṃ mṛgākīrṇaṃ manōharamatīva ca ।
nānā prakāraiḥ ṡakunairvalgunādairalaṅkṛtam ॥
I see those beautiful and enchanting woods
near the mountain, dark and dense like a cloud,
full of a variety of animals and birds chirping musically.
I feel very curious to know about them.
This is a common experience for any parent on a trip along with their children. Children observe the environment much more keenly than the parents and keep asking 'what is this?' and 'what is that?” And the curiosity is cute and parents relish the time, sharing what they know with their children, who listen with wide opened ears and eyes.
Of late, these types of experiences are going down in number, as children are busy playing games or watching videos on smart phones and also because the children might already have seen those places on TV, and such.
On the one hand I feel good that they 'know' things without asking their parents. On the other hand I feel bad that the occasions for bonding between children and parents are becoming lesser and lesser. Even if the children ask, the parents are in their own rush, and do not have the time to answer.
1.28.19-20a
நிஸ்ஸ்ருதா: ஸ்ம முநிஸ்ரேஷ்ட காந்தாராத்ரோமஹர்ஷணாத் ॥
அநயா த்வவகச்சாமி தேஸஸ்ய ஸுகவத்தயா ।
ஸர்வம் மே ஸம்ஸ பகவந் கஸ்யாஸ்ரமபதம் த்விதம் ॥
nissṛtāḥ sma muniṡrēṣṭha kāntārādrōmaharṣaṇāt ॥
anayā tvavagacchāmi dēṡasya sukhavattayā ।
sarvaṃ mē ṡaṃsa bhagavan kasyāṡramapadaṃ tvidam ॥
This place feels like a relief, after having come
through the dreaded forest, that makes the hair stand.
Whose Āṡrama is this? O Bhagawan, please tell me!
1.28.20b-22
ஸம்ப்ராப்தா யத்ர தே பாபா ப்ரஹ்மக்நா துஷ்டசாரிண: ।
தவ யஜ்ஞஸ்ய விக்நாய துராத்மாநோ மஹாமதே ॥
பகவம்ஸ்தஸ்ய கோ தேஸ: ஸா யத்ர தவ யாஜ்ஞிகீ ।
ரக்ஷிதவ்யா க்ரியா ப்ரஹ்மந் மம வத்யாஸ்ச ராக்ஷஸா: ॥
ஏதத்ஸர்வம் முநிஸ்ரேஷ்ட ஸ்ரோதுமிச்சாம்யஹம் ப்ரபோ ॥
samprāptā yatra tē pāpā brahmaghnā duṣṭacāriṇaḥ ।
tava yajñasya vighnāya durātmānō mahāmatē ॥
bhagavaṃstasya kō dēṡaḥ sā yatra tava yājñikī ।
rakṣitavyā kriyā brahman mama vadhyāṡca rākṣasāḥ ॥
ētatsarvaṃ muniṡrēṣṭha ṡrōtumicchāmyahaṃ prabhō ॥
O Mahā Muni! O Bhagawan! O Revered one!
Where is the place where the
foul hearted, evil, Brāhmaṇa-killing
wicked beings are trying to obstruct your Yajñas?
Where do I have to stand guarding the activities related
to your Yajñas, and kill those Rākshasas?
I would like to know all those details.
Killing a Brāhmaṇa is considered the most heinous of all crimes, because a Brāhmaṇa, who is always in the pursuit of the secrets of the universe, is the key to retrieve them.
A Brāhmaṇa wishes nothing but the best to everyone and is physically weak and incapable of protecting himself from any bodily harm.
In modern times, the most known example of such Brāhmaṇa killing is the persecution of Galileo by the Catholic Church.
Brāhmaṇa, here, is used in the sense of Brāhmaṇa by qualities, not by caste. Caste Brāhmaṇa just inherited the legacy. Some of them pursued, and pursue to this day, the spirit of universal inquiry with the same zeal. But some disgraced that legacy with their overbearing and even abusive attitude towards others.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே அஷ்டாவிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē aṣṭāviṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the twenty eighth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 914 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.