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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 32Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 32
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra starts telling the story of Kuṡa, his sons and the hundred daughters of one of those sons, who were turned into hunchbacks by the god of Wind. This Sarga leaves us in a mood of helplessness that befalls all of a sudden.
1.32.1
ப்ரஹ்மயோநிர்மஹாநாஸீத் குஸோ நாம மஹாதபா: ।
அக்லிஷ்டவ்ரததர்மஜ்ஞ: ஸஜ்ஜநப்ரதிபூஜக: ॥
brahmayōnirmahānāsīt kuṡō nāma mahātapāḥ ।
akliṣṭavratadharmajñaḥ sajjanapratipūjakaḥ ॥
Once upon a time, there was a king by name Kuṡa.
He had done great Tapa. He was the offspring of Brahma.
He was very obedient and respectful to the deserving.
He was a savant of Dharma.
He had performed demanding Vratas with ease.
1.32.2-3a
ஸ மஹாத்மா குலீநாயாம் யுக்தாயாம் ஸுகுணோல்பணாந் ।
வைதர்ப்யாம் ஜநயாமாஸ ஸத்ருஸாம்ஸ்சதுர: ஸுதாந் ।
குஸாம்பம் குஸநாபம் ச அதூர்தரஜஸம் வஸும் ॥
sa mahātmā kulīnāyāṃ yuktāyāṃ suguṇōlbaṇān ।
vaidarbhyāṃ janayāmāsa sadṛṡāṃṡcaturaḥ sutān ।
kuṡāmbaṃ kuṡanābhaṃ ca adhūrtarajasaṃ vasum ॥
That Mahātma, with the lovable princess of Vidarbha
who came from a great lineage, had four sons
Kuṡāmba, Kuṡanābha, Adhūrtarajasa and Vasu
who were cultured and virtuous just as he was.
1.32.3b-4
தீப்தியுக்தாந் மஹோத்ஸாஹாந் க்ஷத்ரதர்மசிகீர்ஷயா ॥
தாநுவாச குஸ: புத்ராந் தர்மிஷ்டாந் ஸத்யவாதிந: ।
க்ரியதாம் பாலநம் புத்ரா தர்மம் ப்ராப்ஸ்யத புஷ்கலம் ॥
dīptiyuktān mahōtsāhān kṣatradharmacikīrṣayā ॥
tānuvāca kuṡaḥ putrān dharmiṣṭhān satyavādinaḥ ।
kriyatāṃ pālanaṃ putrā dharmaṃ prāpsyatha puṣkalam ॥
Kuṡa, being zealous of providing good governance,
said to those enthusiastic, energetic,
ethical and righteous sons:
Please govern well to bring
order and promote righteousness!
1.32.5
ருஷேஸ்து வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா சத்வாரோ லோகஸம்மதா: ।
நிவேஸம் சக்ரிரே ஸர்வே புராணாம் ந்ருவராஸ்ததா ॥
ṛṣēstu vacanaṃ ṡrutvā catvārō lōkasammatāḥ ।
nivēṡaṃ cakrirē sarvē purāṇāṃ nṛvarāstadā ॥
In accordance with those words of that Ṛshi
Those four sons, the best among men,
who were regarded highly by all the peoples, built four cities.
There are three types of kings:
1. Those who understand nothing but the 'power' aspect of being a king. 2. Those who provide the governance, just as needed. 3. Those who envision the future needs and prepare the kingdom for it.
The word Ṛshi is used for kings of the third type. The generic meaning of the word Ṛshi is: Visionary and Architect. Anyone who can envision the future at a broad level and can craft a system to meet its needs can be called a Ṛshi.
1.32.6-7
குஸாம்பஸ்து மஹாதேஜா: கௌஸாம்பீமகரோத்புரீம் ।
குஸநாபஸ்து தர்மாத்மா புரம் சக்ரே மஹோதயம் ॥
ஆதூர்தரஜஸோ ராம தர்மாரண்யம் மஹீபதி: ।
சக்ரே புரவரம் ராஜா வஸுஸ்சக்ரே கிரிவ்ரஜம் ॥
kuṡāmbastu mahātējāḥ kauṡāmbīmakarōtpurīm ।
kuṡanābhastu dharmātmā puraṃ cakrē mahōdayam ॥
ādhūrtarajasō rāma dharmāraṇyaṃ mahīpatiḥ ।
cakrē puravaraṃ rājā vasuṡcakrē girivrajam ॥
The dynamic Kuṡāmba built a city called Kouṡāmbi.
The Dharmātmā Kuṡanābha built a city called Mahōdaya.
The able ruler Adhūrtarajasa built the city of Dharmāraṇya.
The king Vasu built the city of Girivraja.
1.32.8
ஏஷா வஸுமதீ ராம வஸோஸ்தஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
ஏதே ஸைலவரா: பஞ்ச ப்ரகாஸந்தே ஸமந்தத: ॥
ēṣā vasumatī rāma vasōstasya mahātmanaḥ ।
ētē ṡailavarāḥ pañca prakāṡantē samantataḥ ॥
O Rāma, This place belongs to that Mahātma Vasu.
It is surrounded by five lofty mountains.
1.32.9
ஸுமாகதீ நதீ ரம்யா மகதாந் விஸ்ருதா யயௌ ।
பஞ்சாநாம் ஸைலமுக்யாநாம் மத்யே மாலேவ ஸோபதே ॥
sumāgadhī nadī ramyā magadhān viṡrutā yayau ।
pañcānāṃ ṡailamukhyānāṃ madhyē mālēva ṡōbhatē ॥
This famous and lovely river, Sumāgadhi,
meanders through these five
prominent mountains like a garland
and reaches the land of Magadha.
1.32.10
ஸைஷா ஹி மாகதீ ராம வஸோஸ்தஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ।
பூர்வாபிசரிதா ராம ஸுக்ஷேத்ரா ஸஸ்யமாலிநீ ॥
saiṣā hi māgadhī rāma vasōstasya mahātmanaḥ ।
pūrvābhicaritā rāma sukṣētrā sasyamālinī ॥
O Rāma! The stretch of this river
that flows from east to west
with rich and green fields adorning its path
belongs to that Vasu.
1.32.11
குஸநாபஸ்து ராஜர்ஷி: கந்யாஸதமநுத்தமம் ।
ஜநயாமாஸ தர்மாத்மா க்ருதாச்யாம் ரகுநந்தந ॥
kuṡanābhastu rājarṣiḥ kanyāṡatamanuttamam ।
janayāmāsa dharmātmā ghṛtācyāṃ raghunandana ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
The Rājarshi, the Dharmātmā Kuṡanābha
had one hundred unequalled daughters through Ghṛtāci.
A King worth being called a Ṛshi is referred to as Rājarshi.
Ghṛtāci is another Apsara like Rambha and Ūrvasi.
1.32.12-13
தாஸ்து யௌவநஸாலிந்யோ ரூபவத்ய: ஸ்வலங்க்ருதா: ।
உத்யாநபூமிமாகம்ய ப்ராவ்ருஷீவ ஸதஹ்ரதா: ॥
காயந்த்யோ ந்ருத்யமாநாஸ்ச வாதயந்த்யஸ்ச ஸர்வஸ: ।
ஆமோதம் பரமம் ஜக்முர்வராபரணபூஷிதா: ॥
tāstu yauvanaṡālinyō rūpavatyaḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ ।
udyānabhūmimāgamya prāvṛṣīva ṡatahradāḥ ॥
gāyantyō nṛtyamānāṡca vādayantyaṡca sarvaṡaḥ ।
āmōdaṃ paramaṃ jagmurvarābharaṇabhūṣitāḥ ॥
Those beautiful and charming young girls,
dazzlingly decorated with every fashionable ornament,
one day went into a lovely garden, shining like
fine lines of lightning against the drizzles of monsoon,
singing, dancing, bantering and playing,
enjoying themselves in merriment beyond words.
Ponder for a moment, to visualize this scene. You cannot get enough of a glimpse of those beautiful girls, as they keep moving among the trees and plants and groves of the garden, just as we cannot get enough of the view of lightning in the sky filled with clouds. With descriptions like this, Vālmeeki celebrates the pinnacle of human experiences and touches the gentle, subtle and otherwise unreachable parts of our hearts.
1.32.14
அத தாஸ்சாருஸர்வாங்க்யோ ரூபேணாப்ரதிமா புவி ।
உத்யாநபூமிமாகம்ய தாரா இவ கநாந்தரே ॥
atha tāṡcārusarvāṅgyō rūpēṇāpratimā bhuvi ।
udyānabhūmimāgamya tārā iva ghanāntarē ॥
Those beautiful girls, their every curve
exquisitely chiseled,
unequalled in the entire earth
were brilliant in that garden like stars on a cloudy night.
1.32.15
தா: ஸர்வகுணஸம்பந்நா ரூபயௌவநஸம்யுதா: ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸர்வாத்மகோ வாயுரிதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
tāḥ sarvaguṇasampannā rūpayauvanasaṃyutāḥ ।
dṛṣṭvā sarvātmakō vāyuridaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Seeing those beautiful, young and lovely girls,
the god of Wind, who permeates everything, said:
The scene was so enchanting. The god of wind was already touching their every curve. Yet, he could not have enough of it.
He was making a tickling proposal to all of them by promising eternal youth.
1.32.16
அஹம் வ: காமயே ஸர்வா பார்யா மம பவிஷ்யத ।
மாநுஷஸ்த்யஜ்யதாம் பாவோ தீர்கமாயுரவாப்ஸ்யத ॥
ahaṃ vaḥ kāmayē sarvā bhāryā mama bhaviṣyatha ।
mānuṣastyajyatāṃ bhāvō dīrghamāyuravāpsyatha ॥
I would like to have all of you as my wives.
May you all rise beyond the confines of mortality
and live for a very long time with me!
1.32.17
சலம் ஹி யௌவநம் நித்யம் மாநுஷேஷு விஸேஷத: ।
அக்ஷயம் யௌவநம் ப்ராப்தா அமர்யஸ்ச பவிஷ்யத ॥
calaṃ hi yauvanaṃ nityaṃ mānuṣēṣu viṡēṣataḥ ।
akṣayaṃ yauvanaṃ prāptā amaryaṡca bhaviṣyatha ॥
Youth can only be seen in passing
and is fleeting in humans.
Enjoy endless youth and become immortal with me!
1.32.18
தஸ்ய தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா வாயோரக்லிஷ்டகர்மண: ।
அபஹாஸ்ய ததோ வாக்யம் கந்யாஸதமதாப்ரவீத் ॥
tasya tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā vāyōrakliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ ।
apahāsya tatō vākyaṃ kanyāṡatamathābravīt ॥
Hearing those wooing words of the god of Wind,
those one hundred girls laughed and said:
1.32.19
அந்தஸ்சரஸி பூதாநாம் ஸர்வேஷாம் த்வம் ஸுரோத்தம ।
ப்ரபாவஜ்ஞா: ஸ்ம தே ஸர்வா: கிமஸ்மாநவமந்யஸே ॥
antaṡcarasi bhūtānāṃ sarvēṣāṃ tvaṃ surōttama ।
prabhāvajñāḥ sma tē sarvāḥ kimasmānavamanyasē ॥
We know about your free spirit
that pervades every being that exists.
We know your wonderful abilities.
But why do you insult us?
The insult here is that the god of Wind took it for granted that they could be wooed with enticements.
1.32.20
குஸநாபஸுதா: ஸர்வா: ஸமர்தாஸ்த்வாம் ஸுரோத்தம ।
ஸ்தாநாச்ச்யாவயிதும் தேவம் ரக்ஷாமஸ்து தபோ வயம் ॥
kuṡanābhasutāḥ sarvāḥ samarthāstvāṃ surōttama ।
sthānāccyāvayituṃ dēvaṃ rakṣāmastu tapō vayam ॥
O significant among the Devas!
All of us are the daughters of Kuṡanābha.
With our powers of Tapa, we can easily
depose you from your exalted position and privilege.
But we do not feel like wasting it on you.
1.32.21
மாபூத்ஸ காலோ துர்மேத: பிதரம் ஸத்யவாதிநம் ।
நாவமந்யஸ்வ தர்மேண ஸ்வயம் வரமுபாஸ்மஹே ॥
mābhūtsa kālō durmēdhaḥ pitaraṃ satyavādinam ।
nāvamanyasva dharmēṇa svayaṃ varamupāsmahē ॥
O pinhead! Let that time never come,
when we would insult our great, truthful father by
going our own way to find a groom!
1.32.22
பிதா ஹி ப்ரபுரஸ்மாகம் தைவதம் பரமம் ஹி ந: ।
யஸ்ய நோ தாஸ்யதி பிதா ஸ நோ பர்தா பவிஷ்யதி ॥
pitā hi prabhurasmākaṃ daivataṃ paramaṃ hi naḥ ।
yasya nō dāsyati pitā sa nō bhartā bhaviṣyati ॥
Our father is our lord and he is the ultimate god for us.
Whoever he gives us to in matrimony will he be our husband.
1.32.23
தாஸாம் தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா வாயு: பரமகோபந: ।
ப்ரவிஸ்ய ஸர்வகாத்ராணி பபஞ்ஜ பகவாந் ப்ரபு: ॥
tāsāṃ tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā vāyuḥ paramakōpanaḥ ।
praviṡya sarvagātrāṇi babhañja bhagavān prabhuḥ ॥
Hearing those words, the god of Wind felt enraged
and entered each limb and organ of all of them,
making them incapacitated.
1.32.24
தா: கந்யா: வாயுநா பக்நா விவிஸுர்ந்ருபதேர்க்ருஹம் ।
ப்ராபதந் புவி ஸம்ப்ராந்தா: ஸலஜ்ஜா: ஸாஸ்ருலோசநா: ॥
tāḥ kanyāḥ vāyunā bhagnā viviṡurnṛpatērgṛham ।
prāpatan bhuvi sambhrāntāḥ salajjāḥ sāṡrulōcanāḥ ॥
Thus incapacitated, the girls returned
to the king's palace and fell on the floor
with shame, disorientation and eyes filled with tears.
1.32.25
ஸ ச தா தயிதா தீநா: கந்யா: பரமஸோபநா: ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா பக்நாஸ்ததா ராஜா ஸம்ப்ராந்த இதமப்ரவீத் ॥
sa ca tā dayitā dīnāḥ kanyāḥ paramaṡōbhanāḥ ।
dṛṣṭvā bhagnāstadā rājā sambhrānta idamabravīt ॥
The king, troubled and perturbed on seeing
his beautiful and cheerful girls fall like that,
incapacitated, lost, bent and bowed, said:
1.32.26
கிமிதம் கத்யதாம் புத்ர்ய: கோ தர்மமவமந்யதே ।
குப்ஜா: கேந க்ருதா: ஸர்வா வேஷ்டந்த்யோ நாபிபாஷத ।
ஏவம் ராஜா விநிஸ்வஸ்ய ஸமாதிம் ஸந்ததே தத: ॥
kimidaṃ kathyatāṃ putryaḥ kō dharmamavamanyatē ।
kubjāḥ kēna kṛtāḥ sarvā vēṣṭantyō nābhibhāṣatha ।
ēvaṃ rājā viniṡvasya samādhiṃ sandadhē tataḥ ॥
What happened? Who is offending Dharma?
Who made you hunchbacks like this?
Why are you rolling on the ground like this
without saying a word?
Asking them thus, taking a deep breath,
the king waited to hear from them.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே த்வாத்ரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē dvātriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the thirty second Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1021 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
So, we have completed reading the first thousand Ṡlōkas of the great epic of Rāmāyaṇa. Let us celebrate by saying 'Jai Srirām'!