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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 36Baala Kaanda - Sarga 36
Reading through the previous Sargas, you must have got used to and started enjoying the magical interaction and interchange between gods, humans and nature.
With the story of Gaṅga, you must also have realized that our sages speak about the relationships between people, nature and gods using symbolic language, such as rivers being daughters of mountains.
Once you learn to read the symbolism behind the stories, you will behold this Sarga like a feast. To me, this is the best of all the Sargas, in the entire Rāmāyaṇa. I feel that my life's purpose is fulfilled by reading this one Sarga alone.
On the surface, this Sarga is just the story of the birth of Kārtikēya. But the symbolic meaning captures the ultimate secrets of the Universe.
1.36.1
உக்தவாக்யே முநௌ தஸ்மிந்நுபௌ ராகவலக்ஷ்மணௌ ।
அபிநந்த்ய கதாம் வீராவூசதுர்முநிபுங்கவம் ॥
uktavākyē munau tasminnubhau rāghavalakṣmaṇau ।
abhinandya kathāṃ vīrāvūcaturmunipuṅgavam ॥
As the Muni completed telling the story,
both Rāma and Lakshmaṇa, the Veeras,
enjoyed and appreciated the story
and asked that best among the Munis:
1.36.2-3a
தர்மயுக்தமிதம் ப்ரஹ்மந் கதிதம் பரமம் த்வயா ।
துஹிது: ஸைலராஜஸ்ய ஜ்யேஷ்டாயா வக்துமர்ஹஸி ॥
விஸ்தரம் விஸ்தரஜ்ஞோऽஸி திவ்யமாநுஷஸம்பவம் ।
dharmayuktamidaṃ brahman kathitaṃ paramaṃ tvayā ।
duhituḥ ṡailarājasya jyēṣṭhāyā vaktumarhasi ॥
vistaraṃ vistarajñō'si divyamānuṣasambhavam ।
Brahman! You have told us a great and righteous story.
Please explain in further detail, the
story of the older daughter of the king among mountains,
as it happened in the world of Dēvas and humans!
You would certainly know of it all!
1.36.3b-4
த்ரீந் பதோ ஹேதுநா கேந ப்லாவயேல்லோகபாவநீ ॥
கதம் கங்கா த்ரிபதகா விஸ்ருதா ஸரிதுத்தமா ।
த்ரிஷு லோகேஷு தர்மஜ்ஞ கர்மபி: கை: ஸமந்விதா ॥
trīn pathō hētunā kēna plāvayēllōkapāvanī ॥
kathaṃ gaṅgā tripathagā viṡrutā sariduttamā ।
triṣu lōkēṣu dharmajña karmabhiḥ kaiḥ samanvitā ॥
O Dharmajña! Tell us how the river that enchants
and cleans all the three Lōkas came to take three paths!
How did Gaṅga, the best among rivers,
come to be known as tri-path!
Tell us all that happened to her in all the three worlds.
1.36.5
ததா ப்ருவதி காகுத்ஸ்தே விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்தபோதந: ।
நிகிலேந கதாம் ஸர்வாம்ருஷிமத்யே ந்யவேதயத் ॥
tathā bruvati kākutsthē viṡvāmitrastapōdhanaḥ ।
nikhilēna kathāṃ sarvāmṛṣimadhyē nyavēdayat ॥
As Rāma asked that question,
Viṡwāmitra, the one enriched by Tapa
told the entire story to everyone, including the Ṛshis.
1.36.6
புரா ராம க்ருதோத்வாஹோ நீலகண்டோ மஹாதபா: ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ச ஸ்ப்ருஹயா தேவீம் மைதுநாயோபசக்ரமே ॥
purā rāma kṛtōdvāhō nīlakaṇṭhō mahātapāḥ ।
dṛṣṭvā ca spṛhayā dēvīṃ maithunāyōpacakramē ॥
Once upon a time, the dark-throated Lord Ṡiva,
after getting married, had seen his consort intently
and started having conjugal life with her.
This is one of the most profound Ṡlōkas in Rāmāyaṇa. If you get this Ṡlōka correctly, you get the essence and depth of Indic Thought.
Every atom around you, in you and in the air you breathe, has enough energy in it to cause humongous destruction.
But that energy does not get released. Natural constraints prevent that energy from being released so that ordinary life, the way it exists, is possible and feasible.
Ṡiva represents that innate and enormous Energy of the universe. If he sees his consort (the matter) intently, the result would be some ‘super matter’ that cannot be contained in any way. Hence it is worrisome.
For a simpler analogy, think of this: We want powerful things around us, but not too powerful. We want the 100V-220V power around us, but not the 50,000 KV lines.
1.36.7
ஸிதிகண்டஸ்ய தேவஸ்ய திவ்யம் வர்ஷஸதம் கதம் ।
ந சாபி தநயோ ராம தஸ்யாமாஸீத்பரந்தப ॥
ṡitikaṇṭhasya dēvasya divyaṃ varṣaṡataṃ gatam ।
na cāpi tanayō rāma tasyāmāsītparantapa ॥
O nightmare of foes!
Even after one hundred divine years passed,
Lord Ṡiva did not have an offspring through her.
1.36.7
ததோ தேவா: ஸமுத்விக்நா: பிதாமஹபுரோகமா: ।
யதிஹோத்பத்யதே பூதம் கஸ்தத்ப்ரதிஸஹிஷ்யதே ॥
tatō dēvāḥ samudvignāḥ pitāmahapurōgamāḥ ।
yadihōtpadyatē bhūtaṃ kastatpratisahiṣyatē ॥
All the Dēvas, led by Lord Brahma became gravely concerned.
They wondered whether the being that would be born to
the very Lord of Lords and his consort
could be held in check by anyone in the world!
The stories about the triumph of good over evil are common to all cultures.
But the stories about unchecked forces that would or could cause disturbance to the existing equilibrium of the system were prominent and unique to Indic Civilization.
This is one such story. Not only do Dēvas get concerned about Rākshasas (rogue and irresponsible forces) taking over, but they are also concerned with divine powers that could go unchecked.
Anyone, who is in charge of a system, would always be concerned about powers that cannot be contained. Uncontained power can disrupt all the systems and bring the world down. That is when wars, genocide, recessions, etc. occur.
When the primordial Ṡiva sees his consort intently, and if their conjugal life yields an offspring, can the energy of that offspring be manageable by the world?
You can interpret this in many ways. The Sun is the source of all energy and the reason for the existence of all life on Earth. But what if the storms in the sun reach the Earth?
What if the billionaire owner of a company sends his all-powerful, but possibly reckless son to manage one of the small companies that he owns?
What if an irresponsible son of a ruler of a country is unleashed into the affairs of managing the country?
The concern of the Dēvas here is not only intriguing philosophically and spiritually, but also has practical and consequential significance.
Reading this one story makes my life worth living. What profound spirit and thought, beyond the mundane concerns of day-to-day life?
1.36.9-10a
அபிகம்ய ஸுரா: ஸர்வே ப்ரணிபத்யேதமப்ருவந் ।
தேவதேவ மஹாதேவ லோகஸ்யாஸ்ய ஹிதே ரத ॥
ஸுராணாம் ப்ரணிபாதேந ப்ரஸாதம் கர்துமர்ஹஸி ।
abhigamya surāḥ sarvē praṇipatyēdamabruvan ।
dēvadēva mahādēva lōkasyāsya hitē rata ॥
surāṇāṃ praṇipātēna prasādaṃ kartumarhasi ।
Then all the Dēavs went and prayed to him:
O lord of lords! O Mahā Dēva!
You always mean good to all beings!
We request you to heed to our concerns.
We pray to you.
Mahā Dēva is the highest among the Dēvas, in every sense of the word.
1.36.10b-11
ந லோகா தாரயிஷ்யந்தி தவ தேஜ: ஸுரோத்தம ॥
ப்ராஹ்மேண தபஸா யுக்தோ தேவ்யா ஸஹ தபஸ்சர ।
த்ரைலோக்யஹிதகாமார்தம் தேஜஸ்தேஜஸி தாரய ॥
na lōkā dhārayiṣyanti tava tējaḥ surōttama ॥
brāhmēṇa tapasā yuktō dēvyā saha tapaṡcara ।
trailōkyahitakāmārthaṃ tējastējasi dhāraya ॥
O best among Dēvas!
The worlds cannot hold the Energy if it emerges out of you!
Please revert back to Tapa along with your consort.
Let your Energy stay where it is,
for the sake of the wellbeing of all the three worlds!
1.36.12
தேவதாநாம் வச: ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வலோகமஹேஸ்வர: ।
பாடமித்யப்ரவீத் ஸர்வாந் புநஸ்சேதமுவாச ஹ ॥
dēvatānāṃ vacaḥ ṡrutvā sarvalōkamahēṡvaraḥ ।
bāḍhamityabravīt sarvān punaṡcēdamuvāca ha ॥
The lord of all worlds, the Mahēṡwara,
heard the plea of all the Dēvas and consented.
He further said:
The word 'Baḍham' is similar to the word 'OK' in English.
1.36.13
தாரயிஷ்யாம்யஹம் தேஜஸ்தேஜஸ்யேவ ஸஹோமயா ।
த்ரிதஸா: ப்ருதிவீ சைவ நிர்வாணமதிகச்சது ॥
dhārayiṣyāmyahaṃ tējastējasyēva sahōmayā ।
tridaṡāḥ pṛthivī caiva nirvāṇamadhigacchatu ॥
For now, I will keep my Energy as Energy,
without giving it to my consort Uma,
so that all of you Dēvas and the entire world
can feel comfortable and be free from concerns.
1.36.14
யதிதம் க்ஷுபிதம் ஸ்தாநாந்மம தேஜோ ஹ்யநுத்தமம் ।
தாரயிஷ்யதி கஸ்தந்மே ப்ருவந்து ஸுரஸத்தமா: ॥
yadidaṃ kṣubhitaṃ sthānānmama tējō hyanuttamam ।
dhārayiṣyati kastanmē bruvantu surasattamāḥ ॥
But my unimaginable Energy has
already moved out from its nascent resting point.
O best among the Dēvas!
Please let me know who could hold it now!
To understand this Ṡlōka well, think of nuclear Energy that has already been let out from its source and needs a place for safe deposit.
1.36.15
ஏவமுக்தாஸ்ததோ தேவா: ப்ரத்யூசுர்வ்ருஷபத்வஜம் ।
யத்தேஜ: க்ஷுபிதம் ஹ்யேதத்தத்தரா தாரயிஷ்யதி ॥
ēvamuktāstatō dēvāḥ pratyūcurvṛṣabhadhvajam ।
yattējaḥ kṣubhitaṃ hyētattaddharā dhārayiṣyati ॥
All the Dēvas replied to those words
of Ṡiva, who had a bull on his flag:
"The Energy that has moved from its resting point
can be held by the Earth."
1.36.16
ஏவமுக்த: ஸுரபதி: ப்ரமுமோச மஹீதலே ।
தேஜஸா ப்ருதிவீ யேந வ்யாப்தா ஸகிரிகாநநா ॥
ēvamuktaḥ surapatiḥ pramumōca mahītalē ।
tējasā pṛthivī yēna vyāptā sagirikānanā ॥
The lord of the Dēvas, having heard that proposal,
left his Energy on the Earth, because of
which the Earth bulged with mountains and
flourished with many life forms seen in the forests.
That Energy of Ṡiva, as it entered the Earth has changed the shape of the Earth and has been the source of the Energy of fires and winds.
What a story! You can imagine this in as many ways as you can. It could be seen as an asteroid hitting the Earth. It could remind you of the recent theory by scientists that life on Earth is caused by the collision of an asteroid.
1.36.17
ததோ தேவா: புநரிதமூசுஸ்சாத ஹுதாஸநம் ।
ப்ரவிஸ த்வம் மஹாதேஜோ ரௌத்ரம் வாயுஸமந்வித: ॥
tatō dēvāḥ punaridamūcuṡcātha hutāṡanam ।
praviṡa tvaṃ mahātējō raudraṃ vāyusamanvitaḥ ॥
Then the Dēvas asked the god of Fire
to capture that great Energy of Rudra
helped by the god of Wind.
1.36.18
ததக்நிநா புநர்வ்யாப்தம் ஸஞ்ஜாத: ஸ்வேதபர்வத: ।
திவ்யம் ஸரவணம் சைவ பாவகாதித்யஸந்நிபம் ।
யத்ர ஜாதோ மஹாதேஜா: கார்திகேயோऽக்நிஸம்பவ: ॥
tadagninā punarvyāptaṃ sañjātaḥ ṡvētaparvataḥ ।
divyaṃ ṡaravaṇaṃ caiva pāvakādityasannibham ।
yatra jātō mahātējāḥ kārtikēyō'gnisambhavaḥ ॥
When the god of Agni re-cast that Energy,
it gave rise to the white mountain,
which was full of bright white grass
that resembled the bright surface of the Sun.
And that was where Kārtikēya was born,
because of the god of Fire, with all that Energy.
The story of Kārtikēya will be expanded in the next Sarga.
Hope you did not miss enjoying the comparison of the vast stretch of land with bright, glistening white grass, with the surface of the Sun in this Ṡlōka.
1.36.19
அதோமாம் ச ஸிவம் சைவ தேவா: ஸர்ஷிகணாஸ்ததா ।
பூஜயாமாஸுரத்யர்தம் ஸுப்ரீதமநஸஸ்தத: ॥
athōmāṃ ca ṡivaṃ caiva dēvāḥ sarṣigaṇāstadā ।
pūjayāmāsuratyarthaṃ suprītamanasastataḥ ॥
Extremely pleased as they were, the Dēvas,
along with many Ṛshis, praised the Lord and his consort.
1.36.20
அத ஸைலஸுதா ராம த்ரிதஸாநிதமப்ரவீத் ।
ஸமந்யுரஸபத்ஸர்வாந் க்ரோதஸம்ரக்தலோசநா ॥
atha ṡailasutā rāma tridaṡānidamabravīt ।
samanyuraṡapatsarvān krōdhasaṃraktalōcanā ॥
O Rāma! But the daughter of the mountain (Uma), became angry.
With eyes turned red, she cursed the Dēvas:
1.36.22-23
யஸ்மாந்நிவாரிதா சைவ ஸங்கதி: புத்ரகாம்யயா ।
அபத்யம் ஸ்வேஷு தாரேஷு தஸ்மாந்நோத்பாதயிஷ்யத ॥
அத்யப்ரப்ருதி யுஷ்மாகமப்ரஜா: ஸந்து பத்நய: ।
ஏவமுக்த்வா ஸுராந் ஸர்வாந் ஸஸாப ப்ருதிவீமபி ॥
yasmānnivāritā caiva saṅgatiḥ putrakāmyayā ।
apatyaṃ svēṣu dārēṣu tasmānnōtpādayiṣyatha ॥
adyaprabhṛti yuṣmākamaprajāḥ santu patnayaḥ ।
ēvamuktvā surān sarvān ṡaṡāpa pṛthivīmapi ॥
You would never have offspring through your wives,
since you aborted a conjugal life meant for having offspring!
From now on, your wives will become barren!
After cursing all the Dēvas thus, she cursed the Earth also.
Symbolism again! The forces of Nature (represented by Dēvas) thus became incompetent to create further forces! I leave it to your imagination to interpret it in many possible ways.
By the way, my other effort, Framework of Aum (www.foaum.org) was born out of inspiring, deep, profound and beautiful stories like these, that stick to you and that reveal the secrets of the universe!
1.36.24
அவநே நைகரூபா த்வம் பஹுபார்யா பவிஷ்யஸி ।
ந ச புத்ரக்ருதாம் ப்ரீதிம் மத்க்ரோதகலுஷீக்ருதா ।
ப்ராப்ஸ்யஸி த்வம் ஸுதுர்மேதே மம புத்ரமநிச்சதீ ॥
avanē naikarūpā tvaṃ bahubhāryā bhaviṣyasi ।
na ca putrakṛtāṃ prītiṃ matkrōdhakaluṣīkṛtā ।
prāpsyasi tvaṃ sudurmēdhē mama putramanicchatī ॥
O Earth! You shall become the wife of many!
O evil minded one! Since you wished me
not to have children, may you suffer from my wrath
by not having any happiness from your own children!
The symbolism overflows here. 'Earth becoming wife of many' signifies the fact that Earth is free for all to enjoy.
'Earth not having happiness out of sons' signifies the fact that the children of Earth are rarely kind to her - exactly what we are doing every day. In the industrial age, Earth is being drilled and tormented beyond imagination!
If Earth can appeal in a court today, she would certainly demand eternal damnation for all of us in hell.
But this story rescues us from it all! It is her fault alone. Not ours.
But surely, this is all part of a great cosmic equation.
1.36.25
தாந் ஸர்வாந் வ்ரீடிதாந் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸுராந் ஸுரபதிஸ்ததா ।
கமநாயோபசக்ராம திஸம் வருணபாலிதாம் ॥
tān sarvān vrīḍitān dṛṣṭvā surān surapatistadā ।
gamanāyōpacakrāma diṡaṃ varuṇapālitām ॥
Then the lord of lords saw all the Dēvas
with their heads hanging down in shame,
and proceeded westwards, the direction controlled by Varuna.
1.36.26
ஸ கத்வா தப ஆதிஷ்டத் பார்ஸ்வே தஸ்யோத்தரே கிரே: ।
ஹிமவத்ப்ரபவே ஸ்ருங்கே ஸஹ தேவ்யா மஹேஸ்வர: ॥
sa gatvā tapa ātiṣṭhat pārṡvē tasyōttarē girēḥ ।
himavatprabhavē ṡṛṅgē saha dēvyā mahēṡvaraḥ ॥
After going in that direction,
he did Tapa along with Uma,
on a peak of the mountain range of Himalayas
that is to the north.
1.36.27
ஏஷ தே விஸ்தரோ ராம ஸைலபுத்ர்யா நிவேதித: ।
கங்காயா: ப்ரபவம் சைவ ஸ்ருணு மே ஸஹலக்ஷ்மண: ॥
ēṣa tē vistarō rāma ṡailaputryā nivēditaḥ ।
gaṅgāyāḥ prabhavaṃ caiva ṡṛṇu mē sahalakṣmaṇaḥ ॥
O Rāma! I told you the story of
Uma, the daughter of the mountain, in detail.
Now, you and Lakshmaṇa listen to this story of Gaṅga!
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஷட்த்ரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ṣaṭtriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the thirty sixth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1121 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.