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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 48Baala Kaanda - Sarga 48
This Sarga describes the story of Indra wooing Ahalya and Gautama cursing both Indra and Ahalya. The next Sarga gives a meaningful closure to the disturbing happenings of this Sarga.
1.48.1
ப்ருஷ்ட்வா து குஸலம் தத்ர பரஸ்பரஸமாகமே ।
கதாந்தே ஸுமதிர்வாக்யம் வ்யாஜஹார மஹாமுநிம் ॥
pṛṣṭvā tu kuṡalaṃ tatra parasparasamāgamē ।
kathāntē sumatirvākyaṃ vyājahāra mahāmunim ॥
In that meeting of each other,
Sumati enquired about the wellbeing of the great Muni,
and at the end of the conversation said:
1.48.2-4
இமௌ குமாரௌ பத்ரம் தே தேவதுல்யபராக்ரமௌ ।
கஜஸிம்ஹகதீ வீரௌ ஸார்தூலவ்ருஷபோபமௌ ।
பத்மபத்ரவிஸாலாக்ஷௌ கட்கதூணீ தநுர்தரௌ ।
அஸ்விநாவிவ ரூபேண ஸமுபஸ்திதயௌவநௌ ।
யத்ருச்சயைவ காம் ப்ராப்தௌ தேவலோகாதிவாமரௌ ।
கதம் பத்ப்யாமிஹ ப்ராப்தௌ கிமர்தம் கஸ்ய வா முநே ॥
imau kumārau bhadraṃ tē dēvatulyaparākramau ।
gajasiṃhagatī vīrau ṡārdūlavṛṣabhōpamau ।
padmapatraviṡālākṣau khaḍgatūṇī dhanurdharau ।
aṡvināviva rūpēṇa samupasthitayauvanau ।
yadṛcchayaiva gāṃ prāptau dēvalōkādivāmarau ।
kathaṃ padbhyāmiha prāptau kimarthaṃ kasya vā munē ॥
O Muni! May all bode well for you!
Who are these duo of youngsters, Veeras,
who are as intrepid as Dēvas,
treading like lions and elephants,
postured like tigers and bulls,
with eyes wide and bright like lotus petals,
handsome like Aṡwini Dēvas,
bearing swords, quivers and bows,
with youth fully upon them and
looking like Dēvas that descended
upon the earth at their own pleasure?
For what purpose did they come walking on their feet?
Whom do they belong to?
Sumati met Viṡwāmitra, a larger than life, giant of a person. In such a meeting all the attention should and would have been upon him and only on him.
But the radiance of Viṡwāmitra could not cloud the radiance of the two youngsters who were with him.
Sumati could not help admiring their presence and could not stop wondering who they were. So, at the end, he had to let his curiosity get the better of him.
Familiarity breeds contempt. As readers, we have been following Rāma and Lakshmaṇa all along and by now, we are too familiar with them and hence we take them for granted.
It is only when we look at them through the eyes of someone who is seeing them for the first time that we are reminded of their magnificent stature and majestic character.
1.48.5
பூஷயந்தாவிமம் தேஸம் சந்த்ரஸூர்யாவிவாம்பரம் ।
பரஸ்பரஸ்ய ஸத்ருஸௌ ப்ரமாணேங்கிதசேஷ்டிதை: ॥
bhūṣayantāvimaṃ dēṡaṃ candrasūryāvivāmbaram ।
parasparasya sadṛṡau pramāṇēṅgitacēṣṭitaiḥ ॥
like the Sun and Moon adorn the sky,
they adorn this land.
They are unbelievably identical
in their looks, postures and gestures.
1.48.6
கிமர்தம் ச நரஸ்ரேஷ்டௌ ஸம்ப்ராப்தௌ துர்கமே பதி ।
வராயுததரௌ வீரௌ ஸ்ரோதுமிச்சாமி தத்த்வத: ॥
kimarthaṃ ca naraṡrēṣṭhau samprāptau durgamē pathi ।
varāyudhadharau vīrau ṡrōtumicchāmi tattvataḥ ॥
O best among Munis!
Why did these well-armed Veeras
choose to tread these impregnable trails?
May I know about it all in detail?
1.48.7
தஸ்ய தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா யதாவ்ருத்தம் ந்யவேதயத் ।
ஸித்தாஸ்ரமநிவாஸம் ச ராக்ஷஸாநாம் வதம் ததா ॥
tasya tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā yathāvṛttaṃ nyavēdayat ।
siddhāṡramanivāsaṃ ca rākṣasānāṃ vadhaṃ tathā ॥
In response to his words, (Viṡwāmitra)
told about his stay at Siddhāṡrama,
and about the killing of the Rākshasas
in full detail, just as it happened.
1.48.8-9a
விஸ்வாமித்ரவச: ஸ்ருத்வா ராஜா பரமஹர்ஷித: ।
அதிதீ பரமௌ ப்ராப்தௌ புத்ரௌ தஸரதஸ்ய தௌ ।
பூஜயாமாஸ விதிவத் ஸத்காரார்ஹௌ மஹாபலௌ ॥
viṡvāmitravacaḥ ṡrutvā rājā paramaharṣitaḥ ।
atithī paramau prāptau putrau daṡarathasya tau ।
pūjayāmāsa vidhivat satkārārhau mahābalau ॥
The king felt very happy hearing
all those details from Viṡwāmitra.
He treated the august guests,
the mightily strong sons of Daṡaratha,
that deserved the best of hospitalities
with all the conventional courtesies.
1.48.9b-10a
தத: பரமஸத்காரம் ஸுமதே: ப்ராப்ய ராகவௌ ।
உஷ்ய தத்ர நிஸாமேகாம் ஜக்மதுர்மிதிலாம் தத: ॥
tataḥ paramasatkāraṃ sumatēḥ prāpya rāghavau ।
uṣya tatra niṡāmēkāṃ jagmaturmithilāṃ tataḥ ॥
After thus receiving the best of hospitalities from Sumati,
the princes of Raghu dynasty rested there for a night
and then proceeded to the city of Mithilā.
1.48.10b-11a
தாந் த்ருஷ்ட்வா முநய: ஸர்வே ஜநகஸ்ய புரீம் ஸுபாம் ।
ஸாது ஸாத்விதி ஸம்ஸந்தோ மிதிலாம் ஸமபூஜயந் ॥
tān dṛṣṭvā munayaḥ sarvē janakasya purīṃ ṡubhām ।
sādhu sādhviti ṡaṃsantō mithilāṃ samapūjayan ॥
As they got sight of that lovely city of Janaka, Mithilā,
all the Munis complimented it saying: Great! Excellent! '
1.48.11b-12a
மிதிலோபவநே தத்ர ஆஸ்ரமம் த்ருஸ்ய ராகவ: ।
புராணம் நிர்ஜநம் ரம்யம் பப்ரச்ச முநிபுங்கவம் ॥
mithilōpavanē tatra āṡramaṃ dṛṡya rāghavaḥ ।
purāṇaṃ nirjanaṃ ramyaṃ papraccha munipuṅgavam ॥
The prince of Raghu dynasty,
seeing an Āṡrama in the Vana nearby Mithilā
that was old, beautiful and uninhabited,
asked the best among Munis:
1.48.12b-13a
ஸ்ரீமதாஸ்ரமஸங்காஸம் கிம் ந்விதம் முநிவர்ஜ்ஜிதம் ।
ஸ்ரோதுமிச்சாமி பகவந் கஸ்யாயம் பூர்வ ஆஸ்ரம: ॥
ṡrīmadāṡramasaṅkāṡaṃ kiṃ nvidaṃ munivarjjitam ।
ṡrōtumicchāmi bhagavan kasyāyaṃ pūrva āṡramaḥ ॥
O Bhagawan! This seems to be a great Āṡrama
deserted by Munis. I am curious to know whose it is!
1.48.13b-14a
தச்ச்ருத்வா ராகவேணோக்தம் வாக்யம் வாக்யவிஸாரத: ।
ப்ரத்யுவாச மஹாதேஜா விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ॥
tacchrutvā rāghavēṇōktaṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviṡāradaḥ ।
pratyuvāca mahātējā viṡvāmitrō mahāmuniḥ ॥
To that question by the prince of Raghu dynasty,
the eloquent, supremely radiant, great Muni Viṡwāmitra replied:
1.48.14b-15a
ஹந்த தே கதயிஷ்யாமி ஸ்ருணு தத்த்வேந ராகவ ।
யஸ்யைததாஸ்ரமபதம் ஸப்தம் கோபாந்மஹாத்மநா ॥
hanta tē kathayiṣyāmi ṡṛṇu tattvēna rāghava ।
yasyaitadāṡramapadaṃ ṡaptaṃ kōpānmahātmanā ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty, listen!
I will tell you in detail, who this Āṡrama belongs to
and who cursed it to be like this!
1.48.15b-16a
கௌதமஸ்ய நரஸ்ரேஷ்ட பூர்வமாஸீந்மஹாத்மந: ।
ஆஸ்ரமோ திவ்யஸங்காஸ: ஸுரைரபி ஸுபூஜித: ॥
gautamasya naraṡrēṣṭha pūrvamāsīnmahātmanaḥ ।
āṡramō divyasaṅkāṡaḥ surairapi supūjitaḥ ॥
O best among men!
This divine Āṡrama belonged, a long time ago, to Gautama
who was well regarded even by the Dēvas.
1.48.16b-17a
ஸ சேஹ தப ஆதிஷ்டதஹல்யாஸஹித: பூரா ।
வர்ஷபூகாநநேகாம்ஸ்ச ராஜபுத்ர மஹாயஸ: ॥
sa cēha tapa ātiṣṭhadahalyāsahitaḥ pūrā ।
varṣapūgānanēkāṃṡca rājaputra mahāyaṡaḥ ॥
O noble minded prince!
He lived here along with Ahalya and
did Tapa for many number of years.
1.48.17b-18a
தஸ்யாந்தரம் விதித்வா து ஸஹஸ்ராக்ஷ: ஸசீபதி: ।
முநிவேஷதரோऽஹல்யாமிதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
tasyāntaraṃ viditvā tu sahasrākṣaḥ ṡacīpatiḥ ।
munivēṣadharō'halyāmidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
The thousand-eyed husband of Ṡachi (Indra)
found a time when he was away and approached Ahalya
in disguise as the Muni and said to her:
1.48.18b-19a
ருதுகாலம் ப்ரதீக்ஷந்தே நார்திந: ஸுஸமாஹிதே ।
ஸங்கமம் த்வஹமிச்சாமி த்வயா ஸஹ ஸுமத்யமே ॥
ṛtukālaṃ pratīkṣantē nārthinaḥ susamāhitē ।
saṅgamaṃ tvahamicchāmi tvayā saha sumadhyamē ॥
O beauty, chiseled with slender waist!
Love cannot wait for the right time or season!
I feel like making love to you now.
1.48.19b-20a
முநிவேஷம் ஸஹஸ்ராக்ஷம் விஜ்ஞாய ரகுநந்தந ।
மதிம் சகார துர்மேதா தேவராஜகுதூஹலாத் ॥
munivēṣaṃ sahasrākṣaṃ vijñāya raghunandana ।
matiṃ cakāra durmēdhā dēvarājakutūhalāt ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
Wrong ideas popped in her head.
She realized that he was the thousand-eyed Indra in disguise.
Yet she agreed, out of curiosity about the king of Dēvas.
1.48.20b-21
அதாப்ரவீத்ஸுரஸ்ரேஷ்டம் க்ருதார்தேநாந்தராத்மநா ।
க்ருதார்தாஸ்மி ஸுரஸ்ரேஷ்ட கச்ச ஸீக்ரமித: ப்ரபோ ।
ஆத்மாநம் மாம் ச தேவேஸ ஸர்வதா ரக்ஷ கௌதமாத் ॥
athābravītsuraṡrēṣṭhaṃ kṛtārthēnāntarātmanā ।
kṛtārthāsmi suraṡrēṣṭha gaccha ṡīghramitaḥ prabhō ।
ātmānaṃ māṃ ca dēvēṡa sarvadā rakṣa gautamāt ॥
O best among men!
After having her desire fulfilled, she said:
"O best among Dēvas! My desire is fulfilled.
O my lord! Please leave this place soon.
O lord of Dēvas! Save yourself and also me
from Gautama, by all means!"
1.48.22
இந்த்ரஸ்து ப்ரஹஸந் வாக்யமஹல்யாமிதமப்ரவீத் ।
ஸுஸ்ரோணி பரிதுஷ்டோऽஸ்மி கமிஷ்யாமி யதாகதம் ॥
indrastu prahasan vākyamahalyāmidamabravīt ।
suṡrōṇi parituṣṭō'smi gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam ॥
Indra smilingly said to Ahalya:
"O beauty with lovely hips!
I am happy and contented
and shall leave just I came!"
1.48.23
ஏவம் ஸங்கம்ய து தயா நிஸ்சக்ராமோடஜாத்தத: ।
ஸ ஸம்ப்ரமாத்த்வரந் ராம ஸங்கிதோ கௌதமம் ப்ரதி ॥
ēvaṃ saṅgamya tu tayā niṡcakrāmōṭajāttataḥ ।
sa sambhramāttvaran rāma ṡaṅkitō gautamaṃ prati ॥
O Rāma! Having made love to her,
he hastened to leave the Āṡrama quickly,
worried about Gautama (coming).
1.48.24-25
கௌதமம் ஸ ததர்ஸாத ப்ரவிஸந்தம் மஹாமுநிம் ।
தேவதாநவதுர்த்தர்ஷம் தபோபலஸமந்விதம் ।
தீர்தோதகபரிக்லிந்நம் தீப்யமாநமிவாநலம் ।
க்ருஹீதஸமிதம் தத்ர ஸகுஸம் முநிபுங்கவம் ॥
gautamaṃ sa dadarṡātha praviṡantaṃ mahāmunim ।
dēvadānavadurddharṣaṃ tapōbalasamanvitam ।
tīrthōdakapariklinnaṃ dīpyamānamivānalam ।
gṛhītasamidhaṃ tatra sakuṡaṃ munipuṅgavam ॥
Then he saw Gautama, the great and best of Munis
who was rich with spiritual energy gained by Tapa,
and dazzlingly bright like fire,
whom even Dēvas and Dānavas would fear,
who was still wet from the dip in the waters and
holding twigs and Kuṡa grass needed for rituals.
1.48.26-27a
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸுரபதிஸ்த்ரஸ்தோ விவர்ணவதநோऽபவத் ।
அத த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஸஹஸ்ராக்ஷம் முநிவேஷதரம் முநி: ।
துர்வ்ருத்தம் வ்ருத்தஸம்பந்நோ ரோஷாத்வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
dṛṣṭvā surapatistrastō vivarṇavadanō'bhavat ।
atha dṛṣṭvā sahasrākṣaṃ munivēṣadharaṃ muniḥ ।
durvṛttaṃ vṛttasampannō rōṣādvacanamabravīt ॥
The lord of Suras (Indra) was gripped with fear
and the color of his face changed.
The man of impeccable character, Gautama,
became angry with that soul of despicable behavior,
the thousand-eyed who was in the guise of a Muni, and said:
1.48.27b-28a
மம ரூபம் ஸமாஸ்தாய க்ருதவாநஸி துர்மதே ।
அகர்தவ்யமிதம் தஸ்மாத்விபலஸ்த்வம் பவிஷ்யஸி ॥
mama rūpaṃ samāsthāya kṛtavānasi durmatē ।
akartavyamidaṃ tasmādviphalastvaṃ bhaviṣyasi ॥
O wretched mind!
You have done what should not have been done,
disguising yourself in my form.
May your testes fall off you!
Modern criminal justice systems cannot pull themselves together to give the right punishment like this for a wrong that deserves it.
We need people of impeccable character like Gautama who could curse even the lord of Dēvas, when they deserved it.
1.48.28b-29a
கௌதமேநைவமுக்தஸ்ய ஸரோஷேண மஹாத்மநா ।
பேததுர்வ்ருஷணௌ பூமௌ ஸஹஸ்ராக்ஷஸ்ய தத்க்ஷணாத் ॥
gautamēnaivamuktasya sarōṣēṇa mahātmanā ।
pētaturvṛṣaṇau bhūmau sahasrākṣasya tatkṣaṇāt ॥
With that angry curse of Mahātma Gautama,
the testes of Indra fell on the ground, at that very moment.
1.48.29b-31a
ததா ஸப்த்வா ஸ வை ஸக்ரமஹல்யாமபி ஸப்தவாந் ।
இஹ வர்ஷஸஹஸ்ராணி பஹூநி த்வம் நிவத்ஸ்யஸி ।
வாயுபக்ஷா நிராஹாரா தப்யந்தீ பஸ்மஸாயிநீ ।
அத்ருஸ்யா ஸர்வபூதாநாமாஸ்ரமேऽஸ்மிந்நிவத்ஸ்யஸி ॥
tathā ṡaptvā sa vai ṡakramahalyāmapi ṡaptavān ।
iha varṣasahasrāṇi bahūni tvaṃ nivatsyasi ।
vāyubhakṣā nirāhārā tapyantī bhasmaṡāyinī ।
adṛṡyā sarvabhūtānāmāṡramē'sminnivatsyasi ॥
After cursing Ṡakra thus, he cursed Ahalya:
"May you lie in the dust for thousands of years
right in this Āṡrama, invisible to all beings,
doing Tapa without food and water taking in nothing but air."
1.48.31b-32a
யதா சைதத்வநம் கோரம் ராமோ தஸரதாத்மஜ: ।
ஆகமிஷ்யதி துர்த்தர்ஷஸ்ததா பூதா பவிஷ்யஸி ॥
yadā caitadvanaṃ ghōraṃ rāmō daṡarathātmajaḥ ।
āgamiṣyati durddharṣastadā pūtā bhaviṣyasi ॥
You will become pure and cleansed
when the invincible Rāma, the son of Daṡaratha
comes to this fearsome and dreaded forest.
1.48.32b-33a
தஸ்யாதித்யேந துர்வ்ருத்தே லோபமோஹவிவர்ஜிதா ।
மத்ஸகாஸே முதா யுக்தா ஸ்வம் வபுர்தாரயிஷ்யஸி ॥
tasyātithyēna durvṛttē lōbhamōhavivarjitā ।
matsakāṡē mudā yuktā svaṃ vapurdhārayiṣyasi ॥
O wretched soul! By serving him, the august guest,
you will be relieved of
your afflictions of lust and indulgence
and would then come back to me
happily with your original body.
1.48.33b-34
ஏவமுக்த்வா மஹாதேஜா கௌதமோ துஷ்டசாரிணீம் ।
இமமாஸ்ரமமுத்ஸ்ருஜ்ய ஸித்தசாரணஸேவிதே ।
ஹிமவச்சிகரே ரம்யே தபஸ்தேபே மஹாதபா: ॥
ēvamuktvā mahātējā gautamō duṣṭacāriṇīm ।
imamāṡramamutsṛjya siddhacāraṇasēvitē ।
himavacchikharē ramyē tapastēpē mahātapāḥ ॥
Saying thus to that soul of despicable behavior,
that supremely radiant Gautama,
who had performed great Tapa, left this Āṡrama.
He went to the Himalayas,
the abode of Siddhas and Cāraṇas, to do Tapa.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே அஷ்டசத்வாரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē aṣṭacatvāriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty eighth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1470 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.