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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 53
This Sarga starts with a great feast given by Vasishṭha to Viṡwāmitra and his army, courtesy Ṡabala. But soon after the feast, things take a different turn, as Viṡwāmitra asks (almost demands) Vasishṭha to give him Ṡabala.
This Sarga gives the taste of Vālmeeki's pen, for the first time, in describing the behavior of a person gripped by emotions.
Viṡwāmitra first stakes it as his right to have Ṡabala. Then he tries to buy it out by offering increasingly ridiculous amounts of compensation, almost with the compulsion of a gambler.
I have been in situations where I have witnessed two senior executives fighting with each other like children, unable to yield from their positions, with repercussions that lasted far longer than anyone would have expected. It is ugly and it is difficult to be there. Something of that sort, only in a much bigger scale, is happening here.
Again, as is characteristic of Vālmeeki, he leaves us in suspense at the end of this Sarga, of an impassioned and difficult conversation between two gargantuan personalities.
1.53.1-4
ஏவமுக்தா வஸிஷ்டேந ஸபலா ஸத்ருஸூதந ।
விததே காமதுக்காமாந் யஸ்ய யஸ்ய யதேப்ஸிதம் ॥
இக்ஷூந் மதூம்ஸ்ததா லாஜாந் மைரேயாம்ஸ்ச வராஸவாந் ।
பாநாநி ச மஹார்ஹாணி பக்ஷ்யாம்ஸ்சோச்சாவசாம்ஸ்ததா ॥
உஷ்ணாட்யஸ்யௌதநஸ்யாத்ர ராஸய: பர்வதோபமா: ।
ம்ருஷ்டாந்நாநி ச ஸூபாஸ்ச ததிகுல்யாஸ்ததைவ ச ॥
நாநாஸ்வாதுரஸாநாம் ச ஷாடவாநாம் ததைவ ச ।
பாஜநாநி ஸுபூர்ணாநி கௌடாநி ச ஸஹஸ்ரஸ: ॥
ēvamuktā vasiṣṭhēna ṡabalā ṡatrusūdana ।
vidadhē kāmadhukkāmān yasya yasya yathēpsitam ॥
ikṣūn madhūṃstathā lājān mairēyāṃṡca varāsavān ।
pānāni ca mahārhāṇi bhakṣyāṃṡcōccāvacāṃstathā ॥
uṣṇāḍhyasyaudanasyātra rāṡayaḥ parvatōpamāḥ ।
mṛṣṭānnāni ca sūpāṡca dadhikulyāstathaiva ca ॥
nānāsvādurasānāṃ ca ṣāḍavānāṃ tathaiva ca ।
bhājanāni supūrṇāni gauḍāni ca sahasraṡaḥ ॥
O annihilator of enemies (Rāma)!
Upon that request from Vasishṭha,
Ṡabala made various items ready according to
the wishes and preferences of each person,
including sugar, honey, popcorn,
wines and other exquisite drinks
filled in pitchers of various shapes and sizes,
a great variety of dishes of food,
mountains of hot steaming rice and
other great varieties of grain,
items cooked with various dals,
thousands of vessels full of tasty items of all the six flavors
and items made with jaggery and
there was an abundant flow of yogurt.
1.53.5
ஸர்வமாஸீத்ஸுஸந்துஷ்டம் ஹ்ருஷ்டபுஷ்டஜநாயுதம் ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரபலம் ராம வஸிஷ்டேநாதிதர்பிதம் ॥
sarvamāsītsusantuṣṭaṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāyutam ।
viṡvāmitrabalaṃ rāma vasiṣṭhēnātitarpitam ॥
O Rāma! Thus served and satisfied by Vasishṭha,
the entire army of Viṡwāmitra became
an ocean of fulfilled, happy and contented souls.
1.53.6
விஸ்வாமித்ரோऽபி ராஜர்ஷிர்ஹ்ருஷ்ட: புஷ்டஸ்ததாபவத் ।
ஸாந்த:புரவரோ ராஜா ஸப்ராஹ்மணபுரோஹித: ॥
viṡvāmitrō'pi rājarṣirhṛṣṭaḥ puṣṭastadābhavat ।
sāntaḥpuravarō rājā sabrāhmaṇapurōhitaḥ ॥
The Rājarshi Viṡwāmitra also, along with his
close confidants and Brāhmaṇas and Purōhitas
was very satisfied and happy.
1.53.7
ஸாமாத்யோ மந்த்ரிஸஹித: ஸப்ருத்ய: பூஜிதஸ்ததா ।
யுக்த: பரமஹர்ஷேண வஸிஷ்டமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
sāmātyō mantrisahitaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ pūjitastadā ।
yuktaḥ paramaharṣēṇa vasiṣṭhamidamabravīt ॥
That properly respected, contented and happy Viṡwāmitra,
along with his ministers and staff, said to Vasishṭha:
1.53.8
பூஜிதோऽஹம் த்வயா ப்ரஹ்மந் பூஜார்ஹேண ஸுஸத்க்ருத: ।
ஸ்ரூயதாமபிதாஸ்யாமி வாக்யம் வாக்யவிஸாரத ॥
pūjitō'haṃ tvayā brahman pūjārhēṇa susatkṛtaḥ ।
ṡrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi vākyaṃ vākyaviṡārada ॥
O Brahman, I have been treated well and honored by
you, the honorable one.
I would like to say something to you, the prudent!
1.53.9
கவாம் ஸதஸஹஸ்ரேண தீயதாம் ஸபலா மம ।
ரத்நம் ஹி பகவந்நேதத்ரத்நஹாரீ ச பார்திவ: ।
தஸ்மாந்மே ஸபலாம் தேஹி மமைஷா தர்மதோ த்விஜ ॥
gavāṃ ṡatasahasrēṇa dīyatāṃ ṡabalā mama ।
ratnaṃ hi bhagavannētadratnahārī ca pārthivaḥ ।
tasmānmē ṡabalāṃ dēhi mamaiṣā dharmatō dvija ॥
O Brāhmaṇa! O Bhagawan! This Ṡabala is a jewel.
Jewels of the land belong to the king.
Hence give me this Ṡabala as per the provision.
I will give you one hundred thousand cows in compensation.
If you happen to buy a thousand acres of land, and later discover that there are diamonds and gold naturally occurring way underneath the surface, does it belong to you?
The laws of various lands at various times varied on this question.
Traditional law in India holds that anything that is excavated from underneath the ground belongs to the nation/state/king.
Viṡwāmitra is clearly subverting that provision in making this demand.
1.53.10
ஏவமுக்தஸ்து பகவாந் வஸிஷ்டோ முநிஸத்தம: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரேண தர்மாத்மா ப்ரத்யுவாச மஹீபதிம் ॥
ēvamuktastu bhagavān vasiṣṭhō munisattamaḥ ।
viṡvāmitrēṇa dharmātmā pratyuvāca mahīpatim ॥
The Dharmātmā, the best among Munis, the Bhagawan
Vasishṭha responded to Viṡwāmitra's words by saying:
1.53.11
நாஹம் ஸதஸஹஸ்ரேண நாபி கோடிஸதைர்கவாம் ।
ராஜந் தாஸ்யாமி ஸபலாம் ராஸிபீ ரஜதஸ்ய வா ॥
nāhaṃ ṡatasahasrēṇa nāpi kōṭiṡatairgavām ।
rājan dāsyāmi ṡabalāṃ rāṡibhī rajatasya vā ॥
I cannot give away Ṡabala in exchange
for a hundred thousand cows.
Not even for a hundred crore of them.
Nor for mountains of silver.
1.53.12
ந பரித்யாகமர்ஹேயம் மத்ஸகாஸாதரிந்தம ।
ஸாஸ்வதீ ஸபலா மஹ்யம் கீர்திராத்மவதோ யதா ॥
na parityāgamarhēyaṃ matsakāṡādarindama ।
ṡāṡvatī ṡabalā mahyaṃ kīrtirātmavatō yathā ॥
O tormentor of foes!
Ṡabala cannot be separated from me.
She will be with me forever,
like the reputation of a conscientious person.
1.53.13
அஸ்யாம் ஹவ்யம் ச கவ்யம் ப்ராணயாத்ரா ததைவ ச ।
ஆயத்தமக்நிஹோத்ரம் ச பலிர்ஹோமஸ்ததைவ ச ॥
asyāṃ havyaṃ ca kavyaṃ prāṇayātrā tathaiva ca ।
āyattamagnihōtraṃ ca balirhōmastathaiva ca ॥
Offerings to gods (Havya), offerings to ancestors (Kavya),
offerings to Agni, offerings to all beings, the needs of Hōma
and the provisions for my very own livelihood
are dependent on this cow.
1.53.14
ஸ்வாஹாகாரவஷட்காரௌ வித்யாஸ்ச விவிதாஸ்ததா ।
ஆயத்தமத்ர ராஜர்ஷே ஸர்வமேதந்ந ஸம்ஸய: ॥
svāhākāravaṣaṭkārau vidyāṡca vividhāstathā ।
āyattamatra rājarṣē sarvamētanna saṃṡayaḥ ॥
O Rājarshi! For that matter, the entire body of
ritual works including Swāha and Vashaṭ
are dependent on this cow.
1.53.15
ஸர்வஸ்வமேதத்ஸத்யேந மம துஷ்டிகரீ ஸதா ।
காரணைர்பஹுபீ ராஜந்ந தாஸ்யே ஸபலாம் தவ ॥
sarvasvamētatsatyēna mama tuṣṭikarī sadā ।
kāraṇairbahubhī rājanna dāsyē ṡabalāṃ tava ॥
O King! This cow is everything to me.
She always keeps me contented and at peace.
For these and many more reasons
I would not be able to give away Ṡabala to you.
1.53.16
வஸிஷ்டேநைவமுக்தஸ்து விஸ்வாமித்ரோऽப்ரவீத்தத: ।
ஸம்ரப்ததரமத்யர்தம் வாக்யம் வாக்யவிஸாரத: ॥
vasiṣṭhēnaivamuktastu viṡvāmitrō'bravīttataḥ ।
saṃrabdhataramatyarthaṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviṡāradaḥ ॥
Viṡwāmitra, without having to pause for words,
immediately responded to that Vasishṭha, saying:
1.53.17
ஹைரண்யகக்ஷ்யாக்ரைவேயாந் ஸுவர்ணாங்குஸபூஷிதாந் ।
ததாமி குஞ்ஜராணாம் தே ஸஹஸ்ராணி சதுர்தஸ ॥
hairaṇyakakṣyāgraivēyān suvarṇāṅkuṡabhūṣitān ।
dadāmi kuñjarāṇāṃ tē sahasrāṇi caturdaṡa ॥
I will give you fourteen thousand elephants
decked with golden chains around
their waists and necks along with golden goads.
1.53.18
ஹைரண்யாநாம் ரதாநாம் தே ஸ்வேதாஸ்வாநாம் சதுர்யுஜாம் ।
ததாமி தே ஸதாந்யஷ்டௌ கிங்கிணீகவிபூஷிதாந் ॥
hairaṇyānāṃ rathānāṃ tē ṡvētāṡvānāṃ caturyujām ।
dadāmi tē ṡatānyaṣṭau kiṅkiṇīkavibhūṣitān ॥
I will give you eight hundred golden chariots
adorned with jingle bells, each with four white horses.
1.53.19
ஹயாநாம் தேஸஜாதாநாம் குலஜாநாம் மஹௌஜஸாம் ।
ஸஹஸ்ரமேகம் தஸ ச ததாமி தவ ஸுவ்ரத ॥
hayānāṃ dēṡajātānāṃ kulajānāṃ mahaujasām ।
sahasramēkaṃ daṡa ca dadāmi tava suvrata ॥
O Suvrata! I will give you eleven thousand
Of the strongest, fastest and best breed of
horses born in the country.
1.53.20
நாநாவர்ணவிபக்தாநாம் வய:ஸ்தாநாம் ததைவ ச ।
ததாம்யேகாம் கவாம் கோடிம் ஸபலா தீயதாம் மம ॥
nānāvarṇavibhaktānāṃ vayaḥsthānāṃ tathaiva ca ।
dadāmyēkāṃ gavāṃ kōṭiṃ ṡabalā dīyatāṃ mama ॥
I will give one crore young cows in a variety of colors.
May Ṡabala be given to me.
1.53.21
யாவதிச்சஸி ரத்நம் வா ஹிரண்யம் வா த்விஜோத்தம ।
தாவத்ததாமி தத்ஸர்வம் ஸபலா தீயதாம் மம ॥
yāvadicchasi ratnaṃ vā hiraṇyaṃ vā dvijōttama ।
tāvaddadāmi tatsarvaṃ ṡabalā dīyatāṃ mama ॥
O best among Brāhmaṇas!
I will give you gold, precious stones
and whatever else you would like.
May Ṡabala be given to me.
1.53.22
ஏவமுக்தஸ்து பகவாந் விஸ்வாமித்ரேண தீமதா ।
ந தாஸ்யாமீதி ஸபலாம் ப்ராஹ ராஜந் கதஞ்சந ॥
ēvamuktastu bhagavān viṡvāmitrēṇa dhīmatā ।
na dāsyāmīti ṡabalāṃ prāha rājan kathañcana ॥
Hearing those words of astute Viṡwāmitra,
Bhagawan Vasishṭha said:
O king! No matter what, I will not give Ṡabala.
1.53.23
ஏததேவ ஹி மே ரத்நமேததேவ ஹி மே தநம் ।
ஏததேவ ஹி ஸர்வஸ்வமேததேவ ஹி ஜீவிதம் ॥
ētadēva hi mē ratnamētadēva hi mē dhanam ।
ētadēva hi sarvasvamētadēva hi jīvitam ॥
This is my jewel. This is my wealth.
This is my life. This is everything to me.
1.53.24
தர்ஸஸ்ச பூர்ணமாஸஸ்ச யஜ்ஞாஸ்சைவாப்ததக்ஷிணா: ।
ஏததேவ ஹி மே ராஜந் விவிதாஸ்ச க்ரியாஸ்ததா ॥
darṡaṡca pūrṇamāsaṡca yajñāṡcaivāptadakṣiṇāḥ ।
ētadēva hi mē rājan vividhāṡca kriyāstathā ॥
O King! This, for me, is Darṡa Yajña,
Poorṇa Māsa Yajña and all Yajñas involving honorarium.
For that matter, this is the basis for every activity.
Darṡa refers to the fire ritual done
on a new moon (Amāvāsya) day.
Poorṇa Māsa Yajña refers to the fire ritual
done on a full moon (Pourṇami) day.
1.53.25
அதோமூலா: க்ரியா: ஸர்வா மம ராஜந்ந ஸம்ஸய: ।
பஹுநா கிம் ப்ரலாபேந ந தாஸ்யே காமதோஹிநீம் ॥
adōmūlāḥ kriyāḥ sarvā mama rājanna saṃṡayaḥ ।
bahunā kiṃ pralāpēna na dāsyē kāmadōhinīm ॥
O King! This is the ultimate basis for all of my activities.
There is no use of this extensive conversation.
I will not give away this Ṡabala that gives me everything.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே த்ரிபஞ்சாஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē tripañcāṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the fifty third Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1593 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.