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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 59
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra assures Triṡaṅku that he would send him to the heavens with his mortal body. He sends his Ṡishyas to invite all the Ṛshis to perform the Yajña. Everyone except a Ṛshi by name Mahōdaya and the one hundred sons of Vasishṭha who are very critical of the inappropriateness of the whole effort and decline the invitation, turn up to perform the Yajña.
In this Sarga, you will witness the sharpness of the pen of Vālmeeki in bringing this drama of altercation to life.
1.59.1
உக்தவாக்யம் து ராஜாநம் க்ருபயா குஸிகாத்மஜ: ।
அப்ரவீந்மதுரம் வாக்யம் ஸாக்ஷாச்சண்டாலரூபிணம் ॥
uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ kṛpayā kuṡikātmajaḥ ।
abravīnmadhuraṃ vākyaṃ sākṣāccaṇḍālarūpiṇam ॥
To that king who said thus,
who was in the form of a Caṇḍāla,
the son of Kuṡika told these
sweet words with compassion:
1.59.2
ஐஷ்வாக ஸ்வாகதம் வத்ஸ ஜாநாமி த்வாம் ஸுதார்மிகம் ।
ஸரணம் தே பவிஷ்யாமி மா பைஷீர்ந்ருபபுங்கவ ॥
aiṣvāka svāgataṃ vatsa jānāmi tvāṃ sudhārmikam ।
ṡaraṇaṃ tē bhaviṣyāmi mā bhaiṣīrnṛpapuṅgava ॥
O dear king of Ikshwāku lineage!
I know that you are a good Dhārmika!
O bull among kings! Do not worry! I will help you out!
1.59.3
அஹமாமந்த்ரயே ஸர்வாந் மஹர்ஷீந் புண்யகர்மண: ।
யஜ்ஞஸாஹ்யகராந் ராஜம்ஸ்ததோ யக்ஷ்யஸி நிர்வ்ருத: ॥
ahamāmantrayē sarvān maharṣīn puṇyakarmaṇaḥ ।
yajñasāhyakarān rājaṃstatō yakṣyasi nirvṛtaḥ ॥
O King! I will invite all the great Ṛshis,
who have done many Punya Karmas, to help with the Yajña.
May you perform the Yajña without any worry!
1.59.4
குருஸாபக்ருதம் ரூபம் யதிதம் த்வயி வர்ததே ।
அநேந ஸஹ ரூபேண ஸஸரீரோ கமிஷ்யஸி ॥
guruṡāpakṛtaṃ rūpaṃ yadidaṃ tvayi vartatē ।
anēna saha rūpēṇa saṡarīrō gamiṣyasi ॥
You would go (to Heaven) with the mortal body,
in this very form that you begot because
of the curse of your Guru.
Human history must have witnessed these very words, as spoken in Ṡlōka 5, billions of times by now and would witness the same forever to come.
There will always be a Triṡaṅku who wants the impossible. There will always be a Vasishṭha who knows the limitations of possibilities and tries to counsel him. There will always be a Viṡwāmitra who take it as a personal challenge (and learns the lesson at the end, as you would see in the Sargas ahead).
Do we not come across umpteen mediocre consulting companies that promise the heaven if there is a client to bite the offer, even after experts have concluded that it is not possible with the specific conditions laid down by the client?
1.59.5
ஹஸ்தப்ராப்தமஹம் மந்யே ஸ்வர்கம் தவ நராதிப ।
யஸ்த்வம் கௌஸிகமாகம்ய ஸரண்யம் ஸரணாகத: ॥
hastaprāptamahaṃ manyē svargaṃ tava narādhipa ।
yastvaṃ kauṡikamāgamya ṡaraṇyaṃ ṡaraṇāgataḥ ॥
O ruler of men! Consider that heaven is right in your hand,
seeking refuge from the right person, the son of Kouṡika!
1.59.6
ஏவமுக்த்வா மஹாதேஜா: புத்ராந் பரமதார்மிகாந் ।
வ்யாதிதேஸ மஹாப்ராஜ்ஞாந் யஜ்ஞஸம்பாரகாரணாத் ।
ēvamuktvā mahātējāḥ putrān paramadhārmikān ।
vyādidēṡa mahāprājñān yajñasambhārakāraṇāt ।
That supremely radiant Viṡwāmitra ordered his sons,
who were very knowledgeable and good Dhārmikas,
to make everything ready for the Yajña.
1.59.7
ஸர்வாந் ஸிஷ்யாந் ஸமாஹூய வாக்யமேததுவாச ஹ ।
ஸர்வாந்ருஷிகணாந் வத்ஸா ஆநயத்வம் மமாஜ்ஞயா ।
ஸஸிஷ்யஸுஹ்ருதஸ்சைவ ஸர்த்விஜ: ஸபஹுஸ்ருதாந் ॥
sarvān ṡiṣyān samāhūya vākyamētaduvāca ha ।
sarvānṛṣigaṇān vatsā ānayadhvaṃ mamājñayā ।
saṡiṣyasuhṛdaṡcaiva sartvijaḥ sabahuṡrutān ॥
He called on all his Ṡishyas and said:
O dear ones! Please invite all the Ṛshis on my behalf
along with their Ṡishyas, friends and Ṛtvijas.
1.59.8
யதந்யோ வசநம் ப்ரூயாந்மத்வாக்யபலசோதித: ।
தத்ஸர்வமகிலேநோக்தம் மமாக்யேயமநாத்ருதம் ॥
yadanyō vacanaṃ brūyānmadvākyabalacōditaḥ ।
tatsarvamakhilēnōktaṃ mamākhyēyamanādṛtam ॥
If anyone seems to be flippant
about the seriousness of my word,
may all that be relayed back to me in full detail.
1.59.9
தஸ்ய தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா திஸோ ஜக்முஸ்ததாஜ்ஞயா ।
ஆஜக்முரத தேஸேப்ய: ஸர்வேப்யோ ப்ரஹ்மவாதிந: ॥
tasya tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā diṡō jagmustadājñayā ।
ājagmuratha dēṡēbhyaḥ sarvēbhyō brahmavādinaḥ ॥
Hearing those words, they went in every direction.
Then the Bhrahmavādis from all places arrived there.
1.59.10
தே ச ஸிஷ்யா: ஸமாகம்ய முநிம் ஜ்வலிததேஜஸம் ।
ஊசுஸ்ச வசநம் ஸர்வே ஸர்வேஷாம் ப்ரஹ்மவாதிநாம் ॥
tē ca ṡiṣyāḥ samāgamya muniṃ jvalitatējasam ।
ūcuṡca vacanaṃ sarvē sarvēṣāṃ brahmavādinām ॥
The Ṡishyas came back and told
all that the Bhrahmavādis said
to that Muni, who was glowing like fire.
1.59.11
ஸ்ருத்வா தே வசநம் ஸர்வே ஸமாயாந்தி த்விஜாதய: ।
ஸர்வதேஸேஷு சாகச்சந் வர்ஜயித்வா மஹோதயம் ॥
ṡrutvā tē vacanaṃ sarvē samāyānti dvijātayaḥ ।
sarvadēṡēṣu cāgacchan varjayitvā mahōdayam ॥
All the Brāhmaṇas are coming following your invitation.
Everyone from every place is coming except Mahōdaya.
1.59.12
வாஸிஷ்டம் தச்சதம் ஸர்வம் க்ரோதபர்யாகுலாக்ஷரம் ।
யதாஹ வசநம் ஸர்வம் ஸ்ருணு த்வம் முநிபுங்கவ ॥
vāsiṣṭhaṃ tacchataṃ sarvaṃ krōdhaparyākulākṣaram ।
yadāha vacanaṃ sarvaṃ ṡṛṇu tvaṃ munipuṅgava ॥
O best among the Munis! Let us tell you about
what the hundred sons of Vasishṭha said in an angry voice:
1.59.13
க்ஷத்ரியோ யாஜகோ யஸ்ய சண்டாலஸ்ய விஸேஷத: ।
கதம் ஸதஸி போக்தாரோ ஹவிஸ்தஸ்ய ஸுரர்ஷய: ॥
kṣatriyō yājakō yasya caṇḍālasya viṡēṣataḥ ।
kathaṃ sadasi bhōktārō havistasya surarṣayaḥ ॥
Which Ṛshi or Sura will accept the offerings from a Yajña
performed under the supervision of a Kshatriya,
especially by a Caṇḍāla?
In the current days of aggressive criticism of caste system, everything is susceptible to be interpreted in that context, especially the words Kshatriya, Brāhmaṇa and Caṇḍāla as used in this Ṡlōka.
To be fair and to benefit from such writings as the Rāmāyaṇa, we must transport ourselves to those times and interpret the language as they would have meant.
The right parallel for this Ṡlōka in these modern times would be a situation where a politician (Kshatriya) tries to portray himself as an advocate and a roadside gang leader (Caṇḍāla) tries to preside over as the judge, in a court of law. The Ṛshis are like an august body that tries to keep the sanctity of law.
Kshatriya represents the executive branch. Caṇḍāla represents a person, who utterly misses his sense of civility or notion of society, etc.
If we interpret any of these terms to represent castes as we know of them today, we lose the entire message of the Rāmāyaṇa.
Even in universities and research laboratories, we see Caṇḍālas and Kshatriyas roaming around, trying to snatch the opportunities to steal credit and cause trouble to the sincere Ṛshis.
A Ṛshi accepting an offering from a Caṇḍāla is like a senior professor accepting a worthless thesis, because it happens to come from a threatening gang leader in the campus.
1.59.14
ப்ராஹ்மணா வா மஹாத்மாநோ புக்த்வா சண்டாலபோஜநம் ।
கதம் ஸ்வர்கம் கமிஷ்யந்தி விஸ்வாமித்ரேண பாலிதா: ॥
brāhmaṇā vā mahātmānō bhuktvā caṇḍālabhōjanam ।
kathaṃ svargaṃ gamiṣyanti viṡvāmitrēṇa pālitāḥ ॥
How can the Mahātma Brāhmaṇas
who eat the food given by a Caṇḍāla
as per the words of Viṡwāmitra go to Heaven?
1.59.15
ஏதத்வசநநைஷ்டுர்யமூசு: ஸம்ரக்தலோசநா: ।
வாஸிஷ்டா முநிஸார்தூல ஸர்வே தே ஸமஹோதயா: ॥
ētadvacananaiṣṭhuryamūcuḥ saṃraktalōcanāḥ ।
vāsiṣṭhā muniṡārdūla sarvē tē samahōdayāḥ ॥
O tiger among Munis!
The sons of Vasishṭha along with Mahōdaya,
filled with anger and eyes blood-red,
said these caustic words.
1.59.16
தேஷாம் தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வேஷாம் முநிபுங்கவ: ।
க்ரோதஸம்ரக்தநயந: ஸரோஷமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
tēṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā sarvēṣāṃ munipuṅgavaḥ ।
krōdhasaṃraktanayanaḥ sarōṣamidamabravīt ॥
Hearing those words,
that foremost among Munis
became outraged and said to all of them
with his eyes turned blood-red:
1.59.17
யே தூஷயந்த்யதுஷ்டம் மாம் தப உக்ரம் ஸமாஸ்திதம் ।
பஸ்மீபூதா துராத்மாநோ பவிஷ்யந்தி ந ஸம்ஸய: ॥
yē dūṣayantyaduṣṭaṃ māṃ tapa ugraṃ samāsthitam ।
bhasmībhūtā durātmānō bhaviṣyanti na saṃṡayaḥ ॥
I am not evil by any count and have performed such intense Tapa.
Those foul souls that have thrown such expletives at me,
will turn into ashes, without doubt.
1.59.18
அத்ய தே காலபாஸேந நீதா வைவஸ்வதக்ஷயம் ।
ஸப்தஜாதிஸதாந்யேவ ம்ருதபா: ஸந்து ஸர்வஸ: ॥
adya tē kālapāṡēna nītā vaivasvatakṣayam ।
saptajātiṡatānyēva mṛtapāḥ santu sarvaṡaḥ ॥
All of them will go to hell now,
and shall take seven hundred births, eating dead bodies.
1.59.19
ஸ்வமாம்ஸநியதாஹாரா முஷ்டிகா நாம நிர்க்ருணா: ।
விக்ருதாஸ்ச விரூபாஸ்ச லோகாநநுசரந்த்விமாந் ॥
ṡvamāṃsaniyatāhārā muṣṭikā nāma nirghṛṇāḥ ।
vikṛtāṡca virūpāṡca lōkānanucarantvimān ॥
They will be born as the cruel Mushṭikas
and spend their time in these worlds
eating the flesh of dogs.
1.59.20
மஹோதயஸ்ச துர்புத்திர்மாமதூஷ்யம் ஹ்யதூஷயத் ।
தூஷித: ஸர்வலோகேஷு நிஷாதத்வம் கமிஷ்யதி ॥
mahōdayaṡca durbuddhirmāmadūṣyaṃ hyadūṣayat ।
dūṣitaḥ sarvalōkēṣu niṣādatvaṃ gamiṣyati ॥
May the evil Mahōdaya who accuses me, the untainted one,
be born as a Nishāda, detested in all the worlds.
1.59.21
ப்ராணாதிபாதநிரதோ நிரநுக்ரோஸதாம் கத: ।
தீர்ககாலம் மம க்ரோதாத்துர்கதிம் வர்தயிஷ்யதி ॥
prāṇātipātaniratō niranukrōṡatāṃ gataḥ ।
dīrghakālaṃ mama krōdhāddurgatiṃ vartayiṣyati ॥
Having earned my wrath,
he would lead a wretched life for long,
rejoicing in killing with no pity to speak of.
1.59.22
ஏதாவதுக்த்வா வசநம் விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாதபா: ।
விரராம மஹாதேஜா ருஷிமத்யே மஹாமுநி: ॥
ētāvaduktvā vacanaṃ viṡvāmitrō mahātapāḥ ।
virarāma mahātējā ṛṣimadhyē mahāmuniḥ ॥
Having said all this in the midst of all the Ṛshis,
that supremely radiant great Muni rested finally.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஏகோநஷஷ்டிதம: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ēkōnaṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the fifty ninth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1736 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.