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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 60
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra completes the Yajña to send Triṡaṅku to heaven in his mortal body. But the Dēvas do not accept the invitation to receive their respective portions of the offerings.
Viṡwāmitra gets angry. He spends all the power of Tapa that he has earned over time to send Triṡaṅku to heaven. But Indra and the other Dēvas do not accept Triṡaṅku into heaven and he falls down from there.
Viṡwāmitra, again using his power of Tapa holds him in the middle and creates constellations of stars around him, equivalent to those that are already in the universe.
Both the Dēvas and Viṡwāmitra come to a compromise, that Triṡaṅku would not enter heaven, but would stay in the heaven created by Viṡwāmitra as long as the universe survives.
The drama of the previous Sarga reaches cosmic proportions, literally, in this Sarga. The intriguing aspects of the universe and its equilibrium are brought to the forefront by the story in this Sarga.
Like Ksheera Sagara Mathanam and Kumara Sambhavam, this story of Triṡaṅku also is highly symbolic and stays as a vital piece of Indian Mythology. While Ksheera Sagara Mathanam and Kumara Sambhavam speak of the evolutionary aspects of the universe, the story of Triṡaṅku speaks about its possible fallouts. Viṡwāmitra steps out of the framework and even tries to abandon it with utter disregard to the laws that govern and keep it in equilibrium.
1.60.1
தபோபலஹதாந் க்ருத்வா வாஸிஷ்டாந் ஸமஹோதயாந் ।
ருஷிமத்யே மஹாதேஜா விஸ்வாமித்ரோऽப்யபாஷத ॥
tapōbalahatān kṛtvā vāsiṣṭhān samahōdayān ।
ṛṣimadhyē mahātējā viṡvāmitrō'bhyabhāṣata ॥
After thus rendering the
sons of Vasishṭha and Mahōdaya practically dead,
the supremely radiant Viṡwāmitra said,
in the midst of all the Ṛshis:
1.60.2-3a
அயமிக்ஷ்வாகுதாயாதஸ்த்ரிஸங்குரிதி விஸ்ருத: ।
தர்மிஷ்டஸ்ச வதாந்யஸ்ச மாம் சைவ ஸரணம் கத: ।
தேநாநேந ஸரீரேண தேவலோகஜிகீஷயா ॥
ayamikṣvākudāyādastriṡaṅkuriti viṡrutaḥ ।
dharmiṣṭhaṡca vadānyaṡca māṃ caiva ṡaraṇaṃ gataḥ ।
tēnānēna ṡarīrēṇa dēvalōkajigīṣayā ॥
This renowned and charitable Dhārmika, Triṡaṅku,
born into the Ikshwāku lineage,
would like to go to heaven with mortal body.
He came to me asking for help.
1.60.3b-4a
யதாऽயம் ஸ்வஸரீரேண ஸ்வர்கலோகம் கமிஷ்யதி ।
ததா ப்ரவர்த்யதாம் யஜ்ஞோ பவத்பிஸ்ச மயா ஸஹ ॥
yathā'yaṃ svaṡarīrēṇa svargalōkaṃ gamiṣyati ।
tathā pravartyatāṃ yajñō bhavadbhiṡca mayā saha ॥
Please perform the Yajñas along with me,
that would take him to heaven with his mortal body.
1.60.4b-5a
விஸ்வாமித்ரவச: ஸ்ருத்வா ஸர்வ ஏவ மஹர்ஷய: ।
ஊசு: ஸமேத்ய ஸஹிதா தர்மஜ்ஞா தர்மஸம்ஹிதம் ॥
viṡvāmitravacaḥ ṡrutvā sarva ēva maharṣayaḥ ।
ūcuḥ samētya sahitā dharmajñā dharmasaṃhitam ॥
Upon hearing those words of Viṡwāmitra,
all the Maharshis who knew the Dharma well,
said to each other, as could be expected:
1.60.5b-6
அயம் குஸிகதாயாதோ முநி: பரமகோபந: ।
யதாஹ வசநம் ஸம்யகேதத்கார்யம் ந ஸம்ஸய: ।
அக்நிகல்போ ஹி பகவாந் ஸாபம் தாஸ்யதி ரோஷித: ॥
ayaṃ kuṡikadāyādō muniḥ paramakōpanaḥ ।
yadāha vacanaṃ samyagētatkāryaṃ na saṃṡayaḥ ।
agnikalpō hi bhagavān ṡāpaṃ dāsyati rōṣitaḥ ॥
This Muni, son of Kuṡika is ill-tempered.
We have no choice but to conform to his directives.
He is very capable and like fire,
will curse us, if he gets angry.
This unfortunate acquiescence of the Ṛshis to the will of Viṡwāmitra reminds me of the scenes in some of the Indian movies, where the entire staff of a police department are humiliated by a goon politician who orders them to do whatever he wants.
1.60.7-8a
தஸ்மாத்ப்ரவர்த்யதாம் யஜ்ஞ: ஸஸரீரோ யதா திவம் ॥
கச்சேதிக்ஷ்வாகுதாயாதோ விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்ய தேஜஸா ।
ததா ப்ரவர்த்யதாம் யஜ்ஞ: ஸர்வே ஸமதிதிஷ்டத ॥
tasmātpravartyatāṃ yajñaḥ saṡarīrō yathā divam ॥
gacchēdikṣvākudāyādō viṡvāmitrasya tējasā ।
tathā pravartyatāṃ yajñaḥ sarvē samadhitiṣṭhata ॥
Hence let us do our part in this Yajña
led by the supremely radiant Viṡwāmitra,
that would take this scion of Ikshwāku lineage to
the heaven along with his mortal body.
Let us get started.
1.60.8b-9a
ஏவமுக்த்வா மஹர்ஷய: சக்ருஸ்தாஸ்தா: க்ரியாஸ்ததா ।
யாஜகஸ்ச மஹாதேஜா விஸ்வாமித்ரோऽபவத் க்ரதௌ ॥
ēvamuktvā maharṣayaḥ cakrustāstāḥ kriyāstadā ।
yājakaṡca mahātējā viṡvāmitrō'bhavat kratau ॥
Discussing thus, the Maharshis started with
their respective acts for the Yajña under
the supervision of Viṡwāmitra.
1.60.9b-10a
ருத்விஜஸ்சாநுபூர்வ்யேண மந்த்ரவந்மந்த்ரகோவிதா: ।
சக்ரு: ஸர்வாணி கர்மாணி யதாகல்பம் யதாவிதி ॥
ṛtvijaṡcānupūrvyēṇa mantravanmantrakōvidāḥ ।
cakruḥ sarvāṇi karmāṇi yathākalpaṃ yathāvidhi ॥
The Ṛtvijas among them, who were well versed in Mantras
performed all the activities of the Yajña
as per the procedures laid out in the Ṡāstras,
in the proper order and with the proper Mantras.
Once agreed, they did not do a half-minded job.
Some Brāhmaṇas, even in these modern times, can be said to have the same level of integrity when performing rituals like weddings!
But I wish we could say this about ALL Brāhmaṇas!
1.60.10b-11a
தத: காலேந மஹதா விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாதபா: ।
சகாராவாஹநம் தத்ர பாகார்தம் ஸர்வதேவதா: ॥
tataḥ kālēna mahatā viṡvāmitrō mahātapāḥ ।
cakārāvāhanaṃ tatra bhāgārthaṃ sarvadēvatāḥ ॥
After performing the Yajñas for many days,
the great Tapasvi invited all the Dēvas
to accept their respective portions of the offerings.
1.60.11b-12
நாப்யாகமம்ஸ்ததாஹூதா பாகார்தம் ஸர்வதேவதா: ॥
தத்ர க்ரோதஸமாவிஷ்டோ விஸ்வாமித்ரோ மஹாமுநி: ।
ஸ்ருவமுத்யம்ய ஸக்ரோதஸ்த்ரிஸங்குமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
nābhyāgamaṃstadāhūtā bhāgārthaṃ sarvadēvatāḥ ॥
tatra krōdhasamāviṣṭō viṡvāmitrō mahāmuniḥ ।
sruvamudyamya sakrōdhastriṡaṅkumidamabravīt ॥
But none of the Dēvas accepted that invitation.
Then the great Muni Viṡwāmitra became very angry.
Then, holding up the Sruva, he said to Triṡaṅku
revealing all his anger:
Sruva is a ladle like implement used
for pouring ghee into the Hōma Kuṇḍa.
I can think of several parallels for this in our 'modern' times, as all of you too may do.
Sometimes an executive in a corporation would be hell bent on promoting a certain person, who was earlier rejected by others, just so that he can demonstrate his power.
The Dēvas not accepting the invitation is like a senior leadership team or board of directors not showing up at the meeting where the proposal for the promotion is to be announced.
1.60.13-14a
பஸ்ய மே தபஸோ வீர்யம் ஸ்வார்ஜிதஸ்ய நரேஸ்வர ।
ஏஷ த்வாம் ஸஸரீரேண நயாமி ஸ்வர்கமோஜஸா ।
துஷ்ப்ராபம் ஸ்வஸரீரேண திவம் கச்ச நராதிப ॥
paṡya mē tapasō vīryaṃ svārjitasya narēṡvara ।
ēṣa tvāṃ saṡarīrēṇa nayāmi svargamōjasā ।
duṣprāpaṃ svaṡarīrēṇa divaṃ gaccha narādhipa ॥
O ruler of the people! See what I am going to do
with the power I gained through my very own Tapa!
With my radiant power, I am going to send you to heaven.
Go to the heaven with your mortal body,
a thing that is next to impossible!
1.60.14b-15a
ஸ்வார்ஜிதம் கிஞ்சிதப்யஸ்தி மயா ஹி தபஸ:பலம் ।
ராஜந் ஸ்வதேஜஸா தஸ்ய ஸஸரீரோ திவம் வ்ரஜ ॥
svārjitaṃ kiñcidapyasti mayā hi tapasaḥphalam ।
rājan svatējasā tasya saṡarīrō divaṃ vraja ॥
O King! Whatever power of Tapa
that I earned on my own, is with me.
Use it all and go to heaven with your mortal body.
This reminds me of the boasting by former President of the United States: George W. Bush, who said something like: "I earned a lot of political capital and I like to spend it!", before going to war on Iraq. The consequences are all too well known to discuss.
1.60.15b-16a
உக்தவாக்யே முநௌ தஸ்மிந் ஸஸரீரோ நரேஸ்வர: ।
திவம் ஜகாம காகுத்ஸ்த முநீநாம் பஸ்யதாம் ததா ॥
uktavākyē munau tasmin saṡarīrō narēṡvaraḥ ।
divaṃ jagāma kākutstha munīnāṃ paṡyatāṃ tadā ॥
O prince of Kākutstha lineage!
Just as the Muni was saying those words,
the ruler of people (Triṡaṅku) went to heaven
as all the Munis watched in awe!
1.60.16b-17a
தேவலோககதம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா த்ரிஸங்கும் பாகஸாஸந: ।
ஸஹ ஸர்வை: ஸுரகணைரிதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
dēvalōkagataṃ dṛṣṭvā triṡaṅkuṃ pākaṡāsanaḥ ।
saha sarvaiḥ suragaṇairidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Seeing that Triṡaṅku coming to heaven,
Indra, along with all the Suras, said:
1.60.17b-18a
த்ரிஸங்கோ கச்ச பூயஸ்த்வம் நாஸி ஸ்வர்கக்ருதாலய: ।
குருஸாபஹதோ மூட பத பூமிமவாக்சிரா: ॥
triṡaṅkō gaccha bhūyastvaṃ nāsi svargakṛtālayaḥ ।
guruṡāpahatō mūḍha pata bhūmimavākchirāḥ ॥
O Triṡaṅku ! Foolish you, who earned the curse of a Guru!
You do not belong here!
May you fall back to the earth with your head down!
1.60.18b-19a
ஏவமுக்தோ மஹேந்த்ரேண த்ரிஸங்குரபதத்புந: ।
விக்ரோஸமாநஸ்த்ராஹீதி விஸ்வாமித்ரம் தபோதநம் ॥
ēvamuktō mahēndrēṇa triṡaṅkurapatatpunaḥ ।
vikrōṡamānastrāhīti viṡvāmitraṃ tapōdhanam ॥
With those words of Mahēndra, Triṡaṅku started falling down,
crying loudly for help from Viṡwāmitra, the one rich with Tapa.
1.60.19b-20a
தச்ச்ருத்வா வசநம் தஸ்ய க்ரோஸமாநஸ்ய கௌஸிக: ।
ரோஷமாஹாரயத்தீவ்ரம் திஷ்ட திஷ்டேதி சாப்ரவீத்॥
tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya krōṡamānasya kauṡikaḥ ।
rōṣamāhārayattīvraṃ tiṣṭha tiṣṭhēti cābravīt॥
Hearing those cries for help,
the son of Kuṡika felt very angry
and said: "Hold on there, Hold on there!"
1.60.20b-22a
ருஷிமத்யே ஸ தேஜஸ்வீ ப்ரஜாபதிரிவாபர: ।
ஸ்ருஜந் தக்ஷிணமார்கஸ்தாந் ஸப்தர்ஷீநபராந் புந: ॥
நக்ஷத்ரமாலாமபராமஸ்ருஜத் க்ரோதமூர்ச்சித: ।
தக்ஷிணாம் திஸமாஸ்தாய முநிமத்யே மஹாயஸா: ॥
ṛṣimadhyē sa tējasvī prajāpatirivāparaḥ ।
sṛjan dakṣiṇamārgasthān saptarṣīnaparān punaḥ ॥
nakṣatramālāmaparāmasṛjat krōdhamūrcchitaḥ ।
dakṣiṇāṃ diṡamāsthāya munimadhyē mahāyaṡāḥ ॥
O Rāma! As all those Ṛshis were watching,
as if he were another Brahma,
the outraged Viṡwāmitra
created another Saptarshi Maṇḍala and all other
constellations of stars in the southern hemisphere.
Saptarshi Maṇḍala refers to the seven bright well known stars,
that are also known as Big Dipper,
which is part of Ursa Major constellation.
I cannot help continuing the analogy in today's context.
The adamant executive promoted him. But the senior leadership did not quite accept him and pushed him down.
Then the adamant executive gives him another office and staff, spending all his political will and budget.
1.60.22b-23
ஸ்ருஷ்ட்வா நக்ஷத்ரவம்ஸம் ச க்ரோதேந கலுஷீக்ருத: ।
அந்யமிந்த்ரம் கரிஷ்யாமி லோகோ வா ஸ்யாதநிந்த்ரக: ।
தைவதாந்யபி ஸ க்ரோதாத் ஸ்ரஷ்டும் ஸமுபசக்ரமே ॥
sṛṣṭvā nakṣatravaṃṡaṃ ca krōdhēna kaluṣīkṛtaḥ ।
anyamindraṃ kariṣyāmi lōkō vā syādanindrakaḥ ।
daivatānyapi sa krōdhāt sraṣṭuṃ samupacakramē ॥
After creating families of stars, blinded by rage, he said:
"I will create another Indra or
I may even make the world devoid of Indra"
and started to create new Dēvas also.
Let us continue with our parallel.
Imagine our adamant executive to be the head of sales, under whose regime the company saw stellar sales for over a decade. His star would be apparently on the rise. And no one can quite pull themselves together to say ‘no’ to him. But at the same time, they cannot accept his moves.
Imagine that executive, then attempting to move the pawns to change the Board of Directors themselves.
1.60.24
தத: பரமஸம்ப்ராந்தா: ஸர்ஷிஸங்கா: ஸுராஸுரா: ।
விஸ்வாமித்ரம் மஹாத்மாநமூசு: ஸாநுநயம் வச: ॥
tataḥ paramasambhrāntāḥ sarṣisaṅghāḥ surāsurāḥ ।
viṡvāmitraṃ mahātmānamūcuḥ sānunayaṃ vacaḥ ॥
Then astounded and horrified, all the Ṛshis, Suras and Asuras
said these words of compromise to that Mahātma Viṡwāmitra:
1.60.25
அயம் ராஜா மஹாபாக குருஸாபபரிக்ஷத: ।
ஸஸரீரோ திவம் யாதும் நார்ஹத்யேஹ தபோதந ॥
ayaṃ rājā mahābhāga guruṡāpaparikṣataḥ ।
saṡarīrō divaṃ yātuṃ nārhatyēha tapōdhana ॥
O Tapasvi! O blessed one! This king,
who had earned the curse of the Guru
cannot enter heaven with his mortal body.
1.60.26
தேஷாம் தத்வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா தேவாநாம் முநிபுங்கவ: ।
அப்ரவீத் ஸுமஹத்வாக்யம் கௌஸிக: ஸர்வதேவதா: ॥
tēṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ ṡrutvā dēvānāṃ munipuṅgavaḥ ।
abravīt sumahadvākyaṃ kauṡikaḥ sarvadēvatāḥ ॥
Hearing those words of all the Dēvas,
the foremost among Munis, the son of Kuṡika,
replied in a haughty language:
1.60.27
ஸஸரீரஸ்ய பத்ரம் வஸ்த்ரிஸங்கோரஸ்ய பூபதே: ।
ஆரோஹணம் ப்ரதிஜ்ஞாய நாந்ருதம் கர்துமுத்ஸஹே ॥
saṡarīrasya bhadraṃ vastriṡaṅkōrasya bhūpatēḥ ।
ārōhaṇaṃ pratijñāya nānṛtaṃ kartumutsahē ॥
I do not want my words of sending
this king, Triṡaṅku, to heaven go to naught.
May all bode well for you!
How did this universe come into being? What are the laws and rules governing it? What is possible and impossible in this universe?
What is the meaning of creation and expansion? How did something come from nothing? What does it take for anything to come into being? How does it affect the equilibrium of the universe? What is the meaning of dissolution?
What forms and properties develop spontaneously at the time of creation? What properties simply happen to become manifested from the unmanifested state?
How much of the unmanifested can be known by the manifested?
These are the concerns that our ancient Ṛshis contemplated upon and got absorbed with. Stories like that of Viṡwāmitra has this magical capability to lift us to the realms of that kind of thinking.
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Viṡwāmitra gained a tremendous amount of energy through Tapa. He is like the Black Hole, to use a term from modern astronomy.
He is spewing new constellations that were never there before. And, that is of concern to the Dēvas, whose job is to protect the equilibrium of the Universe.
(As a matter of fact, on the day of Vaikunṭha Ēkādasi which we celebrate every year, the Dēvas come from the north to report to their Lord Vishṇu, that everything is functioning properly and the equilibrium is maintained!)
Now the Dēvas are facing the challenge of accommodating Viṡwāmitra's creation, without any disturbance to the equilibrium of the existing creation.
The term 'Vaiswānara' in Ṡlōka 31 refers to the fundamentals of the structure of the universe as visualized by the sages as having four parts, three of them being unmanifest and one of them being manifest. (Maṇḍūkyōpanishad describes this specific abstraction of the Universe.)
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Again, the symbolism is so strong here, that we cannot but continue with our parallel to this, in terms of dynamics at the top echelons of management in modern corporations.
What Viṡwāmitra did amounts to creating a parallel business unit within the company. What Suras did amounts to the Board of Directors spinning it off as a separate business.
1.60.28-29
ஸ்வர்கோऽஸ்து ஸஸரீரஸ்ய த்ரிஸங்கோரஸ்ய ஸாஸ்வத: ।
நக்ஷத்ராணி ச ஸர்வாணி மாமகாநி த்ருவாண்யத ॥
யாவல்லோகா தரிஷ்யந்தி திஷ்டந்த்வேதாநி ஸர்வஸ: ।
மத்க்ருதாநி ஸுரா: ஸர்வே ததநுஜ்ஞாதுமர்ஹத ॥
svargō'stu saṡarīrasya triṡaṅkōrasya ṡāṡvataḥ ।
nakṣatrāṇi ca sarvāṇi māmakāni dhruvāṇyatha ॥
yāvallōkā dhariṣyanti tiṣṭhantvētāni sarvaṡaḥ ।
matkṛtāni surāḥ sarvē tadanujñātumarhatha ॥
O Suras! May this Triṡaṅku be
in heaven forever, with his mortal body!
May all these constellations of stars that I created
stay there forever, as long as all these worlds survive!
And I hope you all would be agreeable with this!
1.60.30-32a
ஏவமுக்தா: ஸுரா: ஸர்வே ப்ரத்யூசுர்முநிபுங்கவம் ॥
ஏவம் பவது பத்ரம் தே திஷ்டந்த்வேதாநி ஸர்வஸ: ।
ககநே தாந்யநேகாநி வைஸ்வாநரபதாத்பஹி: ॥
நக்ஷத்ராணி முநிஸ்ரேஷ்ட தேஷு ஜ்யோதிஷ்ஷு ஜாஜ்வலந் ।
அவாக்சிராஸ்த்ரிஸங்குஸ்ச திஷ்டத்வமரஸந்நிப: ॥
ēvamuktāḥ surāḥ sarvē pratyūcurmunipuṅgavam ॥
ēvaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ tē tiṣṭhantvētāni sarvaṡaḥ ।
gaganē tānyanēkāni vaiṡvānarapathādbahiḥ ॥
nakṣatrāṇi muniṡrēṣṭha tēṣu jyōtiṣṣu jājvalan ।
avākchirāstriṡaṅkuṡca tiṣṭhatvamarasannibhaḥ ॥
To those words of the foremost among Munis,
All the Dēvas responded by saying:
O foremost of Munis! May all of these
multiple star constellations stay forever in the space
outside of the regular universe.
May Triṡaṅku, with his head downwards,
stay glowing among them, like another Dēva!
1.60.32b-33a
அநுயாஸ்யந்தி சைதாநி ஜ்யோதீம்ஷி ந்ருபஸத்தமம் ।
க்ருதார்தம் கீர்திமந்தஞ்ச ஸ்வர்கலோககதம் ததா ॥
anuyāsyanti caitāni jyōtīṃṣi nṛpasattamam ।
kṛtārthaṃ kīrtimantañca svargalōkagataṃ tathā ॥
These star constellations would follow him
just as if he has ascended to heaven!
May this great king thus become renowned
and have his wish fulfilled!
1.60.33b-34a
விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்து தர்மாத்மா ஸர்வதேவைரபிஷ்டுத: ।
ருஷிபிஸ்ச மஹாதேஜா பாடமித்யாஹ தேவதா: ॥
viṡvāmitrastu dharmātmā sarvadēvairabhiṣṭutaḥ ।
ṛṣibhiṡca mahātējā bāḍhamityāha dēvatāḥ ॥
The supremely radiant Dharmātmā, Viṡwāmitra
applauded by the Ṛshis and Dēvas said: May it be so!
1.60.34
ததோ தேவா மஹாத்மாநோ முநயஸ்ச தபோதநா: ।
ஜக்முர்யதாகதம் ஸர்வே யஜ்ஞஸ்யாந்தே நரோத்தம ॥
tatō dēvā mahātmānō munayaṡca tapōdhanāḥ ।
jagmuryathāgataṃ sarvē yajñasyāntē narōttama ॥
O best among men (Rāma)!
Then all the Mahātma Dēvas and
all the Munis who were rich with Tapa
returned to their respective places,
as that Yajña had drawn to a close.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஷஷ்டிதம: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the sixtieth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1770 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.