Bala Kanda, Sarga 1

Meaning

The ascetic Vālmīki put the following question direct to Nārada, the chief of hermits, nay, the foremost of those skilled in expression, who remains ever engaged in askesis and self-study—the study of the Vedas : (1)

Meaning

“Who can possibly be full of virtues in this world at present? Nay, who is possessed of prowess and knows what is right? Who is conscious of services done, truthful of speech and firm of resolve? (2)

Meaning

“Who is possessed of right conduct and who is friendly to all living beings? Who is a man of knowledge? Nay, who is powerful and who has a singularly lovable appearance? (3)

Meaning

“Who has subdued his self? Who has conquered anger? Who is possessed of splendour and who is above fault-finding, and whom do the very gods dread when his wrath has been (apparently) provoked in battle? (4)

Meaning

“I wish to hear this; for there is a great curiosity in my mind about it, while you are capable of knowing such a man, O eminent seer !” (5)

Meaning

Hearing this appeal of Vālmīki, the sage Nārada, who possessed knowledge of the three worlds, said, “Listen !” and greatly delighted, addressed the following words : (6)

Meaning

“I shall duly consider and tell you of such a hero. Be pleased to hear from me of the man endowed with the manifold and rare virtues that have been described by you. (7)

Meaning

“There is one descended in the line of Ikṣwāku, and known by the name of ‘Rāma’. He has fully controlled his mind, is very powerful, radiant and resolute and has brought his senses under control. (8)

Meaning

“He is intelligent, sagacious, eloquent, glorious and an exterminator of foes. He is distinguished with broad shoulders, powerful arms, a neck shaped as a conch and a stout chin. (9)

Meaning

“He is marked with a broad chest, a mighty bow and a collar-bone covered with flesh, and is capable of subduing his foes. His unusually long arms extend right upto his knees. He has a well-formed head, a shapely forehead and a charming gait. (10)

Meaning

“He is of medium stature, neither very tall nor very short, has well-proportioned limbs, has a shining complexion, is mighty, has a rounded chest, large eyes, is full of splendour and has auspicious marks on his body. (11)

Meaning

“He knows the secret of virtue, and is true to his promise and intent on the good of the people. He is illustrious, full of wisdom, pure in his dealings, a man of self-control and concentrated mind. (12)

Meaning

“He is a supporter of the creation like Brahmā, the lord of created beings, affluent, the slayer of his enemies, a protector of living beings and a staunch defender of faith. (13)

Meaning

“He is a vindicator of his own virtue and the protector of his own people. He knows the truth of the Vedas and the six sciences (grammar etc.) auxiliary to them and is a past master in archery. (14)

Meaning

“He knows the real meaning of all the scriptures, is possessed of a sharp memory and quick wit. He is popular in all the worlds, is pious, high-minded and shrewd. (15)

Meaning

“He is always sought by the righteous even as the ocean is by rivers. He is noble, nay, alike to all and always wears a pleasing countenance. (16)

Meaning

“He is endowed with all excellences and enhances the delight of his mother, Kausalyā. He vies with the ocean in profundity and compares with the Himālaya in point of firmness. (17)

Meaning

“He is a replica of Lord Viṣṇu in prowess and is pleasing of aspect as the moon. In (show of) anger, he resembles the destructive fire at the end of creation and is a counterpart of Mother Earth in forbearance. (18)

Meaning

“He equals Kubera (the god of riches, the bestower of wealth) in liberality and is another Dharma, the god of piety, as it were, in point of truthfulness. “With intent to gratify the people, the king, Emperor Daśaratha, lovingly sought to invest with the office of Regent his beloved son, Śrī Rāma, who possessed unfailing prowess and was adorned with the aforesaid qualities, who was not only the eldest of his four sons in point of age, but was also endowed with the highest virtues and devoted to the interests of the people. Witnessing the preparations in connection with the installation of Śrī Rāma, the illustrious Queen Kaikeyī, the youngest of the three principal consorts of Emperor Daśaratha, who had been granted a boon by Emperor on a former occasion (in recognition of her oustanding personal courage and service to her husband on the field of battle) however, asked of him in lieu of the promised boon the exile of Śrī Rāma and the installation of Bharata, her own son. (19—22)

Meaning

“Bound as he was by the tie of duty in the form of his plighted word, due to his ever speaking the truth, King Daśaratha exiled his beloved son, Rāma. (23)

Meaning

“In obedience to his father’s command in the form of the boon granted by him in favour of Kaikeyī and with a view to pleasing Kaikeyī (his stepmother), the heroic Rāma retired to the woods in order to implement the pledge of his father. (24)

Meaning

“His loving younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa—who enhanced the delight of his own mother, Sumitrā, the younger of the two other principal consorts of Emperor Daśaratha and who was not only adorned with modesty but a favourite of his brother Śrī Rāma—followed his aforesaid brother out of affection as the latter set out on his journey to the forest, thus testifying to his amicable relationship. Śrī Rāma’s wedded spouse, Sītā, (so-called because she was unearthed from the track of a ploughshare)—who was dear to him as life and was ever friendly to him, who, though not born in the ordinary way from a mother’s womb, was taken as descended in the line of Janaka (a king of Mithilā, Sīradhwaja by name, Janaka being his family title), was endowed with all auspicious marks on her person and was a veritable jewel among women and who looked like the Lord’s own wonderful potency manifested by the Lord Himself—also accompanied Śrī Rāma as Rohiṇī (the spouse of the moon-god, also a constellation of that name, follows the moon-god). Nay, he was followed afar by the citizens of Ayodhyā as well as by his aged father, Daśaratha. (25—28)

Meaning

“Meeting his beloved Guha, the chief of the Niṣādas (a mixed tribe sprung from a Brāhmaṇa through a Śūdra woman), at Śṛṅgaverapura on the bank of the Gaṅgā, Śrī Rāma, who was virtue-incarnate, accompanied by Guha, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, sent away the charioteer back to Ayodhyā. Going from forest to forest, and crossing streams contaning deep water, they saw the sage Bharadwāja at Prayāga and, dismissing Guha there, later on reached Citrakūṭa according to the instructions of sage Bharadwāja and, erecting a lovely cottage, the three sojourned happily there sporting in the woods like gods and Gandharvas (celestial musicians). Śrī Rāma having proceeded to Citrakūṭa on foot as reported by the charioteer, who had since returned to Ayodhyā, Emperor Daśaratha forthwith gave up the ghost and ascended to heaven bewailing his son, stricken as he was with grief at his separation from the latter. Though being urged to accept the throne by the Brāhmaṇas headed by sage Vasiṣṭha (the family priest and preceptor of the kings of Ayodhyā), on the king having departed to the other world, Bharata, who was very powerful, did not covet the throne. He proceeded to the forest in order to please the venerable Rāma and persuade him to return to Ayodhyā and accept his father’s throne. (29—34)

Meaning

“Approaching the high-souled Rāma of unfailing prowess, Bharata, rich in noble sentiments, actually implored Śrī Rāma, his elder brother, accordingly. (35)

Meaning

“He addressed the following words to Śrī Rāma: ‘Let you alone be the ruler, since you know what is right.’ In deference to his father’s decree (boon conferring the throne of Ayodhyā on Bharata) Śrī Rāma too, who was supremely magnanimous and enjoyed a very great renown, and who always wore a gracious aspect, did not hanker for the kingdom. Nay, handing over to Bharata his own pair of wooden sandals as his token of love and urging Bharata to rule over the kingdom, Śrī Rāma, Bharata’s elder brother, who was possessed of great might, persuaded him to return from Citrakūṭa by repeated importunities. Without realizing his ambition (of seeing Śrī Rāma back in Ayodhyā and crowning him king), Bharata returned to Ayodhyā, touching the feet of Śrī Rāma and taking leave of him. (36—38)

Meaning

“Longing for the return of Śrī Rāma, he ruled over the kingdom while living at Nandigrāma, a lonely retreat fourteen miles away from Ayodhyā. When Bharata, however, had left, the glorious Śrī Rāma of unfailing vow, who had conquered his senses and was intent on one object, viz., that of implementing the pledge of his father, entered the Daṇḍaka forest, they say, anticipating the renewed visit of the people of Ayodhyā to that region (of Citrakūṭa). (39-40)

Meaning

“Entering the great forest of Daṇḍaka and having despatched the ogre Virādha, the lotus-eyed Rāma saw one after another the sages Śarabhaṅga and Sutīkṣṇa as well as Agastya and his brother (Idhmavāhana). Nay, at the instance of Agastya himself he accepted with supreme delight a bow, a sword, a pair of quivers containing an inexhaustible stock of arrows, all bestowed upon the sage by Indra, the lord of paradise. While the aforesaid Rāma was sojourning in the forest with foresters, all the seers dwelling in the forest called on him with a request to make short work of the demons and ogres haunting the forest. In the presence of those seers dwelling in the forest of Daṇḍaka and glorious as fire, Śrī Rāma then vowed to kill the ogres in that forest. Nay, the destruction of the ogres in an encounter was solemnly promised by Rāma. (41—45)

Meaning

“The ogress Śūrpaṇakhā (so called because the monstress possessed nails as big as a winnowing fan), who dwelt in Janasthāna (a portion of the Daṇḍaka forest) and was capable of assuming any form at will, was disfigured by Śrī Rāma (by having her nose and ears lopped off by Lakṣmaṇa) while living in that very forest. (46)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma then killed on the field of battle all the ogres that came prepared for an encounter at the instigation of Śūrpaṇakhā, including their leaders Khara, Triśirā and the ogre Dūṣaṇa as also their followers. No less than fourteen thousand of ogres dwelling in Janasthāna were made short work of by Rāma while sojourning in that forest. Stupefied through anger to hear of the destruction of his kinsmen, Rāvaṇa, the king of Laṅkā, sought the help of a fellow-ogre (one of the two sons of the ogress Tāḍakā), Mārīca by name. Though repeatedly discouraged by Mārīca saying, “It is not advisable for you to make enemies with that powerful prince, Śrī Rāma, O Rāvaṇa !” yet turning a deaf ear to his advice and impelled by death, the aforesaid Rāvaṇa, who made people scream (in terror wherever he went out on expedition) then proceeded to the site of Rāma’s hermitage alongwith Mārīca. Having caused the two princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, to be removed afar from the hermitage by the wily Mārīca, he abducted Śrī Rāma’s spouse, Sītā, fatally wounding the vulture, Jaṭāyu, who tried to intercept him and thereby deliver Sītā from his clutches. Now tormented with grief to perceive the vulture mortally wounded and to hear from it of Sītā (the princess of Mithilā, the capital of King Janaka) having been forcibly carried away by Rāvaṇa, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) loudly wailed, his mind agitated through perturbation. Then, having cremated the vulture Jaṭāyu and hunting up Sītā in the forest in that very state of grief, Śrī Rāma came across an ogre, Kabandha by name, who was deformed of body and terrible to look at : so the tradition goes. (47—55)

Meaning

“Having made short work of him, the mighty-armed prince cremated him too and the demon regained his original form of a Gandharva and ascended to heaven. Nay, while rising to heaven he said to Śrī Rāma, ‘Seek, O Rāma (a scion of Raghu), Śabarī, a pious hermitess, who is well-versed in the principles of righteousness.’ The highly glorious Rāma, the destroyer of his foes, accordingly approached Śabarī. (56-57)

Meaning

“Duly worshipped by Śabarī, Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, came into contact with the monkey chief, Hanumān, on the bank of the Pampā lake : so the tradition goes.(58)

Meaning

“At the intercession of Hanumān specifically, he further made friends with Sugrīva. Nay, to Sugrīva the exceedingly powerful Rāma duly narrated from the very beginning (his very birth) the whole of his popular story and the well-known story of Sītā, his consort, in particular. Pleased to hear the whole narrative of Śrī Rāma, the monkey chief, Sugrīva, too made friendship with Śrī Rāma in the presence of the sacred fire as a witness*. Nay, in response to an inquiry made by Śrī Rāma with regard to his enmity with his own elder brother, Vālī, the whole incident was then related by Sugrīva, the ruler of the monkeys, afflicted as he was, to Śrī Rāma and lovingly by made an alliance with him based on mutual trust. A vow was taken by Śrī Rāma that very moment to the effect that Vālī would be killed by him. (59—62)

Meaning

“And, there on Mount Ṛṣyamūka the monkey chief described to Śrī Rāma the unique strength of Vālī, his elder brother, since Sugrīva was full of misgivings concerning Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) in the matter of prowess vis-a-vis his opponent, Vālī. (63)

Meaning

“In order to make Śrī Rāma aware of Vālī’s strength, Sugrīva actually showed to him the exceptionally tall skeleton of the demon, Dundubhi, killed by Vālī, which looked like a big mountain and which had been disdainfully kicked away to a long distance by Vālī. (64)

Meaning

“Smiling at this and gazing on the skeleton, the mighty-armed Śrī Rāma, who possessed extraordinary strength, hurled it with his toe to a distance of full eighty miles. (65)

Meaning

“Nay, in order to inspire confidence in the mind of Sugrīva, Śrī Rāma further pierced on that very occasion with a single mighty shaft one after another as many as seven palmyra trees standing in a line adjacent to one another, a hillock standing by as well as Rasātala (the sixth subterranean plane including the five preceding ones viz., Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala and Mahātala). (66)

Meaning

“Reassured by the latter feat and accompanied by Śrī Rāma, that great monkey, Sugrīva, then marched at once with a mind full of delight to Kiṣkindhā (the capital of Vālī), situated cave-like in the midst of mountains. (67)

Meaning

“Then roared Sugrīva, the monkey chief, who was tawny as gold in appearance. Distracted by that great unusual roar, Vālī, the king of the monkeys, sallied forth to meet Sugrīva. (68)

Meaning

“Reassuring Tārā, his devoted and sagacious wife, who discouraged him by pleading that Sugrīva had since secured the alliance of Śrī Rāma and as such could no longer be conquered, he then closed with Sugrīva and in the course of that very encounter Śrī Rāma (the celebrated scion of Raghu) disposed of Vālī with a single arrow. (69)

Meaning

“Having thus killed Vālī on the field of battle at the instance of Sugrīva, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) then installed Sugrīva himself on Vālī’s throne. (70)

Meaning

“Bringing together all the monkeys, the said Sugrīva, the jewel among the monkeys, too despatched them in all directions, keen as he was to have Sītā (the daughter of Janaka) traced out. (71)

Meaning

“Then, according to the counsel of Sampāti, the vulture king, who could see Sītā in Laṅkā from that distance, the mighty Hanumān leapt across the brackish sea, eight hundred miles broad, that parted the mainland of India from Laṅkā. (72)

Meaning

“Duly reaching the city of Laṅkā, ruled over by the demon king, Rāvaṇa, he found there Sītā confined in a grove of Aśoka trees, contemplating on the feet of Śrī Rāma. (73)

Meaning

“Presenting to her the souvenir in the shape of a signet-ring handed over to him by Śrī Rāma and relating the news about Śrī Rāma’s alliance with Sugrīva and the latter’s installation on the throne of Kiṣkindhā after Vālī, his elder brother and mortal enemy, had been got rid of by Śrī Rāma and having consoled Sītā, the daughter of King Janaka, with the assurance that her consort would shortly come and rescue her after disposing of the tyrannical Rāvaṇa, Hanumān demolished the outer gate of the orchard. (74)

Meaning

“Having made short work of five army-commanders (Piṅgalanetra and others) as also seven sons of ministers (Jambumālī and so on), and crushed the gallant Akṣa (a son of Rāvaṇa), he allowed himself to be bound under the spell of a Brahmāstra or missile presided over by Brahmā, the creator, and discharged by Rāvaṇa’s heir-apparent, Meghanāda. (75)

Meaning

“Though knowing himself as released by the aforesaid missile in consequence of a boon granted by Brahmā to the effect that after undergoing bondage for about a couple of hours, the missile associated with his name being infallible, he would be rid of it, the hero, Hanumān, who was keen to meet Rāvaṇa, deliberately bore with those ogres who carried him in bondage to Rāvaṇa. (76)

Meaning

“Having set on fire the city of Laṅkā barring the abode of Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, alone, the great monkey Hanumān, then came back by the same route to Kiṣkindhā to break the delightful news, of Sītā having been found, to Śrī Rāma. (77)

Meaning

“Approaching the high-souled Śrī Rāma and going round him clockwise as a mark of respect, Hanumān, who was possessed of infinite intelligence, submitted to him that Sītā had been seen by him in reality. (78)

Meaning

“Moving to the shore of the Indian ocean in the extreme south, accompanied by Sugrīva, Śrī Rāma then shook the ocean to its lowest depths (in Pātāla, the nethermost subterranean plane) by his arrows glorious as the sun (on the latter not responding to allow passage to the army of monkeys, that sought to march across it in order to reach Laṅkā in their bid to recover Sītā). (79)

Meaning

“At this, Ocean, the lord of the rivers, not only revealed himself in person to Śrī Rāma but also apologized to him for his refractoriness and only at the intercession of Ocean, Śrī Rāma caused Nala to build a bridge across the sea. (80)

Meaning

“Reaching the city of Laṅkā by the bridge and killing Rāvaṇa in a combat, Śrī Rāma experienced a sense of great shame on getting back Sītā (who had remained so long at the grove of a demon in Laṅkā and could be easily pronounced by critics as polluted). (81)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma then spoke harsh words to her in the assembly of monkeys and others. Resenting them, the aforesaid Sītā, chaste as she was, entered fire. (82)

Meaning

“Coming to know Sītā as sinless from the words of the fire-god, who testified to her chastity, Śrī Rāma thereupon accepted her. All the three worlds, comprising the animate and inanimate creation, alongwith the hosts of gods and Ṛṣis were pleased with that remarkable feat of the high-souled Rāma in the shape of the overthrow of Rāvaṇa and the deliverance of Sītā. Honoured by all the gods, Śrī Rāma thereupon looked extremely delighted. (83-84)

Meaning

“Nay, having installed Vibhīṣaṇa, the chief of the ogres, on the throne of Laṅkā, Śrī Rāma felt accomplished of purpose and, rid of anxiety, greatly rejoiced : so the tradition goes. (85)

Meaning

“Having received a boon to the effect that all the combatants that had fought on the side of Śrī Rāma and fallen in battle be restored to life, from the gods, who came in their aerial cars to felicitate Śrī Rāma on his victory, that had brought solace to all the three worlds and aroused as though from sleep, the monkeys fallen in battle, Śrī Rāma flew to Ayodhyā in the aerial car known by the name of ‘Puṣpaka’ that had been snatched by Rāvaṇa from his half-brother, Kubera, the god of riches, accompanied by his relations, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa and friends, Vibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva and others. (86)

Meaning

“Reaching the hermitage of the sage Bharadwāja in the vicinity of Prayāga, Śrī Rāma of unfailing prowess despatched Hanūmān in advance to the presence of Bharata in order to apprise him of his safe return lest he should be taken unawares. (87)

Meaning

“Narrating past history (the circumstances that had led to his exile in the forest) and boarding the celebrated Puṣpaka once more, he then flew to Nandigrāma (then a part of Ayodhyā), accompanied by Sugrīva and others. (88)

Meaning

“Having disentangled his matted hair at Nandigrāma alongwith his three brothers and back with Sītā, the sinless Rāma regained his kingdom too. (89)

Meaning

“During the reign of Śrī Rāma people will be positively much delighted and cheerful, contented and well-fed, exceedingly pious, free from mental agony and bodily ailments and rid of the scourge of famine and fear of theft etc. (90)

Meaning

“Nowhere will men witness the death of their son or daughter, women will never be widows and will be ever devoted to their husband. (91)

Meaning

“There will be no fear from fire nor will living beings be drowned in water. There will be no fear from wind nor any fear of fever. (92)

Meaning

“Nor will there be fear of starvation in his kingdom nor that of thieves. Nay, cities and states will be full of riches and foodgrains. (93)

Meaning

“All will be ever extremely happy as in Satyayuga. Having propitiated the Lord through hundreds of horse-sacrifices and other sacrifices involving the use of abundant gold, nay, bestowed with due ceremony a billion cows on the learned and giving away untold riches to the Brāhmaṇas, the highly renowned Rāma will establish royal dynasties, a hundred times more prosperous than before, by not only recognizing and confirming their sovereignty but even by liberally subsidizing them. Nay, he will direct the people belonging to all the four grades of society to follow their respective duties on this terrestrial plane. (94—96)

Meaning

“Having served his kingdom for eleven thousand years, Śrī Rāma will ascend to Brahmaloka (the highest heaven).” (97)

Meaning

He who reads this sacred narrative of Śrī Rāma, which is capable of purifying the mind and wiping out sins and is treated on a par with the Vedas, is completely absolved from all sins. (98)

Meaning

Reading this narrative centring round Śrī Rāma and conducive to longevity, a man shall, on departing from this world, be honoured in heaven alongwith his sons and grandsons as well as his followers and attendants. (99)

Meaning

Reading it a Brāhmaṇa bids fair to attain eminence in eloquence; if he is a Kṣatriya, he is sure to attain lordship over the earth; a man belonging to the mercantile community is sure to secure profit in trade and a man belonging to the Śūdra class can hope to attain superiority. (100)