Bala Kanda, Sarga 15

Meaning

Having deeply pondered a little then as to what should be done next and presently becoming conscious of his surrounding, the highly intelligent Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, well-versed in the Vedas, spoke to King Daśaratha as follows : (1)

Meaning

“For the sake of securing sons to you I shall duly perform a sacrifice capable of procuring a male progeny and well-known for its unfailing effect with the help of Mantras (sacred texts) taught in the Atharva-Veda.” (2)

Meaning

For securing the birth of four sons to Daśaratha, the glorious Ṛṣyaśṛṅga forthwith commenced the said sacrifice capable of procuring a male progeny, and poured oblations into the sacred fire according to the procedure shown in the sacred texts. (3)

Meaning

The various gods, including Brahmā, accompanied by Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Siddhas (a class of semi-divine beings naturally endowed with mystic powers), and the greatest of seers assembled there to accept in person their share of offerings according to the established procedure. (4)

Meaning

Approaching Brahmā, the maker of the universe, in that very assembly, congregated for the sacrifice, according to their respective rank (of course unperceived by mortal men), the aforesaid divinities presently addressed the following prayer to him : (5)

Meaning

“By dint of the prowess acquired through your grace, O lord, the ogre named Rāvaṇa is molesting us all. We cannot subdue him. (6)

Meaning

“A boon was conferred on him by you while he was practising austerities, O lord, pleased as you were with him. And respecting it, as we do, we have always brooked all his wrong doings. (7)

Meaning

“The evil-minded fellow is harassing all the three worlds, hates the exalted (prosperous) and seeks to overpower even Indra, the lord of paradise. (8)

Meaning

“Infatuated by the boon conferred by you and hard to subdue, he treats profanely Ṛṣis, Yakṣas (a class of demigods) including Gandharvas, the Brāhmaṇas and demons. (9)

Meaning

“The sun does not scorch him in midsummer, the wind does not blow furiously past him. Seeing him, the ocean does not get agitated, though naturally consisting of turbulent waves. (10)

Meaning

“Therefore we are much afraid of that ogre of frightful aspect. Be pleased, O lord, to devise some means of putting an end to him.” (11)

Meaning

Pondering a while when prayed to thus by all the gods, Brahmā now said, “I am glad the means of despatching that evil-minded fellow has come to my mind. (12)

Meaning

“ ‘Let me prove incapable of being killed by the Gandharvas and Yakṣas, gods and ogres!’ This was the prayer addressed by him (to me) and ‘So be it!’ were the words uttered by me then. (13)

Meaning

“The said ogre did not mention human beings on that occasion out of contempt for them. Therefore, he is doomed to being killed by a human being alone; otherwise there is no death for him.” (14)

Meaning

All the divinities and great Ṛṣis mentioned above felt supremely delighted at that moment to hear this happy revelation communicated by Brahmā. (15)

Meaning

In the meantime arrived there, riding on the back of Guruḍa (the king of birds) as the sun on a cloud, the extremely resplendent Viṣṇu, the Lord of the universe, clad in yellow and wielding a conch, discus and mace in His hands, nay, decked with a pair of armlets of refined gold and being glorified by the foremost of gods. (16-17)

Meaning

Nay, meeting Brahmā, He took His position there (in that assembly), composed in mind. Duly extolling Him and bent low in reverence, all the gods prayed to Him as follows : (18)

Meaning

“With intent to ensure the good of the worlds, O Viṣṇu, we are going to lay a burden on you. Yourself taking the form of four personalities, O all-pervading Lord, play You the role of a son to the munificent King Daśaratha, the ruler of Ayodhyā—who knows what is right and is possessed of splendour equivalent to that of great Ṛṣis—through his three wives (Kausalyā, Sumitrā and Kaikeyī), who are akin to Hrī, Śrī and Kīrti* (daughters of Dakṣa). Appearing in a human semblance through them, O Viṣṇu, pray, make short work, in an encounter, of Rāvaṇa, the scourge of the world, who has grown very strong and is incapable of being killed by other gods. Through excess of prowess that fool of a Rāvaṇa, who has developed the disposition of an ogre, is actually oppressing the gods including the Gandharvas, the Siddhas as well as the noblest of Ṛṣis. Nay, because of such a disposition, Ṛṣis as well as Gandharvas and Apsarās (celestial nymphs) sporting in the Nandana Vana (the pleasure-garden of Indra) were knocked down from heaven by that fierce ogre. For getting rid of him, we as well as Siddhas, Gandharvas and Yakṣas have come here alongwith hermits and have sought You as our protector for the same purpose, O lord! You are the supreme resort of us all, O Chastiser of foes ! (19—25)

Meaning

“Therefore, resolve to descend into the mortal plane for the destruction of the enemies of gods.” Thus extolled by the gods and others, Lord Viṣṇu, the Ruler of gods and the foremost among them, the adored of all the worlds, addressed (as follows) the assembled gods, headed by Brahmā (the progenitor of the entire creation), who were all given to piety : (26-27)

Meaning

“Give up all fear. May good betide you ! Despatching on the field of battle in your interests the cruel and formidable Rāvaṇa—who is difficult to overpower and is the terror of gods and Ṛṣis—alongwith his sons and grandsons, including his ministers and counsellors, kinsmen and relations, I shall remain on the mortal plane ruling over this globe for eleven thousand years.” Having granted the aforesaid boon, the high-souled Lord Viṣṇu, the adored even of gods, now thought of Ayodhyā, the place of His projected birth, on the mortal plane. Then Himself taking the form of four personalities, the Lord, whose eyes resemble the petals of a lotus, wished King Daśaratha to be His father in that descent. Thereupon the gods, Ṛṣis and Gandharvas, accompanied by Lord Rudra and bevies of Apsarās, extolled Lord Viṣṇu (the Destroyer of the demon Madhu) by means of hymns, depicting His transcendent personality : (28—32)

Meaning

“Pray, completely destroy that notorious and arrogant Rāvaṇa, possessed of terrific energy, the enemy of Indra, the ruler of gods, the scourge of ascetics and the terror of hermits, whose vanity knows no bounds and who makes people scream by his tyranny. (33)

Meaning

“Having but killed the aforesaid Rāvaṇa of terrible prowess, who makes people loudly wail by his tyranny, alongwith his army and kinsmen, and thereby rid of anxiety Your devotees, come back, O Ruler of gods, to Heaven (Vaikuṇṭha), Your everlasting abode, guarded by Yourself and free from all impurities in the shape of frailties like partiality and prejudice.” (34)