Bala Kanda, Sarga 16

Meaning

Solicited thus by the foremost of the gods, the all-pervading Nārāyaṇa, though knowing everything, thereupon addressed the following sweet words to the gods : (1)

Meaning

“What can be the device for despatching the aforesaid ruler of the ogres, O gods, by resorting to which I may be able to uproot that thorn in the side of the Ṛṣis?” (2)

Meaning

Asked thus by the Lord, all the gods replied to the immortal Lord Viṣṇu as follows : “Assuming a human semblance, make short work of Rāvaṇa in battle. (3)

Meaning

“The fellow indeed practised for a long time, O Chastiser of foes, severe austerities by which Brahmā, the maker of the universe and the progenitor of all created beings, got much pleased. (4)

Meaning

“Highly gratified, Brahmā conferred on that ogre a boon to the effect that he would have no fear from the different species of created beings other than man. (5)

Meaning

“At the time of receiving the boon of yore, really speaking, men were treated as of no account and were left out of consideration by him. Elated thus by the boon received from the aforesaid Brahmā, the progenitor of the entire creation, he is oppressing all the three worlds and carries off womenfolk. Hence his death has been ordained at the hands of man, O Chastiser of foes !” (6-7)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid submission of the gods, the high-souled Lord Viṣṇu then desired King Daśaratha to be His father. (8)

Meaning

Desirous of getting a son, since he had no male issue, the aforesaid monarch too, who was possessed of great splendour and was capable of destroying his foes, performed at that very time a sacrifice calculated to procure him a son. (9)

Meaning

Having made up His mind accordingly, and saying good-bye to Brahmā, the progenitor of the entire creation, the said Lord Viṣṇu disappeared even while He was being worshipped by the gods and great Ṛṣis. (10)

Meaning

Then, indeed, there arose from the fire (known as the Āhavanīya) of the sacrificer an extraordinary being, possessed of matchless splendour and endowed with exceptional prowess and uncommon strength. (11)

Meaning

Dark-complexioned with a ruddy countenance and a voice resembling the sound of a large kettledrum, he was clad in red and had soft and excellent hair resembling a lion’s all over his body, about his lower face and on his upper lip as well as on his head. (12)

Meaning

Invested with auspicious marks on his body and decked with celestial jewels, he possessed the height of a mountain-peak and strode like a proud tiger. (13)

Meaning

His figure shone like the sun and he looked like a flame of blazing fire and personally carried in both his arms a large basin of refined gold—full of ethereal Pāyasa (milk boiled with rice and sugar) and covered with a silver lid, as though a product of magic—even as one would carry one’s beloved spouse. (14-15)

Meaning

Gazing at King Daśaratha he addressed the following words to him : “Know me, O protector of men, to be a messenger of Viṣṇu (the Protector of created beings) arrived here from His realm.” (16)

Meaning

Thereupon the king replied to him with folded hands, “May my hearty welcome be acceptable to you, O divine personage ! What shall I do for you?” (17)

Meaning

The servant of Lord Viṣṇu now spoke the following words to him : “By worshipping the gods by means of a horse-sacrifice and a sacrifice performed for the sake of a male progeny, has this reward been secured by you today, O king ! (18)

Meaning

“Receive, O tiger among kings, this Pāyasa prepared by the gods, which is not only capable of procuring a son, but is also conducive to wealth and a promoter of health too. (19)

Meaning

“Give it to your wives, that are worthy of you, i.e., belonging to your own Varṇa or grade of society and sharing your virtues, with the words ‘Eat it all of you !’ Through them, who partake of it, you will secure four sons, for whom you have been performing sacrifices, O protector of men !” (20)

Meaning

Accepting delightfully with his head bent low and with the words “So be it !” the aforesaid gold basin, full of heavenly food and vouchsafed by the Lord, and greeting that extraordinary being of delightful aspect, the king, full of supreme joy, went round him clock-wise as a mark of respect. (21-22)

Meaning

Daśaratha felt highly pleased to secure from him the Pāyasa prepared by the gods, even as a pauper would on obtaining riches. (23)

Meaning

Having disposed of that duty of handing over the Pāyasa to the king, that most effulgent being of wonderful appearance then vanished into the fire itself. (24)

Meaning

Irradiated by beams of joy playing on his countenance, the gynaeceum, to which he now hastened, shone bright like the firmament illumined by the rays of the delightful autumnal full moon. (25)

Meaning

Immediately on entering the gynaeceum he spoke to Kausalyā, his eldest wife, as follows—“Accept this Pāyasa, which is indeed calculated to procure you a son.” (26)

Meaning

With the object of getting them a son each, the king then gave half of the Pāyasa to Kausalyā and the Emperor made over one half of the other half to Sumitrā, his second wife, too. (27)

Meaning

Again he gave half of the rest to Kaikeyī and, reflecting awhile, the highly intelligent Daśaratha gave the other half of the nectar-like Pāyasa once more to Sumitrā. In this way the monarch apportioned the Pāyasa separately to all his aforementioned wives. (28-29)

Meaning

All the aforesaid noble wives of the Emperor deemed this apportionment as a unique honour, their mind enlivened through excessive joy on receiving the Pāyasa.(30)

Meaning

Partaking of the excellent Pāyasa separately the same moment, those noble wives of the Emperor actually felt before long by virtue of it the presence in their womb of offspring vying in splendour with the fire and the sun. (31)

Meaning

Perceiving the aforesaid queens with offspring in their womb, quickened immediately afterwards, the Emperor, who had attained his desired object and was adored by Indra, the ruler of gods, and hosts of Siddhas and Ṛṣis (as the future father of the divine Śrī Rāma), felt delighted even as Indra does in heaven. (32)