Bala Kanda, Sarga 53

Meaning

“Thus instructed by Vasiṣṭha, O destroyer of foes, Śabalā, a cow of plenty, as she was, yielded all luxuries as desired by each particular individual of Viśwāmitra’s camp—sugar-canes (including all their products—sugar etc.), honeys of various kinds, even so fried grains of paddy, Maireya (a kind of wine, made of jaggery and other substances) and excellent spirituous liquors distilled from boiled or unboiled sap of sugarcane, as well as other costly drinks and foods of various kinds, especially those requiring mastication also. (1-2)

Meaning

“In this feast could be seen heaps, as high as mountains, of steaming rice, varieties of sweet rice boiled in milk, nay, pulses boiled into a liquid form with salt and condiments, and even so, streams of curds (as also of milk and ghee), and also silver plates in thousands brimful with delicious fruit juices of various kinds as well as with sweetmeats. (3-4)

Meaning

“Fully entertained by Vasiṣṭha, O Rāma, the entire army of Viśwāmitra, wholly composed, as it was, of joyous and well-fed men, felt highly gratified. (5)

Meaning

“Entertained on that occasion alongwith the foremost inmates of his gynaeceum as well as with the Brāhmaṇas (that had accompanied him) including his family priest, and even so with his ministers and counsellors and dependents too, King Viśwāmitra, a veritable sage among kings, felt rejoiced and strong.” Full of supreme delight he spoke to Vasiṣṭha as follows : (6-7)

Meaning

“I have been honoured and sumptuously entertained by you, who are deserving of honour yourself, O holy one ! I shall now prefer a request to you, O master of expression; pray, listen ! (8)

Meaning

“Śabalā may kindly be handed over to me in exchange for a hundred thousand cows, as she is a jewel and a king is the proper person who ought to receive a jewel. (9)

Meaning

“Therefore, make over Śabalā to me; she is rightfully mine, O holy Brāhmaṇa !” Thus addressed by Viśwāmitra, the almighty Vasiṣṭha, the foremost among ascetics, whose mind was given to piety, replied to the king as follows : “I shall never part with Śabalā even in exchange for a thousand million cows, much less for a hundred thousand, nay, not even for heaps of silver coins. She does not deserve to be weaned from my presence, O subduer of foes ! (10—12)

Meaning

“Śabalā is inalienable from me even as glory is inalienable from a man practising Rājayoga (the methods of mind-control). Moreover, an offering made to the gods in sacrifices and that to the manes in the course of a Śrāddha, as well as the sustenance of my life depends on her. Nay, Agnihotra (daily oblations to the sacred fire), as well as Bali (the offering of a portion of the daily meal to all creatures, also known as Bhūta-Yajña, which consists in throwing up into the air, near the house-door, morsels of food before taking one’s meals), and even so Vaiśwadeva (an offering made to all deities by presenting oblations to the kitchen fire before meals), sacrifices (characterized by the repetition of the indeclinables Swāhā and Vaṣaṭ at the end of the name of the deity to whom an offering is made) and even so, the uttering of the various Mantras inasmuch as the capacity to utter them, rooted as it is in the satisfaction of hunger and bodily strength etc., is derived from the milk of this cow—all this no doubt rests on this cow alone, O royal sage ! She is my all as also the source of my delight (through her sight etc.), I say on oath. (13—15)

Meaning

“For these numerous reasons I shall not give Śabalā to you.” Thus addressed by Vasiṣṭha, Viśwāmitra, who was an expert in making out the meaning of words, then made the following reply in a really most importunate tone : “I offer to you fourteen thousand elephants equipped with girths and chains of gold and decked with goads, also of gold. I further offer to you eight hundred gold chariots driven by four white horses each and decorated with small tinkling bells. I shall also give you, O sage of noble vows, eleven thousand highly-spirited horses of excellent breed and born in territories noted for their horses. Over and above these, I shall give you one crore of young cows distinguished by their different colours. Only let Śabalā be given (in exchange for these). (16—20)

Meaning

“Nay, I shall give you without reservation as many jewels and as much gold as you want, O jewel among the twice-born ! Let Śabalā be given to me.” (21)

Meaning

Even though solicited thus by the talented Viśwāmitra, the almighty Vasiṣṭha made the same answer : “I shall on no account part with Śabalā, O king ! (22)

Meaning

“She is indeed the only jewel in my possession; nay, she is my only wealth. She alone is really my everything; she alone is my very life. (23)

Meaning

“She alone is my half-monthly sacrifice performed on the new moon as well as its counterpart, viz., that performed on the full moon, nay, all sacrificial performances concluded with abundant gifts and even so, ritual acts of various kinds, O king ! (24)

Meaning

“All my religious rites, no doubt, are rooted in her, O king ! What is to be gained by prattling a good deal? The long and short of it is that, I shall not part with Śabalā (who yields all my desired objects).” (25)