Bala Kanda, Sarga 54

Meaning

When Sage Vaṣiṣtha did not consent to part with his wish-yielding cow, O Rāma, Viśwāmitra too thereupon proceeded to take Śabalā away by force to his capital. (1)

Meaning

Being taken away by force by the mighty king, Śabalā for her part felt afflicted and, distracted with grief, fell a-weeping. She reflected, “Have I been deserted by the exceptionally high-souled Vasiṣṭha, in that I am being taken away in this wretched condition by the king’s retainers, sore distressed as I am? (2-3)

Meaning

“What wrong has been done by me to that eminent seer of purified mind that, even though perceiving me to be innocent and devoted to him, the pious soul should abandon me?” (4)

Meaning

Deeply pondering thus and sighing again and again, she for her part forthwith ran to the supremely powerful Vasiṣṭha. (5)

Meaning

Shaking off the aforesaid retainers numbering many hundred, O destroyer of foes, she at once ran swift as the wind to the soles of feet of that exalted soul. (6)

Meaning

Standing before Vasiṣṭha while shedding tears, the celebrated Śabalā submitted to him as follows in a voice sonorous as the rumbling of a cloud, weeping and wailing all the time : (7)

Meaning

“Have I been forsaken by you, O almighty son of Brahmā, in that the king’s servants are actually taking me away from your presence?” (8)

Meaning

Questioned thus by the cow, Vasiṣṭha, the Brāhmaṇa seer, for his part replied as follows to Śabalā, whose heart was tormented with grief, as to an afflicted sister : (9)

Meaning

“I am not abandoning you, O Śabalā, nor have you wronged me. Intoxicated with power, this very mighty king is taking you away. (10)

Meaning

“My strength is not equal to his; nay, being my honoured guest, the king is particularly strong today. The king, Viśwāmitra, is a Kṣatriya, and the ruler of the earth to boot. (11)

Meaning

“Here is his army, full one Akṣauhinī strong, equipped with elephants, horses and chariots and crowded with the best of elephants. In that respect he is mightier than us.” (12)

Meaning

Thus addressed by Vasiṣṭha, Śabalā, who correctly understood the sense of others’, speech, replied as follows, like a meek lady, to the Brāhmaṇa seer of matchless splendour : (13)

Meaning

“The wise declare the strength of a Kṣatriya as nought (as compared to that of a Brāhmaṇa); Brāhmaṇas are decidedly stronger than the Kṣatriyas. The strength of a Brāhmaṇa, O holy one, is spiritual and as such is superior to that of a Kṣatriya. (14)

Meaning

“Your strength is immeasurable; though very powerful, Viśwāmitra is not stronger in comparison with you. Your glory is unassailable. (15)

Meaning

“Command you me, who, fostered as I am by your Brahmanical (spiritual) strength, O exceptionally glorious sage, shall put an end to the pride, strength and endeavour of that wretch of a Viśwāmitra.” (16)

Meaning

Urged as aforesaid by her, O Rāma, the illustrious Vasiṣṭha for his part forthwith said, “Create a force capable of destroying the enemy’s army.” (17)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid command of Sage Vasiṣṭha, the said wish-yielding cow forthwith produced a number of warriors. Created by her very bellow, O king, Pahlavas in their hundreds began to destroy the whole army under the very eye of Viśwāmitra. Highly enraged and with his eyes dilated through anger, King Viśwāmitra too made short work of the Pahlavas by means of his weapons of various kinds. Seeing the Pahlavas killed in their hundreds by Viśwāmitra, Śabalā immediately produced next the terrible Śakas, who were akin to the Yavanas. The land was flooded with these brilliant and most powerful Śakas, that were akin to the Yavanas, resembled the filaments of the Campaka flowers in colour, carried sharp-edged swords and Paṭṭiśas (a kind of spear) on their person and were clad in yellow. (18—22)

Meaning

The entire army of Viśwāmitra was consumed by them as by blazing fires. Thereupon, it is said, the highly glorious Viśwāmitra discharged a number of missiles; by them those Yavanas and Kāmbojas (another species of Mlecchas) as well as the Barbaras (still another species of Mlecchas) were thrown into confusion. (23)