---
title: "Bala Kanda, Sarga 55"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/bala-kanda/sarga-55"
lang: "en"
---

# Bala Kanda, Sarga 55

> ततस्तानाकुलान् दृष्ट्वा विश्वामित्रास्त्रमोहितान्।  
> वसिष्ठश्चोदयामास कामधुक् सृज योगतः॥ १॥

Seeing the warriors created by Śabalā stupefied by the missiles of Viśwāmitra and fleeing from the battlefield helter-skelter, Vasiṣṭha commanded Śabalā as follows : “Evolve more and more warriors, O wish-yeilding cow, by dint of your yogic power, power of concentration.” (1)

> तस्या हुंकारतो जाताः काम्बोजा रविसंनिभाः।  
> ऊधसश्चाथ सम्भूता बर्बराः शस्त्रपाणयः॥ २॥

From her roar sprang up the Kāmbojas, brilliant as the sun. And, again, from her udders were produced the Barbaras carrying weapons in their hands. (2)

> योनिदेशाच्च यवनाः शकृद्देशाच्छकाः स्मृताः।  
> रोमकूपेषु म्लेच्छाश्च हारीताः सकिरातकाः॥ ३॥

From her genitals came forth the Yavanas; while those that issued from her anus were known as the Śakas. From the pores of her skin originated the Mlecchas and the Hārītas alongwith the Kirātas. (3)

> तैस्तन्निषूदितं सर्वं विश्वामित्रस्य तत्क्षणात्।  
> सपदातिगजं साश्वं सरथं रघुनन्दन॥ ४॥

By them was wiped out instantly the entire army of Viśwāmitra including the foot soldiers and elephants, horses and chariots, O scion of Raghu ! (4)

> दृष्ट्वा निषूदितं सैन्यं वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।  
> विश्वामित्रसुतानां तु शतं नानाविधायुधम्॥ ५॥  
> अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धं वसिष्ठं जपतां वरम्।  
> हुंकारेणैव तान् सर्वान् निर्ददाह महानृषिः॥ ६॥

Seeing the army of their father exterminated by the mighty Vasiṣṭha, Viśwāmitra’s hundred sons rushed most furiously towards Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of ascetics, carrying weapons of various kinds. The great Ṛṣi, Vasiṣṭha, however, reduced them all to ashes by his very roar. (5-6)

> ते साश्वरथपादाता वसिष्ठेन महात्मना।  
> भस्मीकृता मुहूर्तेन विश्वामित्रसुतास्तथा॥ ७॥

The sons of Viśwāmitra were reduced to ashes in an instant with their horses, chariots and foot soldiers by the mighty Vasiṣṭha. (7)

> दृष्ट्वा विनाशितान् सर्वान् बलं च सुमहायशाः।  
> सव्रीडं चिन्तयाविष्टो विश्वामित्रोऽभवत् तदा॥ ८॥

Seeing them all as well as his army annihilated the exceptionally illustrious Viśwāmitra was forthwith filled with anxiety mixed with shame. (8)

> समुद्र इव निर्वेगो भग्नद्रंष्ट्र इवोरगः।  
> उपरक्त इवादित्यः सद्यो निष्प्रभतां गतः॥ ९॥

He resembled the ocean that has lost its fury and the snake whose fangs have been broken, and suddenly became lustreless like the eclipsed sun. (9)

> हतपुत्रबलो दीनो लूनपक्ष इव द्विजः।  
> हतसर्वबलोत्साहो निर्वेदं समपद्यत॥ १०॥

Having lost his sons and army, he felt miserable like a bird whose wings have been clipped. Nay, with all his strength and spirit shattered, he reached a state of despondency. (10)

> स पुत्रमेकं राज्याय पालयेति नियुज्य च।  
> पृथिवीं क्षत्रधर्मेण वनमेवाभ्यपद्यत॥ ११॥

Nay, enjoining his only surviving son in the words “Rule the earth according to the moral code prescribed for a Kṣatriya in order to carry on the administration,” he retired to the woods alone. (11)

> स गत्वा हिमवत्पार्श्वे किंनरोरगसेवितम्।  
> महादेवप्रसादार्थं तपस्तेपे महातपाः॥ १२॥

Repairing to a slope of the Himālayas, resorted to by Kinnaras and Nāgas, Viśwāmitra, who had now turned a great ascetic, practised austerities for the pleasure of Lord Śiva, the Supreme Deity. (12)

> केनचित् त्वथ कालेन देवेशो वृषभध्वजः।  
> दर्शयामास वरदो विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्॥ १३॥

Some time later Lord Śiva, whose ensign bears the emblem of a bull, the paramount Ruler of gods and the Bestower of boons, actually revealed Himself before the great sage Viśwāmitra and said : (13)

> किमर्थं तप्यसे राजन् ब्रूहि यत् ते विवक्षितम्।  
> वरदोऽस्मि वरो यस्ते कांक्षितः सोऽभिधीयताम्॥ १४॥

“Wherefore do you practise austerities, O king? Speak out what is there in your mind. I am the Bestower of boons. The boon which is sought by you may be made known to Me.” (14)

> एवमुक्तस्तु देवेन विश्वामित्रो महातपाः।  
> प्रणिपत्य महादेवं विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥ १५॥

When the great ascetic, Viśwāmitra, was told thus by the Lord, the former replied to him as follows, falling prostrate before Him : (15)

> यदि तुष्टो महादेव धनुर्वेदो ममानघ।  
> साङ्गोपाङ्गोपनिषदः सरहस्यः प्रदीयताम्॥ १६॥

“If You are pleased with me, O Supreme Deity, the science of archery with its inmost secrets, including the branches of knowledge directly or distantly auxiliary to it as also the sacred texts forming part of it may kindly be revealed to me, O sinless One ! (16)

> यानि देवेषु चास्त्राणि दानवेषु महर्षिषु।  
> गन्धर्वयक्षरक्षःसु प्रतिभान्तु ममानघ॥ १७॥

“Let all the mystic missiles that are known to gods, demons and great seers as well as to Gandharvas, Yakṣas and ogres flash before my mind’s eye, O sinless One ! (17)

> तव प्रसादाद् भवतु देवदेव ममेप्सितम्।  
> एवमस्त्विति देवेशो वाक्यमुक्त्वा गतस्तदा॥ १८॥

“ ‘Let the consummation sought by me be achieved by Your grace, O God of gods !’ Uttering the words “Let it be so,” Lord Śiva, the Supreme Ruler of gods, forthwith departed. (18)

> प्राप्य चास्त्राणि देवेशाद् विश्वामित्रो महाबलः।  
> दर्पेण महता युक्तो दर्पपूर्णोऽभवत् तदा॥ १९॥  
> विवर्धमानो वीर्येण समुद्र इव पर्वणि।  
> हतं मेने तदा राम वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्॥ २०॥

“Receiving the mystic missiles and weapons from Lord Śiva, the paramount Ruler of gods, the very mighty Viśwāmitra, who was already full of great pride, was now puffed up with arrogance; and swelling with power as the ocean on the full moon, he took Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of seers, to be dead at that moment, O Rāma. (19-20)

> ततो गत्वाऽऽश्रमपदं मुमोचास्त्राणि पार्थिवः।  
> यैस्तत् तपोवनं नाम निर्दग्धं चास्त्रतेजसा॥ २१॥

“Proceeding to the site of the hermitage, the king then discharged mystic missiles and weapons, by which the said grove in which austerities were being practised began to be consumed through the fire of the missiles. (21)

> उदीर्यमाणमस्त्रं तद् विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः।  
> दृष्ट्वा विप्रद्रुता भीता मुनयः शतशो दिशः॥ २२॥

“Alarmed to see those missiles being discharged by the talented Viśwāmitra, the hermits escaped in their hundreds in various directions. (22)

> वसिष्ठस्य च ये शिष्या ये च वै मृगपक्षिणः।  
> विद्रवन्ति भयाद् भीता नानादिग्भ्यः सहस्रशः॥ २३॥

“Afraid of the danger, whatever pupils of Vasiṣṭha and whatever beasts or birds there were in his hermitage fled in their thousands from the various quarters. (23)

> वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं शून्यमासीन्महात्मनः।  
> मुहूर्तमिव निःशब्दमासीदीरिणसंनिभम्॥ २४॥  
> वदतो वै वसिष्ठस्य मा भैरिति मुहुर्मुहुः।  
> नाशयाम्यद्य गाधेयं नीहारमिव भास्करः॥ २५॥

“The site of the hermitage of the mighty Vasiṣṭha turned desolate. In an hour or so it became noiseless and looked barren as it were in spite of Vasiṣṭha repeatedly calling out : ‘Don’t be afraid, I shall presently make short work of Viśwāmitra, the son of Gādhi, as the sun dispels fog.’ (24-25)

> एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा वसिष्ठो जपतां वरः।  
> विश्वामित्रं तदा वाक्यं सरोषमिदमब्रवीत्॥ २६॥

“Saying so, the exceptionally glorious Vasiṣṭha, the foremost of ascetics, then angrily addressed the following words to Viśwāmitra : (26)

> आश्रमं चिरसंवृद्धं यद् विनाशितवानसि।  
> दुराचारो हि यन्मूढस्तस्मात् त्वं न भविष्यसि॥ २७॥

“ ‘Since you have made havoc of my hermitage, fostered for long, and inasmuch as you are a wicked fool, you will cease to be what you are.’ (27)

> इत्युक्त्वा परमक्रुद्धो दण्डमुद्यम्य सत्वरः।  
> विधूम इव कालाग्निर्यमदण्डमिवापरम्॥ २८॥

“Saying so and hurriedly lifting a staff, which looked like another rod of Yama, Vasiṣṭha stood highly enraged like the smokeless fire raging at the time of universal destruction.” (28)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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