Bala Kanda, Sarga 74

Meaning

Asking leave of both the kings, the night having passed, the eminent sage Viśwāmitra forthwith proceeded direct to the northern mountain, the Himalayas. (1)

Meaning

Asking permission of Janaka, who belonged to the line of the Videhas, the ruler of Mithilā, the moment Viśwāmitra had departed, the glorious King Daśaratha too proceeded immediately to his capital. (2)

Meaning

At that time the ruler of the Videha territory gave a rich dowry. As a part of that dowry, the king of Mithilā gave away many lakhs of cows and as many first-class carpets, numerous silken textiles and tens of millions of cotton pieces, elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers, a hundred richly-adorned maids endowed with supernal beauty as companions for his daughters, excellent servants and servant-maids and a lot of silver, gold, pearls and coral beads. (3—5)

Meaning

Extremely delighted, the king thus gave an excellent dowry. Having given manifold presents and duly taking leave of Daśaratha, the ruler of the earth, the king of Mithilā returned to Mithilā, his own capital. Placing ahead all the sages, that had accompanied him to Mithilā, and accompanied by his army and entourage, King Daśaratha (the ruler of Ayodhyā) too departed with his high-souled sons for Ayodhyā. While the tiger among men was journeying with the hosts of sages as well as with his four sons, the scions of Raghu, fearful birds began to cry all around him; while, on the other hand, the deer on the land, one and all, crossed his path from the left. (6—9)

Meaning

Seeing them, Daśaratha, a tiger among kings, respectfully inquired of Vasiṣṭha, saying, “Loathsome birds are screaming on the one hand, which is an ominous portent; and at the same time deer cross my way from the left, which is a good omen ! (10)

Meaning

“What may this be, which makes my heart quiver? My mind is sorrowful.” Hearing this question of King Daśaratha, the great seer, Vasiṣṭha, replied in a sweet tone as follows : “Hear what it portends. The indication that comes from the screaming of birds in the air is that a grave danger is imminent. (11-12)

Meaning

“These deer, however, allay our fears. Therefore, let this anxiety be given up.” While they were conversing thus on the road, a tempest set in, they say, shaking the entire globe and throwing down big trees. The sun got enveloped in darkness, all people failed to discern the directions. (13-14)

Meaning

Nay, covered all over with dust, the whole of Daśaratha’s army stood dumbfounded, as it were. At that time only Vasiṣṭha and the other sages as well as the king including his four sons retained their consciousness, all the rest on that spot became unconscious, as it were. In that dreadful darkness the aforesaid army of Daśaratha, which was actually covered with dust, as well as the king beheld the terrible-looking sage Paraśurāma (son of Jamadagni), the destroyer of the Kṣatriyas, born in the race of Bhṛgu, wearing matted locks formed into a coil at the crown, unassailable as Mount Kailāsa, irresistible as the destructive fire raging at the time of universal dissolution, blazing as it were with effulgence and as such difficult to gaze upon for common men, with an axe on his right shoulder and a bow on his left and holding in his hand a fierce shaft, resembling streaks of lightning, like another Lord Śiva, the Destroyer of the demon Tripura. (15—19)

Meaning

Seeing the sage, terrible of aspect and blazing like fire, all the Brāhmaṇa seers and sages, given to the practice of austerities and Homa (offering oblations to the sacred fire), with Vasiṣṭha at their head, collected at one place and talked to one another, “Let us hope, full of indignation over the assassination of his father, he is not going to exterminate the Kṣatriya race over again. (20-21)

Meaning

“Surely it is not his intention to wipe out the Kṣatriyas once more, since having massacred the Kṣatriyas in the past, he has his anger appeased and has been rid of his agony caused by his father’s death.” (22)

Meaning

Talking in this strain and taking in their hands water to wash his hands with, the sages accosted the scion of Bhṛgu, who wore a terrible aspect, in sweet words, “Rāma, O Rāma !” (23)

Meaning

While accepting that honour done by the sages, Vasiṣṭha and others, the glorious Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni, spoke as follows to Śrī Rāma, the eldest son of Daśaratha. (24)