--- title: "Bala Kanda, Sarga 9" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/bala-kanda/sarga-9" lang: "en" --- # Bala Kanda, Sarga 9 > एतच्छ्रुत्वा रहः सूतो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। > श्रूयतां तत् पुरावृत्तं पुराणे च मया श्रुतम्॥ १॥ Hearing of this intention of Emperor Daśaratha to undertake a horse-sacrifice for being blessed with a son, Sumantra, the charioteer as well as a minister of Daśaratha, spoke to the king in private as follows : “Kindly listen to a popular legend, also heard by me in the course of a Puranic exposition. (1) > ऋत्विग्भिरुपदिष्टोऽयं पुरावृत्तो मया श्रुतः। > सनत्कुमारो भगवान् पूर्वं कथितवान् कथाम्॥ २॥ > ऋषीणां संनिधौ राजंस्तव पुत्रागमं प्रति। > काश्यपस्य च पुत्रोऽस्ति विभाण्डक इति श्रुतः॥ ३॥ “This expedient in the form of a horse-sacrifice, recommended by the priests, Vasiṣṭha and others, has also been heard of by me as the theme of a legend. The omniscient sage Sanatkumāra, O king, foretold of yore an anecdote in the presence of seers in connection with the future birth of four sons to you. The narrative as told by Sanatkumāra runs as under : There is a son born to the sage Kāśyapa and known by the name of Vibhāṇḍaka. (2-3) > ऋष्यशृङ्ग इति ख्यातस्तस्य पुत्रो भविष्यति। > स वने नित्यसंवृद्धो मुनिर्वनचरः सदा॥ ४॥ > नान्यं जानाति विप्रेन्द्रो नित्यं पित्रनुवर्तनात्। > द्वैविध्यं ब्रह्मचर्यस्य भविष्यति महात्मनः॥ ५॥ > लोकेषु प्रथितं राजन् विप्रैश्च कथितं सदा। > तस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य कालः समभिवर्तत॥ ६॥ > अग्निं शुश्रूषमाणस्य पितरं च यशस्विनम्। > एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु रोमपादः प्रतापवान्॥ ७॥ > अङ्गेषु प्रथितो राजा भविष्यति महाबलः। > तस्य व्यतिक्रमाद् राज्ञो भविष्यति सुदारुणा॥ ८॥ > अनावृष्टिः सुघोरा वै सर्वलोकभयावहा। > अनावृष्ट्यां तु वृत्तायां राजा दुःखसमन्वितः॥ ९॥ > ब्राह्मणाञ्छ्रतसंवृद्धान् समानीय प्रवक्ष्यति। > भवन्तः श्रुतकर्माणो लोकचारित्रवेदिनः॥ १०॥ “A son, who will be known by the name of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, will be born to the latter. Constantly brought up in the woods and ever moving about in the woods alone, the aforesaid hermit, who will be a ruler of the Brāhmaṇas, will know nothing about the world beyond constant service to his father, Vibhāṇḍaka. Both* the types of Brahmacarya (celibacy) well-known in the three worlds and ever extolled by the Brāhmaṇas, will be observed by the high-souled sage. Time will roll past the said young sage even while living as aforesaid in the woods with his own father as his teacher, attending the sacred fire as well as his illustrious father. In those very days, of course, the glorious and mighty Romapāda will be the well-known ruler of the Aṅga territory. Through some transgression by that king there will be a most severe and fearful drought, that will be a source of terror to all men. When a drought has actually set in, the king, full of agony, will call together Brāhmaṇas advanced in learning and address them as follows : ‘You have heard about my past actions responsible for this drought and are aware of the practices of the world. (4—10) > समादिशन्तु नियमं प्रायश्चित्तं यथा भवेत्। > इत्युक्तास्ते ततो राज्ञा सर्वे ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः॥ ११॥ ‘Kindly enjoin a course of discipline by undergoing which my sins may be atoned for.’ All the aforesaid jewels among the Brāhmaṇas will be requested in these words by the king, Romapāda. (11) > वक्ष्यन्ति ते महीपालं ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः। > विभाण्डकसुतं राजन् सर्वोपायैरिहानय॥ १२॥ And the said Brāhmaṇas, all masters of the Vedas, will speak to the king as follows : ‘Fetch here by all possible means the sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, (son of Sage Vibhāṇḍaka), O king ! (12) > आनाय्य तु महीपाल ऋष्यशृङ्गं सुसत्कृतम्। > विभाण्डकसुतं राजन् ब्राह्मणं वेदपारगम्। > प्रयच्छ कन्यां शान्तां वै विधिना सुसमाहितः॥ १३॥ “Causing Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Vibhāṇḍaka’s son a Brāhmaṇa well-versed in the Vedas, to be brought with due reverence to your capital, O ruler of the earth, give away to him in marriage your daughter, Śāntā, according to the scriptural ordinance with a devout and unquestioning mind, O monarch !” (13) > तेषां तु वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा चिन्तां प्रपत्स्यते। > केनोपायेन वै शक्यमिहानेतुं स वीर्यवान्॥ १४॥ Hearing their suggestion, however, the king will fall a-musing as to by what means that mighty sage can be brought to his capital. (14) > ततो राजा विनिश्चित्य सह मन्त्रिभिरात्मवान्। > पुरोहितममात्यांश्च प्रेषयिष्यति सत्कृतान्॥ १५॥ Having arrived at a conclusion in consultation with his counsellors, the prudent king will then despatch his family priest and ministers to bring with honour the young hermit with them. (15) > ते तु राज्ञो वचः श्रुत्वा व्यथिता विनताननाः। > न गच्छेम ऋषेर्भीता अनुनेष्यन्ति तं नृपम्॥ १६॥ They will, however, be distressed to hear the king’s command, and with drooping faces submit as follows : ‘We are not prepared to go, afraid as we are of the Ṛṣi Vibhāṇḍaka, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga’s father, who was sure to curse those who would try to lure away the young hermit from his father’s presence and will try to pacify the king (in order to avert his displeasure at their disobedience by assuring him that they would think out some other means of luring away the hermit and submit their proposals in that connection later). (16) > वक्ष्यन्ति चिन्तयित्वा ते तस्योपायांश्च तान् क्षमान्। > आनेष्यामो वयं विप्रं न च दोषो भविष्यति॥ १७॥ Duly deliberating on the feasible methods of luring away Ṛṣyaśṛṅga from his father’s hermitage, they will suggest their plan to the king and say, “We shall try to fetch the youthful Brāhmaṇa to your capital and we shall do so in such a way that no blame will attach to us.” (17) > एवमङ्गाधिपेनैव गणिकाभिर्ऋषेः सुतः। > आनीतोऽवर्षयद् देवः शान्ता चास्मै प्रदीयते॥ १८॥ In this way (according to the suggestion of the family priest and the ministers of King Romapāda) the Ṛṣi’s son, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, will be caused by Romapāda, the ruler of the Aṅga territory, to be brought to his own capital through courtesans, when the rain-god will cause clouds to send down rain and Śāntā (Daśaratha’s daughter adopted by Romapāda) will be given in marriage to Ṛṣyaśṛṅga. (18) > ऋष्यशृङ्गस्तु जामाता पुत्रांस्तव विधास्यति। > सनत्कुमारकथितमेतावद् व्याहृतं मया॥ १९॥ “And Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, your son-in-law, will actually get sons for you by pouring oblations into the sacred fire. This prophecy of the sage Sanatkumāra has been reproduced by me as aforesaid.” (19) > अथ हृष्टो दशरथः सुमन्त्रं प्रत्यभाषत। > यथर्ष्यशृङ्गस्त्वानीतो येनोपायेन सोच्यताम्॥ २०॥ Full of delight Daśaratha forthwith asked Sumantra: “It may now be pointed out to me how and by what device the sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga was brought to the capital of Romapāda.” (20) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.