Bala Kanda, Sarga 19

तच्छ्रुत्वा राजसिंहस्य वाक्यमद्भुतविस्तरम्। हृष्टरोमा महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत।।1.19.1।।

tacchrutvā rājasiṃhasya vākyamadbhutavistaram| hṛṣṭaromā mahātejā viśvāmitro'bhyabhāṣata

Having heard these wonderful words of Dasaratha, the lion among kings, the brilliant Viswamitra with hair on end replied:

सदृशं राजशार्दूल तवैतद्भुवि नान्यथा। महावंशप्रसूतस्य वसिष्ठव्यपदेशिन:।।1.19.2।।

sadṛśaṃ rājaśārdūla tavaitadbhuvi nānyathā| mahāvaṃśaprasūtasya vasiṣṭhavyapadeśina:

"O Tiger among kings having been born on earth in an illustrious lineage and initiated by Vasishta, this way (of speaking) befits you. It cannot be any other way.

यत्तु मे हृद्गतं वाक्यं तस्य कार्यस्य निश्चयम्। कुरूष्व राजशार्दूल भव सत्यप्रतिश्रव:।।1.19.3।।

yattu me hṛdgataṃ vākyaṃ tasya kāryasya niścayam| kurūṣva rājaśārdūla bhava satyapratiśrava:

O Tiger among kings I shall unfold the purpose conceived in my mind. Take a decision and be truthful to your promise.

अहंनियममातिष्ठे सिध्यर्थं पुरुषर्षभ। तस्य विघ्नकरौ द्वौ तु राक्षसौ कामरूपिणौ।।1.19.4।।

ahaṃniyamamātiṣṭhe sidhyarthaṃ puruṣarṣabha| tasya vighnakarau dvau tu rākṣasau kāmarūpiṇau

O best among men for the successful completion of a sacrifice I took up a selfimposed religious observance. Two rakshasas, capable of assuming forms at will, are creating impediments to that sacrifice.

व्रते मे बहुशश्चीर्णे समाप्त्यां राक्षसाविमौ। मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवन्तौ सुशिक्षितौ।।1.19.5।। समांसरुधिरौघेण वेदिं तामभ्यवर्षताम्।

vrate me bahuśaścīrṇe samāptyāṃ rākṣasāvimau| mārīcaśca subāhuśca vīryavantau suśikṣitau samāṃsarudhiraugheṇa vediṃ tāmabhyavarṣatām|

When my sacrifice generally speaking, is nearing completion the powerful and welltrained Maricha and Subahu who are raining streams of blood and flesh upon the altar.

अवधूते तथाभूते तस्मिन्नियमनिश्चये।।1.19.6।। कृतश्रमो निरुत्साहस्तस्माद्देशादपाक्रमे।

avadhūte tathābhūte tasminniyamaniścaye kṛtaśramo nirutsāhastasmāddeśādapākrame|

The (solemn) vow for observance of religious rites being thus interrupted, I left that country as an exerted and discouraged man.

न च मे क्रोधमुत्स्रष्टुं बुद्धिर्भवति पार्थिव।।1.19.7।। तथा भूता हि सा चर्या न शापस्तत्र मुच्यते।

na ca me krodhamutsraṣṭuṃ buddhirbhavati pārthiva tathā bhūtā hi sā caryā na śāpastatra mucyate|

O King my mind does not permit me to vent my wrath. The nature of sacrifice is such that I refrain from cursing them.

स्वपुत्रं राजशार्दूल रामं सत्यपराक्रमम्।।1.19.8।। काकपक्षधरं शूरं ज्येष्ठं मे दातुमर्हसि।

svaputraṃ rājaśārdūla rāmaṃ satyaparākramam kākapakṣadharaṃ śūraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ me dātumarhasi|

O tiger among kings it is befitting of you to entrust your eldest son Rama to me who is valiant, young (having sidelocks of hair) and true to his prowess.

शक्तो ह्येष मया गुप्तो दिव्येन स्वेन तेजसा।।1.19.9।। राक्षसा ये विकर्तारस्तेषामपि विनाशने।

śakto hyeṣa mayā gupto divyena svena tejasā rākṣasā ye vikartārasteṣāmapi vināśane|

Protected by me and by his own divine power, Rama is capable of destroying even those demons causing impediments to the sacrifice.

श्रेयश्चास्मै प्रदास्यामि बहुरूपं न संशय:।।1.19.10।। त्रयाणामपि लोकानां येन ख्यातिं गमिष्यति।

śreyaścāsmai pradāsyāmi bahurūpaṃ na saṃśaya: trayāṇāmapi lokānāṃ yena khyātiṃ gamiṣyati|

I will confer upon him, without doubt, a lot of blessings for his wellbeing by which he will attain fame in all the three worlds.

न च तौ राममासाद्य शक्तौ स्थातुं कथञ्चन।।1.19.11।। न च तौ राघवादन्यो हन्तुमुत्सहते पुमान्।

na ca tau rāmamāsādya śaktau sthātuṃ kathañcana na ca tau rāghavādanyo hantumutsahate pumān|

Both of them (Maricha and Subahu) will not be able to withstand Rama in any way. Rama, and Rama alone, is capable of destroying them.

वीर्योत्सिक्तौ हि तौ पापौ कालपाशवशं गतौ।।1.19.12।। रामस्य राजशार्दूल न पर्याप्तौ महात्मन:।

vīryotsiktau hi tau pāpau kālapāśavaśaṃ gatau rāmasya rājaśārdūla na paryāptau mahātmana:|

Proud of their strength, the two wicked demons have been noosed by Yama, the god of death. O tiger among kings they are no match for the magnanimous Rama.

न च पुत्रकृतस्नेहं कर्तुमर्हसि पार्थिव।।1.19.13।। अहं ते प्रतिजानामि हतौ तौ विद्धि राक्षसौ।

na ca putrakṛtasnehaṃ kartumarhasi pārthiva ahaṃ te pratijānāmi hatau tau viddhi rākṣasau|

"O king it is not proper for you to hesitate because of your paternal affection. You need to know that both the rakshasas will perish. This, I assure you.

अहं वेद्मि महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम्।।1.19.14।। वसिष्ठोऽपि महातेजा ये चेमे तपसि स्थिता:।

ahaṃ vedmi mahātmānaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākramam vasiṣṭho'pi mahātejā ye ceme tapasi sthitā:|

I know Rama who is a great soul, true to his prowess and also Vasishta of great lustre and these other sages who have been steadfast in asceticism also know.

यदि ते धर्मलाभं च यशश्च परमं भुवि।।1.19.15।। स्थितमिच्छसि राजेन्द्र रामं मे दातुमर्हसि।

yadi te dharmalābhaṃ ca yaśaśca paramaṃ bhuvi sthitamicchasi rājendra rāmaṃ me dātumarhasi|

O king of kings, if you are seeking the benefits of righteousness, great everlasting fame in this world, it is fit and proper to give Rama to me.

यदिह्यनुज्ञां काकुत्स्थ ददते तव मन्त्रिण:।।1.19.16।। वसिष्ठप्रमुखा: सर्वे ततो रामं विसर्जय।

yadihyanujñāṃ kākutstha dadate tava mantriṇa: vasiṣṭhapramukhā: sarve tato rāmaṃ visarjaya|

O Kakustha if your counsellors and all other sages headed by Vasishta give their consent, then only you may relieve Rama.

अभिप्रेतमसंसक्तमात्मजं दातुमर्हसि।।1.19.17।। दशरात्रं हि यज्ञस्य रामं राजीवलोचनम्।

abhipretamasaṃsaktamātmajaṃ dātumarhasi daśarātraṃ hi yajñasya rāmaṃ rājīvalocanam|

You should spare your dear son, the lotuseyed Rama, impartial and detached, for ten nights.

नात्येति कालो यज्ञस्य यथाऽयं मम राघव।।1.19.18।। तथा कुरुष्व भद्रं ते मा च शोके मन: कृथा:।

nātyeti kālo yajñasya yathā'yaṃ mama rāghava tathā kuruṣva bhadraṃ te mā ca śoke mana: kṛthā:|

O (Dasaratha), descendant of Raghu act in such a manner that the time for my sacrifice is not delayed. Do not indulge in grief. Prosperity to you"

इत्येवमुक्त्वा धर्मात्मा धर्मार्थसहितं वच:।।1.19.19।। विरराम महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।

ityevamuktvā dharmātmā dharmārthasahitaṃ vaca: virarāma mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmuni:|

After speaking these words charged with dharma and artha the great sage resplendent Viswamitra fell silent.

स तन्निशम्य राजेन्द्रो विश्वामित्रवचश्शुभम्।।1.19.20।। शोकमभ्यगमत्तीव्रं व्यषीदत भयान्वित:।

sa tanniśamya rājendro viśvāmitravacaśśubham śokamabhyagamattīvraṃ vyaṣīdata bhayānvita:|

Having listened to those auspicious words of Viswamitra, the king among kings, (Dasaratha) experienced intense grief out of fear. He became despondent.

इति हृदयमनोविदारणं मुनिवचनं तदतीव शुश्रुवान्। नरपतिरभवन्महांस्तदा व्यथितमना: प्रचचाल चासनात्।।1.19.21।।

iti hṛdayamanovidāraṇaṃ munivacanaṃ tadatīva śuśruvān| narapatirabhavanmahāṃstadā vyathitamanā: pracacāla cāsanāt

The great king felt shaken off his throne after listening to the words of the sage (Viswamitra) which broke his heart and terribly upset his mind. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकोनविंशस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the nineteenth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.