Bala Kanda, Sarga 23

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। अभ्यभाषत काकुत्स्थौ शयानौ पर्णसंस्तरे।।1.23.1।।

prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuni:| abhyabhāṣata kākutsthau śayānau parṇasaṃstare

When the night turned into daybreak, the eminent ascetic Viswamitra, addressing the descendants of Kakutstha (Rama and Lakshmana) who were lying on a bed of leaves said:

कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते। उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम्।।1.23.2।।

kausalyā suprajā rāma pūrvā sandhyā pravartate| uttiṣṭha naraśārdūla kartavyaṃ daivamāhnikam

"O beloved son of Kausalya, O Rama the day dawns. O best among men, awake, oblations to gods and other sacred rites are required to be performed".

तस्यर्षे: परमोदारं वचश्श्रुत्वा नृपात्मजौ । स्नात्वा कृतोदकौ वीरौ जेपतु: परमं जपम्।।1.23.3।।

tasyarṣe: paramodāraṃ vacaśśrutvā nṛpātmajau | snātvā kṛtodakau vīrau jepatu: paramaṃ japam

On hearing the very affectionate call of Viswamitra both the brave princes had their bath and offered oblations to Sungod (standing in the water) and recited the holy name of the Lord.

कृताह्निकौ महावीर्यौ विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। अभिवाद्याभिसंहृष्टौ गमनायाभितस्थतु:।।1.23.4।।

kṛtāhnikau mahāvīryau viśvāmitraṃ tapodhanam| abhivādyābhisaṃhṛṣṭau gamanāyābhitasthatu:

On performing the morning rites, the two highly powerful and and energetic princes stood before Viswamitra who was richly endowed with asceticism. They prostrated before him. And stood ready for their onward journey.

तौ प्रयातौ महावीर्यौ दिव्यां त्रिपथगां नदीम्। ददृशाते ततस्तत्र सरय्वास्सङ्गमे शुभे।।1.23.5।।

tau prayātau mahāvīryau divyāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm| dadṛśāte tatastatra sarayvāssaṅgame śubhe

Thereafter, having gone a little further both the heroic brothers looked at the confluence of holy Sarayu with divine Ganga divided into three branches.

तत्राश्रमपदं पुण्यमृषीणामग्य्रतेजसाम् । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि तप्यतां परमं तप:।।1.23.6।।

tatrāśramapadaṃ puṇyamṛṣīṇāmagyratejasām | bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi tapyatāṃ paramaṃ tapa:

There they saw a sacred hermitage of anchorites of great vitality performing severe austerities for thousands of years.

तं दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतौ राघवौ पुण्यमाश्रमम्। ऊचतुस्तं महात्मानं विश्वामित्रमिदं वच:।।1.23.7।।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītau rāghavau puṇyamāśramam| ūcatustaṃ mahātmānaṃ viśvāmitramidaṃ vaca:

Exceedingly delighted to see the sacred hermitage, the two princes enquired from the illustrious sage Viswamitra:

कस्यायमाश्रम: पुण्य: कोन्वस्मिन्वसते पुमान्। भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छाव: परं कौतूहलं हि नौ।।1.23.8।।

kasyāyamāśrama: puṇya: konvasminvasate pumān| bhagavan śrotumicchāva: paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi nau

"O worshipful one, whose sacred hermitage is this? Who lives here? Indeed, we are curious to know".

तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गव:। अब्रवीच्छ्रूयतां राम यस्यायं पूर्व आश्रम:।।1.23.9 ।।

tayostadvacanaṃ śrutvā prahasya munipuṅgava:| abravīcchrūyatāṃ rāma yasyāyaṃ pūrva āśrama:

On having heard their words, the foremost of sages gently smiled and said, "O Rama listen, who this hermitage belonged to in the past".

कन्दर्पो मूर्तिमानासीत्काम इत्युच्यते बुधै:। तपस्यन्तमिह स्थाणुं नियमेन समाहितम्।।1.23.10।। कृतोद्वाहं तु देवेशं गच्छन्तं समरुद्गगणम्। धर्षयामास दुर्मेधा हुङ्कृतश्च महात्मना।।1.23.11।।

kandarpo mūrtimānāsītkāma ityucyate budhai:| tapasyantamiha sthāṇuṃ niyamena samāhitam kṛtodvāhaṃ tu deveśaṃ gacchantaṃ samarudgagaṇam| dharṣayāmāsa durmedhā huṅkṛtaśca mahātmanā

"Kandarpa (the god of love) once lived here in human form. He is called Kama by the learned. The wicked Kama on his way with the maruts (god of wind) insulted Siva, the god of gods, while he was absorbed in austere meditation along with his newly wedded consort. On seeing Kama Lord Siva roared at him (menacingly).

कन्दर्पो मूर्तिमानासीत्काम इत्युच्यते बुधै:। तपस्यन्तमिह स्थाणुं नियमेन समाहितम्।।1.23.10।। कृतोद्वाहं तु देवेशं गच्छन्तं समरुद्गगणम्। धर्षयामास दुर्मेधा हुङ्कृतश्च महात्मना।।1.23.11।।

kandarpo mūrtimānāsītkāma ityucyate budhai:| tapasyantamiha sthāṇuṃ niyamena samāhitam kṛtodvāhaṃ tu deveśaṃ gacchantaṃ samarudgagaṇam| dharṣayāmāsa durmedhā huṅkṛtaśca mahātmanā

"Kandarpa (the god of love) once lived here in human form. He is called Kama by the learned. The wicked Kama on his way with the maruts (god of wind) insulted Siva, the god of gods, while he was absorbed in austere meditation along with his newly wedded consort. On seeing Kama Lord Siva roared at him (menacingly).

अवदग्धस्य रौद्रेण चक्षुषा रघुनन्दन। व्यशीर्यन्त शरीरात्स्वात्सर्वगात्राणि दुर्मते:।।1.23.12।।

avadagdhasya raudreṇa cakṣuṣā raghunandana| vyaśīryanta śarīrātsvātsarvagātrāṇi durmate:

"O descendant of Raghu, burnt down by his fierce (third) eye, all the limbs of the body of that evilminded Kama were consumed.

तस्य गात्रं हतं तत्र निर्दग्थस्य महात्मना। अशरीर: कृत: काम: क्रोधाद्देवेश्वरेण हि।।1.23.13।।

tasya gātraṃ hataṃ tatra nirdagthasya mahātmanā| aśarīra: kṛta: kāma: krodhāddeveśvareṇa hi

Having been completely burnt down by Lord Siva, Kama's body was destroyed. Mighty angry, Siva, reduced Kama to a 'disembodied being.

अनङ्ग इति विख्यातस्तदाप्रभृति राघव। स चाङ्गविषयश्श्रीमान्यत्राङ्गं प्रमुमोच ह।।1.23.14।।

anaṅga iti vikhyātastadāprabhṛti rāghava| sa cāṅgaviṣayaśśrīmānyatrāṅgaṃ pramumoca ha

O descendant of the Raghus, from that time onwards, he was known as 'Ananga' (one without form). The beautiful place where he gave up his body is known as Angadesa.

तस्यायमाश्रम: पुण्यस्तस्येमे मुनय: पुरा। शिष्या धर्मपरा नित्यं तेषां पापं न विद्यते।।1.23.15।।

tasyāyamāśrama: puṇyastasyeme munaya: purā| śiṣyā dharmaparā nityaṃ teṣāṃ pāpaṃ na vidyate

This holy hermitage belongs to Kama. These ascetics are his disciples. They are always righteous and are free from sin.

इहाद्य रजनीं राम वसेम शुभदर्शन। पुण्ययोस्सरितोर्मध्ये श्वस्तरिष्यामहे वयम्।।1.23.16।।

ihādya rajanīṃ rāma vasema śubhadarśana| puṇyayossaritormadhye śvastariṣyāmahe vayam

O auspiciouslooking Rama, we will stay here tonight at the confluence of both these sacred rivers (Sarayu and Ganga) and cross over Ganga tomorrow.

अभिगच्छामहे सर्वे शुचय: पुण्यमाश्रमम्। स्नाताश्च कृतजप्याश्च हुतहव्या नरोत्तम।।1.23.17।।

abhigacchāmahe sarve śucaya: puṇyamāśramam| snātāśca kṛtajapyāśca hutahavyā narottama

O best of men, after morning ablutions offering oblations to the sacred fire, all of us sanctified will enter this pious hermitage".

तेषां संवदतां तत्र तपोदीर्घेण चक्षुषा। विज्ञाय परमप्रीता मुनयो हर्षमागमन्।।1.23.18।।

teṣāṃ saṃvadatāṃ tatra tapodīrgheṇa cakṣuṣā| vijñāya paramaprītā munayo harṣamāgaman

As they were conversing thus, the ascetics, with their far reaching spiritual vision (beyond the veil of time) recognised them and were immensely pleased.

अर्घ्यं पाद्यं तथाऽतिथ्यं निवेद्य कुशिकात्मजे। रामलक्ष्मणयो: पश्चादकुर्वन्नतिथिक्रियाम्।।1.23.19।।

arghyaṃ pādyaṃ tathā'tithyaṃ nivedya kuśikātmaje| rāmalakṣmaṇayo: paścādakurvannatithikriyām

After extending hospitality to the son of Kusika (Viswamitra) with respectful offerings, and water for washing feet they played the host to Rama and Lakshmana.

सत्कारं समनुप्राप्य कथाभिरभिरञ्जयन्। यथार्हमजपन् सन्ध्यामृषयस्ते समाहिता:।।1.23.20।।

satkāraṃ samanuprāpya kathābhirabhirañjayan| yathārhamajapan sandhyāmṛṣayaste samāhitā:

Having received due hospitality, they delighted them (ascetics) with their talk. The rishis with composed minds recited their evening prayer as usual.

तत्र वासिभिरानीता मुनिभिस्सुव्रतै: सह। न्यवसन् सुसुखं तत्र कामाश्रमपदे तदा।।1.23.21।।

tatra vāsibhirānītā munibhissuvratai: saha| nyavasan susukhaṃ tatra kāmāśramapade tadā

The ascetics who resided there, faithful to their vows, took them in. There they staed happily in Kama's hermitage.

कथाभिरभिरामाभिरभिरामौ नृपात्मजौ। रमयामास धर्मात्मा कौशिको मुनिपुङ्गव:।।1.23.22।।

kathābhirabhirāmābhirabhirāmau nṛpātmajau| ramayāmāsa dharmātmā kauśiko munipuṅgava:

Foremost among the ascetics the son of Kusika (Viswamitra) delighted the charming princes with enchanting tales. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे त्रयोविंशस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the twentythird sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.