Bala Kanda, Sarga 74

अथ रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। आपृष्ट्वा तौ च राजानौ जगामोत्तरपर्वतम् ।।1.74.1।। आशीर्भि: पूरयित्वा च कुमारांश्च सराघवान्।

atha rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ| āpṛṣṭvā tau ca rājānau jagāmottaraparvatam āśīrbhi: pūrayitvā ca kumārāṃśca sarāghavān|

Night over, the great ascetic Viswamitra, profusely blessed the princes born in the race of Raghu, took leave of the two kings and set out towards the northern (Himalayas) mountains.

विश्वामित्रे गते राजा वैदेहं मिथिलाधिपम् । आपृष्ट्वाऽथ जगामाशु राजा दशरथ: पुरीम्।।1.74.2।।

viśvāmitre gate rājā vaidehaṃ mithilādhipam | āpṛṣṭvā'tha jagāmāśu rājā daśaratha: purīm

With the departure of Viswamitra, king Dasaratha who was the source of happiness to his subjects took leave of Janaka, king of Mithila and speedily set out for the city of Ayodhya.

गच्छन्तं तं तु राजानमन्वगच्छन्नराधिप:।।1.74.3।। अथ राजा विदेहानां ददौ कन्याधनं बहु।

gacchantaṃ taṃ tu rājānamanvagacchannarādhipa: atha rājā videhānāṃ dadau kanyādhanaṃ bahu|

King Janaka, lord of the Videhas, gave plenty of gifts to his daughters and followed king Dasaratha for some distance on his journey to Ayodhya.

गवां शतसहस्राणि बहूनि मिथिलेश्वर:। कम्बलानां च मुख्यानां क्षौमकोट्यंबराणि च।।1.74.4।। हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं दिव्यरूपं स्वलङ्कृतम् । ददौ कन्यापिता तासां दासीदासमनुत्तमम् ।।1.74.5।।

gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi bahūni mithileśvara:| kambalānāṃ ca mukhyānāṃ kṣaumakoṭyaṃbarāṇi ca hastyaśvarathapādātaṃ divyarūpaṃ svalaṅkṛtam | dadau kanyāpitā tāsāṃ dāsīdāsamanuttamam

The king of Mithila and father of the brides gave a hundred thousand cows, excellent woollen carpets, crores of silk garments, four divisions of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry and welldecorated, excellent male and maidservants shining in celestial beauty.

गवां शतसहस्राणि बहूनि मिथिलेश्वर:। कम्बलानां च मुख्यानां क्षौमकोट्यंबराणि च।।1.74.4।। हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं दिव्यरूपं स्वलङ्कृतम् । ददौ कन्यापिता तासां दासीदासमनुत्तमम् ।।1.74.5।।

gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi bahūni mithileśvara:| kambalānāṃ ca mukhyānāṃ kṣaumakoṭyaṃbarāṇi ca hastyaśvarathapādātaṃ divyarūpaṃ svalaṅkṛtam | dadau kanyāpitā tāsāṃ dāsīdāsamanuttamam

The king of Mithila and father of the brides gave a hundred thousand cows, excellent woollen carpets, crores of silk garments, four divisions of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry and welldecorated, excellent male and maidservants shining in celestial beauty.

हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य मुक्तानां विद्रुमस्य च।।1.74.6।। ददौ परमसंहृष्ट: कन्याधनमनुत्तमम्।

hiraṇyasya suvarṇasya muktānāṃ vidrumasya ca dadau paramasaṃhṛṣṭa: kanyādhanamanuttamam|

Immensely delighted, he gave his excellent daughters gold, pearls and corals.

दत्त्वा बहु धनं राजा समनुज्ञाप्य पार्थिवम्।।1.74.7।। प्रविवेश स्वनिलयं मिथिलां मिथिलेश्वर:।

dattvā bahu dhanaṃ rājā samanujñāpya pārthivam praviveśa svanilayaṃ mithilāṃ mithileśvara:|

The Lord of Mithila bestowed a lot of wealth on his daughters and with the consent of the king (Dasaratha) reentered his residence in Mithila.

राजाऽप्ययोध्याधिपतिस्सह पुत्रैर्महात्मभि:। ऋषीन् सर्वान् पुरस्कृत्य जगाम सबलानुग:।।1.74.8।।

rājā'pyayodhyādhipatissaha putrairmahātmabhi:| ṛṣīn sarvān puraskṛtya jagāma sabalānuga:

King Dasaratha of Ayodhya also left along with his great sons preceded by the sages and followed by the army.

गच्छन्तं तं नरव्याघ्रं सर्षिसङ्घं सराघवम्।।1.74.9।। घोरा: स्म पक्षिणो वाचो व्याहरन्ति ततस्तत:।

gacchantaṃ taṃ naravyāghraṃ sarṣisaṅghaṃ sarāghavam ghorā: sma pakṣiṇo vāco vyāharanti tatastata:|

While this tiger among men Dasaratha, was returning with the hosts of sages and his sons, he observed here and there frightening birds making disagreeable sounds.

भौमाश्चैव मृगा स्सर्वे गच्छन्ति स्म प्रदक्षिणम्।।1.74.10।। तान् दृष्ट्वा राजशार्दूलो वसिष्ठं पर्यपृच्छत।

bhaumāścaiva mṛgā ssarve gacchanti sma pradakṣiṇam tān dṛṣṭvā rājaśārdūlo vasiṣṭhaṃ paryapṛcchata|

Seeing the beasts on the way rushing to the right the tiger among men, enquired of Vasishta:

असौम्या: पक्षिणो घोरा मृगाश्चापि प्रदक्षिणा:।।1.74.11।। किमिदं हृदयोत्कम्पि मनो मम विषीदति।

asaumyā: pakṣiṇo ghorā mṛgāścāpi pradakṣiṇā: kimidaṃ hṛdayotkampi mano mama viṣīdati|

"While the frightening birds are inauspicious, the deer on the right are favourables Why is this? My heart beats. My mind is depressed.

राज्ञो दशरथस्यैतच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं महानृषि:।।1.74.12।। उवाच मधुरां वाणीं श्रूयतामस्य यत्फलम्।

rājño daśarathasyaitacchrutvā vākyaṃ mahānṛṣi: uvāca madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ śrūyatāmasya yatphalam|

To these words of king Dasaratha the great ascetic Vasishta replied in a gentle voice, "I shall tell you the consequences Listen".

उपस्थितं भयं घोरं दिव्यं पक्षिमुखाच्च्युतम्।।1.74.13।। मृगा: प्रशमयन्त्येते सन्तापस्त्यज्यतामयम्।

upasthitaṃ bhayaṃ ghoraṃ divyaṃ pakṣimukhāccyutam mṛgā: praśamayantyete santāpastyajyatāmayam|

The dreadful cries from the mouths of birds foretell an event of celestial nature likely to befall but the movements other of deer indicate restoration of peace. Therefore do not grieve.

तेषां संवदतां तत्र वायु: प्रादुर्बभूव ह।।1.74.14।। कम्पयन् पृथिवीं सर्वां पातयंश्च द्रुमांच्छुभान्।

teṣāṃ saṃvadatāṃ tatra vāyu: prādurbabhūva ha kampayan pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ pātayaṃśca drumāṃcchubhān|

While they were conversing, a storm blew, shaking the earth and felling down beautiful trees.

तमसा संवृतस्सूर्य स्सर्वा न प्रबभुर्दिश।।1.74.15।। भस्मना चावृतं सर्वं संमूढमिव तद्बलम्।

tamasā saṃvṛtassūrya ssarvā na prababhurdiśa bhasmanā cāvṛtaṃ sarvaṃ saṃmūḍhamiva tadbalam|

The Sun was wrapped in dark. The quarters were devoid of brightness. The entire army was covered with ashes, as if they fainted.

वसिष्ठश्चर्षयश्चान्ये राजा च ससुतस्तदा ।।1.74.16।। संसज्ञा इव तत्रासन् सर्वमन्यद्विचेतनम्।

vasiṣṭhaścarṣayaścānye rājā ca sasutastadā saṃsajñā iva tatrāsan sarvamanyadvicetanam|

At that time Vasishta and other saints, the king and his sons held their senses under control. All others lost their consciousness.

तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।। ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।। कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्। ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।। स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् । प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।

tasmiṃstamasi ghore tu bhasmacchanneva sā camū: dadarśa bhīmasaṅkāśaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam| bhārgavaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ taṃ rājarājavimardinam kailāsamiva durdharṣaṃ kālāgnimiva dussaham| jvalaṃtamiva tejobhirdurnirīkṣyaṃ pṛthagjanai: skandhe cāsajya paraśuṃ dhanurvidyudgaṇopamam | pragṛhya śaramukhyaṃ ca tripuraghnaṃ yathā śivam

In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of Tripura.

तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।। ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।। कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्। ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।। स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् । प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।

tasmiṃstamasi ghore tu bhasmacchanneva sā camū: dadarśa bhīmasaṅkāśaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam| bhārgavaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ taṃ rājarājavimardinam kailāsamiva durdharṣaṃ kālāgnimiva dussaham| jvalaṃtamiva tejobhirdurnirīkṣyaṃ pṛthagjanai: skandhe cāsajya paraśuṃ dhanurvidyudgaṇopamam | pragṛhya śaramukhyaṃ ca tripuraghnaṃ yathā śivam

In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of Tripura.

तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।। ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।। कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्। ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।। स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् । प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।

tasmiṃstamasi ghore tu bhasmacchanneva sā camū: dadarśa bhīmasaṅkāśaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam| bhārgavaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ taṃ rājarājavimardinam kailāsamiva durdharṣaṃ kālāgnimiva dussaham| jvalaṃtamiva tejobhirdurnirīkṣyaṃ pṛthagjanai: skandhe cāsajya paraśuṃ dhanurvidyudgaṇopamam | pragṛhya śaramukhyaṃ ca tripuraghnaṃ yathā śivam

In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of Tripura.

तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।। ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्। भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।। कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्। ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।। स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् । प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।

tasmiṃstamasi ghore tu bhasmacchanneva sā camū: dadarśa bhīmasaṅkāśaṃ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇam| bhārgavaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ taṃ rājarājavimardinam kailāsamiva durdharṣaṃ kālāgnimiva dussaham| jvalaṃtamiva tejobhirdurnirīkṣyaṃ pṛthagjanai: skandhe cāsajya paraśuṃ dhanurvidyudgaṇopamam | pragṛhya śaramukhyaṃ ca tripuraghnaṃ yathā śivam

In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of Tripura.

तं दृष्ट्वा भीमसङ्काशं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्। वसिष्ठप्रमुखा विप्रा जपहोमपरायणा:।।1.74.21।। सङ्गता मुनयस्सर्वे सञ्जजल्पुरथो मिथ:।

taṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasaṅkāśaṃ jvalantamiva pāvakam| vasiṣṭhapramukhā viprā japahomaparāyaṇā: saṅgatā munayassarve sañjajalpuratho mitha:|

At the sight of the fearful appearance of Parasurama looking like flaming fire, Vasishta and all other saints who were in the habit of chanting mantras and offering oblations to the fire whispered among themselves:

कच्चित्पितृवधामर्षी क्षत्रं नोत्सादयिष्यति।।1.74.22।। पूर्वं क्षत्रवधं कृत्वा गतमन्युर्गतज्वर:। क्षत्रस्योत्सादनं भूयो न खल्वस्य चिकीर्षितम्।।1.74.23।।

kaccitpitṛvadhāmarṣī kṣatraṃ notsādayiṣyati pūrvaṃ kṣatravadhaṃ kṛtvā gatamanyurgatajvara:| kṣatrasyotsādanaṃ bhūyo na khalvasya cikīrṣitam

Enraged at the slaughter of his father (by Kartaveeryarjuna), is he intent upon exterminating the kshatriya race? Having slaughtered the kshatriyas, in the past he was freed from anger and grief. Is he again desirous of annihilating the kshatriyas?

कच्चित्पितृवधामर्षी क्षत्रं नोत्सादयिष्यति।।1.74.22।। पूर्वं क्षत्रवधं कृत्वा गतमन्युर्गतज्वर:। क्षत्रस्योत्सादनं भूयो न खल्वस्य चिकीर्षितम्।।1.74.23।।

kaccitpitṛvadhāmarṣī kṣatraṃ notsādayiṣyati pūrvaṃ kṣatravadhaṃ kṛtvā gatamanyurgatajvara:| kṣatrasyotsādanaṃ bhūyo na khalvasya cikīrṣitam

Enraged at the slaughter of his father (by Kartaveeryarjuna), is he intent upon exterminating the kshatriya race? Having slaughtered the kshatriyas, in the past he was freed from anger and grief. Is he again desirous of annihilating the kshatriyas?

एवमुक्त्वाऽर्घ्यमादाय भार्गवं भीमदर्शनम्। ऋषयो राम रामेति वचो मधुरमब्रुवन्।।1.74.24।।

evamuktvā'rghyamādāya bhārgavaṃ bhīmadarśanam| ṛṣayo rāma rāmeti vaco madhuramabruvan

The saints having thus talked amongst themselves, offered arghya to the son of Bhargava, of dreadful appearance and addressed him in soothing words: "O Rama O Rama".

प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजामृषिदत्तां प्रतापवान्। रामं दाशरथिं रामो जामदग्न्योऽभ्यभाषत।।1.74.25।।

pratigṛhya tu tāṃ pūjāmṛṣidattāṃ pratāpavān| rāmaṃ dāśarathiṃ rāmo jāmadagnyo'bhyabhāṣata

Valiant Parasurama, son of Jamadagni, having accepted the homage offered by the saints addressed Rama, son of Dasaratha and said: इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे चतुस्सप्ततितमस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the seventyfourth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.