srivalmikiramayanam -balakanda - chapters - 16th and 17th

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

aapadaam apahartaaram daataaram sarvasaMpadaam.h .
lokaabhiraamam shriiraamam bhuuyo bhuuyo namaamyaham.h ..

" I bow again and again to Sree Rama who removes (all) obstacles and grants all wealth and pleases all. "

Bala Kanda – The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 16

 

 Introduction

 

Vishnu agrees to incarnate as human and selects Dasharatha as his father. And when Dasharatha is performing the Vedic ritual called putrakaameSTi a deity called praajaapatya purusha arises from the sacrificial fire to give a golden vessel of divine dessert to Dasharatha for distribution among his queens to beget progeny. The three queens on consuming that dessert conceive their children

tato naaraayaNo devo viSuNuH niyuk{}taH sura sattamaiH |
jaanan api suraan evam shlakSNam vacanam abraviit || 1-16-1

Later when the Omnipresent Narayana is thus nominated by best gods, and though he knows the outcome, he gently spoke these words to gods in this way. [1-16-1]

The name Vishnu indicates his all pervading Omnipresence in all beings, sessile or mobile: vyaapitvaat sarva bhuuteSu vishnuH iti abhidhiiyate. This is one of his thousand names, called Vishnu sahasra naama , each name elucidating his attributes.

upaayaH ko vadhe tasya raakshsaadhipateH suraaH |
yam aham tam samaasthaaya nihanyaam R^iSi kaNTakam || 1-16-2

"What is the idea to eliminate that demon's chief Ravana, oh, gods, adopting which strategy I will have to eliminate that thorn in the side of sages?" Thus Vishnu asked the gods. [1-16-2]

evam uk{}taaH suraaH sarve pratyuucuH viSNum avyayam |
maanuSam ruupam aasthaaya raavaNam jahi sa.nyuge || 1-16-3

Asked thus all the gods said to that sempiternal Vishnu, "on assuming a human form, eliminate Ravana in a war." [1-16-3]

sa hi tepe tapaH tiivram diirgha kaalam ari.ndama |
yena tuSTo.abhavat brahmaa loka kR^it loka puurvajaH || 1-16-4

"Oh, destroyer of enemies, he that Ravana undertook a vehement ascesis for a long period, thereby the creator of worlds and the first born one Brahma, felt gladsome of his ascesis. [1-16-4]

santuSTaH pradadau tasmai raakSasaaya varam prabhuH |
naanaavidhebhyo bhuutebhyo bhayam na anyatra maanuSaat || 1-16-5
avaj~naataaH puraa tena varadaane hi maanavaaH |

"Satisfied with his ascesis Brahma gave boon to that demon that he shall have no fear for his life from many kinds of beings, excepting humans, because that demon indeed slighted humans earlier at the time of bestowing boon. [1-16-5, 6a]

evam pitaamahaat tasmaat varadaanena garvitaH || 1-16-6
utsaadayati lokaan trIIn striyaH ca api apakarSati |
tasmaat tasya vadho dR^iSTo maanuSebhyaH parantapa || 1-16-7

"Thus, on getting boon from the Forefather Brahma he has become arrogant and torturing the three worlds, and he is even abducting women. As such, oh, enemy destroyer Vishnu, his elimination is envisaged through humans alone." So said gods to Vishnu. [1-16-6b, 7]

iti etat vacanam shrutvaa suraaNaam viSNuH aatmavaan |
pitaram rocayaamaasa tadaa dasharatham nR^ipam || 1-16-8

8. iti suraaNaam etat vachanam shrutvaa= this way, of the gods, that, speech, on hearing; Vishnu; aatmavaan= kind-hearted one; tadaa dasharatham nR^ipam= then, Dasharatha, king; pitaram rochayaamaasa= as father, started to choose.

On hearing that speech of gods said that way, he that kind-hearted Vishnu then chose Dasharatha as his father in human world. [1-16-8]

sa ca api aputro nR^ipatiH tasmin kaale mahaadyutiH |
ayajat putriyaam iSTim putrepsuH arisuudanaH ||1-16-9

During that time the great resplendent king and an enemy subduer Dasharatha is performing putrakaameSTi ritual, desiring progeny as he is sonless. [1-16-9]

sa kR^itvaa nishcayam viSNuH aaman.htrya ca pitaamaham |
antardhaanam gato devaiH puujya maano maharShibhiH || 1-16-10

On taking a decision Vishnu took leave of Forefather Brahma, and vanished while he is still being extolled by gods and sages. [1-16-10]

tato vai yajamaanasya paavakaat atula prabham |
praadurbhuutam mahadbhuutam mahaaviiryam mahaabalam || 1-16-11

Then, from Fire of Altar Dasharatha's ritual there emerged a greatly vigorous and energetic Divine Being with an unparalleled resplendence, called yajna puruSa. [1-16-11]

kR^iSNam rak{}taambara dharam rak{}taaasyam dundubhi svanam |
snigdha haryakSa tanuja shmashru pravaram uurdhajam || 1-16-12

He is clad in black and red garments and his face is red and his voice resembled the drumbeat. His moustache and hairdo are soft like that of a lion's mane. [1-16-12]

shubha lakSaNa sa.mpannam divya aabharaNa bhuuSitam |
shaila shR^i~Nga samutsedham dR^ipta shaarduula vikramam || 1-16-13

13. subha lakSaNa sampannam= auspicious, features, endowed with; divya aabharaNa buuSitam= divine, ornaments, decorated with; shaila sR^i~Nga samutsedham= mountain, peak like, in height; dR^ipta shaarduula vikramam= imperious, tiger like, in valiance.

And he is endowed with auspicious features and decorated with divine ornaments, in height he is like a mountain peak, and in valiance he is like an imperious tiger. [1-16-13]

divaakara samaaakaaram diipta anala shikhopamam |
tapta jaambuunadamayiim raajataanta paricChadaam || 1-16-14
divya paayasa sa.mpuurNaam paatriim patniim iva priyaam |
pragR^ihya vipulaam dor.hbhyaam svayam maayaamayiim iva || 1-16-15

That great ritual being personally brought a big golden vessel carrying it with both of his hands as if he would personally handle his own wife, which vessel is made from the molten gold and covered with a silver lid, and which appeared to be crafted out of a divine illusion, since it is dazzling like sun and glowing like the tongues of flame, and that vessel is full with the divine dessert. [1-16-14, 15]

samavekSya abraviit vaakyam idam dasharatham nR^ipam |
praajaapatyam naram viddhi maam iha abhyaagatam nR^ipa || 1-16-16

That divine person on observing king Dasharatha said these words "oh, king, you may know me as the being sent by Prajapati." [1-16-16]

tataH param tadaa raajaa prati uvaaca kR^ita a.njaliH |
bhagavan svaagatam te.astu kimaham karavaaNi te || 1-16-17

There after, king Dasharatha greeted that divine being with palms adjoining and said in reply, "oh, god, welcome to you, and what shall I do for you?" [1-16-17]

atho punaH idam vaakyam praajaapatyo naro.abraviit |
raajan arcayataa devaan adya praaptam idam tvayaa || 1-16-18

18. athaH praajaapatyH naraH= then, Prajaapati's, person; punaH idam vaakyam abraviit= again, this, word, said; raajan= oh, king; devaan archayataa tvayaa= gods, when propitiated, by you; adya idam praaptam= now, this is, obtained [by you.]

Then again, that divine being sent by Prajapati said these words, "oh, king, now you have obtained this dessert in golden vessel as you have propitiated gods. [1-16-18]

idam tu nR^ipa shaarduula paayasam deva nirmitam |
prajaa karam gR^ihaaNa tvam dhanyam aarogya vardhanam || 1-16-19

"Oh, tigerly king, take this dessert prepared by divinities, this is a blessed dessert that enriches progeny and health. [1-16-19]

bhaaryaaNaam anuruupaaNaam ashniita iti prayacCha vai |
taasu tvam lapsyase putraan yadartham yajase nR^ipa || 1-16-20

"Oh, king, let this be consumed" saying so he further said, "for which purpose you have performed this ritual that childbearing will be fructified in your wives by bearing sons, hence give this among your eligible wives." So said the divine being to Dasharatha. [1-16-20]

tathaa iti nR^ipatiH priitaH shirasaa prati gR^ihya taam |
paatriim deva anna sa.mpuurNaam deva dattaam hiraNmayiim || 1-16-21

Agreeing to that the king wholeheartedly took that god-given golden vessel full with divine food. [1-16-21]

abhivaadya ca tat bhuutam adbhutam priya darshanam |
mudaa paramayaa yuk{}taH cakaara abhipradakSiNam || 1-16-22

With high ecstasy Dasharatha revered that Ritual Being, the Prajapati Purusha or yaj~na purusha , an astonishing and delightful being in his appearance, and performed circumambulations around him. [1-16-22]

tato dasharathaH praapya paayasam deva nir.hmitam |
babhuuva parama priitaH praapya vittam iva adhanaH || 1-16-23

On obtaining that dessert prepared by gods then Dasharatha is highly gladdened like a pauper obtaining unforeseen wealth. [1-16-23]

tataH tat adbhuta prakhyam bhuutam parama bhaasvaram |
sa.mvartayitvaa tat karma tatra eva antaradhiiyata || 1-16-24

On completing his work of giving the golden vessel with dessert then that divine being who is astonishing by his form and highly glowing by his physique, disappeared then and there itself. [1-16-24]

harSa rashmibhiH uddyotam tasya antaHpuram aababhau |
shaaradasya abhiraamasya ca.ndrasya iva nabhaH a.mshubhiH || 1-16-25

Lit up with beams of happiness Dasharatha's palace chambers shone forth like the autumnal sky brightened with moonbeams. [1-16-25]

saH antaHpuram pravishya eva kausalyaam idam abraviit |
paayasam pratigR^ihNiiSva putrIyam tu idam aatmanaH || 1-16-26

Then Dasharatha on entering palace chambers spoke this to queen Kausalya, "Receive this dessert to beget your son." [1-16-26]

This divine dessert is meant for the 'eligible' queens, as informed the Ritual Being and also in order to maintain the divinity of Ram's birth. In the context of seed and field, the field has no equal importance to the seed biija kshetra nyaya . Hence the seed is divine in the form of dessert and fields are therefore shall 'be eligible' for the seedling. As such the First Queen and Empress Kausalya is being addressed firstly, and given firstly.

kausalyaayai narapatiH paayasa ardham dadau tadaa |
ardhaat ardham dadau ca api sumitraayai naraadhipaH || 1-16-27
kaikeyyai ca avashiSTa ardham dadau putraartha kaaraNaat |
pradadau ca avashiSTa ardham paayasasya amR^ita upamam || 1-16-28
anucintya sumitraayai punaH eva mahiipatiH |
evam taasaam dadau raajaa bhaaryaaNaam paayasam pR^ithak || 1-16-29

The king then gave half of the dessert to queen Kausalya, and he gave half of the half, i.e., one fourth to queen Sumitra. And to Kaikeyi he gave half of the remaining half, i.e., one eight of the dessert, with a desire to beget sons. Then thinking for a while gave the remaining, i.e., one-eighth portion again to queen Sumitra. Thus, the king distributed the dessert to his wives differently. [1-16-27, 28, 29]

This is a much-discussed distribution by the traditionalists. Adhyatma Ramayana, a treatise that postulates god-hood to Rama, gives a well-constructed argument about these shares of dessert and the resultant births of the four brothers, viz., Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna, in accordance with these shares. In its simplest terms and as contained in these verses, queen Kausalya got half of the dessert as an Empress, paTTa mahiSi. Sumitra gets one-fourth in the first round and after a rethink by Dasharatha, she gets another one-eighth portion. Kaikeyi gets only a one-eighth quantity. Thus, Kausalya gives birth to Rama, Sumitra to Lakshmana and Shatrughna, and Kaikeyi to Bharata. The quantum of apportionment of the dessert does not make Rama all-powerful or Bharata the least. Since the Absolute is indivisible into parts, the dessert that is divided is not to be taken as the divided Absolute, but a kind of medium through which the incarnation is made possible.

There is another declination enquiring whether the incarnation of Rama is full or partial, puurNa avatara or artha avatara... Rama is Vishnu Himself while Bharata and Shatrughna are his disc and conch-shell, while Lakshmana is the thousand headed snake aadi sesha on whose coils Vishnu reclines. The whole dessert is divine and parts of it do not signify and inter-divided god-hoods. Hence, the apportionment of the desert is done in order to keep up the hierarchy of the queen-hoods and their status. Throughout this magnum opus Rama never said that he is god or an incarnate of god, but called himself, nimitta maatra a casual relation to the course of events. Should Rama be the incarnation of the Almighty Himself, he has little or no necessity to incarnate the weaponry along with him. They are at his beck and call at any time. Thus, Rama is neither a half nor one-fourth incarnation of the Absolute nor a dividend of the whole, but an incarnate of the virtuously ideal personality of Vishnu, maryaada purushottama Rama.

Incidental to this apportionment of the dessert, the aspect of eldest son is also studied. Rama is the first-born and thus the eldest. This is because the dessert is given to queen Kausalya in the first instance, and half of the whole vessel. She immediately consumed to lionise her share and as an Empress. Sumitra waited a while till apportionment is complete. Kaikeyi got her portion but waited till her elder sister Sumitra completes her drink. In the meanwhile Dasharatha thought a while, as said in the verse, and gave Sumitra another one-eighth part. Sumitra then consumed her two parts. Later Kaikeyi drinks her dividend.

taaH cha evam paayasam praapya narendrasya uttamaaH striyaH |
sammaanam menire sarvaaH praharSa udita cetasaH || 1-16-30

On getting the dessert all of those best ladies of the king, whose hearts are exuberant with happiness, deemed it as a reward. [1-16-30]

tatastu taaH praashya tad uttama striyo
mahiipateH uttama paayasam pR^ithak |
hutaashana aaditya samaana tejasaH
achireNa garbhaan pratipedire tadaa || 1-16-31

Then on consuming dessert those best ladies of the king whose resplendence then vied with that Fire and Sun became pregnant after some time. [1-16-31]

A synecdochic expression to indicate that Sun and Fire, the enliveners of living beings, pratyaksha naraayaNa are there in those wombs and their resplendence is shining out of mothers bodies.

tatastu raajaa prativiixya taaH striyaH
praruuDha garbhaaH prati labdha maanasaH |
babhuuva hR^iSTaH tridive yathaa hariH
surendra siddha R^iSi gaNaabhipUjitaH || 1-16-32

Then on seeing his queens with confirmed pregnancies Dasharatha regained his lost heart for sons, and he is gladdened like Vishnu, who will always be gladsome when worshipped by gods, namely Indra and others, as well as by the assemblages of great souls, sages. [1-16-32]

iti shrii vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadikaavye baalakaaNDe ShoDashaH sargaH ||

Thus, this is the 16th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 17

Introduction

The gods become progenitors Vanara heroes at the dictate of Brahma to come to the aid of Rama in annihilating Ravana. The monkey-like Vanara race is procreated by numerous celestials endowing it with peculiar mighty physique and particular power to come to the help of Rama.

putratvam tu gate viSNau raaj~naH tasya mahaatmanaH |
uvaaca devataaH sarvaaH svaya.mbhuuH bhagavaan idam || 1-17-1

1. viSNauH tasya raaj~naH putratvam gate= Vishnu's, that, king's, sonship, when attained; mahaatmana= of great soul Dasharatha; bhagavaan svayam bhuH= god, self, created - Brahma; sarvaaH devataaH idam uvaacha= to all, gods, this, said.

When Vishnu attained the sonship of the great-souled king Dasharatha, then Brahma the self-created addressed all of the gods this way. [1-17-1]

satya sa.ndhasya viirasya sarveSaam no hitaiSiNaH |
viSNoH sahaayaan balinaH sR^ijadhvam kaama ruupiNaH || 1-17-2

"Let mighty and guise changing helpmates be procreated to that truth abiding and valorous Vishnu who is the well-wisher of all of us. [1-17-2]

maayaa vidaH ca shuuraam ca vaayu vega samaan jave |
nayaj~naan buddhi sa.mpannaan viSNu tulya paraakramaan || 1-17-3
asa.mhaaryaan upaayaj~naan divya sa.mhanana anvitaan |
sarva astra guNa sa.mpannaanan amR^ita praashanaan iva || 1-17-4
apsarassu ca mukhyaasu gandharvaaNaam tanuuSu ca |
yaksha pannaga kanyaasu R^iksha vidyaadhariiSu cha || 1-17-5
ki.mnariiNaam cha gaatreSu vaanariinaam tanuusu cha |
sR^ijadhvam hari ruupeNa putraan tulya paraakramaan || 1-17-6

"Let monkey-shaped progeny equalling Vishnu's valour be procreated from the physiques of prominent apsara-s and gandharva-s, from the girls of yaksha-s and pannaga-s, and also thus from the bodies of kinnaraa-s, she-vidyaadharaa-s, she-riksha-s and she-monkeys, and they shall be wizards of miracles and audacious ones, in travel they shall have air's speed, bestowed with intellect they shall be the knowers of ideation, and with their divine physique they shall be ineliminable, they shall be endowed with all the assaultive aspects of all missiles, and they shall be untiring in their efforts, like you who thrive on amrita, the ambrosia, unmindful of thirst and hunger. [1-17-3, 4, 5, 6]

Gandharva-s (Southey's Glendoveers) are celestial musicians inhabiting Indra's heaven and forming the orchestra at all the banquets of the principal deities. Yaksha-s, demigods attendant especially on Kubera, and employed by him in the care of his garden and treasures. Kimpurusha-s, demigods attached also to the service of Kubera, celestial musicians, represented like centaurs reversed with human figures and horses' heads. Siddha-s, are demigods or spirits of undefined attributes, occupying with the Vidyaadharaa-s the middle air or region between the earth and the sun. Griffith.

pUrvam eva mayaa sR^iSTo jaa.mbavaan R^ixa pu~NgavaH |
jR^i.mbhamaaNasya sahasaa mama vakraat ajaayata || 1-17-7

"I have already created the eminent bear Jambavanta in earlier times, as he suddenly came forth from my yawning face. [1-17-7]

This is to say that Brahma has already created such a typical being, namely Jambavanta, prior to all the gods, as a role model in creation.

te tathaa uktaaH bhagavataa tat prati shrutya shaasanam |
janayaamaasuH evam te putraan vaanara ruupiNaH || 1-17-8

When Brahma addressed them thus, those gods have agreed to his order and accordingly started to parent sons in the semblance of monkeys. [1-17-8]

This pedigree is not yet given the label of monkeys. They are lookalike of monkeys but not monkeys, vaana ruupiNam resembling monkeys, as said in the verse. The word vanara is vane carati iti vanara-s because they range far and wide over forests they are called vanara-s, but not exactly a monkey race.

R^iSayaH ca mahaatmaanaH siddha vidyaadhara uragaaH |
caaraNaaH ca sutaan viiraan sasR^ijuH vana caariNaH || 1-17-9

The great-souled celestial groups, namely the sages, siddha-s, vidyaadharaa-s, caarana-s have created valiant sons that are forest rangers. [1-17-9]

vaanarendram mahendra aabham indraH vaalinam aatmajam |
sugriivam janayaamaasa tapanaH tapataam varaH || 1-17-10

Indra procreated the lord of vanara-s, namely Vali, who by his physique is like Mt. Mahendra, and the highest humidifier among all the humidifiers, namely the Sun, procreated Sugreeva. [1-17-10]

bR^ihaspatiH tu ajanayat taaram naama mahaa kapim |
sarva vaanara mukhyaanaam buddhimantam anuttamam || 1-17-11

Brihaspati, the Jupiter, gave rise to a great monkey named Tara, who is the most important one among all vanara-s, and who excels all by his intelligence. [1-17-11]

Tara here is a vanara hero but not Lady Tara, the wife of Vali. Here we have the wording of kapiH the monkey – for these forest rangers for first time.

dhanadasya sutaH shriimaan vaanaro gandhamaadanaH |
vishvakarmaa tu ajanayan nalam naama mahaa kapim || 1-17-12

The brilliant Gandhamaadana is the son of Kubera, while the divine architect Vishvakarma procreated the great monkey called Nala. [1-17-12]

paavakasya sutaH shriimaan niilaH agni sadR^isha prabhaH |
tejasaa yashasaa viiryaat atyaricyata viiryavaan || 1-17-13

The bright son of Fire is Neela whose blaze is like that of fire and who excels other monkeys by his in resplendence, renown and courage. [1-17-13]

rUpa draviNa sa.mpannau ashvinau rUpasa.mmatau |
maindam ca dvividam cha eva janayaamaasatuH svayam || 1-17-14

The Ashwin twin gods whose wealth is their beautiful appearance have personally procreated two vanara-s namely Mainda and Dvivida, blessing them with beautiful appearance.[1-17-14]

varuNo janayaamaasa suSeNam naama vaanaram |
sharabham janayaamaasa parjanyaH tu mahaabalaH || 1-17-15

The Rain-god procreated the vanara named Susheshana, and Thunder-god gave rise to the great mighty Sharabha. [1-17-15]

maarutasya aurasaH shriimaan hanumaan naama vaanaraH |
vajra sa.mhananopeto vainateya samaH jave || 1-17-16
sarva vaanara mukhyeSu buddhimaan balavaan api |

The direct son of Air-god is the marvellous and adventurous Hanuma with an indestructible body, and one identical in the speed of lady Vinata's son, namely Garuda, the divine eagle vehicle of Vishnu, and among all monkey chiefs he is the intelligent and the indefatigable one too. [1-17-16, 17a]

Garuda: The bird and vehicle of Vishnu. He is generally represented as a being something between a man and a bird and considered as the sovereign of the feathered race. He may be compared with the Simurgh of the Persians, the Anká of the Arabs, the Griffin of chivalry [without lion's body,] the Phoenix of Egypt, and the bird that sits upon the ash Yggdrasil of the Edda. – Griffith.

te sR^iSTaa bahu saahasraa dashagriiva vadhe udyataaH || 1-17-17
aprameya balaa viiraa vikraantaaH kaama ruupiNaH |

Thus the gods have procreated many thousands of such valorous and guise changing monkeys who with their immeasurable strength and bravery are manifest for the elimination of the decahedral demon Ravana. [1-17-17b, 18a]

te gaja achala sa.nkaashaa vapuSma.nto mahaabalaaH || 1-17-18
R^ikSa vaanara gopucChaaH kSipram eva abhijaj~nire |

And they with their elephantine, mountainous and prodigious bodies quickly took birth in bears, monkeys, sacred langoors. [1-17-18b, 19a]

yasya devasya yad ruupam veSo yaH ca paraakramaH || 1-17-19
ajaayata samam tena tasya tasya pR^ithak pR^ithak |

Those that are procreated have attained the shape, getup and valour of the god that has fathered them, and thus the monkey race is procreated separately and individually. [1-17-19b, 20a]

golaanguuleSu ca utpannaaH ki.mchid unnata vikramaaH || 1-17-20
R^ikSiiSu ca tathaa jaataa vaanaraaH ki.nnariiSu ca |

Some of the vanara-s endowed with superior valour are born to female langoors, and like that some more to female bears and kinnaraa-s. [1-17-20b, 21a]

devaa maharSi gandharvaaH taarxya yaxaa yashasvinaH || 1-17-21
naagaaH kimpuruSaaH cha eva siddha vidyaadhara uragaaH |
bahavo janayaamaasuH hR^iSTaaH tatra sahasrashaH || 1-17-22
chaaraNaaH cha sutaan viiraan sasR^ijuH vana chaariNaH |
vaanaraan su mahaakaayaan sarvaan vai vana chaariNaH || 1-17-23
apsarassu ca mukhyaasu tadaa vidyadhariiSu ca |
naaga kanyaasu ca tadaa gandharviiNaam tanUSu ca |

Several of the gods, great-sages, gandharva-s, eagles, yaksha-s, and the celebrated reptiles, kimpusha-s, siddha-s, vidyaadharaa-s, uraga-s and caarana-s and even the prominent maidens of apsara-s, she-vidyaadharaa-s, naaga, gandharva-s then gladly procreated all of the thousands of forest-ranging and valiant vanara sons from their bodies that are forest rangers. [21b, 22, 23, 24a, b]

kaama rUpa balopetaa yathaa kaama vichaariNaH || 1-17-24
si.mha shaardUla sadR^ishaa darpeNa ca balena ca |

They are endowed with guise changing faculties, with bodily might and by their pride and might are identical to lions and tigers, and they are born-free in their movement in forests. [1-17-24b, 25a]

shilaa praharaNaaH sarve sarve parvata yodhinaH || 1-17-25
nakha danSTra aayudhaaH sarve sarve sarva astra kovidaaH |

All of them are the assaulters with stones, and all are the attackers with trees, and all have their nails and claws as their weapons, yet all are experts in missiles. [1-17-25b, 26a]

Rama and Lakshmana will use arrows and missiles as their weaponry in the ensuing final war with Ravana. The vanara soldiers use stones, trees, and their own claws and nails. The golden maces or clubs handled by Hanuma, Sugreeva, and Vali usually depicted in pictures are for more mythical ornamentation to glorify the characters. However, these Vaanaras are well versed in the knowledge of such tactical weaponry, only to save themselves from their usage against them, but do not use them necessarily. In Sundara Kanda Hanuma will be tied by a magical weapon called Brahma astra when he is in Lanka. Though knowing the release from that Brahma astra, Hanuma does not utilise that knowledge there.

vicaala yeyuH shailendraan bheda yeyuH sthiraan drumaan || 1-17-26
kSobha yeyuH ca vegena samudram saritaam patim |

They can rock greatest mountains, rip firm rooted trees, and with their speed they can agitate the of lord of rivers, namely the ocean. [1-17-26b, 27a]

daara yeyuH kSitim padbhyaam aaplaveyuH mahaa arNavan || 1-17-27
nabhasthalam visheyur ca gR^ihNiiyur api toyadaan |

They can shatter the ground with their two feet, leap and cross over great oceans, and they can seize the clouds entering arch of heaven. [1-17-27b, 28a]

gR^ihNiiyur api maata.ngaan mattaan pravrajato vane || 1-17-28
nardamaanaaH ca naadena paata yeyuH viha.mgamaan |

They can catch ruttish elephants that tumultuously move in forests, and just with the sound of their blare they make sky flying birds to fall. [1-17-28b, 29a]

iidR^ishaanaam prasuutaani hariiNaam kaama ruupiNaam || 1-17-29
shatam shata sahasraaNi yuuthapaanaam mahaatmanaam |

Thus the gods and others have procreated millions of such noble souled Vaanaras as the chiefs of warriors who can change their guise at their wish. [1-17-29b, 30a]

te pradhaaneSu yUtheSu hariiNaam hariyUthapaaH || 1-17-30
babhuuvur yuuthapa shreSThaan viiraam ca ajanayan hariin |

Those vanara generals who took birth thus became the prominent generals among the principle battalions of monkeys, and they have also procreated brave monkeys on their own. [1-17-30a, 31b]

anye R^ikSavataH prasthaan upatasthuH sahasrashaH || 1-17-31
anye naanaa vidhaan shailaan kaananaani ca bhejire |

Some thousands of them stayed on the ridges of Mt. Riskshavat while others reached many kinds of other mountains and forests. [1-17-31b, 32a]

suurya putram ca sugriivam shakra putram ca vaalinam || 1-17-32
bhraatarau upatasthuH te sarve cha hari yuuthapaaaH |
nalam niilam hanUmantam anyaa.mshcha hari yUthapaan || 1-17-33

All of the monkeys stood by the brothers, namely the son of Indra Vali, and the son of sun Sugreeva, and even with the monkey generals like Nala, Neela and Hanuma et al. [1-17-32b, 33]

te taarkshya bala sa.mpannaaH sarve yuddha vishaaradaaH |
vicharanto.ardayan sarvaan si.mha vyaaghra mahoragaan || 1-17-34

All of those who are well-versed in warfare and endowed with the might of divine eagle Garuda, used to thwart the pride of lions, tigers and great snakes just by their own prideful subjugation while they move about the forests. [1-17-34]

mahaabalo mahaabaahuH vaalii vipula vikramaH |
jugopa bhuja viiryeNa R^ixa gopucCha vaanaraan || 1-17-35

He who is adroit, extremely mighty, and highly indomitable, that Vali protected bears, langoors, and monkeys just by the strength of his arms. [1-17-35]

taiH iyam pR^idhvii shUraiH saparvata vana arNavaa |
kiirNaa vividha sa.nsthaanaiH naanaa vya.njana laxaNaiH || 1-17-36

The earth with its mountains, forests and oceanward places is overspread with those brave ones that possess diverse physiques and peculiar indication marks of their stock. [1-17-36]

taiH megha bR^indaacala kUTa sa.mnibhaiH
mahaabalaiH vaanara yuuthapa adhipaiH |
babhuuva bhuuH bhiima shariira ruupaiH
samaavR^itaa raama sahaaya hetoH || 1-17-37

The earth is thus suffused with those mighty army generals of Vanara race whose physiques resembled the clusters of clouds and peaks of mountains, and who have emerged for the reason of helping Rama. [1-17-37]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe saptadashaH sargaH ||

Thus, this is the 17th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana,the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection