srivalmikiramayanam - balakanda - sarga 65 to 68

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar,   Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 65

Introduction

Vishvamitra becomes Brahma-sage after a prolonged ascesis that made all the worlds to startle. All gods request Brahma to accord the supreme Brahma-sageship on Vishvamitra as he is cleansed of all mortal impurities, and Brahma accords that highest order on him. Thus Sage Shataananda concludes his narration about the legend of Vishvamitra.

atha haimavatiim raama disham tyaktvaa mahaamuniH |
puurvaam disham anupraapya tapaH tepe sudaaruNam || 1-65-1

"That great-saint Vishvamitra then leaving off the snowbound Himalayas on north, oh, Rama, he reached eastern quarter and undertook rigorous ascesis." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Vishvamitra. [1-65-1]

maunam varSa sahasrasya kR^itvaa vratam anuttamam |
cakaara apratimam raama tapaH parama duSkaram || 1-65-2

"Committing himself to a vow of muteness, oh, Rama, he performed an unexcelled and unmatched ascesis which is highly impracticable for others to perform. [1-65-2]

puurNe varSa sahasre tu kaaSTha bhuutam mahaamunim |
vighnaiH bahubhiH aadhuutam krodho na a.ntaram aavishat || 1-65-3
saH kR^itvaa nishcayam raama tapa aatiSTat avyayam |

"Even on completing a thousand years, even when that great-saint became woodenly, even many barriers are at full blast, oh, Rama, fury has not entered his heart of hearts, for he stood fast in an unmitigated ascesis on making a firm determination. [1-65-3, 4a]

tasya varSa sahasrasya vrate puurNe mahaavrataH || 1-65-4
bhoktum aarabdhavaan annam tasmin kaale raghuuttama |
indro dvijaatiH bhuutvaa tam siddha annam ayaacat || 1-65-5

"On one day when those thousand years of ascesis with the rigorous pledge of Vishvamitra are being completed, and when he started to eat his meal, oh, Rama, best of Raghu's dynasty, Indra arrived there disguising himself as a Brahman and requested for the readily available meal. [1-65-4b, 5]

This meal is prepared by Vishvamitra alone after a thousand years and such self-cooking of food by the ascetics is called, vaishva devam, since it is a sacred preparation anena vaiþvadeva ante sam˜gato atithi× svayam upoÿy˜ api svŸya anna prad˜nena sambhojya iti s¨citam - dk

tasmaiH dattvaa tadaa siddham sarvam vipraaya nishcitaH |
niHSheSite anne bhagavaan abhuktvaa iva mahaatapaaH || 1-65-6
na ki.mcit avadat vipram mauna vratam upaasthitaH |
tathaa eva aasiit punaH maunam anucChvaasam cakaara ha || 1-65-7

.

"Then that godly Vishvamitra willingly gave away all the readied meal to that Brahman, and as no meal is leftover by Brahman-Indra, that great-ascetic Vishvamitra starved himself. Vishvamitra did not speak a little to the Brahman in dissent as he is abided by his pledge of muteness, and he again remained in muteness and breath-control. Like that, he indeed carried on his ascesis. [1-65-6, 7]

atha varSa sahasram ca na ucChvasan munipu.ngavaH |
tasya anucChvasamaanasya muurdhni dhuumo vyajaayata || 1-65-8
trai lokyam yena sa.mbhraa.ntam aataapitam iva abhavat |

"That eminent saint remained without respiration for another thousand years, and then fumes have started to emit from the head of sage who is controlling his breath, by which fumes the triad of worlds looked as if it is searing, and this startled all the worlds. [1-65-8, 9a]

tato devarSi gandharvaaH pannaga uraga raakSasaaH || 1-65-9
mohitaa tapasaa tasya tejasaa ma.ndarashmayaH |
kashmala upahataaH sarve pitaamaham atha abruvan || 1-65-10

"Then the gods, sages, gandharva-s, serpents, reptiles, demons are puzzled at the ascesis of Vishvamitra, and as their own resplendence is dulled by the ascesis of Vishvamitra, thereby they are marred by this blemish of lowered resplendence, then all of them addressed the Grandparent, Brahma. [1-65-9b, 10]

bahubhiH kaaraNaiH deva vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
lobhitaH krodhitaH caiva tapasaa ca abhivar.hdhate || 1-65-11

" 'Even if that great-saint Vishvamitra is angered and allured in order to foil his ascetical ascendancy, by all of us and by all means oh, god, he is transcending these lures, angers, and passions by his ascesis. [1-65-11]

na hi asya vR^ijinam ki.mcit dR^ishyate suukSmam api atha |
na diiyate yadi tu asya manasaa yat abhiipsitam || 1-65-12
vinaashayati trailokyam tapasaa sa cara acaram |

" 'Now, even an imperceptible imperfection does not really appear in him, but if his heartfelt desire is not meted out, he will devastate the triad of worlds with his ascetic power. [1-65-12, 13a]

vyaakulaaH ca dishaH sarvaa na ca ki.mcit prakaashate || 1-65-13
saagaraaH kSubhitaaH sarve vishiiryante ca parvataaH |

" 'All the directions are all tumultuous, all the oceans are tempestuous, and all the mountains are eruptive, and nothing is bright. [1-65-13b, 14a]

praka.mpate ca vasudhaa vaayuH vaati iha sa.mkulaH || 1-65-14
brahman napratijaaniimo naastiko jaayate janaH |

" 'The earth is highly tremulous, air is gusting turbulently, oh, Brahma, people tend to become non-theistic and we do not know what to do. [1-65-14b, 15a]

sammuuDham iva trailokyam sa.mprakshubhita maanasam || 1-65-15
bhaaskaro niSprabhaH caiva maharSeH tasya tejasaa |

" 'All the beings in the triad of the worlds are very highly perturbed at their senses and they are as though stupefied, and when juxtaposed the sun is lustreless before the resplendence of that great sage. [1-65-15b, 16a]

buddhim na kurute yaavat naashe deva mahaamuniH || 1-65-16
taavat prasaado bhagavaan agni ruupo mahaadyutiH |

" 'Oh, God, great saint Vishvamitra turned out to be the embodiment of Fire-god, and before that great-resplendent and most reverential sage makes up his mind for total destruction of all worlds he is to be placated. [1-65-16b, 17a]

kaala agninaa yathaa puurvam trailokyam dahyate akhilam || 1-65-17
deva raajyam cikiirSeta diiyataam asya yat matam |

" 'As to how the End-Time Fire entirely blazed away the triad of worlds previously, now this sage may do likewise, hence whatever is his predilection that may be given to him, even if he wants to become the potentate on the realm of gods.' Thus, all gods appealed to Brahma [1-65-17b, 18a]

tataH sura gaNaaH sarve pitaamaha purogamaaH || 1-65-18
vishvaamitram mahaatmaanam vaakyam madhuram abruvan |

"Then all the assemblages of gods keeping the Grandparent Brahma in their forefront appeared before that great souled Vishvamitra and said this harmonious word. [1-65-18b, 19a]

brahmarSe svaagatam te astu tapasaa sma su toSitaaH || 1-65-19
braahmaNyam tapasaa ugreNa praaptavaan asi kaushika |

" 'Oh, Brahma-sage, you are welcome. We are much contented with your ascesis. Oh, Kaushika, you have achieved Bahaman-hood by your rigorous ascesis. [1-65-19b, 20a]

diirgham aayuH ca te brahman dadaami sa marud gaNaH || 1-65-20
svasti praapnuhi bhadram te gacCha saumya yathaa sukham |

" 'Along with the assemblages of Marut-Wind-gods, I bestow upon you a long life. Let blissfulness betide you. You be safe. Oh, gentle sage, you may take leave as you please.' Thus, Brahma said to Vishvamitra. [1-65-20b, 21a]

pitaamaha vacaH shrutvaa sarveSaam tridiva okasaam || 1-65-21
kR^itvaa praNaamam mudito vyaajahaara mahaamuniH |

"On hearing the word of Grandparent Brahma and the other residents of heaven, and on paying good devoirs to all of them that great saint cheerfully said. [1-65-21b, 22a]

Verse Locator

braahmaNyam yadi me praaptam diirgham aayuH tathaiva ca || 1-65-22
AUM kaaro atha vaSaT kaaro vedaaH ca varayantu maam |

" 'If Brahman-hood and eternality have befallen on me, let the quintessence of AUM and vaSat syllables, and even all Veda-s patronise me. [1-65-22b, 23a]

kSatra vedavidaam shreSTho brahma vedavidaam api || 1-65-23
brahma putro vasiSTho maam evam vadatu devataaH |
yadi ayam paramaH kaamaH kR^ito yaantu surarSabhaaH || 1-65-24

" 'Oh, gods, he who is the outstanding one among the geniuses of kingcraft, and among the scholars of Veda-s as well, even that Vashishta, the brainchild of Brahma, shall acknowledge me in this way as Brahma-sage. Oh, the best gods, you may take leave if you can effectuate this ultimate yearning of mine.' Thus Vishvamitra requested the gods. [1-65-23b, 24]

tataH prasaadito devaiH vasiSTho japataam varaH |
sakhyam cakaara brahmarSiH evam astu iti ca abraviit || 1-65-25

"Then the best one among meditators Vashishta has come over there when the gods besought him to come, and he made friendship with Vishvamitra. He also said in this way to Vishvamitra, 'you are a Brahma-sage.' [1-65-25]

brahmarSiH tvam na sa.ndehaH sarvam sa.mpadyate tava |
iti uktvaa devataaH ca api sarvaa jagmuH yathaa aagatam || 1-65-26

"No doubt, you are a Brahma-sage and everything will accrue to you in accordance with the sublimity of this sageship,' and when Vashishta said so to Vishvamitra, all the gods have gone away as they have come. [1-65-26]

vishvaamitro api dharmaatmaa labdhvaa braahmaNyam uttamam |
puujayaamaasa brahmarSim vasiSTham japataam varam || 1-65-27

"On getting his Brahman-hood even the virtue-souled Vishvamitra started to reverence the supreme among meditators and his counterpart Brahma-sage, namely Vashishta. [1-65-27]

kR^ita kaamo mahiim sarvaam cacaara tapasi sthitaH |
evam tu anena braahmaNyam praaptam raama mahaatmanaa || 1-65-28

"When his aim is effectuated Vishvamitra ambled all over the earth abiding in ascesis, and oh, Rama, this great souled sage Vishvamitra achieved Brahman-hood in this way. [1-65-28]

eSa raama muni shreSTha eSa vigrahavaan tapaH |
eSa dharmaH paro nityam viiryasya eSa paraayaNam || 1-65-29

"Oh, Rama, he is the best saint, he is the embodiment of ascesis, he is always obliged with righteousness, and he is the stronghold for fortitude." [1-65-29]

evam uktvaa mahaatejaa viraraama dvijottamaH |
shataana.nda vacaH shrutvaa raama lakSmaNa sa.nnidhau ||1-65-30
janakaH praa.njaliH vaakyam uvaaca kushikaaatmajam |

On narrating the legend of Vishvamitra in this way that best Brahman and great-resplendent Sage Shataananda took respite. And on listening the narration of Sage Shataananda said in the presence of Rama and Lakshmana, king Janaka said this sentence to Kushika's son, Vishvamitra, with suppliantly adjoined palms. [1-65-30b, 31a]

dhanyo asmi anugR^ihiito asmi yasya me munipu.ngava || 1-65-31
yaj~nam kaakutstha sahitaH praaptavaan asi kaushika |

"Oh, eminent sage Vishvamitra, you happened to be here at this Vedic-ritual which is conducted by me, oh, Kaushika, that too, along with Rama and Lakshmana, the legatees of Kakutstha, thereby I am fortunate, I am much obliged. [31b, 32a]

paavito aham tvayaa brahman dar.hshanena mahaamune || 1-65-32
guNaa bahu vidhaaH praaptaaH tava sa.ndarshanaat mayaa |

"Oh, Brahman, I stand consecrated just by your graceful glance, and oh, great saint, I reckon that I have achieved many boons just glancing at you. [1-65-32b, 33a]

vistareNa ca vai brahman kiirtyamaanam mahattapaH || 1-65-33
shrutam mayaa mahaatejo raameNa ca mahaatmanaa |

"Oh, great-resplendent Brahman, myself and the noble souled Rama have heard about your great ascesis when Sage Shataananda extolled it comprehensively. [1-65-33b, 34a]

sadasyaiH praapya ca sadaH shrutaaH te bahavo guNaaH || 1-65-34
aprameyam tapaH tubhyam aprameyam ca te balam |
aprameyaa guNaaH caiva nityam te kushikaatmaja || 1-65-35

"The congregationalists available in this Vedic-ritual congregation have also heard about your numerous endowments. Inestimable is your ascesis, infinite is your power, and oh, son of Kushika, your talents are everlastingly invaluable. [1-65-34b, 35]

tR^iptiH aashcarya bhuutaanaam kathaanaam na asti me vibho |
karma kaalo muni shreSTha lambate ravi maNDalam || 1-65-36

"Oh, lord, there is no contentment to me while listening to your wondrous narratives, but oh nobleman, time for vespertine ritual is fast approaching as sun's sphere is dangling westward. [1-65-36]

shvaH prabhaate mahaatejo draSTum ar.hhasi maam punaH |
svaagatam japataam shreSTha maam anuj~naatum ar.hhasi || 1-65-37

"Oh, great-resplendent sage, it will be apt of you to see me tomorrow. Oh, best meditator, it will be apt of you to permit me to leave for now." Thus Janaka sought leave from Vishvamitra. [1-65-37]

evam ukto munivaraH prashasya puruSarSabham |
visasarja aashu janakam priitam priitimaan tadaaa || 1-65-38

When he is spoken in that way, the best saint Vishvamitra is pleased at heart, and praising Janaka, who too is pleased to meet the sage, immediately bid farewell to the best one among men, namely Janaka. [1-65-38]

evam uktvaa muni shreSTham vaideho mithilaa adhipaH |
pradakSiNam cakaara aashu sa upaadhyaayaH sa baa.ndhavaH || 1-65-39

This way on saying to the best saint, the king of Mithila and the legatee of Videha lineage, immediately performed circumambulations along with his teachers and relatives to Vishvamitra in veneration. [1-65-39]

vishvaamitro api dharmaatmaa saha raamaH sa lakSmaNaH |
svam vaasam abhicakraama puujyamaano mahar.hSibhiH || 1-65-40

Even that virtue souled Vishvamitra started towards his own camp along with Rama and Lakshmana, while being venerated by great sages who are available in the ritual-hall. [1-65-40]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe pa.nca SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 65th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 66

Introduction

Legend of Shiva's bow is narrated as Vishvamitra asks Janaka to show that bow to Rama and Lakshmana, as they have come this far to have a glimpse of that great bow. Janaka, while narrating its history, makes an offer saying that his daughter Seetha will be given in marriage, if only Rama can string the bowstring of Shiva's bow. In the very same sixty-sixth chapter of Kishkindha Kanda, Valmiki narrates the birth of Hanuma through Jambavanta, elaborately. But here Valmiki informs through Janaka about the nature of birth of Seetha, very concisely, which gave raise to too much of debate about this enigmatic Seetha and her birth. Some points are given in the endnote.

tataH prabhaate vimale kR^ita karmaa naraadhipaH |
vishvaamitram mahaatmaanam aajuhaava sa raaghavam || 1-66-1

.

Then on performing morning time rites in the aurora of next morning, king Janaka invited great souled Vishvamitra, along with Raghava-s. [1-66-1]

tam ar.hcayitvaa dharmaaatmaa shaastra dR^iSTena karmaNaa |
raaghavau ca mahaatmaanau tadaa vaakyam uvaaca ha || 1-66-2

On reverencing Vishvamitra and the noble souled Raghava-s according to the formalities envisaged by scriptures, then the virtue souled Janaka spoke these words, indeed. [1-66-2]

bhagavan svaagatam te astu kim karomi tava anagha |
bhavaan aaj~naapayatu maam aaj~naapyo bhavataa hi aham || 1-66-3

"Oh, god, you are welcome, oh, holy sage, bid me as to what I should for you, for I am biddable by you, indeed... [1-66-3]

evam uktaH sa dharmaatmaa janakena mahaatmanaa |
pratyuvaaca munir viiram vaakyam vaakya vishaaradaH || 1-66-4

When said thus by the foreseer Janaka, [who can foresee as to why Vishvamitra came with Raghava-s this far, and thus asked him as to what next is to be done,] that sage Vishvamitra, for he is presager and wordsmith, [and who knows what is to be done next,] said these words in reply to that valiant king Janaka. [1-66-4]

putrau dasharathasya imau kSatriyau loka vishrutau |
draSTu kaamau dhanuH shreSTham yat etat tvayi tiSThati || 1-66-5

"These two are the sons of Dasharatha, well-renowned Kshatriya-s in world, and they are desirous to see that marvellous bow which has a place with you... [1-66-5]

etat darshaya bhadram te kR^ita kaamau nR^ipa aatmajau |
darshanaat asya dhanuSo yathaa iSTam pratiyaasyataH || 1-66-6

"You may show that bow, well bodes you, and on beholding that bow the desire of these two princes will come true, and they will go back as they like... [1-66-6]

evam uktaH tu janakaH pratyuvaaca mahaamunim |
shruuyataam asya dhanuSo yat artham iha tiSThati || 1-66-7

But Janaka replied the great sage Vishvamitra when he was addressed thus, "I shall [firstly] tell by which reason that bow has its place here... [1-66-7]

devaraata iti khyaato nimeH jyeSTho mahii patiH |
nyaaso ayam tasya bhagavan haste datto mahaatmanaa || 1-66-8

"Oh, godly sage, there was a king renowned as Devaraata, sixth one from Nimi, [the originator of our lineage,] and this bow was handed down to him for custodial care by the Sublime Soul, Shiva... [1-66-8]

Comment: Some mms use the word jyeSTaH instead of SaSTa for Nimi and then the meaning is that Nimi's eldest son is Devaraata. Basing on the account that is given by Janaka at the time of Rama's mariage with Seetha, Devaraata is the sixth one from Nimi, the originator of Janaka's lineage.

dakSa yaj~na vadhe puurvam dhanuH aayamya viiryavaan |
rudraH tu tridashaan roSaat sa liilam idam abraviit || 1-66-9

"Once, during the devastation of the Vedic-ritual of Daksha Prajapati, the mettlesome god Rudra, rancorously outstretching the bowstring of this bow, said this to all gods, superciliously... [1-66-9]

yasmaat bhaaga arthino bhaagaan na akalpayata me suraaH |
vara a.ngaani mahaaar.hhaaNi dhanuSaa shaatayaami vaH || 1-66-10

" 'Oh, gods, whereby you have not apportioned my portion [of oblations in Vedic-ritual s, as I am also the] desirer of such portion, [thereby] I will shred the highly revered heads of yours with this bow...' [So said Shiva to gods.] [1-66-10]

tato vimanasaH sarve devaa vai munipu.ngava |
prasaadayanti devesham teSaam priito abhavat bhavaH || 1-66-11

"Then, oh, best saint Vishvamitra, all gods are truly dismayed, and on their supplicating, Bhava, namely Shiva, the God of Gods is gladdened... [1-66-11]

priiti yuktaH tu sarveSaam dadau teSaam mahaatmanaam |
tat etat devadevasya dhanuu ratnam mahaatmanaH || 1-66-12
nyaasabhuutam tadaa nyastam asmaakam puurvaje vibho |

"And that Sublime Soul Shiva gladly gave that bow to all of the great souled gods, and oh, godly saint, then those great souled gods gave this gem of a bow of Shiva, the God of Gods, to our ancestor [Devaraata,] for custodial care... [1-66-12, 13a]

atha me kR^iSataH kSetram laa.ngalaat utthitaa mama || 1-66-13
kSetram shodhayataa labdhvaa naamnaa siitaa iti vishrutaa |

"Later, when I was ploughing the ritual field then raised by the plough [from the furrow is a baby girl... since she is] gained while consecrating the ritual-field, she is named as Seetha, and thus she is renowned... [1-66-13b, 14a]

bhuu talaat utthitaa saa tu vyavardhata mama aatmajaa || 1-66-14
viirya shulkaa iti me kanyaa sthaapitaa iyam ayonijaa |

"Hers is a non-uterine birth as she surfaced from the surface of the earth, but fostered as my own soul-born girl and I determined [to giver her in marriage to a bridegroom where his] boldness is the only bounty, [I receive in that marriage...] [1-66-14b, 15a]

Comment: 'Dowry is property or money brought by a bride to her husband' and this is familiar throughout the world. In ancient India, there was a counterpart custom to this, called kanyaa shulkam meaning 'some bounty, property or money offered by a bridegroom's family to the bride's family' since they are getting a worthy bride, coming into their family, not just as a mere wife of the bridegroom, but to upkeep and promote that family and its progeny. And this dowry or its counterpart is not compulsorily be paid in hard cash, but it may be any kind of gifts mutually exchanged, which has slowly developed into a mega havoc these days. Here Janaka wants the 'valour' of his prospective son-in-law as bounty due to him in the marriage of Seetha.

bhuutalaat utthitaam taam tu vardhamaanaam mama aatmajaam || 1-66-15
varayaamaasuH aagamya raajaano munipu.ngava |

"Oh, eminent sage, as my daughter has surfaced from the surface of earth and has come of age, the kings, [having heard my declaration that the bounty for Seetha is boldness alone,] have come and besought for her... [1-66-15b, 16a]

teSaam varayataam kanyaam sarveSaam pR^ithiviikSitaam || 1-66-16
viirya shulkaa iti bhagavan na dadaami sutaam aham |

"To all of those kings who are beseeching for the girl, I have not given my daughter, saying that she will be given for a bounty of boldness... [1-6-16b, 17a]

Verse Locator

tataH sarve nR^ipatayaH sametya munipu.ngava || 1-66-17
mithilaam abhyupaagamya viiryam jij~naasavaH tadaa |

17b, 18a. tataH+sarve+nR^ipatayaH+sametya= then, all, kings, convoked; munipungava= oh, eminent sage; mithilaam+abhyupaagamya= at Mithila, on arriving; viiryam+jij~naasavaH +tadaa= calibre [of bow,] they wanted to ascertain, then.

"Then all the kings convoked and on arriving at Mithila, then they wanted to ascertain the calibre [of the bow, vis-à-vis their own...] [1-66-17b, 18a]

teSaam jij~naasamaanaanaam shaivam dhanuH upaahR^itam || 1-66-18
na shekuH grahaNe tasya dhanuSaH tolane api vaa |

"For them, those who wanted to ascertain the calibre of the bow, that bow of Shiva is fetched to their proximity, but they are incapable to joggle it, or even to catch hold of it... [1-66-18b, 19a]

Comment: This bow of Shiva will be transported on a wheeled casket-cart with eight wheels and drawn by five thousand robust persons. This is narrated in next chapter. 'It is drawn by drawn by five hundred bulls...' aananda raamayana says so. In other versions of Ramayana, it is said that many people will pull that casket-cart, as one or two persons cannot haul it. Once, when Seetha was playing with other girls, their flowery ball of girl's rugby goes under this cart. None of her girlfriends is dare enough to near this bow-casket-cart, since it is a reverential casket-cart. But Seetha goes there and pushes that casket-cart aside with her left hand, as though it is a garland, and retrieves that flower ball. This capability of Seetha in easy handling of Shiva's bow, becomes a bane to her, when one among the wives of sapta R^iSi 'Seven Sages...' issues a curse to Seetha, saying that 'Seetha will be separated from her husband for some time, of course, for the good of people...' So says the tradition.

teSaam viiryavataam viiryam alpam j~naatvaa mahaamune || 1-66-19
pratyaakhyaataa nR^ipatayaH tan nibodha tapodhana |

"Oh, great saint, on knowing the valour of those valorous ones as valueless, I countermanded them... oh, ascetically wealthy Vishvamitra, by that you may know [the sequel of it...] [1-66-19b, 20a]

tataH parama kopena raajaano munipu.ngava || 1-66-20
arundhan mithilaam sarve viirya sa.ndeham aagataaH |

"Then, oh, eminent sage, those kings beleaguered Mithila in a blind fury, since a self-mistrust bechanced among them all, about their own valour... [1-66-20b, 21a]

aatmaanam avadhuutam te vij~naaya munipu.ngava || 1-66-21
roSeNa mahataa aaviSTaaH piiDayan mithilaam puriim |

"They surmised for themselves that they are brushed off by me, and they possessed by a high rancour, they strangled the City of Mithila... [1-66-21b, 22a]

tataH sa.mvatsare puurNe kSayam yaataani sarvashaH || 1-66-22
saadhanaani munishreSTha tato aham bhR^isha duHkhitaH |

"Then elapsed is an year and in anyway the possessions for livelihood went into a decline, oh, eminent sage, thereby I am highly anguished [1-66-22b, 23a]

tato deva gaNaan sarvaan tapasaa aham prasaadayam || 1-66-23
daduH ca parama priitaaH catura.nga balam suraaH |

"Then I have assuaged the assemblages of gods by my ascesis and gods are also highly gladdened and gave me fourfold forces... [1-66-23b, 24a]

Comment: The four components of army are foot soldiers, cavalry, elephant-squadrons, and chariot-warriors.

tato bhagnaa nR^ipatayo hanyamaanaa disho yayuH || 1-66-24
aviiryaa viirya sa.ndigdhaa sa amaatyaaH paapa kaariNaH |

"Then those evildoers and self-mistrustful kings while being drubbed [by the heaven-sent army, they have become] vigourless and broken, and they beat a hasty retreat... [1-66-24b, 25a]

tat etat munishaarduula dhanuH parama bhaasvaram || 1-66-25
raama lakSmaNayoH ca api dar.hshayiSyaami suvrata |

"Oh, tigerly sage this is that supremely radiant bow, and oh, saint of sacred vows, I will show it, even to Rama and Lakshmana... [1-66-25b, 26a]

Comment: Here by the use of word 'even' 'also' Janaka is reckoning Rama or Lakshmana on par with other kings who have tried their hand in lifting it. As of now, Janaka is not admitting any supremeness or super-humanness to them. In Janaka's asking at verse 4 'what can I do next...' etc., Janaka has sensed as to why this Vishvamitra brought some boys on this long a route, that too by foot. But he is not yet self-assured of Rama's capability or otherwise. Hence, the next verse starts with the clause 'if'.

yadi asya dhanuSo raamaH kuryaat aaropaNam mune |
sutaam ayonijaam siitaam dadyaam daasharatheH aham || 1-66-26

"If Rama strings the bowstring of that bow, oh, sage, I will offer my daughter, whose birth is non-uterine, to Dasharatha's Rama..." [So said Janaka to Vishvamitra.] [1-66-26b, c]

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Enigmatic Seetha and her enigmatic birth

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In the endnote of Ch. 56 of Aranya Kanda, some details are given about the enigmatic Seetha. Here also some points about her enigmatic birth are presented.

In a book of O'Flaherty, Wendy D. Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism. Pub: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-61847-1. p.59, Ramayana 1:65, Devanagari manuscript w-1455,' it is written that: "[Janaka:] 'Now, one day when I was in the sacrificial grounds, I saw the ultimate celestial nymph, Menaka, flying through the sky, and this thought came to me: 'If I should have a child in her, what a child that would be!' As I was thinking in this way, my semen fell on the ground. And afterwards, as I was ploughing that field, there arose out of the earth, as first fruits, my daughter, who has celestial beauty and qualities, and can only be won by one whose bride price is his manliness. Since she arose from the surface of the earth, and was born from no womb, she is called Sita, the furrow.' "

And this is said to be in Valmiki Ramayana, and this is being used to justify 'the virtually illicit birth of Sita, Lord Rama's wife' - it is unclear as to why and how scholars, as above, are wading through backwaters, called ancillary scripts, in the name of Valmiki Ramayana, and slinging mud on Valmiki or his Ramayana. It would be better to check and recheck their source material for this statement, if it were to be Valmiki Ramayana, on reading the verses 13, 14 and the last one of this chapter, where it is said that the birth of Seetha is a non-uterine birth, as there is neither a Menaka, nor a woman, nor any semen.

Seetha is considered to be the nature's nature, Primordeal Nature, Mahaa Prakriti, and when the five elements of nature intermingle into one, that is the Manifest Nature, where the five elements are pridhvi, aapa, teja, vaayu, aakaasha 'earth, waters, fire, air and space...' and there are many theories of their commingling like, pachii karaNa, saptii karaNa quintuplication, and sevenfold commingling etc. The process of creation gives rise to 24 items: 1] empirical or fundamental matter, 2] mahat, 3] ahamkaara, 4-8] five subtle elements, 9-13] five gross elements, 14] mind, 15-19] five sense organs, 20-24] five motor organs, 25] jiiva aatma, individual's soul, 26] Brahman, The Absolute. With these, a created living being is created. This is in the case of mortals and their births. But when Seetha is found in the furrow all these things have already happened and there is no question of human pregnancy to be attached to her. Hence Seetha is to be taken as Goddess Lakshmi, who is paraa shakti, Vishnu Maya and when she has to take an incarnation to become the prime cause to the effect of eliminating Ravana, no human activity of reproduction can be attached to such beings. If she were to be a human, perhaps she would not have exited from the pyre of fire when she self-immolated, after Rama and Ravana war. Some more information, though unrelated to Valmiki Ramayana, is given hereunder.

lakÿmŸm kÿŸra samudra r˜ja tanay˜m srŸranga dh˜meþvarŸm |
dasŸ bh¨ta samasta deva vanit˜m lokaika dŸpa ankur˜m ||

Lakshmi evolved from the Milky Ocean, when gods and demons churned it for amrita, the Divine Elixir, along with it a host of other items like, haalaahala, [cosmic poison,] candra Moon, kalpa vriksha, [Benevolent Divine Tree,] and the medicinal sage-god Dhanvantari holding the golden pot of amrita, have come out as has been explained by Vishvamitra to Rama in this Kanda.

Vishnu is the all-inclusive deity, known as purusha or mahaa puruSa... parama aatma Supreme Person, naraayaNa one who peregrinates mortals in and out this mortal world, antaryämi The In-dweller of all beings, and He is the shèshin the Totality, in whom all souls are contained. He is bhagavat where bhaga, derives from the root bhaj meaning Gracious Lord, and vat one who has it. Vishnu possesses six such divine glories SaD guna vibhuuti, namely, 1] j~naana, Omniscience 2] aishwarya, Providence, 3] shakti, Omnicompetence, 4] bala, Omnipotence, 5] viirya, Immutability. 6] tèjas, Resplendence, shakti is the samvit, the Primary Intelligence of God, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvid and hence shakti is the god's ahamata Personality and Activity. Thus this Shakti of god is personified in mythological lore and is called Shri or Lakshmi, and She is said to manifest herself in, 1] kriyaa shakti, Creative Activity and 2] bhuuti shakti, Creation of God. Hence Vishnu cannot part with His own personality or creativity i.e., ahamta, which in its feminine form is called shrii or Lakshmi. He therefore needs His consort Goddess Lakshmi to be with Him always, untouched by any. Thus, Goddess Lakshmi has to accompany Vishnu in all His incarnations, along with other paraphernalia like his conch-shell, his quoit and mace, and the thousand headed serpent aadi sheSa etc. Such a delightful deity Goddess Lakshmi is a treasure house that can be abducted by the greedy, but she is fickle like ripples lakÿmŸ hi toya taranga capal˜ Lakshmi= Goddess Lakshmi; hi= indeed; toya= water; taranga= wave like; capalaa= wavering. 'Goddess Lakshmi is wavering like the waves of water...' chapala, chanchala, asthira, wavering, faltering, unstable, and maayaa, maa + yaa 'whose illusory play she is, or liila play of god. She comes in unnoticeably like the water in a coconut and evaporates innocently into thin air, at Her will. Such as she is she is easily grabbed by the greedy. Hence none can give birth to her except the Mother Nature, and hence she is called mahilaa ; mahi + laa where mahi is earth and laa ; laH khaNDane triSu aadaane stri because Mother Earth gave birth to Seetha, Seetha is mahila Hence it is better to avoid assuming her to be an ordinary lady of an ordinary birth, and she may be viewed either legendarily or mythologically, for Valmiki as an epical poet, himself has not chronicled the details of her birth.

Even Vishnu is deprived of Her in His incarnations, not only in Ramayana but also in His nR^i simha Man-Lion incarnation. There, Maya Lakshmi becomes a tribal woman to bring back the ferocious Lion-Man to his original form. And in other versions of Ramayana, it is said that Ravana abducted Maya Seetha, but not real Seetha. 'When the real Seetha herself is an enigma, what if Ravana abducts real or duplicate copy of that Seetha...' is the brushed aside adjustment. In either case, it is maya, liila illusory power, sport of Vishnu together with that of Goddess Lakshmi, cause this enigma. Hence, whenever She is thus absconding from Him, Vishnu searches and retrieves Her, for no one in Universe can handle her, nor amass all the wealth. The predestined wealth alone is enjoyable but nothing more can be amassed. So also are the riches in the present day world, come too suddenly and vanish that suddenly. No one is rich ever and anon, and on someday every one is likely to see the ups and downs in his graph of riches. It is Vishnu that retrives the real wealth back to His abode Vaikuntha, and even punishes anyone for his accumulation of beyond-the-means-wealth. The burning of Lanka by Hanuma in Sundara Kanda is an example to this.

In Lakshmi tantra , a Vaishnavaite aagama text, She that unrestrainable Goddess Lakshmi declares Herself, as naaraayaNii, vaiSNavii i.e., a coequal of Vishnu, in the play of the universe i.e., in God's liila, saying that: aham n˜r˜yanŸ n˜ma s˜ satt˜ vaiÿõavŸ par˜ 'I am indeed naaraayaNii i.e. Lakshmi, the Supreme Essence of Vishnu... [Lakshmi Tantra 3.1.]

The Hindu mythology bases more on its eighteen Puraana-s, each of the six is rendered to each of the Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. A] Vishnu Puraana-s are: - 1] Vishnu, 2] bhaagavata, 3] naaradiiya, 4] garuda, 5] padma. 6] varaaha. B] Brahma Puraana-s : -1] Brahma, 2] brahmaanda, 3] brahma vaivarta, 4] maarkandèya, 5] bhaviSya,6] vaamana. C] Shiva Puraana-s : - 1] vaayu, 2] linga, 3] skanda, 4] agni, 5] matsya, 6] kuurma. In all these Puraana-s Goddess Lakshmi is given a laudable place without any sectarian dispute. In the Vaishnavaite Puraana-s, Shiva starts telling the efficacy of Vishnu to Goddess Parvati. While Shaiva mythology places Goddess Parvati, the consort of Shiva, in one half of Shiva's body artha naariishvara tattva, and Vaishnavaite tradition places Goddess Lakshmi in the heart of Vishnu itself, as if it is a Lotus hridaya kamala. This is to depict the inseparable unison of Universal purusha, Male and prakriti , Female, the seed and field.

While Valmiki Ramayana names Rama as Rama, the Padma Puraana etc., mythological texts bring in the Vedic texts and prefix shrii of shrii suukta of Rig Veda khila 5-87, which is a feminine counterpart of puruSa suukta of Rig Veda 10-90, for parama purusha i.e., Vishnu or Narayana, and thus call Rama of Valmiki as shrii raama. Vaishnavaite mythologies take hold of these and other Vedic references to Vishnu, and treat Vishnu / Narayana and Lakshmi as the inseparable divine couple, who maintain this Universe. The prefix shrii means as 'one who takes delight in shrii i.e., Lakshmi, meaning wealth, wealth of any kind. shrii riti prathamam naama lakshmyaa and ' if a is the first name of Vishnu, shrii is the first name of Lakshmi. Thus, primarily eight kinds of wealth are established, to be associated with Goddess Lakshmi. They are 1] aadi Lakshmi Wealth a priori 2] dhaanya Lakshmi Cereal Wealth 3] Dhairya Lakshmi Wealth of Courage 4] gaja Laksmi Elephant Wealth, i.e., Elephantine Wealth of all animals and livestock, santaana Lakshmi Wealth of Progeny, 6] vijaya Lakshmi, Wealth of Victory, 7] vidyaa Lakshmi Wealth of Education, 8] dhana Lakshmi Monetary Wealth. And any thing that need be affluent gets the auspicious prefix shrii or suffix lakshmi, and called raajya Lakshmi , Wealth of Empire, bhaagya lakshmi Wealth of Fortune, and the like...

The play of Goddess Lakshmi in the form of Seetha is Ramayana. As such, her absence from Rama caused Rama to travel up to Lanka, annihilate the evil, and retrieve her. Seetha herself expresses her anguish about Rama's indulgence in a Supreme welfare-state, than in herself, as Mahaakavi Kalidasa, in his epical poem Raghu Vamsha, and depicts what this bhaagya lakshmi has to say, when Rama, basing on some satirical remarks of his lowly subject, deserts Seetha in favour of raajya lakshmi when Seetha said as below:

upasthit˜m p¨rvam ap˜sya lakÿmŸm vanam may˜ s˜rthamasi prapanna× |
tad ˜spadam pr˜pya tay˜ti roÿ˜t soýh˜ asmi na tad bhavane vasantŸ || raghuvamsha

"Earlier you refused the kingdom-wealth, raajya lakshmi and came to forests, where I was with you. Now that, that kingdom-wealth, raajya lakshmi on winning your affection is jealous of me, who am your bhaagya lakshmi 'fortune-wealth...' and she does not let me live in your palace." And thus, Seetha departs Rama to forests, at the fag end of Ramayana.

Valmiki declares Ramayana is siithaayaaH charitam mahaan... 'Seetha's impeccable conduct...' by giving her an unusual birth from the furrow of the plough, and in the end she exits from this world into the same soil, where the earth is called vasundhara, which cleaves under Seetha's feet, and takes Seetha into her womb again. As such, the reason for Seetha to be there in that furrow as baby is said to be a vow of Goddess Lakshmi, in her earlier incarnation as Vedavati. The mythologies go on to say that Vedavati is the brainchild of a sage called Kushadhwaja, and he decides to give Vedavati in marriage none less than Vishnu. But in his lifetime, it is an unfulfilled desire. Then Vedavati starts a rigorous penance to achieve her father's wish. When she is at her culmination point of her penance, Ravana, passing that way in sky sees this beautiful lady, nears, and disturbs her penance. Vedavati coming out of her meditation, curses Ravana saying that she will reincarnate herself, to destroy Ravana and his entire dynasty. Then she causes a yogic fire and immolates herself in it. And Vedavati is reborn as Seetha of Ramayana, in an unusual way.

Here aananda raamaayaNa has an interesting parable. Once there was a king named Padmaaksha who wanted Lakshmi as his daughter. On practising ascesis Vishnu appears and gives a fruit called maatulunga phala, and girl emerges from out of that fruit, and she is named as Padma. But greedy to possess her, all the wooing kings war with Padmaaksha and his entire family is ruined and Padma jumps into fire and self immolates herself. Later when Vishnu's maaya comes out of an altar of fire, sits in her meditation, Ravana sees her and wants to abduct her. Of course, she is otherwise said to be Vedavati in other texts. But again, she enters the fire altar and reduces herself to ashes. Even then, Ravana searches in those ashes for her. In there, he gets five diamonds of high quality. He comes to Lanka and paces those diamonds in a casket and jovially presents them to his wife Mandodari. When Mandodari could not lift the casket Ravana lifts it and opens its lid, as he lifted Mt. Kailash. When the casket is opened, Mandodari finds a baby girl in it and recognises her to be Goddess Lakshmi. Then they consult their teachers about that baby's arrival. Those teaches wishing good for Ravana, advise to get rid off this girl immediately, for he is Goddess Lakshmi, arrived here only to end Ravana and his dynasty. Then Mandodari orders his servants to carry away this baby in a casket by an aircraft and get rid off it.

But Ravana rushes after the girl with a sword, to put that girl to sword. Empress Mandodari pacifies Ravana and says "Why purchase a later time death now itself at the hand of this baby... let that the casket be buried..." Ravana agrees. Mandodari also curses this girl saying, "this faithless girl, [for wealth is unfaithful,] will thrive only in a house, where the householder has his senses conquered, and who being an emperor lives like a perfect hermit, and who though wealthy and supreme by himself, will care nothing for the riches but view whole of the world and people as his own soul, with an impartial attitude..." Thus this casket is buried in the fields of King Janaka's empire by demons, clandestinely. Mandodari thought that such a person is an impossibility to take birth in this mortal world, to foster this buried girl, and thus presumed her curse to be twisty. But there is King Janaka with all the above attributes. A king without ego, wealthy but living simple, childless, yet does not crave for one, like King Dasharatha. Hence, he is called raajarSi a saintly king. Seetha's birth is to be limitedly understood, as said by Janaka in this chapter. Otherwise, the nuances about the birth of Seetha are to be viewed through the viewfinders of mythologies, legends, and above all, through the viewfinders of tradition... but not in the vast of epical poetry, as Valmiki himself has undocumented it...

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe SaT SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 66th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 67

Introduction

Rama breaks Shiva's bow when he wanted to examine the tautness of its bowstring. Janaka is perplexed, while others swooned at the blast of breaking bow, and Janaka proposes Seetha to Rama in marriage. On the approval of Vishvamitra to that proposal, Janaka sends his plenipotentiaries to Ayodhya.

janakasya vacaH shrutvaa vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
dhanur darshaya raamaaya iti ha uvaaca paarthivam || 1-67-1

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On listening to the words of Janaka, the eminent-saint Vishvamitra indeed said to the king Janaka thus as, "let the bow be displayed to Rama..." [1-67-1]

tataH sa raajaa janakaH sacivaan vyaadidesha ha |
dhanur aaniiyataam divyam gandha maalya anulepitam || 1-67-2

Then king Janaka indeed ordered his ministers, "bring the divine bow which is decorated with sandalwood paste and garlands... [1-67-2]

janakena samaadiSThaaH sacivaaH praavishan puram |
tat dhanuH purataH kR^itvaa nirjagmuH amita aujasaH || 1-67-3
nR^iNaam shataani pa.ncaashat vyaayataanaam mahaatmanaam |
ma.njuuSaam aSTa cakraam taam samuuhuH te katha.ncana || 1-67-4

Thus clearly instructed by Janaka those high souled ministers have gone out from there and entered the palace-chambers, and they came out with an eight-wheeled coffer in which the bow of Shiva is ensconced, and those ministers got it tugged by five thousand tall men of illimitable energy who somehow tugged it very difficultly, and thus the ministers have re-entered there keeping that bow afore of them. [1-67-3, 4]

taam aadaaya tu ma.njuuSaam aayasiim yatra tat dhanuH |
suropamam te janakam uucuH nR^ipati mantriNaH || 1-67-5

On fetching that iron coffer wherein that bow is there, those ministers of the king have reported to their godlike King Janaka. [1-67-5]

idam dhanur varam raajan puujitam sarva raajabhiH |
mithilaa adhipa raaja indra darshaniiyam yat icChasi || 1-67-6

"Oh king and sovereign of Mithila, here is the select bow that is reverenced by all kings, oh, best king, which you wished to be evincible to the boys, to evince their capabilities... [1-67-6]

teSaam nR^ipo vacaH shrutvaa kR^ita a.njaliH abhaaSata |
vishvaamitram mahaatmaanam tau ubhau raama lakSmaNau || 1-67-7

On listening the announcement of his ministers the king spoke to the noble souled Vishvamitra and to both Rama and Lakshmana too duly making palm-fold. [1-67-7]

idam dhanur varam brahman janakaiH abhipuujitam |
raajabhiH ca mahaa viiryaiH ashaktaiH puuritam tadaa || 1-67-8

"Here is that exquisite bow, oh, Brahman, which is held as a time-honoured bow by the lineage of Janaka kings, and with which even the highly forceful kings are rendered inefficient to take aim with it, previously... [1-67-8]

na etat sura gaNaaH sarve sa asuraa na ca raakSasaaH |
ga.ndharva yakSa pravaraaH sa kinnara mahoragaaH || 1-67-9
kva gatiH maanuSaaNaam ca dhanuSo asya prapuuraNe |
aaropaNe samaayoge vepane tolane api vaa || 1-67-10

"None in all the assemblages of gods, inclusive of demigods, demons, gandharva-s, yaksha-s, kinnaraa-s, or reptilian demigods, is capable enough to take aim with this bow and all are rendered incapable... and then, in brandishing this bow for a proper grip, or in bracing its bowstring to the other end, or in twitching the bowstring for its tautness, or in placing the arrow on bowstring at a proper place for a proper stretchability, or even in taking a good aim with it... what will be that capability of one from among humans... [1-1-9, 10]

tat etat dhanuSaam shreSTham aaniitam munipu.ngava |
darshaya etat mahaabhaaga anayoH raaja putrayoH || 1-67-11

"Oh, eminent-saint, such as it is, this nonpareil bow among all bows is brought in, and oh, highly fortunate sage Vishvamitra, let this be displayed to those two princes..." Thus Janaka said to Vishvamitra. [1-67-11]

vishvaamitraH sa raamaH tu shrutvaa janaka bhaaSitam |
vatsa raama dhanuH pashya iti raaghavam abraviit || 1-67-12

Vishvamitra on listening the sentence of Janaka along with Rama, on his part said to Raghava, "oh, boy Rama... you may see the bow..." [1-67-12]

maharSeH vacanaat raamo yatra tiSThati tat dhanuH |
ma.njuuSaam taam apaavR^itya dR^iSTvaa dhanuH atha abraviit || 1-67-13

Upon the word of the great sage Vishvamitra, Rama on unclosing the lid of that strongbox, wherein that bow is ensconced, saw the bow and said. [1-67-13]

idam dhanurvaram brahman sa.mspR^ishaami iha paaNinaa |
yatnavaan ca bhaviSyaami tolane puuraNe api vaa || 1-67-14

"Now I wish to get the feel of this supreme bow, oh, Brahman, and I shall try to brandish it, or even try to take aim with it... [1-67-14]

baaDham iti eva tam raajaa muniH ca samabhaaSata |
liilayaa sa dhanur madhye jagraaha vacanaat muneH || 1-67-15

.

"All Right!" said the saint and king to Rama in chorus, and Rama upon the word of the sage grasping it at the middle handgrip playfully grabbed the bow. [1-67-15]

pashyataam nR^i sahasraaNaam bahuunaam raghuna.ndanaH |
aaropayat sa dharmaatmaa sa liilam iva tat dhanuH || 1-67-16

While many thousands of men are witnessing that right-minded Rama the legatee of Raghu stringed the bow effortlessly. [1-67-16]

A bow has a definite height and it is a measure of length, from the ages even up to the age Kautilya, who gave many accounts for weights and measures, in his 'Artha Shaastra' a Penguin re-publication. Four aratni-s cubits are one dhanu, a bow-length, where one aratni is 18 inches, thus a bow-length is 6 feet and above, taking the standard size of archer as a six-footer and a little above. The bow's height is the height of the archer plus one measure of his head's height, as the upper end has to tower the archer's head. That being so, this bow belongs to Shiva and its height must be placed more than the human measure of 6 feet, and then it must be some 8 to 10 feet. And 'Rama is no crane-legged boy, as his physique is sad to be of 'medium' size, and then how a boy of, say of 4, 41/2 feet, could catch the upper end of 8-10 feet bow to bend it...' is the objection. An archer has to stand the bow on ground, clutch its lower end under big toe, and with one hand, he has to bend it, while with the other he catches the bowstring to string the other end. He is not supposed to handle it like a holdall or a briefcase. For this objection it is said in a way that the poet is using the adjective mahaatmaa to Rama, ' an unfathomable one with an equally unfathomable soul... inasmuch as his duty is concerned...' The minute he touched the bow, it became a spongy stick and it listened to him and bent as he wished. Other way round, Rama is an ambidextrous archer and furthered is his skill by his possession of some divine missiles as given by Vishvamitra. Hence, his dexterity is now multiplied and he can handle any divine or human bow 'effortlessly...'

aaropayitvaa maur.hviim ca puurayaamaasa viiryavaan |
tat babha.nja dhanur madhye narashreSTho mahaayashaaH || 1-67-17

Further, that dextrous one has stringed that bow with bowstring and started to stretch it up to his ear to examine its tautness, but that glorious one who is foremost among men, Rama, broke that bow medially. [1-67-17]

The bow is not broken by itself because of its oldness or dryness, but let us blame Rama for breaking it, as with any other toy which children are apt to damage in their playing. He stretched the bowstring so long until it broke. Neither his neither mother nor father available here. Otherwise, a 'moral class' would have chanced on him for braking articles in neighbour's houses. The bow is broken in the middle, not at either end, but at handgrip. This shows the strength of his palm to handgrip.

tasya shabdo mahaan aasiit nir.hghaata sama niHsvanaH |
bhuumi ka.mpaH ca sumahaan parvatasya iva diiryataH || 1-67-18

Then there bechanced an explosive explosion when the bow is broken, like the explosiveness of down plunging thunder, and the earth is tremulously tremulous, as it happens when a mountain is exploding. [1-67-18]

We can write more words for the above sound as, 'Dhaam, Dhiim, Phut, and DiSkuu...' etc., as long as thesaurus permit. But all that will be nonsensical. An ear-splitting sound has come but it is "OM" the auspicious sonus prima grata, produced once upon a time by Shiva's drum, in order to emanate words through maheshvara suutraaNi, which were unintelligible even for the sages like Sanaka, Sananda, Sanat Kumaara et al., and which were deciphered by Nandi, the Holy Bull vehicle of Shiva, to those sages. Here it is Shiva's bow and name of Shiva and all letters that attaches to Him are sha.m, sha.nkara, sha.mbhava, are peace-making letters, as codified in ˜um nama× þambhave ca mayo bhave ca nama× þaðkar˜ya ca mayaskar˜ya ca nama× þiv˜ya ca þivatar˜ya ca | - rudram - soma s¨kta - yajur Hence the real sound of Om is audible and it is ear-splitting for ordinary audience, since ordinary people cannot possibly face realities, and it is a regularly audible sound for the other four who have not swooned. By the way, it will be impossible for us to listen the chanting of Veda-s, even in these days, in any Vedic school for at least half an hour, as our ears are untuned to their ghana paaTha or jaTa or other sorts of chanting. We feel stranded in some audio studio with fully loaded sound FX.

And the pacemaker Rama lifted the bow of the peacemaker Shiva, where the bow itself is "Om". The legendary Indian bow is composed of three parts, unlike Robin Hood's single-piece bow. The lower bowing part, upper bowing part combined by a grip handle, and the bowstring. The three pieces are comparable to the three letters syllabified "Om" - a u ma, where a is upper bowing piece of bow, u, the lower end, and ma, the bowstring. The painters usually paint this bow-breaking scene, where Rama will be still handling the upper end in his hand, while the lower part will be falling, and the bowstring will be still dangling onto the upper end. The upper part of bow is a and this a is Vishnu akaara artho viSNuH, and the dangling bowstring is ma Goddess Lakshmi, loka maataa maa ramaa mangala devataa, dangling on the Supreme Person through thick and thin, and the detached-un-detached lower end is u, Lakshmana, or any other adherer. A lengthy account of this trilogy is provided in Aranya Kanda, Ch. 11, first verse.

And the pacemaker Rama is marrying the world with peace, by stringing the bowstring of peacemaker's bow, and it is not a mere marriage of some prince charming, with a charmy princess. Thus, this sound is the initial impact, impetus, brunt, or whatever, for universal peace, and that way this marriage attains a legendary significance in peace process, though by force.

nipetuH ca naraaH sarve tena shabdena mohitaaH |
vrajayitvaa muni varam raajaanam tau ca raaghavau || 1-67-19

Bewildered by that raucous caused by the breakage of bow, all the people swooned, except for that eminent-saint Vishvamitra, king Janaka, and those two Raghava-s, namely Rama and Lakshmana. [1-67-19]

prati aashvasto jane tasmin raajaa vigata saadhvasaH |
uvaaca praa.njaliH vaakyam vaakyaj~no munipu.ngavam || 1-67-20

While the people are being reaccustomed after their undergoing the shock, at that moment that sententious king Janaka, whose discomfiture has completely departed by now has said this to the eminent-saint Vishvamitra with a reverent palm-fold. [1-67-20]

bhagavan dR^iSTa viiryo me raamo dasharatha aatmajaH |
ati adbhutam aci.ntyam ca atarkitam idam mayaa || 1-67-21

"Oh, godly sage, the gallantry of Dasharatha's Rama is evidently seen... and the whys of this boy and wherefores of his stringing that massive bow are unimaginable to me! More so, humans lifting it! How so? This is an unhoped-for incident for me, besides, breaking it! This a is highly wondrous experience for me... [1-67-21]

janakaanaam kule kiirtim aahariSyati me sutaa |
siitaa bhartaaram aasaadya raamam dasharatha aatmajam || 1-67-22

"My daughter Seetha on getting Dasharatha's Rama as her husband, she will bring celebrity to the lineage of Janaka-s... [1-67-22]

This verse explains the advantageous status of Seetha than Rama in her birth and brought up. mama sutaa 'my daughter...' though I have not given her a physical birth, she is godsend to me, and I brought her up as a rarest of rare daughter with all the endowments of Janaka-s lineage which are impeccable... hence she is more than my physical daughter...' siitaa 'a furrow... born a furrow, an unusual non-uterine birth than the uterine birth of Rama from his mother Kausalya... hence Seetha has a plus point... dasharatha aatmajam 'Dasharatha's, son...' a wooable bridegroom... because he is Rama ramayate iti raama 'makes others delightful...' besides this, the saying about an eligible bridegroom is there: kany˜ varayate r¨pam m˜t˜ vittam pit˜ þrutam b˜ndhav˜× þŸlam icchanti s¨pa ann˜m itare jan˜× 'a bride cherishes charming mien, a prince-charming, rather... mother the bridegroom wishes to have money through him... bridegroom's father wants him to be a wise one in dealings with his new wife and old parents... and bridegroom's relatives require of him good demeanour... and other people wish to have dough of cooked pulse-gram, marriage-feasts, rather...' so also my daughter will cherish this boy as his looks are like that of a prince-charming... and the money for his mother, scholarly attitude to his father, good demeanour and feasts etc., to friends and relatives, all he can afford... and on aasaadya reaching Rama... my daughter brings kiirti 'celebrity' to our lineage, which is in singularly unique... because kiirti is said in singular number, it will be singularly unique... hence let this boy not negate my proposal as my daughter has many plus points...'

mama satyaa pratij~naa saa viirya shulkaa iti kaushika |
siitaa praaNaiH bahumataa deyaa raamaaya me sutaa || 1-67-23

"Oh, Kaushika, my commitment that she is the bounty of bravery has also come true... and my daughter Seetha who is nurtured well than my own lives is a worthy bride for Rama... [1-67-23]

bhavato anumate brahman shiighram gacCha.ntu ma.ntriNaH |
mama kaushika bhadram te ayodhyaam tvaritaa rathaiH || 1-67-24

"Should you give consent, oh, Brahman, my ministers will be hastened to speedily go to Ayodhya in chariots, oh, Kaushika, let safeness betide you, and one and all by this matrimony... [1-67-24]

Annex: 'This boy appears to be straight from the shoulder type, and he may now say boyishly, 'no, no, I just wanted to see and feel the bow, but that poor old bow is broken in my hand, but I have never said that I will marry your daughter without the consent of my father... and I am supposed to marry whomever my father ties down my neck...' knowing him to be such, I want to send proposals to Dasharatha at Ayodhya, that too if you say yes...'

raajaanam prashritaiH vaakyaiH aanaya.ntu puram mama |
pradaanam viirya shuklaayaaH kathaya.ntu ca sarvashaH || 1-67-25

"With their observant submissions those ministers will narrate in detail about the sincere endowment of Seetha as bravery's bounty to Rama, and they will lead king Dasharatha into my city that observantly... [1-67-25]

muni guptau ca kaakutsthau kathaya.ntu nR^ipaaya vai |
priiti yuktam tu raajaanam aanaya.ntu su shiighra gaaH || 1-67-26

"Those ministers will also tell the king Dasharatha that both the Kakutstha-s, Rama and Lakshmana, are under the aegis of saint Vishvamitra, and thus gladdening that king they will expeditiously usher in king Dasharatha for marriage..." So said Janaka to Vishvamitra. [1-67-26]

kaushikaH ca tathaa iti aaha raajaa ca aabhaaSya ma.ntriNaH |
ayodhyaam preSayaamaasa dharmaatmaa kR^ita shaasanaan |
yathaa vR^ittam samaakhyaatum aanetum ca nR^ipam tathaa || 1-67-27

Vishvamitra said, "so be it," and then that right-minded king Janaka on consulting with his ministers started to send his ministers, plenipotentiaries, to Ayodhya to inform Dasharatha in detail as to what has happened, and likewise to bring him to Mithila. [1-67-27]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe sapta SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 67th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 68

Introduction

Janaka's delegation arrives at Ayodhya and submits its message to Dasharatha. Listening to the tidings that his son Rama not only lifted the bow of Shiva, but broke it as well, Dasharatha is overjoyed and refers the matter of marriage of Seetha with Rama to his ministers and teachers. All of the ministers and sages unanimously agree to that proposal and they are set to travel to Mithila the next day.

janakena samaadiSTaa duutaaH te klaanta vaahanaaH |
tri raatram uSitaa maarge te ayodhyaam praavishan puriim || 1-68-1

Those envoys who are clearly ordered by Janaka entered the city of Ayodhya on sojourning for three nights en route, and whose horses are overtired for they are galloped so fast to loose no time. [1-68-1]

te raaja vacanaat gatvaa raajaveshma praveshitaaH |
dadR^ishuH deva sa.nkaasham vR^iddham dasharatham nR^ipam || 1-68-2

On going to the palace those envoys are given an audience with the consent of Dasharatha, and when they are conducted into the palace-chambers they have seen the elderly king Dasharatha gleaming like a god. [1-68-2]

baddha a.njali puTaaH sarve duutaa vigata saadhvasaaH |
raajaanam prashritam vaakyam abruvan madhura akSaram || 1-68-3

Completely gone is the angst of all the legates on seeing godly Dasharatha, and all of them adjoing palms in reverence said this compliant and mellowly worded sentence to the king. [1-68-3]

Because Dasharatha is caught in the tomfoolery of Kaikeyi he cannot be estimated as an inane personality. It is their domestic cold war. He is famous for his achievements and he fought wars on behalf of no lesser gods. Though Valmiki does not narrate Dasharatha's exploits, other scripts say a lot about them. Hence, whenever Rama's daring, dashing, swashbuckling is to be pictured, he will be indicated as 'Dasharatha's son...' That is the reason why the angst of envoys is said in this verse as 'vanished' just by a glimpse of that godly personality, which hitherto haunted them as to how to countenance such a powerful personality.

maithilo janako raajaa sa agni hotra puraskR^itaH |
muhur muhur madhurayaa sneha sa.mraktayaa giraa || 1-68-4
kushalam ca avyayam caiva sa upaadhyaaya purohitam |
janakaH tvaam mahaaraaja pR^icChate sa puraH saram || 1-68-5

"Oh, exalted emperor Dasharatha! Janaka, the lineal king of Janaka-s and the present sovereign of Mithila is asking time and time again with mellowly words instilled with friendliness, after the wellbeing and after the unmitigated prosperity of your highness, along with that of your highness' priests and teachers, also that of your highness' subjects, who always precede your highness in convoys in any event, as your highness are the one who ingratiates himself with the Ritual-fires, ever and anon... [1-68-4, 5]

pR^iSTvaa kushalam avyagram vaideho mithilaadhipaH |
kaushika anumate vaakyam bhavantam idam abraviit || 1-68-6

"His highness Janaka of Videha, and the sovereign of Mithila, having asked after your highness' wellbeing is sensibly saying this word to your highness, with the indorse of Kaushika... [1-68-6]

puurvam pratij~naa viditaa viirya shulkaa mama aatmajaa |
raajaanaH ca kR^ita amarSaa nir.hviiryaa vimukhii kR^itaaH || 1-68-7

" 'Well-known is the solemn promise of mine that my daughter Seetha is a bounty for bravery... also well-know is that the kings who came to lift the bow turned out as gutless kings, and then they turned out as rancorous kings at me, and it is also well-known that I turned them back with my guts... [1-68-7]

saa iyam mama sutaa raajan vishvaamitra puraskR^itaiH |
yadR^icChayaa aagataiH viiraiH nirjitaa tava putrakaiH || 1-68-8

"Oh, Emperor Dasharatha, your young and valorous son who serendipitously arrived at Mithila along with his younger brother Lakshmana, keeping Vishvamitra at his fore, finally carries off this girl, the well-known daughter of mine... [1-68-8]

Usually this verse gives meaning that 'two of your valorous sons won Seetha...' because of the usage of plural number viiraiH putrakaiH But this is counted as 'royal we' sort of expression to honour Rama. Hence this ka pratyaya, though used in the verse, will be read as singular. There is another shade of wording for this verse: seyam mama sut˜ r˜jan viþv˜mitrsya þ˜þan˜t | purŸm im˜m sam˜gatya tava pureõa nirjit˜ || which uses only singular for Rama.

tat ca ratnam dhanur divyam madhye bhagnam mahaatmanaa |
raameNa hi mahaabaaho mahatyaam jana sa.msadi || 1-68-9

" 'Also, oh, highly dextrous king Dasharatha, noble souled Rama wrecked that divine bow, which is a gem of a bow among bows, at its central point before a grand assembly of people... [1-68-9]

asmai deyaa mayaa siitaa viirya shulkaa mahaatmane |
pratij~naam tartum icChaami tat anuj~naatum ar.hhasi || 1-68-10

" 'Seetha is the bounty for bravery and I shall have to afford her to the noble-souled Rama, as such it will be apt of you to give your consent as I wish to keep up my solemn promise... [1-68-10]

sa upaadhyaayo mahaaraaja purohita puraskR^itaH |
shiighram aagacCha bhadram te draSTum ar.hhasi raaghavau || 1-68-11

" 'Keeping your royal priest Vashishta and other teachers ahead of you, oh, great emperor, I wish you to come apace, let safe betide you, for it will be apt of you to take a look at your ennobled son Rama, and Lakshmana, too... [1-68-11]

pratij~naam mama raajendra nirvar.htayitum ar.hhasi |
putrayoH ubhayoH eva priitim tvam api lapsyase || 1-68-12

" 'It will be apt of you to make my solemn promise maintainable, and that way you will derive delight on seeing both of your sons...' [1-68-12]

'by the by, you will also derive delight in seeing Seetha, for she is also a hyphenated daughter of yours, sutascha sutaa ca tayoH eka sheSaH... with another suffix, in-law...'

evam videha adhipatiH madhuram vaakyam abraviit |
vishvaamitra abhyanuj~naataH shataaananda mate sthitaH || 1-68-13

"Thus the sovereign of Videha kingdom said these endearing words, abiding by the counsel of Sage Shataananda, and Sage Vishvamitra is also consentient to the proposal..." Thus the envoys conveyed the proposal and paused. [1-68-13]

duuta vaakyam tu tat shrutvaa raajaa parama harSitaH |
vasiSTham vaamadevam ca ma.ntriNaH ca evam abraviit || 1-68-14

King Dasharatha is highly gladdened on hearing that message from the delegates, and said this way to Vashishta, Vaamadeva, and to his other ministers, as well. [1-68-14]

guptaH kushika putreNa kausalya aananda vardhanaH |
lakSmaNena saha bhraatraa videheSu vasati asau || 1-68-15

"This one Rama, the enhancer of Kausalya's rejoice, is stopping over at Videha kingdom along with his brother Lakshmana, and Vishvamitra is taking care of both these boys... [1-68-15]

dR^iSTa viiryaH tu kaakutstho janakena mahaatmanaa |
sa.mpradaanam sutaayaaH tu raaghave kartum icChati || 1-68-16

"On observing the valour of Kakutstha Rama, noble souled Janaka wishes to gift his daughter as bride to Raghava Rama... [1-68-16]

yadi vo rocate vR^ittam janakasya mahaatmanaH |
puriim gacChaamahe shiighram maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH || 1-68-17

"If you all favour the tidings from the noble-souled Janaka as to what has happened in Mithila, we quickly proceed to that city, let not the time lapse..." Thus Dasharatha informed his counsel. [1-68-17]

The word vR^ittam 'happening' 'history' and it is generally translated as 'the history, legend, and the familial characteristics of Janaka...' But when Janaka already is famous through the bow of Shiva, and that bow itself is broken now, no more 'verification of antecedents' of Janaka is needed, and it is 'what has happened now' i.e., the impossible deed of breaking it.

ma.ntriNo baaDham iti aahuH saha sarvaiH mahar.hSibhiH |
su priitaH ca abraviit raajaa shvaH yaatraa iti ca ma.ntriNaH || 1-68-18

The ministers along with all of the great sages said in consonance, "Most Welcome..." and then that highly pleased king Dasharatha said to the ministers, "we travel tomorrow..." [1-68-18]

ma.ntriNaH tu narendrasya raatrim parama satkR^itaaH |
uuSuH pramuditaaH sarve guNaiH sarvaiH samanvitaaH || 1-68-19

The ministers of king Janaka who are gifted with all talents are given grateful hospitality by Dasharatha, and they all dwelt that night in Ayodhya, overjoyed at the successful completion of their august legatine, called Seetha kalyaan... [1-68-19]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe aSTa SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 68th 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