srivalmikiramayanam - Balakanda - Sarga 74 to 77

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] 74

Introduction

Parashu Rama confronts the wedding party that is returning to Ayodhya from Mithila. On his very entry, the atmosphere becomes pell-mell and a whirlwind ensues. Expecting some problem from this Parashu Rama, the sages like Vashishta and others starts to receive him in a peaceable manner. Not caring anyone around Parashu Rama starts a dialogue with Dasharatha Rama.

atha raatryaam vyatiitaayaam vishvaamitro mahaamuniH |
aapR^iSTvaa tau ca raajaanau jagaama uttara parvatam || 1-74-1

1. atha raatryaam vyatiitaayaam [satyaam]= then, night, elapse [is becoming true]; mahaamuniH vishvaamitraH= eminent-saint, Vishvamitra; raajaanau= [all] kings; tau ca= both - Rama and Lakshmana, also; aapR^iSTvaa= on asking [leave of absence]; uttara parvatam jagaama= to northern, mountains [Himalayas,] set out.

When that night is elapsing into the wee hours of next day, then the eminent-saint Vishvamitra on asking for the leave of absence from those kings, Dasharatha and Janaka, and from both Rama and Lakshmana, he set out to northern mountains, namely Himalayas. [1-74-1]

vishvaamitro gate raajaa vaideham mithilaa adhipam |
aapR^iSTva iva jagaama aashu raajaa dasharathaH puriim || 1-74-2

2. vishvaamitraH gate= Vishvamitra, on departure of; raajaa dasharathaH= the ruler to the delight of people, Dasharatha; mithilaa adhipam= Mithila's, king; vaideham= one who outvies bodily affairs - Janaka; aa pR^iSTva iva= on asking [leave of absence]; raajaa= king Dasharatha; aashu puriim jagaama= promptly, for city Ayodhya, set forth.

When Vishvamitra departed that ruler to the delight of people, namely Dasharatha, on asking leave of absence with king Janaka who outvies bodily affairs, promptly set forth for the city of Ayodhya. [1-74-2]

atha raajaa videhaanaam dadau kanyaa dhanam bahu |
gavaam shata sahasraaNi bahuuni mithileshvaraH || 1-74-3
ka.mbalaanaam ca mukhyaanaam kSaumaan koTi a.mbaraaNi ca |
hasti ashva ratha paadaatam divya ruupam svala.nkR^itam || 1-74-4
dadau kanyaa shatam taasaam daasii daasam anuttamam |

3, 4, 5a. atha= then; mithileshvaraH= Mithila's, king; raajaa videhaanaam= king, from Videha lineage; bahu= innumerable; kanyaa dhanam= girl's [patrimonial,] riches; dadau= gave; gavaam bahuuni= cows, umpteen; shata sahasraaNi mukhyaanaam kambalaanaam ca= hundred, thousands [millions of,] excellent ones, shawls, also; kSaumaan koTi ambaraaNi ca= silk, crores of, dresses, also; hasti ashva ratha paadaatam= elephants, horses, chariots, foot soldiers; divya ruupam svalankR^itam= divinely, in mien, highly decorated; anuttamam= unexcelled ones; daasii daasam= chambermaids, handmaidens; kanyaa shatam= girls, hundreds of; taasaam= to them [to brides]; dadau= [Janaka] gave.

Then that king Janaka of Mithila, the one from Videha lineage, gave innumerable patrimonial riches. He has also given umpteen number of cows, millions of excellent shawls and silk dresses, and elephants, horses, chariots, foot soldiers, besides hundreds of highly decorated girls, divine in their mien, as unexcelled chambermaids and handmaidens to the brides. [1-74-3, 4, 5a]

hiraNyasya suvarNasya muktaanaam vidrumasya ca || 1-74-5
dadau raajaa susa.mhR^iSTaH kanyaa dhanam anuttamam |

5b, 6a. raajaa= king Janaka; su samhR^iSTaH= very highly gladdened; hiraNyasya= of gold; suvarNasya= of silver; muktaanaam= of pearls; vidrumasya ca= red corals, even; anuttamam= beau idéal; kanyaa dhanam= bridal, riches; dadau= he gave.

King Janaka gave beau idéal bridal riches in gold, silver, pearls and corals even, for he is very highly gladdened as Seetha's marriage came true. [1-74-5b, 6a]

dattvaa bahu vidham raajaa samanuj~naapya paarthivam || 1-74-6
pravivesha sva nilayam mithilaam mithileshvaraH |

6b, 7a. mithileshvaraH= Mithila's, sovereign; raajaa= king Janaka; bahu vidham dattvaa= many, kinds [of gifts,] having given; paarthivam= king Dasharatha; samanuj~naapya= on making Dasharatha to bid adieu; sva nilayam= his own, dwelling city; mithilaam pravivesha= in Mithila, he entered.

Having given many kinds of bridal gifts and having accompanied his daughters for a distance, then having received a bid adieu from Dasharatha, that sovereign of Mithila, Janaka, re-entered is own palace in Mithila. [1-74-6, 7a]

It is customary to follow the wedding party up to the outskirts of village or town. In the meantime, there will be two or three hugs of mother and the bride, shedding two or three litres of tears, while the father of the bride secretly wipes his own moist eyes, and the like. Because, this despatch of the bride is considered as another life to her, for she cannot come to her father's house as and when she wants. Even if she comes, she is to return to her husband's place at some point of time, because from now onward 'that' house has become 'her' house. In this particular case of Seetha, she does not come to Mithila after this episode and even when Rama abandons her she goes into the womb of her mother, Mother Earth, but not to Mithila. So let us leave Janaka and his queen as they have the satisfaction in marrying their daughter, whose marriage itself is problematical so far, and when that has happened, now some sort of dissatisfaction has cropped up, in leaving her off with some forest ranger, called Rama.

raajaa api ayodhyaa adhipatiH saha putraiH mahaatmabhiH || 1-74-7
R^iSiin sarvaan puraskR^itya jagaama sa bala anugaH |

7b, 8a. ayodhyaa adhipatiH raajaa api= Ayodhya's, sovereign, king Dasharatha, even mahaa aatmabhiH putraiH saha= with noble-souled, sons, along with; sarvaan R^iSiin puraskR^itya= all sages, keeping in fore; sa bala anugaH= with, forces, following; jagaama= proceeded.

Even the king Dasharatha, the sovereign of Ayodhya proceeded with his noble-souled sons, keeping all the sages in the fore, while his forces followed him. [1-74-7b, 8a]

gacCha.ntam tu naravyaaghram sa R^iSi sa.ngham sa raaghavam || 1-74-8
ghoraaH tu pakSiNo vaaco vyaaharanti sama.ntataH |

8b, 9a. sa R^iSi sangham= with, sages, assemblages; sa raaghavam= with [young] Raghava-s - Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna; gacChantam= who is going - Dasharatha; naravyaaghram= at that tigerly-man [facing Dasharatha]; samantataH= from all around; pakSiNaH ghoraaH vaacaH vyaaharanti= birds, with horrible, voice, started to screech.

But while going with the assemblages of sages and with young Raghava-s, namely Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, the sky-bound birds started to screech with startling voice from all around facing that tigerly-man Dasharatha. [1-74-8b, 9a]

bhaumaaH caiva mR^igaaH sarve gacChanti sma pradakSiNam || 1-74-9
taan dR^iSTvaa raaja shaarduulo vasiSTham paryapR^icChata |

9b, 10a. bhaumaaH= concerning earth; caiva= also thus; sarve mR^igaaH= all, animals; pradakSiNam gacChanti sma= leftward, going, they are; taan dR^iSTvaa= them, on seeing; raja shaarduulaH= king, the tiger; vasiSTham paryapR^icChata= with Vashishta, particularly asked.

Also thus, all of the earth bound animals are going his leftward, and on seeing this, albeit he is a tigerly king he is perplexed, and particularly asked Vashishta. [1-74-9b, 10a]

asaumyaaH pakSiNo ghoraa mR^igaaH ca api pradakSiNaaH || 1-74-10
kim idam hR^idaya utkampi mano mama viSiidati |

10b, 11a. ghoraa [vaacaH]= startling [voicing]; pakSiNaH= bird's; a + saumyaaH= not, gentle [not favourable, unpropitious]; mR^igaaH ca api pradakSiNaaH= animals, also, even, going leftward [propitious]; hR^idaya ut kampi= heart, to up, beating [with one's heart in one's mouth, throbbing up]; idam kim= this is, what [why so?]; mama manaH viSiidati= my, heart, is sinking [throbbing down].

"Unpropitious is the starling voicing of birds, whereby my heart is throbbing down... and propitious is the leftward going of the animals, thereby my heart is throbbing up... why so?" [1-74-10b, 11a]

raaj~no dasharathasya etat shrutvaa vaakyam mahaan R^iSiH || 1-74-11
uvaaca madhuraam vaaNiim shruuyataam asya yat phalam |

11b, 12a. mahaan R^iSiH= great [instinctual,] sage; raaj~naH dasharathasya= of king, Dasharatha; etat shrutvaa= all [that is said,] on hearing; madhuraam vaaNiim vaakyam uvaaca= in a soothing, voice, [this] sentence, said; asya yat phalam= its [auguries',] which, result is there; [tat= that]; shruuyataam= I will let you hear.

On hearing all that is said by king Dasharatha, the instinctual sage Vashishta said this sentence in a soothing voice, "I will tell apart the result of these auguries... [1-74-11b, 12a]

upasthitam bhayam ghoram divyam pakSi mukhaat cyutam || 1-74-12
mR^igaaH prashamayanti ete sa.ntaapaH tyajyataam ayam |

12b, 13a. pakSi mukhaat cyutam= bird's, from mouths, fallen [shrieks voiced, foretokening]; divyam= providential; ghoram bhayam= perilous, trepidation; upa sthitam= [indicate it as] forthcoming; ete mR^igaaH prashamayanti= these, animals' [behaviour,] mitigable [betokening as]; ayam santaapaH tyajyataam= this, consternation, be forsaken.

"The shrieks voiced by the birds are foretokening the forthcoming providential and perilous trepidation, but the behaviour of these animals is betokening it as mitigable... hence, let this consternation be forsaken... [1-74-12b, 13a]

teSaam sa.mvadataam tatra vaayuH praadur babhuuva ha || 1-74-13
kampayan mediniim sarvaam paatayan ca mahaan drumaan |

13b, 14a. teSaam= among them; samvadataam= while discussing; tatra= there; mediniim kampayan= earth, [as though] to shake; sarvaan mahaan drumaan paatayan= all, gigantic, trees, to fell [shattering]; vaayuH praadur babhuuva ha= [whirl] wind, started to whirl, indeed.

While they are discussing among themselves, a whirlwind started to whirligig there, as though to shake the earth and shatter all gigantic trees. [1-74-13b, 14a]

tamasaa sa.mvR^itaH suuryaH sarve na vediSur dishaH || 1-74-14
bhasmanaa ca aavR^itam sarvam sammuuDham iva tat balam |

14b, 15a. suuryaH tamasaa samvR^itaH= sun, by murkiness, is enshrouded; sarve dishaH na vediSuH= all, quarters, not, aware; tat sarvam balam= that, all, army - of Dasharatha; bhasmanaa aavR^itam= by ash [simoom, sandstorm,] is enwrapped; sammuuDham iva= ensorcelled, as though - it became.

Murkiness enshrouded the sun, thus everyone is unaware of quarters, a sandstorm enwrapped that army, by which it has become as though ensorcelled. [1-74-14b, 15a]

vasiSTha R^iSayaH ca anye raajaa ca sasutaH tadaa || 1-74-15
sa sa.nj~naa iva tatra aasan sarvam anyat vicetanam |

15b, 16a. tadaa= then; vasiSTha= Vashishta; anye R^iSayaH ca= other, sages, also; sa sutaH= with, sons; raajaa ca= king, also; sa sanj~naa iva= with, animation, as though; tatra aasan= there, they are; anyat sarvam vi cetanam= every other one, everything, is without, animation.

Then Vashishta and the other sages, the king Dasharatha along with his sons remained there with animation, and everything and every other one available there has become inanimate. [1-74-15b, 16a]

tasmin tamasi ghore tu bhasma Channa iva saa camuuH || 1-74-16
dadarsha bhiima sa.mkaasham jaTaa maNDala dhaariNam |
bhaargavam jamadagne ayam raajaa raaja vimardanam || 1-74-17
kailaasam iva durdharSam kaala agnim iva duHsaham |
jvala.ntam iva tejobhiH dur niriikSyam pR^ithak janaiH || 1-74-18
skandhe ca aasajya parashum dhanuH vidyut gaNa upamam |
pragR^ihya sharam ugram ca tri pura ghnam yathaa shivam || 1-74-19

16b, 17, 18, 19. tasmin ghore tamasi= in that, catastrophic, darkness; bhasma Channa iva= by ashes [sand,] muffled up, as though; saa camuuH= that, military; bhiima samkaasham= calamitous, in looks; jaTaa maNDala dhaariNam= tufted, matted-hair, wearing; raajaa raaja vimardanam= he [who is,] king, of kings, subjugator of; kailaasam iva durdharSam= Mt. Kailash, like, unassailable one; kaala agnim iva duHsaham= epoch-end, fire, like, unbearable one; tejobhiH jvalantam iva= with his own radiance, irradiant, like; pR^ithak janaiH dur niriikSyam= by common, people, one impossible, to gaze at; parashum skandhe aasajya= axe, on shoulder, clinching; vidyut gaNa upamam= electric discharges, groups, in simile to; dhanuH= bow - bow of Vishnu; ugram sharam pragR^ihya ca= terrible [electrocuting one,] arrow, clasping, also; tri pura ghnam shivam yathaa= triple, cities, devastator, Shiva, as with; ayam jamadagne bhaargavam dadarsha= him, sage Jamadagni's, Bhaargava, they all have seen.

In that catastrophic darkness, that sand-muffled military of king Dasharatha has seen the son of Sage Jamadagni, namely Bhaargava Rama, the subjugator of kings of kings. He appeared calamitous in his look by wearing tufty matted and unruly head-hair, an unassailable one like Mt. Kailash, an unbearable one like the Epoch-End-Fire, irradiant with his own radiance, hence imperceivable for commoners, and such as he is, he clinched an axe on his right shoulder and clasped a bow in his left hand, that in simile is like a congeries of electroluminescence, and handling an arrow which is as if ready to electrocute, and he vied in his overall look with the devastator of triple cities, namely God Shiva. [1-74-16b, 17, 18, 19]

tam dR^iSTvaa bhiima sa.mkaasham jvala.ntam iva paavakam |
vasiSTha pramukhaa vipraa japa homa paraayaNaaH || 1-74-20
sa.ngataa munayaH sarve sa.mjajalpuH atho mithaH |

20, 21a. bhiima samkaasham= peril, similar [perilous in his propensity]; jvalantam paavakam iva= flaming, Ritual-fire, as with; tam dR^iSTvaa= him, on seeing; japa homa paraayaNaaH vipraaH= meditation, fire-oblation, practisers of, Brahman-s; vasiSTha pramukhaa= Vashishta, other prominent ones; sarve munayaH sangataa= all of the, sages, coming together; athaH mithaH= up and down; samjajalpuH= started to susurrate.

On seeing him who is perilous in his propensity and flaming like the Ritual-fire, Vashishta and the other prominent Brahman-s who are the practisers of meditation and fire-oblations have come together and started to susurrate, up and down. [1-74-20, 21a]

kaccit pitR^i vadha amarSii kSatram na utsaadayiSyati || 1-74-21
puurvam kSatra vadham kR^itvaa gata manyuH gata jvaraH |
kSatrasya utsaadanam bhuuyo na khalu asya cikiirSitam || 1-74-22

21b-22. pitR^i vadha amarSii= father's, murder, envenomed by; kSatram na utsaadayiSyati kaccit= Kshatriya race, not, going to eradicate [now,] will he be - or what; puurvam kSatra vadham kR^itvaa= previously, Kshatriya-s, on eliminating; gata manyuH= gone [abated,] is his anger; gata jvaraH= gone [alleviated,] is his frenzy; bhuuyaH= again; kSatrasya utsaadanam= Kshatriya, for elimination; asya na cikiirSitam khalu= his, not, intended [action,] really.

"Will he eradicate the race of Kshatriya-s even now as he was once envenomed by the murder of his father, or what... abated is his anger and alleviated is his frenzy previously when he eliminated Kshatriya-s... but is he really intending to eliminate Kshatriya-s once again, or what?" Thus, those Brahmans talked among themselves. [1-74-21b, 22]

An account of Parashu Rama's elimination of Kshatriya clans is given in endnote.

evam uktvaa arghyam aadaaya bhaargavam bhiima darshanam |
R^iSayo raama raama iti madhuram vaakyam abruvan || 1-74-23

23. R^iSayaH= sages; evam uktvaa= thus, saying [after susurrus]; arghyam aadaaya= oblational water, on taking; bhiima darshanam bhaargavam= a visitation, in his look, towards Bhaargava Rama; raama raama= oh, Rama, oh, Rama; iti madhuram vaakyam abruvan= thus, sweetly [benignly,] sentence [lines of greetings,] while speaking - they approached.

After their susurrus the sages have approached him, who in his very look is like a visitation, with oblational water and addressed him with benign words of greeting like, "oh, Rama, oh, Bhaargava Rama..." [1-74-23]

pratigR^ihya tu taam puujaam R^iSi dattaam prataapavaan |
raamam daasharathim raamo jaamadag.hnyo abhyabhaaSata || 1-74-24

24. prataapavaan= inexorable one; jaamadagnyaH raamaH= of Jamadagni, Rama; R^iSi dattaam= sage, given by; taam puujaam pratigR^ihya= that, deference, on receiving; daasharathim raamam abhyabhaaSata= of Dasharatha, to Rama, started to talk.

On receiving the deference paid by the sage Vashishta, that inexorable Rama of Jamadagni started to talk to Rama of Dasharatha. [1-74-24]

.

Parashu Rama

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This Parashu Rama or Bhaargava Rama is believed as the sixth incarnation of Vishnu on earth, prior to Dasharatha Rama. The word parashu 'an axe...' is prefixed to this Rama because he wields a merciless axe. His father was sage Jamadagni and mother Renuka. This Jamadagni is the son of Sage Riciika, a Brahman, and he married Satyavati, the sister of Vishvamitra, a Kshatriya. On certain occasion Jamadagni doubting his wife Renuka's infidelity orders this Parashu Rama to behead her, which he promptly does, but Bhaargava Rama requests his father to bring her back to life. Sage Jamadagni agrees and brings her back to life. This is a kind of entrance test to Parashu Rama, and if he can ruthlessly kill his own mother he does not hesitate to kill any, in future.

During their time, the kings were cruel and homicide was rampant to achieve the desires of the throne, however ruthless it might be. On another occasion when the sons of one Kaartviiryaarjuna sacrifice Sage Jamadagni as a sacrificial human, this Parashu Rama is frenziedly infuriated and starts eliminating all of the enthroned Kshatriya bloodlines on earth. That way he roves over the earth for thirty seven times eliminating Kshatriya-s. He even cuts off the foetuses in wombs of their queens, in order to stop the menacing progeny and offers the blood of the foetus as oblation. And that blood became five streams called shamanta pancaka. Bhaargava or Parashu Rama practises insurmountable ascesis and appeases God Shiva, and thus acquires divine weaponry. He is indomitable in archery and nothing is unknown to him in the art of archery. Yet, he resorts to an axe to behead cruel kings, physically and personally, without depending up on a distant shooting arrow. He is ciranjiivi 'long living being...' Later when peace is established on earth, this Parashu Rama retires to penance but re-entered here to have a glimpse of Dasharatha Rama. And the purpose and import of his entry at this place, is recorded in later chapters.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe catuH saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 74th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 75

Introduction

The visitant Parashu Rama narrates the legends of bows of Vishnu and Shiva to Rama. Unheedful of the request of Dasharatha to spare his sons, Parashu Rama addresses Dasharatha Rama directly and asks him to take an aim with the longbow of Vishnu, and if Dasharatha Rama is capable to do so, Parashu Rama says that he will give a duel to him.

raama daasharathe viira viiryam te shruuyate adbhutam |
dhanuSo bhedanam caiva nikhilena mayaa shrutam || 1-75-1

1. daasharathe raama= oh, Dasharatha's, Rama,; viira= oh, valiant one; te viiryam adbhutam shruuyate= your, valour, as sensational, being heard [being bruited about]; dhanuSaH bhedanam caiva= bow's [of Shiva,] smashing, also thus - other things [about your eliminating Tataka]; nikhilena mayaa shrutam= thoroughly, by me, heard.

"Oh, valiant Rama of Dasharatha, your valour is bruited as a sensational valour, and sensational is your smashing of Shiva's bow, also thus I have thoroughly heard about your others deeds like elimination of Tataka et cetera... [1-75-1]

tat adbhutam aci.ntyam ca bhedanam dhanuSaH tathaa |
tat shrutvaa aham anupraapto dhanur gR^ihya aparam shubham || 1-75-2

2. tathaa= that way; dhanuSaH tat bhedanam= bow's, that, smashing; adbhutam= wondrous; a+ cintyam ca= un, imaginable, even; tat shrutvaa= that [news,] on hearing; aham= I have; aparam shubham dhanuH gR^ihya= another, transcending [outranking,] bow. on taking; anu praaptaH= I happened on [you.]

"That way, smashing of that particular bow of Shiva is wondrous and even unimaginable... on hearing that alone I happened upon you, bringing another outranking bow... [1-75-2]

tat idam ghora sa.mkaasham jaamadagnyam mahat dhanuH |
puurayasva shareNa eva sva balam darshayasva ca || 1-75-3

3. ghora samkaasham= catastrophic, in its aspect - bow; jaamadagnyam= [received through Sage] Jamadagni; tat=that; idam= this alone; mahat= great [fateful]; dhanuH= bow; shareNa eva puurayasva= with arrow, that way, flex [bowstring up to ear]; sva balam darshayasva= own, capability, show yourself.

"This alone is that catastrophic bow received through Sage Jamadagni... flex it with an arrow on bowstring stretching up to your ear, and in that way show your capability... [1-75-3]

tat aham te balam dR^iSTvaa dhanuSo api asya puuraNe |
dva.ndva yuddham pradaasyaami viirya shlaaghyam aham tava || 1-75-4

4. tat= thereby; aham= I will; asya dhanuSaH puuraNe= with this, bow's, in taking aim; te balam dR^iSTvaa= your, strength, on seeing [on examining]; viirya shlaaghyam= [if your] valour, is deserving; aham tava= I will, to you; dvandva yuddham pradaasyaami= duel, in combat, I give.

"Thereby, on examining your strength in your taking aim with this bow, and should you be deservedly valorous, I will give you a combative duel..." So said Parashu Rama to Dasharatha Rama. [1-75-4]

Pt. Satya Vrat cites this in his book 'The Ramayana - A Linguistic Study... 'As in English, we speak of yuddha daanam - giving a fight to the enemy - in Sanskrit, too...' it is giving a duel.

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa raajaa dasharathaH tadaa |
viSaNNa vadano diinaH praa.njaliH vaakyam abraviit || 1-75-5

5. tadaa= then; raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa= his [Bhaargava Rama,] that, sentence, on hearing; viSaNNa vadanaH= becoming downcast, faced; diinaH= pitiable one; praanjaliH vaakyam abraviit= with adjoined-palms, sentence, said.

On hearing that sentence of Bhaargava Rama, then king Dasharatha became a pitiable one, and with a downcast face and adjoined palms said this. [1-75-5]

kSatra roSaat prashaa.ntaH tvam braahmaNaH ca mahaatapaaH |
baalaanaam mama putraaNaam abhayam daatum ar.hhasi || 1-75-6

6. kSatra roSaat prashaantaH= on Kshatriya-s, from animosity, appeased you are; braahmaNaH= Brahman; mahaatapaaH= one with high [inviolable] ascesis; such as you are; tvam= you; baalaanaam mama putraaNaam= youngsters, my, sons; a+ bhayam daatum arhasi= no, fear [aegis,] to award, apt of you.

"Aren't you a Brahman with inviolable ascesis, and whose rancour on Kshatriya-s has calmed down long back. Why this hostility again. It'll be apt of you to award aegis to my sons, for they are yet youngsters... [1-75-6]

Vividly: 'peace is primary for Brahman-s... though that was once disturbed in you, you redeemed it after your eradicating the then ruthless Kshatriya-s... thus your rancour was appeased then... and you too peacefully retired for inviolable ascesis and acquired still higher bliss by them... do you now wish to violate your own intrinsic nature of peacefulness being a blissful one, being an all-knower, being an elderly Brahman, that too on mere boys...

bhaargavaaNaam kule jaataH svaadhyaaya vrata shaalinaam |
sahasraakSe pratij~naaya shastram prakshd iptavaan asi || 1-75-7

7. svaadhyaaya vrata shaalinaam= self-study [of Vedas,] vows [self-principled,] conduct themselves; bhaargavaaNaam kule jaataH= in such Bhaargava-s, bloodline, you are born; sahasraakSe pratij~naaya= to Thousand-eyed Indra, on promising; shastram= weapon [wielding]; pra kshiptavaan asi= readily, discarded, you have.

"Aren't you from the bloodline of Bhaargava-s who always conduct themselves in self-study of Vedas and self-principled ways... haven't you readily discarded weapon-wielding on your promise to Thousand-eyed Indra... [1-75-7]

Annex: 'how can you abnegate your own promise of astra sanyaasa 'reclusion from weaponry...' by wielding a weapon now, and thus becoming yourself a self-critical personality, and thus making the entire Brahman-hood as a self-contradictory classis...

sa tvam dharma paro bhuutvaa kaashyapaaya vasu.ndharaam |
dattvaa vanam upaagamya mahendra kR^ita ketanaH || 1-75-8

8. saH tvam= such as you were, you; dharma paraH bhuutvaa= probity, dedicatee of, on becoming; kaashyapaaya vasundharaam dattvaa= to Kashyapa, planet earth, on giving away; vanam upaagamya= forests on repairing to; Mahendra= Mt. Mahendra; kR^ita= making; ketanaH= made residence [flagged on.]

"Such as you were, you on becoming a dedicatee to probity, haven't you given the planet earth to Kashyapa and haven't you repaired to forests, and haven't you flagged yourself on Mt. Mahendra... [1-75-8]

Annex: 'if so, is this for showing the flag or else is it for keeping the flag flying... in anyway, is it inapt of you to eliminate the progeny of your own donee... Kashyapa... and if you say that 'I don't kill you all nonentities, but my target is this Rama...' then my reply will be like this...

mama sarva vinaashaaya sa.mpraaptaH tvam mahaamune |
na ca ekasmin hate raame sarve jiivaamahe vayam || 1-75-9

9. mahaa mune= oh, insurmountable sage; tvam mama sarva vinaashaaya= you, for my, total, ruination; sampraaptaH= chanced upon me; ekasmin raame hate= only one, Rama is, eliminated; vayam sarve na jiivaamahe= we, all, not, going to live.

"Or, oh, insurmountable sage, have you chanced upon us for a total annihilation of ours... when Rama is singularised and eliminated, nay-said that we all will be living..." Thus Dasharatha had gone on appealing in his love for his sons. [1-75-9]

Annex: 'should you leave off Rama and eliminate rest of us all, Rama will not live... or, if you leave all of us and eliminate Rama alone, we all don't live... anywise it is an 'anywise' annihilation of ours... for I am still living for this Rama, and Rama alone...'

bruvati evam dasharathe jaamadagnyaH prataapavaan |
anaadR^itya tu tat vaakyam raamam eva abhyabhaaSata || 1-75-10

10. dasharathe evam bruvati= by Dasharatha, that way, while speaking; prataapavaan jaamadagnyaH= intransigent one, Jamadagni's [son, Bhaargava Rama]; tat vaakyam= that, [merciful] words [of Dasharatha]; an +aadR^itya tu= un, caring for; raamam eva abhyabhaaSata= to Rama, alone, addressed.

While Dasharatha is speaking in that way that intransigent Bhaargava Rama of Sage Jamadagni uncaring for those merciful words of Dasharatha addressed Rama of Dasharatha alone. [1-75-10]

ime dve dhanuSii shreSThe divye loka abhipuujite |
dR^iDhe balavatii mukhye sukR^ite vishvakarmaNaa || 1-75-11

11. ime dve= these, two; dhanuSii= longbows; shreSThe= unsurpassed ones; divye loka abhipuujite= unearthly [well designed by gods,] by worlds, well-worshipped; dR^iDhe balavatii= sturdy, strong; mukhye= important ones [among all bows]; vishvakarmaNaa= by Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect; su kR^ite= well crafted.

"These are the two strong and sturdy unsurpassed longbows, well-designed by gods and well-crafted by Vishvakarma, the Divine Architect, and these are very important among all bows and well-worshipped by all worlds... one broken in your, and the other in my hand... [1-75-11]

anisR^iSTam suraiH ekam tryambakaaya yuyutsave |
tripura ghnam narashreSTha bhagnam kaakutstha yat tvayaa || 1-75-12

12. narashreSTha= oh, best among men; kaakutstha= Kakutstha; yat= which [bow]; tvayaa bhagnam= by you, broken; [that= that one]; yuyutsave= restive [for a combat]; tryambakaaya= for Trymbaka, for Shiva; suraiH anisR^iSTam= by gods, given; tripura ghnam= [that bow alone is] Tripura Demon, annihilator; ekam= one [of the two.]

"Oh, best one among men, out of the two longbows gods gave one to restive Trymbaka, God Shiva for a combat with demon Tripura, and oh, Kakutstha, that bow alone is the annihilator of Tripura, the demon... and you have broken that alone... [1-75-12]

idam dvitiiyam durdharSam viSNor dattam surottamaiH |
tat idam vaiSNavam raama dhanuH para puram jayam || 1-75-13
samaana saaram kaakutstha raudreNa dhanuSaa tu idam |

13, 14a. durdharSam= indestructible; idam= this is; dvitiiyam= second one; sura uttamaiH= by gods, the choicest; viSNoH dattam= to Vishnu, it is given; kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; raama= Rama; para puram jayam= other's [enemy's] citadels, conqueror of; tat idam= that one is, this; vaiSNavam dhanuH= Vishnu, longbow [bow named after Vishnu]; idam raudreNa dhanuSaa samaana saaram= this one has, with Rudra's, longbow, identical, in essence [efficacy.]

"This is the second one and the choicest gods gave this to Vishnu, thereby this is named after Him as 'Vishnu's bow...' this is an indestructible and enemy-citadel conquering longbow... and this is identical in its efficacy with Rudra's longbow... [1-75-13, 14a]

tadaa tu devataaH sarvaaH pR^icChanti sma pitaamaham || 1-75-14
shiti kaNThasya viSNoH ca bala abala niriikSayaa |
abhipraayam tu vij~naaya devataanaam pitaamahaH || 1-75-15
virodham janayaamaasa tayoH satyavataam varaH |

14b, 16a. tadaa= then [once]; sarvaaH devataaH= all, gods; shiti kaNThasya= blue, throated god Shiva's; viSNoH ca= of Vishnu, and; bala a+ bala= [about] powerfulness, less, powerfulness; niriikSayaa= to see [to estimate]; pitaa maham pR^icChanti sma= Grandparent, asking, they were; satyavataam varaH= among truthfulness adherers, the best one; pitaamahaH= Grandparent; devataanaam abhipraayam vij~naaya= of gods, intent, on inferring; tayoH= among those two [Vishnu - Shiva]; virodham= adversity; janayaamaasa= started to create.

"Once, all the gods were asking the Grandparent, Brahma, as to who is powerful and who is less powerful among the blue-throated Shiva and Vishnu... but the Grandparent Brahma on inferring the intent of gods started to create adversity among those two, Shiva and Vishnu, for the Grandparent is the best adherer of truthfulness, as truth cannot be demonstrated on hearsay evidence... [1-75-14b, 15, 16a]

Legend: Brahma thought that it would better to enact a drama to cleanse the one-sided mentalities of these lesser gods. So, he started to write the script, and himself becoming the writer-director of that drama. That script is hereunder.

Brahma: Mahadeva, who is the destroyer of Tripura, or say triple-citadels?

Shiva: Why? It is me, of course...

Brahma: Why do you boast that way of yourself? It is the long-arrow of your longbow, isn't it?

Shiva: Yes of course...

Brahma: Then Vishnu was presiding deity of that long-bow... isn't t?

Shiva: Yes, it is he, but I shot it from my bow... basically, is this a confusion, or, are you playing any part of Narada...

Brahma: Not so, the other day Vishnu was telling that he alone did that master task...

Shiva: How can it be! In the triple of doer-deed-instrument, instrument cannot become the doer... has his language gone topsy-turvy, noun is becoming verb and verb is lost to adjective and...

Brahma: Ok, Ok... we do not care much for grammar as we care more for communication, grammar is paNini's headache... but what he said is that he alone did it... not you...

Shiva: Then why I am called... why that longbow is given to me... you have got it done by Vishnu... you have unnecessarily spoiled my dance program...

Brahma: Not that... I said what he said... let's not quarrel among ourselves...

Shiva: I not only quarrel but wage war, if it comes to my interests and my devotees' interest... how many times I have not done so...

Brahma: That is what Vishnu was telling... every time you give a boon to every demon, and involve yourself in enmeshment, and Vishnu has come to come and rescue... have he forgotten the episode of bhasmaasura... thus Vishnu is saying and asking...

Shiva: Now I don't tolerate... I will take him to task...

Exit Shiva - Enter Vishnu. Brahma reverses the above dialogue and says that to Vishnu

Vishnu: No, No, highly objectionable... I will take him to task... I will take him to task...

Exit All. War Started.

virodhe tu mahat yuddham abhavat roma harSaNam || 1-75-16
shiti kaNThasya viSNoH ca paraspara jaya eSiNoH |

16b, 17a. virodhe tu= in animosity, but; paraspara jaya eSiNoH= each to each, victory, aspiring [for himself]; shiti kaNThasya= blue, throated Shiva's; viSNoH ca= of Vishnu, also; roma harSaNam= hair, raising one; mahat yuddham abhavat= fierce, war, became [occurred.]

"Owing to their animosity then occurred a fierce and hair-raising war among Shiva and Vishnu, as each aspired victory for himself... [1-75-16b, 17a]

tadaa tu jR^imbhitam shaivam dhanuH bhiima paraakramam || 1-75-17
hum kaareNa mahaadevaH stambhito atha trilocanaH |

17b, 18a. tadaa= then; hum kaareNa= by 'hum', sound [of Vishnu]; bhiima paraakramam shaivam dhanuH= ruinously, overpowering, Shiva's, longbow; jR^imbhitam= yawned [fatigued, broken]; atha trilocanaH mahaadevaH= then, triple-eyed, Mahadeva; stambhitaH= motionless [frozen.]

"By the 'hum' sound of Vishnu that ruinously overpowering longbow of Shiva is broken, and the triple-eyed God, Mahadeva, is frozen... [1-75-17b, 18a]

The bow is jR^imbhitam broken by the hum in dissent of Vishnu - Govindaraja. And Maheshvara Tiirtha says that the bow as well as Shiva are rendered jaDa motionless. There are many legends on this shiva garva bhanga 'deflation of Shiva's pride' and some info about is given in endnote.

devaiH tadaa samaagamya sa R^iSi sanghaiH sa caaraNaiH || 1-75-18
yaacitau prashamam tatra jagmatuH tau sura uttamau |

18b, 19b. tadaa= then; sa R^iSi sanghaiH sa caaraNaiH= with, sages', assemblages, with, carana-s; devaiH= by gods; tatra= there [in that matter of wielding authority]; samaagamya= coming together; yaacitau= both Shiva and Vishnu - are appealed; tau= those two [Shiva, Vishnu]; sura uttamau= gods, superior among; prashamam= appeasement;= jagmatuH= went into [state of amity.]

"Then gods along with the assemblages of sages and celestial carana-s have come together and appealed to those two for appeasement in the matter of wielding authority, and then those two superior gods, Shiva and Vishnu, went into a state of amity... [1-75-18b, 19a]

jR^imbhitam tat dhanuH dR^iSTvaa shaivam viSNu paraakramaiH || 1-75-19
adhikam menire viSNum devaaH sa R^iSi gaNaaH tadaa |

19b, 20a. viSNu paraakramaiH= by Vishnu's, mettlesomeness; jR^imbhitam= rendered inert; tat shaivam dhanuH dR^iSTvaa= that, Shiva's, bow, on seeing; tadaa sa R^iSi gaNaaH devaaH= then on, with, sages', assemblages, gods; viSNum adhikam menire= Vishnu, as paramount, they deemed.

"On seeing the bow of Shiva rendered inert by the mettlesomeness of Vishnu, from then on the gods along with the assemblages of sages deemed Vishnu to be the paramount... [1-75-19b, 20a]

dhanuu rudraH tu sa.mkruddho videheSu mahaayashaaH || 1-75-20
devaraatasya raaja R^iSeH dadau haste sa saayakam |

20b-21a. samkruddhaH= with indignation; mahaayashaaH rudraH tu= celebrated, Rudra, on his part; videheSu= among Videha [kings]; sa saayakam dhanuu= with, arrow, longbow; raaja R^iSeH= to Kingly, sage; devaraatasya haste dadau= in Devaraata's, hand, handed over.

"That celebrated Rudra on his part with indignation has handed over that longbow, which is already fitted with unloosened arrow, to the sagely king among Videha kings, namely Devaraata... [1-75-20b, 21a]

This longbow of Shiva is reported as given after the devastation of the ritual of Daksha Prajaapati, the father of Sati and the father-in-law of Shiva as said at 1-66-9: dakSa yaj~na vadhe puurvam dhanuH aayamya viiryavaan | This ritual of Daksha is a composite of many problems. Shiva neither as god nor as the son-in-law of Daksha is invited to that ritual, Shiva's consort Sati self-immolates herself in the her father's ritual, Viira Bhadra and other deputies of Shiva depredate that ritual, and this shiva keshava yuddha 'duelling of Shiva and Vishnu...' happens... all to show - a single person's disinterestedness ruins even a holy marriage. Here Daksha was uninterested to give his daughter Sati in marriage to Shiva.

idam ca vaiSNavam raama dhanuH para puram jayam || 1-75-21
R^iciike bhaar.hgave praadaat viSNuH sa nyaasam uttamam |

21b, 22a. raama= oh, Rama; saH viSNuH= he, that Vishnu; para puram jayam= enemy, citadel, conquering; idam vaiSNavam dhanuH= this, Vishnu's, longbow; bhaargave= of Bhrigu; R^iciike= to Riciika [son of Bhrigu]; uttamam nyaasam praadaat= best [trustworthy,] as trust, handed over.

"Oh, Rama, this alone is that enemy-citadel conquering longbow of Vishnu, and Vishnu handed over this to Sage Riciika, the son of Bhrigu, as a trustworthy trust... [1-75-21b, 22a]

R^iciikaH tu mahaatejaaH putrasya apratikarmaNaH || 1-75-22
pituH mama dadau divyam jamadagneH mahaatmanaH |

22b-23a. mahaatejaaH R^iciikaH tu= great resplendent, Riciika, on his part; putrasya= to his son; a +prati karmaNaH= of un, matchable, deeds; mahaatmanaH= to great souled one; mama pituH jamadagneH= to my, father, Jamadagni; divyam=[this] divine [bow]; dadau= handed over.

"That great-resplendent Sage Riciika on his part has handed over this divine bow to his son with unmatchable deeds of religious merit, who is my father Sage Jamadagni... [1-75-22b, 23a]

The word of Jamadagni means 'one who is born in Ritual-fire and having fire as his anima...' j˜jamadya jaj˜ne aham jajahŸ ha jaj˜yiÿŸ | jamadagni× iti khy˜tam tatio m˜ viddhi þobhane || where the word jajaamanta is 'those who devour oblations repeatedly and at a single time in Vedic-rituals, namely gods; jamu - bhakshane so I am jajiihi because I sprang up from Ritual-fire... and when the first syllable in ja jaamat is dropped it remained as jamat and when combined with fire jamat agni it shortened after dropping matup pratyaya to become jamadagni so oh, lady know me as one born and having Ritual-fire... or, Vedic-ritual itself...'

nyasta shastre pitari me tapo bala samanvite || 1-75-23
arjuno vidadhe mR^ityum praakR^itaam buddhim aasthitaH |

23b, 24a. tapaH bala samanvite= ascesis, power, [though] having; me pitari= my, father; nyasta shastre= one who has castaway, weapon [isolated from arsenal - astra sanyaas]; arjunaH= Arjuna, or, Kaartviivya Arjuna [not to be confounded with Arjuna of Maha Bharata]; praakR^itaam buddhim aasthitaH= primitive [barbarous,] mentality, adhering to; mR^ityum vidadhe= death, imposed [subjected to.]

"Adhering to a barbarous mentality Kaartvaviirya Arjuna put my father to death, when the ascetically powerful father of mine has isolated himself from arsenal... [1-75-23b, 24a]

vadham apratiruupam tu pituH shrutvaa su daaruNam |
kSatram utsaadayan roSaat jaatam jaatam anekashaH || 1-75-24
pR^ithiviim ca akhilaam praapya kaashyapaaya mahaatmane |
yaj~nasya ante tadaa raama dakSiNaam puNya karmaNe || 1-75-25
dattvaa mahendra nilayaH tapo bala samanvitaH |

24b, c, 25, 26a. raama= oh, Rama; a+ prati ruupam= not, similar, in form [type, unregenerate]; su daaruNam= highly, gruesome; pituH vadham shrutvaa= father's, murder, on hearing; roSaat= with rancour; jaatam jaatam= newborn, as newborn - as and when born; kSatram= Kshatriya-s; an +ekashaH= not, for one time; utsaadayan= extirpating [Kshatriya lineages]; akhilaam pR^ithiviim praapya= in entirety, planet earth, on getting [under my control]; yaj~nasya ante= Vedic-ritual, at the end of; mahaatmane= to the divine-souled one; puNya karmaNe= of pious, observances; kaashyapaaya= to Sage Kashyapa; dakSiNaam dattvaa= as ritualistic-generosity, on giving; tadaa= then; tapaH bala samanvitaH= ascesis, powers of, conjoined [with me]; mahendra nilayaH= Mt. Mahendra, indweller [I am at present.]

"Oh, Rama, on hearing the unregenerate and highly perfidious murdering of my father, I rancorously extirpated Kshatriya-s as and when they are born, that too not for one time, but I did so for thirty-seven times going around the earth... and on getting the entire earth under my control I performed Vedic-ritual, and at the end of that Vedic-ritual, I gave all that earth to sage Kashyapa, a sage with divine soul and with pious observances, as a ritualistic-generosity... and I am at present on Mt. Mahendra practising ascesis and thus conjoined are the powers of ascesis in me... [1-75-24b, c, 25, 26a]

shrutvaa tu dhanuSo bhedam tato aham drutam aagataH || 1-75-26
tat evam vaiSNavam raama pitR^i paitaamaham mahat |
kSatra dharmam puras kR^itya gR^ihNiiSva dhanur uttamam || 1-75-27

26b, 27. raama= oh, Rama; tat= that; dhanuSaH bhedam= longbow's, breakage; shrutvaa= on hearing; aham tataH drutam aagataH= I, therefore, quickly, came; kSatra dharmam= Kshatriya-hood, fealty to; puraH kR^itya= afore, keeping [in view]; evam= likewise [like the wielding of Shiva's bow]; pitR^i paitaamaham= father, forefathers [passed on]; mahat= supernatural; uttamam= superlative one; vaiSNavam dhanuH gR^ihNiiSva= of Vishnu, longbow, you take, you handle.

"On hearing about the breakage of Shiva's longbow, then I promptly came here. Thereby, oh, Rama, wield this supernatural and superlative longbow of Vishnu, which is passed on to me from my forefathers and my father. Keep your fealty to Kshatriya-hood in view, and wield this as you have wielded Shiva's longbow... [1-75-26b, 27]

yojayasva dhanuH shreSThe sharam para puram jayam |
yadi shaktaH asi kaakutstha dvandvam daasyaami te tataH || 1-75-28

27. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; dhanuH shreSThe= with longbow, supramundane one; para puram jayam sharam= enemy, citadels, conquering, arrow; yojayasva= you join; shaktaH asi yadi= capable, you are, if; tataH= thereafter; dvandvam daasyaami te= a duel, I give, to you;.

"Take an aim with an arrow that conquers enemy's citadels fixing it on this supramundane longbow... and oh, Kakutstha, should you be capable of it, thereafter I will give you a duel... [1-75-27]

.

The odds between Vishnu and Shiva

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This is a long drawn bloody quarrel between the two sects of vaiSNavism Vishnu faith and shaivism Shiva faith, over centuries. Here it is doubtlessly expressed in the epic that Vishnu is superior to Shiva. anena þiv˜t viÿõo× utkarÿa× pratip˜ditam - ayam eva artha× | dk 'by this Vishnu is proposed to be superior to Shiva...' but it does not mean 'every time or everlastingly...' Insofar as the incarnations are concerned, it is Vishnu, but not Shiva. In philosophy, both are one and in theology, they are separate. s®ÿ÷i sthiti anta k˜raõ˜t brahma viþõu þiv˜tmik˜m | sa sanjñ˜m y˜ti bhagav˜n eka eva jan˜rdana× || viþõu pur˜õa api cet samaram pr˜pya bhaviÿyasi m˜m adhika× | bh˜rata - droõa parva ekam eva advitŸyam brahma - sat eva saumaya idam agram assŸt - sarvam khalvidam brahma - brahm˜ v˜ idam agra asŸt - hiraõya garbha samavartata agre - antar bahi× ca tat sarvam vy˜pya n˜r˜yaõa sthita× - eka eva rudro na dvitŸy˜ya tasthe - ekam sad vipr˜ bnahudh˜ vadanti ekam santam bahudh˜ kalpayanti - abedha þruti where the last one is 'when there is only one Absolute wise men and poets create many of his forms...' to explain in ordinary parlance, that too through Puraana-s. This is because of the complexity of Vedas. In fact, Vedas do not tell anything straightaway 'this god, that is god...' but asks us, rather intuits us, to infer ourselves about the nature of god, according to our own IQ. And to be precise, Vedic gods are different from Puranic gods and Veda holds on to one Brahman, or The Absolute. The Rain-god, Fire-god, Indra et al are the instrumental gods in knowing that Absolute. The content of Vedas is just like the complexity of complex video game of present day. The more you play you either get yourself addicted to it, or shun it, or get demented by it.

Vedas go on saying pure truths in plain terms like: þam na× s¨rya urucakÿu udaitu þam nþcatasra× pradŸpto bhavantu | þam na× dhruvayo bhavantu na× sindhava× þamu san santi ˜pa× || ®gveda 7-35-8 - 'Bless that the sun, with extensive radiance, Rises for peace. May the four quarters of horizon, Be auspicious for peace and harmony...' What is so great about the sun or his radiance? If we persist in asking why this is said like that, then a dozen other quotes will be brought in to explain the idea behind it. Again another hymn: sahasra þŸrÿ˜ puruÿa× sahasr˜kÿa sahasra p˜t | ®gved 10-90-1 - 'He has thousands of heads, He has thousands of eyes...' It would be ridiculous to think of a god with thousands of heads and thousands of eyes, but if it is explained 'He has thousands of heads, to think about mankind, and he has thousands of eyes to watch over the good and bad deeds of mankind... it may be meaningful. Max Muller has this to say about the study of Vedas:

Of course, this learning of Vedas by heart is carried on under a strict discipline; it is, in fact, considered as a sacred duty. A native friend of mine... tells me that a boy, who is to be brought up as a student of Rig Veda, has to spend about eight years in the house of his teacher. He has to learn ten books: first, the hymns of Rig ved; then a prose treatise on sacrifices, called the braahmaNa; then the so-called Forest book or aranyaka; then the rules of domestic ceremonies; and lastly, six treatises on pronunciation, grammar, etymology, metre, astronomy, and ceremonial...' India can it what teach us, by Max Muller - a recent republication of Penguin.

All the above is for no practical utility in these days, except for an enquiry into that 'Brahman.' So also there is a probability for phonetic problem uccaraNa doSa in Vedas which causes pratya vaaya a boomeranging bad effect. If we wish to chant its hymn 'oh, Indra, slay my enemies...' and if a diphthong or a diagraph is mispronounced it becomes 'Oh, Indra, kill me, instead of my enemies...' and it is said to happen that way yad bhaavam tad bhavati... Unless they are practised for a life time, they are un-understandable, hence they are set aside and Puraana-s are brought in their place. Further, the effect of Vedas is said to be declining according to yuga dharma era theory... What that was available in satya yuga a period where the conflict was only between god and man, for e.g., the legend of Hrishcandra and his truth speaking, which stands tested by almost all gods, but that truthfulness is lessened in treat yuga Ramayana's period, where the conflict was between man and demons, which dharma is further lessened in dvaapara yuga period of Maha Bharata, where the conflict is among one's own brothers, and that much dharma of that period is almost extinct in kali yuga which is obvious, from the known history of India, where the conflicts are going on between man and man - husband and wife, father and son, neighbour and neighbour, and so on.<.font>

This is on par with the four-legged dharma, The Holy Bull, nandi loosing its legs one after the other and now you will see that Bull in any sculpture with half raised right foreleg, where other three went under its belly.

So Puraana-s are evolved to throw some light on what Vedas have to say, of course with some religious overtones. Elsewhere we have detailed about Puraana-s of them Shiva and Vishnu Puraana-s are though prominent, but their adherers quarrel tooth and nail about the superiority of Shiva or Vishnu. In Vishnu Puraana many instances of coalescence of Vishnu with Shiva are narrated tvat v˜kya gaurav˜t etat may˜ cakram nivartitam | tvay˜ yat abhayam dattam tat datttam akhilam may˜ - Krishna says to Shiva at the time of eliminating a demon called Baana Asura, 'As you say I have taken back my disc, and if you give a boon I deem all that is given by me...' So many instances can be quoted like this. But here Parashu Rama has no intention to kill Dasharatha Rama, as said in Padma Puraana: rarakÿa bhagav˜n - bh˜rgava r˜ma× - ekam ikÿv˜kostu mah˜ kulam | m˜t˜mahasya anvayatv˜t reõuk˜ vacan˜t tath˜ | 'that god Bhaargava Rama safeguarded one great dynasty of Ikshvaku-s, for they are related to his grandmother, besides at the request of Renuka Devi, his mother...' So, god Bhaargava Rama is a nepotist and saved Dasharatha Rama. Not so, Bhaargava Rama is neither a nepotist nor a god to be worshipped. He is not worshipped because his incarnation is not a full incarnation of Vishnu as Dasharatha Rama. Only the wrathful impetuosity of Vishnu is incarnated like Bhaargava Rama to perform butchery and even infanticide. bh˜rgavo ati d®pta× prasiddha× tad˜nŸm ca krodha andha iti sva kÿatriya vadh˜t upratam þastra sanny˜sam ca parityajya capala iti vidita× 'Bhaargava Rama is a highly impudent personality and blinded by his wrath, thus to eliminate his own Kshatriya-s [namely his own relatives, Dasharatha and his sons; again the caste system is peeping in, isn't it!] On overstepping his pledge of renunciation of weaponry, he came... hence his actions are faltering...' appayaa diikshita, a shaivaite. He came here to perform certain unsaid action, which we will see in next episode.

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

Thus, this is the 75th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 76

Introduction

Rama takes aim with Vishnu's longbow and asks Parashu Rama to choose the target to release the arrow, as arrow of that bow cannot go astray. Parashu Rama opts for elimination of his ascetic merit and heavenly realms thereby. Rama releases the bow annihilating that merit and after that, Parashu Rama retreats into oblivion

shrutvaa tat jaamadag.hnyasya vaakyam daasharathiH tadaa |
gauravaat ya.ntrita kathaH pituu raamam atha abraviit || 1-76-1

1. tadaa= then; daasharathiH= Dasharatha's Rama; jaamadagnyasya= Rama of Jamadagni; tat vaakyam shrutvaa= that, sentence, on hearing; pituu gauravaat= to father, owing respect to; yantrita kathaH= controlled, saying [courtly-tongued]; atha raamam abraviit= then, to Rama of Jamadagni, said.

On hearing that sentence of Rama of Jamadagni, then Rama of Dasharatha said this to him in a courtly owing to the presence of his father Dasharatha. [1-76-1]

kR^itavaan asmi yat karma shrutavaan asi bhaargava |
anurundhyaamahe brahman pitur aanR^iNyam aasthitaH || 1-76-2

2. bhaargava= oh, Bhaargava; yat karma= whatsoever, endeavour; kR^itavaan asi= undertaken [strived for,] you have; shrutavaan asmi= heard of them, I have; brahman= oh, Brahman; pituH= father; a +nR^iNyam= without [free from,] indebtedness; aasthitaH= obtained [you have achieved]; anurundhyaamahe= we appreciate you.

"Oh, Bhaargava Rama, whatsoever endeavour you have strived for freeing yourself from the indebtedness towards your father, I have heard of them, and oh, Brahman, we appreciate for your achieving that freeness from your paternal debt, but... [1-76-2]

viirya hiinam iva ashaktam kSatra dharmeNa bhaargava |
avajaanaasi me tejaH pashya me adya paraakramam || 1-76-3

3. bhaargava= oh, Bhaargava Rama; viirya hiinam iva= valour, inferior [timorous,] as though; kSatra dharmeNa= by Kshatriya, duty [Kshatriya-hood]; a+ shaktam= not, capable [to handle the bow]; ava jaanaasi= lowly, you deem [demean me]; adya= now; me= my; tejaH= sprightliness; para aakramam= my, conquering [spiritedness]; pashya= you see.

"Oh, Bhaargava Rama, demeaning me as though I am timorous, hence incapable to handle the bow, and hence I am an ignoble one for Kshatriya-hood, is meaningless... come on, now you may see my spiritedness and sprightliness..." So said Rama to Bhaargava. [1-76-3]

Up to here both these Rama-s are in close quarters with other few present there. After this dialogue, they have moved a little away from the throng and facing each other as true combatants. A swordsman or an archer needs an arm-length, or sword-length or bow-length, at the least, to swagger his weapon. This place is to be assumed as an isolated place and no one is seeing or listening. This scene has an analogy in Maha Bharata when Krishna teaches Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. There, it is said, that Krishna froze the time to teach all the eighteen chapters, and none among two sides of warring factions are aware of Krishna, his teachings, or of Arjuna, excepting Sanjaya, who is placed at a distant place and has seen all with his wisdom-eye. Here we have to borrow that wisdom-eye of Sanjaya and see at these two Rama-s and their actions. When their episode is over the mist cast around them, rather on our eyes, will be cleared, when Rama returns to his father. This is said in later verses. Further more, all the people available there are rendered unconscious at the arrival of Bhaargava Rama, and a few like Dasharatha, Vashishta, Rama's brothers are with senses. So, even if they hear and see this scene, those listeners or seers do no harm in revealing Rama's godhood to world, or in particular to Ravana.

iti uktvaa raaghavaH kruddho bhaargavasya vara aayudham |
sharam ca pratijagraaha hastaat laghu paraakramaH || 1-76-4

4. laghu para aakramaH= nimbly, others, conquering one [nimble-handed vanquisher of opponents]; raaghavaH= Raghava; kruddhaH= in high dudgeon; iti uktvaa= thus, speaking; bhaargavasya hastaat= Bhaargava Rama's, from hand; vara aayudham= estimable, weapon [longbow of Vishnu]; sharam ca= arrow, also; prati jagraaha= towards himself, taken [expropriated.]

Raghava, the nimble-handed vanquisher of his opponents, speaking thus in high dudgeon expropriated that estimable weapon, namely the longbow of Vishnu, from the hand of Bhaargava Rama, along with the long-arrow that is already fitted on it... [1-76-4]

"and, along the same lines Rama also said to have extricated the essential nature of Bhaargava...' The above said 'distancing' of these two Rama-s has another purpose. Rama has certain innate nature of making his observers enchanted by his very personality. Even Ravana looks at him adoringly in the war scene. This apart, his hand has certain ability to extricate the innate nature of others, should he lay his hand on them. We rarely see him touching or patting others, except for Seetha, Lakshmana, Hanuma, and say a squirrel etc. So, it is believed that, Rama has now expropriated the essential nature of Vishnu from Bhaargava Rama, while snatching the bow from his hands. For this Padma Puraana says: iti uktv˜ devŸ vaiÿõavy˜ þakty˜ tad gat˜y˜ saha | jagr˜ha vaiÿõavam c˜pam vinayena ca lŸlay˜ || 'oh, Devi Parvati, saying so Rama took away the Vishnu's anima from Bhaargava Rama, along with bow of Vishnu, sportily and obediently, too...' Thus, Rama of Dasharatha bade goodbye to his earlier incarnation, Parashu Rama, as two swords cannot be in one sheath.

aaropya sa dhanuu raamaH sharam sajyam cakaara ha |
jaamadag.hnyam tato raamam raamaH kruddho abraviit idam || 1-76-5

5. saH raamaH= he, that Rama; dhanuu aaropya= longbow, on lifting up; sharam sajyam= arrow, arranged on bowstring; cakaara ha= did it [took aim,] indeed; tataH raamaH kruddhaH= then, Rama, irefully; jaamadagnyam raamam= to Jamadagni's, Rama; idam abraviit= this, said.

On lifting up the bow that is already fitted with an arrow on bowstring, then Rama started to take aim with it, but being indecisive about the target, then Rama of Dasharatha irefully said this to Rama of Jamagadni. [1-76-5]

braahmaNo asi iti puujyo me vishvaamitra kR^itena ca |
tasmaat shakto na te raama moktum praaNa haram sharam || 1-76-6

6. raama= oh, Rama of Bhaargava; braahmaNaH asi= Brahmana, you are; iti= by this reason [even if, you are killable]; vishvaamitra kR^itena ca= Vishvamitra, owing to [your relationship,] also; me puujyaH= to me, venerable; tasmaat= thereby; te praaNa haram sharam= your, life, removing [exterminating,] arrow; moktum= to release; na shaktaH= not, capable [disinclined to.]

"Oh, Rama of Bhaargava, even if you are a Brahman you are eliminable, but because of your relationship with Vishvamitra, and because you are a venerable one for me, I am disinclined to release this arrow that exterminates your life... [1-76-6]

Bhaargava-s are Brahman-s and a Brahman cannot be killed braahmaNo na hantavya then how Rama is prepared to eliminate a Brahman, subjecting himself to the sin called 'Brahman killing...' brahma hatyaa paataka... There is no sin in eliminating a Brahman who is weaponed and warring. tath˜ ca bh˜rate r˜ja dharme k®ÿõam prati bhŸÿma× - pitr¨n pit˜mah˜n pitryam gur¨n sambandhi b˜ndhav˜n | mithy˜ prav®tt˜n ya× saðkhye nihany˜ dharma eva sa× || Maha Bharata, shannti parva. 'It is no sin to eliminated fathers, grandfathers, teachers, and the like [even if they are Brahman-s,] for they are under an illusion, called war...' So said Bhiishma to Krishna and thereby Panadava-s have eliminated Drona, Kripa, Ashvaddhaama and suchlike weaponed Brahman-s in war, but not in peace. There are many more such sayings of Bhiishma. Here Parashu Rama said that he will give a duel to Rama, hence he is no more a Brahman when he raises a weapon. And he is a blood relation of Vishvamitra, and that corner of mercy is not allowing Rama to release the arrow on Parashu Rama.

imaam vaa tvat gatim raama tapo bala samaarjitaan |
lokaan apratimaan vaa api haniSyaami yat icChasi || 1-76-7

7. raama= oh, Bhaargava Rama; imam= this; tvat gatim vaa= either, your, motility [at the speed of mind, cf., verse 15]; tapaH bala samaarjitaan= by ascesis, power of, earned; a +pratimaan lokaan= un, paralleled, worlds [realms of heavens]; vaa api= or, even; haniSyaami= I wish to eliminate; yat icChasi= whichever, you wish.

"Oh, Bhaargava Rama, either this motility of yours at the speed of your mind, or even those unparalleled realms of heavens which you have earned by the power of your ascesis, I will eliminate whichever you wish... [1-76-7]

na hi ayam vaiSNavo divyaH sharaH para pura.njayaH |
moghaH patati viiryeNa bala darpa vinaashanaH || 1-76-8

8. para puram jayaH= others', citadels, conqueror; viiryeNa= [by its] mettle; bala darpa vinaashanaH= vigour, vainglory, vanquisher; divyaH= one took birth in divine worlds - arrow; ayam vaiSNavaH sharaH= this, Vishnu's, divine, arrow; moghaH= wastefully; na patati hi= not, falls through, isn't it.

"This Vishnu's divine arrow is the conqueror of opponents' citadels, and a vanquisher of their vigour and vainglory, and it will not fall through wastefully... isn't it!" So said archer Rama to axeman Rama. [1-76-8]

The debate on the superiority of Vishnu or Shiva may have its own mythological import, but as far as Ramayana is considered, the eulogy for Vishnu's longbow is intended to suggest the all-powerful capacity of Vishnu in eliminating demons and to lead the epic to its own goal. Dharmaakuutam has to say this: prak®te - adhikam menire viþõum - iti r˜m˜yaõa vacanam tu agre kartavya sakala r˜kÿasa vadha hetu bh¨ta vaiÿõava dhanÿa× pr˜þasta pratip˜dana param jñyeyam | Hence the mythological quarrels have no place in Ramayana.

vara aayudha dharam raamam draSTum sa R^iSi gaNaaH suraaH |
pitaamaham puraskR^itya sametaaH tatra sarvashaH || 1-76-9
ga.ndharva apsarasaH caiva siddha caaraNa kinnaraaH |
yakSa raakSasa naagaaH ca tat draSTum mahat adbhutam || 1-76-10

9. vara aayudha dharam= extraordinary, weapon [longbow of Vishnu,] wielder; raamam= at Rama; draSTum= to see; sa R^iSi gaNaaH= with, sages', assemblages; suraaH= gods; pitaamaham puraskR^itya= Grandparent, keeping afore; sarvashaH= all of the; gandharva apsarasaH caiva= gandharva-s, apsara-s, also thus; siddha caaraNa kinnaraaH= siddha-s, caaranaa-s, kinnaraa-s; yakSa= yaksha-s; raakshasa= sprites; naagaaH= reptilian beings; ca= also; tat mahat adbhutam= that, extremely, amazing [event]; draSTum= to see; tatra= to there; sametaaH= came together - they forgathered.

Gods together with the assemblages of sages have come keeping the Grandparent Brahma at their fore, likewise the gandharva-s, apsara-s, siddha-s, caarana-s, kinnaraa-s, yaksha-s, sprites and reptilian beings have also come to see Rama who is now wielding the extraordinary longbow of Vishnu, and extremely amazing event that is going to ensue. [1-76-9, 10]

The 'amazing event' is not the handing over or taking over of longbow, but it is the transference of the essential nature of Bhaargava Rama to Dasharatha Rama. Nrisimha Puraana has this: tata× paraþu r˜masya deh˜t nirgatasya vaiÿõavam | paþyat˜m sarva dev˜n˜m tejo r˜mam up˜viþat ||

jaDii kR^ite tadaa loke raame vara dhanur dhare |
nir.hviiryo jaamadag.hnyo asau ramo raamam udaikSata || 1-76-11

11. tadaa= then; raame= Rama; vara [shara] dhanuH dhare= best [inscrutable,] longbow [with arrow,] while becoming a wielder [when ready to take aim with it]; loke jaDii kR^ite= world, insentient, while being rendered as; asau jaamadagnyaH ramaH= he that, Jamadagni's, Rama; nir viiryaH= less, of vigour; raamam= at Rama; ut aikSata= up, stared.

Then, when Rama is ready to take aim with the arrow on that inscrutable longbow, and when the worlds are being rendered as insentient, then that Rama of Jamadagni is rendered vigourless and he stared up at Rama of Dasharatha. [1-76-11]

Vividly: When the aura of Vishnu available in Bhaargava Rama has entered Dasharatha Rama through that inscrutable longbow of Vishnu, Dasharatha Rama's aura dazzled like that of Vishnu, and that dazzlement of Vishnu's aura threw the world in a daze, and then that aura-less, thus vigourless Bhaargava Rama has nothing to do except to stare at Vishnu-like Rama, with upraised eyes.

tejobhiH hata viiryatvaat jaamadag.hnyo jaDii kR^itaH |
raamam kamala patra akSam mandam mandam uvaaca ha || 1-76-12

12. tejaH= by radiance [of Rama]; abhi hata viiryatvaat= completely, marred, with such vitality; jaDii kR^itaH jaamadagnyaH= callous, made as, Jamadagni's Rama; kamala patra akSam= to lotus, petal, eyed one; raamam= to Rama; mandam mandam= slowly, softly; uvaaca ha- spoke, indeed.

Rama of Jamadagni is calloused as his vitality is subdued by the radiance of that lotus-petal eyed Rama of Dasharatha, and he spoke to Rama of Dasharatha, slowly and softly. [1-76-12]

kaashyapaaya mayaa dattaa yadaa puurvam vasu.ndharaa |
viSaye me na vastavyam iti maam kaashyapo abraviit || 1-76-13

13. puurvam= once; vasundharaa= entire earth; yadaa= when; maya= by me; kaashyapaaya= for Kashyapa; dattaa= was donated; me viSaye= in my, domain; na vastavyam= not, inhabitable; iti kaashyapaH maam abraviit= thus, Kashyapa, to me, told.

"Once, when I donated entire earth to Sage Kashyapa, Kashyapa told me 'uninhabitable is my domain, viz., this earth for you...' thus... [1-76-13]

A donor cannot enjoy a gift anymore, once donated to the donee. And if the donor still clings around that donation, it does not come under the true definition of 'donation.' Hence, Parashu Rama is asked to depart from this world. Hence he has gone to the ethereal mountain called Mt. Mahendra.

so aham guru vacaH kurvan pR^ithivyaam na vase nishaam |
tadaa prabhR^iti kaakutstha kR^itaa me kaashyapasya ha || 1-76-14

14. saH aham= such as I was, I; guru vacaH kurvan= my mentor's, order, to do [observance]; tadaa prabhR^iti= then, afterwards; pR^ithivyaam= on earth; nishaam= during nights; na vase= not, I stay [spend]; kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha Rama; [pratij~naa= promise]; kR^itaa me= made over by me; kaashyapasya ha= for Kashyapa, indeed.

"Such as I was, in my observance of my mentor Kashyapa's order I do not spend nights on this earth from then afterwards, oh, Kakutstha Rama, as I made over this earth for Kashyapa, indeed... [1-76-14]

tam imaam mat gatim viira hantum na ar.hhasi raaghava |
mano javam gamiSyaami mahendram parvata uttamam || 1-76-15

15. viira= oh, valiant one; raaghava= oh, Raghava; tam [tat]= thereby; imam= this; mat gatim= my, motility; hantum na arhasi= to impair, not, apt of you; manaH javam= with cerebration, speed of; parvata uttamam mahendram= to mountain, par excellent one, to Mt. Mahendra; gamiSyaami= I will depart.

"Thereby oh, valiant one, it will be inapt of you to impair this motility of mine, oh, Raghava, I will depart with the speed of cerebration to Mt. Mahendra, a par excellent mountain... [1-76-15]

lokaaH tu apratimaa raama nirjitaaH tapasaa mayaa |
jahi taan shara mukhyena maa bhuut kaalasya paryayaH || 1-76-16

16. raama= oh, Rama; maya apratimaa lokaaH= by me, matchless, realms [of heaven]; tapasaa nirjitaaH= by ascesis, triumphed over; taan shara mukhyena jahi= them, with arrow, important [irreversible one,] you hash up; kaalasya paryayaH maa bhuut= time's, lag, let no, be there.

"But I triumphed over matchless realms of heavens with my ascesis, oh, Rama, you may hash them up with that irreversible arrow... let there be no time-lag... [1-76-16]

akshayyam madhu hantaaram jaanaami tvaam sureshvaram |
dhanuSo asya paraamarshaat svasti te astu para.ntapa || 1-76-17

17. asya= that particular one]; dhanuSaH= bow; paraamarshaat= touch of handling [thereby, your touch of nature]; tvaam= you; a+ kSayyam= not, mutable; sura iishvaram= gods, god of; madhu hantaaram= Madhu, the demon, as exterminator of; jaanaami= I realize; parantapa= oh, enemy-inflamer; svasti te astu= blessedness, to you, betides.

"I have realized your touch of nature as that of the Immutable Supreme Being, God of Gods, the Exterminator of the demon Madhu, namely Vishnu, by the touch of your handling that bow... oh, enemy-inflamer, blessedness alone betides you... [1-76-17]

ete sura gaNaaH sarve niriikSante samaagataaH |
tvaam apratima karmaaNam apratidvandvam aahave || 1-76-18

18. samaagataaH= collectively came; ete sarve sura gaNaaH= these, all, gods', assemblages of; a+ pratima karmaaNam= un, equalled, one having achievements; a +prati dvandvam aahave= no, counter, dueller, in conflicts; tvaam= you; niriikSante= they are beholding.

"All of these gods who have come collectively are beholding you and your next move, for you are an unequalled one in you achievements and to whom there is no counter-dueller in conflicts... [1-76-18]

Parashu Rama is hastening up Dasharatha Rama to finish business quickly, otherwise the nature of Rama and his incarnation will publicized, not by these two Rama-s, but the game watching gods. If these spectators stay for a long time in sky, some airborne demon will let the cat out of the bag.

na ca iyam tava kaakutstha vriiDaa bhavitum ar.hhati |
tvayaa trailokya naathena yat aham vimukhii kR^itaH || 1-76-19

19. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; trailokya naathena= triad of worlds', lord of; tvayaa= by you [such as you are]; tava= by you; aham= I am; yat= by which [reason]; vi mukhii kR^itaH= down, face, made as; iyam= this [act of disgrace]; vriiDaa= disgrace; bhavitum= to become; na ca arhati= not, also, apropos.

"Oh, Kakutstha Rama, you are the lord of the triad of worlds, such as you are, you faced me down, and it is malapropos to say that this is a disgrace to me... [1-76-19]

sharam apratimam raama moktum ar.hhasi su vrata |
shara mokSe gamiSyaami mahendram parvatottamam || 1-76-20

20. su vrata= oh, one with ethical, commitments - committed to clear out demons; raama= oh, Rama; apratimam sharam moktum arhasi= unsurpassed, arrow, to unloose, apt of you; shara mokSe= arrow, when unloosened; parvata uttamam mahendram gamiSyaami= mountain, ethereal, to Mt. Mahendra, I will go.

"It will be apt of you to unloose that unsurpassed arrow, oh, Rama, as you have ethical commitment to wipe out demons as I wiped out menacing kings, and should you unloosen that arrow now I wish to depart to the ethereal mountain Mt. Mahendra, a point of no return for me..." So said Parashu Rama to Dasharatha Rama. [1-76-20]

tathaa bruvati raame tu jaamadag.hnye prataapavaan |
raamo daasharathiH shriimaan cikSepa sharam uttamam || 1-76-21

21. jaamadagnye raame tu= of Jamadagni, by Rama, on his part; tathaa bruvati= that way, while speaking; prataapavaan= venturesome one; shriimaan daasharathiH raamaH= blessed one, Dasharatha's, Rama; uttamam sharam cikSepa= nonpareil, arrow, shot off.

While Rama of Jamadagni is speaking that way, that venturesome and blessed Rama of Dasharatha shot off that nonpareil arrow from that longbow of Vishnu. [1-76-21]

sa hataan dR^ishya raameNa svaan lokaan tapasaa aarjitaan |
jaamadag.hnyo jagaama aashu mahendram parvatottamam || 1-76-22

22. saH jaamadagnyaH= he, of Jamadagni; tapasaa aarjitaan= by ascesis, acquired; svaan lokaan= all, realms of heavens; raameNa hataan= by Rama, shot-blasted; dR^ishya= having seen; aashu parvata uttamam mahendram jagaama= in a trice, to heavenly, mountain, to Mahendra, went away [vanished.]

On seeing all of his realms of heavens are shot-blasted by Rama of Dasharatha, Rama of Jamadagni vanished in a trice to Mt. Mahendra, the heavenly mountain. [1-76-22]

Rather, ready to depart... as he is given some more role-play in next verses.

tato vi timiraaH sarvaa dishaa ca upadishaH tathaa |
suraaH sa R^iSi gaNaaH raamam prashasha.msuH udaayudham || 1-76-23

23. tataH= then; sarvaa dishaa= all, directions; tathaa= likewise; upa dishaH ca= intermediary, directions; vi timiraaH= without [dissipated,] darkness; sa R^iSi gaNaaH suraaH= with, sages', assemblages, gods; ud aayudham= one with upraised, weapon; raamam prashashamsuH= Rama, extolled.

Then dissipated is the darkness in all the divisions and likewise in all the subdivisions of compass, and the gods with the assemblages of sages extolled Rama, in whose hands the longbow is upraised. [1-76-23]

Please refer the endnote about this longbow and how it is passed on to Janaka's dynasty.

raamam daasharathim raamo jaamadag.hnyaH prashasya ca |
tataH pradakSiNii kR^itya jagaama aatma gatim prabhuH || 1-76-24

24. prabhuH= efficient one, [dab hand at axe]; jaamadagnyaH raamaH= Jamadagni, Rama of; daasharathim raamam prashasya= Dasharatha's, Rama, on acclaiming; tataH pradakSiNii kR^itya= then, circumambulations, on making; aatma gatim jagaama= on his own, way, went away.

Then that dab hand at axe, Rama of Jamadagni, on acclaiming, and even on making circumambulations to Rama of Dasharatha, went on his own way into oblivion. [1-76-24]

.

Longbows of Shiva and Vishnu

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The bestowal of Shiva's bow to the dynasty of Janaka is said variously at various places. In the hermitage Vishvamitra it is said that the bow is given in Vedic-ritual taddhi puurvam narashreSTha dattam sadasi daivataiH | 1-31-8 In the previous chapter it is said that the bow is given in the hand of Devaraata devaraatasya raaja R^iSeH dadau haste sa saayakam | 1-75-20 And earlier it is said to be given in Dasksha's ritual dakSa yaj~na vadhe puurvam dhanuH aayamya viiryavaan | 1-66-9 Seetha says about this to ascetic Lady Anasuya that Rain-god gave this to Janaka's dynasty mahaayaj~ne tadaa tasya varuNena mahaatmanaa | dattam dhanur varam priityaa tuuNii ca akSayya saayakau Ayodhya II-118. These statements, though not self-contradictory, and though they create a little confusion, they all are correct. When Daksha's Vedic-ritual is devastated, Shiva wanted to throw back the useless bow, that was worsted by Vishnu's bow, on the face of gods. But gods fearing for the ire of Shiva requested Shiva to give that bow to Devaraata, on their behalf. Shiva gave it to Devaraata as a trust, through Rain-god Varuna, but Shiva did no bequeath it. Later Janaka on appeasing gods in Vedic-ritual asked them to leave the bow once for all in Janaka Dynasty. Gods have agreed to it. And Rama broke it.

Now Dasharatha Rama gives back the other bow of Vishnu brought by Parashu Rama to the same Rain-god Varuna, who is present there at both Rama-s, in the thin air, when the environ is enshrouded by certain darkness, and when Rama is last seen with that upraised longbow at 1-76-23, and just before darkness is dissipated, Rama gives that bow to Rain-god, according to the first verse in next chapter.

Well known is Krishna's showing his Cosmic Form vishva ruupa to Arjuna, while teaching Bhagavad Gita in Maha Bharata. But that Bharata records Rama's display of His Cosmic form to Parashu Rama, only at this juncture. In Ch. 89 of anushaashanika parva of Maha Bharata it is said in detail as: paþya m˜m svena r¨peõa cakÿu× te vitar˜mi aham | tato r˜ma þarŸre vai r˜ma paþyati bh˜rgava× |˜dity˜n pavam˜n˜n rudr˜n s˜dhy˜n ca sa marud gaõ˜na | pitaro hut˜þana× caiva nakÿatr˜õi grah˜× tath˜ | and a long account follows on this. But this has not been amplified or explained in other texts, due to unknown reasons. However, it is not part of Valmiki Ramayana.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe SaT saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 76th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 77

Introduction

The wedding party arrives at Ayodhya on the exit of Parashu Rama. Yudhaajit, the maternal uncle of Bharata, who came before marriages, now takes Bharata and Shatrughna to his kingdom. Rama and Lakshmana from then on are engaged in the welfare works of their subjects, at the behest of their father. Rama and Seetha will then enter the threshold of their blissful married life.

gate raame prashaa.nta aatmaa raamo daasharathiH dhanuH |
varuNaaya aprameyaaya dadau haste mahaayashaaH || 1-77-1

1. raame gate= of Rama of Jamadagni, on the departure of; prashaanta aatmaa daasharathiH raamaH= quietened, at heart, Dasharatha, Rama of; mahaayashaaH= most glorious one, Rama; dhanuH =longbow of Vishnu; aprameyaaya varuNaaya= to unequalled one, to Rain-god; haste dadau= in hand, gave.

On the departure of Rama of Jamadagni, that most glorious Rama of Dasharatha is quietened at heart, and he gave away that longbow of Vishnu into the hand of inimitable Rain-god. [1-77-1]

On this longbow and its giving to god of Rain, some discussion is incorporated in the earlier chapter.

abhivaadya tato raamo vasiSTha pramukhaan R^iSiin |
pitaram vihvalam dR^iSTvaa provaaca raghuna.ndanaH || 1-77-2

2. tataH= then; raghu nandanaH= Raghu's delight; raamaH= Rama; vasiSTha pramukhaan R^iSiin= to Vashishta, important, sages; abhivaadya= paying respects; vihvalam pitaram dR^iSTvaa= agitated, father, on seeing; provaaca [pra uvaaca]= well, said - placatingly addressed.

On paying respects to sage Vashishta and to the other important sages, Rama, the delight of Raghu's lineage, placatingly addressed his agitated father Dasharatha. [1-77-2]

jaamadagnyo gato raamaH prayaatu catur angiNii |
ayodhyaa abhimukhii senaa tvayaa naathena paalitaa || 1-77-3

3. jaamadagnyaH raamaH gataH= Jamadagni, Rama of, gone away [gone on his way]; naathena= as its lord; tvayaa paalitaa= by you, governed [under your wardship]; catur angiNii senaa= fourfold [army / and marriage convoy]; ayodhyaa abhimukhii prayaatu towards, Ayodhya, let it move on.

"Rama of Jamadagni has gone on his way, you may now order the army under your wardship, for which you are the lord, to move on towards Ayodhya..." So said Rama to his father. [1-77-3]

raamasya vacanam shrutvaa raajaa dasharathaH sutam |
baahubhyaam sampariSvajya muurdhni upaaghraaya raaghavam || 1-77-4
gato raama iti shrutvaa hR^iSTaH pramudito nR^ipaH |
punarjaatam tadaa mene putram aatmaanam eva ca || 1-77-5

4, 5. raajaa dasharathaH= king, Dasharatha; raamasya vacanam shrutvaa= Rama's, sentence, on hearing; sutam raaghavam baahubhyaam sampariSvajya= son, Raghava, with both arms, hugged; muurdhni upaaghraaya= forehead, kissed; raamaH= Parashu Rama; gataH iti shrutvaa= gone away, thus, to hear; hR^iSTaH= gladdened; pramuditaH= [further] highly gladdened; nR^ipaH= king; tadaa= then; putram= son [sons]; aatmaanam= he himself; punaH jaatam= again, born; mene= presumed - presumed to have taken a rebirth.

On hearing the words of Rama king Dasharatha hugged his son with both of his arms, and kissed on the forehead of Raghava, and king Dasharatha is gladdened to listen about the departure of Parashu Rama, and then he is further gladdened in deeming that he and his sons took a rebirth. [1-77-4, 5]

codayaamaasa taam senaam jagaama aashu tataH puriim |
pataakaa dhvajiniim ramyaam tuurya ud ghuSTa ninaaditaam || 1-77-6
sikta raaja pathaa ramyaam prakiirNa kusuma utkaraam |
raaja pravesha sumukhaiH pauraiH ma.ngala paaNibhiH || 1-77-7
sampuurNaam praavishat raajaa jana oghaiH samalamkR^itaam |

6, 7, 8a. raajaa= king; taam senaam codayaamaasa= that, legion, ordered to move ahead; tataH= later; pataakaa dhvajiniim= which has banners, bannerettes - flags; ramyaam= beautiful one; tuurya ud ghuSTa ninaaditaam= bugle-horns, high, sounding, reverberated with; sikta raaja pathaa= wetted, royal, with highways; prakiirNa kusuma utkaraam= bestrewn, with flowers, bunches of; raaja pravesha sumukhaiH= by king's, entry, glee-faced; mangala paaNibhiH pauraiH= welcoming kits, in their hands, with urbanites; sampuurNaam= replete with; jana oghaiH sam alamkR^itaam= by people, swarms of, well-decorated; ramyaam puriim jagaama= into such exhilarating, city Ayodhya, went to; and; aashu praavishat= quickly entered.

Then the King Dasharatha ordered that legion to move ahead, and then they all went towards delightful city Ayodhya, whose royal highways are wetted with water, sprinkled with bunches of flowers, decorated with banners and bannerettes up above them, and reverberating with high sounding bugle-horns. Further, those highways are replete with urbanites welcomers who are handling welcoming kits which are golden handy-crates or plates in which lit camphor, fragrant incenses, vermilion powder, flowers to shower on the incomers are arranged, and those highways are well-decorated with throngs of people who are glee-faced at their king's re-entry, and into such an exhilarating city Ayodhya king Dasharatha and his retinue entered. [1-77-7, 8a]

pauraiH prati udgato duuram dvijaiH ca pura vaasibhiH || 1-77-8
putraiH anugataH shriimaan shriimadbhiH ca mahaayashaaH |
pravivesha gR^iham raajaa himavat sadR^isham priyam || 1-77-9

8b, 9. pauraiH= by citizenry; pura vaasibhiH dvijaiH ca= city, dwelling, Brahman-s, also; duuram= from a distance; prati ud gataH= towards, oppositely, going [people came to receive the king]; shriimadbhiH putraiH ca= illustrious, with sons, also,; anugataH= followed by; shriimaan mahaayashaaH raajaa= phenomenal, praiseworthy, king; himavat sadR^isham= Himalayan [lofty and lordly palazzos,] like; priyam gR^iham= happy, house and home; pravivesha= entered.

When the citizenry and city-dwelling Brahman-s have received him from a distance, that illustrious king Dasharatha followed by his phenomenal and praiseworthy sons then entered his happy house and home, which is like the lofty and lordly Himalayan palazzo. [1-77-8b, 9]

'King entered the house...' is not just an entrance of a character into a scene, but it entails a lot of ceremony called gR^iha pravesha 'entering into householder-hood, the second stage of life gaarhapatya dharma out of the four stages of living, 1] celibate scholar, 2] householder, 3] repairing to forest or sageship, 4] final release, moksha. paaNi grahaNa anantarm kriyamaaNo gR^iha praveshaH - dk where ceremonies go on for hours together.

nananda svajanaiH raajaa gR^ihe kaamaiH supuujitaH |
kausalyaa ca sumitraa ca kaikeyii ca sumadhyamaa || 1-77-10
vadhuu pratigrahe yuktaa yaaH ca anyaa raaja yoSitaH |

10, 11a. raajaa= king; gR^ihe= in palace; kaamaiH su puujitaH= by ambitions, well, reverenced [when his long cherished ambitions have come true]; sva janaiH nananda= own, people, [king is] overjoyed; kausalyaa ca= Kausalya, also; sumitraa ca= Sumitra, also; su madhyamaa= good, at middle [well-waisted]; kaikeyii ca= Kaikeyi, also; yaaH anyaa raaja yoSitaH= which of those, other, king's, wives - are there, they; vadhuu pratigrahe yuktaaH= brides, in receiving, engaged in; - nanaduH= overjoyed.

In palace king Dasharatha is overjoyed when he is surrounded with his own inmates of palace-chambers, and when his long cherished ambitions have come true, while his queens, Kausalya, Sumitra, and slender waisted Kaikeyi and other wives are overjoyed in the functions of receiving the four brides. [1-77-10]

Again this 'receiving bride' is an elaborate variety of fun and games of womenfolk will take place, at which place there is almost no entry to men. For example, name telling. An Indian bride, or the later time wife is supposed to not to call her husband by his name. It is a sacred taboo, and her addressing shall be in genderless, person-less, and numberless hooting, cooing or calling like e jii - o jii - emanDii - ennango - shuniye so on. To cite one such ceremony it is 'naming game.' Here the bride is compelled to tell the name of her husband, and she will be hesitating to do so, because of her newness to this house or to her husband. After some teasing attempts, she mutters her husband's name, and then only she will be admitted into certain chamber or room. But dwindling are these games, and dampening is that fun, in these days of readymade marriages. Then why Dasharatha shall be overjoyed at these womanly functions, they do all those womanish things... because, Dasharatha wanted his palace to be in festivity, with just one son. But four are forced on him and they too obtained four brides in one go, hence fourfold is his happiness. It may be observed that Kaikeyi is the lone queen with 'beauty' as her attribute, and the problem with her is seeded here alone, saying that enchantment of Dasharatha towards her outweighs his affection to Rama, later.

tataH siitaam mahaabhaagaam uurmilaam ca yashasviniim || 1-77-11
kushadhvaja sute ca ubhe jagR^ihuH nR^ipa yoSitaH |

11b-12a. tataH= then; nR^ipa yoSitaH= kings, wives [womenfolk]; mahaa bhaagaam siitaam= highly propitious, Seetha; yashasviniim uurmilaam ca= highly fortunate, Urmila, also; ubhe sute ca Kushadhvaja= both, daughters, also, of Kushadhvaja; jagR^ihuH= received [welcomed.]

Then the womenfolk of the king welcomed the highly propitious Seetha and the highly fortunate Urmila too, along with both the daughters of Kushadhvaja, namely Maandavi and Shrutakiirti, with pageantry and festivity. [1-77-11b, 12a]

ma.ngala aalaapanaiH homaiH shobhitaaH kSauma vaasasaH || 1-77-12
devata aayatanaani aashu sarvaaH taaH pratyapuujayan |

12b-13a. taaH sarvaaH= they, all - brides and bridegrooms; shobhitaaH= shining forth; kSauma vaasasaH= in silks, clad; mangala aalaapanaiH= with benedictory, chanting [of Vedic hymns]; homaiH= with Ritual-fire; aashu= promptly; devataa aayatanaani prati apuujayan= god, sanctums, they have worshipped.

All of the brides and bridegrooms clad in silks promptly worshipped the gods in sanctums to the benedictory chanting of Vedic hymns and Ritual-fires, thus they shone forth like the tongues of Holy Fires of Vedic Altars. [1-77-12b, 13a]

These young couples by themselves are radiant, and they are now clad in radiant silks that glitter wavily like the tongues of fire, and the Ritual-fire s are already there flaring wavily, to the weave-like chanting of Vedic benedictions. With all these waving, flaring, glaring the couples too appeared as the humanly Ritual-fires before the wood burnt Vedic Ritual-fires.

abhivaadya abhivaadyaan ca sarvaa raaja sutaaH tadaa || 1-77-13
remire muditaaH sarvaa bhar.htR^ibhiH sahitaa rahaH |

13b, 14a. tadaa= then; sarvaa raaja sutaaH= all, king's, daughters - princesses; abhivaadyaan abhivaadya ca= those who are respect worthy, on paying respects to them, also; rahaH= in sequestered [palace-chambers]; bhartR^ibhiH sahitaa= husbands, along with; muditaaH sarvaa= gladdened, all; remire= luxuriated in.

Then all the princesses paid respects to all of the respectable ones, and they luxuriated in sequestered palace-chambers along with their husbands. [1-77-13b, 14a]

This 'paying respects to respectable elders' is but one line. In reality, the torsos of those that pay respects will be put to test, because they have to 'pay' by bending and touching the feet of elders, each time to each, paada abhivandana, pai lagoo . And if the girls are from jeans or pants culture, [because days have gone,] they will be fresh and new to bridal sari, which itself will be a weight to carry. And many times we see the young brides falling on the blessing couple because her bridal sari gets entangled in the toes of the bride, and she is not yet ready to manage it. So goes on this parade until their backs are broken.

kR^ita daaraaH kR^ita astraaH ca sa dhanaaH sa suhR^it janaaH || 1-77-14
shushruuSamaaNaaH pitaram vartayanti nararSabhaaH |

14b, 15a. nararSabhaaH [kumaaraaH]= men, the best - bridegrooms; kR^ita daaraaH= made [come to pass] marriages; kR^ita astraaH ca= made [accomplished,] in weaponry, also; sa dhanaaH= with, riches; sa suhR^it janaaH= with, good hearted, people [around]; pitaram= father; shushruuSamaaNaaH= assisting; vartayanti= occupied themselves - in welfare of kingdom.

And those best men among men, Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, who are by now accomplished persons in weaponry and whose marriages have also come to pass, occupied themselves in the welfare of kingdom while assisting their father and moving around with good hearted people. [1-77-14b, 15a]

kasyacit atha kaalasya raajaa dasharadhaH sutam || 1-77-15
bharatam kaikeyii putram abraviit raghun.ndana |

15b, 16a. atha kasyacit kaalasya= then, after some, time; raghunndana= Rahu's legatee; raajaa dasharadhaH= king, Dasharatha; kaikeyii putram= to Kaikeyi's, son; sutam= to [his own] son; bharatam= to Bharata; abraviit= spoke.

Then after sometime that king Dasharatha, the legatee of Raghu-s, spoke to his and Kaikeyi's son, Bharata. [1-77-15b, 16a]

ayam kekaya raajasya putro vasati putraka || 1-77-16
tvaam netum aagato viiro yudhaajit maatulaH tava |

16b, 17a. putraka= oh, son; tvaam netum= you, to take; aagataH= came [here]; kekeya raajasya putraH= Kekaya, king's, son; viiraH= valiant one; tava maatulaH= your, maternal uncle; ayam yudhaajit= this, Yudhaajit; vasati= is staying behind.

"This is your maternal uncle and the son of king of Kekaya, and this valiant Yudhaajit came here to take you to Kekaya province, and he is staying behind because of your marriage..." thus Dasharatha bade farewell to Bharata suggesting that Bharata may now go with Yudhaajit. [1-77-16b, 17a]

shrutvaa dasharathasya etat bharataH kaikeyi sutaH || 1-77-17
gamanaaya abhicakraama shatrughna sahitaH tadaa |

17b, 18a. kaikeyi sutaH bharataH= Kaikeyi's, son, Bharata; dasharathasya etat shrutvaa= Dasharatha's, all that [opinion,] on hearing; tadaa= then; shatrughna sahitaH= Shatrughna, along with; gamanaaya abhicakraama= to travel, readied himself.

On hearing the opinion of Dasharatha, Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, then readied himself to travel along with Shatrughna to Kekaya province. [1-77-17b, 18a]

aapR^icChya pitaram shuuro raamam ca akliSTa karmaNam || 1-77-18
maatR^IH ca api narashreSTa shatrughna sahito yayau |

18b, 19a. shuuraH= valiant one Bharata; pitaram= from father; a + kliSTa karmaNam= without, complexities, doer of deeds [uncomplicatedly dextrous in deeds]; raamam ca= from, Rama; maatR^IH ca api= from mothers, also, even; aapR^icChya= on asking leave; narashreSTa= best one among men Bharata; shatrughna sahitaH yayau= Shatrughna, along with, travelled.

That valiant and best one among men Bharata on asking leave from his father, from Rama, an uncomplicatedly dextrous one in undertaking deeds, and even from his mothers, Kaikeyi, Sumitra, and Kausalya, travelled on along with Shatrughna. [1-77-18b, 19a]

yudhaajit praapya bharatam sa shatrughnam praharSitaH || 1-77-19
sva puram praviveshat viiraH pitaa tasya tutoSa ha |

19b-20a. praapya bharatam shatrughnam= on clinching, Bharata, Shatrughna; yudhaajit= Yudhaajit; praharSitaH= is highly gladdened; saH viiraH= he, that, valiant one; sva puram praviveshat= his own, city, entered; tasya pitaa tutoSa ha= his, father, highly rejoiced, indeed.

Yudhaajit on clinching not only Bharata, but Shatrughna also, that valiant one is highly gladdened and entered his own city, indeed to the high rejoice of his father, King of Kekaya. [1-77-19b, 20a]

gate ca bharate raamo lakshmaNaH ca mahaabalaH || 1-77-20
pitaram deva sa.nkaasham puujayaamaasatuH tadaa |

20b, 21b. tadaa= then; bharate gate= Bharata, after departure of; mahaabalaH= great mighty Rama [here: masterly proficient Rama]; raamaH lakshmaNaH ca= Rama, Lakshmana, also; deva sankaasham= god, like [godly]; pitaram= father; puujayaamaasatuH started to worship [square with.]

After the departure of Bharata, then the masterly proficient Rama along with Lakshmana started to square with the plans and programs of of his godly father for an ideal-sovereignty. [1-77-20b, 21a]

pituH aaj~naam puraskR^itya paura kaaryaaNi sarvashaH || 1-77-21
cakaara raamaH sarvaaNi priyaaNi ca hitaani ca |
maatR^ibhyo maatR^i kaaryaaNi kR^itvaa parama ya.ntritaH || 1-77-22
guruuNaam guru kaaryaaNi kaale kaale anvavaikshata |

21b, 22-23a. raamaH= Rama; pituH aaj~naam puraskR^itya= father's, directives, keeping afore [in view]; sarvaaNi= all of the; priyaaNi ca= agreeable, also; hitaani ca= advantageous, also; paura kaaryaaNi= people's [welfare,] activities; sarvashaH cakaara= in entirety, undertook; parama yantritaH= in highly, self-disciplined manner; maatR^ibhyaH maatR^i kaaryaaNi= for mothers, mother's, activities [to humour motherly affection]; guruuNaam guru kaaryaaNi= to educators, educational, activities; kR^itvaa= on accomplishing; kaale kaale= from time, to time [timely]; anvavaikshata= on examining carefully.

Rama keeping his father's directives in view undertook welfare activities for the people that are agreeable and even advantageous to them, and in the entirety of those activities, and he undertook activities to humour motherly affection with his mothers, and educational activities with educators, and in a highly self-disciplined manner he used to review them carefully from time to time. [1-77-22b, 22, 23a]

evam dasharathaH priito braahmaNaa naigamaaH tathaa || 1-77-23
raamasya shiila vR^ittena sarvam viSaya vaasinaH |
teSaam ati yashaa loke raamaH satya paraakramaH || 1-77-24
svayambhuuH iva bhuutaanaam babhuuva guNavattaraH |

23b, 24-25a. evam= that way; raamasya= of Rama; shiila vR^ittena= deportment, comportment; dasharathaH priitaH= Dasharatha, is pleased; braahmaNaa tathaa naigamaaH= Brahman-s, likewise, urbanites; sarvam viSaya vaasinaH [priitaH]= in entire, kingdom, indwellers, [are pleased]; loke= in world; ati yashaa= who has high, distinction; guNavat taraH= by hallmarks, higher [in degree, de haut en bas]; satya paraakramaH= truthfulness, being vanquishing point [being vantage point]; raamaH= Rama; teSaam= for them [for subjects of kingdom]; bhuutaanaam= among living beings; svayam bhuuH iva= self, born Brahma, as with; babhuuva= became [manifested.]

That way Dasharatha is pleased with the deportment and comportment of Rama, likewise the Brahman-s and urbanites, and even all of the indwellers in the entire kingdom are pleased, and he who has high distinction, his truthfulness alone is his vantage point, and whose hallmarks are of higher degree, that Rama has manifested himself to those subjects in the kingdom, and even to all of the living beings in the world, as the Self-Created Brahma. [1-77-23b, 24, 25a]

raamaH ca siitayaa saardham vijahaara bahuun R^ituun || 1-77-25
manasvii tad gatamaanasya tasyaa hR^idi samarpitaH |

25b-26a. manasvii raamaH ca= hearty, Rama, also; tat gatamaanasya= her [alone,] one who permeated [into her heart]; tasyaaH hR^idi sam arpitaH= in her, in heart, well, dedicated [ensconce in her heart]; siitayaa saardham= Seetha, along with; bahuun R^ituun vijahaara= for many, seasons, disported.

Also, that hearty Rama who permeated into the heart of Seetha is ensconced in Seetha's heart alone, and he disported for many seasons along with Seetha. [1-77-25b, 26a]

The other mms use raamaH tu instead of raamaH ca where this tu says a difference. Then, 'Rama is busy in welfare and other works of state, tu 'but' he is also impassioned for Seetha. And he is manasvii 'hearty one' warm, friendly, spirited etc., are his dispositions for kingdom, people, governmental works tu 'but' he is that 'hearty' for Seetha... Hence tad gataH - tasyaam gataH 'he pervaded her psyche, hence casketed in her heart... In the other mms it will be tasyaaH hR^idi nityam samarpitaH 'heart of Seetha is 'always' dedicated to Rama... and that word nityam 'always, eternal, everlasting...' couple. So, they may be a couple from time immemorial tu 'but' they are as good as a fresh and fervent young couple... bahuun R^ituun 'for many, many seasons to come...' he is disporting with Seetha. Why tell seasons when there is calculated calendar with years, decades, and centuries... Not so... their disporting is according to seasons, with seasonal environ, with a seasonable togetherness... vijahaara is grammatically a parasmai padi then the fruition goes to the subject, and subject of the verse is Rama, so he alone is the enjoyer and insatiate is his enjoyment with Seetha, even during and after bahuun R^ituun many, and many seasons. niravadhika paraspara baddha anuraaga abhivR^iddhi ' an endless, mutual, conjugal, impassion and its enrichment - the self-content bliss of monogamy.

priyaa tu siitaa raamasya daaraaH pitR^i kR^itaa iti || 1-77-26
guNaat ruupa guNaat ca api priitiH bhuuyo abhivardhate |

26b, 27a. siitaa tu= Seetha is, on her part; pitR^i kR^itaa daaraaH= by father [Dasharatha,] made [assented to,] wife; iti= thus [on becoming a wife]; raamasya priyaa= Rama's, beloved one; guNaat= by her own virtues; ruupa guNaat ca api= comeliness, by virtue of, also, even; priitiH= desirableness - loveliness; bhuuyaH abhivardhate= furthermore, burgeoning in him.

Seetha has become the beloved of Rama as she is wedded with the assent of his father Dasharatha, further Rama's love for Seetha burgeoned by virtue of Seetha's own virtues and loveliness. [1-77-26b, 27a]

Here the good old saying ati ruupavatii siitaa - ati muurkhaaH ca raavaNa 'Seetha is the greatest beauty, Ravana is the highest pigheaded demon...' may be remembered. He loved her for his father's voice / Had given her and approved the choice: / He loved her for each charm she wore / And her sweet virtues more and more. - Griffith.

tasyaaH ca bhartaa dviguNam hR^idaye parivar.htate || 1-77-27
antar gatam api vyaktam aakhyaati hR^idayam hR^idaa |

27b, 28a. bhartaa ca= husband Rama, even; tasyaaH hR^idaye= in her, heart; dvi guNam parivartate= two, fold [twice as good,] made his mark; hR^idayam antar gatam api= in heart, interior of, went into [thoughts in heart of hearts]; hR^idaa vyaktam aakhyaati= by heart, clearly, [both] converse.

Even Rama as her husband made his mark in Seetha's heart twice as good, and they both used to clearly converse about their thoughts in their heart of hearts, just by their hearts. [1-77-27b, 28a]

tasya bhuuyo visheSeNa maithilii janaka aatmajaa |
devataabhiH samaa ruupe siitaa shriiH iva ruupiNii || 1-77-28

28b-c. ruupe devataabhiH samaa= in mien, goddess', identical with; ruupiNii shriiH iva= personified, Goddess Lakshmi, like; [or, shrii iva ruupiNii= prosperity, as though, personified, reshaped] maithilii= one from Mithila province [a holy land, hence she is Holy]; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, soul-born, [daughter of the loftiest sagacious king Janaka]; siitaa= Seetha; bhuuyaH= much [indubitably]; [sahaja guNa gaNa] visheSeNa= [natural, traits, heaps of] characteristics; tasya= in his [Rama's]; [hR^idaye parivartate= in heart, meandering, rather rejoicing.]

In her mien Seetha is identical with goddesses, and she is like personified Goddess Lakshmi, thus she is the reshaped Divine Prosperity, and as she hails from Holy Mithila she shall be held Holy, and since she is the daughter of Janaka, a loftiest sagacious and invincible king, she is sagely and stately, besides being shapely, and she with all these heaps of natural traits and characteristics, Seetha is rejoicing the heart of Rama. [1-77-28b, c]

tayaa sa raaja R^iSi suto abhikaamayaa
sameyivaan uttama raaja kanyayaa |
atiiva raamaH shushubhe mudaa anvito
vibhuH shriyaa viSNuH iva amara iishvaraH || 1-77-29

29. raaja R^iSi sutaH= king, sagely, son of [Dasharatha]; saH raamaH= such as he is, Rama; abhikaamayaa [abhiraamayaa]= passionately [she who makes delight]; uttama raaja kanyayaa= with best [irreproachable,] king's, daughter; sameyivaan= conjugated / together with; tayaa= with her; shriyaa= with Goddess Lakshmi; amara iishvaraH= gods', god of; vibhuH= The Efficient Cause; viSNuH iva= Vishnu, like; mudaa anvitaH= elation, combined with; atiiva shushubhe= much [enthusiastically,] shone forth.

When passionately conjugated with such a princess from the irreproachable king Janaka, Rama, the son of sagely king Dasharatha, has enthusiastically shone forth like the God of Gods and the Efficient Cause, namely Vishnu, when He is together with Goddess Lakshmi. [1-77-29]

The 'son of king' suggests that Rama as a prospective king has no paucity for any items of enjoyment. The best 'princess' suggests that Seetha is no less than him, but now her prosperity edges on that of Rama, because she has Rama as her husband. And how will be their mutual affection and love? Many more pages can be written on it, but insufficiently, and perhaps inefficiently. This stanza from a romantic work maalatii maadhaviiyam will say how such a love would be: lŸnena prati bimbite iva likhite utkŸrõa r¨peva ca | pratyupteva ca vajra lepa gha÷ite iva antar nikh˜te iva ca | s˜ na× cetasi kŸlitena viþikhai× ceto bhuva× pancabhi× | cint˜ santati tantu j˜lena nibiýa sy¨te iva lagn˜ priy˜ || 'my darling is immersed in my heart as sugar merges in milk, as the Red oleander reflects in a prism, as a portrait painted on canvas, as a picture carved on a stone tablet, as a gem studded in a ring, as bedaubed skin-cream, and as though the five darts of Love-god are nailed fixedly, [which darts usually will be in a touch-and-go fashion,] and as though stringed with thought-strings of my heartstrings, that are the halters with fastness...'

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe sapta saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 77th, and conclusive chapter of Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

sarve jan˜× sukhino bhavantu

All be Blest

This Valmiki Ramayana in Sanskrit is being translated and presented by Sri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao (Bala, Aranya and Kishkindha Kanda ) and Sri K. M. K. Murthy (Ayodhya and Yuddha Kanda) with contributions from Durga Naaga Devi and Vaasudeva Kishore (Sundara Kanda); Smt. Desiraju Kumari; Smt. K. Rajeswari, with all enthusiasm and devotion to classical literature of India, with humble and due respect to elders, pundits and to all those who respect Srimad Valmiki Ramayana the epic poem.

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. "

This is a salutation offered at the start of reading any scripture as per tradition. This prayer is for removing all obstacles encountered. The prefix Sri to Rama indicates that Rama is always accompanied by Sri, His consort Seetha in the form of goddess Sri Maha Lakshmi.

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