Created by: Asharfi Lal Mishra
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| Asharfi Lal Mishra |
continue from page-1 || THE RAMAYANA ||
(Condensed)
*BALAKANDA*
[Poet: Valmiki]
यावत स्थास्यन्ति गिरयस सरितश्च महीतले।
तावद्रामायणकथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति।।
As long as the hills stand and the rivers flow on the surface of the earth ,so long shall the story of the Ramayana be current in the world."
स यथाकथितं पूर्वं नारदेन महर्षिणा।
रघुवंशस्य चरितं चकार भगवानृषिः।।
The venerable sage then composed the story of the family of the Raghus, as it was narrated before by the great sage Narada.
कुशीलवौ तु धर्मज्ञौ राजपुत्रौ यशस्विनौ।
बिम्बादिवोद्धृतौ बिम्बौ रामदेहात्तथाSपरौ।
यथोपदेशं तत्वज्ञौ जगतुस्तौ समाहितौ।।
The royal sons ,Kusa and Lava,possessed of fame and well- versed in Duty and truth ,sprung from Rama`s body like two images taken by reflection from the original , sang it carefully , exactly as they had been taught:-
सर्वा पूर्वमियं येषाम आसीत् कृत्स्ना वसुन्धरा।
इक्ष्वाकुणामिदं तेषां राज्ञां वंशे महात्मनाम।
महदुत्पन्नमाख्यानं रामयणमिति श्रुतम।।
This great story called the Ramayana arose in the family of high -souled Ikshvaku kings, to whom from ancient days the entire earth belonged.
तदिदं वर्तयिष्यामि सर्वं निखिलमादितः।
धर्मकामार्थसहितं श्रोतव्यमनसूयया।।
I shall narrate in full form the very beginning , this story full of lessons on duty ,love and wealth (dharma,kama and artha) . It should indeed be heard , without scepticism or indifference .
कोसलो नाम मुदितः स्फीतो जनपदों महान।
निविष्टः सरयूतीरे प्रभूतधनधान्यवान।।
On Sarayu`s bank, the happy and extensive realm of Kosala lies, abounding with riches and grain .
अयोध्या नाम नगरी तत्रासील्लोकविश्रुता।
मनुना मानवेन्द्रेण या पूरी निर्मिता स्वयं।।
And therein is the city of Ayodhya , far famed in all the worlds , the city that was built by Manu himself foremost of men.
तां तु राजा दशरथो महाराष्ट्रविवर्धनः।
पुरीमावासयामास दिवि देवपतिर्यथा।।
King Dasaratha , mighty promoter of ( the prosperity of ) the kingdom, established ( and improved ) that city , even as Indra did in heaven .
तस्य त्वेवंप्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः।
सुतार्थ तप्यमानस्य नासीद्वंशकरः सुतः।।
To that high-souled and duty-loving king of such mighty fame , yearning for a son , there was no son to carry on the line.
स निश्चितां मतिं कृत्वा यष्टव्यमिति बुद्धिमान।
पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमाः।
तान पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत।।
Making up his mind to perform a sacrifice , the wise and duteous king honoured the preceptor Vasishtha and other great twice-born ones , and uttered pleasing words thus:
मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम।
तदहं यष्टुमिच्छामि शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणः।।
" For me , yearning for a son , there is indeed no peace of mind , Therefore, I desire to perform a sacrifice according to the injunctions of the Sastras . "
वसिष्ठप्रमुखाः सर्वे ऊचुर्दशरथं वचः।
सर्वथा प्राप्स्यसे पुत्रान अभिप्रेतांश्च पार्थिव।।
All of them with Vasishtha at their head said to Dasharatha : " O king , you shall certainly beget the desired sons.
ततः प्रीतोSभवद्राजा श्रुत्वा तु द्विजभाषितम।
अमात्यांश्चाब्रवीद्राजा हर्षेणेदं शुभाक्षरम।।
गुरूणां वचनाच्छीघ्रं यञभूमिविधीयताम।।
On hearing the speech of the twice-born ones , the king became pleased, With real joy he addressed to ministers the auspicious words: " Let the sacrificial ground be prepared immediately according to the orders of the priest ,"
तथेति च ततः सर्वे यथाज्ञप्तमकुर्वत।
ततो वशिष्ठप्रमुखा यञकर्मारभंस्तदा।।
Accordingly all performed their tasks even as ordered . And then Vasishtha and others began the sacrificial acts.
धूमगन्धं वपायास्तु जिघ्रति स्म नराधिपः।
यथाकालं यथान्यायं निर्णुदन पापमात्मनः।।
The king inhaled , for the necessary time and according to the Sastras , the odorous smoke issuing from omentum ,thus ridding himself of his sins .
ततो देवास्सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः।
अब्रुवल्लोककर्तारं ब्रह्माणं वचनं महत।।
Then the gods with Gandharvas , Siddhas and holy sages addressed the following weighty words to Brahma , the creator of the worlds :
भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन रावणो नाम राक्षसः।
सर्वान्नो बाधते वीर्याच्छासितुं तं न शक्नुमः।।
O venerable one ! the demon called Ravana worries all of us through his power , on account of your boon to him . We are unable to restrain him.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विष्णुरूपयातो महाद्युतिः।
अब्रवीत्तिदशान सर्वान समेतान धर्मसंहितान।।
In the meanwhile , the effulgent Vishnu arrived and spoke to all the assembled gods , intent on righteousness :
भयं त्यजत भद्रं वो हितार्थं युधि रावणं।
हत्वा क्रूरं दुरात्मानं देवर्षीणां भयावहम।
वत्स्यामि मानुषे लोके पालयन पृथिवीमिमाम।।
" Abandon fear , Good betide you. For your well-being , I shall live in the world of men protecting the earth , after killing in battle the cruel and depraved Ravana , the terror of gods and sages ."
एवं दत्वा वरं देवो देवानाम विष्णुरात्मवान।
मानुष्ये चिन्तयामास जन्मभूमिमथात्मनः।।
Having thus given the boon to the gods , the self-restrained God Vishnu thought about a birth -place for himself among mortals .
ततः पद्मपलाशाक्षः कृत्वाSSत्मानं चतुर्विधम।
पितरं रोचयामास तदा दशरथं नृपम।।
Then , he whose eyes are like lotus petals, divided himself into four portions and chose King Dasharatha for his father .
ततो वै यजमानस्य पावकादतुलप्रभम।
प्रादुर्भूतं महद्भूतं महावीर्यं महाबलम।।
Then , from the fire of the sacrifice , arose a great being of matchless radiance and possessed of great valour and strength.
दिव्यपायससंपूर्णां पात्रीं पत्नीमिव स्वयम।
प्रगृह्य विपुणां दोभ्यां समवेक्ष्याब्रवीदिदम।।
Holding in his arms , as if it were his wife , a vessel full of divine Payasa ( a sweet preparation of milk ,rice and sugar ) and looking round , he spoke thus :
इदं तु नृपशार्दूल पायसं देवनिर्मितम।
प्रजाकरं गृहाण त्वं धन्यमारोग्यवर्धनम।।
" Take this Payasa , O best of kings , made by the gods ,giver of progeny , bringer of luck and of health.
भार्याणामनुरूपाणाम अश्नीतेति प्रयच्छ वै।
तासु त्वं लप्स्यसे पुत्रान यदर्थं यजसे नृप।।
Give it to your worthy wives , asking them to partake of it . You shall indeed , O king, beget by them the sons foe whose sake you have performed this sacrifice ."
( Dasaratha is giving Payasa to his queens)
तथेति नृपतिः प्रीतः शिरसा प्रतिगृह्य ताम।
सोSन्तःपुरं प्रविश्यैव कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत।
पायसं प्रतिगृह्णीष्व पुत्रीयमिदमात्मनः।।
The king , being pleased , assented , took the vessel with bowed head , entered the inner apartment and said this to Kausalya : " Accept this Payasa which is the giver of sons."
कौसल्यायै नरपतिः पायसार्धं ददौ तदा।
अर्धादर्धं ददौ चापि सुमित्रायै नराधिपः।।
Then the king gave half the Payasa to Kausalya and half of the other half to Sumitra .
कैकेय्यै चावशिष्टार्धं ददौ पुत्रार्थकारणत।
प्रददौ चावशिष्टार्धं पायसस्यामृतोपमम।
अनुचिन्त्य सुमित्रायै पुनरेव महीपतिः।।
The king gave half of the remainder to Kaikeyi for the sake of a son ; and the remaining half of the nectar-like Payasa he gave again to Sumitra after deliberation .
एवं तासां ददौ राजा भार्याणाम पायसं पृथक।।
Thus the king gave of the Payasa to each of his wives.
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