Sloka & Translation

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[Viswamitra attempts to take Kamadhenu by force--Kamadhenu creates hordes of

warriors --- the army of Viswamitra gets killed.]

kāmadhēnuṅ vasiṣṭhō.pi yadā na tyajyatē muni:.

tadāsya śabalāṅ rāma viśvāmitrō.nvakarṣata৷৷1.54.1৷৷


rāma O! Rama, vasiṣṭha: muni: api sage Vasishta also, kāmadhēnum wish-fulfilling cow, yadā when, na tyajyatē did not leave, tadā then, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, śabalāṅ Sabala, anvakarṣata pulled.

"O Rama! when sage Vasishta did not consent to part with the wish-fulfilling cow, Viswamitra dragged Sabala by force.
nīyamānā tu śabalā rāma rājñā mahātmanā.

du:khitā cintayāmāsa rudantī śōkakarśitā৷৷1.54.2৷৷


rāma O! Rama, mahātmanā by the magnanimous, rājñā (by) king, nīyamānā being carried away, śabalā Sabala, du:khitā distressed, śōkakarśitā emaciated by sorrow, rudantī weeping, cintayāmāsa reflected.

O Rama! when she was being taken away by the powerful king the distressed Sabala thus reflected choked with sorrow":
parityaktā vasiṣṭhēna kimahaṅ sumahātmanā.

yāhaṅ rājabhaṭairdīnā hriyēya bhṛśadu:khitā৷৷1.54.3৷৷


dīnā evoking pity, bhṛśa du:khitā greatly distressed, yā aham I, rājabhaṭai: by the attendants of king, hriyēya carried away, aham I, mahātmanā magnanimous, vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, parityaktā kim have been abndoned?.

"I am being carried away by attendants of the king in this greatly distressed and pitiable condition. Have I been abandoned by the magnanimous Vasishta?
kiṅ mayā.pakṛtaṅ tasya maharṣērbhāvitātmana:.

yanmāmanāgasaṅ bhaktāmiṣṭāṅ tyajati dhārmika:৷৷1.54.4৷৷


dhārmika: pious, anāgasam innocent, bhaktām devoted, iṣṭām beloved, mām me, yat tyajati is forsaking, bhāvitātmana: having purified soul, tasya maharṣē: for that maharshi, mayā by me, kim what, apakṛtam harm has been done?

What harm have I done to the pious maharshi, a compassionate soul? Why does he forsake me, his auspicious one, despite my innocence and devotion"?
iti sā cintayitvā tu viniśśvasya puna:puna:.

nirdhūya tāṅstadā bhṛtyān śataśaśśatrusūdana .

jagāmānilavēgēna pādamūlaṅ mahātmana:৷৷1.54.5৷৷


śatrusūdana O! Destroyer of enemies, Rama, sā she, iti thus, cintayitvā thinking, puna: puna: frequently, vini:śvasya sighing, tadā then, tān those, śataśa: in hundreds, bhṛtyān attendants, nirdhūya shaking, anilavēgēna with the speed of wind, mahātmana: illustrious Vasishta's, pādamūlam towards his feet, jagāma went.

"O Destroyer of enemies thus thinking and repeatedly sighing, that cow shook off those attendants who were in hundreds and ran towards the feet of the illustrious Vasishta with the speed of the wind.
śabalā sā rudantī ca krōśantī cēdamabravīt.

vasiṣṭhasyāgratassthitvā mēghadundubhirāviṇī৷৷1.54.6৷৷


sā śabalā that Sabala, rudantī ca weeping, krōśantī ca moaning, vasiṣṭhasya Vasishta's, agrata: in front of, sthitvā standing, mēghadundubhirāviṇī roaring like the thunder and kettle drum, idam this, abravīt said.

Lowing and moaning, standing before Vasishta, roaring like thunder and of kettle-drum, Sabala said:
bhagavan kiṅ parityaktā tvayā.haṅ brahmaṇassuta!.

yasmādrājabhṛtā māṅ hi nayantē tvatsakāśata:৷৷1.54.7৷৷


brahmaṇa: Brahma's, suta son, bhagavan O! Venerable one, aham I, tvayā by you, parityaktā kim abandoned?, yasmāt for what reason, rājabhṛtā: servants of king, tvatsakāśata: from your presence, mām me, nayantē hi carrying me.

"O Brahma's son! O Venerable one! you have abandoned me? For what reason the servants of the king are taking me away from you"?
ēvamuktastu brahmarṣiridaṅ vacanamabravīt.

śōkasantaptahṛdayāṅ svasāramiva du:khitām৷৷1.54.8৷৷


ēvam in this manner, ukta: having been spoken by (Sabala), brahmarṣi: Brahmarshi, śōkasantaptahṛdayāṅ (addressing Sabala whose) heart is afflicted with sorrow, du:khitām distressed, svasāramiva like to a sister, idam this, vacanam word, abravīt spoke.

Addressed thus, Bramharshi said to Sabala, like to a sister whose heart is afflicted with sorrow:
na tvāṅ tyajāmi śabalē! nāpi mē.pakṛtaṅ tvayā.

ēṣa tvāṅ nayatē rājā balōnmattō mahābala:৷৷1.54.9৷৷


śabalē O! Sabala, tvām you, na tyajāmi not forsaking, tvayā by you, na apakṛtamapi no harm has been done, mahābala: highly powerful, ēṣa: rājā king, matta: from me, balāt forcibly, tvām you, nayatē is carrying.

"O Sabala! I am not forsaking you. You have done me no harm. This highly powerful king is forcibly carrying you away from me.
na hi tulyaṅ balaṅ mahyaṅ rājā tvadya viśēṣata:.

balī rājā kṣatriyaśca pṛthivyā: patirēva ca৷৷1.54.10৷৷


mahyam for me, balam power, tulyam equal to him, na hi not, adya today, viśēṣata: especially, rājā tu is king, rājā being king, balī powerful, kṣatriyaśca also warrior, pṛthivyā: for the earth, patirēva ca is also the lord.

I am no match for his strength, especially he is a king. Being king, he is a warrior, powerful and lord of the earth.
iyamakṣauhiṇī pūrṇā savājirathasaṅkulā.

hastidhvajasamākīrṇā tēnāsau balavattara:৷৷1.54.11৷৷


savājirathasaṅkulā crowded with horses yoked to chariots, hastidhvajasamākīrṇā surrounded by elephants and banners, iyam this, akṣauhiṇī Akshauhini, pūrṇā is filled, tēna for that reason, asau this (king ), balavattara: is mighty.

He has an entire akshauhini composed of horses, chariots, elephants and banners. Hence he is stonger".
ēvamuktā vasiṣṭhēna pratyuvāca vinītavat.

vacanaṅ vacanajñā sā brahmarṣimamitaprabham৷৷1.54.12৷৷


vasiṣṭhēna by Vasishta, ēvam in this way, uktā spoken, vacanajñā knowledgeable in words, sā that cow, amitaprabham immeasurable power, brahmarṣim addressing brahmarshi, vacanam words, vinītavat with humility, pratyuvāca replied.

To these words of brahmarshi Vasishta armed with immeasurable power, Sabala, who knew the use of words, replied with humility:
na balaṅ kṣatriyasyāhurbrāhmaṇō balavattara:.

brahman brahmabalaṅ divyaṅ kṣatrāttu balavattaram৷৷1.54.13৷৷


kṣatriyasya the strength of a Kshatriya, balam strength, na āhu: do not speak (in high esteem), brāhmaṇa: Brahmin, balavattara: possesses greater strength, brahman O! Best of Brahmins, kṣatrāt greater than the strength of a Kshatriya, brahmabalam the strength of a Brahmin, divyam is divine, balavattaram greater.

"O Best of brahmins! it is held that the strength of a kshatriya is no greater than a brahmin's. A brahmin possesses great strength his strength is divine. It is greater than that of a kshatriya.
apramēyabalaṅ tubhyaṅ na tvayā balavattara:.

viśvāmitrō mahāvīryastēja stava durāsadam৷৷1.54.14৷৷


tubhyam for you, apramēyabalam immeasurable power, mahāvīrya: highly valourous, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, tvayā more than you, balavattara: na is not great in strength, tava your, tēja: splendour, durāsadam cannot be reached.

Your power is immeasurable. Even though highly valiant, Viswamitra is not greater than you in strength. Your power is unequalled.
niyuṅkṣva māṅ mahābhāga tvadbrahmabalasambhṛtām.

tasya darpabalaṅ yattannāśayāmi durātmana:৷৷1.54.15৷৷


mahābhāga O! Highly fortunate one, tvadbrahmabalasambhṛtām possessed of your brahminic power, mām me, niyuṅkṣva command, durātmana: of the wicked-minded, tasya his, yat which, darpabalam insolent power, tat that one, nāśayāmi I will destroy.

O Highly fortunate one! I am possessed of your brahminic power. Command me. I will destroy the insolent and power of that wicked-minded one.
ityuktastu tayā rāma vasiṣṭha ssumahāyaśā:.

sṛjasvēti tadōvāca balaṅ parabalārdanam৷৷1.54.16৷৷


rāma O! Rama, tayā by her, iti thus, ukta: spoken, mahāyaśā: highly glorious, vasiṣṭha: Vasishta, tadā then, parabalārdanam tormenting the power of enemies, balam army, sṛjasva create, iti thus, uvāca said.

O Rama! to this, glorious Vasishta replied: "Create an army capable of crushing the enemy power.
tasya tadvacanaṅ śrutvā surabhissā.sṛjattadā৷৷1.54.17৷৷

tasyā humbhāravōtsṛṣṭā: paplavāśśataśō nṛpa.

nāśayanti balaṅ sarvaṅ viśvāmitrasya paśyata:৷৷1.54.18৷৷


tasya his, tat vacanam this word, śrutvā having heard, sā that, surabhi: Kamadhenu, tadā then, asṛjat created (army), nṛpa O! Rama, tasyā: that Kamadhenu's, humbhāravōtsṛṣṭā: from the sound of 'Humbha' uttered by her, paplavā: paplavas, śataśa: in hundreds, viśvāmitrasya Viswamitra, paśyata: while seeing, sarvam entire, balam army, nāśayanti destroyed.

Hearing his words Kamadhenu created an army. O Rama! her lowing brought into being Paplavas in hundreds who destroyed the entire army of Viswamitra, while he looked on helplessly.
balaṅ bhagnaṅ tatō dṛṣṭvā rathēnākramya kauśika:.

sa rājā paramakruddhō rōṣavisphāritēkṣaṇa:.

paplavānnāśayāmāsa śastrairuccāvacairapi৷৷1.54.19৷৷


tata: thereafter, sa: rājā that king, kauśika: Visvamitra, bhagnam destroyed, balam army, dṛṣṭvā having seen, paramakruddha: exceedingly enraged, rōṣavisphāritēkṣaṇa: his eyes expanded with anger, rathēna with chariot, ākramya having occupied, uccāvacai: api which were also of various kinds, śastrai: with weapons, paplavān Paplavas, nāśayāmāsa destroyed.

Thereafter the king (Viswamitra), having seen his army thus routed, flew into a fury.
Wide-eyed with anger, he sat in his chariot and destoyed the Paplavas with various kinds of weapons.
viśvāmitrārditān dṛṣṭvā paplavāñchataśastadā.

bhūya ēvāsṛjatkōpācchakān yavanamiśritān৷৷1.54.20৷৷


viśvāmitrārditān afflicted by Visvamitra, śataśa: hundreds of, paplavān Papalavas, dṛṣṭvā having seen, tadā then, kōpāt out of anger, bhūya ēva again, yavanamiśritān mixed with Yavanas, śakān Sakas, asṛjat created.

Having seen hundreds of Paplavas crushed by Viswamitra, once again she created out of anger. Sakas mixed with Yavanas.
tairāsīt saṅvṛtā bhūmi śśakairyavanamiśritai:.

prabhāvadbhirmahāvīryairhēmakiñjalkasannibhai:৷৷1.54.21৷৷


prabhāvadbhi: by those possessing splendour, mahāvīryai: supreme valour, hēmakiñcalkasannibhai: resembling golden filaments, yavanamiśritai: mixed with Yavanas, śakai: Sakas, bhūmi: earth, saṅvṛtā āsīt covered with.

Sakas mixed with Yavanas, resembling golden filaments possessing brilliance and supreme bravery, covered the earth.
dīrghāsipaṭṭiśadharaiḥmavarṇāmbarāvṛtai:.

nirdagdhaṅ tadbalaṅ sarvaṅ pradīptairiva pāvakai:৷৷1.54.22৷৷


dīrghāsipaṭṭiśadharai: armed with long swords and lances, hēmavarṇāmbarāvṛtai: by those clad in yellow apparel (by Sakas and Yavanass), pradīptai: flaming, pāvakairiva like fire, tat that, sarvam entire, balam army, nirdagdham was consumed.

Sakas and Yavanas, armed with swords and lances, clad in yellow apparel, looking like flaming fire destroyed the entire army.
tatō.strāṇi mahātējā viśvāmitrō mumōca ha.

taistairyavanakāmbhōjā: paplavāścākulīkṛtā:৷৷1.54.23৷৷


tata: thereafter, mahātējā: most brilliant, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, astrāṇi weapons, mumōca ha released, taistai: with those weapons, yavanakāmbhōjā: Yavana, Kambhojas, paplavāśca Paplavas, akulīkṛtā: were tormented.

Thereafter, most brilliant Viswamitra released weapons. With these weapons, the Yavanas, Kambhojas and Paplavas were scattered".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē catuṣpañcāśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the fiftyfourth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.