Sloka & Translation

Audio

[Viswamitra leaves for the Himavat mountain--king Janaka offers gifts to his daughters--King Dasaratha departs for his kingdomencounter with Parasurama.]

अथ रात्र्यां व्यतीतायां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः।

आपृष्ट्वा तौ च राजानौ जगामोत्तरपर्वतम् ।।1.74.1।।

आशीर्भि: पूरयित्वा च कुमारांश्च सराघवान्।


अथ afterwards, रात्र्याम् when the night, व्यतीतायाम् had passed away, स: that, महामुनि: great ascetic, विश्वामित्र: Visvamitra, राघवान् born in the race of Raghu, कुमारान् च princes, आशीर्भि: with blessing, पूरयित्वा having filled, तौ those two, राजानै kings, आपृष्ट्वा having taken leave of them, उत्तरपर्वतम् northern mountains, जगाम went.

Night over, the great ascetic Viswamitra, profusely blessed the princes born in the race of Raghu, took leave of the two kings and set out towards the northern (Himalayas) mountains.
विश्वामित्रे गते राजा वैदेहं मिथिलाधिपम् ।

आपृष्ट्वाऽथ जगामाशु राजा दशरथ: पुरीम्।।1.74.2।।


विश्वामित्रे when Visvamitra, गते had departed, अथ thereafter, राजा one who causes joy to his people, दशरथ: राजा king Dasaratha, मिथिलाधिपम् lord of Mithila, वैदेहम् king Janaka, आपृष्ट्वा taking leave of him, आशु speedily, पुरीम् to city of Ayodhya, जगाम went.

With the departure of Viswamitra, king Dasaratha who was the source of happiness to his subjects took leave of Janaka, king of Mithila and speedily set out for the city of Ayodhya.
गच्छन्तं तं तु राजानमन्वगच्छन्नराधिप:।।1.74.3।।

अथ राजा विदेहानां ददौ कन्याधनं बहु।


नराधिप: king Janaka, गच्छन्तम् while going, तम् that, राजानम् king Dasaratha, अन्वगच्छत् followed, अथ thereafter, विदेहानाम् lord of Videhas, राजा king Janaka, बहु plenty of, कन्याधनम् gifts to his daughters, ददौ gave.

King Janaka, lord of the Videhas, gave plenty of gifts to his daughters and followed king Dasaratha for some distance on his journey to Ayodhya.
गवां शतसहस्राणि बहूनि मिथिलेश्वर:।

कम्बलानां च मुख्यानां क्षौमकोट्यंबराणि च।।1.74.4।।

हस्त्यश्वरथपादातं दिव्यरूपं स्वलङ्कृतम् ।

ददौ कन्यापिता तासां दासीदासमनुत्तमम् ।।1.74.5।।


कन्यापिता father of brides, मिथिलेश्वर: lord of Mithila, गवाम् of cows, बहूनि several, शतसहस्राणि hundred thousands, मुख्यानाम् of excellent, कम्बलानाम् carpets, क्षौमकोट्यम्बराणि च crores of silk garments, हस्त्यश्वरथपादातम् elephants, horses, chariots and infantry, दिव्यरूपम् of celestial beauty, स्वलङ्कृतम् welldecorated, अनुत्तमम् excellent, दासीदासम् male and female servants, तासाम् for them, ददौ gave.

The king of Mithila and father of the brides gave a hundred thousand cows, excellent woollen carpets, crores of silk garments, four divisions of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry and welldecorated, excellent male and maidservants shining in celestial
beauty.
हिरण्यस्य सुवर्णस्य मुक्तानां विद्रुमस्य च।।1.74.6।।

ददौ परमसंहृष्ट: कन्याधनमनुत्तमम्।


परमसंहृष्ट: immensely pleased, हिरण्यस्य golden, सुवर्णस्य of fine glow, मुक्तानाम् pearls', विद्रुमस्य corals, अनुत्तमम् excellent, कन्याधनम् ornaments to his daughters, ददौ gave.

Immensely delighted, he gave his excellent daughters gold, pearls and corals.
दत्त्वा बहु धनं राजा समनुज्ञाप्य पार्थिवम्।।1.74.7।।

प्रविवेश स्वनिलयं मिथिलां मिथिलेश्वर:।


मिथिलेश्वर: lord of Mithila, राजा king Janaka, बहु धनं plenty of wealth, दत्त्वा having given, पार्थिवम् king Dasaratha, समनुज्ञाप्य after making him give consent to Janaka to go back, स्वनिलयम् own residence, मिथिलाम् Mithila, प्रविवेश entered.

The Lord of Mithila bestowed a lot of wealth on his daughters and with the consent of the king (Dasaratha) reentered his residence in Mithila.
राजाऽप्ययोध्याधिपतिस्सह पुत्रैर्महात्मभि:।

ऋषीन् सर्वान् पुरस्कृत्य जगाम सबलानुग:।।1.74.8।।


अयोध्याधिपति: lord of Ayodhya, राजापि king Dasaratha also, महात्मभि: with illustrious, पुत्रै: सह along with his sons, सर्वान् all, ऋषीन् sages, पुरस्कृत्य placing him in the forefront, सबलानुग: followed by his army and followers, जगाम went.

King Dasaratha of Ayodhya also left along with his great sons preceded by the sages and followed by the army.
गच्छन्तं तं नरव्याघ्रं सर्षिसङ्घं सराघवम्।।1.74.9।।

घोरा: स्म पक्षिणो वाचो व्याहरन्ति ततस्तत:।


सर्षिसङ्घम् with hosts of sages, सराघवम् with Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna, नरव्याघ्रम् tiger among men, तम् that, Dasaratha, ततस्तत: here and there, घोरा: frightening, पक्षिण: birds, वाच: disagreeable sounds, व्याहरन्ति स्म uttered.

While this tiger among men Dasaratha, was returning with the hosts of sages and his sons, he observed here and there frightening birds making disagreeable sounds.
भौमाश्चैव मृगा स्सर्वे गच्छन्ति स्म प्रदक्षिणम्।।1.74.10।।

तान् दृष्ट्वा राजशार्दूलो वसिष्ठं पर्यपृच्छत।


भौमा: those relating to earth, सर्वे all, मृगा: beasts, प्रदक्षिणम् moving to the right, गच्छन्ति went away, तान् them, दृष्ट्वा having seen, राजशार्दूल: best among men, Dasaratha, वसिष्ठम् Vasishta, पर्यपृच्छत enquired.

Seeing the beasts on the way rushing to the right the tiger among men, enquired of Vasishta:
असौम्या: पक्षिणो घोरा मृगाश्चापि प्रदक्षिणा:।।1.74.11।।

किमिदं हृदयोत्कम्पि मनो मम विषीदति।


घोरा: freightening, पक्षिण: birds, असौम्या: are disagreeable, मृगाश्चापि deers also, प्रदक्षिणा: on to their right, हृदयोत्कम्पि trembling my heart, इदम् this, किम् what, मम my, मन: mind, विषीदति depressed of spirits.

"While the frightening birds are inauspicious, the deer on the right are favourables Why is this? My heart beats. My mind is depressed.
राज्ञो दशरथस्यैतच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं महानृषि:।।1.74.12।।

उवाच मधुरां वाणीं श्रूयतामस्य यत्फलम्।


महानृषि: that great rishi Vasishta, राज्ञ: दशरथस्य king Dasarath's, एतत् these, वाक्यम् words, श्रुत्वा having listened, मधुराम् in gentle accents, वाणीम् words, उवाच spoke, अस्य for this, यत् which, फलम् consequence, श्रूयताम् may be heard.

To these words of king Dasaratha the great ascetic Vasishta replied in a gentle voice, "I shall tell you the consequences Listen".
उपस्थितं भयं घोरं दिव्यं पक्षिमुखाच्च्युतम्।।1.74.13।।

मृगा: प्रशमयन्त्येते सन्तापस्त्यज्यतामयम्।


पक्षिमुखात् from the mouth of these birds, च्युतम् released (foretells), दिव्यम् of celestial nature, उपस्थितम् befallen, घोरम् dreadful, भयम् fear, एते these, मृगा: beasts, प्रशमयन्ति restoring peace, अयम् this, सन्ताप: grief, त्यज्यताम् may be abandoned.

The dreadful cries from the mouths of birds foretell an event of celestial nature likely to befall but the movements other of deer indicate restoration of peace. Therefore do not grieve.
तेषां संवदतां तत्र वायु: प्रादुर्बभूव ह।।1.74.14।।

कम्पयन् पृथिवीं सर्वां पातयंश्च द्रुमांच्छुभान्।


तेषां when they, संवदताम् were conversing, तत्र there, पृथिवीम् the earth, कम्पयन् shaking, शुभान् beautiful, द्रुमान् trees, पातयन् felling, वायु: wind, प्रादुर्बभूव ह arose.

While they were conversing, a storm blew, shaking the earth and felling down beautiful trees.
तमसा संवृतस्सूर्य स्सर्वा न प्रबभुर्दिश।।1.74.15।।

भस्मना चावृतं सर्वं संमूढमिव तद्बलम्।


सूर्य: Sun, तमसा with darkness, संवृत: covered, सर्वा: all, दिश: cardinal quarters, न प्रबभु: did not shine, तत् that, सर्वम् all, बलम् army, भस्मना with ashes, आवृतं covered with, संमूढमिव as if fainted.

The Sun was wrapped in dark. The quarters were devoid of brightness. The entire army was covered with ashes, as if they fainted.
वसिष्ठश्चर्षयश्चान्ये राजा च ससुतस्तदा ।।1.74.16।।

संसज्ञा इव तत्रासन् सर्वमन्यद्विचेतनम्।


तदा then, वसिष्ठश्च Vasishta, अन्ये other, ऋषयश्च saints, ससुत: with his sons, राजा king Dasaratha, ससंज्ञा: इव as if having consciousness, (तत्र)आसन् remained, अन्यत् others, सर्वम् entire, विचेतनम् lost their consciousness.

At that time Vasishta and other saints, the king and his sons held their senses under control. All others lost their consciousness.
तस्मिंस्तमसि घोरे तु भस्मच्छन्नेव सा चमू:।।1.74.17।।

ददर्श भीमसङ्काशं जटामण्डलधारिणम्।

भार्गवं जामदग्न्यं तं राजराजविमर्दिनम्।।1.74.18।।

कैलासमिव दुर्धर्षं कालाग्निमिव दुस्सहम्।

ज्वलंतमिव तेजोभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यं पृथग्जनै:।।1.74.19।।

स्कन्धे चासज्य परशुं धनुर्विद्युद्गणोपमम् ।

प्रगृह्य शरमुख्यं च त्रिपुरघ्नं यथा शिवम्।।1.74.20।।


तस्मिन् In that, घोरे fearful, तमसि darkness, भस्मच्छन्नेव looking as if covered with ashes, सा चमू: that army, भीमसङ्काशम् looking dreadful, जटामण्डलधारिणम् wearing a crown of matted hair, राजराजविमर्दिनम् decimated the king of kings, कैलासमिव like Kailasa Mountain, दुर्धर्षम् inaccessible, कालाग्निमिव like the fire at the time of dissolution, दुस्सहम् difficult to endure, तेजोभि: with energy, ज्वलन्तमिव as if blazing, पृथग्जनै: by ordinary people, दुर्निरीक्षम् incapable of being gazed upon, परशुम् axe, स्कन्धे on his shoulder, आसज्य hanging, विद्युद्गणोपमम् resembling group of lightenings, धनु: bow, शरमुख्यम् principal arrow, प्रगृह्य grasping, त्रिपुरघ्नम् slayer of Tripura, शिवं यथा like Siva, तम् that, भार्गवम् descendent of Bhrugu, जामदग्नयम् son of Jamadagni, ददर्श beheld.

In that dreadful darkness while the army looked as if covered with ashes, king Dasaratha encountered the repressor of kings, descendant of Bhrugu and son of Jamadagni with a terrible crown of matted hair, inaccessible like Kailasa mountain and unendurable like the fire at the time of dissolution. The laymen gazing at his blazing energy,hanging an axe on his shoulder and holding a bow in his hand which flashed like lighning and the principal arrow he looked like Siva at the time of slaying of
Tripura.
तं दृष्ट्वा भीमसङ्काशं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्।

वसिष्ठप्रमुखा विप्रा जपहोमपरायणा:।।1.74.21।।

सङ्गता मुनयस्सर्वे सञ्जजल्पुरथो मिथ:।


भीमसङ्काशम् fearful appearance, ज्वलन्तम् like flaming, पावकम् इव like fire, तम् him, दृष्ट्वा having seen, जपहोमपरायणा: engaged in reciting mantras and oblations to the fire, विप्रा: brahmanas, वसिष्ठप्रमुखा: Vasishta and others, सर्वे मुनय: all saints, सङ्गता: having assembled, अथो afterwards, मिथ: mutually, सञ्जजल्पु: whispered.

At the sight of the fearful appearance of Parasurama looking like flaming fire, Vasishta and all other saints who were in the habit of chanting mantras and offering oblations to the fire whispered among themselves:
कच्चित्पितृवधामर्षी क्षत्रं नोत्सादयिष्यति।।1.74.22।।

पूर्वं क्षत्रवधं कृत्वा गतमन्युर्गतज्वर:।

क्षत्रस्योत्सादनं भूयो न खल्वस्य चिकीर्षितम्।।1.74.23।।


पितृवधामर्षी enraged at the slaughter of his father, क्षत्रम् kshatriya race, नोत्सादयिष्यतिकच्चित् is he not intent upon exterminating, पूर्वम् formerly, क्षत्रवधम् slaughter of kshatriyas, कृत्वा having made, गतमन्यु: freed from anger, गतज्वर: freed from grief, भूय: again, क्षत्रस्य of kshatriya race, उत्सादनम् annihilation, अस्य for him, न चिकीर्षितं खलु is not desirous of doing it indeed.

Enraged at the slaughter of his father (by Kartaveeryarjuna), is he intent upon exterminating the kshatriya race? Having slaughtered the kshatriyas, in the past he was freed from anger and grief. Is he again desirous of annihilating the kshatriyas?
एवमुक्त्वाऽर्घ्यमादाय भार्गवं भीमदर्शनम्।

ऋषयो राम रामेति वचो मधुरमब्रुवन्।।1.74.24।।


ऋषय: saints, एवम् thus, उक्त्वा having talked amongst themselves, अर्घ्यम् the arghya, आदाय taking, भीमदर्शनम् dreadful appearance, भार्गवम् son of Bhargava, राम राम इति "Rama, Rama" saying so, मधुरम् वच: soothing words, अब्रुवन् spoke.

The saints having thus talked amongst themselves, offered arghya to the son of Bhargava, of dreadful appearance and addressed him in soothing words: "O Rama O Rama".
प्रतिगृह्य तु तां पूजामृषिदत्तां प्रतापवान्।

रामं दाशरथिं रामो जामदग्न्योऽभ्यभाषत।।1.74.25।।


प्रतापवान् valiant, जामदग्न्य: son of Jamadagni, राम: Parasurama, ऋषिदत्ताम् offered by saints, ताम् पूजाम् that homage, प्रतिगृह्य having accpted, दाशरथिं रामम् Rama, son of Dasaratha, अभ्यभाषत spoke.

Valiant Parasurama, son of Jamadagni, having accepted the homage offered by the saints addressed Rama, son of Dasaratha and said:
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे चतुस्सप्ततितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the seventyfourth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.