Srimad Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa | Bāla Kāṇḍa ~ Sarga 30 of 77

1. atha = then; desha kaala j~nau = place, time, those sensible of; arindamau = enemy-subjugators; deshe kaale ca vaakya j~nau = in place, in time, wording – talking, sensible ones; such; tau raajaputrau = those two, princes; kaushikam vacaH abruutaam = to Kushi’s son [Vishvamitra,] sentence, started to say.

The two enemy subjugators, Rama and Lakshmana, who are sensible of their conduct according to time and place, and who will be sensibly talking according to time and place, those princes then spoke this sentence to Vishvamitra. [1-30-1].

2. bhagavan = oh, god; tau nishaa carau = those, night-walkers; yasmin kaale = at which, time; samrakSaNiiyau = be safeguarded; shrotum icChaavaH = to listen, we two are interested; tat kSaNam na ativarteta = that, moment, let not, pass away; bruuhi = tell us.

“Oh, god, we are interested to listen at which time those night-walkers come to disturb the ritual, and at which time we have to safeguarded the ritual from them, that you tell us, let not that moment pass away.” [1-30-2]

It appears from the word order as above, ‘at which time those two demons are to be safeguarded by us?’ But positioning the word samrakshNiiyau is a grammarian’s headache. On this many kinds of declinations are said. Rama Tilaka attributes this rakshNiyau ‘to be safeguarded’ to ritual, and he says that ‘from whom the ritual is to be safeguarded’.

3. evam bruvaaNau = this way, who are speaking; yuyutsayaa tvaramaaNau = to combat, those that making haste; nR^ipa aatmajau kaakutsthau = to king’s, sons – to princes, Kakutstha-s; te munayaH sarve = those, sages, all of them; priitaaH prashashamsuH = delighted at them, praised them.

All the sages available there are delighted with the princes of Kakutstha dynasty who are speaking thus and making haste for a combat with demons and they praised them. [1-30-3].

4. raaghavau = oh, Raghava-s; yuvaam = you two; adya prabhR^iti = today, henceforth; SaT raatram = for six, nights [and days also]; ritual is; rakSatam = is to be safeguarded; eSa muniH = this, sage Vishvamitra; diikSaam gataH = vow, entered [is under vow]; maunitvam ca gamiSyati hi = muteness, also, he enters into, indeed.

“Oh, Raghava-s, you have to safeguard this ritual for six nights and days from today, and this Sage Vishvamitra who is under the vow of ritual goes into muteness as required by the vow.” Thus said the other sages near at ritual place. [1-30-4].

5. yashasvinau = glorious ones; tau raajaputrau tu = those two, princes, for their part; tat vacanam shrutvaa = that, sentence, on hearing; Sat aho raatram = for six, days, nights; a nidrau = without, sleep – wakefully; tapaH vanam = ritual, woodland; arakSataam = safeguarded.

On hearing that sentence of the other sages those two glorious princes have wakefully safeguarded that woodland of the ritual for six nights and days. [1-30-5] .

6. parama dhanvinau = great, bow wielders; viirau = valiant ones; yattau = alertly; upaasaam cakratuH = nearby, they moved – patrolled close to the Altar of Fire; arimdamau = enemy destroyers; vishvaamitram muni varam = Vishvamitra, the best sage; rarakSatuH = they protected.

On alertly patrolling nearby the Altar of Fire those two enemy-destroyers who are the wielders of great bows and valiant ones have protected the best sage Vishvamitra. [1-30-6].

7. atha = then; tasmin kaale gate = that, period, while elapsing; SaSThe ahani aagate = on sixth, day, has come; tadaa = then; raamaH saumitram abraviit = Rama, to Soumitri, said; yattaH samaahitaH bhava = be prepared, on alert, you be.

While that period of six days is elapsing and when the sixth day has come, then Rama said to Saumitri, “you be prepared and be on alert.” [1-30-7].

8. yuyutsayaa tvaritasya = to combat, quickening; raamasya evam bruvaaNasya = of Rama, thus, while saying; tataH = then; sa upaadhyaaya purohitaa = with, teacher – officator Vishvamitra, with other priests – attended by them; vediH = altar of fire; pra ja jvaala = suddenly, highly, flared up.

While Rama is saying thus himself quickening to combat then the fire in the Altar of Fire flared up suddenly and highly, brightening the chief officiator of the ritual, namely Vishvamitra, and other priests around it. [1-30-8]

The compound pra ja jwaala , with many stresses for the flare is given here to import that the ritual is achieving its climax and it will be fructified thereby. The demons enter just at this juncture to spoil the ritual.

9. sa darbha camasa srukkaa = with, sacred grass, drink-vessels, oblation spoons; sa samit kusuma uccayaa = with, firewood sticks, flowers, heaps of; vishvaamitreNa sahitaa = Vishvamitra, attended by; vediH = altar of fire; ja jvaala = highly flared up; sa R^itvijaa = with Ritwiks, conductors of ritual.

The Altar of Fire around which sacred grass, drink-vessels, oblation spoons, firewood-sticks, and heaps of flowers are kept, and around which Vishvamitra and the conductors of ritual are sitting, that altar flared high. [1-30-9]

The darbha is kusha grass used specifically in rituals even today. chamasa is a wooden vessels used for consuming soma juice. srukk is an arm-length wooden spoon with a palm size receptacle at one end used to pour clarified butter and other liquids into Altar of Fire to the chanting of hymns. samidha-s comprises items of wood pieces or sticks, mainly from sandalwood trees and a variety of other items that are offered into fire.

10. asau yaj~naH = that, Vedic ritual; mantravat ca yathaa nyaayam = hymnal rendering, also, as per, rules; sam pravartate = while well, proceeding; aakaashe bhayaanakaH = in sky, frightening onel mahaan shabdaH = strident, blare; praaduH aasiit = generated, it is.

While the Vedic ritual is proceeding well towards its conclusion according to hymnal rendering and rules of conducting the ritual, a strident and frightening blare is generated in the sky. [1-30-10].

11. praa vR^iSi = in great – torrential, cloudburst; meghaH yathaa = [massive] cloud, as to how; dR^ishyate [nir gate] = appears, [emerges]; tathaa = likewise; gaganam aavaarya = sky, enshrouding; raakSasau maayaam vi kurvaaNau = two demons, wizardry, verily, performing; abhya dhaavataam = towards, came running – swooped down.

As to how massive clouds appear in torrential cloudburst, likewise two demons appeared enshrouding the sky, and performing wizardry they are about to swoop down towards the Altar of Fire. [1-30-11].

12. bhiima samkaashaa = monstrous, in aspect; maariicaH ca subaahuH ca = Maareecha, also, Subaahu, also; tayoH = their; [ye = who are]; tathaa anucaraaH = like that, followers; are there, they too; aagamya = have come; rudhira oghaan avaasR^ijan = blood, spates, started to pour down.

Maareecha and Subaahu are the monstrous demons that have come along with their followers and they have started to pour down spates of blood. [1-30-12].

13. tena rudhira ogheNa = by that, blood, streams; [maNDitaa = filled]; taam sam ukshitaam = that, verily, swamped; vediim viikshya = altar of fire [with other paraphernalia,], on noticing; tataH sahasaa abhidrutaH = then, swiftly, running towards; raamaH = Rama; taan apashyat divi = them [demons,] saw, in sky.

On noticing the Altar of Fire swamped with streams of blood, then Rama swiftly ran towards that direction and saw the demons in the sky. [1-30-13].

14. raajiiva locanaH raamaH = lotus, eyed one, Rama; sahasaa aa patantau = hastily, coming and falling – [about to] swoop; tau dR^iSTvaa = them two, on perceiving; lakSmaNam tu = at Lakshmana, but – however; abhi sam prekSya = fully, well, glancing – giving quick look to check up; vacanam abraviit = sentence, said.

Perceiving that the two demons are about to swoop down on Altar of Fire in haste, that lotus-eyed Rama however gave a quick checking look at Lakshmana saying this sentence. [1-30-14].

18. tena maanavena parama astreNa = by that, by Maanava, great, missile; sam aahitaH = well hit; saH = he that Maareecha, the demon; sampuurNam yojana shatam = fully, yojana-s, hundred; saagara samplave = in ocean, billowy – rocking with tidewaters; kSiptaH = is hurled.

Cleanly hit with that great missile Maanava, demon Maareecha is pitched for a hundred yojana lengths in full, and flung down into an ocean rocking with tidewaters. [1-30-18].

19. shiita iSu bala piiDitam = by Cold, arrow’s – missile’s, strength, rammed away; vi cetanam vi ghuurNantam = without, sense, verily, whirling; nirastam = rendered without staying power – thrown out; maariicam = at Maareecha; dR^ishya = on seeing; raamaH lakSmaNam abraviit = Rama, to Lakshmana, said.

On seeing him highly whirling, rendered insensate and thrown out when rammed away with the strength of that Cold arrow Rama said this to Lakshmana. [1-30-19].

20. lakSmaNa = Lakshmana; manu samhitam = by Manu, expounded; maanavam shiiteSum = pertaining to Maanava missile, Cold arrow; pashya = see; enam mohayitvaa nayati = him, on baffling, taking away; praaNaiH na = with lives; vyayujyata [vi a yujyata = verily, not, separated] = not killed him.

“Lakshmana, see the Cold arrow belonging to Maanava missile expounded by Manu which is taking him away on baffling, but without taking away his life. [1-30-20]

Rama is reluctant to eliminate demon Maareecha at this juncture because the same demon discourages Ravana in confronting Rama, but becomes a golden deer at the behest of Ravana, at the time of Ravana’s abducting Seetha. So, Rama shows forbearance at Maareecha till such time.

21. nir ghR^iNaan = those who are – not, having ruth; duSTa caariNaH = ill, behaving one – iniquitous ones; paapa karma sthaan = evil, doings, abiding in – flagitious; yaj~na ghnaan = ritual, hinderers; rudhira ashanaan = blood, eaters – drinkers; imaan raakSasaan api = these, demons, but; vadhiSyaami = I wish to kill.

“But I wish to kill these demons for they are ruthless, iniquitous, flagitious, ritual-hinderers and blood-drinkers.” So said Rama to Lakshmana. [1-30-21].

22. iti uktvaa lakshmaNam = thus, saying, to Lakshmana, also; raghu nandanaH = Raghu’s, descendent – Rama; darshayan ashu laaghavam iva = to show, swift, dexterity, as though; su mahat = very, powerful – missile; aagneyam astram samgR^ihya = Aagneya, missile, on taking; subaahu urasi cikSepa = on Subaahu’s, chest, darted it; saH viddhaH = he – Subaahu, struck with it; pra apatat bhuvi = flat, fell, on ground.

Thus saying to Lakshmana, as though to show his swift dexterity Rama, the descendent of Raghu dynasty, took up a very powerful missile called Aagneya astra, Fire-missile, and darted it on the chest of Subaahu, by which that demon Subaahu is struck and fell flat on ground. [1-30-22].

23. mahaa yashaaH = great glorious one; parama udaaraH = supremely, generous one – Rama; raaghavaH = Raghava; muniinaam mudam aa vahan = to sages, felicity, on, carrying – in order to bringing on; vaayavyam aadaaya = Air-god, missile of, on taking; sheSaan [raakshasaan] = remaining [demons]; nijaghaana = hit down.

In order to bring felicity to the sages that great glorious and supremely generous Raghava took up the missile of Air-god and hit down the remaining demons. [1-30-23].

24. raghu nandanaH = Raghu’s, delight; yaj~na ghnaan = ritual, hinderers; raakSasaan sarvaan hatvaa = demons, all of them, when eliminated; puraa vijaye indraH yathaa = once, when victorious, Indra, as with; tatra R^iSibhiH puujitaH = there – in hermitage, by sages, idealised.

When Rama, the delight of Raghu’s dynasty, has eliminated all of the demons that are the hinderers of Vedic rituals, the sages available there in that hermitage idealised him as Indra was idealised once, when he became victories on demons. [1-30-24].

25. atha yaj~ne samaapte tu = then, ritual, on completion, but; vishvaamitraH mahaamuniH = Vishvamitra, great sage; nir iitikaa dishaH dR^iSTvaa = devoid of, calamities, precincts, beholding; kaakutstham idam abraviit = to Kakutstha – to Rama, this, said.

On the completion of ritual beholding the precincts that are devoid of calamities the great sage Vishvamitra said this to Rama. [1-30-25].

26. mahaa baahuH = oh, dextrous one; kR^ita arthaH asmi = made, results I am – my purpose is fully realised; tvayaa guru vacaH kR^itam = by you, mentor’s, word of honour, is actualised; mahaa yashaH viira = oh, highly illustrious, valiant – Rama; idam siddha aashramam = this, Siddha [Accomplished] hermitage; satyam kR^itam = true [to its name,] is rendered; saH evam raamam prashasya = he – Vishvamitra, thus, at Rama, while applauding; taabhyaam sandhyaam upaagamat = by both of them, vesper-time, came nigh.

“My purpose in conducting the ritual is fully realised, oh, dextrous Rama, and you too, as a highly illustrious prince, have actualised the word of honour of your mentor, where one mentor is your father King Dasharatha and the other is myself, and likewise oh, valiant Rama the glory of this Accomplished hermitage is also actualised…” thus when Vishvamitra is applauding Rama, they have come close to vesper-time for vespertine prayers on Sandhya, the goddess of gloaming. [1-30-26].