Chapter [Sarga] 53

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 53

Introduction

Vishvamitra tries to gain Kaamadhenu, but Sage Vashishta persistently refuses Vishvamitra's bargains and barters. 'When an ordinary cow alone is held sacred and it is an un-marketable commodity, how then can Shabala, a milker of any wish, be given away or bartered for other riches...' is the argument of Vashishta. Yet, Vishvamitra goes on his bidding, but in vain.

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evam uktaa vasiSThena shabalaa shatru suudana |
vidadhe kaamadhuk kaamaan yasya yasya iipsitam yathaa || 1-53-1

1. shatru suudana= oh, enemy-chastener, Rama; vasiSThena evam uktaa= by Vashishta, this way, [she who is] spoken to; kaamadhuk= desire, milker; shabalaa= cow with amazing coloured skin - Shabala; yasya yasya yathaa iipsitam= whose, whose, as to how, fancied; all those; kaamaan= fancies; of foodstuffs; vidadhe= bestowed.

"Oh, enemy-chastener Rama, when the Divine Cow Shabala is spoken in this way by Sage Vashishta, then that milker bestowed each and every fancy, fancied by each and every fancier, according to one's own fancy." Thus Sage Shataananda continued the legend of Shabala or Kaamadhenu, as a part of the legend of Vishvamitra to Rama and others. [1-53-1]

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ikSuun madhuun tathaa laajaan maireyaan ca vara aasavaan |
paanaani ca mahaaar.hhaaNi bhakSyaan ca ucca avacaan tathaa || 1-53-2

2. ikSuun madhuun tathaa laajaan= sugar-cane [and its dishes,] honey [and its dishes,] like that, cornflakes, [rice-flakes etc.,]; vara aasavaan [aasanaan]= best, liquors [or, with best wineglasses]; maireyaan ca= arracks [Arabic 'arak 'sweat', 'arak al-tamr 'alcoholic spirit from dates in Arabia, and from sugar-cane and rice in India,] also; mahaa arhaaNi paanaani ca= highly [very,] apposite to [royalties and army-men,] drinks, further; tathaa= like that; ucca avacaan= verily, diverse; bhakSyaan ca= foodstuffs, also; [shabala vidadhe= Shabala, bestowed.]

Shabala bestowed dishes of sugar cane and honey, and flakes of all sorts, like cornflakes, rice-flakes, also best arracks and liquors in best wineglasses, further, the drinks and foodstuffs that are very diverse and verily apposite to royalties and army-men. [1-53-2]

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uSNa aaDhyasya odanasya api raashayaH parvatopamaaH |
mR^iSTa annaani ca suupaaH ca dadhi kulyaaH tathaiva ca || 1-53-3
naanaa svaadu rasaanaam ca khaaNDavanaam - SaaDabaanaam - tathaiva ca |
bhaajanaani -bhojanaani - supuur.hNaani gauDaani ca sahasrashaH || 1-53-4

3. [atra= there]; uSNa aaDhyasya odanasya api= heat, rich in [steamy,] foods, even; parvata upamaaH raashayaH= mountain, similar, stacks - have come up; mR^iSTa annaani ca= palatable, foodstuffs [side dishes, desserts of rice,] also; suupaaH ca= cooked pulse's dumplings, also; tathaiva= like that; dadhi kulyaaH ca= curds, cascades of, also; naanaa svaadu rasaanaam ca= varied, daintily, soft-drinks, also; khaaNDavanaam= sugar-candies, [or, SaaDabaanaam= juices with six kinds of tastes]; tathaiva ca= like that, also; su puurNaani= fully, replete with; bhaajanaani= dishes, [silver hollowware; or, bhojanaani= delectable foodstuffs;] gauDaani ca= [foodstuffs made from the] treacly dumplings of cane sugar, also; sahasrashaH= in thousands; in no time they have come up.

There emerged mountainous stacks of steamy foodstuffs, palatable side-dishes and desserts of rice etc., also the dumplings of cooked pulses, like that the cascades of curds and the other milk products likes butter, ghee, cheese etc. Thousands of silver dishes and hollowware fully replete with daintily soft drinks, like that full with sugar-candy preparations, and with preparations that comprise all the six tastes have come up together with delectable foodstuffs made out of treacly dumplings of cane sugar. [1-53-3, 4]

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sarvam aasiit susa.ntuSTam hR^iSTa puSTa jana aayutam |
vishvaamitra balam raama vasiSThena sutarpitam || 1-53-5

5. raama= oh, Rama; vishvaamitra balam= Vishvamitra's, forces; sarvam eva= all, like that; vasiSThena su tarpitam= by Vashishta, well, feasted; su santuSTam= well, gladdened ; hR^iSTa puSTa jana aayutam aasiit= rejoiced, regaled, men, consisting, it became.

"Oh, Rama, all of the men in the forces of Vishvamitra, who are already rejoiced and regaled by the regular feasts accorded by their king Vishvamitra, are now comparatively well gladdened when feasted by Sage Vashishta, in which they rejoiced and regaled, for a good measure. [1-53-5]

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vishvaamitro api raajarSiH hR^iSTa puSTaH tadaa abhavat |
sa antaH pura varo raajaa sa braahmaNa purohitaH || 1-53-6

6. tadaa= then; sa antaH pura varaH= with, palace, chamber's, best inmates [royal ladies]; sa braahmaNa purohitaH= with, court-scholars, royal-priests; raajarSiH= kingly sage; vishvaamitraH raajaa api= Vishvamitra, king, even; hR^iSTa puSTaH abhavat= exultant, energetic, became.

"Partaking that feast together with the best royal ladies of palace chambers, and with the court-scholars and the court-priests even the king Vishvamitra, who by his nature is a kingly sage, became exultant and energetic. [1-53-6]

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sa amaatyo ma.ntri sahitaH sa bhR^ityaH puujitaH tadaa |
yuktaH parama harSeNa vasiSTham idam abraviit || 1-53-7

7. tadaa= then; puujitaH= one who is honoured - Vishvamitra by Vashishta; sa amaatyaH mantri sahitaH= with, advisers, minister, along with; sa bhR^ityaH= with, attendants - Vishvamitra; parama harSeNa yuktaH= high, admiration, along with; vasiSTham idam abraviit= to Vashishta, this, spoke.

"When honoured along with his advisers, ministers and attendants by way of receiving a royal banquet, king Vishvamitra then in high admiration spoke this to Vashishta. [1-53-7]

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puujito aham tvayaa brahman puuja arheNa susatkR^itaH |
shruuyataam abhidhaasyaami vaakyam vaakya vishaarada || 1-53-8

8. brahman= oh, Brahman; puuja arheNa= for esteem, meetly [sage of your like]; tvayaa= by you; aham puujitaH= I am, reverenced [esteemed]; su sat kR^itaH= well, good, done [shown generous hospitality]; vaakya vishaarada= oh, sentence, expert of; vaakyam abhidhaasyaami= [a] word, I wish to tell - I say for myself; shruuyataam= that may be listened.

" 'You showed me a generous hospitality whereby I am esteemed by an estimable sage like you, oh, expert in sententiousness, now I wish to say for myself to which you may please listen. [1-53-8]

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gavaam shata sahasreNa diiyataam shabalaa mama |
ratnam hi bhagavan etat ratna haarii ca paarthivaH || 1-53-9
tasmaat me shabalaam dehi mama eSaa dharmato dvija |

9, 10a. bhagavan= oh, godly sage; gavaam shata sahasreNa= cows, by [barter of] hundred, thousands; mama shabalaa diiyataam= to me, Shabala [do-all cow,] may be given; etat= this [cow]; ratnam hi= gemstone [treasure,] indeed; paarthivaH ratna haarii ca= king, gemstones [treasures,] stealer [gatherer]; dvija= oh, Brahman; tasmaat= therefore; shabalaam me dehi= Shabala, to me, be bestowed; eSaa dharmataH mama= this [cow,] as a rule, mine - belongs to me.

" 'Oh, godly sage, this Shabala may be given to me for a barter of a lakh, a hundred thousand, cows. Indeed this do-all cow is a treasure, and the kings are the gatherers of treasures. Therefore bestow this cow to me. As rule this cow also belongs to me.' Thus Vishvamitra said to Vashishta. [1-53-9, 10a]

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evam uktaH tu bhagavaan vasiSTho muni sattamaH || 1-53-10
vishvaamitreNa dharmaatmaa pratyuvaaca mahiipatim |

10b, 11a. vishvaamitreNa= by Vishvamitra; evam uktaH tu= that way, who is spoken to - Vashishta, on his part; bhagavaan muni sattamaH dharmaatmaa= reverential one, saint, the eminent, virtue-souled one; vasiSThaH= Vashishta; mahiipatim prati uvaaca= to the king, in turn, spoke - replied.

"When Vishvamitra addressed him in that way, the reverential sage Vashishta, who is a virtue-souled eminent saint, on his part replied the king in this way. [1-53-10b, 11a]

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na aham shata sahasreNa na api koTi shataiH gavaam || 1-53-11
raajan daasyaami shabalaam raashibhii rajatasya vaa |

11b, 12a. raajan= oh, king; aham= I; gavaam shata sahasreNa= cows, by hundred, thousand; shabalaam na daasyaami= Shabala, not, I will afford; koTi shataiH api= by millions, hundreds of [of cows,] even; na= I do not give; rajatasya raashibhiH= of silver, lots; vaa= either - I do not give.

" 'I cannot afford Shabala, neither by the barter of a hundred thousand cows, nor by hundreds of millions of cows, nor by lots and lots of silver, either. [1-53-11b, 12a]

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na parityaagam arhaa iyam mat sakaashaat arindama || 1-53-12
shaashvatii shabalaa mahyam kiirtir aatmavato yathaa |

12b, 13a. arindama= oh, enemy-subjugator; iyam= this - cow; mat sakaashaat= from my, proximity; parityaagam= for abandoning; na arhaa= not, she is proper one; aatmavataH= to self-respectful ones; kiirtiH yathaa= respectability, as with; shabalaa mahyam shaashvatii= Shabala is, for me, everlasting [inseparable.]

" 'Abandoning her from my proximity is unmeet for her, oh, enemy-subjugator, you cannot even subjugate me terroristically and try to wean this cow away from me, as Shabala is everlastingly and inseparably mine, as with the everlasting and inseparable respectability of a self-respectful person. [1-53-12b, 13a]

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asyaam havyam ca kavyam ca praaNa yaatraa tathaiva ca || 1-53-13
aayattam agni hotram ca baliH homaH tathaiva ca |

13b, 14a. havyam ca= oblations [for gods,] also; kavyam ca= oblations [for manes,] also; tathaiva ca= like that, also; praaNa yaatraa= [my] life's, journey - cow which makes the journey of my life possible; agni hotram ca= for Ritual-fire, enkindler of, also; baliH= sacrifices - which accords material for sacrifices; tathaiva ca= like that, also; homaH= conducting sacred rituals of homa-s [Oxford: hom, n. (also homa ) 1 the soma plant, 2 the juice of this plant as a sacred drink of the Parsees, [Persian hom, hum, Avestan haoma]; asyaam aayattam= in her [in cow,] take basis - dependant on her.

"This cow makes the journey of my life possible. Oblations to gods or manes, enkindling of Ritual-fire, religious sacrifices, homa-s, the sacred rituals conducted as darsha, paurNa maasi, all are dependent on her. [1-53-13b, 14a]

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svaahaa kaara vaSaT kaarau vidyaaH ca vividhaaH tathaa || 1-53-14
aayattam atra raaja R^iSe sarvam etan na sa.nshayaH |

14b, 15a. raaja R^iSe= oh, kingly, sage; svaahaa kaara vaSaT kaarau= swaahaa, syllabified utterances, vaSaT, add-on syllabics; tathaa= thus; vi vidhaaH vidyaaH ca= divers and numerous, indoctrinations, also; etat sarvam= everything, in entirety; atra= in this matter [of cow]; aayattam= dependent on; samshayaH na= doubt, is not there.

"This cow is the bedrock for everything in its entirety, and regarding diverse and numerous indoctrinations, and even for add-on syllabics likesvaaha, vaSaT, they are all dependent on this cow, there is no doubt about it. [1-53-14b 15a]

When the Fire-Ritual, or homa is conducted each pouring of fluid oblation or each dropping of solid oblation into Fire-Altar is associated with Vedic-hymns addressing the particular receiver-deity, annexed with syllabics like: svaahaa, svaahaa kaaraaH at the end of each chant like indraaya svaahaa, indraaya idam na mama... varuNaaya svaahaa, varuNaaya idam na mama... 'to Indra this is scarified, this is for Indra, not mine... to Rain-god this is sacrificed, this is for Rain-god, not mine...' So also the vaSaT is annexed to the hymns addressed to manes. To learn Veda-s one shall be eligible to perform a Fire-ritual, and if Fire-ritual is performed, some basic Vedic hymns are to be learnt, and all this is a cyclic affair, requiring much paraphernalia. This cow supplies everything at wish, without a hassle, either to the teacher or to the taught.

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sarvasvam etat satyena mama tuSTi karii tathaa || 1-53-15
kaaraNaiH bahubhii raajan na daasye shabalaam tava |

15b, 16a. etat= this one - cow; satyena mama sarvasvam= in truth, to me, everything; [sadaa= always]; tuSTi karii= gratification, doer [ever-gratifier]; raajan= oh, king; tathaa= in that way; bahubhii kaaraNaiH= by so many, reasons; shabalaam tava na daasye= Shabala, to you, not, I afford.

" "In truth, this cow is everything to me and ever-gratifier, that way by so many reasons, oh, king, I cannot afford Shabala to you or to anyone." So said Vashishta to Vishvamitra. [1-53-15b, 16a]

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vasiSThena evam uktaH tu vishvaamitro abraviit tadaa || 1-53-16
sa.mrabdhataram atyartham vaakyam vaakya vishaaradaH |

16b, 17a. vaakya vishaaradaH vishvaamitraH= sententiousness, expert, Vishvamitra; vasiSThena evam uktaH= by Vashishta, thus, [though] spoken; tadaa= then; ati artham= verily, reasoning [argumentatively]; sam rabdha taram= with, hastiness, muchly [compellingly]; [idam] vaakyam abraviit= [this] sentence, spoke.

Though Vashishta spoke thus Vishvamitra being an expert in sententiousness then spoke this sentence compellingly and argumentatively. [1-53-16b, 17a]

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hairaNya kakSyaa graiveyaan suvarNa a.nkusha bhuuSitaan || 1-53-17
dadaami ku.njaraaNaam te sahasraaNi catur dasha |

17b, 18b. hairaNya kakSyaa graiveyaan= golden, girdles, necklets; suvarNa ankusha bhuuSitaan= golden, goad, adorned with; kunjaraaNaam= such elephants; catur dasha sahasraaNi= four, ten, thousands - fourteen thousand; te dadaami= I bestow, upon you.

" 'I bestow upon you fourteen thousand elephants adorned with golden girdles, golden necklets and golden goads. [1-53-17b, 18a]

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hairaNyaanaam rathaanaam ca shveta ashvaanaam catur yujaam || 1-53-18
dadaami te shataani aSTau kinkiNiika vibhuuSitaan |

18b, 19a. shveta ashvaanaam catur yujaam= with very white, horses, four, to yoke on; hairaNyaanaam rathaanaam ca= golden, chariots, also; kinkiNiika vibhuuSitaan= set of tintinnabulating bells, trimmed up with; aSTau shataani= eight, hundred; te dadaami= to you, I will give.

" 'I will grant you eight hundred golden chariots whichever can be yoked on with four whitely-white horses trimmed up with the sets of tintinnabulating bells. [1-53-18b, 19a]

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hayaanaam desha jaataanaam kula jaanaam mahaujasaam |
sahasram ekam dasha ca dadaami tava suvrata || 1-53-19

19b, c. su vrata= on superbly, vowed sage; desha jaataanaam= in countries, born in [famous countries for best horse breeding]; kula jaanaam= of [high] pedigree, born in; mahaa ojasaam= with great [fleetly,] animation [galloping]; hayaanaam= horses; ekam dasha ca= one, ten, also - eleven; sahasram= a thousand - eleven thousand horses; tava dadaami= to you, I grant.

" 'I grant you, oh, superbly vowed sage, eleven thousand fleetly galloping horses of high pedigree born in best countries of best horse breeding. [1-53-19b, c]

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naanaa varNa vibhaktaanaam vayaHsthaanaam tathaiva ca |
dadaami ekaam gavaam koTim shabalaa diiyataam mama || 1-53-20

20. naanaa varNa vi bhaktaanaam= diverse, colours, verily [differently,] divisionalized; tathaiva ca= like that, also; vayaH sthaanaam= in age, staying [come of age]; gavaam= of cows; ekaam koTim= one, crore [ten millions]; dadaami= I award; mama shabalaa diiyataam= to me, Shabala, may be given.

" 'I award ten million diversely coloured and differently divisionalized cows, whichever of them will be came of age as milker, thereby, let this do-all cow Shabala be given to me. [1-53-20]

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yaavat icChasi ratnaani hiraNyam vaa dvijottama |
taavat dadaami te sarvam diiyataam shabalaa mama || 1-53-21

21. dvija uttama= oh, Brahman, the eminent; ratnaani vaa hiraNyam vaa= gemstones, either, gold, or; yaavat icChasi= how much, you yearn; [tat] sarvam= [all,] everything; taavat= that much; te dadaami= I gift; shabalaa mama diiyataam= Shabala, to me, be given.

" 'Or, oh, eminent Brahman, if you yearn either for gems or gold, I gift that much of everything as much as you can yearn, let Shabala be given to me." Thus Vishvamitra entreated again. [1-53-21]

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evam uktaH tu bhagavaan vishvaamitreNa dhiimataa |
na daasyaami iti shabalaam praaha raajan katha.mcana || 1-53-22

22. dhiimataa vishvaamitreNa evam uktaH= by shrewd [king,] Vishvamitra, thus, who is spoken; bhagavaan= reverential sage Vashishta; raajan= oh, king; kathamcana= whatever - may happen; shabalaam na daasyaami= Shabala, not, I surrender; iti pra aha= thus, clearly, said.

When the shrewd king Vishvamitra spoke to the reverential sage Vashishta, that sage has clearly said, 'whatever it is oh, king, I do not surrender Shabala, the cow.' [1-53-22]

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etadeva hi me ratnam etadeva hi me dhanam |
etadeva hi sarvasvam etadeva hi jiivitam || 1-53-23

23. etat eva= this, alone; me ratnam hi= for me, gem, indeed; etat eva hi me dhanam= this, alone, truly, for me, wealth [treasure]; etat eva sarvasvam hi= this, alone, for me, everything, really,; etat eva jiivitam hi= this, alone, life [alter ego,] actually.

" 'Really this alone is my gemmy cow, thus I do not require your jewels or gems... truly, this alone is my treasure, thus I do not require your gilded chariots, horses or elephants... really, this alone is my everything, thus I need nothing from you... and actually, this alone is my alter-ego, thus you cannot separate me from myself. [1-53-23]

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darshaH ca paurNa maasaH ca yaj~naaH caiva aapta dakSiNaaH |
etadeva hi me raajan vividhaaH ca kriyaaH tathaa || 1-53-24

24. raajan= oh, king; me= my; darshaH ca= darsha, also - Vedic-rituals; paurNa maasaH ca= poorna maasa Vedic-rituals, also; aapta dakSiNaaH= worthwhile, donations; yaj~naaH caiva= Vedic-rituals, like that, also; tathaa= like that; vividhaaH kriyaaH ca= divers, activities, also; etat eva hi= this, alone, indeed.

" 'This alone is my darsha, puurNa maasa rituals, and like that this alone is all my Vedic-rituals with worthwhile donations and oh, king, this essentially is of service in diverse activities of mine. [1-53-24]

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ato muulaaH kriyaaH sarvaa mama raajan na sa.nshayaH |
bahuunaa kim pralaapena na daasye kaama dohiniim || 1-53-25

25. raajan= oh, king; mama sarvaaH kriyaaH= my, all, for activities; ataH muulaaH= in it [in cow,] instated; sanshayaH na= doubt, there is no; bahuunaa pralaapena kim [prayojanam]= by a lot of, palavering, what is [the us]; kaama dohiniim= wishes, milker; na daasye= not, I give away.

" 'Oh, king, all of my activities are instated in this cow, then wherefore a lot of palavering a bargain or barter? I do not give away this milker any wish." So said VashishtaT to Vishvamitra, and thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration of the legend of Sacred Cow. [1-53-25]

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Sacredness of the Cow

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If cow is held sacred in India it is held precious all over the world. Whatever is given by a cow, from its milk to cow-dung, it is put to use, even for medicinal purposes, which is evident from insulin and smallpox vaccines. Regarding go mahaatmyam 'sacredness of cow' Bheeshma speaks at length about the sacredness of cow to Yudhishtar, in Anushaashanika Parva of Maha Bharata.

anena saklaa vaidika karma vidy˜ jŸvan˜di karatvena ati pavitratena ca gav˜m ati mahatmyam gav˜m vikrayato pary˜pta v®ttik˜n˜m aty˜þ˜ niÿedha× ca trayam api s¨citam - dk yajñai× av˜pyate soma× sa ca goÿu pratiÿ÷ita× | goÿu soma× pratiÿ÷ita× - tattarŸya þruti havyam kavyam tarpaõam þ˜nti karma y˜nam v˜so v®ddha b˜lasya tuÿ÷i× | sv˜h˜ k˜ra vaÿa÷ k˜rau goÿu nityam pratiÿ÷itau | g˜vo yajñasya hi phalam goÿu yajñ˜× pratiÿ÷it˜× | gav˜m m¨tra purŸÿasya nodvijeta kathamcana | na ca ˜s˜m m˜msam aþnŸy˜t gav˜m puÿ÷im tath˜ ˜pnuy˜t | n˜ ata× para taram d˜nam na ata× puõya taram phalam | tvac˜ lomn˜ atha þ®ngai× v˜lai× kÿŸreõa medas˜ | yajñam vahati sambh¨yakim asya tat abhyadhikam tata× || mah˜ bh˜rate anuþ˜þanika parv˜õi yudhiÿ÷aram prati bhŸÿma uv˜ca - evam þruti sm®ti itih˜sa pur˜õa ˜diÿu bahu prak˜reõa pratip˜dyam˜nam - go mah˜tmyam - v˜c˜ma gocaram iti dikpradarþana m˜tram kýitv˜ - vasiÿ÷a× - viramyate - dk

Here, on hinting in an indirect way about go mahaatmyam 'the sacredness of the cow...' and its un-marketability, Sage Vashishta paused his negation, hoping that Vishvamitra will realise, as he is also well-versed in scriptures.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe tri pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 53rd chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.