Chapter [Sarga] 54

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 54

Introduction

The seizure of Kaamadhenu, the Sacred Cow, causes anxiety in her and she urges Vashishta to counteract the atrocity of Vishvamitra. Agreeing to her, the sage asks the Cow to create a force that can subdue the forces of Vishvamitra. Accordingly, that Cow generates newer forces and a war ensues.

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kaamadhenum vasiSTho api yadaa na tyajate muniH |
tadaa asya shabalaam raama vishvaamitro anvakarSata || 1-54-1

1. raama= oh, Rama; vasiSThaH muniH= Vashishta, sage; kaamadhenum= desire-milker cow; yadaa= when; na tyajate= not, gave up; tadaa= then; vishvaamitraH asya shabalaam anvakarSata = Vishvamitra, that, Shabala, dragged - started to seize.

"When Sage Vashishta did not yield Kaamadhenu, the milker of any desire, oh, Rama, then Vishvamitra started to seize it." Sage Shataananda continued the narration of the legend of Vishvamitra. [1-54-1]

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niiyamaanaa tu shabalaa raama raaj~naa mahaatmanaa |
duHkhitaa cintayaamaasa ruda.ntii shoka karshitaa || 1-54-2

2. raama= oh, Rama; mahaa aatmanaa= by great-soul - a determined one; raaj~naa = by king - Vishvamitra; niiyamaanaa= being led away - dragged her away; shabalaa duHkhitaa= Shabala, saddened; shoka karshitaa= by anguish, stung; rudantii = while wailing; cintayaamaasa= mulled over.

"While the determined king Vishvamitra dragged her away from Vashishta, oh, Rama, Shabala is saddened and tearfully mulled over stung by the anguish of her secession from the sage. [1-54-2]

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parityaktaa vasiSThena kim aham sumahaatmanaa |
yaa aham raaja bhR^itaiH diinaa hriyeyam bhR^isha duHkhitaa || 1-54-3

3. diinaa= a pitiable one; bhR^isha duHkhitaa= muchly, anguishing one; yaa aham= which, me - such as I am; raaja bhR^itaiH= by king's, servants; hriyiyeyam= who am stolen - being led away; aham= I am - am I; mahaatmanaa vasiSThena parityaktaa= by great-souled, Vashishta, abandoned; kim = or what?

" 'A pitiable and highly anguished one, such as I am. I am being dragged away by the servants of the king. Has this great souled Sage Vashishta abandoned me, or what? [1-54-3]

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kim mayaa apakR^itam tasya maharSeH bhaavita aatmanaH |
yan maam anaagasam bhaktaam iSTaam tyajati dhaarmikaH || 1-54-4

4. dhaarmikaH= pietist [Vashishta]; an + aagasam = less, of error [errorless one]; bhaktaam= a reverent one; iSTaam= cherished one; maam= me; yat tyajati= he who [whereby,] leaving off; bhaavita aatmanaH = sacred, souled one; tasya maharSeH= to - towards, great-sage; mayaa= by me; kim= what; apa+kR^itam = ad, done misdeed done.

" 'Or, did I do any misdeed towards that great sage of sacred soul whereby he is leaving me off. I have always been reverent and a cherished cow to that pietist and am I no errant.' That cow eulogised in this manner. [1-54-4]

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iti sa.ncintayitvaa tu niHshvasya ca punaH punaH |
jagaama vegena tadaa vasiSTham parama ojasam || 1-54-5
nirdhuuya taam tadaa bhR^ityaan shatashaH shatrusuudana |
jagaama anila vegena paada muulam mahaatmanaH || 1-54-6

5. shatru suudana= oh, enemy-subjugator, Rama; [saa= she, the cow]; iti sam cintayitvaa = thus, on well, thinking; punaH punaH niHshvasya ca = again, again, on suspiring, also; tadaa= then; taam shatashaH bhR^ityaan= them, hundreds of, attendants [of king]; nir dhuuya= utterly, shoving off; tadaa = thenl anila vegena= gust, with speed of; parama ojasam vasiSTham= towards highly energetic one, to Vashishta; vegena jagaama = hastily, went [rushed to]; mahaatmanaH= of great-souled one; paada muulam jagaama = to foot, base, she went to.

"On thinking thus and suspiring repeatedly, oh, enemy-subjugator, Rama, then she that Sacred Cow hastily rushed with the speed a gust and went to that highly energetic Vashishta on utterly shoving off hundreds of attendants of the king who are roping her, and then she straight went to the base of the feet of the great-souled Vashishta. [1-54-5, 6]

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shabalaa saa rudantii ca kroshantii ca idam abraviit |
vasiSThasya agrataH sthitvaa megha niHsvanaa || 1-54-7

7. saa shabalaa= she, that Shabala; rudantii ca kroshantii ca= moaning, also, groaning, also; vasiSThasya agrataH sthitvaa= of Vashishta, before, staying; megha niHsvanaa= cloud, with bellows - bellowing like thunder of the cloud; idam abraviit = this, spoke.

"She that moaning and groaning Shabala staying before the Sage Vashishta spoke this bellowing like a thunderous cloud. [1-54-7]

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bhagavan kim parityaktaa tvayaa aham brahmaNaH suta |
yasmaat raaja bhaTaa maam hi nayante tvat sakaashataH || 1-54-8

8. brahmaNaH suta = oh, Brahma's, son [brainchild]; bhagavan= oh, god; aham tvayaa kim parityaktaa= I, by you, why, discarded; yasmaat= whereby; raaja bhaTaa= kings, attendants; tvat sakaashataH= from your, proximity; maam nayante hi = me, taking away, indeed.

" 'Oh, Son of Brahma, why I am discarded by you, whereby oh, god, the king's attendants are weaning me away from your proximity.' So Shabala urged Vashishta. [1-54-8]

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evam uktaH tu brahmarSir idam vacanam abraviit |
shoka sa.ntapta hR^idayaam sva saaram iva duHkhitaam || 1-54-9

9. evam uktaH tu brahmarSiH= thus, spoke to, on his part, Brahma-sage; shoka santapta hR^idayaam= by worry, worrying, hearted [to worrisome Shabala]; duHkhitaam sva saaram iva = worried, to his own, sister, as with; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, spoke.

"When he is spoken thus, then that Brahma-sage spoke this sentence to worrisome Shabala, whose heart is worrying with worry, as he would speak with his own sister in her worriment. [1-54-9]

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na tvaam tyajaami shabale na api me apakR^itam tvayaa |
eSa tvaam nayate raajaa balaat mat.htaH mahaabalaH || 1-54-10

10. shabale= oh, Shabala; tvaam na tyajaami= you, not, I am forswearing; tvayaa me na apakR^itam api = by you, to me, not, misdeed done, even - you too have not fouled me; mahaabalaH= great-mighty one; eSa raajaa= this, king is; mattaH [mat taH= from me; or, matta= ecstatic by his own might - king]; balaat= forcibly; tvaam nayate = you, weaning away.

" 'Neither I forswear you nor you fouled me, oh, Shabala, this king is forcibly weaning you away from me as he is beside himself with kingly arrogance. [1-54-10]

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na hi tulyam balam mahyam raajaa tu adya visheSataH |
balii raajaa kSatriyaH ca pR^ithivyaaH patiH eva ca || 1-54-11

11. mahyam balam = of mine, strength - ability; tulyam= balanceable [with his]; na hi= not, isn't it; adya visheSataH= now, above all; raajaa tu= [he is a] king, on his part; raajaa balii = a king, will be mighty; kSatriyaH ca= Kshatriya, also; pR^ithivyaaH patiH eva ca= of earth, lord, even, also.

" 'My ability is not balanceable with his, isn't it. Above all, on his part he is a king now, and a king will be mighty, he is the lord of the land and a Kshatriya, and thus we have to be subservient to a Kshatriya, isn't it. [1-54-11]

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iyam akSauhiNii puurNaa gaja vaaji ratha aakulaa |
hasti dhvaja samaakiirNaa tena asau balavattaraH || 1-54-12

12. gaja vaaji ratha aakulaa= elephants, horses, chariots, overcrowded; hasti dhvaja sam aakiirNaa= elephants, flags, overspread with; iyam akSauhiNii= this, akshauhini [unit of army]; puurNaa= is plethoric; tena= thereby; asau balavat taraH= he is, in might, higher in degree - mightier than me.

" 'This akshauhini unit of army is plethoric, overcrowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, and overspread with flags and elephants, thereby he is mightier than me.' Thus Vashishta tried to pacify that Sacred-Cow. [1-54-12]

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evam uktaa vasiSThena pratyuvaaca viniitavat |
vacanam vacanaj~naa saa brahmarSim atula prabham || 1-54-13

13. vasiSThena evam uktaa = by Vashishta, that way, spoken [to Cow]; vacana j~naa= sentence, knower; saa= she that cow; atula prabham= to the one with un-balanceable, resplendence; brahmarSim= to Brahma-sage; vacanam= sentence; viniitavat= as an obedient one; prati uvaaca = in turn, spoke - replied.

"She who is spoken that way by Vashishta, that sententious Sacred Cow, Shabala, in her turn obediently spoke this sentence to that Brahma-sage of un-balanceable resplendence. [1-54-13]

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na balam kSatriyasya aahuH braahmaNo balavattaraH |
brahman brahma balam divyam kSatraat tu balavattaram || 1-54-14

14. brahman= oh, Brahman; kSatriyasya balam= Kshatriya's [sovereignty's,] might; na aahuH = not, speak of [unstated as 'balavat taraH' mighty, more= mightier than a Brahman's, i.e., than the might of a sage]; braahmaNaH balavattaraH = a Brahman [sagacity is,] mightier; kSatraat tu= of Kshatriya's [of sovereignty's might,] but; brahma balam divyam balavat taram= Brahman's [Sage's] might, divine [angelic,] mighty, than [mightier.]

" 'Oh, Brahman, unstated is that the might of sovereignty as mightier than the might of sagacity. A sage is mightier than a sovereign. A sage's might is mightiest than the mightier sovereign, for a sage's might is angelic.' So Shabala started talking to the sage. [1-54-14]

This is the relevant stanza for the later time debates or essay competitions under the caption of 'pen vs. sword... which is mightier...' Here, though Vishvamitra is well aware that a sage's possession cannot be usurped, he resorted to the same. The Sacred Cow is telling the above with intolerance towards Vishvamitra's violation of the norms. s˜ api asaham˜n˜ k˜ma dohinŸ þ˜nty˜ kÿamay˜ yuktam vaþiÿ÷am avocat -

What a king has got to do with a sage's wealth? A sage acquires it with his ascesis and it is not another king's kingdom to conquer. sarva dhamajñasy˜ api viþv˜mitrasya et˜d®þŸ buddhi× ab¨t | yasmai dev˜ prayacchanti puruÿ˜ya par˜bhavam - bala avalepana viþvamitro vaþiÿ÷ha v˜kyam an˜d®tya brahmasva hareõa mah˜ doÿam j˜nan api bal˜t eva þabal˜m ˜cakarÿa - dk The scriptures, norms, ethics demand that a sagacious person shall not be robbed off his possession, which he acquires by his personal merit. But Vishvamitra's brain tilted this way because of his all-conquering avarice and he thought that this cow is also conquerable, and gods give such a mind only to see the greedy to fail and thus insulted of their might.

na tu eva kad˜cit svayam r˜j˜ brahmaõasva adadŸta - bodh˜yana s¨tra - atha api ud˜haranti - na viÿam viÿam iti ˜hu× brahmasvam viÿam ucya te | brahmasvam putra pautra ghnam viÿam ek˜kinam haret | 'a sagacious person's possession is not to be snatched away - bodhaayana suutraa-s; 'a poison if consumed kills one that consumes it... but the possession of a sagacious person, if tried for consumption, it consumes whole lot of the consumer's sons, grandsons and his clan itself, besides the consumer...for sage's possession in itself is a lethal poison...'

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aprameya balam tubhyam na tvayaa balavattaraH |
vishvaamitro mahaaviiryaH tejaH tava duraasadam || 1-54-15

15. tubhyam= to you; a + prameya balam = not, matchable [immutable,] power - is there; mahaaviiryaH vishvaamitraH = great-mighty, Vishvamitra - though he is; tvayaa= than you; balavat taraH = mighty, more than - mightier than you; na = he is not; tava tejaH duraasadam= your, dynamism, is invincible.

" 'Immutable is your power as you are mightier than great-mighty Vishvamitra and invincible is your dynamism. [1-54-15]

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niyu~NkSva maam mahaatejaH tvat brahma bala sa.mbhR^itaam |
tasya darpam balam yat.hnam naashayaami duraatmanaH || 1-54-16

16. mahaatejaH= oh, highly resplendent one; tvat brahma bala sam bhR^itaam= with your, Brahma's [sagacity's] power, replete with [i.e., me]; maam= me; niyu~NkSva= you ordain; duraatmanaH= of bad minded [injudicious king]; tasya darpam balam yatnam= his [Vishvamitra's,] vanity, valour, venture [to wean me from you]; naashayaami = I destroy [I disprove.]

" 'Ordain me, oh, highly resplendent sage, who am replete with the power of your sagacity, and I will disprove the vanity, valour, and venture of that injudicious king for this injudicious seizure.' Thus Shabala implored the sage Vashishta. [1-54-16]

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iti uktaH tu tayaa raama vasiSThaH sumahaayashaaH |
sR^ijasva iti tadaa uvaaca balam para bala ardanam || 1-54-17

17. raama= oh, Rama; tayaa iti uktaH = by her, thus, spoken to; su mahaa yashaaH= of very, high, glory; vasiSThaH tu = Vashishta, on his part; tadaa= then; para bala ardanam= opponent's, power, overpowering; balam sR^ijasva= a power, you create; iti uvaaca= thus, [sage] said to her.

"Oh, Rama, when spoken by her thus, that highly glorious Vashishta said to Shabala, the do-all cow, 'create a power that can overpower the power of opponent.' Vashishta said so to Shabala.[1-54-17]

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tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa surabhiH saa asR^ijat tadaa |
tasyaa hu.mbhaa rava ut.hsR^iSTaaH pahlavaaH shatasho nR^ipa || 1-54-18
naashayanti balam sarvam vishvaamitrasya pashyataH |

18, 19a. tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa= his, that, sentence, on hearing; saa surabhiH= she, that hope fulfilling cow; tadaa= then; asR^ijat = created [army]; nR^ipa= oh, king - Rama; tasyaaH= of her; humbhaa rava utsR^iSTaaH= hum, mooing, sprang forth; pahlavaaH= Pahlava-s; shatashaH= in hundreds; vishvaamitrasya pashyataH= of Vishvamitra, while witnessing; sarvam balam naashayanti = in entirety, army [of Vishvamitra,] annihilated.

"On hearing his sentence, oh, Rama, that Sacred Cow Shabala then created Pahlava kings, sprang forth from her mooing 'hums', and hundreds of them annihilated the army of Vishvamitra in its entirety just while Vishvamitra is witnessing it. [1-54-18, 19a]

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sa raajaa parama kruddhaH krodha visphaarita iikSaNaH || 1-54-19
pahlavaan naashayaamaasa shastraiH uccaavacaiH api |

19b, 20a. saH raajaa parama kruddhaH= he, king, utterly, infuriated; krodha visphaarita iikSaNaH = by anger, wide-opened, eyed; uccaavacaiH shastraiH = many kinds of, weaponry; pahlavaan naashayaamaasa api= Pahlava-s, started to destroy, even.

"King Vishvamitra was utterly infuriated and with wide-eyed anger he started to destroy those Pahlava-s with many a kind of his weaponry. [1-54-19b, 20a]

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vishvaamitra arditaan dR^iSTvaa pahlavaan shatashaH tadaa || 1-54-20
bhuuya eva asR^ijat ghoraan shakaan yavana mishritaan |

20b, 21a. vishvaamitra arditaan= by Vishvamitra, subdued by; shatashaH pahlavaan dR^iSTvaa= hundreds, of Pahlava-s, on seeing; tadaa= then; bhuuya eva= again, thus; yavana mishritaan= with Yavana-s, mingled with; ghoraan= deadly; shakaan= Shaka-s; asR^ijat= she generated.

"On seeing the subdual of hundreds of Pahlava-s by Vishvamitra, then the Sacred Cow again generated deadly Shaka-s hobnobbed with Yavana-s through her mooing 'hums'. [1-54-20b, 21a]

These Shaka-s and Yavana-s are the Shakas, or the Scythians, or the Indo-Scythians of Max Muller. Some discussion about this is included in the endnote of Kishkindha, Ch. 43. Dharmaakuutam says: tadanu vaþiÿ÷ha abhyanujñ˜t˜ þabal˜ nirmita pahlava ˜di - nik®ÿ÷a j˜ti - niÿ¨ditam svam balam viþv˜mitra - iti - dk These are viewed as deadly, lowly, ruffian class of warriors in Indian viewpoint and created out of thin air by this Sacred Cow.

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taiH aasiit sa.mvR^itaa bhuumiH shakaiH yavana mishritaiH || 1-54-21
prabhaavadbhirmahaaviiryairhemaki.njalkasannibhaiH |- yadvaa -
prabhaavadbhiH mahaaviiryaiH hema ki.njalka sa.mnibhaiH |

21b, 22a. prabhaavadbhiH= by them who have effectuation; mahaa viiryaiH= by them who have bravery; hema kinjalka sannibhaiH= those that are golden, pistils, similar to; taiH= with them; yavana mishritaiH= Yavana-s, associated with; shakaiH= with Shaka-s; bhuumiH samvR^itaa aasiit = earth, covered, it became.

"Then the earth was pervaded with the Shaka-s associated with Yavana-s, who have effectuation and bravery in overcoming their enemy forces, and who are golden in bodily colour similar to the golden pistils of flowers which complexion is outlandish.  [1-54- 21b, 22a]

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diirghaasipaTTishadharairhemavarNaambaraaavR^itaiH || - yadvaa -
diirgha asi paTTisha dharaiH hema varNa a.mbara aavR^itaiH || 1-54-22
nir.hdagdham tat balam sarvam pradiiptaiH iva paavakaiH |

22b. diirgha asi paTTisha dharaiH= bowie, knives, broad-lances, wielding; hema varNa ambara aavR^itaiH = golden, coloured, dress, clad in; with such Yavana-s and Shaka-s; pradiiptaiH paavakaiH iva = who are - glowing, fires, as with; tat sarvam balam = that, entire, force [of Vishvamitra]; nir dagdham= is completely, burnt down.

"Yavana-s and Shaka-s, who are wielding bowie knives and broad lances and who are clad in golden coloured dresses, and who looked like glowing fires have completely burnt down entire force of Vishvamitra. [1-54-22, 23a]

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tato astraaNi mahaatejaa vishvaamitro mumoca ha |
taiH taiH yavana kaa.mbhojaa barbaraaH ca akulii kR^itaaH || 1-54-23

23. tataH= then; mahaatejaaH vishvaamitraH= great-resplendent, Vishvamitra; astraaNi mumoca ha= missiles, released, indeed; taiH taiH= by them, by them [missiles]; yavana kaambhojaa barbaraaH ca= Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, Barbara-s, also; akulii kR^itaaH= helter-skelter, rendered to.

"Then that great-resplendent Vishvamitra indeed released his missiles, by which Yavana-s, Kaambhoja-s, and the Barbara-s, are rendered helter-skelter." Thus Sage Shataananda continued his narration of Vishvamitra. [1-54-23b,c.]

The Barbara-s are said in this text whereas other mms contain it as "Pahlava-s'. Even on taking Barbara-s, they are an outlandish clan and the word 'Barbara' might have been the ancestor word of the present day 'Barbarian.'

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

Thus, this is the 54th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.