Chapter [Sarga] 71

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 71

Introduction

Janaka narrates his lineage while offering his daughters as brides to Rama and Lakshmana. In doing so, he elaborates more about his brother Kushadhvaja, whose daughters are the would-be-wives of Bharata and Shatrughna. They even fix the timings for marriage.

Verse Locator

evam bruvaaNam janakaH pratyuvaaca kR^itaa.njaliH |
shrotum ar.hhasi bhadram te kulam naH parikiirtitam || 1-71-1

1. evam bruvaaNam= this way, to him who is saying - to Vashishta; janakaH kR^itaanjaliH pratyuvaaca= Janaka, reverentially making palm-fold, in reply said; te bhadram= you be safe; parikiirtitam= distinguished; naH kulam= of our, lineage; shrotum arhasi= to listen, apt of you - all of you.

When sage Vashishta said that way, Janaka reverentially made palm fold and said this in reply, "oh, sage, let safeness betide you all... now, it will be apt of you all to listen to our distinguished lineage... [1-71-1]

Verse Locator

pradaane hi muni shreSTha kulam niravasheSataH |
vaktavyam kula jaatena tan nibodha mahaamune || 1-71-2

2. muni shreSTha= oh, eminent sage; mahaamune= oh, great sage; kula jaatena= in [a particular noble] gens, born ones; pradaane= while offering [bride]; nir ava sheSataH= without, a little, remainder [completely, in entirety]; kulam vaktavyam hi= parentage, speakable - to be informed, isn't it; tat nibodha= thereby, let all be informed of our lineage.

"Oh, eminent sage Vashishta, he who is born in a particular noble gens has to inform about his parentage in its entirety, especially when he offers a bride... thereby oh, great sage, let all be informed of about our lineage... [1-71-2]

Verse Locator

raajaa abhuut triSu lokeSu vishrutaH svena karmaNaa |
nimiH parama dharmaatmaa sarva sattvavataam varaH || 1-71-3

3. svena karmaNaa= by his own, accomplishments; triSu lokeSu vishrutaH= in triad, of worlds, renowned one; parama dharma aatmaa= uniquely, seraphic, souled one; sarva sattvavataam varaH= among all, stalwart [emperors,] best one; raajaa nimiH abhuut= emperor, Nimi, was there - once upon a time.

"Once there was an emperor Nimi, who was renowned in the triad of worlds by his own accomplishments, and who was uniquely seraphic-souled and a best one among all stalwart emperors... [1-71-3]

Verse Locator

tasya putro mithiH naama janako mithi putrakaH |
prathamo janako naama janakaat api udaavasuH || 1-71-4

4. mithiH naama= Mithi, named; tasya putraH his, son; prathamaH janakaH naama= first, Janaka, by name [designated as]; mithi putrakaH janakaH= Mithi's, son, is Janaka; janakaat api udaavasuH= from Janaka, even, Udaavasu - are born.

"And his son was named as Mithi, and Janaka was Mithi's son... the first one to be designated as Janaka... and even from that Janaka it is Udaavasu who took birth... [1-71-4]

Verse Locator

udaavasoH tu dharmaatmaa jaato vai nandivardhanaH |
nandivardhana putraH tu suketuH naama naamataH || 1-71-5

5. udaavasoH tu= from Udaavasu, on his part; dharmaatmaa nandivardhanaH jaataH= noble souled, Nandivardhana, took birth; nandivardhana putraH tu= Nandivardhana's, son, but; naamataH suketuH naama= by name, Suketu, named one.

"From Udaavasu it is noble souled Nandivardhana took birth, and Nandivardhana's son is named as Suketu, by his name... [1-71-5]

Verse Locator

suketoH api dharmaatmaa devaraato mahaabalaH |
devaraatasya raajarSeH bR^ihadratha iti smR^iutaH || 1-71-6

6. suketoH api= from Suketu, even; dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; mahaa balaH= highly powerful; devaraataH= Devaraata - is born; devaraatasya raajarSeH bR^ihadratha iti smR^iutaH= from Devaraata, kingly sage, Brihadratha, thus, heard - him to be his son.

"From Suketu the highly powerful and virtue-souled Devaraata is born, and from that kingly sage Devaraata, it is Brihadratha who took birth, thus we have heard... [1-71-6]

Verse Locator

bR^ihadrathasya shuuro abhuut mahaaviiraH prataapavaan |
mahaaviirasya dhR^itimaan sudhR^itiH satya vikramaH || 1-71-7

7. bR^ihadrathasya= of Brihadratha; shuuraH prataapavaan mahaaviiraH abhuut= valiant one, highly brave, courageous one, Mahaaviira, became - took birth; mahaaviirasya= of Mahaavira; dhR^itimaan= bold one; satya vikramaH= truth, valiant; sudhR^itiH= Sudhriti - is the son.

"From Brihadratha it is the highly braving, courageous and valiant Mahaaviira has come, and the bold and truth-valiant Sudhriti from Mahaaviira... [1-71-7]

Verse Locator

sudhR^iteH api dharmaatmaa dhR^iSTaketuH su dhaarmikaH |
dhR^iSTaketoH ca raajarSeH haryashva iti vishrutaH || 1-71-8

8. sudhR^iteH api= from Sudhriti, even; dharmaatmaa= right-minded one; su dhaarmikaH= highly, generous one; dhR^iSTaketuH= it is Dhristaketu; raajarSeH dhR^iSTaketoH= from kingly sage, Dhristakeu; haryashva iti vishrutaH= Haryashva, thus, renowned - son is born.

"Form Sudhriti, the right-minded and highly generous Dhristaketu took birth, and from the kingly sage Dhristaketu it is highly renowned Haryashva is the son... [1-71-8]

Verse Locator

haryashvasya maruH putro maroH putraH pratiindhakaH |
pratiindhakasya dharmaatmaa raajaa kiirtirathaH sutaH || 1-71-9

9. haryashvasya putraH maruH= Haryashva's, son is, Maru; maroH putraH pratiindhakaH= Maru's, son is, Pratiindhaka; pratiindhakasya sutaH= Pratiindhaka's, son is; dharmaatmaa= noble souled one; raajaa kiirtirathaH= king, Kiiriratha.

"Haryashva's son is Maru, and Maru's, son is Pratiindhaka, and the son of Pratiindhaka's is noble-souled king Kiirtiratha... [1-71-9]

Verse Locator

putraH kiirtirathasya api devamiiDha iti smR^itaH |
devamiiDhasya vibudho vibudhasya mahiidhrakaH || 1-71-10

10. kiirtirathasya api putraH= of Kiirtiratha, even, son is; devamiiDha iti smR^itaH= Devamidha, thus, remembered; devamiiDhasya vibudho= of Devamiidha, Vibudha; vibudhasya mahiidhrakaH= Vibudha's, Mahiidraka.

"The son of Kiirtiratha is remembered as Devamiidha, and the son of Devamiidha is Vibudha, and Vibudha's son is Mahiidraka... [1-71-10]

Verse Locator

mahiidhraka suto raajaa kiirtiraato mahaabalaH |
kiirti raatasya raajaR^iSeH mahaaromaa vyajaayata || 1-71-11

11. mahaabalaH= great mighty one; raajaa kiirtiraataH= king, Kiirtiraata is; mahiidhraka sutaH= Mahiidraka's, son; raajaR^iSeH kiirtiraatasya= to sagely king, Kiirtiraata; mahaaromaa vyajaayata= Mahaaroma, born.

"Mahiidraka's son is the great mighty king Kiirtiraata, and the son born to sagely king Kiirtiraata is Mahaaroma... [1-71-11]

Verse Locator

mahaaromNaH tu dharmaatmaa svarNaromaa vyajaayata |
svarNaromNaH tu raajarSeH hrasvaromaa vyajaayata || 1-71-12

12. mahaaromNaH tu= from Mahaaroma, but; dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; svarNaromaa vyajaayata= Swarnaroma, is born; raajarSeH svarNaromNaH tu= to kingly sage, Swarnaroma, on his part; hrasvaromaa vyajaayata= Hrasvaroma, is born.

"From Mahaaroma it is the virtue-souled Swarnaroma, and from kingly sage Swarnaroma it is Hrasvaroma... [1-71-12]

Verse Locator

tasya putra dvayam jaj~ne dharmaj~nasya mahaatmanaH |
jyeSTho aham anujo bhraataa mama viiraH kushadhvaja || 1-71-13

13. dharmaj~nasya tasya= that virtue, knower, from him; mahaatmanaH= noble-souled ones; putra dvayam jaj~ne= sons, a pair of, are born; aham jyeSThaH= I am, elder; viiraH kushadhvaja= brave one, Kushadhvaja is; mama= my; anu jaH= later, born [younger]; bhraataa= brother.

"Two sons are born to that knower of virtue and noble souled Hrasvaroma, I am the elder, and my younger brother is this brave Kushadhvaja... [1-71-13]

Verse Locator

maam tu jyeSTham pitaa raajye so abhiSicya naraadhipa |
kushadhvajam samaaveshya bhaaram mayi vanam gataH || 1-71-14

14. pitaa saH naraadhipa= father, he, that king; jyeSTham maam= elder me; raajye abhiSicya= in kingdom, anointed; kushadhvajam bhaaram= Kushadhvaja's, burden [duty to look after]; mayi samaaveshya= in me, vesting; vanam gataH= to forests, departed.

"He that king and father of ours, Hrasvaroma, anointing me in kingdom as I am the elder, and vesting the duty of looking after Kushadhvaja in me, he departed to forests... [1-71-14]

Verse Locator

vR^iddhe pitari svar yaate dharmeNa dhuram aavaham |
bhraataram deva sa.nkaasham snehaat pashyan kushadhvajam || 1-71-15

15. vR^iddhe pitari svar yaate sati= aged, father, to heaven, on departure; bhraataram= brother; and; deva sankaasham kushadhvajam== god, similar, Kushadhvaja - his upbringing; snehaat pashyan by friendship [with brotherliness,] while looking after; dharmeNa= righteously; dhuram= burden [of kingship]; aavaham= lugging around.

"On the departure of our aged father to heaven, I am looking after this godlike Kushadhvaja with brotherliness and lugging around the burden of this kingship... [1-71-15]

Verse Locator

kasyacit tu atha kaalasya saa.mkaashyaat agamat puraat |
sudhanvaa viiryavaan raajaa mithilaam avarodhakaH || 1-71-16

16. atha= later; kasyacit tu kaalasya= sometime, but, after time; viiryavaan= valorous one; sudhanvaa raajaa= Sudhanva, a king; mithilaam avarodhakaH= Mithila, to beleaguer; saamkaashyaat puraat= from Saamkaasha, city; agamat= he came.

"Then after sometime, a valorous king named Sudhanva came beleaguering Mithila, from his city Saamkaasha... [1-71-16]

Verse Locator

sa ca me preSayaamaasa shaivam dhanuH anuttamam |
siitaa kanyaa ca padmaakSii mahyam vai diiyataam iti || 1-71-17

17. anuttamam shaivam dhanuH= unexcelled, Shiva's, bow; padmaakSii kanyaa siitaa ca= lotus-eyed, virgin, Seetha, along with; mahyam diiyataam= to me, be given; iti saH ca me preSayaamaasa= thus, he, even, me, started to urge.

" 'The unexcelled bow of Shiva shall be given to me, along with the lotus-eyed virgin, Seetha...' thus he started to urge me... [1-71-17]

Verse Locator

tasya apradaanaat brahmarSe yuddham aasiit mayaa saha |
sa hato abhimukho raajaa sudhanvaa tu mayaa raNe || 1-71-18

18. brahmarSe= oh, Brahma-sage Vashishta; a+ pradaanaat= non, bestowal - for the reason of; tasya= to him; mayaa saha= me, with; yuddham aasiit= war, occurred; raNe abhimukhaH= in war, he who affronted; saH raajaa sudhanvaa tu= he, king, Sudhanva, on his part; mayaa hataH= by me, put to the sword.

"Oh, Brahma sage Vashishta, for the reason of my non-bestowal of bow or bride he warred with me, and when he affronted me in that war I have put that Sudhanva to the sword... [1-71-18]

Verse Locator

nihatya tam munishreSTha sudhanvaanam naraadhipam |
saa.mkaashye bhraataram shuuram abhyaSi.ncam kushadhvajam || 1-71-19

19. munishreSTha= oh, best sage; naraadhipam tam sudhanvaanam nihatya= lord of people, him, Sudhanva, on eliminating; bhraataram shuuram kushadhvajam= brother, valiant one, Kushadhvaja; saamkaashye abhyaSincam= in Saamkaasha, I have anointed.

"Oh, best sage Vashishta, on eliminating king Sudhanva, I have anointed my valiant brother Kushadhvaja in the kingdom of Saamkaasha... [1-71-19]

Verse Locator

kaniiyaan eSa me bhraataa aham jyeSTho mahaamune |
dadaami parama priito vadhvau te munipu.ngava || 1-71-20
siitaam raamaaya bhadram te uurmilaam lakSmaNaaya vai |

20, 21a. mahaamune= oh, best saint; eSa me kaniiyaan bhraataa= he is, my, younger, brother; aham jyeSThaH= I am, elder; munipungava= oh, eminent-saint; parama priitaH= highly, gladdened; te vadhvau dadaami= those, brides, I am bestowing; siitaam raamaaya= Seetha, for Rama; uurmilaam lakSmaNaaya vai= Urmila, for Lakshmana, for sure; te bhadram= to you - to all, let there be felicity,.

"Oh, best saint Vashishta, this is that younger brother of mine, and I am the elder. Oh, eminent-saint, I am bestowing those brides with a highly gladdened heart... Seetha for Rama, and Urmila for Lakshmana, let there be felicity for all... [1-71-20, 21a]

Verse Locator

viirya shulkaam mama sutaam siitaam sura suta upamaam || 1-71-21
dvitiiyaam uurmilaam caiva triH vadaami na sa.mshayaH |
dadaami parama priito vadhvau te munipu.ngava || 1-71-22

21b, 22a. viirya shulkaam= bravery's, bounty; sura suta upamaam= divine Providence's, daughter, in simile; mama sutaam siitaam= my, daughter, Seetha; dvitiiyaam uurmilaam caiva= second one, Urmila, also thus; munipungava= oh, eminent-saint; triH vadaami= thrice, I reiterate; parama priitaH= highly, gladdened; te vadhvau dadaami= those, brides, I am bestowing; samshayaH na= doubt, is not there.

"My daughter Seetha is the bounty for bravery and in simile she is the daughter of the divine Providence, and thus the second one Urmila too... oh, eminent-saint, with a highly gladdened heart I reiterate thrice while I bestow those brides, there is no doubt about it... [1-71-21b, 22a]

The thrice reiteration is the threefold commitment mano vaak kaaya karaNaaH i.e., 'the three instruments of communication, mind, voice, and body... so I endow the brides whole-heartedly, clear-articulately, and agleam-physically...' Here this verse is addressed to Vashishta, while other mms say that it is aimed at Dasharatha by placing words 'raghunandana' instead of 'munipungava.'

Verse Locator

raama lakSmaNayo raajan go daanam kaarayasva ha |
pitR^i kaaryam ca bhadram te tato vaivaahikam kuru || 1-71-23

22b, c, 23. raajan= oh, king Dasharatha; raama lakSmaNayaH= for Rama, Lakshmana; go daanam= cow, donation [lexically, but this is different and given in comment]; kaarayasva ha= make happen, indeed; pitR^i kaaryam ca= to manes, ritual, also [get it done]; tataH vaivaahikam kuru= afterwards, wedding celebrations, you make happen; te bhadram= all be blest.

"Oh, king Dasharatha, let the preceding ritual of samaavartna, be undertaken, and let manes be propitiated by the ritual, naandi shraadha, and afterwards you make happen the wedding celebrations ... thus, all will be blest... [1-71-22b, 23]

The wording go daana differs from the ordinary lexical meaning 'cow donation' as the word gaavaka means body hair and daana is releasing, or let-going, i.e., shaving. When the students return home after the studentship they will be admitted into household after some rituals like shaving off unnecessary hair, taking oil bath etc. gau× dvayo× tu raþmi× d®g b˜õa svarja vajra ambu lomasu - n˜ n˜ - go d˜nam caula vat k˜ryam þoý˜ÿe abde taducyate | In this there will be a real cow donation also to the teacher of that student, when the students sheds his hair, after the barber attends him. After shaving off the unwanted hair, then samaavartana is undertaken. The problem pointed out at this place is, that Rama or Lakshmana are born without vyanjana keshaunwanted hair, except head-hair, as Indian mythology will not give a hairy makeup to these four brothers. 'How then Janaka asked to undertake such ceremony, when discardable hair itself is not there...' is the objection. Whether they have hair or not, the ceremony has to go on.

Verse Locator

maghaa hi adya mahaabaaho tR^itiiye divase prabho |
phal.hgunyaam uttare raajan tasmin vaivaahikam kuru |
raama lakSmaNayoH arthe daanam kaaryam sukhodayam || 1-71-24

24. mahaabaaho= oh, great dextrous Dasharatha; prabho= oh, lord; adya maghaa hi= today, [ruling star is] Magha, isn't it; raajan= oh, king; tR^itiiye divase= on third, day from today; phalgunyaam= in Phalguni [when star Phalguni comes]; tasmin uttare= in that, later part [Uttara phalguNi]; vaivaahikam kuru= wedding, you make happen; raama lakSmaNayoH= for Rama, Lakshmana; sukha udayam arthe= for wellbeing, invoking, for purpose of [wellbeing is the only ensuing factor]; daanam kaaryam= bounties, doable [be accorded generously.]

"Oh, great dextrous Dasharatha, the star ruling today is magha, isn't it... oh, lord, on the third from now, say day after tomorrow, when the starphaalguNi comes, in its later part, namely uttara phalugNi, you may make happen this wedding, and the bounties like go bhuu tila hiraNya aadi i.e., ' cows, lands, grains, gold etc., that ensue the wellbeing of Rama and Lakshmana, may be accorded to the eligible generously... [1-71-24]

These old people have meticulously calculated stars and their sidereal times for marriage, but being old, they have forgotten to print the date of wedding on wedding invitations or, at least said about it. Thereby the dating of Ramayana has become a problem, and dating with Ramayana prospered.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye baala kaaNDe eka saptatitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 71st chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.