Chapter [Sarga] 7

Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 7

Introduction

The truthful and upright characters of the ministers of Dasharatha are portrayed, who make the rulership meaningful with their virtuous, skilful and efficient administration. Along with the political ministers, the religious ministry is also portrayed.

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tasya amaatyaa guNair aasan ikshhvakostu mahaatmanaH |
ma.ntraj~naaH cha iN^gitaj~naaH cha nityam priya hite rataaH || 1-7-1

1. mahaaatmanaH tasya ikshwakuH tu= for great soul, to him, one born in Ikshwaku-s, Dasharatha; guNaiH= those with epitomised attribute; mantraj~naH cha= tactful, also; iN^gitaj~naH cha= adroit ones, also; nityam priya hite rataH= always, in welfare alone, obliged to; amaatyaa= ministers; aasan= are there.

The misters for the great soul from Ikshvaku kings of Emperor Dasharatha, are epitomised ones of their tactfulness, adroitness and are always obliged to undertake welfare activities of their king and the kingdom. [1-7-1]

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aSTau babhuuvuH viirasya tasya amaatyaa yashasvinaH |
shuchayaH cha anurak{}taaH cha raajakR^ityeSu nityashaH || 1-7-2

2. viirasya= of the valiant one; yashasvinaH= glorious king; tasya= his; shuchayaH= clean at heart; nityasaH= all time; raaja kR^ityeSu= in king' s, works; anuraktaaH cha= involved in, also; amaatyaaH= ministers; aSTaH bhabhuvuH= eight, are there.

Eight ministers are there for that valiant and glorious King Dasharatha, who are clean at heart and are involved in the works of the king and kingdom at all time. [1-7-2]

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dhR^iSTir jayanto vijayo suraaSTro raaSTra vardhanaH |
akopo dharmapaalaH cha suma.ntraH cha ashhTamo arthavit || 1-7-3

3. dhR^iSTiH= Dhristi; jayantaH= Jayantha; vijayaH= Vijaya; suraaSTraH= Suraashtra; raaSTra vardhanaH= Raashtravardhana; akopaH= Akopa; dharmapaalaHcha= Dharmapaala, also; SumantraH= Sumantra; aSTamaH= eighth; abhavat= will be.

Dhristi, Jayantha, Vijaya, Suraashtra, Raashtravardhana, Akopa, Dharmapaala, are seven, and Sumantra is the eighth one. [1-7-3]

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R^itwijau dvau abhimatau tasyaaH taam R^ishhi sattamau |
vashiSTho vaamadevaH cha ma.ntriNaH cha tathaa apare || 1-7-4

4. tasyaaH= to him, Dasharatha; vashiSTaH= Vashishta; vaamadevaH cha= Vamadeva, also; dvau= two; taam R^iSisattamau= those, saints, of eminence; abhimatau= acquiescent; R^itwijau= Vedic ritual-authorities; tathaa apare= like that, furthermore; mantriNaH cha= ministers, also [are there.]

Two venerable saints of eminence are religious ministers for they are authorities in Vedic rituals, namely Vashishta and Vamadeva, who are the acquiescent with religious matters, and apart from these two some more religious ministers are also there to King Dasharatha. [1-7-4]

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suyaj~no api atha jaabaaliH kaashaypo api atha gautamaH |
maarkaNDeyaH tu diirghaayuH tathaa kaatyaayano dvijaH || 1-7-5
etaiH brahmarSibhir nityam R^itvijaH tasya paurvakaaH |

5, 6a. suyaj~no api= Suyajna, also; atha jaabaaliH= then, Jaabaali; kaashaypaH api= Kashyapa, also; atha gautamaH= then, Gautama; maarkaNDeyaH tu= Maarkandeya, also; diirghaayuH tathaa= Deerghaayu, like that; kaatyaayanaH= Kaatyayana; dvijaH= Brahman; etaiH= along with them; brahmarSibhiH= Brahma-sages; nityam= always; R^itvijaH= ritual scholars; tasya paurvakaaH = his ancestral pundits.

Suyajna, Jabaali, Kaashyapa, Gautama, Maarkandeya, Deerghaayu, and then Kaatyayana are the scholarly Brahmans acting as religious ministers, and along with them there are also Brahma-sages who are always the ancestral ritual scholars for Dasharatha’s family. [1-7-5, 6a]

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vidyaa viniitaa hriima.ntaH kushalaa niyatendriyaaH || 1-7-6
shriimantaH cha mahaatmanaH shaastraj~naa dhR^iDha vikramaaH |
kiirtimantaH praNihitaa yathaa vachana kaariNaH || 1-7-7
tejaH kshamaa yashaH praaptaaH smita puurva abhibhaashhiNaH |

6b, 8a vidyaa viniita= in scriptures, well-versed; hriimantaH= shun bad deeds; kushalaaH= skilful; niyataH indriyaH= with regulated, senses; sriimantaH cha= affluent ones; mahaaatmanaH= great, souls; shastra j~naa= sciences, knowers of; dhR^iDha vikramaH= firmly, courageous; kiitrimantaH= distinguished, ones; praNihitaaH= quiet souls; yathaa vachana kaarinaH= as per, their word, doers of [true to their word]; tejaH kshamaa yashaH= they have magnificence, patience, fame; praaptaaH= valiant ones; smitaH puurva abhibhaashana= smile, afore, while, they converse.

All the ministers are well versed in scriptures, they shun bad deeds, skilful ones in their duties with their senses regulated. Those great souls are affluent, knowers of all sciences, firmly courageous, and they are distinguished and quiet-souls, and those ministers are true to their word. They are magnificent, patient and famed ones and they smile afore they converse. [1-7-6b, 8a]

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krodhaat kaama artha hetor vaa na bruuyur anR^itam vachaH || 1-7-8
teshhaam aviditam ki.mchat shveshhu naasti pareshhu vaa |
kriyamaaNam kR^itam vaa api chaareNa api chikiir.hSitam || 1-7-9

8b, 9. krodhaat kaama artha hetoH vaa= in anger, in greed, for monetary, reason of, either; anR^itam= untruthful; vachaH= words; na bruuyuH= never, they speak; teshaam= to them; a+viditam= unknown; kimchat= a little; sveSu= in their own [country]; naasti= not there; pareSu vaa= in other [countries,] either; kriyamaaNam= that is happening; kR^ritam= already happened; vaa api= either, that too; chaareNa= through agents; chikiirSitam= that is going to be undertaken [by others, is not there.

They never speak untruthful words in anger or in greed or for monetary reasons either. There is nothing unknown to them, even a little, in their own country or in the others either, or about everything that is happening or has happened, or that is going to happen, for they know them through agents. [1-7-8b, 9]

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kushalaa vyvahaareshhu sauhR^ideshhu pariikshitaaH |
praapta kaalam yathaa daNDam dhaarayeyuH suteSu api || 1-7-10

10. vyavahareSu= in administration; kushalaaH= efficient; sauhR^ideSu= in their friendships; pariikshitaaH= well examined [by the king]; sutaH api= to their sons, even; praapta kaalam yathaa= comes, time, according to [if situation demands]; daNDam dhaarayeyu= punishment, they impose.

They are efficient in administration and their friendships are well examined by the king, and those ministers impose punishment even on their own sons, if situation demands it. [1-7-10]

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kosha sa.ngrahaNe yuk{}taa balasya cha parigrahe |
ahitam cha api purushham na hi.nsyur aviduuSakam || 1-7-11

11. kosha samgrahaNe yukataa= treasury, in collections, dutiful; balasya cha parigrahe= of armies, also, militarising; a+hitam cha api puruSam= unfriendly, also, even, a person; a+vi+duushakam= not, really, blameworthy; na himsyuH= do not, torture.

In collections to their treasury and to militarise their armies they are dutiful, even an unfriendly person will not be tortured, if he were not really blameworthy. [1-7-11]

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viiraaH cha niyatotsaahaa raaja shaastram anuSThitaaH |
shuciinaam rakShitaaraH cha nityam viShaya vaasinaam || 1-7-12

12. viiraH= valiant; niyata utsaaha= engineered enthusiasm; raaja shaastram= political science; anuSTitaaH= administrators of; viSaya vaasinaam= in kingdom, dwelling ones [subjects of kingdom.]; suchiinaam= clean persons; nityam= at all times; rakshitaaraH= protectors.

They are valiant ones with engineered enthusiasm, administrators of political science, clean persons and protectors of subjects of their kingdom at all times. [1-7-12]

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brahma kShatram ahi.msantaH te kosham samapuurayan |
sutiikSNa daNDaaH sa.nprekSya puruSasya balaabalam || 1-7-13

13. brahma kshatram= Brahmans, Kshatriya-s; te a+himsantaH= they, do not, persecute; kosham samapuurayan= treasury, to fill up; puruSasya= person's; bala a+balam= strength, weakness; samprekshya = after assessing; sutiikshNa danDaaH= high, degree, punishment givers.

They do not persecute Brahman-s and Kshatriya-s to fill-up the treasury, and high degree punishments will be given on assessing that person's, or the offender's strength and weakness. [1-7-13]

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shuchiinaam eka buddhiinaam sarveShaam sa.nprajaanataam |
na aasiit pure vaa raashhTre vaa mR^iSaa vaadii naraH kvacit || 1-7-14

14. suchiinaam= decent ones; ekabudhinaam= one, minded, [in league with]; sarveSaam= all of them; samprajaanataam= administering; kwachit= anywhere; pure vaa raaSTre vaa= in capital, or, in kingdom, either; mR^iSa vaadii naraH= lies, speaking, person [liar]; na aasiit= is not, there.

All of those ministers are clean administrators of kingdom, and are in league with each other, as such there is none anywhere, either in capital or in country, a liar. [1-7-14]

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kashchin na dushhTaH tatra aasiit para daara ratir naraH |
prashaa.ntam sarvam eva asiit raashhTram puravaram cha tat || 1-7-15

15. tatra= there; duSTaH= evil-minded; para daara ratoH naraH= in other's, wife, interested, man; kaschit na aasiit = anyone, none, is there; sarvam raaSTram= all, kingdom; tat pura varam cha= that, capital, also; prashaantam eva aasiit= undisturbed, only, it is there.

None with an evil-mind or with an interest in other man's wife is there, and thus on whole in the kingdom and also like that in the capital, there is an undisturbed society. [1-7-15]

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su vaasasa su veshhaaH cha te cha sarve shuchivrataaH |
hitaarthaH cha narendrasya jaagrato naya chakshuShaa || 1-7-16

16. te cha sarve= they, also, all; su vaasasaH= well dressed; su veshaaH cha= well decorated, also; suchi vrataaH= decency, observing; narendrasya hitaarthaH cha= of king, in the interest of, also,; naya chakshuSaa= truthful-eyed; jaagrataH= are diligent.

Well-dressed and well-decorated and they the ministers of King Dasharatha, observe decency in the interest of the king and also of the kingdom, with diligence and with a truthful-eye. [1-7-16]

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guror guNa gR^ihiitaaH cha prakhyaataaH cha paraakrame |
videsheSu api vij~naataa sarvato buddhi nishchayaaH || 1-7-17

17. guroH= from their mentors – mother, father and teachers; guNa gR^ihiitaH= good qualities, acquired; paraakrame= expertise; prakyaataH= renowned; sarvataH= in all affairs; buddhi nischayaH= intellectual, determinations; videsheSu api= in foreign countries, also; vij~naataaH= famous.

They acquired good qualities from their mentors and they are renowned by their expertise, and even in foreign countries they are famous for their intellectual determinations in all affairs. [1-7-17]

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abhito guNavantaH cha na cha aasan guNa varjitaaH |
sandhi vigraha tatvaj~naaH prakR^ityaa sa.npadaanvitaaH | 1-7-18

18. abhitaH= versatile; guNavantaH cha= virtuous ones, also; na cha aasan= not, also, there is; guNa varjitaaH= virtue, discarded ones; sandhi= truce; vigraha= war; tatvaj~naH= determiners; prakR^ityaa= by nature; sampada anvitaaH= opulence, possessing.

Versatile and virtuous are they the ministers and there is none who discarded his virtuosity, and they are the determiners of truce or war, and by their nature they possess opulence. [1-7-18]

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ma.ntra sa.nvaraNe shak{}taaH shak{}taaH suukshmaasu buddhishhu |
niiti shaastra visheshhaj~naaH satatam priya vaadinaH || 1-7-19

19. mantra samvaraNe shaktaaH= strategies, their confidentiality, capable of; shaktaaH= capable of; suukshmaasu= micro-affairs; buddhiSu= applying mind; niiti shaastra vishesha j~naH= moral, science, comprehensively, known; satatam priya vaadinaH= always, gentle, articulators.

They are capable to keep up the confidentialities of strategies, and also capable to apply their mind even in micro-affairs, and they know moral science comprehensively, and above all, they are gentle articulators. [1-7-19]

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iidR^ishaiH taiH amaatyaiH ca raajaa dasharatho.anaghaH |
upapanno guNopetaiH anvashaasad vasu.ndharaam || 1-7-20

20. anaghaH= exalted - [here, not sinless, but exalted king]; dasarathaH= Dasharatha; guNa upetaiH= good-natured; iidR^ishaiH= suchlike [that efficacious]; taiH amaatyaiH cha= with those, ministers, also; upapannaH= accompanied with; vasundharaam= the earth; anvashaasat= ruled.

Accompanied with such of those effectual and good-natured ministers the exalted king  Dasharatha ruled the earth. [1-7-20]

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avekSamaaNaH caareNa prajaa dharmeNa rakshayan |
prajaanaam paalanam kurvan adharmam parivarjayan || 1-7-21
vishrutaH trishhu lokeshhu vadaanyaH satya sa.ngaraH |
sa tatra purushhavyaaghraH shashaasa pR^ithviim imaam || 1-7-22

20-21. puruSa vyaaghraH= manly, tiger [most generous among people]; chaareNa avekshyamaa= by spies, observing; prajaaH= people; rakshyan= to protect; dharma= virtuously; prajaanaam paalanam kurvan= to people, good rule, to give; a+dharmaan pari varjayan= unrighteousness, entirely, giving up; vadaanyaH= generous; satya sanagaraH= truthful, avowedly; triSu lokeSu vishrutaH= in three, worlds, renowned; pR^ithviim imaam= the earth, this one; saH=he, Dasharatha; tatra= from there; shashaasa= ruled.

He that most generous one among men, Dasharatha, while observing through spies, and to protect people righteously, and to give a good governance to them, he forsook unrighteousness and became a generous king avowed to truthfulness alone, and thus he that Dasharatha ruled the earth, which rulership is renowned in all the three worlds. [1-7-21,22]

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na adhyagacChat vishiSTam vaa tulyam vaa shatrum aatmanaH |
mitravaan nata saamantaH prataapa hata kaNTakaH |
sa shashaasa jagat raajaa divi deva patir yathaa || 1-7-23

23. mitravaan= one who has many friends; nata saamanta= subdued, provincial kings; prataapa hata kanTakaH= by valour, eliminated, thorniness; aatmanaH= to himsef; vishiSTam vaa= a superior one, either; tulyam vaa= equal one, or; shatrum= an enemy; na adhyagacChat= not encountered; divi devapatiH yathaa= in Heaven, Indra, like; saH shashaasa jagat= he, ruled, the world.

Emperor Dasharatha has not encountered either a superior or an equal in his kingship, and to him there are many friends, subdued are his provincial kings and eliminated is thorniness by his own valour. He thus ruled the world like Indra would in Heaven. [1-7-23]

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taiH ma.ntribhiH ma.ntra hiteH niviSTaiH
vR^ito.anurak{}taiH kushalaiH samarthaiH |
sa paarthivo diiptim avaapa yuk{}taH
tejomayaiH gobhiH iva uditaH arkaH || 1-7-24

24. mantra hite niviSTaiH= in strategy, conducive, concerned; anuraktaiH= interested in; kushalaiH= well skilled; samarthaiH= efficient; taiH mantribhiH= with those, ministers; vR^itaH= surrounded by – in the company of; saH= he; paarthiva= king; uditaH arkaH [yathaa]= rising, Sun [as with]; yuktaH tejomayaiH gobhiH yuktaH = along with, resplendent, sunrays, having; diiptim avaapa= brilliance, obtained.

In the company of those ministers, who are conducive to the strategies, interested in the king and subjects as well, skilful and efficient ones, he that King Dasharatha obtained brilliance, like the rising Sun along with resplendent sunrays. [1-7-24]

iti vAlmIki rAmAyaNe Adi kAvye bAla kaaNDe saptamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 7th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.