Balakanda

Chapter 2

बालकांड
सर्ग - 2

नारदस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा वाक्य विशारदः ।
पूजयामास धर्मत्मा सहशिष्यो महामुनिः ॥
यथावत् पूजितस्तेन देवर्षिः नारदः तदा ।
अपृष्ट्वैवाभ्यनुज्ञातः स जगाम विहायसम् ॥

Hearing those words of sage Narada , Valmiki the pious one and the master of expression, worshipped the sage along with his disciples. After being worshipped Narada too took permission of Valmiki and left for his abode along the celestial path.

स मुहूर्तं गते यस्मिन् देवलोकं मुनिः तदा ।
जगाम तमसा तीरं जाह्नाव्यास्त्वविदूरतः ॥

After the celestial sage has left for his abode in the heavens , sage Valmiki too went to the banks of river Tamasa near the river Ganges

स तु तीरं समासाद्य तमसया मुनिः तदा ।
शिष्य माह स्थितं पार्श्वे दृष्ट्वा तीर्थमकर्दमम् ॥
अकर्दममिदं तीर्थं भरध्वाज निशामय ।
रमणीयं प्रसन्नांबु सन्मनुष्य मनोयथा ॥
न्यस्यतां कलशस्तात दीयतां वल्कलं मम ।
इदमेवावगाहिष्ये तमसा तीर्थमुत्तमम् ॥

Having reached the banks of the river Tamasa, the sage noticed the banks which are free of mud and the river water which is very clear . Then he addressed his disciple. ' Oh Bharadvaja ! See these river waters are clear and transaparent like the mind of a righteous man. Oh son ! keep the pitcher on the bank and give my bath robes. I will take bath in this auspicious and excellent river'.
एवमुक्तो भरद्वाजो वाल्मीकेन महात्मना ।
प्रायच्चत मुनेः तस्य वल्कलं नियतो गुरोः ॥
सशिष्य हस्तादादय वल्कलं नियतेंद्रियः ।
विचचार ह पस्यंस्तत् सर्वतो विपुलं वनम् ॥
तस्याभ्याशे तु मिथुनं चरंतमनपायिनम् ।
ददर्श भगवान् तत्र क्रौंचयोः चारुनिस्वनम् ॥

Having been ordered by the sage , Bharadvaja who is ever devoted to his guru, gave him the robes . The sage too having taken the robes was lost in thoughts observing the beautiful grove. Then the sage Valmiki saw an inseparable looking Krauncha birds making sweet noises.

तस्मात्तु मिथुनादेकं पुमांसं पापनिश्चयः ।
जघान वैरनिलयो निषादस्तस्य पश्यतः ॥
तं शोणित परीतांगं वेष्टमानं महीतले ।
भार्यातु निहतं दृष्ट्वा रुराव करुणां गिरम् ॥
वियुक्ता पतिना तेन द्विजेन सहचारिणा ।
ताम्रशीर्षेण मत्तेन पत्त्रिणा सहितेन वै ॥

Then a Nishada dwelling in the forest living a sinful life killed the male Krauncha bird with an arrow. Hit by the arrrow that bird fell down wounded and tossing about all smeared with blood. Seeing the male bird wounded tossing about, the female Krauncha bird unable to bear the separation started wailing pitiably.

तथातु तं द्विजं दृष्ट्वा निषादेन निपातितम् ।
ऋषेः धर्मात्मनस्तस्य कारुण्यं समपद्यत ॥
ततः करुण वेदित्वात् अधर्मो अयं इति द्विजः ।
निशाम्य रुदतीं क्रौंचीं इदं वचन मब्रवीत् ॥

Seeing the Krauncha bird hit by the Nishada in that pitiable state pity was aroused in the heart of the the venerable sage . Seeing that wailing Krauncha bird , the sage seized with compassion and considering that act of nishada as sinful addressed the following words.

मानिषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः ।
यत् क्रौंचमिथुनादेकं अवधीः काममोहितः ॥

Oh Nishada ! having killed a bird of the couple of Kraunchas which are deeply in love, thus committing a sinful act you will forever attain a disgrace !

तस्त्यैवं ब्रुवत श्चिंता बभूव हृदि वीक्षतः ।
सोकार्तेनास्य शकुनेः किमिदं व्याहृतं मया ॥
चिंतयन् स महाप्राज्ञः चकार मतिमान् मतिम्।
शिष्यं चैव ब्रवीद्वाक्यं इदं स मुनिपुंगवः ॥
पादबद्धो अक्षर समः तंत्रीलय समन्वितः ।
शोकार्तस्य प्रवृत्तोमे श्लोको भवतु नान्यथा ॥

Having said those words from deep inside his heart, the sage reflceted. ' tormented as I was with grief what was that uttered by me '. Highly learned and knowing all Sastras reflecting thus spoke to his disciple as follows . 'The words spoken by me are of four metrical padas with equal letters. It is possessing a rhythm , can be sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments' . It , the sloka , is certainly follows the prescribed meter !

शिष्यस्तु तस्य ब्रुवते मुनेर्वाक्यं अनुत्तमम् ।
प्रति जग्राह संहृष्टः तस्य तुष्टो अभवद्गुरुः ॥
सः अभिषेकं ततः कृत्वा तीर्थे तस्मिन् यथाविधि ।
तमेव चिंतयन्नर्थं उपावर्तत वै मुनिः ॥
भरद्वाजस्ततः शिष्यो विनीतः श्रुतवान् गुरोः ।
कलशं पूर्णमादाय पृष्ठतो अनुजगाम ह ॥
स प्रविश्याश्रम पदं शिष्ये ण सह द्धर्मवित् ।
उपविष्ठः कथाश्चान्याः चकार ध्यानमास्थितः ॥

The disciple too received the sages words with delight and repeated to himself. Then the Sage was also very happy . The sage having performed his ablutions in the river, still remembering those words that seemingly came out on their own came back to his hermitage. Then the dutiful Bharadvaja who heard the sloka uttered by the sage also came back to the hermitage after having filled his pitcer with the auspecious waters of theTamasa river. The sage having come back performed his duties and seated comfortably took part in the puranic discussions and immersed himself in meditation.

अजगाम ततो ब्रह्मा लोककर्ता स्वयं प्रभुः ।
चतुर्मुखो महातेजा द्रष्टुं तं मुनिपुंगवम् ॥

Then Brahma , the one with four heads and the creator himself arrived at the hermitage of Valmiki to see him.

वाल्मीकिरथ तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय वाग्यतः ।
प्रांजलिः प्रयतो भूत्वा तस्थौ परमविस्मितः ॥
पूजयामास तं देवं पादार्घ्यासनवंदनैः ।
प्रणम्य विधिवच्चैनं पृष्ट्वाsनामयमव्ययम् ॥
अथोपविश्य भगवान् आसने परमार्चिते ।
वाल्मीकये च ऋषये संदिदेशानं ततः ॥

Having offerred due respects making him sit down the sage sand the praises of the Bhagavan. Full of surprise having got up to greet the Bhagavan the sage made the enquiries of respect. Bhagavan too having taken a comfortable seat made Valmiki too to sit down.

ब्रह्मणा सममनुज्ञातः सोsप्युपाविशदासने ।
उपविष्टे तदा तस्मिन् साक्षाल्लोक पितामहे ॥
तद्गतेनैव मनसा वाल्मीकिर्ध्यानमास्थितः ।
पापात्मना कृतं कष्टं वैर ग्रहणबुद्धिना ॥
यस्तादृशं चारुरवं क्रौंचं हन्यादकारणात् ।
शोचन्नेव मुहुः क्रौंचीं उपश्लोक मिमं पुनः ॥
जगावंतर्गतमना भूत्वा शोकपरायणः ॥।

Although he was sitting in the presence of Bhagavan himself the sinful deed of the Nishada in killing without reason that Krauncha bird making sweet noises kept his mind engaged. Thinking of that scene, remebering the sad state of the wailing kraumcha bird the sage repeated the sloka to himself again.

तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्म प्रहसन् मुनिपुंगवं ।
श्लोक एव त्वया बद्धो नात्र कार्या विचक्षणा ॥
मच्चंदादेव ते ब्रह्मन् प्रवृत्तेयं सरस्वती ।
रामस्य चरितं सर्वं कुरु त्वं ऋषिसत्तम ॥
धर्मात्मनो गुणवतो लोके रामस्य धीमतः ।
वृत्तं कथय धीरस्य यथा ते नारदाच्च्रुतम् ॥

Then Brahma the creator smilingly addressed Valmiki the best of sages. " The words spoken by you is a sloka following the prescribed meter. oh best of Brahmans ! The words spoken by you were as intended by me. Oh venerable sage ! please write the complete story of Rama. SriRama is righteous . Describe the story of Rama as related by Narada for the mankind"

रहस्यं च प्रकाशं यद्वृत्तं तस्य धीमतः ।
रामस्य सह सौमित्रे राक्षसानां च सर्वशः ॥
वैदेह्याच्चैव यद्वृत्तं प्रकाशं यदि वा रहः ।
तच्चाप्य विदिदितं सर्वं विदितं ते भविष्यति ॥
नते वाग वृता काव्ये काचिदत्र भविष्यति ।
कुरु रामकथां पुण्यां श्लोकबद्धां मनोरमाम् ॥

The known and unknown parts of the stories of Rama , Lakshmana and the Rakshasas are to be elaborated by you. What you donot know will be known to you. There will be no untruth in the poems so comosed. Relate this auspecious story of Rama in beautiful slokas .

यावत् स्थास्यंति गिरयः सरितश्च महीतले ।
तावद्रामायण कथा लोकेषु प्रचरिष्यति ॥
यावद्रामायण कथा त्वत्कृता प्रचरिष्यति ।
तावदूर्ध्वमधश्च त्वं मल्लोकेषु निवत्स्यसि ।

As long as the mountains and rivers are there on this earth, the story of Rama will be sung in all the three worlds. As long as the story of Rama is recited, your name and fame will be spread in all the three worlds.

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् ब्रह्मा तत्रैवांतरधीयत ।
ततः सशिष्यो वाल्मीकिः मुनिर्विस्मय माययौ ॥
तस्य शिष्याः ततः सर्वे जगुः श्लोकमिमं पुनः ।
मुहुर्मुहुः प्रीयमाणः प्राहुश्च भृशविस्मिता ॥
समाक्षरैः चतुर्भिर्यः पादै र्गीतो महर्षिणा ।
सोsनुव्याहरणाद्भूयः शोकः श्लोकत्वमागतः ॥
तस्य बुद्धिरियं जाता वाल्मीकेः भावितात्मनः ।
कृत्श्नं रामायणं काव्यं ईदृशैः करवाण्यहम् ॥

Having said this the Lord Brahma disappeared. The Sage Valmiki as well as his disciple were deeply amazed by this utterence of the Lord. His disciple sang the sloka again and again, and expressed their delight. That sloka of four lines with equal letters was spoken by the venerable sage and it became most famous. Then the Sage having meditated declared that the Ramayana will be composed with similar slokas .

उदारवृत्तार्थ पदैर्मनोरमैः
तदास्य रामस्य चकार किर्तिमान् ।
समाक्षरैः श्लोकशतैर्यशस्विनो
यशस्करं काव्यमुदारधीर्मुनि ॥

The sage Valmiki composed an epic with detailed stories , meanigful expressions amd beautiful slokas. The epic contained hundreds of such slokas reading which the even fame of the famous was spread further.

तदुपगत समाससंधियोगं
सममधुरोपनतार्ध वाक्यबद्धम् ।
रघुवरचरितं मुनिप्रणीतं
दशशिरसश्च वधं निशामयध्वम् ॥

Ramayan is an epic with conjunctions and samasas as per the rules of grammer. It is full of lines which have clear meaning and are equal in meter and sweetness . The story of Rama born in the lineage of Raghu is told. It tells the story of killing of the ten headed Ravana too.

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे
वाल्मीकिये आदिकाव्ये बालकांडे
द्वीतीय सर्गः ॥
॥ ओम् तत् सत् ॥

 

 

 

 

Om tat Sat