बालाकांड
विंशति सर्गः

तच्छ्रुत्वा राजशार्दूलो विश्वामित्रस्य भाषितम् ।
मुहूर्तमिव निस्संज्ञः संज्ञावानिदमब्रवीत् ॥

Hearing those words of Viswamitra , Dasaratha who is like tiger among kings, lost his senses for a while and then after quickly recovering he spoke the following words.

ऊन षोडषवर्षो मे रामो राजीव लोचनः ।
न युद्ध योग्यतामस्य पश्यामि सह राक्षसैः ॥
इय मक्षौहिणी पूर्णा यस्याहं पतिरीश्वरः ।
अनया संवृतो गत्वा योद्दाहं तैर्निशाचरैः ॥
इमे शूराश्च विक्रांता भृत्यामे अस्त्रविशारदाः ।
योग्या रक्षोगणैर्योद्दुं न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ॥

' The lotus eyed Rama , my son, is not even sixteen years old. Hence I do not think he is fit for a battle with the ogres. I am the leader of a huge army. I will come with these armies and battle those ogres who are night creatures. The soldiers in my army are heroic fighters. They are valiant , experts in use of all weapons and capable of battling the ogres . So you do not ask for Rama'.

अहमेव धनुष्पाणिः गोप्ता समरमूर्थनि ।
यावत् प्राणान् धरिष्यामि तावद्योत्से निशाचरैः ॥
निर्विघ्ना व्रतचर्या सा भविष्यति सुरक्षिता ।
अहं तत्रागमिष्यामि न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ।

'I will take up the bows and arrows and protect your Yaga. I will battle those ogres till my last breath. I will ensure that your rituals are not interrupted. So do not ask for Rama'.

बालो ह्यकृतविद्यश्च न च वेत्ति बलाबलम् ।
न चास्त्र बलसंयुक्तो न च युद्ध विशारदः ॥
न चासौ रक्षसां योग्यः कूतयुद्धा हि ते ध्रुवम् ।
विप्रयुक्तो हि रामेण मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे ॥
जीवितुं मुनिशार्दूल न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ॥।

'Rama is still a boy. He has not mastered the art of archery fully. He can not asses the strength and weaknesses of the enemies. He is yet to fully grasp the art of deploying the weapons. He is not yet proficient in the art of war. Hence Rama is not sufficient for the battle with the ogres. O great Sage! Leave aside Rama's capability. I cannot live without Rama even for a moment. So do not ask for Rama'.

यदि वा राघवं ब्रह्मन् नेतुमिच्छसि सुव्रत ।
चतुरंग समायुक्तं मयाच सहितं नय ॥
षष्टिर्वर्ष सहस्राणि मम जातस्य कौशिक ।
दुःखेनोत्पादितश्चायं न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ॥

'O Brahmana of noble vows ! If you certainly want to take Rama along then I will also come along with my fourfold forces. Allow me. After completing sixty thousand years we got this child with great difficulty. So do not ask for Rama'.

चतुर्णामात्मजानां हि प्रीतिः परमिका मम ।
ज्येष्ठं धर्मप्रधानं च न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ॥

'Among my four sons Rama is most dear to me. He is also the eldest with a predominance of piety. So do not ask for Rama.'

किं वीर्या राक्षसा स्ते च कस्य पुत्राश्च के च ते ।
कथं प्रमाणः केचैतान् रक्षंति मुनिपुंगव ॥
कथं च प्रतिकर्तव्यं तेषां रामेण रक्षसाम् ।
मामकैर्वा बलैः ब्रह्मन् मया वा कूटयोधिनाम् ॥
सर्वं मे शंस भगवन् कथं तेषां मया रणे ।
स्थातव्यं दुष्टभावानां वीर्योत्सिक्ता हि राक्षसाः ॥

Oh Best of Ascetics ! Who are these ogres? What is their prowess? Who are their parents? What is their shape ? Who is their protector? Oh Brahmarshi ! how do I and my armies combat those ogres who are experts in deceit ? how do we stop those ogres who are arrogant because of their prowess ? Please explain to me'.

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोsभ्यभाषत ॥
पौलस्त्य वंश प्रभवो रावणो नाम राक्षसः ।
स ब्रह्मणा दत्तवरः त्रैलोक्यं बाधते भृशम् ॥
महाबलो महावीर्यो राक्षसैः बहुभिर्वृतः ।
श्रूयते हि महावीर्यो रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥
साक्षात् वैश्रवण भ्राता पुत्रो विश्रवसो मुनेः ।
यदा स्वयं न यज्ञस्य विघ्नकर्ता महाबलः ॥
तेन संचोदिता द्वौतु राक्षसौ महाबलौ ।
मारीचश्च सुबाहूश्छ यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यतः ॥
इत्युक्तो मुनिना तेन राजोवाच मुनिं तदा ।
नहि शक्तो स्मि संग्रामे स्थातुं तस्य दुरात्मनः ॥

Hearing those words of the King the sage Viswamitra spoke as follows.' O King! He is known as Ravana and is born in the line of Paulastya. Favored by Brahma with some boons, he is harrassing all in the three worlds. He is strong and very powerful. He has several forces of ogres at his command. He is the son of sage Visravasas. In truth he is known as the brother of Lord Kubera and is very powerful. He is not disturbing the sacrificial rites. There are two powerful ogres who have been encouraged by him to do so . They are causing all the disturbances for the sacrificial rites'.

इत्युक्त्वा मुनिना तेन राजोवाच मुनिं तदा ।
नहि शक्तोस्मि संग्रामे स्थातुं तस्य दुरात्मनः ॥
स त्वं प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कुरुष्व ममपुत्त्रके ।
मम चैवाल्पभाग्यस्य दैवतम् हि भवान् गुरुः ॥

Having been thus told by the sage , the king then to spoke to the sage Viswamitra again . ' O Knower of what is right ! I donot have the capability to stop him in a battle. Only you have to show favor to my son. I am with poor luck (being unable to help you) . You are our God . You are our master'.

देवदानवगंधर्वा यक्षाः पतगपन्नगाः ।
न शक्ता रावणं सोढुं किं पुनर्मानवा युधि ॥
सहि वीर्यवतां वीर्यं आदत्ते युधि राक्षसः ।
तेन चाहं न शक्तोस्मि संयोद्धुं तस्य वा बलैः ।
स बलो वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ सहितो वा ममात्मजैः ॥

'None of the Devas , Demons, Gandharvas, Yakshas, the Garutmans, the Nagas can face upto Ravana in a battle. Then how can men do so ?That Ravana takes away the prowess of all in a battlefield. Hence oh best of Sages ! I along with my armies or my son are not capable of facing that Ravan with his armies'.

कथमप्यमरप्रख्यं संग्रमाणां अकोविदम् ।
बालं मे तनयं ब्रह्मन् नैव दास्यामि पुत्त्रकम् ॥
अथ कालोपमौयुद्धे सुतौ सुंदोपसुंदयोः ।
यज्ञविघ्नकरौ तौ ते नैव दास्यामि पुत्त्रकम् ॥
मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवंतौ सुशिक्षितौ ।
तयोरन्यतरेणाहं योद्धा स्यां ससुहृद्गणः ॥

' Oh Brahmarshi! My son is a child. He is not proficient in the arts of war. So I cannot send him. The two ogres obstructing the Yaga are children of Sunda and Upasunda. They equal Yama in the battle field. So I cannot send Rama. Maricha and Subahu are well trained . I along with my friends cannot face even one of them'.

इति नरपति जल्पनात् द्विजेंद्रं
कुशिकसुतं सुमहान् विवेश मन्युः ।
सुहुत इव समिद्भिराज्यसिक्तः
समभवदुज्ज्वलितो महर्षिवह्निः ॥

Hearing those disheartening words of king Dasaratha, the great sage Viswamitra who is the best of Brahmans and who belongs to the line of Kusika was livid with anger. His anger, like the fire fed with fuel of oblations and sprinkled with other similar preparations, grew violent in no time !

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये
बालकांडे विंशस्सर्गः ॥
समाप्तं ॥

Thus ends chapter 20 of Balakanda in Valmiki Ramayana

|| om tat sat ||