बालकांड
एकोन त्रिंशस्सर्गः

अथ तस्या प्रमेयस्य तद्वनं परिप्च्छतः।
विश्वामित्रो महातेजाव्याख्यातुम् उपचक्रमे ॥

Hearing those questions of Rama who was asking like a commoner, the illustrious Viswamitra then started to elaborate in detail.

इह रामो महाबाहो विष्णुर्देववरः प्रभुः ।
वर्षाणि सुबहुन्येव तथा युगशतानि च ॥
तपश्चरणयोगार्थं उवास सु महातपाः ।
एष पुर्वाश्रमो राम वामनस्य महात्मनः ॥
सिद्धाश्रम इति ख्यातः सिद्धो ह्यत्र महतपाः ॥

'O Rama ! The best of Devas namely Mahavishnu lived here several hundred yugas doing penance for the welfare of the world. Because of Mahavishnu achieving his objectives before his incarnation as Vamana, and also great hermits acheving their objectives by penance here , this hermitage is named 'Siddhasrama' a hermitage where wishes get fulfilled.

एतस्मिन्नेव कालेतु राजा वैरोचनिर्बलिः ।
निर्जित्य दैवतगणान् सेंद्रांश्च समरुद्गणान् ।
कारयामास तद्राज्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः ॥
बलेस्तु यजमानस्य देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः ।
समागम्य स्वयं चैव विष्णुं ऊचुरिहाश्रमे ॥
बलि र्वैरोचनिर्विष्णो यजते यज्ञमुत्तमम् ।
असमाप्ते क्रतौ तस्मिन् स्वकार्यमभिपद्यताम् ॥
ये चैन मभिवर्तंते याचितार इतस्ततः ।
यच्छ यत्र यथावच्छ सर्वं तेभ्यः प्रयच्छति ॥
स त्वं सुरहितार्थाय मायायोगमुपाश्रितः ।
वामनत्वं गतो विष्णु कुरु कल्याण मुत्तमम् ॥

'At the same time Bali who is the son of Virochana conquered the legions of Devas along with Indra as well as Maruts and ruled over all the three worlds. When a sacrifice was being conducted with Bali at the helm, the Devas with Agni in the front approached Lord Vishnu and made the following request. " Oh Maha Vishnu , Virochana's son Bali is performing a an auspicious sacrifice. Before that sacrifice is completed you have to complete our task. All the seekers coming from all over are getting their wishes fulfilled. You too using Maya attain the form of a Vamana and do the needful for the welfare of the world'.

एतस्मिन्नंतरे राम काश्यपोग्निसमप्रभः ।
अदित्या सहितो राम दीप्यमान इवौजसा ॥
देवी सहायो भगवान् दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रकम् ।
व्रतं समाप्य वरदं तुष्टाव मधुसूदनम् ॥
तपोमयं तपोराशिं तपोमूर्तिं तपात्मकम् ।
तपसा त्वां सुतस्तेन पश्यामि पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥
शरिरे तव पश्यामि जगत् सर्वमिदं प्रभो ।
त्वमानदिरनिर्देश्यः त्वामहं शरणं गतः ॥

At the same time the sage Kasyapa with his wife Aditi performed penance for several thousands of years. After pleasing Madhusudana he offerred a prayer, " Oh Purushottama! You are absorbed in penance. You are peanance incarnate. Having performed penance I am able to see you. Oh Lord ! I am seeing the whole world in you.You are the one without begining and or end. I seek your protection".

तमुवाच हरिः प्रीतः काश्यपं धूतकल्मषम्।
वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरार्होsसि मतो मम ॥
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य मारीचः कास्यपोsब्रवीत् ।
अदित्या देवतानां च मम चैवानुयाचतः ॥
वरं वरद सुप्रीतो दातुमर्हसि सुव्रत ।
पुत्रत्वं गच्छ भगवन्नदित्या मम चानघ ॥

Thus pleased Sri Hari spoke to the son of Maricha namely sage Kasayapa who is pure." Oh Suvrata ! Ask for a boon. I will grant the same and you are fit to receive the same". Hearing those words Kasyapa said as follows." Aditi , Devas and myself we request you. Grant us a boon. You are the one fit to give that boon. Oh Great soul be born as a son to to Aditi and me".

भ्राता भव यावीयां स्त्वं शक्रस्यासुरसूदन ।
शोकार्तानां तु देवानां साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥
अयं सिद्धाश्रमो नाम प्रसादात् ते भविष्यति ।
सिद्धेकर्मणि देवेश उत्तिष्ठ भगवन्नितः ॥

"Oh The demolisher of Asura's ! Be born as brother of Indra. Only you can help the Devas who are lost in a world of sorrows. With your blessings this hermitage will be known as 'Siddaasrama'. On Lord of all Gods with your blessings all our penences will be fruitful. Please come for our help".

अथ विष्णु र्महातेजा अदित्यां समजायत ।
वामनं रूप मास्थाय वैरोचनि मुपागमत् ॥
त्रीन् क्रमानथ भिक्षित्वा प्रतिगृह्य च मानदः ।
अक्रम्य लोकान् लोकात्मा सर्वभूतहितेरतः ॥
महेंद्राय पुनः प्रादात् नियम्य बलिमोजसा ।
त्रैलोक्यं स महातेजः चक्रे शक्रवशं पुनः ॥

Then the effulgent Vishnu was born as Vamana. He went to Bali. There he asked for alms in the form of three feet and recived the same. Then spreading himself across all the three worlds he conquered Bali and restored the leadership of all the three worlds to Indra. Thus MahaVishnu restored the Indra to his postion as the leader of all the three worlds'.

तेनैषा पूर्वमाक्रांत आश्रमः श्रमनाशनः ।
मयाsपि भक्त्या तश्यैष वामनस्योपभुज्यते ॥
एतमाश्रममायांति राक्षसा विघ्नकारिणः ।
अत्रैव पुरुषव्याघ्र हंतव्या दुष्टचारिणः ॥

'That is how this hermitage gots its fame. This land removes all stress. I am also here out of my respect for Vamana. The the demons who are resposible for creating obstructions come here. Oh Tiger among men ! Here those Rakshasas performing sacrilages must be killed'.

अद्यगच्छामहे राम सिद्धाश्रमम् अनुत्तमम् ।
तदाश्रमपदं तात तवाप्येतद्यथा मम ॥
प्रविशन्नाश्रमपदं व्यरोचत महामुनिः ।
शशीव गतनीहारः पुनर्वसु समन्वितः ॥

'Oh Rama ! We will leave for Siddaasrama today only. Dear son! That hermitage is not only mine, it is yours too!' Then Viswamitra entered Siddasram along with Rama ad Lakshmana. Then Viswamitra shone like the Moon aligned with Star Punarvasu.

तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयः सर्वे सिद्दाश्रमनिवासिनः ।
उत्पत्योत्पत्य सहसा विश्वामित्रं अपूजयन् ॥
यथार्हं चक्रिरे पूजां विश्वामित्राय धीमते ।
तथैव राजपुत्राभ्यां अकुर्वन् अतिथिक्रियाम् ॥

Seeing them entering the hermitage all the sages got up and came forward to greet the Sage Viswamitra. They then offered him the high honors as due and then also honored Rama and Lakshman too as is due for the guests.

मुहूर्तमथ विश्रांतौ राजपुत्रावरिंदमौ ।
प्रांजली मुनिशार्दूलं ऊचतू रघुनंदनौ ॥
अद्यैव दीक्षां प्रविश भद्रं ते मुनिपुंगव ।
सिद्दाश्रमौsयं सिद्दः स्यात् सत्यमस्तु वचस्तव ॥

Then the two princes who are the scions of Raghu , and who are also the terror of enemies, took rest for a while and then spoke to sage Viswamitra after paying obeisance to him." Oh the best of sages ! You start your rites today istelf. Your wish will be fulfilled. This name of this hermitage Siddasrama will be proven to be right too."

एवमुक्तो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महान् ऋषिः ।
प्रविवेश तदा दीक्षां नियतो नियतेंद्रियः ॥

Having been thus urged Viswamitra took the vows of the sacrifice with a mind made still and following the rites of peanance.

कुमारावपि तां रात्रिं उषित्वा सुसमाहितौ ।
प्रभातकालेचोत्थाय पूर्वां संध्यां उपास्यच ॥

The princes too spent the night and got up early and perfromed all the rites of the early morning period.

स्पृष्टोदकौ शुची जप्यं समाप्य नियमेव च ।
हुताग्निहोत्रमासीनं विश्वामित्रमवंदताम् ॥

Having cleansed themselves and touching the ritual waters as well as completing the early morning meditations , they then stood before the sage Viswamitra who is seated in front of the sacrficial fires . And then they paid their respects.

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये
बालकांडे एकोन त्रिंशस्सर्गः ॥
समाप्तं॥

|| Thus the twenty ninth sarga of Balakanda comes to an end ||
|| Om tat sat ||

||om tat sat ||