बालकांड
पंचम सर्गः

सर्वापूर्वमियं येषां आसीत् कृत्स्ना वसुंधरा ।
प्रजापतिं उपादाय नृपाणां जयशालिनाम् ॥
येषां स सगरो नाम सागरो येन खानितः ।
षष्ठिः पुत्र सहस्राणि यं यांतं पर्यवारयन् ॥

This whole earth has been ruled by many victorious kings starting from Prajapati. Among them is a king Sagara , whose sixty thousand sons dug the earth creating the Saagara , the ocean

इक्ष्वाकूणां इदं तेषां राज्ञां वंशे महात्मनाम्।
महदुत्पन्नमाख्यानं रामायणमिति श्रुतम् ॥
तदिदं वर्तयिष्यावः सर्वं निखिलमादितः ।
धर्मकामार्थ सहितं श्रोतव्यं अनसूयया ॥

In that lineage of Ikshwakus a number of great people were born. The story of those kings is called "Ramayanam". We are singing that in full. It is conducive to piety , worldly prosperity and liberation. It is to be heard with a mind free from evil thoughts.

कोसलो नाम मुदितः स्फीतो जनपदो महान् ।
निविष्ठः सरयूतीरे प्रभूत धनधान्यवान् ॥
अयोध्यानाम नगरी तत्रास्सील्लोकविश्रुता ।
मनुना मानवेंद्रेण या पुरी निर्मिता स्वयं ॥
अयता दश च द्वे च योजनानि महापुरी ।
श्रीमती त्रीणिविस्तीर्णा सु विभक्तमहापथा ॥

On the banks of the river Sarayu there is a kingdom called Kosala. It is populated with happy people satisfied with the riches of foodgrains and wealth. In that kingdom there is a city by name Ayodhya, well known in all the three worlds. It is twelve yojanas long and three yojanas wide is laced with many main thoroughfares fit for kings.

राजमार्गेण महता सुविभक्तेन शोभिता ।
मुक्तपुष्पावकीर्णेन जलसिक्तेन नित्यशः ॥
तां तु राजा दशरथो महाराष्ट्र विवर्थनः ।
पुरीमावासयामास दिवं देवपतिर्यथा ॥
कवाटतोरणवतीं सुविभक्तांतरापणाम् ।
सर्वयंत्रायुधवतीं उपेतां सर्व शिल्पिभिः ॥
सूतमागध संबंधां श्रीमतीं अतुलप्रभाम्।
उच्चाट्टालध्वजपतीं शतघ्नीशतसंकुलाम् ॥

The main thoroughfares were full of wet flowers fallen from the trees. The king Dasaratha promoted his kingdom to a preeminent postion much like Indra promoting the position of heavens. The city is full of arched gateways with beautiful arches and is with well laid out market places . There were variety of machines and aramaments and is fulll of people of different crafts.There are many craftmen with many skills. There are panergytics and bards .The city is populated with people having riches . With tall fortifications and flag poles it is equiped with hundreds of "Sataghnis".

वधूनाटक संघैश्च संयुक्तां सर्वतः पुरीम्।
उद्यानाम्रवणोपेतां महतीं सालमेखलाम् ॥
दुर्ग गंभीर परिघां दुर्गां अन्यैः दुरासदाम् ।
वाजी वारण संपूर्णां गोभिरुष्ट्रैः खरैस्तथा ॥
सामंत राज संघैश्च बलिकर्मभिरावृताम् ।
नानादेश निवासैश्च वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम् ॥
प्रासादै रत्नविकृतैः पर्वतैरुपशोभिताम् ।
कूटागारैश्च संपूर्णां इंद्रस्येवामरावतीम्॥

That city is full of groups of people expert in arts. There are mango groves enclosed by a fortified wall. Encircled by a moat , the fort with fortified access is impossible to be approached by enemies. The city is full of different animals like elephants, horses , cows , camels and donkeys. The feudatory princes who come to pay taxes throng the city along with people and traders who come from many countries for buying and selling. The city is populated with palaces full of precious stones , with multistoried buildings and with mountains. City is shining like the celestial city Amaravati of Indra.

चित्रां अष्टपदाकारां वरनारी गणैर्युताम् ।
सर्व रत्नसमाकीर्णां विमानगृहशोभिताम् ॥
गृहगाढानुविच्चिद्रां समभूमौ निवेशिताम् ।
शालितंडुलसंपूर्णां इक्षुकांडरसोदकाम् ॥
दुंदुभीभिः मृदंगैश्च वीणाभिः पणवैस्तथा ।
नादितां भृशमत्यर्थं पृथिव्यां तामनुत्तमाम् ॥
विमानमिव सिद्धानां तपसाधिगतं दिवि ।
सुनिवेशित वेश्मांतं नरोत्तम समावृतम् ॥

It has buildings laid out like on an eight square board. The houses are populated with beautiful ladies and houses full of precious stones seem to reach upto the sky . The houses were built with no faults on a level ground . The houses seemed to be full of grains, and sweet juices of sugarcane.The great city is resounding with the sounds of kettledrums, stringed instruments like Veena. The series of buildings lining that city appear like they are attained by Siddhas through intense efforts of penance and are occupied by people of great merit.

ये च बाणैर्न विध्यंती विविक्तं अपरापरम् ।
शब्दवेध्यं च विततं लघुहस्ता विशारदाः ॥
सिंहव्याघ्रवराहाणां मत्तानां नर्दतां वने ।
हंतारो निशितैः शस्त्रैः बलाद्बाहुबलादपि ॥
तादृशानां सहस्रैस्तां अभिपूर्णां महरथैः ।
पुरीं आवासयामास राजा दशरथस्तदा ॥

The warriors of that city are experts in use of all types of arms. They are adept at shooting arrows with sound as a reference and are alos capable of battling with bare hands. But they donot kill people who are all alone or those running away . They can kill roaring lions tigers boars in the forests. They were killing them with their ability to use all types of arms as well their physical prowess. The city is filled with such strong cadre of warriors.

तामग्निमद्भिः गुणवद्भिरावृतां
द्विजोत्तमैः वेद षडंग पारगैः ।
सहस्रदैस्सत्य रतैर्महात्मभिः
महर्षिकल्पैः ऋषिभिश्च केवलैः ॥

It is a city populated with Brahmins who always keep the celestail fire burning. They are well versed in Vedas and all its branches. They are high souled people who give away riches in abundance . They are seekers of truth and are almost like seers. Nay they are seers themselves !!

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये
आदिकाव्ये बालकांडे पंचम सर्गः ॥

Thus ends chater 5 of Balakanda in Ramayana written by Sage valmiki

|| ओम् तत् सत् ||

|| om tat sat ||