Ramayana book one boyhood valmiki

Glossary 393 Index 405

7 7

The Tale of Rama The Creation ofPoetry The Kingdom of Kósala The Tale ofRishya.shringa and the Sacrifices ofDasha.ratha The Incarnation ofVishnu and the Gods Ramá’s Birth and Youthful Exploits The Journey to Mithila and Vishva.mitra’s Narration ofPuránic Legends The Saga ofVishva.mitra The Birth ofSita The Breaking of the Bow The Marriage of the Sons ofDasha.ratha The Return to Ayódhya

Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Valmiki

[Ramayaiia. Balakända. English] Ramayana. Book one, Boyhood I by Valmiki; translated by Robert P. Goldman. p. cm. —

(The Clay Sanskrit library) In English; translated from Sanskrit. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8147-3163-5 (cloth: alk. paper)

i. Epic literature, Sanskrit. 2. Räma (Hindu deity) in literature. I. Goldman, Robert P., 1942- II. Title. III. Series.

BLii39.z4z.B35E5 2005 294.5’92204521—dc22 2004024059

A sandbi grid is printed on the inside of the back cover

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—I 65.1 ATAkI PRABHATE vimale krtakarma nar’ãdhipal

Vivämitraip mah”Iatmanam ajuhãva saRaghavam. Tam arcayitva dharm’ãtma astradtena karmaitiã Raghavau ca mah”atmänau tadã vakyam uvaca ha: > Evam uktah sa dharm’jatmãJanakena mah”Iatmana

pratyuvãca munir viraqt vakyaip vakyatviaradal. 65.5

draçukamau dhanulrehaip yad etat tvayi tihati. Etad daraya bhadrarp te 1qtakamau nrp’Iatmajau daranad asya dhanuo yath”êçaip pratiyasyatal1.>> Evam uktas tu Janakab pratyuvãca mahalmunim:

ruyatäm asya dhanuo yad artham iha tisthati. Devarãta iti khyato Nimeb sasho mahipatil nyaso ‘yaip tasya bhagavan haste datto mah”Iatmana. DaksayajfiaIvadhe purvaip dhanur ayamya viryavãn Rudras tu tridaän rosãt sajiltam idam abravit:

6.io

334

I N THE CLEAR DAWN, Jánaka, the lord ofmen, performed 65.1his ritual duties and summoned great Vishva.mitra and the two Raghavas. The righteous man paid homage to him and the two Raghavas with rites set down in the traditional texts and then spoke: “Welcome to you, holy one. What can I do for you, sinless man? Command me, sir, for I am yours to command.” Addressed in this fashion by great Jánaka, the righteous

sage, skilled in speech, said these words to that hero: “These two kshatriyas are the world-renowned sons of Dasha.ra tha. They wish to see that best of bows you have in your possession. Please show it to them, and when they have once attained their desire by seeing the bow, the princes will return home as they please.” Addressed in this fashion, Jánaka replied to the great sage,

“You must first learn the purpose for which thebow is here. Holy man, there was once a king named Deva.rata, sixth in descent from Nimi. Great Shiva left it as a trust in his hands. Long ago, at the time of the destruction ofDaksha’s sacrifice, the mighty Rudra bent this bow, and, in his anger, spoke contemptuously to the gods: ‘Since you failed to set 65.10 aside a portion for me who desire a portion, o gods, I shall cut offyour precious heads with this bow.’ In despair, bull among sages, the gods all propitiated him, Bhava, the lord of gods, so that at length he was pleased with them. Filled with pleasure, he gave the bow to all the great gods. Lord, it was that very jewel of a bow belonging to the great god ofgods that was given as a trust to our forebear.

335

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RAMAYANA I — BOYHOOD

Atha me kratab kserrarn langalad utthita mama ksetrarn odhayata Iabdhvã nãmnã Sit” êti viruta.

65.15 Bhatalad utthitã sã tu vyavardhata mam’ ãtmajã viryaulk” en me kanya snhapin” êyam ayonijã. Bhaltalad utthitãl tarn tu vardhamanaip mam’ atmajam varayam ãsur agamya rajäno muniputpgava. Team varayatam kanyam san’eãm prthivikitam viryaulk” en bhagavan na dadami sutam aham. Tatah sarve nrlpatayah sametya muniIpuIpgava Mithilam abhyupagamya viryaip jijñãsavas tada. Team jijflasamananaip viryarn dhanur upahtam na ekur graha9e tasya dhanuas tolane ‘pi Va.

6.ao Tesam viryavanãm viryam alpam jflanra mahalmune pratyakhyara nIpanayas tan nibodha tapo4hana. Tanab paramalkopena rajãno munipuiJgava arundhan Mithilai san’e viryasaqideham aganah. Atmanam avadhünarn te vijñaya munilpum)gava rosena mahat” aviah pidayan Mithilam purim. Tatah sarnvansare purl3e lqayaip yanani sarva4 sadhanani munirestha tato ‘ham bhraIduhkhitab. Tato devagaçan sarvarps tapas” âharn prasadayam dadu ca paramaIprina catur(angabala suraki.

65.25 Tato bhagna nIpatayo hanyamana dio yayii aviryä viryajsarndigdha s’jamatyal papalkariiialy

336

THE BIRTH OF SITA

Now, one time, as 1 was plowing a field, a girl sprang up behind my plow. I found her as I was clearing the field, and she is thus known by the name Sita, furrow. Sprung from the earth, she has been raised as my daughter, and since she was not born from the womb, my daughter has been set apart as one for whom the only bride-price is great strength. Many kings have come, bull among sages, and asked for the hand ofthis girl who sprang from the earth and has been raised as my daughter. But, holy man, although all the rulers of the earth are asking for this girl, I have not given my daughter in marriage, reflecting that she is one whose bride-price is great strength. So all the kings assembled, bull among sages, and came to Mirhila eager to test their strength. Since they wished to test their strength, I offered them the bow. But they could not even grasp it, much less lift it. Now, you must know, great sage, that when I saw these 65.20

mighty kings had little strength, I rejected them all. But when the strengthofthe kings had been called into question, bull among sages, they all laid siege to Mithila in great anger. Feeling themselves slighted, bull among sages, they were filled with great fury and harassed the city of Mi rhila. By the time a full year had passed, all my resources were exhausted, best of sages, and I was truly miserable. Therefore, I propitiated all the hosts ofgods with austerities, and since they were pleased with me, the gods gave me an army complete with the four divisions. Then those wicked 65.25 kings, whose strength had been called into question, were broken. They fled with their ministers in all directions, stripped of their strength while being slaughtered.

337

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THE BIRTH OF SITA

“This, then, is the incomparably splendid bow, tiger among sages, firm in your vows. I shall show it to Rama and Lákslimana. And if, sage, Rama, son of Dasha•ratha, can string this bow, I will give him my daughter, who was not born from the womb.”

RAMAYANA I — BOYHOOD

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sutäm ayonijã1 SitãlTl dadyai Daarather ahami>

Il

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338 339

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66.i ANAKASYA VACAH rutvã Vivamitro mahajmunih:

cdhanur dariaya Ramaya iti>> h’ ôvaca parthivam.

Tatali sa raja Janakali sacivan vyadidea ha: <

Janakena samadihãli sacivaki pravian purim

tad dhanuli puratali krtvã nirjagmub parthiv’ajñaya. Niarp atãni pancaad vyayatanarp mah”Lätmanam mañjãam aacakraqi taip samahus te katharp cana.

66. Tam adaya tu mañjãam ayasirp yatra tad dhanub

sur’IôpamaI te Janakam ücur npatiImantri1al1: <>

Tesãrp npo vacal1 rutvã krt’âñjalir abhãata Vivamitrarn mah”ãtmãnarp tau c’ ôbhau RamaLaksmaiau:

rãjabhi ca mahalviryair aakyaip puriturp tada.

N’ ãitat surajgaiiãli sarve n’ ãsurã na ca rãkasaki gandharvayakaipravaraIi sakiipnaramah”Iôragali.

66.io Kva gatir mãnual1ã1Ti ca dhanuo ‘sya praparalle

aropalle samayoge vepane tolane ‘pi vã? Tad etad dhanuaip re ham anita munhlpurpigava daray’ âitan mahabhaga anayo raja)putrayoli.>>

Vivamitras tu dharm’latma rutvã Janakabhasitam

> Raghavam abravit.

maha”Irer vacanãd Rãmo yatra tihati tad dhanub mañjuaip tam apavrtya dvãdhanur ath’ âbravit:

yatnavaq1 ca bhaviyami tolane para1e ‘pi vã.>>

342

WHEN THE great sage Vishva.mitra had listened to 66.iKing Janaka’s words, he said to him, “Show Rama the bow.” So King Jánaka gave the order to his ministers, “Bring the celestial bow and see that it is perfumed and adorned with garlands.” Commanded byJanaka, the min isters entered the city and, placing the bow before them, came forth on the king’s orders. Five thousand tall and brawny men were hard put to drag its eight-wheeled chest. But when they brought the iron chest that held the bow, 66.5 his counsellors addressed the godlike King Janaka: “Your majesty, best ofkings, lord ofMIthila, here is the great bow, worshipped by all the kings. Ifyou wish it, it shall be seen.” Hearing their words, the king cupped his hands in rev

erence and spoke to great Vishva•mitra, Rama and Láksh mana: “Here is the great bow, brahman, that the Jánakas worship and the mighty kings were unable to string. All the hosts ofgods, ásuras, rdkshasas and the foremost among the gandhsfrvas andyakshas, kInnaras and great serpents are incapable ofbending this bow, stringing it, fitting an arrow 66.io to it, drawing its string or even lifting it. What chance is there then for men? Yes, bull among sages, it is the greatest ofbows that has been brought. Illustrious sage, please show it to the two princes.” When righteous Vishva•mitra heard what Janaka said,

he turned to Rághava and said, “Rama, my son, behold the bow.” Following the great seer’s instructions, Rama opened the chest in which the bow lay and, regarding it closely, he spoke: “Now, brahman, I shall touch this great bow with my hand. I shall attempt to lift and even string it.” “Very 66.15

I 343

RAMAYANA I — BOYHOOD THE BREAKING OF THE BOW

66.J5 ((Badham iiy> eva tarp raja muni ca samabhaata

lilaya sa dhanur madhye jagraha vacanan munelti. Payataqi nrlsahasrãiiarn bahQnarn Raghunandanali

aropayat sa dharm’atmã sali1am iva tad dhanulti. Aropayitva maurvirn ca purayam ãsa viryavan

tad babhañja dhanur madhye naraJreho mahayaa.

Tasya abdo mahãn asin nirghataIsamaIniisvanah

bhfmikampa ca sumahan parvatasy’ eva diryatah.

Nipetu ca narãh sarve tena abdena mohitab varjayitva munivararn rajanarn tau ca Raghavau.

66.20 Pratyavaste jane tasmin raja vigatalsadhvasal.i uvãca prañjalir vãkyaip vakyajno munipurnIgavam: Bhagavan davityo me Rämo Daarath’Iatmajab atyadbhutam acintyarn ca atarkitam idarn maya.

Janakanam kule kirtim aharisyati me suta

Sita bhartaram asadya Ramarn Daarath’ãtmajam.

Mama satyã pratijna ca viryaJulk” ëti Kauhka Sitã pranair bahumatã deya Ramaya me sutã. Bliavato ‘numate brahmañ ighraip gacchanw mantriiah

mama Kauika bhadraip te Ayodllyarn tvaritã rathail.

66.25 Rajanarp praritair vãkyair anayantu puraip mama

pradanarn viryaulkayah kathayantu ca sarvaalti.

Munhlguptau ca Käkutsthau kathayantu nrpaya vai

priyamanarn tu rajanam anayantu suighragai.

well,” replied both king and sage. So, following the sage’s instructions, he easily grasped the bow in the middle. Then, as though it were mere play to him, the righteous

prince, the delight of the Raghus, strung the bow as thou sands watched. The mighty man afhxed the bowstring and, fitting an arrow to it, drew it back. But, in so doing, the best ofmen broke the bow in the middle. There was a tremen dous noise loud as a thunderclap, and a mighty trembling shook the earth, as if a mountain had been torn asunder. Of all those men, only the great sage, the king and the two Raghavas remained standing; the rest fell, stunned by the noise. When the people had come to their senses, the eloquent 66.20

king, free from his anxiety cupped his hands in reverence and addressed the bull among sages: “Holy man, I have witnessed the might of Dasha.ratha’s son Rama. It is mar velous and inconceivable. I had no notion ofit. With Rama, Dasha.ratha’s son, for her husband, my daughter Sita will bring glory to the House of the Janakas. And so, Káushika, my vow that great strength should be her only bride-price has been proved true. For my daughter Sita, as dear to me as life itse1f shall be given in marriage to Rama. Bless you, Káushika brahman, with your permission, my counsellors shall set out at once for Ayodhya in swift chariots. With 66.25 courteous words they shall bring the king to my city. And they shall tell him all about the betrothal ofmy daughter, whose only bride-price was strength. They shall also tell the king that the Kakut.sthas are under the sage’s protection. The king will be delighted. Now, let them go swiftly and bring him here.”

344 345

RAM YANA I — BOYHOOD

Kauika ca <> aha raja c’ abhaya mantrii:iab Ayodhyarn presayam ãsa dharm’Iatma ktaIasanat.

THE BREAKING Of THE BOW

“So be it,” Káushika replied. The righteous king then spoke to his counsellors, and when they had received their orders, he dispatched them to Ayódhya.