April 29 - Sargas 17 and 18 of Balakanda.
There are many shlokas in each sarga and I am reciting all of them as per the original Ramayana with a preliminary prayer and also a Rama Mangalam. Whatever few shlokas I select and post here are chosen for their appeal to me and story elements.
Three important elements in today's reading:
1. Brahma instructs the gods that they should all take birth as monkeys and bears endowed with extraordinary powers so that they can all serve Vishnu born on earth in His supreme mission.
2. The birth, naming and development of Sri Rama and his brothers.
3. The arrival of Vishwamitra with the first major mission/assignment for a very young Sri Rama.
***
सत्यसंधस्य वीर्यस्य सर्वेषां नो हितैषिणः ।
विष्णोः सहायान् बलिनः सृजध्वं कामरूपिणः ॥
Brahma instructed: Oh gods, please procreate powerful sons able to change their forms at will who will be of service and assistance to Vishnu in His mission for all our welfare, knowing fully his qualities of standing for truth and upholding valour.
मायाविदश्च शूरांश्च वायुवेगसमान् जवे ।
नयज्ञान् बुद्धिसम्पन्नान् विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमान् ॥
Let them be capable of supernormal acts, be very brave, match the wind in speed, know ethics and rule of law, be full of intelligence, and be equal to Vishnu in their powers.
यक्षपन्नगकन्यासु ऋषिविद्याधरीषु च ।
सृजध्वं हरिरूपेण पुत्रांस्तुल्यपराक्रमान् ॥
Please create your sons as children of
celestial, sagely, and non-human females, and let them be born as monkeys - sons with unmatched powers.
पूर्वमेव मया सृष्टो जाम्बवान्ऋक्षपुङ्गवः ।
जृम्भमाण्स्य सहसा मम वक्त्रादजायत ॥
Already in the past, a supreme bear called Jambavaan has been created by me in an instant from my mouth through the act of a yawn.
***
Then there is a list of who's who - Vali, Sugriva, Nala, Nila, Tara, Gandhamadana, and of course the superhero Hanuman and many others: whose incarnations they are - Indra, Surya, Vishwakarma, Agni, Brihaspati, Kubera, and Vayu and so on.
As they grow up they display an incredible prowess of uprooting trees, toying with wild elephants, bringing down mighty birds, catching clouds, drying up oceans and so on. All arraigned and ready for action.
तैर्मेघवृन्दाचलकूटकल्पै -
र्महाबलैर्वानरयूथपालैः ।
बभूव भूर्भीमशरीररूपैः
समावृता रामसहायहेतोः ॥
Thus the earth was filled with mighty and terrifying warriors who resembled dark clouds and mountains in their appearance and were capable of incredible acts, all ready to be of service to Sri Rama when the time came.
***
ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनां षट् समत्युयुः।
ततश्च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ ॥
नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पञ्चसु ।
ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविन्दुना सह ॥
प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् ।
कौसल्याजनयद्रामं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥
Then, after the completion of the Yajna, six seasons after, in the twelfth month, in Chaitra, on Navami, in Punarvasu nakstra whose deity is the sun, with five planets ascendant together (Aries, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Libra) under confluence of Jupiter and Moon, at sunrise, in Karkataka Lagna, Kaushalya delivered the Lord of the world, worshipped universally, with all auspicious signs.
These astronomical references are used by astrologers to compute the exact year, month and day of Sri Rama's birth conclusively.
Bharata, Lakshmana and Shautrghna were born shortly thereafter.
There were celebrations in Ayodhya and in heaven. Celestials and humans made the first Ramanavami highly memorable with all festivities, music and dance. They showered flowers. The king gave away abundant riches to all. Sage Vasishtha joyously conducted the naming ceremony on the eleventh day and gave them names Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shartughna.
Then follows detailed descriptions of the attributes of Dasharatha's sons, their good looks, joyous demeanour and how they filled Dasharatha and the entire kingdom with joy.
The boys quickly mastered all arts, scriptures, weaponry, riding horses, elephants and so on.
Rama was the supreme hero, most loving of all, affectionately serving his father as a dutiful son. Lakshmana was his inseparable shadow, they were like one soul in two bodies, just as Shartughna was inseparable from Bharata.
ते चापि मनुजव्याघ्रा वैदिकाध्ययने रताः।
पितृशुश्रूषणरताः धनुर्वेदे च निष्ठिताः ॥
अथ राजा दशरथस्तेषां दाराक्रियां प्रति ।
चिन्तयामास धर्मात्मा सोपाध्यायः सबान्धवः ॥
Thus the brothers, tigers among men, were busy in studies of the Vedic scriptures. They were also obedient in serving their parents. They also took a special interest in archery practice.
At that time, the king, with a keen sense of his responsibilities, began deliberations with their teachers and his family about matrimonial alliances for the four sons, a subject of great importance for any monarch.
***
Just then arrived Vishwamitra at the gates of Ayodhya. A sage of great fame and spiritual powers (he unveiled the Gayatri Mantra to the world!) he was revered and feared equally universally. Dasharatha spared no effort in properly receiving him and honouring him. It appears he somehow knew there would an important turn of events.
Sage Vishwamitra also enquires after the king's welfare, how the kingdom is flourishing, the state of administration, the economic welfare of the people and so on. These passages indicate how advanced economically and culturally our country was as a civilisation 5000+ years ago.
***
After all due honours, the king submits:
ब्रह्मर्षित्वमनुप्राप्तः पूज्योऽसि बहुधा मया।
तदद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन् पवित्रं परमं मम ॥
शुभक्षेत्रगतश्चाहं तव संदर्शनात् प्रभो ।
ब्रूहि यत्प्रार्थितं तुभ्यं कार्यमागमनं प्रति ॥
Oh revered sage, you have attained the highest status ever possible for a rishi i. e. Brahmarshi (This is a compelling tale with Vasishtha as a principal character which will be narrated later)
thus worshippable by me in all ways. Your surprise arrival has conferred on me the same merit as going to a sacred pilgrimage (in fact the word Tirtha in Hinduism means a place made sacred by rishis and saints).
Kindly instruct me on the purpose of your arrival and what is the work to be accomplished. I shall undertake it as my privilege and sacred duty!
***
This was the custom always. Sages and saints never bothered with cities and kingdoms and luxuries. They went to kings only for any specific purpose of doing good for humanity, for imparting knowledge, or setting right some anamolies in administration.
Having heard the king's words, the sage Vishwamitra was pleased. What he asked for comes tomorrow!
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
