← 1.19 Daśaratha’s resistance: The army offered in Rāma’s place · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.21 Departure with Viśvāmitra: Rāma receives Balā & Atibalā →

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 20: Vasiṣṭha’s intervention: The promise and Viśvāmitra’s powers

Summary. Viśvāmitra threatens to leave, Vasiṣṭha urges Daśaratha to honour his promise and assures him of the ṛṣi’s power to protect Rāma

Sequence

  1. Viśvāmitra angrily accuses Daśaratha of breaking his word and disgracing his dynasty → he threatens to depart → the earth trembles and the Suras grow afraid at his anger (1.20.1–4)
  2. Vasiṣṭha intervenes, reminding Daśaratha of his duty and warning that a broken promise would destroy the merit of his sacrifices and good works (1.20.5–8)
  3. he assures him that Rāma will be safe under Viśvāmitra's protection, trained or untrained (1.20.9)
  4. he describes Viśvāmitra's unmatched wisdom, austerity, and mastery of weapons (1.20.10–12)
  5. the divine weapons were given to Viśvāmitra while he was King: a hundred mighty sons of Kṛśāśva, born through Dakṣa's daughters Jayā and Suprabhā, fifty from each (1.20.13–17)
  6. Viśvāmitra knows them all and can create others → Vasiṣṭha urges Daśaratha to put aside his doubts. (1.20.18–19)

Verses 1.20.1–19

1.20.1

tac chrutvā vacanaṃ tasya snehaparyākulākṣaram
samanyuḥ kauśiko vākyaṃ pratyuvaca mahīpatim

Hearing that speech of his, its syllables faltering with affection, the Kauśika (Viśvāmitra), full of anger, replied to the king:

Words: tac — that; chrutvā — having heard; vacanaṃ — speech; tasya — his; snehaparyākulākṣaram — its syllables faltering with affection; samanyuḥ — full of anger; kauśiko — the Kauśika (Viśvāmitra); vākyaṃ — word; pratyuvaca — replied; mahīpatim — to the king

1.20.2

pūrvam arthaṃ pratiśrutya pratijñāṃ hātum icchasi
rāgavāṇām ayukto 'yaṃ kulasyāsya viparyayaḥ

Having first promised the matter, you now wish to abandon your pledge; this reversal, unworthy of the Rāghavas, is a disgrace to this line.

Words: pūrvam — first, before; arthaṃ — the matter, thing; pratiśrutya — having promised; pratijñāṃ — the pledge, promise; hātum — to abandon; icchasi — you wish; rāgavāṇām — of the Rāghavas; ayukto — unworthy, improper; 'yaṃ — this; kulasyāsya — of this line; viparyayaḥ — reversal, contradiction

1.20.3

yad idaṃ te kṣamaṃ rājan gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam
mithyāpratijñaḥ kākutstha sukhī bhava sabāndhavaḥ

If this seems fitting to you, O king, I shall go as I came; false to your promise, O Kākutstha, live happily with your kinsmen.

Words: yad — if, since; idaṃ — this; te — to you; kṣamaṃ — fitting, proper; rājan — O king; gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; yathāgatam — as I came; mithyāpratijñaḥ — false to your promise; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; sukhī — happy; bhava — be; sabāndhavaḥ — with your kinsmen

1.20.4

tasya roṣaparītasya viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ
cacāla vasudhā kṛtsnā viveśa ca bhayaṃ surān

As that wise Viśvāmitra was overcome with wrath, the whole earth trembled, and fear entered the gods.

Words: tasya — of him; roṣaparītasya — overcome with wrath; viśvāmitrasya — of Viśvāmitra; dhīmataḥ — the wise; cacāla — trembled, shook; vasudhā — the earth; kṛtsnā — whole, entire; viveśa — entered; ca — and; bhayaṃ — fear; surān — the gods

1.20.5

trastarūpaṃ tu vijñāya jagat sarvaṃ mahān ṛṣiḥ
nṛpatiṃ suvrato dhīro vasiṣṭho vākyam abravīt

Perceiving that the whole world had become terrified, the great seer Vasiṣṭha, of good vows and steadfast, spoke these words to the king:

Words: trastarūpaṃ — of terrified aspect; tu — but, and; vijñāya — having perceived; jagat — the world; sarvaṃ — whole; mahān — great; ṛṣiḥ — the seer; nṛpatiṃ — to the king; suvrato — of good vows; dhīro — steadfast; vasiṣṭho — Vasiṣṭha; vākyam — word; abravīt — spoke

1.20.6

ikṣvākūṇāṃ kule jātaḥ sākṣād dharma ivāparaḥ
dhṛtimānsuvrataḥ śrīmān na dharmaṃ hātum arhasi

Born in the line of the Ikṣvākus, like a second Dharma made manifest — resolute, of good vows, illustrious — you ought not to abandon dharma.

Words: ikṣvākūṇāṃ — of the Ikṣvākus; kule — in the line; jātaḥ — born; sākṣād — manifest, in person; dharma — Dharma; ivāparaḥ — like a second; dhṛtimānsuvrataḥ — resolute and of good vows; śrīmān — illustrious; na — not; dharmaṃ — dharma; hātum — to abandon; arhasi — you should

1.20.7

triṣu lokeṣu vikhyāto dharmātmā iti rāghavaḥ
svadharmaṃ pratipadyasva nādharmaṃ voḍhum arhasi

Renowned in the three worlds as 'the righteous,' O Rāghava — take up your own dharma; you ought not to bear the burden of unrighteousness.

Words: triṣu — in the three; lokeṣu — in the worlds; vikhyāto — renowned; dharmātmā — the righteous-souled; iti — thus, as; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; svadharmaṃ — your own dharma; pratipadyasva — take up, adopt; nādharmaṃ — not unrighteousness; voḍhum — to bear, carry; arhasi — you should

1.20.8

saṃśrutyaivaṃ kariṣyāmīty akurvāṇasya rāghava
iṣṭāpūrtavadho bhūyāt tasmād rāmaṃ visarjaya

Having promised 'I will do thus,' if you fail to do it, O Rāghava, the destruction of the merit of your sacrifices and pious works would follow; therefore send Rāma forth.

Words: saṃśrutyaivaṃ — having promised thus; kariṣyāmīty — ‘I shall do,’ thus; akurvāṇasya — of one not doing (it); rāghava — O Rāghava; iṣṭāpūrtavadho — the destruction of (merit from) sacrifices and pious works; bhūyāt — would arise, be; tasmād — therefore; rāmaṃ — Rāma; visarjaya — send forth

1.20.9

kṛtāstram akṛtāstraṃ vā nainaṃ śakṣyanti rākṣasāḥ
guptaṃ kuśikaputreṇa jvalanenāmṛtaṃ yathā

Whether trained in weapons or untrained, the rākṣasas will not be able (to harm) him, guarded by the son of Kuśika, as nectar (is guarded) by fire.

Words: kṛtāstram — trained in weapons; akṛtāstraṃ — untrained in weapons; vā — or; nainaṃ — not him; śakṣyanti — will be able; rākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas; guptaṃ — guarded, protected; kuśikaputreṇa — by the son of Kuśika; jvalanenāmṛtaṃ — nectar by fire; yathā — as, like

1.20.10

eṣa vigrahavān dharma eṣa vīryavatāṃ varaḥ
eṣa buddhyādhiko loke tapasaś ca parāyaṇam

He is dharma embodied; he is the best of the mighty; he surpasses all in wisdom in the world, and is the highest resort of austerity.

Words: eṣa — this one, he; vigrahavān — embodied, possessed of a body; dharma — dharma; eṣa — he; vīryavatāṃ — of the mighty; varaḥ — the best; eṣa — he; buddhyādhiko — superior in wisdom; loke — in the world; tapasaś — of austerity; ca — and; parāyaṇam — the highest resort, culmination

1.20.11

eṣo 'strān vividhān vetti trailokye sacarācare
nainam anyaḥ pumān vetti na ca vetsyanti ke cana

He knows the various weapons that exist in the three worlds with all that moves and moves not; no other man knows them as he does, nor will any ever know them.

Words: eṣo — he; 'strān — the weapons; vividhān — various, of many kinds; vetti — knows; trailokye — in the three worlds; sacarācare — with all that moves and moves not; nainam — not him (them); anyaḥ — another; pumān — man; vetti — knows; na — not; ca — and; vetsyanti — will know; ke — who (any); cana — at all (indef.)

1.20.12

na devā narṣayaḥ ke cin nāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ
gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ

Neither the gods, nor any of the seers, nor the asuras, nor the rākṣasas, nor the chief of the gandharvas and yakṣas, with the kinnaras and great serpents (know them).

Words: na — not; devā — the gods; narṣayaḥ — nor the seers; ke — who (any); cin — at all (indef.); nāsurā — nor the asuras; na — not; ca — and; rākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas; gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ — the chief gandharvas and yakṣas; sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ — with kinnaras and great serpents

1.20.13

sarvāstrāṇi kṛśāśvasya putrāḥ paramadhārmikāḥ
kauśikāya purā dattā yadā rājyaṃ praśāsati

All the weapons — the supremely righteous sons of Kṛśāśva — were of old given to the Kauśika, when he was ruling the kingdom.

Words: sarvāstrāṇi — all the weapons; kṛśāśvasya — of Kṛśāśva; putrāḥ — the sons; paramadhārmikāḥ — supremely righteous; kauśikāya — to the Kauśika (Viśvāmitra); purā — of old; dattā — given; yadā — when; rājyaṃ — the kingdom; praśāsati — he was ruling

1.20.14

te 'pi putrāḥ kṛśāśvasya prajāpatisutāsutāḥ
nakarūpā mahāvīryā dīptimanto jayāvahāḥ

And those sons of Kṛśāśva, the sons born of the daughters of Prajāpati, of manifold forms, of great valour, radiant, bringers of victory —

Words: te — those; 'pi — also; putrāḥ — sons; kṛśāśvasya — of Kṛśāśva; prajāpatisutāsutāḥ — sons born of the daughters of Prajāpati; nakarūpā — of manifold forms; mahāvīryā — of great valour; dīptimanto — radiant; jayāvahāḥ — bringers of victory

1.20.15

jayā ca suprabhā caiva dakṣakanye sumadhyame
te suvāte 'straśastrāṇi śataṃ parama bhāsvaram

Jayā and Suprabhā, the two fair-waisted daughters of Dakṣa — the two bore a hundred weapons and arms, supremely brilliant.

Words: jayā — Jayā; ca — and; suprabhā — Suprabhā; caiva — and; dakṣakanye — the two daughters of Dakṣa; sumadhyame — the two fair-waisted; te — the two; suvāte — the two bore, gave birth; 'straśastrāṇi — weapons and arms; śataṃ — a hundred; parama — supremely; bhāsvaram — brilliant, shining

1.20.16

pañcāśataṃ sutāṃl lebhe jayā nāma varān purā
vadhāyāsurasainyānām ameyān kāmarūpiṇaḥ

Jayā by name of old obtained fifty choice sons, immeasurable, able to take any form, for the slaughter of the armies of the asuras.

Words: pañcāśataṃ — fifty; sutāṃl — sons; lebhe — obtained; jayā — Jayā; nāma — by name; varān — choice, excellent; purā — of old; vadhāyāsurasainyānām — for the slaughter of the asura armies; ameyān — immeasurable; kāmarūpiṇaḥ — able to take any form

1.20.17

suprabhājanayac cāpi putrān pañcāśataṃ punaḥ
saṃhārān nāma durdharṣān durākrāmān balīyasaḥ

And Suprabhā in turn bore fifty sons called Saṃhāras (Destroyers), invincible, hard to assail, exceedingly powerful.

Words: suprabhājanayac — Suprabhā bore; cāpi — and also; putrān — sons; pañcāśataṃ — fifty; punaḥ — again, in turn; saṃhārān — the Saṃhāras (Destroyers); nāma — by name; durdharṣān — invincible, unassailable; durākrāmān — hard to overcome; balīyasaḥ — exceedingly powerful

1.20.18

tāni cāstrāṇi vetty eṣa yathāvat kuśikātmajaḥ
apūrvāṇāṃ ca janane śakto bhūyaś ca dharmavit

This son of Kuśika knows those weapons duly, and this knower of dharma is furthermore able in the creating of new ones.

Words: tāni — those; cāstrāṇi — and the weapons; vetty — knows; eṣa — he; yathāvat — duly, correctly; kuśikātmajaḥ — the son of Kuśika; apūrvāṇāṃ — of unprecedented (weapons); ca — and; janane — in the creating, generating; śakto — able; bhūyaś — furthermore, moreover; ca — and; dharmavit — the knower of dharma

1.20.19

evaṃ vīryo mahātejā viśvāmitro mahātapāḥ
na rāmagamane rājan saṃśayaṃ gantum arhasi

Such is the might of the greatly splendoured Viśvāmitra of great austerity; you ought not, O king, to entertain doubt about Rāma's going.

Words: evaṃ — such, thus; vīryo — of might; mahātejā — of great splendour; viśvāmitro — Viśvāmitra; mahātapāḥ — of great austerity; na — not; rāmagamane — concerning Rāma's going; rājan — O king; saṃśayaṃ — doubt; gantum — to go to, entertain; arhasi — you should

← 1.19 Daśaratha’s resistance: The army offered in Rāma’s place · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.21 Departure with Viśvāmitra: Rāma receives Balā & Atibalā →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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