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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 26: Divine weapons: Viśvāmitra grants the powers

Summary. Viśvāmitra teaches the weapon-mantras, the powers appear and offer service, Rāma asks them to answer whenever summoned

Sequence

  1. The next morning Viśvāmitra smiles and speaks sweetly to Rāma → pleased with him and filled with affection, he offers him astras powerful enough to overcome Devas, asuras, gandharvas and uragas (1.26.1–3)
  2. he names the discuses of Daṇḍa, Dharma, Kāla, Viṣṇu, and Indra; the thunderbolt, Śiva's trident, Brahmaśiras, Aiṣīka, and the Brahmāstra (1.26.4–7)
  3. he adds the maces Modakī and Śikharī, the nooses of Dharma, Kāla, and Varuṇa, and the dry and moist thunderbolts (1.26.7–9)
  4. further gifts include the Paināka, Nārāyaṇa, fire and wind weapons, Hayaśiras, Krauñca, spears, swords, and weapons associated with asuras, vidyādharas, and gandharvas (1.26.10–14)
  5. he gives weapons that induce sleep, pacify, dry up, torment, inflame desire, or delude, along with others that draw away an enemy's energy or bring cold (1.26.15–20)
  6. pure and composed, Viśvāmitra stands facing east and murmurs the mantras → the weapons appear in person before Rāma, join their palms, and offer themselves as his servants (1.26.21–23)
  7. Rāma accepts them and touches them with his hand, asking them to be present in his mind whenever summoned → he salutes his teacher and resumes the journey. (1.26.24–25)

Verses 1.26.1–25

1.26.1

atha tāṃ rajanīm uṣya viśvāmiro mahāyaśāḥ
prahasya rāghavaṃ vākyam uvāca madhurākṣaram

Then, having passed that night, the greatly illustrious Viśvāmitra, smiling, spoke to Rāghava words of sweet syllables:

Words: atha — then; tāṃ — that; rajanīm — night; uṣya — having passed, dwelt through; viśvāmiro — Viśvāmitra; mahāyaśāḥ — the greatly illustrious; prahasya — smiling, laughing gently; rāghavaṃ — to Rāghava; vākyam — words; uvāca — spoke; madhurākṣaram — of sweet syllables

1.26.2

patituṣṭo 'smi bhadraṃ te rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ
prītyā paramayā yukto dadāmy astrāṇi sarvaśaḥ

“I am well pleased — blessings on you, O illustrious prince! Filled with the highest affection, I give you all the weapons,

Words: patituṣṭo 'smi — I am well pleased; bhadraṃ — good fortune, a blessing; te — to you; rājaputra — O prince; mahāyaśaḥ — O greatly illustrious one; prītyā — with affection; paramayā — the highest; yukto — endowed, filled; dadāmy — I give; astrāṇi — weapons; sarvaśaḥ — all, entirely

1.26.3

devāsuragaṇān vāpi sagandharvoragān api
yair amitrān prasahyājau vaśīkṛtya jayiṣyasi

the weapons by which you shall overpower and subdue your enemies in battle and conquer them — even the hosts of gods and asuras, together with the gandharvas and serpents.

Words: devāsuragaṇān — the hosts of gods and asuras; vāpi — even, or; sagandharvoragān — together with gandharvas and serpents; api — also; yair — by which; amitrān — enemies; prasahyājau — having overpowered (them) in battle; vaśīkṛtya — having brought under control; jayiṣyasi — you shall conquer

1.26.4

tāni divyāni bhadraṃ te dadāmy astrāṇi sarvaśaḥ
daṇḍacakraṃ mahad divyaṃ tava dāsyāmi rāghava

Those divine weapons — blessings on you — I give you all of them. The great divine Daṇḍa discus I shall give you, O Rāghava,

Words: tāni — those; divyāni — divine; bhadraṃ — a blessing; te — to you; dadāmy — I give; astrāṇi — weapons; sarvaśaḥ — all; daṇḍacakraṃ — the Daṇḍa (staff) discus; mahad — great; divyaṃ — divine; tava — to you; dāsyāmi — I shall give; rāghava — O Rāghava

1.26.5

dharmacakraṃ tato vīra kālacakraṃ tathaiva ca
viṣṇucakraṃ tathātyugram aindraṃ cakraṃ tathaiva ca

and then the Dharma discus, O hero, and likewise the Kāla (Time) discus, the Viṣṇu discus, exceedingly fierce, and the discus of Indra as well;

Words: dharmacakraṃ — the Dharma discus; tato — then; vīra — O hero; kālacakraṃ — the Kāla (Time) discus; tathaiva — and likewise; ca — and; viṣṇucakraṃ — the Viṣṇu discus; tathātyugram — and (one) exceedingly fierce; aindraṃ — of Indra; cakraṃ — discus; tathaiva — and likewise; ca — and

1.26.6

vajram astraṃ naraśreṣṭha śaivaṃ śūlavaraṃ tathā
astraṃ brahmaśiraś caiva aiṣīkam api rāghava

the thunderbolt weapon, O best of men, and likewise the excellent trident of Śiva; and also the weapon Brahmaśiras and the Aiṣīka, O Rāghava.

Words: vajram — the thunderbolt; astraṃ — weapon; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; śaivaṃ — of Śiva; śūlavaraṃ — the excellent trident; tathā — likewise; astraṃ — weapon; brahmaśiraś — Brahmaśiras (head of Brahmā); caiva — and also; aiṣīkam — the Aiṣīka (reed-weapon); api — also; rāghava — O Rāghava

1.26.7

dadāmi te mahābāho brāhmam astram anuttamam
gade dve caiva kākutstha modakī śikharī ubhe

I give you, O mighty-armed one, the peerless Brahmā weapon; and two maces, O Kākutstha, both Modakī and Śikharī,

Words: dadāmi — I give; te — to you; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; brāhmam — of Brahmā; astram — weapon; anuttamam — peerless; gade — maces; dve — two; caiva — and; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; modakī — Modakī; śikharī — Śikharī; ubhe — both

1.26.8

pradīpte naraśārdūla prayacchāmi nṛpātmaja
dharmapāśam ahaṃ rāma kālapāśaṃ tathaiva ca

both blazing, O tiger among men — these I bestow, O prince. And I give you the noose of Dharma, O Rāma, and likewise the noose of Kāla (Death),

Words: pradīpte — blazing (the two maces); naraśārdūla — O tiger among men; prayacchāmi — I bestow, give; nṛpātmaja — O prince (son of a king); dharmapāśam — the noose of Dharma; ahaṃ — I; rāma — O Rāma; kālapāśaṃ — the noose of Kāla (Death); tathaiva — and likewise; ca — and

1.26.9

vāruṇaṃ pāśam astraṃ ca dadāny aham anuttamam
aśanī dve prayacchāmi śuṣkārdre raghunandana

and the peerless noose-weapon of Varuṇa I also give; and two thunderbolts I bestow, the dry and the moist, O delight of the Raghus.

Words: vāruṇaṃ — of Varuṇa; pāśam — noose; astraṃ — weapon; ca — and; dadāny — I give; aham — I; anuttamam — peerless; aśanī — thunderbolts (dual); dve — two; prayacchāmi — I bestow; śuṣkārdre — the dry and the moist (dual); raghunandana — O delight of the Raghus

1.26.10

dadāmi cāstraṃ painākam astraṃ nārāyaṇaṃ tathā
āgneyam astra dayitaṃ śikharaṃ nāma nāmataḥ

I give too the Paināka weapon (of Śiva's bow) and likewise the Nārāyaṇa weapon; and the cherished fiery (Āgneya) weapon, Śikhara by name,

Words: dadāmi — I give; cāstraṃ — and the weapon; painākam — the Paināka (of Śiva's bow Pināka); astraṃ — weapon; nārāyaṇaṃ — the Nārāyaṇa; tathā — likewise; āgneyam — the fiery (Āgneya); astra — weapon; dayitaṃ — cherished, dear; śikharaṃ — Śikhara; nāma — by name; nāmataḥ — by name

1.26.11

vāyavyaṃ prathamaṃ nāma dadāmi tava rāghava
astraṃ hayaśiro nāma krauñcam astraṃ tathaiva ca

the wind-weapon (Vāyavya) called Prathama I give you, O Rāghava; and the weapon named Hayaśiras (Horse-head), and likewise the Krauñca weapon,

Words: vāyavyaṃ — the wind-weapon (Vāyavya); prathamaṃ — Prathama (foremost); nāma — by name; dadāmi — I give; tava — to you; rāghava — O Rāghava; astraṃ — weapon; hayaśiro — Hayaśiras (Horse-head); nāma — by name; krauñcam — the Krauñca; astraṃ — weapon; tathaiva — and likewise; ca — and

1.26.12

śakti dvayaṃ ca kākutstha dadāmi tava cānagha
kaṅkālaṃ musalaṃ ghoraṃ kāpālam atha kaṅkaṇam

and a pair of spears (śakti), O Kākutstha, I give you as well, O sinless one; the dreadful Kaṅkāla and the mace (musala), the Kāpāla and then the Kaṅkaṇa,

Words: śakti — spear (śakti); dvayaṃ — a pair; ca — and; kākutstha — O Kākutstha; dadāmi — I give; tava — to you; cānagha — and O sinless one; kaṅkālaṃ — the Kaṅkāla (skeleton-weapon); musalaṃ — the mace, pestle; ghoraṃ — dreadful; kāpālam — the Kāpāla (skull-weapon); atha — then; kaṅkaṇam — the Kaṅkaṇa

1.26.13

dhārayanty asurā yāni dadāmy etāni sarvaśaḥ
vaidyādharaṃ mahāstraṃ ca nandanaṃ nāma nāmataḥ

which the asuras bear — all these I give; and the great Vaidyādhara weapon, Nandana by name,

Words: dhārayanty — they bear, wield; asurā — the asuras; yāni — which; dadāmy — I give; etāni — these; sarvaśaḥ — all; vaidyādharaṃ — the Vaidyādhara (of the Vidyādharas); mahāstraṃ — great weapon; ca — and; nandanaṃ — Nandana; nāma — by name; nāmataḥ — by name

1.26.14

asiratnaṃ mahābāho dadāmi nṛvarātmaja
gāndharvam astraṃ dayitaṃ mānavaṃ nāma nāmataḥ

the jewel of swords, O mighty-armed son of the best of men, I give; the cherished gāndharva weapon, Mānava by name,

Words: asiratnaṃ — the jewel among swords; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; dadāmi — I give; nṛvarātmaja — O son of the best of men; gāndharvam — the gāndharva (of the Gandharvas); astraṃ — weapon; dayitaṃ — cherished; mānavaṃ — Mānava; nāma — by name; nāmataḥ — by name

1.26.15

prasvāpanapraśamane dadmi sauraṃ ca rāghava
darpaṇaṃ śoṣaṇaṃ caiva saṃtāpanavilāpane

the two weapons Prasvāpana and Praśamana (that lull to sleep and pacify) I give, and the solar (Saura) weapon, O Rāghava; the Darpaṇa and the Śoṣaṇa (the drier), and the Saṃtāpana and Vilāpana (that torment and make wail),

Words: prasvāpanapraśamane — the Prasvāpana and Praśamana (dual); dadmi — I give; sauraṃ — the solar (Saura); ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava; darpaṇaṃ — the Darpaṇa (mirror); śoṣaṇaṃ — the Śoṣaṇa (the drier); caiva — and; saṃtāpanavilāpane — the Saṃtāpana and Vilāpana (dual)

1.26.16

madanaṃ caiva durdharṣaṃ kandarpadayitaṃ tathā
paiśācam astraṃ dayitaṃ mohanaṃ nāma nāmataḥ
pratīccha naraśārdūla rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ

and the invincible Madana (passion-weapon), dear to Kandarpa (the god of love); and the cherished piśāca weapon, Mohana (deluder) by name — receive it, O tiger among men, O illustrious prince!

Words: madanaṃ — the Madana (passion-weapon); caiva — and; durdharṣaṃ — invincible, hard to assail; kandarpadayitaṃ — dear to Kandarpa (the god of love); tathā — likewise; paiśācam — the piśāca (goblin) weapon; astraṃ — weapon; dayitaṃ — cherished; mohanaṃ — Mohana (the deluder); nāma — by name; nāmataḥ — by name; pratīccha — receive, accept; naraśārdūla — O tiger among men; rājaputra — O prince; mahāyaśaḥ — O illustrious one

1.26.17

tāmasaṃ naraśārdūla saumanaṃ ca mahābalam
saṃvartaṃ caiva durdharṣaṃ mausalaṃ ca nṛpātmaja

the Tāmasa, O tiger among men, and the mighty Saumana, and the invincible Saṃvarta, and the Mausala, O prince;

Words: tāmasaṃ — the Tāmasa; naraśārdūla — O tiger among men; saumanaṃ — the Saumana; ca — and; mahābalam — of great might; saṃvartaṃ — the Saṃvarta; caiva — and; durdharṣaṃ — invincible; mausalaṃ — the Mausala; ca — and; nṛpātmaja — O prince

1.26.18

satyam astraṃ mahābāho tathā māyādharaṃ param
ghoraṃ tejaḥprabhaṃ nāma paratejo'pakarṣaṇam

the Satya (Truth) weapon, O mighty-armed one, and likewise the supreme Māyādhara; the dreadful one called Tejaḥprabha, which draws off the energy of foes.

Words: satyam — the Satya (Truth); astraṃ — weapon; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; tathā — likewise; māyādharaṃ — the Māyādhara (bearer of illusion); param — supreme; ghoraṃ — dreadful; tejaḥprabhaṃ — Tejaḥprabha (splendour of energy); nāma — by name; paratejo'pakarṣaṇam — which draws off the energy of foes

1.26.19

somāstraṃ śiśiraṃ nāma tvāṣṭram astraṃ sudāmanam
dāruṇaṃ ca bhagasyāpi śīteṣum atha mānavam

the lunar (Soma) weapon called Śiśira (the Cold), the weapon of Tvaṣṭṛ named Sudāman, the terrible weapon of Bhaga too, and then the cold-arrowed Mānava.

Words: somāstraṃ — the lunar (Soma) weapon; śiśiraṃ — Śiśira (the Cold); nāma — by name; tvāṣṭram — the (weapon) of Tvaṣṭṛ; astraṃ — weapon; sudāmanam — Sudāman (by name); dāruṇaṃ — the terrible; ca — and; bhagasyāpi — of Bhaga too; śīteṣum — the cold-arrowed (Śīteṣu); atha — then; mānavam — the Mānava

1.26.20

etān nāma mahābāho kāmarūpān mahābalān
gṛhāṇa paramodārān kṣipram eva nṛpātmaja

These indeed, O mighty-armed one — able to take any form at will, mighty and most excellent — receive at once, O prince.

Words: etān — these; nāma — indeed, by name; mahābāho — O mighty-armed one; kāmarūpān — taking any form at will; mahābalān — mighty; gṛhāṇa — take, receive; paramodārān — most excellent, most noble; kṣipram — quickly, at once; eva — indeed; nṛpātmaja — O prince

1.26.21

sthitas tu prāṅmukho bhūtvā śucir nivaratas tadā
dadau rāmāya suprīto mantragrāmam anuttamam

Then, standing and facing east, pure and composed, well pleased, he gave Rāma the peerless collection of mantras.

Words: sthitas — standing; tu — and; prāṅmukho — facing east; bhūtvā — having become; śucir — pure; nivaratas — composed, restrained; tadā — then; dadau — gave; rāmāya — to Rāma; suprīto — well pleased; mantragrāmam — the whole collection of mantras; anuttamam — peerless

1.26.22

japatas tu munes tasya viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ
upatasthur mahārhāṇi sarvāṇy astrāṇi rāghavam

As that wise sage Viśvāmitra murmured the mantras, all those most precious weapons presented themselves before Rāghava.

Words: japatas — as he murmured, recited; tu — and; munes — of the sage; tasya — that; viśvāmitrasya — of Viśvāmitra; dhīmataḥ — wise; upatasthur — presented themselves, stood near; mahārhāṇi — most precious, highly worthy; sarvāṇy — all; astrāṇi — weapons; rāghavam — before Rāghava

1.26.23

ūcuś ca muditā rāmaṃ sarve prāñjalayas tadā
ime sma paramodāra kiṃkarās tava rāghava

And, delighted, all of them then spoke to Rāma with palms joined: “Here we are, O most noble Rāghava — we are your servants.”

Words: ūcuś — they said; ca — and; muditā — delighted; rāmaṃ — to Rāma; sarve — all; prāñjalayas — with palms joined; tadā — then; ime — these, here (we); sma — indeed (particle); paramodāra — O most noble one; kiṃkarās — servants; tava — your; rāghava — O Rāghava

1.26.24

pratigṛhya ca kākutsthaḥ samālabhya ca pāṇinā
manasā me bhaviṣyadhvam iti tāny abhyacodayat

And Kākutstha, having accepted them and touched them with his hand, urged them, saying: “Be present in my mind whenever I call you.”

Words: pratigṛhya — having accepted; ca — and; kākutsthaḥ — Kākutstha; samālabhya — having touched; ca — and; pāṇinā — with his hand; manasā — in mind, by thought; me — my; bhaviṣyadhvam — you shall be present; iti — thus; tāny — them; abhyacodayat — he urged, enjoined

1.26.25

tataḥ prītamanā rāmo viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim
abhivādya mahātejā gamanāyopacakrame

Then Rāma, glad at heart and of great splendour, having saluted the great sage Viśvāmitra, set out to continue on his way.

Words: tataḥ — then; prītamanā — glad at heart; rāmo — Rāma; viśvāmitraṃ — Viśvāmitra; mahāmunim — the great sage; abhivādya — having saluted; mahātejā — of great splendour; gamanāyopacakrame — set about departing

← 1.25 Rāma kills Tāṭakā · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.27 Divine weapons: Rāma learns their withdrawal →

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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