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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 4: Kuśa & Lava perform the poem

Summary. Kuśa & Lava learn and perform the poem, their singing moves the ṛṣis and brings them before Rāma

Sequence

  1. The frame narrative places the composition after Rāma has regained his Kingdom → having composed the story with its future events and sequel, Vālmīki wonders who should perform it (1.4.1–2)
  2. Kuśa and Lava approach in tapasvins' clothing and bow at his feet → recognizing the princes' learning, intelligence, and fine voices, he teaches them the poem (1.4.3–5)
  3. the work is called the Rāmāyaṇa, the great story of Sītā, and the slaying of Pulastya's descendant → the brothers master its musical tempos, modes, lute accompaniment, and varied emotions, resembling Rāma himself in appearance. Kuśa and Lava sing before assemblies of ṛṣis and dvijas (1.4.6–13)
  4. the listeners weep, praise the sweetness of the verses and singing, and say the distant events seem to happen before their eyes (1.4.14–16)
  5. encouraged, the brothers sing with still greater feeling → delighted maharṣis give them gifts, including a water pot and bark clothing (1.4.17–20)
  6. Rāma sees the singers in the streets and brings them into his residence (1.4.21–22)
  7. seated on his golden throne with his ministers and brothers, he asks Lakṣmaṇa, Śatrughna, and Bharata to listen → the brothers begin, and Rāma becomes absorbed in their song. (1.4.23–27)

Verses 1.4.1–27

1.4.1

prāptarājyasya rāmasya vālmīkir bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
cakāra caritaṃ kṛtsnaṃ vicitrapadam ātmavān

When Rāma had won back his kingdom, the venerable seer Vālmīki, self-possessed, composed his entire story in wondrous verse.

Words: prāptarājyasya — of him who had regained the kingdom; rāmasya — of Rāma; vālmīkir — Vālmīki; bhagavān — the venerable; ṛṣiḥ — seer; cakāra — made, composed; caritaṃ — the story, deeds; kṛtsnaṃ — entire, whole; vicitrapadam — of wondrous verse/words; ātmavān — self-possessed

1.4.2

kṛtvā tu tan mahāprājñaḥ sabhaviṣyaṃ sahottaram
cintayām āsa ko nv etat prayuñjīyād iti prabhuḥ

Having composed it, with what was to come and the sequel included, the greatly wise lord reflected: “Who indeed might perform this?”

Words: kṛtvā tu — having made; tan — that; mahāprājñaḥ — the greatly wise; sabhaviṣyaṃ — together with what is to come; sahottaram — together with the sequel; cintayām āsa — pondered, reflected; ko nv — who indeed; etat — this; prayuñjīyād — might perform, recite; iti — thus; prabhuḥ — the lord

1.4.3

tasya cintayamānasya maharṣer bhāvitātmanaḥ
agṛhṇītāṃ tataḥ pādau muniveṣau kuśīlavau

As that great sage of purified soul was pondering, Kuśa and Lava, in the garb of sages, then clasped his feet.

Words: tasya cintayamānasya — of him as he pondered; maharṣer — of the great sage; bhāvitātmanaḥ — of purified soul; agṛhṇītāṃ — the two grasped; tataḥ — then; pādau — the two feet; muniveṣau — in the garb of sages; kuśīlavau — Kuśa and Lava

1.4.4

kuśīlavau tu dharmajñau rājaputrau yaśasvinau
bhrātarau svarasaṃpannau dadarśāśramavāsinau

He beheld Kuśa and Lava — knowers of dharma, illustrious princes, brothers gifted with fine voices, dwelling in the hermitage.

Words: kuśīlavau tu — and Kuśa and Lava; dharmajñau — the two knowers of dharma; rājaputrau — the two princes; yaśasvinau — the two illustrious ones; bhrātarau — the two brothers; svarasaṃpannau — endowed with fine voice; dadarśāśramavāsinau — he saw the two hermitage-dwellers

1.4.5

sa tu medhāvinau dṛṣṭvā vedeṣu pariniṣṭhitau
vedopabṛhmaṇārthāya tāv agrāhayata prabhuḥ

Seeing the two intelligent ones fully grounded in the Vedas, the lord had them learn it, so as to amplify the Veda.

Words: sa tu — and he; medhāvinau — the two intelligent ones; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; vedeṣu — in the Vedas; pariniṣṭhitau — the two well-grounded, accomplished; vedopabṛhmaṇārthāya — for the sake of amplifying the Veda; tāv — them two; agrāhayata — caused to learn, grasp; prabhuḥ — the lord

1.4.6

kāvyaṃ rāmāyaṇaṃ kṛtsnaṃ sītāyāś caritaṃ mahat
paulastya vadham ity eva cakāra caritavrataḥ

He of accomplished vows composed the entire poem, the Rāmāyaṇa — the great story of Sītā, also called “the Slaying of the Descendant of Pulastya (Rāvaṇa).”

Words: kāvyaṃ — the poem; rāmāyaṇaṃ — the Rāmāyaṇa; kṛtsnaṃ — entire; sītāyāś — of Sītā; caritaṃ — the story; mahat — great; paulastyavadham — ‘the Slaying of the Paulastya (Rāvaṇa)’; ity eva — thus indeed; cakāra — made, composed; caritavrataḥ — he of accomplished vows

1.4.7

pāṭhye geye ca madhuraṃ pramāṇais tribhir anvitam
jātibhiḥ saptabhir yuktaṃ tantrīlayasamanvitam

sweet whether recited or sung, furnished with the three tempos, joined with the seven melodic modes, and set to the rhythm of the lute;

Words: pāṭhye — in recitation; geye ca — and in song; madhuraṃ — sweet; pramāṇais tribhir — with the three (metric) measures/tempos; anvitam — furnished with; jātibhiḥ saptabhir — with the seven melodic modes; yuktaṃ — joined with; tantrīlayasamanvitam — accompanied by the rhythm of the lute

1.4.8

hāsyaśṛṅgārakāruṇyaraudravīrabhayānakaiḥ
bībhatsādirasair yuktaṃ kāvyam etad agāyatām

They sang this poem, endowed with the sentiments of the comic, the erotic, the compassionate, the furious, the heroic, the terrible, the loathsome, and the rest.

Words: hāsyaśṛṅgārakāruṇyaraudravīrabhayānakaiḥ — with the comic, erotic, compassionate, furious, heroic and terrible (sentiments); bībhatsādirasair — with the sentiments beginning with the loathsome; yuktaṃ — joined with; kāvyam etad — this poem; agāyatām — the two sang

1.4.9

tau tu gāndharvatattvajñau sthāna mūrcchana kovidau
bhrātarau svarasaṃpannau gandharvāv iva rūpiṇau

And those two, knowers of the science of music, skilled in vocal registers and melodic modulation, brothers gifted with fine voices, were like gandharvas made visible.

Words: tau tu — and those two; gāndharvatattvajñau — knowers of the truth of music; sthānamūrcchanakovidau — skilled in registers and melodic scales; bhrātarau — the two brothers; svarasaṃpannau — endowed with fine voice; gandharvāv iva — like two gandharvas; rūpiṇau — embodied, having form

1.4.10

rūpalakṣaṇasaṃpannau madhurasvarabhāṣiṇau
bimbād ivoddhṛtau bimbau rāmadehāt tathāparau

endowed with beauty and (auspicious) marks, speaking with sweet voices, they were like two reflections lifted from a mirror-image — two others, as it were, from Rāma’s own body.

Words: rūpalakṣaṇasaṃpannau — endowed with beauty and (auspicious) marks; madhurasvarabhāṣiṇau — speaking with sweet voices; bimbād ivoddhṛtau — as if lifted from a reflected image; bimbau — two images, reflections; rāmadehāt — from Rāma’s body; tathāparau — and thus two others

1.4.11

tau rājaputrau kārtsnyena dharmyam ākhyānam uttamam
vāco vidheyaṃ tat sarvaṃ kṛtvā kāvyam aninditau

Those two blameless princes, having made that whole excellent, dharma-based narrative — the poem — wholly obedient to their voice,

Words: tau rājaputrau — those two princes; kārtsnyena — in full, entirely; dharmyam — conforming to dharma, righteous; ākhyānam — the narrative; uttamam — excellent, highest; vāco vidheyaṃ — obedient to (their) voice; tat sarvaṃ — all that; kṛtvā — having made; kāvyam — the poem; aninditau — the two blameless

1.4.12

ṛṣīṇāṃ ca dvijātīnāṃ sādhūnāṃ ca samāgame
yathopadeśaṃ tattvajñau jagatus tau samāhitau
mahātmānau mahābhāgau sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitau

in the assembly of seers, brahmins, and holy men, those two knowers of truth, composed, sang it as instructed — the two great-souled, greatly blessed ones, marked with every (auspicious) sign.

Words: ṛṣīṇāṃ ca — of seers and; dvijātīnāṃ — of the twice-born (brahmins); sādhūnāṃ ca — and of holy men; samāgame — in the assembly, gathering; yathopadeśaṃ — according to instruction; tattvajñau — the two knowers of truth; jagatus — the two sang; tau — the two; samāhitau — composed, concentrated; mahātmānau — the two great-souled; mahābhāgau — the two greatly blessed; sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitau — marked with every (auspicious) sign

1.4.13

tau kadā cit sametānām ṛṣīṇāṃ bhāvitātmanām
āsīnānāṃ samīpasthāv idaṃ kāvyam agāyatām

Once, standing near the assembled seers of purified soul as they sat, the two sang this poem.

Words: tau — the two; kadā cit — once, at one time; sametānām — of the assembled; ṛṣīṇāṃ — of the seers; bhāvitātmanām — of purified souls; āsīnānāṃ — as they were seated; samīpasthāv — the two standing near; idaṃ kāvyam — this poem; agāyatām — the two sang

1.4.14

tac chrutvā munayaḥ sarve bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇāḥ
sādhu sādhv ity tāv ūcatuḥ paraṃ vismayam āgatāḥ

Hearing it, all the sages, their eyes brimming with tears, said to the two, “Excellent! Excellent!”, filled with the utmost wonder.

Words: tac chrutvā — having heard that; munayaḥ sarve — all the sages; bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇāḥ — their eyes troubled with tears; sādhu sādhv — ‘well done, well done’; ity — thus; tāv — to those two; ūcatuḥ — the two/(they) said; paraṃ vismayam — the utmost wonder; āgatāḥ — having come to, reached

1.4.15

te prītamanasaḥ sarve munayo dharmavatsalāḥ
praśaśaṃsuḥ praśastavyau gāyamānau kuśīlavau

All those sages, glad at heart and devoted to dharma, praised the praiseworthy Kuśa and Lava as they sang.

Words: te prītamanasaḥ — they, glad at heart; sarve — all; munayo — the sages; dharmavatsalāḥ — devoted to dharma; praśaśaṃsuḥ — praised; praśastavyau — the two worthy of praise; gāyamānau — (the two) singing; kuśīlavau — Kuśa and Lava

1.4.16

aho gītasya mādhuryaṃ ślokānāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ
ciranirvṛttam apy etat pratyakṣam iva darśitam

“Ah, the sweetness of the singing, and of the ślokas especially! Though it took place long ago, it has been shown as if before our very eyes.”

Words: aho — ah! (exclamation); gītasya — of the singing; mādhuryaṃ — the sweetness; ślokānāṃ ca — and of the ślokas; viśeṣataḥ — especially; ciranirvṛttam — occurred long ago; apy etat — even this; pratyakṣam iva — as if directly before the eyes; darśitam — shown, made visible

1.4.17

praviśya tāv ubhau suṣṭhu tadā bhāvam agāyatām
sahitau madhuraṃ raktaṃ saṃpannaṃ svarasaṃpadā

Then the two, both entering fully into the feeling, sang together sweetly and with fervour, made perfect by the wealth of their voices.

Words: praviśya — having entered (into); tāv ubhau — those two both; suṣṭhu — well, thoroughly; tadā — then; bhāvam — the feeling, mood; agāyatām — the two sang; sahitau — together; madhuraṃ — sweetly; raktaṃ — with fervour, impassioned (lit. coloured); saṃpannaṃ — made perfect, complete; svarasaṃpadā — by the wealth of voice

1.4.18

evaṃ praśasyamānau tau tapaḥślāghyair maharṣibhiḥ
saṃraktataram atyarthaṃ madhuraṃ tāv agāyatām

Thus praised by the great sages, worthy of honour for their austerities, the two sang yet more fervently and exceedingly sweetly.

Words: evaṃ — thus; praśasyamānau — being praised (the two); tau — the two; tapaḥślāghyair — by those praiseworthy for austerity; maharṣibhiḥ — by the great sages; saṃraktataram — more fervently, more impassioned; atyarthaṃ — exceedingly; madhuraṃ — sweetly; tāv — the two; agāyatām — sang

1.4.19

prītaḥ kaś cin munis tābhyāṃ saṃsthitaḥ kalaśaṃ dadau
prasanno valkalaṃ kaś cid dadau tābhyāṃ mahāyaśāḥ

Some pleased sage present there gave the two a water-pot; some illustrious one, delighted, gave them a bark-garment.

Words: prītaḥ — pleased; kaś cin — some (sage); munis — sage; tābhyāṃ — to those two; saṃsthitaḥ — present, standing by; kalaśaṃ — a water-pot; dadau — gave; prasanno — delighted, gracious; valkalaṃ — a bark-garment; kaś cid — some one; dadau — gave; tābhyāṃ — to the two; mahāyaśāḥ — the greatly illustrious

1.4.20

āścaryam idam ākhyānaṃ muninā saṃprakīrtitam
paraṃ kavīnām ādhāraṃ samāptaṃ ca yathākramam

“Wonderful is this narrative proclaimed by the sage — the supreme foundation for poets, and completed in due order.”

Words: āścaryam — wonderful, marvellous; idam ākhyānaṃ — this narrative; muninā — by the sage; saṃprakīrtitam — proclaimed, celebrated; paraṃ — supreme; kavīnām — of poets; ādhāraṃ — the foundation, support; samāptaṃ ca — and completed; yathākramam — in due order

1.4.21

praśasyamānau sarvatra kadā cit tatra gāyakau
rathyāsu rājamārgeṣu dadarśa bharatāgrajaḥ

Praised everywhere, the two singers were once seen there — in the streets and on the royal highways — by the elder brother of Bharata (Rāma).

Words: praśasyamānau — being praised (the two); sarvatra — everywhere; kadā cit — once; tatra — there; gāyakau — the two singers; rathyāsu — in the streets; rājamārgeṣu — on the royal highways; dadarśa — saw; bharatāgrajaḥ — the elder brother of Bharata (Rāma)

1.4.22

svaveśma cānīya tato bhrātarau sakuśīlavau
pūjayām āsa pūjārhau rāmaḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ

Then, bringing the two brothers, Kuśa and Lava, to his own dwelling, Rāma, destroyer of foes, honoured the two who were worthy of honour.

Words: svaveśma — to his own dwelling; cānīya — and having brought; tato — then; bhrātarau — the two brothers; sakuśīlavau — (who were) Kuśa and Lava; pūjayām āsa — honoured, worshipped; pūjārhau — the two worthy of honour; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śatrunibarhaṇaḥ — destroyer of foes

1.4.23

āsīnaḥ kāñcane divye sa ca siṃhāsane prabhuḥ
upopaviṣṭaiḥ sacivair bhrātṛbhiś ca paraṃtapaḥ

And that lord, scorcher of foes, was seated on a divine golden lion-throne, with his ministers and brothers seated close beside him.

Words: āsīnaḥ — seated; kāñcane — golden; divye — divine; sa ca — and he; siṃhāsane — on the lion-throne; prabhuḥ — the lord; upopaviṣṭaiḥ — with (those) seated close by; sacivair — with (his) ministers; bhrātṛbhiś ca — and with (his) brothers; paraṃtapaḥ — scorcher of foes

1.4.24

dṛṣṭvā tu rūpasaṃpannau tāv ubhau vīṇinau tataḥ
uvāca lakṣmaṇaṃ rāmaḥ śatrughnaṃ bharataṃ tathā

Then, seeing those two, both endowed with beauty and holding lutes, Rāma spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, and to Śatrughna and Bharata:

Words: dṛṣṭvā tu — and having seen; rūpasaṃpannau — the two endowed with beauty; tāv ubhau — those two both; vīṇinau — the two lute-players; tataḥ — then; uvāca — said; lakṣmaṇaṃ — to Lakṣmaṇa; rāmaḥ — Rāma; śatrughnaṃ — to Śatrughna; bharataṃ — to Bharata; tathā — likewise

1.4.25

śrūyatām idam ākhyānam anayor devavarcasoḥ
vicitrārthapadaṃ samyag gāyator madhurasvaram

“Let this narrative be heard from these two of godlike splendour, as they duly sing it — with wondrous words and meaning, in a sweet voice.”

Words: śrūyatām — let it be heard; idam ākhyānam — this narrative; anayor — of these two; devavarcasoḥ — of godlike splendour (dual); vicitrārthapadaṃ — with wondrous words and meaning; samyag — duly, well; gāyator — of the two singing; madhurasvaram — with sweet voice

1.4.26

imau munī pārthivalakṣmaṇānvitau kuśīlavau caiva mahātapasvinau
mamāpi tad bhūtikaraṃ pracakṣate mahānubhāvaṃ caritaṃ nibodhata

“These two sages, endowed with royal marks, Kuśa and Lava, great ascetics — they proclaim this to bring welfare even to me; hear this narrative of great import.”

Words: imau munī — these two sages; pārthivalakṣmaṇānvitau — endowed with royal marks; kuśīlavau caiva — and indeed Kuśa and Lava; mahātapasvinau — the two great ascetics; mamāpi — even for me; tad — that; bhūtikaraṃ — bringing welfare, prosperity; pracakṣate — they proclaim, declare; mahānubhāvaṃ — of great dignity/import; caritaṃ — the story; nibodhata — hear, learn (you all)

1.4.27

tatas tu tau rāmavacaḥ pracoditāv agāyatāṃ mārgavidhānasaṃpadā
sa cāpi rāmaḥ pariṣadgataḥ śanair bubhūṣayāsaktamanā babhūva

Then those two, urged on by Rāma’s words, sang with the full perfection of the classical (mārga) technique; and Rāma too, seated in the assembly, gradually became engrossed in mind, eager to listen.

Words: tatas tu — and then; tau — the two; rāmavacaḥ — by Rāma’s words; pracoditāv — urged on (the two); agāyatāṃ — the two sang; mārgavidhānasaṃpadā — with the perfection of the classical method; sa cāpi rāmaḥ — and Rāma too; pariṣadgataḥ — present in the assembly; śanair — gradually, gently; bubhūṣayāsaktamanā — his mind engrossed out of eagerness (to hear); babhūva — became

← 1.3 Vālmīki sees the whole narrative · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.5 Ayodhyā’s layout and defences →

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.

Plain text: /text/1/4.md · JSON: /data/1/4.json