{"kanda":1,"kandaName":"Bāla Kāṇḍa","sarga":14,"title":"Putrakāmeṣṭi and Viṣṇu’s promised human birth","sentence":"Ṛṣyaśṛṅga begins the putrīyā iṣṭi, the Devas ask Viṣṇu to take human birth because Rāvaṇa’s protection excludes humans","portion":"Birth of the princes and their allies","sequence":[[{"steps":["Ṛṣyaśṛṅga considers the request and announces the putrīyā iṣṭi (rite for sons, conventionally called putrakāmeṣṭi), using the prescribed Atharvaśiras mantras","he begins making offerings into the fire (14.1–3)"],"from":1,"to":3,"sarga":14},{"steps":["the Devas, gandharvas, siddhas, and paramarṣis assemble to receive their shares (14.4)"],"from":4,"to":4,"sarga":14},{"steps":["the Devas tell Brahmā that Rāvaṇa's boon prevents them from punishing him, although he terrorizes the worlds, obstructs holy people, and threatens Indra","even the sun, wind, and ocean refrain from troubling him (14.5–11)"],"from":5,"to":11,"sarga":14},{"steps":["Brahmā recalls that Rāvaṇa asked protection from gandharvas, yakṣas, Devas, dānavas, and rākṣasas, but omitted humans out of contempt","a human can therefore kill him, and the assembly rejoices (14.12–15)"],"from":12,"to":15,"sarga":14},{"steps":["Viṣṇu arrives","the Suras ask him to divide himself fourfold and become sons through Daśaratha's three wives","in human form he must kill Rāvaṇa and free the worlds and tapasvins from fear (14.16–21)."],"from":16,"to":21,"sarga":14}]],"verses":[{"v":1,"ref":"1.014.001","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"medhāvī tu tato dhyātvā sa kiṃ cid idam uttamam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"labdhasaṃjñas tatas taṃ tu vedajño nṛpam abravīt","q":null}],"tr":"Then the wise one, having reflected somewhat on this excellent matter and collected his thoughts, that knower of the Veda said to the king:","w":[["medhāvī","the wise, intelligent one"],["tu","and"],["tato","then","tataḥ"],["dhyātvā","having reflected, meditated"],["sa","he"],["kiṃ cid","somewhat, a little"],["idam","this"],["uttamam","excellent (matter)"],["labdhasaṃjñas","having collected his thoughts, regained awareness","labdhasaṃjñaḥ",[["labdha","gained, regained"],["saṃjñā","consciousness, awareness"]]],["tatas","then","tataḥ"],["taṃ","that"],["tu","and"],["vedajño","the knower of the Veda","vedajñaḥ",[["veda","Veda"],["jña","knower"]]],["nṛpam","to the king"],["abravīt","said"]]},{"v":2,"ref":"1.014.002","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"iṣṭiṃ te 'haṃ kariṣyāmi putrīyāṃ putrakāraṇāt","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"atharvaśirasi proktair mantraiḥ siddhāṃ vidhānataḥ","q":null}],"tr":"“I shall perform for you the son-producing iṣṭi, for the sake of a son — effected with the mantras declared in the Atharvaśiras, according to rule.”","w":[["iṣṭiṃ","the iṣṭi (sacrificial offering)"],["te","for you"],["'haṃ","I","aham"],["kariṣyāmi","I shall perform"],["putrīyāṃ","son-producing"],["putrakāraṇāt","for the sake of a son","",[["putra","son"],["kāraṇa","cause, sake"]]],["atharvaśirasi","in the Atharvaśiras (text)","",[["atharva","the Atharva (Veda)"],["śiras","head, chief part"]]],["proktair","declared","proktaiḥ"],["mantraiḥ","with mantras"],["siddhāṃ","effected, accomplished"],["vidhānataḥ","according to rule"]]},{"v":3,"ref":"1.014.003","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ prākramad iṣṭiṃ tāṃ putrīyāṃ putra kāraṇāt","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"juhāva cāgnau tejasvī mantradṛṣṭena karmaṇā","q":null}],"tr":"Then he began that son-producing iṣṭi for the sake of a son, and the radiant one made offerings into the fire with a rite prescribed by the mantras.","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["prākramad","began","prākramat"],["iṣṭiṃ","the iṣṭi"],["tāṃ","that"],["putrīyāṃ","son-producing"],["putra","son"],["kāraṇāt","for the sake of"],["juhāva","offered (into fire)"],["cāgnau","and into the fire","ca agnau"],["tejasvī","the radiant one"],["mantradṛṣṭena","prescribed by the mantras","",[["mantra","mantra"],["dṛṣṭa","seen, prescribed"]]],["karmaṇā","with a rite"]]},{"v":4,"ref":"1.014.004","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tato devāḥ sagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"bhāgapratigrahārthaṃ vai samavetā yathāvidhi","q":null}],"tr":"Then the gods with the gandharvas, and the siddhas and the supreme seers, assembled duly to receive their shares.","w":[["tato","then","tataḥ"],["devāḥ","the gods"],["sagandharvāḥ","with the gandharvas","",[["sa","with"],["gandharva","gandharva (celestial musician)"]]],["siddhāś","the siddhas","siddhāḥ"],["ca","and"],["paramarṣayaḥ","the supreme seers","",[["parama","supreme"],["ṛṣi","seer"]]],["bhāgapratigrahārthaṃ","to receive their shares","",[["bhāga","share, portion"],["pratigraha","receiving, accepting"],["artha","purpose"]]],["vai","indeed"],["samavetā","assembled","samavetāḥ"],["yathāvidhi","duly","",[["yathā","according to"],["vidhi","rule"]]]]},{"v":5,"ref":"1.014.005","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tāḥ sametya yathānyāyaṃ tasmin sadasi devatāḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"abruvaṃl lokakartāraṃ brahmāṇaṃ vacanaṃ mahat","q":null}],"tr":"Those deities, having gathered in due order in that assembly, spoke a weighty word to the maker of the worlds, Brahmā:","w":[["tāḥ","those"],["sametya","having gathered"],["yathānyāyaṃ","in due order","",[["yathā","according to"],["nyāya","propriety"]]],["tasmin","that"],["sadasi","in the assembly"],["devatāḥ","the deities"],["abruvaṃl","spoke","abruvan"],["lokakartāraṃ","to the maker of the worlds","",[["loka","world"],["kartṛ","maker"]]],["brahmāṇaṃ","Brahmā"],["vacanaṃ","word"],["mahat","weighty, great"]]},{"v":6,"ref":"1.014.006","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"bhagavaṃs tvatprasādena rāvaṇo nāma rākṣasaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"sarvānno bādhate vīryāc chāsituṃ taṃ na śaknumaḥ","q":null}],"tr":"“Venerable one, by your grace a rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa oppresses us all with his might; we are not able to chastise him.","w":[["bhagavaṃs","O venerable one","bhagavan"],["tvatprasādena","by your grace","",[["tvat","your"],["prasāda","grace, favour"]]],["rāvaṇo","Rāvaṇa","rāvaṇaḥ"],["nāma","by name"],["rākṣasaḥ","a rākṣasa"],["sarvānno","all of us","sarvān naḥ"],["bādhate","oppresses, harasses"],["vīryāc","through his might","vīryāt"],["chāsituṃ","to chastise","śāsituṃ"],["taṃ","him"],["na","not"],["śaknumaḥ","we are able"]]},{"v":7,"ref":"1.014.007","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tvayā tasmai varo dattaḥ prītena bhagavan purā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"mānayantaś ca taṃ nityaṃ sarvaṃ tasya kṣamāmahe","q":null}],"tr":"A boon was given to him by you, well pleased, of old, O venerable one; and ever honouring it, we endure everything of his.","w":[["tvayā","by you"],["tasmai","to him"],["varo","a boon","varaḥ"],["dattaḥ","given"],["prītena","(by you) pleased"],["bhagavan","O venerable one"],["purā","of old"],["mānayantaś","honouring, respecting","mānayantaḥ"],["ca","and"],["taṃ","it (the boon)"],["nityaṃ","ever, always"],["sarvaṃ","everything"],["tasya","of his"],["kṣamāmahe","we endure, tolerate"]]},{"v":8,"ref":"1.014.008","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"udvejayati lokāṃs trīn ucchritān dveṣṭi durmatiḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"śakraṃ tridaśarājānaṃ pradharṣayitum icchati","q":null}],"tr":"The evil-minded one torments the three worlds and hates the eminent; he wishes to assail Śakra, the king of the gods.","w":[["udvejayati","torments, distresses"],["lokāṃs","the worlds","lokān"],["trīn","three"],["ucchritān","the eminent, exalted"],["dveṣṭi","hates"],["durmatiḥ","the evil-minded one","",[["dur","evil, bad"],["mati","mind"]]],["śakraṃ","Śakra (Indra)"],["tridaśarājānaṃ","the king of the gods","",[["tridaśa","the gods (the thirty)"],["rājan","king"]]],["pradharṣayitum","to assail, overpower"],["icchati","wishes"]]},{"v":9,"ref":"1.014.009","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"ṛṣīn yakṣān sagandharvān asurān brāhmaṇāṃs tathā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"atikrāmati durdharṣo varadānena mohitaḥ","q":null}],"tr":"Deluded by the granting of the boon, that unassailable one transgresses against seers, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, and brahmins alike.","w":[["ṛṣīn","seers"],["yakṣān","yakṣas"],["sagandharvān","with the gandharvas","",[["sa","with"],["gandharva","gandharva"]]],["asurān","asuras"],["brāhmaṇāṃs","brahmins","brāhmaṇān"],["tathā","likewise"],["atikrāmati","transgresses, tramples upon"],["durdharṣo","the unassailable one","durdharṣaḥ",[["dur","hard"],["dharṣa","to be assailed"]]],["varadānena","by the granting of the boon","",[["vara","boon"],["dāna","giving"]]],["mohitaḥ","deluded, bewildered"]]},{"v":10,"ref":"1.014.010","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"nainaṃ sūryaḥ pratapati pārśve vāti na mārutaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"calormimālī taṃ dṛṣṭvā samudro 'pi na kampate","q":null}],"tr":"The sun does not scorch him, the wind does not blow at his side; and the ocean, garlanded with restless waves, does not even ripple upon seeing him.","w":[["nainaṃ","not him","na enaṃ"],["sūryaḥ","the sun"],["pratapati","scorches, shines upon"],["pārśve","at his side"],["vāti","blows"],["na","not"],["mārutaḥ","the wind"],["calormimālī","garlanded with restless waves","",[["cala","moving, restless"],["ūrmi","wave"],["mālin","garlanded"]]],["taṃ","him"],["dṛṣṭvā","having seen"],["samudro","the ocean","samudraḥ"],["'pi","even","api"],["na","not"],["kampate","trembles, stirs"]]},{"v":11,"ref":"1.014.011","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tan manan no bhayaṃ tasmād rākṣasād ghoradarśanāt","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"vadhārthaṃ tasya bhagavann upāyaṃ kartum arhasi","q":null}],"tr":"There is great fear for us from that rākṣasa of dreadful aspect; O venerable one, you should devise a means for his slaying.”","w":[["tan","that","tat"],["manan","great (reading uncertain; likely for mahat)","mahat (?)"],["no","for us","naḥ"],["bhayaṃ","fear"],["tasmād","from that","tasmāt"],["rākṣasād","rākṣasa","rākṣasāt"],["ghoradarśanāt","of dreadful aspect","",[["ghora","dreadful"],["darśana","appearance, aspect"]]],["vadhārthaṃ","for the sake of slaying","",[["vadha","slaying, killing"],["artha","purpose, sake"]]],["tasya","of him"],["bhagavann","O venerable one","bhagavan"],["upāyaṃ","a means, expedient"],["kartum","to devise, make"],["arhasi","you should"]]},{"v":12,"ref":"1.014.012","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"evam uktaḥ suraiḥ sarvaiś cintayitvā tato 'bravīt","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"hantāyaṃ vihitas tasya vadhopāyo durātmanaḥ","q":null}],"tr":"Thus addressed by all the gods, having pondered, he then said: “Aha, here is devised the means of slaying that evil-souled one.","w":[["evam","thus"],["uktaḥ","addressed"],["suraiḥ","by the gods"],["sarvaiś","all","sarvaiḥ"],["cintayitvā","having pondered"],["tato","then","tataḥ"],["'bravīt","said","abravīt"],["hantāyaṃ","‘aha, this’","hanta ayaṃ"],["vihitas","devised, arranged","vihitaḥ"],["tasya","of that"],["vadhopāyo","the means of slaying","vadhopāyaḥ",[["vadha","slaying"],["upāya","means"]]],["durātmanaḥ","of the evil-souled one","",[["dur","evil"],["ātman","soul"]]]]},{"v":13,"ref":"1.014.013","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tena gandharvayakṣāṇāṃ devadānavarakṣasām","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"avadhyo 'smīti vāg uktā tathety uktaṃ ca tan mayā","q":null}],"tr":"By him the words were spoken: ‘I am unslayable by gandharvas and yakṣas, by gods, dānavas, and rākṣasas’; and ‘So be it’ was said by me to that.","w":[["tena","by him"],["gandharvayakṣāṇāṃ","of gandharvas and yakṣas","",[["gandharva","gandharva"],["yakṣa","yakṣa"]]],["devadānavarakṣasām","of gods, dānavas, and rākṣasas","",[["deva","god"],["dānava","dānava (demon)"],["rakṣas","rākṣasa"]]],["avadhyo","unslayable","avadhyaḥ",[["a","not"],["vadhya","to be slain"]]],["'smīti","‘I am’","asmi iti"],["vāg","the word, speech","vāk"],["uktā","was spoken"],["tathety","‘so be it’","tathā iti"],["uktaṃ","was said"],["ca","and"],["tan","that","tat"],["mayā","by me"]]},{"v":14,"ref":"1.014.014","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"nākīrtayad avajñānāt tad rakṣo mānuṣāṃs tadā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"tasmāt sa mānuṣād vadhyo mṛtur nānyo 'sya vidyate","q":null}],"tr":"Out of contempt that rākṣasa did not then mention human beings; therefore he is slayable by a human — no other death exists for him.","w":[["nākīrtayad","did not mention","na akīrtayat"],["avajñānāt","out of contempt"],["tad","that","tat"],["rakṣo","rākṣasa","rakṣaḥ"],["mānuṣāṃs","human beings","mānuṣān"],["tadā","then"],["tasmāt","therefore"],["sa","he"],["mānuṣād","by a human","mānuṣāt"],["vadhyo","slayable","vadhyaḥ"],["mṛtur","death","mṛtyuḥ"],["nānyo","no other","na anyaḥ"],["'sya","of his","asya"],["vidyate","exists, is found"]]},{"v":15,"ref":"1.014.015","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"etac chrutvā priyaṃ vākyaṃ brahmaṇā samudāhṛtam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"devā maharṣayaḥ sarve prahṛṣṭās te 'bhavaṃs tadā","q":null}],"tr":"Hearing this welcome speech uttered by Brahmā, the gods and all the great seers then became delighted.","w":[["etac","this","etat"],["chrutvā","having heard","śrutvā"],["priyaṃ","welcome, dear"],["vākyaṃ","speech"],["brahmaṇā","by Brahmā"],["samudāhṛtam","uttered, declared"],["devā","the gods","devāḥ"],["maharṣayaḥ","the great seers","",[["mahā","great"],["ṛṣi","seer"]]],["sarve","all"],["prahṛṣṭās","delighted","prahṛṣṭāḥ"],["te","they"],["'bhavaṃs","became","abhavan"],["tadā","then"]]},{"v":16,"ref":"1.014.016","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"etasminn antare viṣṇur upayāto mahādyutiḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"brahmaṇā ca samāgamya tatra tasthau samāhitaḥ","q":null}],"tr":"At this juncture Viṣṇu of great splendour arrived; and having met with Brahmā, he stood there composed.","w":[["etasminn","at this","etasmin"],["antare","juncture, interval"],["viṣṇur","Viṣṇu","viṣṇuḥ"],["upayāto","arrived","upayātaḥ"],["mahādyutiḥ","of great splendour","",[["mahā","great"],["dyuti","splendour"]]],["brahmaṇā","with Brahmā"],["ca","and"],["samāgamya","having met"],["tatra","there"],["tasthau","stood"],["samāhitaḥ","composed, attentive"]]},{"v":17,"ref":"1.014.017","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tam abruvan surāḥ sarve samabhiṣṭūya saṃnatāḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"tvāṃ niyokṣyāmahe viṣṇo lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā","q":null}],"tr":"All the gods, bowing low, praised him and said: “We shall appoint you to a task, O Viṣṇu, out of desire for the good of the worlds.","w":[["tam","him"],["abruvan","said"],["surāḥ","the gods"],["sarve","all"],["samabhiṣṭūya","having praised"],["saṃnatāḥ","bowing low, humble"],["tvāṃ","you"],["niyokṣyāmahe","we shall appoint, engage"],["viṣṇo","O Viṣṇu"],["lokānāṃ","of the worlds"],["hitakāmyayā","out of desire for the good","",[["hita","good, welfare"],["kāmyā","desire"]]]]},{"v":18,"ref":"1.014.018","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"rājño daśarathasya tvam ayodhyādhipater vibho","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"dharmajñasya vadānyasya maharṣisamatejasaḥ","q":null},{"p":"e","t":"tasya bhāryāsu tisṛṣu hrīśrīkīrtyupamāsu ca","q":null},{"p":"g","t":"viṣṇo putratvam āgaccha kṛtvātmānaṃ caturvidham","q":null}],"tr":"O mighty one, become the son of King Daśaratha, lord of Ayodhyā — righteous, munificent, of splendour equal to the great seers — in his three wives, who are like Modesty, Prosperity, and Fame; O Viṣṇu, enter into sonship, making yourself fourfold.","w":[["rājño","of King","rājñaḥ"],["daśarathasya","Daśaratha"],["tvam","you"],["ayodhyādhipater","of the lord of Ayodhyā","ayodhyādhipateḥ",[["ayodhyā","Ayodhyā"],["adhipati","lord, ruler"]]],["vibho","O mighty one","vibhu (voc.)"],["dharmajñasya","of the knower of dharma","",[["dharma","dharma"],["jña","knower"]]],["vadānyasya","of the munificent one"],["maharṣisamatejasaḥ","of splendour equal to the great seers","",[["mahā","great"],["ṛṣi","seer"],["sama","equal"],["tejas","splendour"]]],["tasya","his"],["bhāryāsu","in the wives"],["tisṛṣu","three"],["hrīśrīkīrtyupamāsu","like Modesty, Prosperity, and Fame","",[["hrī","Modesty (goddess)"],["śrī","Prosperity (goddess)"],["kīrti","Fame (goddess)"],["upamā","likeness, comparable to"]]],["ca","and"],["viṣṇo","O Viṣṇu"],["putratvam","sonship, the state of being a son","",[["putra","son"],["-tva","the state of"]]],["āgaccha","come to, enter into"],["kṛtvātmānaṃ","having made yourself","kṛtvā ātmānaṃ"],["caturvidham","fourfold","",[["catur","four"],["vidha","kind, fold"]]]]},{"v":19,"ref":"1.014.019","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tatra tvaṃ mānuṣo bhūtvā pravṛddhaṃ lokakaṇṭakam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"avadhyaṃ daivatair viṣṇo samare jahi rāvaṇam","q":null}],"tr":"There, having become a man, O Viṣṇu, slay in battle Rāvaṇa, that flourishing thorn to the world, unslayable by the gods.","w":[["tatra","there"],["tvaṃ","you"],["mānuṣo","a man","mānuṣaḥ"],["bhūtvā","having become"],["pravṛddhaṃ","flourishing, grown mighty","",[["pra","forth, greatly"],["vṛddha","grown"]]],["lokakaṇṭakam","thorn to the world","",[["loka","world"],["kaṇṭaka","thorn"]]],["avadhyaṃ","unslayable","",[["a","not"],["vadhya","to be slain"]]],["daivatair","by the gods","daivataiḥ"],["viṣṇo","O Viṣṇu"],["samare","in battle"],["jahi","slay"],["rāvaṇam","Rāvaṇa"]]},{"v":20,"ref":"1.014.020","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"sa hi devān sagandharvān siddhāṃś ca ṛṣisattamān","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"rākṣaso rāvaṇo mūrkho vīryotsekena bādhate","q":null}],"tr":"For that foolish rākṣasa Rāvaṇa harasses the gods, the gandharvas, the siddhas, and the best of seers, through the excess of his might.","w":[["sa","he"],["hi","for"],["devān","the gods"],["sagandharvān","with the gandharvas","",[["sa","with"],["gandharva","gandharva"]]],["siddhāṃś","the siddhas","siddhān"],["ca","and"],["ṛṣisattamān","the best of seers","",[["ṛṣi","seer"],["sattama","best of"]]],["rākṣaso","the rākṣasa","rākṣasaḥ"],["rāvaṇo","Rāvaṇa","rāvaṇaḥ"],["mūrkho","the fool","mūrkhaḥ"],["vīryotsekena","through the excess of his might","",[["vīrya","might, valour"],["utseka","excess, arrogance"]]],["bādhate","harasses, oppresses"]]},{"v":21,"ref":"1.014.021","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tad uddhataṃ rāvaṇam ṛddhatejasaṃ pravṛddhadarpaṃ tridaśeśvaradviṣam","q":["tad uddhataṃ rāvaṇam ṛddhatejasaṃ","pravṛddhadarpaṃ tridaśeśvaradviṣam"]},{"p":"c","t":"virāvaṇaṃ sādhu tapasvikaṇṭakaṃ tapasvinām uddhara taṃ bhayāvaham","q":["virāvaṇaṃ sādhu tapasvikaṇṭakaṃ","tapasvinām uddhara taṃ bhayāvaham"]}],"tr":"So uproot that arrogant Rāvaṇa of swollen might, of overweening pride, foe of the lord of the gods — the tormentor, verily a thorn to ascetics; deliver the ascetics from that bringer of terror.","w":[["tad","so, therefore","tat"],["uddhataṃ","arrogant, haughty"],["rāvaṇam","Rāvaṇa"],["ṛddhatejasaṃ","of swollen might","",[["ṛddha","increased, swollen"],["tejas","might, energy"]]],["pravṛddhadarpaṃ","of overweening pride","",[["pravṛddha","grown great"],["darpa","pride, arrogance"]]],["tridaśeśvaradviṣam","foe of the lord of the gods","",[["tridaśa","the gods"],["īśvara","lord"],["dviṣ","foe, hater"]]],["virāvaṇaṃ","the tormentor (who makes cry out)"],["sādhu","verily, well"],["tapasvikaṇṭakaṃ","a thorn to ascetics","",[["tapasvin","ascetic"],["kaṇṭaka","thorn"]]],["tapasvinām","of the ascetics"],["uddhara","deliver, uproot"],["taṃ","that"],["bhayāvaham","bringer of terror","",[["bhaya","fear, terror"],["āvaha","bringing"]]]]}]}