# Bāla Kāṇḍa 21 — Departure with Viśvāmitra: Rāma receives Balā & Atibalā *Daśaratha releases Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa, they follow Viśvāmitra along the Sarayū and Rāma receives the protective Balā & Atibalā teachings* Portion: Viśvāmitra’s request and Rāma’s departure · Verses: 19 · Ref format: 1.21. ## Sequence - Reassured, Daśaratha summons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa → Rāma receives blessings from his parents and Vasiṣṭha → Daśaratha kisses Rāma's head and entrusts him to Viśvāmitra (21.1–3) - a gentle, dust-free wind blows, flowers fall, and divine drums and conches sound (21.4–5) - Viśvāmitra leads, Rāma follows, and Lakṣmaṇa walks behind → the princes carry bows, quivers, swords, arm guards, and finger protectors (21.6–8) - after a yojana and a half, on the Sarayū's southern bank, Viśvāmitra asks Rāma to touch water and receive Balā and Atibalā (21.9–10). Viśvāmitra explains that these teachings protect against fatigue, fever, bodily deterioration, and attacks while asleep or unguarded - they strengthen understanding, readiness of reply, and other excellences, and prevent hunger and thirst when recited on the road (21.11–15) - he identifies them as Brahmā's daughters and tells Rāma that he is worthy to receive them (21.16–17) - purified by touching water, Rāma learns the two sciences and shines with their power → after rendering the services owed to their teacher, the three spend the night comfortably beside the river (21.18–19). ## Verses **1.21.1** tathā vasiṣṭhe bruvati rājā daśarathaḥ sutam prahṛṣṭavadano rāmam ājuhāva salakṣmaṇam As Vasiṣṭha spoke thus, king Daśaratha, his face gladdened, summoned his son Rāma, together with Lakṣmaṇa. **1.21.2** kṛtasvastyayanaṃ mātrā pitrā daśarathena ca purodhasā vasiṣṭhena maṅgalair abhimantritam (Rāma,) for whom the benediction-rite had been performed by his mother and by his father Daśaratha, and who had been consecrated with auspicious chants by the house-priest Vasiṣṭha — **1.21.3** sa putraṃ mūrdhny upāghrāya rājā daśarathaḥ priyam dadau kuśikaputrāya suprītenāntarātmanā King Daśaratha, kissing his dear son upon the head, gave him to the son of Kuśika with a well-pleased heart. **1.21.4** tato vāyuḥ sukhasparśo virajasko vavau tadā viśvāmitragataṃ rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājīvalocanam Then a wind, pleasant to the touch and free of dust, blew, on seeing the lotus-eyed Rāma now in Viśvāmitra's charge. **1.21.5** puṣpavṛṣṭir mahaty āsīd devadundubhinisvanaḥ śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaḥ prayāte tu mahātmani There was a great rain of flowers, the sound of the divine kettledrums, and the blare of conches and drums, as the great-souled one set forth. **1.21.6** viśvāmitro yayāv agre tato rāmo mahāyaśāḥ kākapakṣadharo dhanvī taṃ ca saumitrir anvagāt Viśvāmitra went in front, and behind him the greatly renowned Rāma, wearing the boyish side-locks and bearing a bow; and Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa) followed him. **1.21.7** kalāpinau dhanuṣpāṇī śobhayānau diśo daśa viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ triśīrṣāv iva pannagau anujagmatur akṣudrau pitāmaham ivāśvinau The two, with quivers and bows in hand, lighting up the ten directions, followed the great-souled Viśvāmitra like two three-hooded serpents; those two noble ones (attended him) as the Aśvins (attend) the Grandsire. **1.21.8** baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇau khaḍgavantau mahādyutī sthāṇuṃ devam ivācintyaṃ kumārāv iva pāvakī The two, with leather arm-guards and finger-stalls bound on, girt with swords and of great splendour, (attended Viśvāmitra) unfathomable as the god Sthāṇu (Śiva), like the two young sons of the Fire-god. **1.21.9** adhyardhayojanaṃ gatvā sarayvā dakṣiṇe taṭe rāmeti madhurā vāṇīṃ viśvāmitro 'bhyabhāṣata Having gone a yojana and a half, on the southern bank of the Sarayū, Viśvāmitra spoke in a sweet voice: “Rāma!” **1.21.10** gṛhāṇa vatsa salilaṃ mā bhūt kālasya paryayaḥ mantragrāmaṃ gṛhāṇa tvaṃ balām atibalāṃ tathā “Take up water, my child; let there be no lapse of the (proper) time; and receive you the group of mantras — Balā and likewise Atibalā. **1.21.11** na śramo na jvaro vā te na rūpasya viparyayaḥ na ca suptaṃ pramattaṃ vā dharṣayiṣyanti nairṛtāḥ You will have no fatigue, nor fever, nor any alteration of your form; and the rākṣasas will not assail you, whether asleep or off your guard. **1.21.12** na bāhvoḥ sadṛśo vīrye pṛthivyām asti kaś cana triṣu lokeṣu vā rāma na bhavet sadṛśas tava There is no one on earth equal to the might of your arms; nor in the three worlds, O Rāma, would there be your equal. **1.21.13** na saubhāgye na dākṣiṇye na jñāne buddhiniścaye nottare pratipattavyo samo loke tavānagha Neither in charm, nor in courtesy, nor in knowledge, nor in firmness of resolve, nor in readiness of reply, is your equal to be found in the world, O sinless one. **1.21.14** etadvidyādvaye labdhe bhavitā nāsti te samaḥ balā cātibalā caiva sarvajñānasya mātarau When this pair of sciences has been obtained, there will be no equal to you; for Balā and Atibalā are the mothers of all knowledge. **1.21.15** kṣutpipāse na te rāma bhaviṣyete narottama balām atibalāṃ caiva paṭhataḥ pathi rāghava vidyādvayam adhīyāne yaśaś cāpy atulaṃ bhuvi Hunger and thirst will not be yours, O Rāma, best of men, when you recite Balā and Atibalā upon the road, O Rāghava, studying the pair of sciences; and you will have matchless fame on earth as well. **1.21.16** pitāmahasute hy ete vidye tejaḥsamanvite pradātuṃ tava kākutstha sadṛśas tvaṃ hi dhārmika For these two sciences, daughters of the Grandsire and endowed with splendour, are (to be given) to you, O Kākutstha; for you are worthy of them, O righteous one. **1.21.17** kāmaṃ bahuguṇāḥ sarve tvayy ete nātra saṃśayaḥ tapasā saṃbhṛte caite bahurūpe bhaviṣyataḥ Granted, all these many excellences are in you, no doubt of it; yet these two, nourished by (your) austerity, will assume manifold forms. **1.21.18** tato rāmo jalaṃ spṛṣṭvā prahṛṣṭavadanaḥ śuciḥ pratijagrāha te vidye maharṣer bhāvitātmanaḥ vidyāsamudito rāmaḥ śuśubhe bhūrivikramaḥ Then Rāma, having touched water, his face gladdened and himself purified, received those two sciences from the great seer of purified soul; and Rāma, exalted by the sciences and of abundant valour, shone forth. **1.21.19** gurukāryāṇi sarvāṇi niyujya kuśikātmaje ūṣus tāṃ rajanīṃ tatra sarayvāṃ susukhaṃ trayaḥ Having rendered upon the son of Kuśika all the services due to a preceptor, the three passed that night there on the Sarayū in great comfort.