# Bāla Kāṇḍa 30 — Departure for Mithilā and the camp beside the Śoṇā *The ṛṣis invite the princes to Janaka’s sacrifice and the bow no suitor has strung, a camp beside the Śoṇā prompts the region’s history* Portion: Departure for Mithilā · Verses: 23 · Ref format: 1.30. ## Sequence - After a joyful night, the princes perform their morning rites, salute Viśvāmitra, and ask for their next task (30.1–4) - the maharṣis invite them to Janaka's sacrifice in Mithilā, where they can see his extraordinary divine bow (30.5–7) - they explain that neither Devas, gandharvas, asuras and rākṣasas nor the Kings who tested it could string it → the maharṣis say Janaka obtained it from the Devas as a sacrificial reward (30.8–12) - Viśvāmitra takes leave of the vanadevatās, saying that he will journey toward the Himālaya on the Gaṅgā’s northern bank → he circles Siddhāśrama and sets out northward with the princes and ṛṣis (30.13–15) - roughly a hundred cartloads accompany his followers, and even the hermitage's animals and birds follow him (30.16–17) - after a long journey they camp beside the Śoṇā at sunset → they bathe, make fire offerings, and gather around Viśvāmitra (30.18–20) - Rāma asks about the flourishing country around them → Viśvāmitra begins its history (30.21–23). ## Verses **1.30.1** atha tāṃ rajanīṃ tatra kṛtārthau rāmalakṣaṇau ūṣatur muditau vīrau prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā Then Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, their purpose accomplished, the two heroes, passed that night there in gladness, with joyful inmost hearts. **1.30.2** prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ kṛtapaurvāhṇikakriyau viśvāmitram ṛṣīṃś cānyān sahitāv abhijagmatuḥ When the night had brightened into dawn, the two, having performed their morning rites, went together to Viśvāmitra and the other seers. **1.30.3** abhivādya muniśreṣṭhaṃ jvalantam iva pāvakam ūcatur madhurodāraṃ vākyaṃ madhurabhāṣiṇau Having saluted the best of sages, who blazed like fire, the two sweet-spoken ones uttered sweet and noble words: **1.30.4** imau svo muniśārdūla kiṃkarau samupasthitau ājñāpaya yatheṣṭaṃ vai śāsanaṃ karavāva kim “Here we two stand, O tiger among sages, as your servants, present before you; command us as you please — what order shall we carry out?” **1.30.5** evam ukte tatas tābhyāṃ sarva eva maharṣayaḥ viśvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya rāmaṃ vacanam abruvan When this had been said by the two, then all the great seers, placing Viśvāmitra at their head, spoke these words to Rāma: **1.30.6** maithilasya naraśreṣṭha janakasya bhaviṣyati yajñaḥ paramadharmiṣṭhas tatra yāsyāmahe vayam “O best of men, a most righteous sacrifice of Janaka, king of Mithilā, will take place; thither we shall go. **1.30.7** tvaṃ caiva naraśārdūla sahāsmābhir gamiṣyasi adbhutaṃ ca dhanūratnaṃ tatra tvaṃ draṣṭum arhasi And you too, O tiger among men, shall go with us; and there you shall behold a wondrous jewel of a bow. **1.30.8** tad dhi pūrvaṃ naraśreṣṭha dattaṃ sadasi daivataiḥ aprameyabalaṃ ghoraṃ makhe paramabhāsvaram For that bow, O best of men, was given long ago by the gods in the assembly, at a sacrifice — of immeasurable power, terrible, exceedingly radiant. **1.30.9** nāsya devā na gandharvā nāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ kartum āropaṇaṃ śaktā na kathaṃ cana mānuṣāḥ Neither gods nor gandharvas, neither asuras nor rākṣasas, are able to string it — much less humans, in any way whatever. **1.30.10** dhanuṣas tasya vīryaṃ hi jijñāsanto mahīkṣitaḥ na śekur āropayituṃ rājaputrā mahābalāḥ For kings, wishing to test the power of that bow — mighty princes — were unable to string it. **1.30.11** tad dhanur naraśārdūla maithilasya mahātmanaḥ tatra drakṣyasi kākutstha yajñaṃ cādbhutadarśanam That bow of the great-souled Maithila (Janaka), O tiger among men, you shall see there, O Kākutstha, and the sacrifice, a marvel to behold. **1.30.12** tad dhi yajñaphalaṃ tena maithilenottamaṃ dhanuḥ yācitaṃ naraśārdūla sunābhaṃ sarvadaivataiḥ For that excellent, fair-naveled bow was, as the reward of a sacrifice, obtained by that Maithila upon request from all the gods, O tiger among men. **1.30.13** evam uktvā munivaraḥ prasthānam akarot tadā sarṣisaṃghaḥ sakākutstha āmantrya vanadevatāḥ Having spoken thus, the excellent sage then set out, together with the throng of seers and with the Kākutsthas, taking leave of the forest deities. **1.30.14** svasti vo 'stu gamiṣyāmi siddhaḥ siddhāśramād aham uttare jāhnavītīre himavantaṃ śiloccayam “May it be well with you! Perfected, I shall depart from Siddhāśrama toward the Himālaya mountain, on the northern bank of the Jāhnavī.” **1.30.15** pradakṣiṇaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā siddhāśramam anuttamam uttarāṃ diśam uddiśya prasthātum upacakrame Then, having circumambulated the peerless Siddhāśrama, he began to set out, heading toward the northern quarter. **1.30.16** taṃ vrajantaṃ munivaram anvagād anusāriṇām śakaṭī śatamātraṃ tu prayāṇe brahmavādinām As that excellent sage went along, there followed him on the march some hundred cartloads belonging to his attendant followers, the reciters of the Veda. **1.30.17** mṛgapakṣigaṇāś caiva siddhāśramanivāsinaḥ anujagmur mahātmānaṃ viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim And the flocks of beasts and birds dwelling in Siddhāśrama followed the great-souled Viśvāmitra, the great sage. **1.30.18** te gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ lambamāne divākare vāsaṃ cakrur munigaṇāḥ śoṇākūle samāhitāḥ Having gone a long way, as the sun was sinking, those throngs of sages, composed, made their camp on the bank of the Śoṇā. **1.30.19** te 'staṃ gate dinakare snātvā hutahutāśanāḥ viśvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya niṣedur amitaujasaḥ When the sun had set, they, having bathed and offered oblations into the fire, placing Viśvāmitra at their head, sat down — those of measureless might. **1.30.20** rāmo 'pi sahasaumitrir munīṃs tān abhipūjya ca agrato niṣasādātha viśvāmitrasya dhīmataḥ Rāma too, together with Saumitri, having honoured those sages, then sat down before the wise Viśvāmitra. **1.30.21** atha rāmo mahātejā viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim papraccha muniśārdūlaṃ kautūhalasamanvitaḥ Then Rāma of great splendour, filled with curiosity, asked the great sage Viśvāmitra, that tiger among sages: **1.30.22** bhagavan ko nv ayaṃ deśaḥ samṛddhavanaśobhitaḥ śrotum icchāmi bhadraṃ te vaktum arhasi tattvataḥ “Venerable one, what is this region, adorned with flourishing woodland? I wish to hear of it — blessings on you — you should tell me truly.” **1.30.23** codito rāmavākyena kathayām āsa suvrataḥ tasya deśasya nikhilam ṛṣimadhye mahātapāḥ Urged by Rāma's words, the sage of firm vows, the great ascetic, related in the midst of the seers the whole story of that region.