The Gift of Bala and Atibala

Shloka 1 (bala.22.1)

तथा वसिष्ठे ब्रुवति राजा दशरथः स्वयम् । प्रहृष्टवदनो राममाजुहाव सलक्ष्मणम् ॥ २२.१ ॥

tathā vasiṣṭhe bruvati rājā daśarathaḥ svayam | prahṛṣṭavadano rāmamājuhāva salakṣmaṇam || 22.1 ||

When Vashishtha had spoken thus, King Dasharatha himself, his face lit with joy, summoned Rama together with Lakshmana.

Shloka 2 (bala.22.2)

कृतस्वस्त्ययनं मात्रा पित्रा दशरथेन च । पुरोधसा वसिष्ठेन मङ्गलैरभिमंत्रितम् ॥ २२.२ ॥

kṛtasvastyayanaṃ mātrā pitrā daśarathena ca | purodhasā vasiṣṭhena maṅgalairabhimaṃtritam || 22.2 ||

His mother Kausalya, his father Dasharatha, and the family priest Vashishtha performed the rites of blessing for his safe journey, invoking auspiciousness upon him with sacred hymns.

Shloka 3 (bala.22.3)

सपुत्रं मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय राजा दशरथस्तदा । ददौ कुशिकपुत्राय सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना ॥ २२.३ ॥

saputraṃ mūrdhnyupāghrāya rājā daśarathastadā | dadau kuśikaputrāya suprītenāntarātmanā || 22.3 ||

Then King Dasharatha, kissing his son upon the head, with heart deeply gladdened, entrusted him to Kushika’s son.

Shloka 4 (bala.22.4)

ततो वायुः सुखस्पर्शो नीरजस्को ववौ तदा । विश्वामित्रगतं रामं दृष्ट्वा राजीवलोचनम् ॥ २२.४ ॥

tato vāyuḥ sukhasparśo nīrajasko vavau tadā | viśvāmitragataṃ rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājīvalocanam || 22.4 ||

Then, on seeing lotus-eyed Rama going along with Vishwamitra, a pleasant, dust-free breeze began to blow.

Shloka 5 (bala.22.5)

पुष्पवृष्टिर्महत्यासीद्देवदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैः । शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषः प्रयाते तु महात्मनि ॥ २२.५ ॥

puṣpavṛṣṭirmahatyāsīddevadundubhiniḥsvanaiḥ | śaṅkhadundubhinirghoṣaḥ prayāte tu mahātmani || 22.5 ||

As the great soul Rama set forth, there was a great shower of flowers to the sound of divine drums, along with the resounding blare of conches and drums.

Shloka 6 (bala.22.6)

विश्वामित्रो ययावग्रे ततो रामो महायशाः । काकपक्षधरो धन्वी तं च सौमित्रिरन्वगात् ॥ २२.६ ॥

viśvāmitro yayāvagre tato rāmo mahāyaśāḥ | kākapakṣadharo dhanvī taṃ ca saumitriranvagāt || 22.6 ||

Vishwamitra walked ahead, and after him followed the illustrious Rama, his hair worn in the boyish crow’s-wing locks, bow in hand; and Sumitra’s son followed him in turn.

Shloka 7 (bala.22.7)

कलापिनौ धनुष्पाणी शोभयानौ दिशो दश । विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं त्रिशीर्षाविव पन्नगौ । अनुजग्मतुरक्षुद्रौ पितामहमिवाश्विनौ ॥ २२.७ ॥

kalāpinau dhanuṣpāṇī śobhayānau diśo daśa | viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ triśīrṣāviva pannagau | anujagmaturakṣudrau pitāmahamivāśvinau || 22.7 ||

Wearing quivers, bows in hand, lighting up all ten directions with their splendour, the two mighty princes followed the great-souled Vishwamitra like two three-hooded serpents, or like the twin Ashvin gods following their grandsire Brahma.

Shloka 8 (bala.22.8)

तदा कुशिकपुत्रं तु धनुष्पाणी स्वलंकृतौ । बद्धगोधांगुलित्राणौ खड्गवन्तौ महाद्युती ॥ २२.८ ॥

tadā kuśikaputraṃ tu dhanuṣpāṇī svalaṃkṛtau | baddhagodhāṃgulitrāṇau khaḍgavantau mahādyutī || 22.8 ||

Then, well adorned, bows in hand, their fingers bound with leather guards, swords at their sides and radiant in splendour—

Shloka 9 (bala.22.9)

कुमारौ चारुवपुषौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । अनुयातौ श्रिया दीप्तौ शोभयेतामनिन्दितौ ॥ २२.९ ॥

kumārau cāruvapuṣau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau | anuyātau śriyā dīptau śobhayetāmaninditau || 22.9 ||

the two blameless princes, brothers Rama and Lakshmana, of lovely form, followed behind him, glowing with splendour and adding to his radiance.

Shloka 10 (bala.22.10)

स्थाणुं देवमिवाचिन्त्यं कुमाराविव पावकी । अध्यर्धयोजनं गत्वा सरय्वा दक्षिणे तटे ॥ २२.१० ॥

sthāṇuṃ devamivācintyaṃ kumārāviva pāvakī | adhyardhayojanaṃ gatvā sarayvā dakṣiṇe taṭe || 22.10 ||

Just as the two sons of the Fire-god follow the inscrutable god Shiva, so did they follow him; and having travelled a distance of a yojana and a half, they came to the southern bank of the Sarayu.

Shloka 11 (bala.22.11)

रामेति मधुरां वाणीं विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत । गृहाण वत्स सलिलं मा भूत् कालस्य पर्ययः ॥ २२.११ ॥

rāmeti madhurāṃ vāṇīṃ viśvāmitro'bhyabhāṣata | gṛhāṇa vatsa salilaṃ mā bhūt kālasya paryayaḥ || 22.11 ||

Vishwamitra addressed him sweetly, “O Rama”—and said, “Take water in your hands, my child; let there be no delay.

Shloka 12 (bala.22.12)

मंत्रग्रामं गृहाण त्वं बलामतिबलां तथा । न श्रमो न ज्वरो वा ते न रूपस्य विपर्ययः ॥ २२.१२ ॥

maṃtragrāmaṃ gṛhāṇa tvaṃ balāmatibalāṃ tathā | na śramo na jvaro vā te na rūpasya viparyayaḥ || 22.12 ||

“Receive from me this group of sacred hymns, called Bala and Atibala; through them neither fatigue, nor fever, nor any impairment of your beauty shall ever come upon you.

Shloka 13 (bala.22.13)

न च सुप्तं प्रमत्तं वा धर्षयिष्यन्ति नैरृताः । न बाह्वोः सदृशो वीर्ये पृथिव्यामस्ति कश्चन ॥ २२.१३ ॥

na ca suptaṃ pramattaṃ vā dharṣayiṣyanti nairṛtāḥ | na bāhvoḥ sadṛśo vīrye pṛthivyāmasti kaścana || 22.13 ||

“No demons will be able to assail you, whether you are asleep or off your guard; and on this earth there will be none to equal your arms in strength.

Shloka 14 (bala.22.14)

त्रिषु लोकेषु वा राम न भवेत्सदृशस्तव । बलामतिबलां चैव पठतस्तात राघव ॥ २२.१४ ॥

triṣu lokeṣu vā rāma na bhavetsadṛśastava | balāmatibalāṃ caiva paṭhatastāta rāghava || 22.14 ||

“Indeed, O Rama, in the three worlds none will equal you, once you have recited, my dear Raghava, these hymns Bala and Atibala.

Shloka 15 (bala.22.15)

न सौभाग्ये न दाक्षिण्ये न ज्ञाने बुद्धिनिश्चये । नोत्तरे प्रतिवक्तव्ये समो लोके तवानघ ॥ २२.१५ ॥

na saubhāgye na dākṣiṇye na jñāne buddhiniścaye | nottare prativaktavye samo loke tavānagha || 22.15 ||

“O sinless one, no one in the world will be your equal in good fortune, in graciousness, in learning, in firmness of judgement, or in the power of reply and rebuttal.

Shloka 16 (bala.22.16)

एतद्विद्याद्वये लब्धे न भवेत्सदृशस्तव । बला चातिबला चैव सर्वज्ञानस्य मातरौ ॥ २२.१६ ॥

etadvidyādvaye labdhe na bhavetsadṛśastava | balā cātibalā caiva sarvajñānasya mātarau || 22.16 ||

“Once these two teachings are obtained, none will equal you, for Bala and Atibala are the very mothers of all knowledge.

Shloka 17 (bala.22.17)

क्षुत्पिपासे न ते राम भविष्येते नरोत्तम । बलामतिबलां चैव पठतस्तात राघव ॥ २२.१७ ॥

kṣutpipāse na te rāma bhaviṣyete narottama | balāmatibalāṃ caiva paṭhatastāta rāghava || 22.17 ||

“O Rama, best among men, once you recite Bala and Atibala, my dear Raghava, hunger and thirst will no longer trouble you.

Shloka 18 (bala.22.18)

गृहाण सर्वलोकस्य गुप्तये रघुनन्दन । विद्याद्वयमधीयाने यशश्चाप्यतुलं भुवि । पितामहसुते ह्येते विद्ये तेजःसमन्विते ॥ २२.१८ ॥

gṛhāṇa sarvalokasya guptaye raghunandana | vidyādvayamadhīyāne yaśaścāpyatulaṃ bhuvi | pitāmahasute hyete vidye tejaḥsamanvite || 22.18 ||

“Take them, O delight of the Raghus, for the protection of all the world; by mastering these two hymns you shall also gain incomparable renown on earth, for these two, radiant with power, are the daughters of the Grandsire Brahma.

Shloka 19 (bala.22.19)

प्रदातुं तव काकुत्स्थ सदृशस्त्वं हि धार्मिक । कामं बहुगुणाः सर्वे त्वय्येते नात्र संशयः ॥ २२.१९ ॥

pradātuṃ tava kākutstha sadṛśastvaṃ hi dhārmika | kāmaṃ bahuguṇāḥ sarve tvayyete nātra saṃśayaḥ || 22.19 ||

“O Kakutstha, you, being righteous, are truly the fit one to whom these should be given; though indeed all these many virtues already abide in you, of that there is no doubt.

Shloka 20 (bala.22.20)

तपसा संभृते चैते बहुरूपे भविष्यतः । ततो रामो जलं स्पृष्ट्वा प्रहृष्टवदनः शुचिः ॥ २२.२० ॥

tapasā saṃbhṛte caite bahurūpe bhaviṣyataḥ | tato rāmo jalaṃ spṛṣṭvā prahṛṣṭavadanaḥ śuciḥ || 22.20 ||

“Yet these two, when nurtured by ascetic discipline, will manifest themselves in many forms and yield manifold results.” Then Rama, touching water and purified, his face lit with joy—

Shloka 21 (bala.22.21)

प्रतिजग्राह ते विद्ये महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । विद्यासमुदितो रामः शुशुभे भूरिविक्रमः ॥ २२.२१ ॥

pratijagrāha te vidye maharṣerbhāvitātmanaḥ | vidyāsamudito rāmaḥ śuśubhe bhūrivikramaḥ || 22.21 ||

received those two hymns from the great sage of purified soul; and Rama, endowed with those teachings, shone forth all the more, mighty in valour as he was.

Shloka 22 (bala.22.22)

सहस्ररश्मिर्भगवान् शरदीव दिवाकरः । गुरुकार्याणि सर्वाणि नियुज्य कुशिकात्मजे । ऊषुस्तां रजनीं तत्र सरय्वाः सुसुखं त्रयः ॥ २२.२२ ॥

sahasraraśmirbhagavān śaradīva divākaraḥ | gurukāryāṇi sarvāṇi niyujya kuśikātmaje | ūṣustāṃ rajanīṃ tatra sarayvāḥ susukhaṃ trayaḥ || 22.22 ||

He shone like the thousand-rayed sun of autumn. Then, having performed all their duties toward their preceptor, Kushika’s son, the three of them spent that night most comfortably there on the bank of the Sarayu.

Shloka 23 (bala.22.23)

दशरथनृपसूनुसत्तमाभ्यां तृणशयनेऽनुचिते सहोषिताभ्याम् । कुशिकसुतवचोऽनुलालिताभ्यां । सुखमिव सा विबभौ विभावरी च ॥ २२.२३ ॥

daśarathanṛpasūnusattamābhyāṃ tṛṇaśayane'nucite sahoṣitābhyām | kuśikasutavaco'nulālitābhyāṃ | sukhamiva sā vibabhau vibhāvarī ca || 22.23 ||

Though the two noble sons of King Dasharatha slept together on a bed of grass unworthy of them, soothed as they were by the gentle words of Kushika’s son, that night seemed, as it were, a night of comfort to them.