Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
The Wedding Party Meets Parashurama
Summary
Parashurama confronts the wedding party that is returning to Ayodhya from Mithila. On
his very entry, the atmosphere becomes pell-mell [in mingled confusion or disorder] and a
whirlwind ensues [follows]. Expecting some problem from this Parashurama, the sages like
Vashishta and others starts to receive him in a peaceable manner. Not caring anyone around,
Parashurama starts a dialogue with Dasharatha Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 74 – in Detail
atha raatryaam vyatiitaayaam vishvaamitro mahaamunih |
aapristvaa tau ca raajaanau jagaama uttara parvatam || 1-74-1
When that night is elapsing into the wee hours of next day, then the eminent-saint
Vishvamitra on asking for the leave of absence from those kings, Dasharatha and Janaka, and
from both Rama and Lakshmana, he set out to northern mountains, namely Himalayas. [1-74-1]
vishvaamitro gate raajaa vaideham mithilaa adhipam |
aapristva iva jagaama aashu raajaa dasharathah puriim || 1-74-2
When Vishvamitra departed that ruler to the delight of people, namely Dasharatha, on
asking leave of absence with king Janaka who outvies [surpasses] bodily affairs, promptly set
forth for the city of Ayodhya. [1-74-2]
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
atha raajaa videhaanaam dadau kanyaa dhanam bahu |
gavaam shata sahasraani bahuuni mithileshvarah || 1-74-3
ka.mbalaanaam ca mukhyaanaam ksaumaan koti ambaraani ca |
hasti ashva ratha paadaatam divya ruupam svala.nkritam || 1-74-4
dadau kanyaa shatam taasaam daasii daasam anuttamam |
Then that king Janaka of Mithila, the one from Videha lineage [descendents], gave
innumerable patrimonial [an estate inherited from one's father] riches. He has also given umpteen
[indefinitely numerous] number of cows, millions of excellent shawls and silk dresses, and
elephants, horses, chariots, foot soldiers, besides hundreds of highly decorated girls, divine in
their mien [appearance], as unexcelled chambermaids and handmaidens to the brides. [1-74-3, 4,
5a]
hiranyasya suvarnasya muktaanaam vidrumasya ca || 1-74-5
dadau raajaa susa.mhristah kanyaa dhanam anuttamam |
King Janaka gave beau [beautiful] ideal bridal riches in gold, silver, pearls and corals
even, for he is very highly gladdened as Seetha's marriage came true. [1-74-5b, 6a]
dattvaa bahu vidham raajaa samanujnaapya paarthivam || 1-74-6
pravivesha sva nilayam mithilaam mithileshvarah |
Having given many kinds of bridal gifts and having accompanied his daughters for a
distance, then having received a bid adieu [farewell] from Dasharatha, that sovereign of Mithila,
Janaka, re-entered his own palace in Mithila. [1-74-6, 7a]
raajaa api ayodhyaa adhipatih saha putraih mahaatmabhih || 1-74-7
risiin sarvaan puraskritya jagaama sa bala anugah |
Even the king Dasharatha, the sovereign of Ayodhya proceeded with his noble-souled
sons, keeping all the sages in the fore, while his forces followed him. [1-74-7b, 8a]
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
gacchantam tu naravyaaghram sa risi sangham sa raaghavam || 1-74-8
ghoraah tu paksino vaaco vyaaharanti samantatah |
But while going with the assemblages of sages and with young Raghava-s, namely
Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, the sky-bound birds started to screech with startling
voice from all around facing that tigerly-man Dasharatha. [1-74-8b, 9a]
bhaumaah caiva mrigaah sarve gacchanti sma pradaksinam || 1-74-9
taan dristvaa raaja shaarduulo vasistham paryapricchata |
Also thus, all of the earth bound animals are going his leftward, and on seeing this, albeit
[although] he is a tigerly king he is perplexed [puzzled], and particularly asked Vashishta. [1-749b, 10a]
asaumyaah paksino ghoraa mrigaah ca api pradaksinaah || 1-74-10
kim idam hridaya utkampi mano mama visiidati |
Unpropitious [unfavorable] is the starling voicing of birds, whereby my heart is throbbing
down... and propitious is the leftward going of the animals, thereby my heart is throbbing up...
why so? [1-74-10b, 11a]
raajno dasharathasya etat shrutvaa vaakyam mahaan risih || 1-74-11
uvaaca madhuraam vaaniim shruuyataam asya yat phalam |
On hearing all that is said by king Dasharatha, the instinctual sage Vashishta said this
sentence in a soothing voice, I will tell apart the result of these auguries [divination from auspices
or omens]... [1-74-11b, 12a]
upasthitam bhayam ghoram divyam paksi mukhaat cyutam || 1-74-12
mrigaah prashamayanti ete sa.ntaapah tyajyataam ayam |
The shrieks [to utter a sharp shrill sound] voiced by the birds are foretokening the
forthcoming providential [marked by foresight] and perilous [full of full of exposure to the risk of
being injured] trepidation [a tremulous motion], but the behavior of these animals is betokening [to
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
give evidence of] it as mitigable [can be avoided]... hence, let this consternation [dismay that
throws into confusion] be forsaken [abandon]... [1-74-12b, 13a]
tesaam sa.mvadataam tatra vaayuh praadur babhuuva ha || 1-74-13
kampayan mediniim sarvaam paatayan ca mahaan drumaan |
While they are discussing among themselves, a whirlwind started to whirligig [merry-goround or circle] there, as though to shake the earth and shatter all gigantic trees. [1-74-13b, 14a]
tamasaa sa.mvritah suuryah sarve na vedisur dishah || 1-74-14
bhasmanaa ca aavritam sarvam sammuudham iva tat balam |
Murkiness [foggy or misty] enshrouded [to cover] the sun, thus everyone is unaware of
quarters, a sandstorm enwrapped that army, by which it has become as though ensorcelled [to
cast a spell over]. [1-74-14b, 15a]
vasistha risayah ca anye raajaa ca sasutah tadaa || 1-74-15
sa sanjnaa iva tatra aasan sarvam anyat vicetanam |
Then Vashishta and the other sages, the king Dasharatha along with his sons remained
there with animation [full of life], and everything and every other one available there has become
inanimate [lifeless]. [1-74-15b, 16a]
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
tasmin tamasi ghore tu bhasma channa iva saa camuuh || 1-74-16
dadarsha bhiima samkaasham jataa mandala dhaarinam |
bhaargavam jamadagne ayam raajaa raaja vimardanam || 1-74-17
kailaasam iva durdharsam kaala agnim iva duhsaham |
jvalantam iva tejobhih dur niriiksyam prithak janaih || 1-74-18
skandhe ca aasajya parashum dhanuh vidyut gana upamam |
pragrihya sharam ugram ca tri pura ghnam yathaa shivam || 1-74-19
In that catastrophic darkness, that sand-muffled military of king Dasharatha has seen the
son of Sage Jamadagni, namely Bhaargava Rama (or Parashurama), the subjugator of kings of
kings. He appeared calamitous [disastrous] in his look by wearing tufty [cluster] matted and unruly
head-hair, an unassailable [cannot be defeated] one like Mt. Kailash, an unbearable one like the
Epoch-End-Fire, irradiant [not bright] with his own radiance, hence unperceivable [not seen] for
commoners, and such as he is, he clinched an axe on his right shoulder and clasped a bow in his
left hand, that in simile [two unlike things] is like a congeries [collection] of electroluminescence
[light resulting from a high-frequency discharge through a gas], and handling an arrow which is as
if ready to electrocute [to kill by electric shock], and he vied [matched] in his overall look with the
devastator of triple cities, namely God Shiva. [1-74-16b, 17, 18, 19]
tam dristvaa bhiima sa.mkaasham jvala.ntam iva paavakam |
vasistha pramukhaa vipraa japa homa paraayanaah || 1-74-20
sa.ngataa munayah sarve samjajalpuh atho mithah |
On seeing him who is perilous [full of exposure to the risk of being injured] in his
propensity and flaming like the Ritual-fire, Vashishta and the other prominent Brahman-s who are
the practicer of meditation and fire-oblations have come together and started to susurrate [issue
soft noise], up and down. [1-74-20, 21a]
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
kaccit pitri vadha amarsii ksatram na utsaadayisyati || 1-74-21
puurvam ksatra vadham kritvaa gata manyuh gata jvarah |
ksatrasya utsaadanam bhuuyo na khalu asya cikiirsitam || 1-74-22
Will he eradicate the race of Kshatriya-s even now as he was once envenomed [to make
poisonous] by the murder of his father, or what... abated [to put an end to] is his anger and
alleviated is his frenzy previously when he eliminated Kshatriya-s... but is he really intending to
eliminate Kshatriya-s once again, or what? Thus, those Brahmans talked among themselves. [174-21b, 22]
evam uktvaa arghyam aadaaya bhaargavam bhiima darshanam |
risayo raama raama iti madhuram vaakyam abruvan || 1-74-23
After their susurrus [whispering] the sages have approached him, who in his very look is
like a visitation [a special dispensation of divine favor or wrath], with oblational [the act of offering
the eucharistic elements to God] water and addressed him with benign [of a gentle disposition]
words of greeting like, oh, Rama, oh, Bhaargava Rama... [1-74-23]
pratigrihya tu taam puujaam risi dattaam prataapavaan |
raamam daasharathim raamo jaamadag.hnyo abhyabhaasata || 1-74-24
On receiving the deference [honor] paid by the sage Vashishta, that inexorable [not to be
persuaded, moved, or stopped] Rama of Jamadagni started to talk to Rama of Dasharatha. [1-7424]
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Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama
Valmiki Ramayana – Bala Kanda – Chapter 74
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande catuh saptatitamah sargah
Thus, this is the 74th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of
India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao. (1998). Balakanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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