Sloka & Translation

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[Viswamitra teaches Sri Rama the methods of invoking, despatching and withdrawing the astras]

प्रतिगृह्य ततोऽस्त्राणि प्रहृष्टवदनश्शुचि:।

गच्छन्नेव च काकुत्स्थो विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत्।।1.28.1।।


काकुत्स्थ: Rama, शुचि: having purified himself, अस्त्राणि astras, प्रतिगृह्य having received, तत: then, प्रहृष्टवदन: with pleasant countenance,गच्छन्नेव while proceeding onwards, अथ thereafter, विश्वामित्रम् addressing Visvamitra, अब्रवीत् spoke.

After performing the purificatory rites, Rama received the weapons with a cheerful face. In the way Rama said to Viswamitra.
गृहीतास्त्रोऽस्मि भगवन् दुराधर्षस्सुरैरपि।

अस्त्राणां त्वहमिच्छामि संहारं मुनिपुङ्गव।।1.28.2।।


भगवन् O Venerable one, गृहीतास्त्र: having received these weapons, सुरैरपि even by celestials, दुराधर्ष: अस्मि I have become unassailable, मुनिपुङ्गव O Best of ascetics, अहम् I, अस्त्राणाम् of astras, संहारम् withdrawal, इच्छामि desirous of knowing.

"O venerable one, having received these weaponsI have become unassailable even by the celestials. O best of ascetics, May I know the way to withdraw these weapons".
एवं ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:।

संहारं व्याजहाराथ धृतिमान् सुव्रतश्शुचि:।।1.28.3।।


काकुत्स्थे when Rama, एवम् in this manner, ब्रुवति had spoken, अथ thereafter, धृतिमान् one possessed of fortitude, सुव्रत: a man of excellent vows, शुचि: pure, विश्वामित्र: महामुनि: Viswamitra maharshi, संहारम् withdrawl, व्याजहार told.

To these words spoken by Rama, maharshi Viswamitra who was patient practitioner of vows and pure taught the withdrawl mantra.
सत्यवन्तं सत्यकीर्तिं धृष्टं रभसमेव च।

प्रतिहारतरं नाम पराङ्मुखमवाङ्मुखम्।।1.28.4।।

लक्षाक्षविषमौ चैव दृढनाभसुनाभकौ।

दशाक्षशतवक्त्रौ च दशशीर्षशतोदरौ।।1.28.5।।

पद्मनाभमहानाभौ दुन्दुनाभसुनाभकौ।

ज्योतिषं कृशनं चैव नैराश्यविमलावुभौ।।1.28.6।।

योगन्धरहरिद्रौ च दैत्यप्रशमनौतथा।

सार्चिर्माली धृतिर्माली वृत्तिमान् रुचिरस्तथा।।1.28.7।।

पितृसौमनसं चैव विधूतमकरावुभौ।

करवीरकरं चैव धनधान्यौ च राघव।।1.28.8।।

कामरूपं कामरुचिं मोहमावरणं तथा।

जृम्भकं सर्वनाभं च सन्तानवरणौ तथा।।1.28.9।।

भृशाश्वतनयान् राम भास्वरान्कामरूपिण:।

प्रतीच्छ मम भद्रं ते पात्रभूतोऽसि राघव।।1.28.10।।


राघव O Descendent of Raghu, राम Rama, सत्यवन्तम् Satyavanta, सत्यकीर्तिम् Satya Kirti, धृष्टम् dhrishta, रभसम् Rabhasa, प्रतिहारतरम् Pratiharatara, पराङ्मुखम् Paranmukha, आवाङ्मुखम् Avanmukha, लक्षाक्षविषमौ Lakshaksha, Vishama, दृढनाभसुनाभकौ Drudhanabha and Sunabha, दशाक्षशतवक्त्रौ च Dasaksha and Satavaktra, दशशीर्षशतोदरौ Dasasheersha and Satodara, पद्मनाभमहानाभौ Padama Nabha and Mahanabha, दुन्दुनाभसुनाभकौ Dundunabha and Sunabhaka, ज्योतिषम् Jyotisha, कृशनं चैव Krusana also, उभौ both, नैराश्यविमलौ Nairasya and Vimala, योगन्धरहरिद्रौ च Yogandhara and Haridra, दैत्यप्रशमनौ Daitya, Prasamana, सार्चिर्माली Sarchirmali, धृति: Dhriti, माली Mali, वृत्तिमान् Vrttiman, तथा also, रुचिर: Ruchira, पितृसौमनसं चैव Pitrusaumanasa also, उभौ both, विधूतमकरौ Vidhuta and Makara, करवीरकरं चैव Karaveerakara also, धनधान्यौ Dhana and Dhanya, कामरूपम् Kama Roopa, कामरुचिम् Kama Ruchi, मोहम् Moha, तथा also, आवरणम् Avarana, जृम्भकम् Jrumbhaka, सर्वनाभं च Sarvanabha, तथा also, सन्तानवरणौ Santhana and Varana, भास्वरान् effulgent, कामरूपिण: assuming shapes at will, भृशाश्वतनयान् Bhrusaswa's sons, मम from me, प्रतीच्छ you may receive, ते to you, भद्रम् May you prosper, पात्रभूत: असि you become worthy of them.

"O Rama the descendant of Raghu, receive from me the effulgent weapons who are the sons of Bhrusasva and who are capable of changing forms at will. They are Satyavanta, Satyakirti, Dhrishta, Rabhasa, Pratiharatara, Paranmukha (turned back wards), Avanmukha (turned downwards), Lakshaksha, Vishama, Drudhanabha and Sunabha, Dasaksha, Satavaktra, Dasasheersha and Satodara, Padamanabha and Mahanabha, Dundunabha and Sunabhaka, Jyotisha, Krusanam, both Nairasya and Vimala, Yogandhara, Haridradaitya, Prasamana, Sarchirmali, Dhri, Mali, Vrtiimanta, also Ruchira, Pitrusaumanasa, bothVidhuta Makara, Karaveera Kara, Dhana, Dhanya, Kama Roopa, Kamaruchi, Moha, also Avarana, Jrumbhaka, Sarvanabha, also Santhana and Varuna. You are worthy of receiving these weapons. May you prosper.
बाढमित्येव काकुत्स्थ: प्रहृष्टेनान्तारात्मना।

दिव्यभास्वरदेहाश्च मूर्तिमन्तस्सुखप्रदा:।।1.28.11

केचिदङ्गारसदृशा: केचिद्धूमोपमास्तथा।

चन्द्रार्कसदृशा: केचित्प्रह्वाञ्जलिपुटास्तथा।।1.28.12।।

रामं प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वाऽब्रुवन् मधुरभाषिण:।

इमे स्म नरशार्दूल शाधि किं करवाम ते।।1.28.13।।
 

काकुत्स्थ: Rama, प्रहृष्टेन with a delighted, अन्तरात्मना heart, बाढम् इत्येव 'certainly I shall do so' (saying so received the astras), दिव्यभास्वरदेहा: च having divine radiant bodies, मूर्तिमन्त: assuming corporal form, सुखप्रदा: conferring happiness, केचित् some of them, अङ्गार सदृशा: black like coal, तथा and, केचित् some others, धूमोपमा: were like smoke, केचित् some others, चन्द्रार्कसदृशा: resembled Sun and Moon, तथा also, प्रह्वञ्जलिपुटा: with their bodies bent down, प्राञ्जलय: भूत्वा attentive with folded palms, मधुरभाषिण: talking in sweet accent, रामम् Rama, अब्रुवन् said, नरशार्दूल O Best among men, इमे स्म: here we are, शाधि you may command, ते to you, किम् what, करवाम should we accomplish.

"Certainly" said Rama, and with a delighted heart received the astras. Some of the astra devatas were coal-black, some like smoke, some resembled rays of Sun or Moon. Assuming corporal forms, with shining, divine bodies, those weapons the their bodies bent down and palms folder they spoke to Rama in a gentle voice: "O tiger among men, here we are, What can we do for you"?
मानसा: कार्यकालेषु साहाय्यं मे करिष्यथ।

गम्यतामिति तानाह यथेष्टं रघुनन्दन:।।1.28.14।।


मानसा: residing in my mind, कार्यकालेषु in times of need, मे to me, साहाय्यम् assistnce , करिष्यथ render, यथेष्टम् according to your free will, गम्यताम् इति can go on, रघुनन्दन: Rama, तान् आह spoke to astra devatas.

Rama spoke to them (astra devatas) saying, "Reside in my mind and render assistance in times of need. Now you can go according to your will".
अथ ते राममामन्त्ऱ्य कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्।

एवमस्त्विति काकुत्स्थमुक्त्वाजग्मुर्यथाऽगतम्।।1.28.15।।


अथ thereafter, ते those devatas, एवम् अस्तु इति saying "Be it so", काकुत्स्थम् Rama, उक्त्वा having spoken, प्रदक्षिणम् circumambulation, कृत्वा having done, रामम् Rama, आमन्त्य्र having taken leave of him, यथागतम् from whichever place they had come, जग्मु: went.

Thereafter those devatas having said, "Be it so", circumambulated Rama, took leave of him and returned to their respective abodes from where they had come.
स च तान् राघवो ज्ञात्वा विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्।

गच्छन्नेवाथ मधुरं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत्।।1.28.16।।


स: राघव: Rama, तान् ज्ञात्वा having acquired the knowledge of those weapons, अथ later, गच्छन्नेव while walking, विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम् maharshi Visvamitra, मधुरम् in gentle, श्लक्ष्णम् soft, वचनम् words, अब्रवीत् spoke.

After having acquired the knowledge of the weapons Rama addressed maharshi Viswamitra in gentle and soft words while walking along with him.
किन्न्वेतन्मेघसङ्काशं पर्वतस्याविदूरत:।

वृक्षषण्डमितो भाति परं कौतूहलं हि मे।।1.28.17।।

दर्शनीयं मृगाकीर्णं मनोरममतीव च।

नानाप्रकारैश्शकुनैर्वल्गुनादैरलङ्कृतम्।।1.28.18।।


इत: from this side, पर्वतस्य mountain's, अविदूरत: in a not far off place, मेघसङ्काशम् resembling clouds, दर्शनीयम् good looking, मृगाकीर्णम् scattered with animals, अतीव extremely, मनोरमम् pleasing to the mind, वल्गुनादै with sweet sounds, नानाप्रकारै: by various kinds, शकुनै: birds, अलङ्कृतम् adorned, वृक्षषण्डम् collection of trees, भाति is shining, एतत् किं नु what could be this?, मे to me, परम् highly, कौतूहलं हि curiousity.

"From this side of the mountain, not faroff from here stand shining and goodlooking trees resembling clouds. It is replete scattered with animals, pleasing to the mind and extremely beautiful. It is adorned with various kinds of birds singing sweetly. What could be this? I am very curious to know.
निस्सृता: स्म मुनिश्रेष्ठ कान्ताराद्रोमहर्षणात्।

अनया त्ववगच्छामि देशस्य सुखवत्तया।।1.28.19।।

सर्वं मे शंस भगवन् कस्याश्रमपदं त्विदम्।


मुनिश्रेष्ठ O Best of acetics, अनया by this, देशस्य of the place, सुखवत्तया being endowed with happiness, रोमहर्षणात् awesome(creating horripulation), कान्तारात् from the forest, निस्सृता: we came out, अवगच्छामि I am coming to know, इदम् this one, कस्य whose आश्रमपदम् hermitage, भगवन् O Revered one, सर्वम् all, मे to me , शंस tell.

O best of acetics, I think we have come out of that awesome (horripilating) forest because of the pleasant feeling experienced in this region. Whose hermitage is this? O Revered one tell me".
सम्प्राप्ता यत्र ते पापा ब्रह्मघ्ना दुष्टचारिण:।।1.28.20।।

तव यज्ञस्य विघ्नाय दुरात्मानो महामुने।

भगवन् तस्य को देशस्सा यत्र तव याज्ञिकी।।1.28.21।।

रक्षितव्या क्रिया ब्रह्मन्मया वध्याश्च राक्षसा:।

एतत्सर्वं मुनिश्रेष्ठ श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं प्रभो।।1.28.22।।


महामुने O Great acetic, भगवन् O Venerable one, ब्रह्मन् Brahmana, ब्रह्मघ्ना: slayers of Brahmins, दुष्टचारिण: doers of cruel acts, दुरात्मान: wicked minded one, ते पापा: those sinful persons, यत्र where, तव your, यज्ञस्य of the sacrifice, विघ्नाय for creating obstacles, सम्प्राप्ता: having arrived, याज्ञिकी relating to sacrifice, क्रिया act, मया by me, रक्षितव्या is required to be protected, राक्षसा: च rakshasas also, वध्या: are required to be slain, तस्य देश: that place relating to sacrifice, क: where, मुनिश्रेष्ठ O Best among ascetics, प्रभो O Lord, अहम् I, एतत्सर्वम् all this, श्रोतुम् to listen, इच्छामि desirous of.

O great ascetic, O venerable brahmana, from where do those slayers of brahmanas, doers of cruel acts, wickedminded and sinful persons come from and cause obstacles to your sacrifice? Where is that sacrificial place required to be protected by me? Where are these rakshasas required to be slain? O best of ascetics, I would like to hear from you".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे अष्टाविंशस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the twentyeighth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.