Sloka & Translation

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

pratigṛhya tatō.strāṇi prahṛṣṭavadanaśśuci:.

gacchannēva ca kākutsthō viśvāmitramathābravīt৷৷1.28.1৷৷


kākutstha: Rama, śuci: having purified himself, astrāṇi astras, pratigṛhya having received, tata: then, prahṛṣṭavadana: with pleasant countenance,gacchannēva while proceeding onwards, atha thereafter, viśvāmitram addressing Visvamitra, abravīt spoke.

After performing the purificatory rites, Rama received the weapons with a cheerful face. In the way Rama said to Viswamitra.
gṛhītāstrō.smi bhagavan! durādharṣassurairapi.

astrāṇāṅ tvahamicchāmi saṅhāraṅ munipuṅgava৷৷1.28.2৷৷


bhagavan O! Venerable one, gṛhītāstra: having received these weapons, surairapi even by celestials, durādharṣa: asmi I have become unassailable, munipuṅgava O! Best of ascetics, aham I, astrāṇām of astras, saṅhāram withdrawal, icchāmi 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".
ēvaṅ bruvati kākutsthē viśvāmitrō mahāmuni:.

saṅhāraṅ vyājahārātha dhṛtimān suvrataśśuci:৷৷1.28.3৷৷


kākutsthē when Rama, ēvam in this manner, bruvati had spoken, atha thereafter, dhṛtimān one possessed of fortitude, suvrata: a man of excellent vows, śuci: pure, viśvāmitra: mahāmuni: Viswamitra maharshi, saṅhāram withdrawl, vyājahāra told.

To these words spoken by Rama, maharshi Viswamitra who was patient practitioner of vows and pure taught the withdrawl mantra.
satyavantaṅ satyakīrtiṅ dhṛṣṭaṅ rabhasamēva ca.

pratihārataraṅ nāma parāṅmukhamavāṅmukham৷৷1.28.4৷৷

lakṣākṣaviṣamau caiva dṛḍhanābhasunābhakau.

daśākṣaśatavaktrau ca daśaśīrṣaśatōdarau৷৷1.28.5৷৷

padmanābhamahānābhau dundunābhasunābhakau.

jyōtiṣaṅ kṛśanaṅ caiva nairāśyavimalāvubhau৷৷1.28.6৷৷

yōgandharaharidrau ca daityapraśamanautathā.

sārcirmālī dhṛtirmālī vṛttimān rucirastathā৷৷1.28.7৷৷

pitṛsaumanasaṅ caiva vidhūtamakarāvubhau.

karavīrakaraṅ caiva dhanadhānyau ca rāghava৷৷1.28.8৷৷

kāmarūpaṅ kāmaruciṅ mōhamāvaraṇaṅ tathā.

jṛmbhakaṅ sarvanābhaṅ ca santānavaraṇau tathā৷৷1.28.9৷৷

bhṛśāśvatanayān rāma bhāsvarānkāmarūpiṇa:.

pratīccha mama bhadraṅ tē pātrabhūtō.si rāghava৷৷1.28.10৷৷


rāghava O! Descendent of Raghu, rāma Rama, satyavantam Satyavanta, satyakīrtim Satya Kirti, dhṛṣṭam dhrishta, rabhasam Rabhasa, pratihārataram Pratiharatara, parāṅmukham Paranmukha, āvāṅmukham Avanmukha, lakṣākṣaviṣamau Lakshaksha, Vishama, dṛḍhanābhasunābhakau Drudhanabha and Sunabha, daśākṣaśatavaktrau ca Dasaksha and Satavaktra, daśaśīrṣaśatōdarau Dasasheersha and Satodara, padmanābhamahānābhau Padama Nabha and Mahanabha, dundunābhasunābhakau Dundunabha and Sunabhaka, jyōtiṣam Jyotisha, kṛśanaṅ caiva Krusana also, ubhau both, nairāśyavimalau Nairasya and Vimala, yōgandharaharidrau ca Yogandhara and Haridra, daityapraśamanau Daitya, Prasamana, sārcirmālī Sarchirmali, dhṛti: Dhriti, mālī Mali, vṛttimān Vrttiman, tathā also, rucira: Ruchira, pitṛsaumanasaṅ caiva Pitrusaumanasa also, ubhau both, vidhūtamakarau Vidhuta and Makara, karavīrakaraṅ caiva Karaveerakara also, dhanadhānyau Dhana and Dhanya, kāmarūpam Kama Roopa, kāmarucim Kama Ruchi, mōham Moha, tathā also, āvaraṇam Avarana, jṛmbhakam Jrumbhaka, sarvanābhaṅ ca Sarvanabha, tathā also, santānavaraṇau Santhana and Varana, bhāsvarān effulgent, kāmarūpiṇa: assuming shapes at will, bhṛśāśvatanayān Bhrusaswa's sons, mama from me, pratīccha you may receive, tē to you, bhadram May you prosper, pātrabhūta: asi 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.
bāḍhamityēva kākutstha: prahṛṣṭēnāntārātmanā.

divyabhāsvaradēhāśca mūrtimantassukhapradā:৷৷1.28.11

kēcidaṅgārasadṛśā: kēciddhūmōpamāstathā.

candrārkasadṛśā: kēcitprahvāñjalipuṭāstathā৷৷1.28.12৷৷

rāmaṅ prāñjalayō bhūtvā.bruvan madhurabhāṣiṇa:.

imē sma naraśārdūla śādhi kiṅ karavāma tē৷৷1.28.13৷৷


kākutstha: Rama, prahṛṣṭēna with a delighted, antarātmanā heart, bāḍham ityēva 'certainly I shall do so' (saying so received the astras), divyabhāsvaradēhā: ca having divine radiant bodies, mūrtimanta: assuming corporal form, sukhapradā: conferring happiness, kēcit some of them, aṅgāra sadṛśā: black like coal, tathā and, kēcit some others, dhūmōpamā: were like smoke, kēcit some others, candrārkasadṛśā: resembled Sun and Moon, tathā also, prahvañjalipuṭā: with their bodies bent down, prāñjalaya: bhūtvā attentive with folded palms, madhurabhāṣiṇa: talking in sweet accent, rāmam Rama, abruvan said, naraśārdūla O! Best among men, imē sma: here we are, śādhi you may command, tē to you, kim what, karavāma should we accomplish.

"Certainly!" said Rama, and with a delighted heart received the astras. Some of the astra devatas were coat 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"?
mānasā: kāryakālēṣu sāhāyyaṅ mē kariṣyatha.

gamyatāmiti tānāha yathēṣṭaṅ raghunandana:৷৷1.28.14৷৷


mānasā: residing in my mind, kāryakālēṣu in times of need, mē to me, sāhāyyam assistnce , kariṣyatha render, yathēṣṭam according to your free will, gamyatām iti can go on, raghunandana: Rama, tān āha 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".
atha tē rāmamāmantṟya kṛtvā cāpi pradakṣiṇam.

ēvamastviti kākutsthamuktvājagmuryathā.gatam৷৷1.28.15৷৷


atha thereafter, tē those devatas, ēvam astu iti saying "Be it so", kākutstham Rama, uktvā having spoken, pradakṣiṇam circumambulation, kṛtvā having done, rāmam Rama, āmantyra having taken leave of him, yathāgatam from whichever place they had come, jagmu: 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.
sa ca tān rāghavō jñātvā viśvāmitraṅ mahāmunim.

gacchannēvātha madhuraṅ ślakṣṇaṅ vacanamabravīt৷৷1.28.16৷৷


sa: rāghava: Rama, tān jñātvā having acquired the knowledge of those weapons, atha later, gacchannēva while walking, viśvāmitraṅ mahāmunim maharshi Visvamitra, madhuram in gentle, ślakṣṇam soft, vacanam words, abravīt spoke.

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

vṛkṣaṣaṇḍamitō bhāti paraṅ kautūhalaṅ hi mē৷৷1.28.17৷৷

darśanīyaṅ mṛgākīrṇaṅ manōramamatīva ca.

nānāprakāraiśśakunairvalgunādairalaṅkṛtam৷৷1.28.18৷৷


ita: from this side, parvatasya mountain's, avidūrata: in a not far off place, mēghasaṅkāśam resembling clouds, darśanīyam good looking, mṛgākīrṇam scattered with animals, atīva extremely, manōramam pleasing to the mind, valgunādai with sweet sounds, nānāprakārai: by various kinds, śakunai: birds, alaṅkṛtam adorned, vṛkṣaṣaṇḍam collection of trees, bhāti is shining, ētat kiṅ nu what could be this?, mē to me, param highly, kautūhalaṅ hi curiousity.

"From this side of the mountain, not far-off from here stand shining and good-looking 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.
nissṛtā: sma muniśrēṣṭha! kāntārādrōmaharṣaṇāt.

anayā tvavagacchāmi dēśasya sukhavattayā৷৷1.28.19৷৷

sarvaṅ mē śaṅsa bhagavan! kasyāśramapadaṅ tvidam.


muniśrēṣṭha O! Best of acetics, anayā by this, dēśasya of the place, sukhavattayā being endowed with happiness, rōmaharṣaṇāt awe-some(creating horripulation), kāntārāt from the forest, nissṛtā: we came out, avagacchāmi I am coming to know, idam this one, kasya whose āśramapadam hermitage, bhagavan O! Revered one, sarvam all, mē to me , śaṅsa 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".
samprāptā yatra tē pāpā brahmaghnā duṣṭacāriṇa:৷৷1.28.20৷৷

tava yajñasya vighnāya durātmānō mahāmunē.

bhagavan tasya kō dēśassā yatra tava yājñikī৷৷1.28.21৷৷

rakṣitavyā kriyā brahmanmayā vadhyāśca rākṣasā:.

ētatsarvaṅ muniśrēṣṭha! śrōtumicchāmyahaṅ prabhō৷৷1.28.22৷৷


mahāmunē O! Great acetic, bhagavan O! Venerable one, brahman Brahmana, brahmaghnā: slayers of Brahmins, duṣṭacāriṇa: doers of cruel acts, durātmāna: wicked minded one, tē pāpā: those sinful persons, yatra where, tava your, yajñasya of the sacrifice, vighnāya for creating obstacles, samprāptā: having arrived, yājñikī relating to sacrifice, kriyā act, mayā by me, rakṣitavyā is required to be protected, rākṣasā: ca rakshasas also, vadhyā: are required to be slain, tasya dēśa: that place relating to sacrifice, ka: where, muniśrēṣṭha O! Best among ascetics, prabhō O! Lord, aham I, ētatsarvam all this, śrōtum to listen, icchāmi desirous of.

O great ascetic, O venerable brahmana, from where do those slayers of brahmanas, doers of cruel acts, wicked-minded 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".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē aṣṭāviṅśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the twentyeighth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic
composed by sage Valmiki.