Bala Kanda — Sarga 23

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। अभ्यभाषत काकुत्स्थौ शयानौ पर्णसंस्तरे॥ कौसल्या सुप्रजा राम पूर्वां संध्या प्रवर्तने। उत्तिष्ठ नरशार्दूल कर्तव्यं दैवमाह्निकम्॥

And when the night had passed away, the mighty ascetic spoke to Kākutstha, lying down on a bed of leaves, O Rāma, surely has Kausalyā given birth to an excellent son! The first Sandhyā* should now be performed. Do you, O tiger among men, arise! You should perform the purificatory rites and contemplate the gods. *Brāhmaṇas have to perform their daily devotions thrice,-in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.

Bala Kanda 23.1

तम्यर्षेः परमोदारं वचः श्रुत्वा नरोत्तमौ। स्नात्वा कृतोदकौ वीरौ जेपतुः परमं जपम्॥

Hearing those proper words of the ascetic, those foremost of men, endowed with heroism, bathed, and, sipping water, began to recite the Gayatri. (The solar hymn of the Veda).

Bala Kanda 23.2

कृताहिको महावीर्यो विश्वामित्रं तपोधनम्। अभिवाद्यातिसंहष्टौ गमनायाभितस्थतुः॥

And having performed these daily duties, those exceedingly powerful ones, greeting Viśvāmitra having asceticism for wealth, stood before him, with the object of starting on their journey.

Bala Kanda 23.3

तौ प्रयान्तौ महावीरों दिव्यां त्रिपथगां नदीम्। ददृशाते ततस्तत्र सरय्वाः संगमे शुभे ॥

And as those ones endowed with exceeding prowess were proceeding, at the shining confluence of the Sarayū and the Gangā they bcheld a noble river flowing in three branches.

Bala Kanda 23.4

तत्राश्रमपदं पुण्यमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम्। बहुवर्षसहस्राणि तप्यतां परमं तपः॥

There lay a holy hermitage, belonging to ascetics of subdued souls, where they had been carrying on their high austerities for thousands of years.

Bala Kanda 23.5

तं दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीतौ राघवौ पुण्यमाश्रमम्। ऊचतुस्तं महात्मानं विश्वामित्रमिदं वचः॥

Beholding that sacred asylum those descendants of Raghu, exceedingly delighted, spoke to the high-souled Viśvāmitra, these words.

Bala Kanda 23.6

कस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यः को न्वस्मिन् वसते पुमान्। भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छावः परं कौतूहलं हि लो॥

Whose is this sacred hemmilage? And what man lives here? O worshipfui one, we are desirous of hcasing this. Surciy, great is our curiosity.

Bala Kanda 23.7

तयोस्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गवः। अब्रवीच्छ्रयतां राम यस्यायं पूर्वं आश्रमः॥

At those words of theirs, that foremost of ascetics, smiling, said, Hear, O Rama, as to whom the asylum has belonged in time past.

Bala Kanda 23.8

कन्दो मूर्तिमानासीत् काम इत्युच्यते बुधैः। तपस्यन्तमिह स्थाणुं नियमेन समाहितम्॥ कृतोद्वाहं तु देवेशं गच्छन्तं समरुद्गणम्। धर्षयामास दुर्मेधा हुंकृतश्च महात्मना ॥

Kandarpa, called Käma by the wise, was once incarnate (on earth.) And it came to pass that as that lord of the deities, Sthāņu, having performed here his austerities in accordance with the prescribed restrictions, was wending his way in company with the Maruts, that fool-hardy wight dared disturb the equanimity of his mind.

Bala Kanda 23.9

अवध्यातश्च रुद्रेण चक्षुणा रघुनन्दन। व्यशीर्यन्त शरीरात् स्वात् सर्वगात्राणि दुर्मतेः॥

Thereupon, O descendant of Raghu, uttering a roar, the high-souled Rudra eyed him steadfastly. And thereat all the limbs of that perverse-hearted one became blasted.

Bala Kanda 23.10

तत्र गात्रं हतं तस्य निर्दग्धस्य महात्मनः। अशरीरः कृतः कामः क्रोधाद् देवेश्वरेण ह॥

And on his body being consumed by that high-souled one, Kāma was deprived of his person in consequence of the ire of that foremost among the deities.

Bala Kanda 23.11

अनङ्ग इति विख्यातस्तदाप्रभृति राघव। स चाङ्गविषयः श्रीमान् यत्राङ्ग स मुमोच ह॥

O Rāghava, from that time forth, he has become known as Ananga. And the place where he was deprived of his body is the lovely land of Anga.

Bala Kanda 23.12

तस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यस्तस्येमे मुनयः पुरा। शिष्या धर्मपरा वीर तेषां पापं न विद्यते॥

This sacred hermitage belongs to Śiva; and these ascetics engaged in pious acts, O hero, have been from father to son his disciples. And no sin touch them.

Bala Kanda 23.13

इहाद्य रजनीं राम वसेम शुभदर्शन। पुण्ययोः सरितोर्मध्ये श्वस्तरिष्यामहे वयम्॥

Here, O Rāma, in the midst of the sacred streams, will we spend the night, O you of gracious presence, crossing over on the morrow.

Bala Kanda 23.14

अभिगच्छामहे सर्वे शुचयः पुण्यमाश्रमम्। इह वासः परोऽस्माकं सुखं वत्स्यामहे निशाम्॥ स्नाताश्च कृतजप्याश्च हुतहव्या नरोत्तम ।

Let us then, having purified ourselves, enter the holy hermitage! It is highly desirable for us to sojourn here, here will we happily spend the night, having bathed, and recited the mantras, and offered oblations to the sacrificial fire, O best of men.

Bala Kanda 23.15

तेषां संवदतां तत्र तपोदीर्पण चक्षुषा ॥ विज्ञाय परमप्रीता मुनयो हर्षमागमन्।

As they were conversing thus, the ascetics were highly delighted on discovering them by means of their far-reaching spiritual vision, and they rejoiced greatly.

Bala Kanda 23.16

अर्घ्यं पाद्यं तथाऽऽतिथ्यं निवेद्य कुशिकात्मजे॥ रामलक्ष्मणयोः पश्चादकुर्वनतिथिक्रियाम्।

Then giving Kusika's son water to wash his feet and Arghya, and extending to him also the rites of hospitality, they next entertained Rāma and Laksmana.

Bala Kanda 23.17

सत्कारं समनुप्राप्य कथाभिरभिरञ्जयन्॥ यथार्हमजपन् संध्यामृषयस्ते समाहिताः।

Having experienced their hospitality, they (the guests) delighted them with their talk. And then the saints with collected minds recited their evening prayers.

Bala Kanda 23.18

तत्र वासिभिरानीता मुनिभिः सुव्रतैः सह॥ न्यवसत्स सुखं तत्र कामाश्रमपदे तथा।

And having been shown their destined place of rest along with ascetics of excellent vows, they happily passed that night in that hermitage affording every comfort.

Bala Kanda 23.19

कथाभिरभिरामाभिरभिरामौ नृपात्मजौ। रमयामास धर्मात्मा कौशिको मुनिपुङ्गवः॥

And that foremost of ascetics, the righteoussouled son of Kuśika, by means of his excellent converse, charmed the prepossessing sons of the monarch.

Bala Kanda 23.20