तच्छ्रुत्वा राजशार्दूलो विश्वामित्रस्य भाषितम् | मुहूर्तमिव निस्सज्ञः सज्ञावानिदमब्रवीत् || १-२०-१
tat shrutvaa raaja shaarduulo vishvaamitrasya bhaaShitam | muhuurtam iva nissaj~naH saj~naavaan idam abraviit || 1-20-1
On hearing what is spoken by Vishvamitra the tigerly-king Dasharatha became insensate for a time, and on redeeming senses he said this. [1-20-1]
ऊनषोडशवर्षो मे रामो राजीवलोचनः | न युद्धयोग्यतामस्य पश्यामि सह राक्षसैः || १-२०-२
uuna ShoDasha varSho me raamo raajiiva lochanaH | na yuddha yogyataam asya pashyaami saha raaxasaiH || 1-20-2
""Less than sixteen years of age is my lotus-eyed Rama, and I see no warring aptitude to him with the demons. [1-20-2]
इयमक्षौहिणी पूर्णा यस्याहं पतिरीश्वरः | अनया संवृतो गत्वा योद्धाहं तैर्निशाचरैः || १-२०-३
iyam akShauhiNii senaa yasya aham patiH iishvaraH | anayaa sahito gatvaa yoddha aham tair nishaacharaiH || 1-20-3
"Here is the full-fledged battalion, called akShouhiNii senaa , for which I am the leader and controller, and fortified by this army I will go there to encounter those demons. [1-20-3]
इमे शूराश्च विक्रान्ता भृत्या मेऽस्त्रविशारदाः | योग्या रक्षोगणैर्योद्धुं न रामं नेतुमर्हसि || १-२०-४
ime shuuraaH ca vikraantaa bhR^ityaaH me astra vishaaradaaH | yogyaa rakShogaNaiH yoddhum na raamam netum arhasi || 1-20-4
"Brave and daring are these soldiers of mine, and as experts in weaponry they are the appropriate ones to combat the hordes of demons, but, it will be ungentle of you to take Rama with you. [1-20-4]
अहमेव धनुष्पाणिर्गोप्ता समरमूर्धनि | यावत् प्राणान् धरिष्यामि तावद्योत्स्ये निशाचरैः || १-२०-५
aham eva dhanuShpaaNiH goptaa samara muurdhani | yaavat praaNaan dhariShyaami taavat yotsye nishaacharaiH || 1-20-5
"I alone with bow in my hand can protect your ritual, and as long as I bear my lives so long I war with those nightwalkers staying in the van of war. [1-20-5]
निर्विघ्ना व्रतचर्या सा भविष्यति सुरक्षिता | अहं तत्रागमिष्यामि न रामं नेतुमर्हसि || १-२०-६
nirvighnaa vrata charyaa saa bhaviShyati surakShitaa | aham tatra aagamiShyaami na raamam netum arhasi || 1-20-6
" I myself wish to come over there thereby the works of ritual will be well-guarded and unimpeded, but, taking Rama with you will be ungracious of you. [1-20-6]
बालो ह्यकृतविद्यश्च न च वेत्ति बलाबलम् | न चास्त्रबलसंयुक्तो न च युद्धविशारदः || १-२०-७ न चासौ रक्षसां योग्यः कूटयुद्धा हि ते ध्रुवम् |
baalo hi akR^ita vidyaH ca na ca vetti balaabalam | na ca astra bala saMyuk{}to na ca yuddha vishaaradaH || 1-20-7 na ca asau rakShasaa yogyaH kuuTa yuddhaa hi raakshasaa |
"Why because, Rama is boy! And he is unschooled in his princely education; does he know the strengths and weaknesses of opponents - no; has he got the equipage of arsenal - no; has he any expertise in warfare - no; is he an equal to the demons - no; be that as it may, those demons definitely conduct a deceitful warfare, isn't it. [1-19-7, 8a]
विप्रयुक्तो हि रामेण मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे || १-२०-८ जीवितुं मुनिशार्दूल न रामं नेतुमर्हसि |
viprayuk{}to hi raameNa muhuurtam api na utsahe || 1-20-8 jiivitum muni shaarduula na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"Alienated from Rama I am disinclined to live even for a moment, oh, tigerly sage, hence taking Rama with you will be unjust. [1-20-8b, 9a]
यदि वा राघवं ब्रह्मन्नेतुमिच्छसि सुव्रत || १-२०-९ चतुरंगसमायुक्तं मया सह च तं नय |
yadi vaa raaghavam brahman netum icChasi suvrata || 1-20-9 caturaMga samaayuk{}tam mayaa saha ca tam naya |
"Otherwise, oh, Brahman with best vows, if you so wish to take Rama along with you, you lead him off along with me, and along with my four kinds of troops. [1-20-9b, 10a]
षष्टिर्वर्षसहस्राणि जातस्य मम कौशिक || १-२०-१० कृच्छ्रेणोत्पादितश्चायं न रामं नेतुमर्हसि |
ShaShTiH varSha sahasraaNi jaatasya mama kaushika || 1-20-10 kR^icChreNa utpaaditaH ca ayam na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"Sixty thousand years have passed from my birth, oh! Vishvamitra, and this Rama is engendered at this age, that too with tribulations, hence taking Rama with you will be inappropriate of you. [1-20-10b, 11a]
चतुर्णामात्मजानां हि प्रीतिः परमिका मम || १-२०-११ ज्येष्ठे धर्मप्रधाने च न रामं नेतुमर्हसि |
caturNaam aatmajaanaam hi priitiH paramikaa mama || 1-20-11 jyeShThe dharma pradhaane ca na raamam netum a.rhasi |
"I will have exceptional affection for all of my four sons, isn't it, and among them Rama has a significance in the matter of his descent as an eldest son, hence taking Rama with you will be unjust of you. [1-20-11b, 12a]
किं वीर्या राक्षसास्ते च कस्य पुत्राश्च के च ते || १-२०-१२ कथं प्रमाणाः के चैतान् रक्षन्ति मुनिपुंगव |
kim viiryaaH raakShasaaH te ca kasya putraaH ca ke ca te || 1-20-12 katham pramaaNaaH ke ca etaan rakShanti munipuMgava |
"Oh, eminent sage, of what fortitude are those demons? Whose sons are they? Who are they? How is their size and shape? Also who protects all of them? [1-20-12b, 13a]
कथं च प्रतिकर्तव्यं तेषां रामेण रक्षसाम् || १-२०-१३ मामकैर्वा बलैर्ब्रह्मन् मया वा कूटयोधिनाम् |
katham ca prati kartavyam teShaam raameNa rakShasaam || 1-20-13 maamakaiH vaa balaiH brahman mayaa vaa kuuTa yodhinaam |
"Tell me all that, oh, god, how I have to carry on when warring with those evil minded demons, for the demons will be delirious by their audacity, isn't it..." Thus Dasharatha asked Vishvamitra insistently. On hearing those words Sage Vishvamitra replied this way. [1-20-14b, 15]
सर्वं मे शंस भगवन् कथं तेषां मया रणे|| १-२०-१४ स्थातव्यं दुष्टभावानां वीर्योत्सिक्तशरीरिणाम् | एतच्छ्रोतुमहं ब्रह्मन् सकौशल्यः प्रयाचते || १-२०-१५
sarvam me shaMsa bhagavan katham teShaam mayaa raNe|| 1-20-14 sthaatavyam duShTa bhaavaanaam viiryotsik{}taa hi raakShasaaH | tasya tad vacanam shrutvaa vishvaamitro abhyabhaaShata || 1-20-15
पौलस्त्यवंशप्रभवो रावणो नाम राक्षसः | स ब्रह्मणा दत्तवरस्त्रैलोक्यं बाधते भृशम् || १-२०-१६ महाबलो महावीर्यो राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्वृतः |
shruuyate ca mahaaraajaa raavaNo raakShasa adhipaH || 1-20-17 saakShaat vaishravaNa bhraataa putro vishravaso muneH |
"One born in Paulastya dynasty, an extremely mighty and exceedingly brave demon named Ravana is there, and he with the boon given by Brahma, and accompanied with many other demons is torturing the triad of worlds, contemptuously. [1-20-16, 17a]
श्रूयते च महाराजा रावणो राक्षसाधिपः || १-२०-१७ साक्षाद्वैश्रवणभ्राता पुत्रो विश्रवसो मुनेः |
yadaa na khalu yaj~nasya vighna kartaa mahaabalaH || 1-20-18 tena saMcoditau tau tu raakShasau ca mahaabalau | maariicaH ca subaahuH ca yaj~na vighnam kariShyataH || 1-20-19
"Unequivocally that chief of demons is the brother of Kubera and the son of sage Vishravasa, thus we hear. [1-20-17b, 18a]
यदा न खलु यज्ञस्य विघ्नकर्ता महाबलः || १-२०-१८ तेन संचोदितौ तौ तु राक्षसौ च महाबलौ | मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यतः || १-२०-१९
iti ukto muninaa tena raajA uvaaca munim tadaa | na hi shakto asmi saMgraame sthaatum tasya duraatmanaH || 1-20-20
"That formidable Ravana is not a devastator of rituals by himself, even so, two very mighty demons called Mareecha and Subaahu will cause devastating hindrances to rituals, instigated by him." Thus Sage Vishvamitra said to Dasharatha. [1-20-18b, 19]
इत्युक्तो मुनिना तेन राजोवाच मुनिं तदा | न हि शक्तोऽस्मि संग्रामे स्थातुं तस्य दुरात्मनः || १-२०-२०
deva daanava gaMdharvaa yakShaaH pataga pannagaaH| na shaktaa raavaNam soDhum kim punar maanavaa yudhi || 1-20-22
Thus when he is said so by that sage Vishvamitra, then the king Dasharatha spoke to the sage, "I myself am not capable of standing against that evil minded Ravana, in truth, where is the question of deputing my young Rama to confront him? [1-20-20]
स त्वं प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कुरुष्व मम पुत्रके | मम चैवाल्पभाग्यस्य दैवतं हि भवान् गुरुः || १-२०-२१
sa tu viiryavataam viiryam aadatte yudhi raavaNaH | tena ca aham na shakto.asmi saMyoddhum tasya vaa balaiH || 1-20-23 sabalo vaa munishreShTha sahito vaa mama aatmajaiH |
"You are the knower of probity, such as you are, you may please bestow benevolence upon my boyish son, as well on a less fortunate one like me too, and as our mentor you are indeed a god of ours. [1-20-21]
देवदानवगंधर्वा यक्षाः पतगपन्नगाः| न शक्ता रावणं सोढुं किं पुनर्मानवा युधि || १-२०-२२
katham api amara prakhyam saMgraamaaNaam akovidam || 1-20-24 baalam me tanayam brahman naiva daasyaami putrakam |
"Gods, demons, celestial beings like gandharva-s, yaksha-s, winged and reptile beings are incapable to bear the brunt of that Ravana in fight, why tell again about humans. [1-20-22]
स तु वीर्यवतां वीर्यमादत्ते युधि रावणः | तेन चाहं न शक्तोऽस्मि संयोद्धुं तस्य वा बलैः || १-२०-२३ सबलो वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ सहितो वा ममात्मजैः |
atha kaala upamau yuddhe sutau sundopasundayoH || 1-20-25 yaj~na vighna karau tau te na eva daasyaami putrakam |
"But that Ravana depletes the valour of valorous opponents in a battle, oh, eminent sage, either with my entire forces, or with all my sons I am inadequate to grapple with all his forces, or with him, individually. [1-20-23, 24a]
कथमप्यमरप्रख्यं संग्रामाणामकोविदम् || १-२०-२४ बालं मे तनयं ब्रह्मन्नैव दास्यामि पुत्रकम् |
maariicaH ca subaahuH ca viiryavantau sushikShitau || 1-20-26 tayoH anyataram yoddhum yaasyaami sa suhR^it gaNaH | anyathaa tvanuneShyaami bhavantam saha baandhava || 1-20-27
"My boyish son is godlike and unfledged in warfare, oh, Brahman, and he is the one who alleviates me from punnama naraka the hell of sonless fathers... no, I cannot spare my son in anyway. [1-20-24b, 25a]
अथ कालोपमौ युद्धे सुतौ सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः || १-२०-२५ यज्ञविघ्नकरौ तौ ते नैव दास्यामि पुत्रकम् |
iti narapati jalpanaat dwijendram kushika sutam sumahAn vivesha manyuH | su huta iva makhe agniH Ajya sik{}taH samabhavat ujwalito maharShi vahniH || 1-20-28
"Further, those saboteurs of your ritual namely Mareecha and Subaahu, are similar to Death-god and the descendents of the earliest demons and subverters of rituals, namely Sunda and Upasunda, no, I cannot spare my son, in any case. [1-20-25b, 26a]
मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवन्तौ सुशिक्षितौ || १-२०-२६ तयोरन्यतरं योद्धुं यास्यामि ससुहृद्गणः | अन्यथा त्वनुनेष्यामि भवन्तं सह बान्धवैः || १-२०-२७
"Mareecha and Subaahu are well-trained and valorous ones, hence I will proceed with all my friendly forces to war with either of those two demons, otherwise, I along with all my relatives implore upon you for your exoneration in my failure to comply my own promises. [1-20-26b, 27]
इति नरपतिजल्पनाद्द्विजेन्द्रं कुशिकसुतं सुमहान् विवेश मन्युः | सुहुत इव मखेऽग्निराज्यसिक्तः समभवदुज्वलितो महर्षिवह्निः || १-२०-२८
Thus, by the incongruous talk of Dasharatha, the outstanding Brahman and son of Sage Kushi, namely sage Vishvamitra is overwhelmed with outrageous anger by his mentation, and that fire-like glorious sage looked like the ritual fire into which many inflammable oblations are offered, and which is drenched with a lot of clarified butter, whereby it is flaring up its tongues. [1-20-28]
