February 26,2013.Day 104. Srimad Valmiki Ramayan - The First Epic Poem Of India. (Continued)

Book I : Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties

Chapter [Sarga] 3

Introduction

The scheming of the composition of epic Ramayana is described here. Whole of the epic is rendered in its quintessence, as to how Sage Valmiki scheduled the narration of important milestones of the epic.

श्रुत्वा वस्तु समग्रम् तत् धर्म अर्ध सहितम् हितम् |
व्यक्तम् अन्वेषते भूयो यद्वृत्तम् तस्य धीमतः || १-३-१

1. dharmaatmaa = virtue-souled one, Valmiki; dharma artha sahitam = probity, prosperity, abounding in; hitam = propitious one [too]; tat = that;vastu samagram = essence of the epic, in its entirety; shrutvaa = on hearing; = tasya dhiimataH vR^ittam = of that, dexterous [Rama's,] that which has happened; yat = that which is there; [tat = that]; vyaktam bhuuyaH anveSate = that which is known [in detail,] further, searched for.

On hearing the essence of Ramayana from Sage Narada, which is abound with probity and prosperity, and a propitious one too, that virtue-souled Valmiki started searching for further known details in the legend of that dexterous Rama. [1-3-1]

उपस्पृस्य उदकम् संयक् मुनिः स्थित्वा कृताञ्जलिः |
प्राचीन अग्रेषु दर्भेषु धर्मेण अन्वेषते गतिम् || १-३-२

2. muniH = that saint; praachiina agreSu = eastward, having apices; darbheSu = sacred darbha grass [and its mat]; sthitvaa = on abiding, on sitting; udakam upaspR^ishya = water, on touching; kR^ita a~njali = making palm fold in reverence; dharmeNa = yogaja dharmeNa - [dharmaakuutam] = by yogic dharma; samyak = comprehensively; anveSate gatim = is searching, for course [of Ramayana.]

Valmiki sitting on a sacred grass mat, whose apices are towards east, touched waters, and made his palms adjoined in reverence, and then by his yogic insight started to search comprehensively, for the narrative course of Ramayana. [1-3-2]

Comment: Touching/sipping waters aachamana, pariSechana , before undertaking any auspicious work, including daily meal, is customary, because water cleanses the internal system, both mind and body.

राम लक्ष्मण सीताभिः राज्ञा दशरथेन च |
स भार्येण स राष्ट्रेण यत् प्राप्तम् तत्र तत्त्वतः || १-३-३
हसितम् भाषितम् च एव गतिर्यायत् च चेष्टितम् |
तत् सर्वम् धर्म वीर्येण यथावत् संप्रपश्यति || १-३-४

3-4. raama lakshmaNa siitaabhiH = of Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha; raaj~naa dasharathena ca = by king, Dasharatha, also; sa bhaaryeNa [raameNa] = along with, wife - Rama along with his wife; sa raaSTreNa = along with, kingdom - when Rama was in State; yat praaptam = what, bechanced; tatra [yaa] gatiH = in that, [which,] course is there; yaavat ceSTitam ca = everything, [they] have done, and; hasitam bhaaSitam ca eva = their smiles, their conversations, also, thus; tat sarvam = that, entirely; tatvataH = veritably; yathaavat = as it is; dharma viiryeNa = by the power of his ascesis, or by the power given by Brahma; sam pra pashyati = wholly, clearly, seen.

Of Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha, also of King Dasharatha and his wives, and what bechanced on Rama when he was in kingdom Ayodhya; Valmiki veritably discerned all that. Their smiles, their conversations, their deeds and the succession of events as well, all of them the sage saw wholly and clearly by the yogic power conferred by Brahma...] [1-3-3-4]

स्त्री तृतीयेन च तथा यत् प्राप्तम् चरता वने |
सत्यसन्धेन रामेण तत्सर्वम् च अन्ववेक्षत || १-३-५

5. strii tR^itiiyena ca = lady, as third [partner in forests,] also; vane charataa = in forests, while trekking; satya sandhena raameNa = truth-abiding, by Rama; tathaa yat praaptam = then, that which, bechanced; tat sarvam ca = all, that, also; anvavekshitam = by him discerned.

Then, that which bechanced on truth-abiding Rama, while he is trekking in forests, with a lady being the third partner, where Lakshmana is the lone male aide, Valmiki visualized all that. [1-3-5]

ततः पश्यति धर्मात्मा तत् सर्वम् योगमास्थितः |
पुरा यत् तत्र निर्वृत्तम् पाणाव आमलकम् यथा || १-३-६

6. tataH = then; dharmaatmaa = virtue-souled sage; yogam aasthitaH = while in yogic, exaltation; tatra = in there [in story]; puraa yat nirvR^ittam= earlier, what, has happened; tat sarvam = that, all; paaNau amalakam = in palm, citric fruit [myrobalan]; yathaa = as though; pashyati = saw.

Then that virtue-souled sage saw what all that has happened earlier, by his yogic exaltation, as though it is a citric fruit in his own palm. [1-3-6]