Book I : Bala Kanda - Book Of Youthful Majesties
चकार चरितम् कृत्स्नम् विचित्र पदम् अर्थवत् || १-४-१
1. bhagavaan R^iSiH = godly, saint, Valmiki; praapta raajasya raamsya = on retrieval, of kingdom, by Rama; vichitra padam = admirably, worded;kR^itsnam = in entirety; charitam = legend; arthavat = meaningfully; chakaara = composed.
The godly saint Valmiki composed Ramayana on Rama's retrieving kingdom, wording admirably and meaningfully. [1-4-1]
चतुर् विंशत् सहस्राणि श्लोकानाम् उक्तवान् ऋषिः |
तथा सर्ग शतान् पंच षट् काण्डानि तथा उत्तरम् ||१-४-२
2. R^iSiH = sage Valmiki; slokaanaam = verses; chatur vimshat sahasraaNi = twenty-four, thousand; tathaa = that way; pancha sarga shataan = five, chapters, hundreds; SaT kaaNDaani cha = six, books, also; tatha uttaram = that way, an end piece; uktvaan = said.
Sage Valmiki said Ramayana in twenty four thousand verses, in six hundred chapters, in six books, likewise an end-piece too. [1-4-2]
The twenty-four are the letters in Gayatri hymn. Ramayana's scheming is based on Gayatri hymn and for this: atra catur vi~Nshati sa~Nkhyo uktyaa catur vi~Nshati akShara gaayatrii tulyataa suucitam | prathama adhyaaye - tapaH svaadhyaaya - ityatra prathamam ta kaarasya - sargapraante - iti etasmin padye - mahatva miiyaat -- ityatra yaat - iti akSharasya grahaNaat api gayatrii ruupatvam suucitam - dharmaakuutam
There is a controversy about the number of verses and cantos. If Uttara Ramayana, otherwise called abhudaya kaanDa , is ascribed to Valmiki, the cantos are seven and chapters are about 649 and verses are about 24,253. But some verses and chapters are deleted for standardization of Ramayana as per this verse and they contain 560 chapters and 24,00 verses only. Some argue that when it is said 24, 000 verses are there, it does not actually a mathematical assertion, like the calculation of mahaa yuga -s and manvantara -s, and as one would give a reply to his age as 30 years, or 60 years, but not as 29 years, 6 months, seven days or so... In furthering that standardization affair, some said that even this canto, Bala kaanda is not authored by Valmiki. It is not clear as of now when the pundits can decide as to which is standard and which is not.
The transcendental aspect of Ramayana and its content is explained in 18 terms by ancient commentator Govindaraja. 1] Rama's Absoluteness, paramaatma tattva ; 2] Ideation to know Him, upaaya ; 3] Dedication in Him, kainkarya ; 4] Human aspect, puruSaakaara ; 5] Diviner, adhikaara ; 6] Resolve in God, adhikaara paaratantrya ; 7] God's resolve in Dedicate, bhagavat paaratantrya ; 8] Knowledge of five Meanings, artha pancaka j~naana ; 9] Self-denial, akincinatvam ; 10] Teacher selecting, aacaarya varaNam ; 11] Climax, autkaNThata ; 12] Behaviour, pravartana ; 13] Residence, vaasa sthaana ; 14] Two Narayana hymns, naaraayaNa mantra dvaya ; 15] Gayatri, Gayatri hymn; 16] Negating negative-thinking, durvicaara parihaara ; 17] negating Love for Living, samsaara jihaasa ; 18] 64 Divinely Arts, catuSaSTi kalamayatva . Of them we take up the15thGayatri.
The identification of Gayatri with Ramayana scheme is explained in many ways. By tat savitR^i the features and attributes of the Absolute as per narrations in Bala Kanda. vareNya by the narration of Absolute's attributes in Ayodhya and Kishkindha kaanda-s, and adherents like Lakshmana, Bharata, Sugreeva take shelter in Him here only. bharga is identified as per the description of resplendence of The Divine as envisaged by the sages and hermits in Aranya Kanda. devasya and indhiimahi where that deva the Divine is explained by Hanuma, not only to Seetha but to all in Sundara kanda. hi dhii mahi is as explained in Uttara Kanda, which centers around moksha salvation.
कृत्वा तु तन् महाप्राज्ञः स भविष्यम् सह उत्तरम् |
चिन्तयामास कोन्वेतत् प्रयुंजीयाद् इति प्रभुः ||१-४-३
3. maha praaj~naH prabhuH = great, scholar, godly-saint Valmiki; sa bhavishyam saha uttaram = with, leading, with, sequel; tat = that, Ramayana; kR^itvaa tu = having composed, but; kaH = who; nu = really; etat = all this; pra yu~njiiyaat iti = well, render, thus; chintayaamasa = thought over.
Though that great scholar composed thus with leading and sequel legends, that godly saint thought over thus 'really, who will render all this ballad...' [1-4-3]
तस्य चिन्तयामानस्य महर्षेर् भावितात्मनः |
अगृह्णीताम् ततः पादौ मुनि वेषौ कुशी लवौ || १-४-४
4. tataH = then; muni veshau kushii lavau = in hermits, attire, Kusha, Lava; chintayaamasnasya = thoughtful one; bhavitaH atmanaH = contemplating soul; tasya maharsheH = his, of the Sage's; paadau agR^ihniitaam = feet taken [touched.]
Then Lava and Kusha who are in the attire of hermits have touched the feet of that contemplative soul Valmiki, who is now thoughtful. [1-4-4]
प्राप्त राज्यस्य रामस्य वाल्मीकिर् भगवान् ऋषिः |
चकार चरितम् कृत्स्नम् विचित्र पदम् अर्थवत् || १-४-१
चकार चरितम् कृत्स्नम् विचित्र पदम् अर्थवत् || १-४-१
1. bhagavaan R^iSiH = godly, saint, Valmiki; praapta raajasya raamsya = on retrieval, of kingdom, by Rama; vichitra padam = admirably, worded;kR^itsnam = in entirety; charitam = legend; arthavat = meaningfully; chakaara = composed.
The godly saint Valmiki composed Ramayana on Rama's retrieving kingdom, wording admirably and meaningfully. [1-4-1]
चतुर् विंशत् सहस्राणि श्लोकानाम् उक्तवान् ऋषिः |
तथा सर्ग शतान् पंच षट् काण्डानि तथा उत्तरम् ||१-४-२
तथा सर्ग शतान् पंच षट् काण्डानि तथा उत्तरम् ||१-४-२
2. R^iSiH = sage Valmiki; slokaanaam = verses; chatur vimshat sahasraaNi = twenty-four, thousand; tathaa = that way; pancha sarga shataan = five, chapters, hundreds; SaT kaaNDaani cha = six, books, also; tatha uttaram = that way, an end piece; uktvaan = said.
Sage Valmiki said Ramayana in twenty four thousand verses, in six hundred chapters, in six books, likewise an end-piece too. [1-4-2]
The twenty-four are the letters in Gayatri hymn. Ramayana's scheming is based on Gayatri hymn and for this: atra catur vi~Nshati sa~Nkhyo uktyaa catur vi~Nshati akShara gaayatrii tulyataa suucitam | prathama adhyaaye - tapaH svaadhyaaya - ityatra prathamam ta kaarasya - sargapraante - iti etasmin padye - mahatva miiyaat -- ityatra yaat - iti akSharasya grahaNaat api gayatrii ruupatvam suucitam - dharmaakuutam
There is a controversy about the number of verses and cantos. If Uttara Ramayana, otherwise called abhudaya kaanDa , is ascribed to Valmiki, the cantos are seven and chapters are about 649 and verses are about 24,253. But some verses and chapters are deleted for standardization of Ramayana as per this verse and they contain 560 chapters and 24,00 verses only. Some argue that when it is said 24, 000 verses are there, it does not actually a mathematical assertion, like the calculation of mahaa yuga -s and manvantara -s, and as one would give a reply to his age as 30 years, or 60 years, but not as 29 years, 6 months, seven days or so... In furthering that standardization affair, some said that even this canto, Bala kaanda is not authored by Valmiki. It is not clear as of now when the pundits can decide as to which is standard and which is not.
The transcendental aspect of Ramayana and its content is explained in 18 terms by ancient commentator Govindaraja. 1] Rama's Absoluteness, paramaatma tattva ; 2] Ideation to know Him, upaaya ; 3] Dedication in Him, kainkarya ; 4] Human aspect, puruSaakaara ; 5] Diviner, adhikaara ; 6] Resolve in God, adhikaara paaratantrya ; 7] God's resolve in Dedicate, bhagavat paaratantrya ; 8] Knowledge of five Meanings, artha pancaka j~naana ; 9] Self-denial, akincinatvam ; 10] Teacher selecting, aacaarya varaNam ; 11] Climax, autkaNThata ; 12] Behaviour, pravartana ; 13] Residence, vaasa sthaana ; 14] Two Narayana hymns, naaraayaNa mantra dvaya ; 15] Gayatri, Gayatri hymn; 16] Negating negative-thinking, durvicaara parihaara ; 17] negating Love for Living, samsaara jihaasa ; 18] 64 Divinely Arts, catuSaSTi kalamayatva . Of them we take up the15thGayatri.
The identification of Gayatri with Ramayana scheme is explained in many ways. By tat savitR^i the features and attributes of the Absolute as per narrations in Bala Kanda. vareNya by the narration of Absolute's attributes in Ayodhya and Kishkindha kaanda-s, and adherents like Lakshmana, Bharata, Sugreeva take shelter in Him here only. bharga is identified as per the description of resplendence of The Divine as envisaged by the sages and hermits in Aranya Kanda. devasya and indhiimahi where that deva the Divine is explained by Hanuma, not only to Seetha but to all in Sundara kanda. hi dhii mahi is as explained in Uttara Kanda, which centers around moksha salvation.
कृत्वा तु तन् महाप्राज्ञः स भविष्यम् सह उत्तरम् |
चिन्तयामास कोन्वेतत् प्रयुंजीयाद् इति प्रभुः ||१-४-३
चिन्तयामास कोन्वेतत् प्रयुंजीयाद् इति प्रभुः ||१-४-३
3. maha praaj~naH prabhuH = great, scholar, godly-saint Valmiki; sa bhavishyam saha uttaram = with, leading, with, sequel; tat = that, Ramayana; kR^itvaa tu = having composed, but; kaH = who; nu = really; etat = all this; pra yu~njiiyaat iti = well, render, thus; chintayaamasa = thought over.
Though that great scholar composed thus with leading and sequel legends, that godly saint thought over thus 'really, who will render all this ballad...' [1-4-3]
तस्य चिन्तयामानस्य महर्षेर् भावितात्मनः |
अगृह्णीताम् ततः पादौ मुनि वेषौ कुशी लवौ || १-४-४
अगृह्णीताम् ततः पादौ मुनि वेषौ कुशी लवौ || १-४-४
4. tataH = then; muni veshau kushii lavau = in hermits, attire, Kusha, Lava; chintayaamasnasya = thoughtful one; bhavitaH atmanaH = contemplating soul; tasya maharsheH = his, of the Sage's; paadau agR^ihniitaam = feet taken [touched.]
Then Lava and Kusha who are in the attire of hermits have touched the feet of that contemplative soul Valmiki, who is now thoughtful. [1-4-4]
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