Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
Chapter 18
Rama,Bharata,Lakshmana and Shatrughna took birth
राज्ञः पुत्रा महात्मानः चत्वारो जज्ञिरे पृथक् |
गुणवंतः अनुरूपाः च रुच्या प्रोष्ठ पदोपमाः || १-१८-१६
गुणवंतः अनुरूपाः च रुच्या प्रोष्ठ पदोपमाः || १-१८-१६
16. guNavantaH anuruupaaH cha = virtuous ones, charming, also; ruchyaa = by brilliance; proSTapada upamaaH = [like puurva bhaadra, uttara bhaadra] stars, in simile; mahaatmaanaH = great souls; such; raajnaH putraa = kings', sons; chatvaaraH = four of them; jaj~nire pR^ithak = born, separately.
Thus there are four great-souled sons of Dasharatha, born on separate instances, who are virtuous, charming, and by brilliance they are in similitude with two stars of each of the asterisms called puurva bhadra and uttara bhaadra. [1-18-16]
The word proSTa is cow; pada feet; the feet of a cow. It is also the name for the asterisms puurvaa bhaadra, uttara baadra, containing stars in the wing of Pegasus, each of which will have two stars, and all the four stars make a perfect square. Like the pairs of stars the brother also move in pairs - Rama, Lakshmana; Bharata, Shatrughna.
The epithet mahaa aatmanaH high-souled ones is though negligible for peripheral reading, it is explained as: Rama is one such, as he undertakes sva dharma anuSThaana ; Lakshmana by his sheSatva j~naana ; Bharata by his bhagavat paara tantrya ; and Shatrughna by his bhaagavata paaratantrya.
Like this, each of the epithets used in Ramayana has something or the other meaning which is not generally recorded in English translations. All the English translations are story-oriented, as though there is some unknown story in Ramayana for retelling afresh. In the spate of telling story again and again these niceties are lost. The same is the position with the numerous epithets given to Seetha in Aranya Kanda. Readers may please note that each epithet conveys some meaning and if we could not incorporate them, it is our misfortune in getting a book containing their meanings. We request the readers to kindly inform us if they have come across the meanings of these seemingly useless and metre-filling-like epithets in any book, so that, that book will be brought to the notice of readers who are mistaking them as 'redundant stanza fillers'.
जगुः कलम् च गंधर्वा ननृतुः च अप्सरो गणाः |
देव दुंदुभयो नेदुः पुष्प वृष्टिः च खात् पतत् || १-१८-१७
उत्सवः च महान् आसीत् अयोध्यायाम् जनाकुलः |
देव दुंदुभयो नेदुः पुष्प वृष्टिः च खात् पतत् || १-१८-१७
उत्सवः च महान् आसीत् अयोध्यायाम् जनाकुलः |
17, 18a. gandharvaa kalam jaguH = celestial singers, melodiously, sang; apsaraa gaNaaH nanR^ituH = divine dancers, groups of - dancing parties, danced; deva dundubhayaH neduH = divine, drums, sounded; khaat pushpa vR^iSTi cha patat = from heavens, flowery, rain, also, fallen;ayodhyaayaam jana akulaH = in Ayodhya, with people, thronging; utsavaH cha mahaan asiit = festivity, also, great, is there.
The celestial singers sang melodiously, paradisiacal dancing parties danced, divine drums drummed and heavens rained flowers, with all this there is a great festivity in Ayodhya with thronging people. [1-18-17, 18a]
रथ्याः च जन संबाधा नट नर्तक संकुलाः || १-१८-१८
गायनैः च विराविण्यो वादनैः च तथ अपरैः |
विरेजुर् विपुलाः तत्र सर्व रत्न समन्विताः || १-१८-१९
गायनैः च विराविण्यो वादनैः च तथ अपरैः |
विरेजुर् विपुलाः तत्र सर्व रत्न समन्विताः || १-१८-१९
18b, 19. rathyaaH = streets; jana sambaadhaa = with people, pressurised - stampeded; nata nartaka samkulaaH = with actors, dancers, flurried by;gaayanaiH cha = singers, too; vaadanaiH cha eva = with players of musical instruments, also, thus; tathaa aparaiH = like that, by others - onlookers;viraavaNyaH= well sounding - hilarity, jubilation; tatra = there - on streets; vipulaaH virejuH = widely, strewn; sarva ratna samanvitaaH = all, gems, along with.
Hilarity filled the streets with people stampeding them and with the flurry of actors, dancers, singers and instrumentalists, as well by other onlookers, and there on the streets widely strewn are all kinds of gems appreciating the artists. [1-18-18b, 19]
प्रदेयांश्च ददौ राजा सूत मागध वंदिनाम् |
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ वित्तम् गो धनानि सहस्रशः || १-१८-२०
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ वित्तम् गो धनानि सहस्रशः || १-१८-२०
20. raajaa = king; suuta maagadha vandinaam = to eulogisers, bard singers, panegyrists; pradeyaan cha = giveable donation, also; dadou = gave;braahmaNebhyaH = to Brahmans; vittam = funds; go dhanaani sahasrashaH = cow, wealth, in thousands; dadau = gave.
The king gave worthy gifts to eulogisers, bard singers, and panegyrists, and to Brahmans he gave funds and wealth in the form of thousands of cows. [1-18-20]
अतीत्य एकादश आहम् तु नाम कर्म तथा अकरोत् |
ज्येष्ठम् रामम् महात्मानम् भरतम् कैकयी सुतम् || १-१८-२१
सौमित्रिम् लक्ष्मणम् इति शत्रुघ्नम् अपरम् तथा |
वसिष्ठः परम प्रीतो नामानि कुरुते तदा || १-१८-२२
ज्येष्ठम् रामम् महात्मानम् भरतम् कैकयी सुतम् || १-१८-२१
सौमित्रिम् लक्ष्मणम् इति शत्रुघ्नम् अपरम् तथा |
वसिष्ठः परम प्रीतो नामानि कुरुते तदा || १-१८-२२
21, 22. tataH = then; eka dasha aaham atiitya = one, ten, days, [eleven days,] when elapsed; naama karma akarot = naming, ceremony, performed; mahaa aatmaanaam jyeSTam raamam = high souled, elder one, as Rama; kaikeyi sutam bharatam = Kaikeyi's, son, as Bharata; soumitrim = Sumitra's [to one son]; lakshmanam iti = as Lakshmana, thus; aparam = other [son]; shatrughnam = as Shatrughna; parama priitaH vashishta tadaa = highly, gladdened, Vashishta, then; naamaani kurute = names, [made] gave.
Elapsed are eleven days and the naming ceremony is performed, then Vashishta, the chief priest, named the high-souled elder one as Rama, Kaikeyi's son as Bharata, and one son of Sumitra as Lakshmana and the other as Shatrughna [1-18-21, 22]
The word 'Rama' is defined as ramante sarve janaaH guNaiH asmin iti raamaH 'in whom all the people take delight for his virtuousness, thus he is Rama.' The name Rama is very old, so says padma puraaNa : shriyaH kamala vaasinyaa raameNa aham mahaaprabhuH | tasmaat shrii raama iti asya naama siddhi puraatanam || padma puraaNa
Bharata is defined as: bharata raajya bharanaat - bibharti iti bharata Bharata is because he bears the burden of the kingdom of Rama during Rama's exile.
Lakshmana is lkShmano laksmi sampannoH or lakShmi asya astiiti lakShmaNa Lakshmana is the favoured flourisher. The wealth of selfless dedication is in him, hence Lakshmana. One who is endowed with favoured dedication, kainkarya lakshana lakshita Lakshmana is a hearty dedication to Rama and he always wishes to reside by the side of his brother.
Shatrughna is shatruun hanta iti shatrughnaH. Or shatrughno nitya shatru-ghnaHShatrughna is always an enemy destroyer.
The naming ceremony acquires a particular significance, because Vashishta, the purohita = puraa future; hitaH well-wisher of; well wishing advisor about the future of the kingdom, named these princes with a vision into the future.
ब्राह्मणान् भोजयामास पौरान् जानपदान् अपि |
उददद् ब्राह्मणानाम् च रत्नौघम् अमलम् बहु || १-१८-२३
तेषाम् जन्म क्रिय आदीनि सर्व कर्माणि अकारयत् |
उददद् ब्राह्मणानाम् च रत्नौघम् अमलम् बहु || १-१८-२३
तेषाम् जन्म क्रिय आदीनि सर्व कर्माणि अकारयत् |
23, 24a. brahmaNaan pauraan jaanapadaan api = Brahmans, urbanites, villagers, also; bhojayaamaasa = are fed well by king; brahaahmaNaanaam bahu ratna ogham udadat = to Brahmans, many, valuable gems, he gave - gifted; a mitam = un, limited; teSaam janma kriya aadiini = them - the princes, birth, rites, ceremonies sequel to it; sarva karmaaNi akaarayat = all, rituals, performed.
The king feasted Brahmans, urbanites and villagers and he gifted many valuable gems to Brahmans in an unlimited way, and all the rituals of birth and ceremonies sequel to it like naming ceremony, first-food-feeding ceremony, first-hair-removal ceremony, and sacred thread ceremony are performed in respect of the princes. [1-18-23, 24a]
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