Bala
Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
CHAPTER 27
VishvAmitra
endows rAma with supernatural missiles
Introduction
Sage Vishvamitra satisfied with the behaviour of Rama in obliging the orders of elders and performing the act that is assigned to him, gives many weapons to Rama, calledshastra, astra-s. The weaponry is categorised mainly into two types. One is shastra - a handheld weapon like sword, lance or mace. The other is astra - a projectile missile invoked by reciting hymns. This chapter lists out those missiles that are given to Rama and in next chapter an account of some counter-attack missiles, called upasamhaara astra-s is given which can be used to nullify the enemy's missiles. In the endnote of this chapter some verses describing the nature of astra-s are incorporated.
अथ ताम् रजनीम् उष्य विश्वामिरो महायशाः |
प्रहस्य राघवम् वाक्यम् उवाच मधुर स्वरम् || १-२७-१
प्रहस्य राघवम् वाक्यम् उवाच मधुर स्वरम् || १-२७-१
1. atha = then; mahaa yashaaH = highly renowned; Vishvamitra; taam rajaniim uSya = that, night, on staying; prahasya = smilingly; raaghavam = to Raghava; madhura aksharam vaakyam uvaaca = sweet worded, sentence, spoke
Then, on staying that night there in Tataka forest, on the next day morning the greatly renowned sage Vishvamitra, smilingly and wording sweetly spoke to Rama. [1-27-1]
परितुष्टो अस्मि भद्रम् ते राजपुत्र महायशः |
प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः || १-२७-२
प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः || १-२७-२
2. mahaa yashaH raajaputra = great, glorious, prince; pari tuSTaH asmi = highly pleased, I am; te bhadram = to you, let safety be; paramayaa priityaa yuktaH = utmost, affection, along with; astraaNi sarvashaH dadaami = divine missiles, all of them, I will give.
"I am highly pleased with you, oh, illustrious prince Rama, let safety be with you, I will now give you all of the divine missiles in utmost fondness of mine. [1-27-2]
देव असुर गणान् वा अपि स गन्धर्व उरगान् भुवि |
यैः अमित्रान् प्रसह्य आजौ वशीकृत्य जयिष्यसि || १-२७-३
तानि दिव्यानि भद्रम् ते ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः |
यैः अमित्रान् प्रसह्य आजौ वशीकृत्य जयिष्यसि || १-२७-३
तानि दिव्यानि भद्रम् ते ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः |
3, 4a. yaiH = by which - weapons; deva asura gaNaan vaa api = gods, demons, scores of, or, even; gandharva uragaan = gandharva-s, urugaa-s; bhuvi = [or that are] on earth - earhling; a mitraan = un, friendly ones - enemies; aajau = in war; prasahya vashiikR^itya = by dominating, humbled down; jayiSyasi = conquers; taani divyaani = those, the divine [weaponry]; astraaNni sarvashaH = missiles, all of them; dadaami = I am going to give; bhadram te = safety, be with you.
"I am going to accord all of those divine missiles by which scores of gods, demons, or even from gandharva-s, uragaa-s and the like, or even earthlings are dominated, humbled down and conquered in war. Let safety be with you. [1-27-3, 4a]
दण्ड चक्रम् महत् दिव्यम् तव दास्यामि राघव || १-२७-४
धर्म चक्रम् ततो वीर काल चक्रम् तथैव च |
विष्णु चक्रम् तथा अति उग्रम् ऐन्द्रम् चक्रम् तथैव च || १-२७-५
वज्रम् अस्त्रम् नरश्रेष्ठ शैवम् शूलवरम् तथा |
अस्त्रम् ब्रह्मशिरः च एव ऐषीकम् अपि राघव || १-२७-६
ददामि ते महाबाहो ब्राह्मम् अस्त्रम् अनुत्तमम् |
धर्म चक्रम् ततो वीर काल चक्रम् तथैव च |
विष्णु चक्रम् तथा अति उग्रम् ऐन्द्रम् चक्रम् तथैव च || १-२७-५
वज्रम् अस्त्रम् नरश्रेष्ठ शैवम् शूलवरम् तथा |
अस्त्रम् ब्रह्मशिरः च एव ऐषीकम् अपि राघव || १-२७-६
ददामि ते महाबाहो ब्राह्मम् अस्त्रम् अनुत्तमम् |
4b, 5, 6, 7a. raaghava = oh, Raghava; mahat divyam = highly, divine one; daNDa cakram = Danda disc [Punisher disc]; tava daasyaami = to you, I will give;nara shreSTha = best of men; mahaa baahuH = oh, highly dexterous one; viira = oh, brave one; tataH = next; dharma cakram = Dharma disc [Virtue-disc];tathaiva ca = likewise, also; kaala cakram = kaala cakram = Kala [Time disc]; tathaa = thus; viSNu cakram = Vishnu disc; tathaiva ca = like that, further; aindram cakram = Indra's, disc; vajram astram = Thunderbolt, missile; tathaa = further; shaivam = pertaining to Shiva; shuula varam = trident, the best; astram brahma shiraH = missile, called Brahma-crest; aiSiikam api = aiSiika, Grass-Blade-missile, even; ati ugram = highly formidable missile; an uttamam = un, excelled one;braahmam astram eva = Brahma, missile, that way; te dadaami = to you, I am going to give.
"Raghava, I am going to give the highly divine Danda disc [Punisher disc]; next, oh, best one among men, Dharma disc [Virtue-disc,] and like that kaala disc [Time-disc]; then oh, brave one, Vishnu disc; similarly oh, dextrous Rama, Indra disc and Thunderbolt missile; the best trident pertaining to Shiva; the missile called Brahma-shira [Brahma-crest]; the missile called the Aishiika missile [Grass-Blade missile,] and that way oh, Raghava, I am going to give the unexcelled and highly formidable missile called Brahma missile. [1-27-4b, 5, 6, 7a]
aiSiika missile is dried blade of grass, which by invoking with hymns will become a projectile weapon. Rama uses on Kakasura. In Mahaa Bharata Ashvadhaama also uses this at the final stage of war, which Krishna nullifies.
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