Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
CHAPTER 29
LEGEND OF VAMANA NARRATED
Introduction
Rama and Lakshmana inquisitively enquired into the Siddha aashrama, Accomplished Hermitage in the earlier chapter for which Sage Vishvamitra informs about the heritage of that hermitage for it once belonged to Vishnu in Vaamna incarnation. Vishvamitra narrates about it and how Vaamna, a dwarfish ascetic boy eradicated evil on earth. It is a suggestion to Rama from Sage Vishvamitra to do likewise in this incarnation of Rama also.
अथ तस्य अप्रमेयस्य वचनम् परिपृच्छतः |
विश्वामित्रो महातेजा व्याख्यातुम् उपचक्रमे || १-२९-१
विश्वामित्रो महातेजा व्याख्यातुम् उपचक्रमे || १-२९-१
1. atha = then; a prameyasya = not, matchable [in illustriousness]; vacanam pari pR^icChataH = about sentence, while asking; tasya = to that Rama; mahaatejaa vishvaamitraH = highly resplendent Vishvamitra; vyaakhyaatum upacakrame = to narrate, started.
When that matchlessly illustrious Rama has asked for details, that highly resplendent sage Vishvamitra started to narrate about that forest to Rama. [1-29-1]
इह राम महाबाहो विष्णुर् देव नमस्कृत |
वर्षाणि सुबहूनि इह तथा युग शतानि च || १-२९-२
तपः चरण योगार्थम् उवास सु महातपाः |
वर्षाणि सुबहूनि इह तथा युग शतानि च || १-२९-२
तपः चरण योगार्थम् उवास सु महातपाः |
2, 3a. mahaabaahuH raama = oh, dextrous, Rama; iha deva namaskR^ita = here, by gods, one who is worshipped; su mahaa tapaaH = one who has - very, great, ascesis; viSNuuH = Vishnu; su bahuuni varSaaNi = for good, many, years; tathaa yuga shataani ca = likewise, eras, hundreds, also;tapaH caraNa yoga artham = penance, practise, yoga, in pursuit of; iha uvaasa = here, resided.
"Here, oh, dextrous Rama, he who is worshipped by gods and who has got outstanding ascesis that Vishnu resided here in the pursuit of practising ascesis and yoga for good many years, likewise for a hundred eras. [1-29-2, 3a]
एष पूर्व आश्रमो राम वामनस्य महात्मनः || १-२९-३
सिद्ध आश्रम इति ख्यातः सिद्धो हि अत्र महातपाः |
सिद्ध आश्रम इति ख्यातः सिद्धो हि अत्र महातपाः |
3b, 4a. raama = oh, Rama; eSa mahaatmanaH vaamanasya = this is, of great-souled one, of Vaamana; puurva aashramaH = erstwhile, hermitage siddhaH aashrama iti khyaataH = Siddha [Accomplished] hermitage, thus, renowned; hi = why because; mahaatapaaH kaashyapa atra siddhaH = one who has supreme ascesis, sage Kaashyapa, there, got accomplishment to his ascesis.
"This is the erstwhile hermitage of great-souled Vaamana renowned as Accomplished hermitage, why because the sage with supreme ascesis Kaashyapa got accomplishment to such of his ascesis there only. [1-29-3b, 4a]
This is firstly the hermitage of Vishnu before taking up Vaamna incarnation. Later the incarnate Vaamna also practised asceticism here. Thus, this hermitage belongs to both Vishnu and Vaamna, and on such an analogy this even belongs to Rama at the present time, so says Vishvamitra at 24th verse below.
एतस्मिन् एव काले तु राजा वैरोचनिर् बलिः || १-२९-४
निर्जित्य दैवत गणान् स इन्द्रान् स मरुद् गणान् |
कारयामास तद् राज्यम् त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः || १-२९-५
निर्जित्य दैवत गणान् स इन्द्रान् स मरुद् गणान् |
कारयामास तद् राज्यम् त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः || १-२९-५
4b, 5. etasmin kale eva = in the mean, time, only; vairocaniH = Virochana's [son]; raajaa baliH = king, Bali; sa indraan sa marut gaNaan = with, Indra, along with, Marut, gods - Wind-gods; daivata gaNaan = god's, groups; nir jitya = on completely, conquering; triSu lokeSu vi shrutaH = in three, worlds, well, heard [renowned]; tat raajyam kaarayaamaasa = that, kingdom, he started to do - to rule.
"In the meantime, when Vishnu was in his asceticism in this hermitage, the son of King Virochana, namely Bali, has completely conquered all the assemblages of gods together with Indra and his coterie called Wind-gods, and ruling that kingdom where that hermitage is there, he has become renowned in all the three worlds for his magnanimity. [1-29-4b, 5]
Bali is generally addressed Bali Chakravatri, Bali, The Emperor, for his grand benevolence. He is the grand son of Prahlaada, who in turn is the son of greatest demon king, HiraNyakashapa, who was eliminated by Vishnu, in His Nara-simha, Man-Lion incarnation.
यज्ञम् चकार सुमहान् असुरेन्द्रो महाबलः |
बलेः तु यजमानस्य देवाः साग्नि पुरोगमाः |
समागंय स्वयम् चैव विष्णुम् ऊचुः इह आश्रमे || १-२९-६
बलेः तु यजमानस्य देवाः साग्नि पुरोगमाः |
समागंय स्वयम् चैव विष्णुम् ऊचुः इह आश्रमे || १-२९-६
6. asura indraH = demon, the chief; mahaabalaH = great, mighty one; baleH tu = Bali, for his part; yaj~nam cakaara sumahaan = ritual, conducted, very, grand one; yajamaanasya = as officiator - when Bali is the officiator of that Vedic ritual; devaaH = gods; sa agni purogamaaH = with, Fire-god, kept ahead; iha aashrame = in this, hermitage; viSNum = to Vishnu; svayam caiva = in person, also thus; samaagamya = on approaching;uucuH = spoke.
"That great mighty chief of demons Bali then conducted a very grand Vedic ritual. But when Bali is conducting that ritual remaining as its officiator all the gods personally approached Vishnu, keeping Fire-god ahead of them, just here in this hermitage and they spoke to him. [1-29-6]
बलिः वैरोचनिः विष्णो यजते यज्ञम् उत्तमम् |
असमाप्त व्रते तस्मिन् स्व कार्यम् अभिपद्यताम् || १-२९-७
असमाप्त व्रते तस्मिन् स्व कार्यम् अभिपद्यताम् || १-२९-७
7. viSNuH = oh, Vishnu; vairocaniH baliH = Virochana's [son,] Bali; uttamam yaj~nam yajate = unsurpassed, Vedic ritual, is performing; tasmin vrate a samaapta = that, ritual, not [before,] completing; sva kaaryam abhi padyataam = our own [god's,] mission, completely, be achieved.
" 'Oh, all-pervading god Vishnu, Bali the son of Virochana is conducting an unsurpassed Vedic ritual, before the completion of which our own mission, say the task of gods, is to be achieved completely. [1-29-7]
ये च एनम् अभिवर्तन्ते याचितार इतः ततः |
यत् च यत्र यथावत् च सर्वम् तेभ्यः प्रयच्छति || १-२९-८
यत् च यत्र यथावत् च सर्वम् तेभ्यः प्रयच्छति || १-२९-८
8. ye = which of those; yaacitaara = supplicants; itaH tataH = from here, and there - from wherever he may come; enam abhi vartante [abhi vaa~NcChanti] = him [to Bali,] approaches [supplicates]; yat ca = whatever, also; yatra = wherever [it might be]; yathaavat ca = in as is where is condition, also; sarvam tebhyaH prayacChati = all, to them, donating.
" 'Whoever the supplicant might be and from wherever he might be coming, but if one approaches and supplicates to him he is donating that in as is where is condition, whatever is supplicated and wherever it might be. [1-29-8]
स त्वम् सुर हितार्थाय माया योगम् उपाश्रितः |
वामनत्वम् गतो विष्णो कुरु कल्याणम् उत्तमम् || १-२९-९
वामनत्वम् गतो विष्णो कुरु कल्याणम् उत्तमम् || १-२९-९
9. viSNuH = oh, Vishnu; saH = such as you are; tvam = you; sura hitaarthaaya = for gods, welfare; maayaa yogam upa aashritaH = Maya [illusory,] power, resorting to; vaamanatvam gataH = dwarfishness, on assuming; uttamam kalyaaNam kuru = the most suitable, merited deed, you make happen - to deal with Emperor Bali.
" 'As such, oh, Vishnu, you may effectuate the most suitable merited deed for the welfare of gods on resorting to your illusory power, Vishnu Maya, and on assuming the form of a dwarf to deal with Emperor Bali.' Thus gods appealed to Vishnu. [1-29-9]
एतस्मिन् अनन्तरे राम काश्यपो अग्नि सम प्रभः |
अदित्या सहितः राम दीप्यमान इव ओजसा || १-२९-१०
देवी सहायो भगवन् दिव्यम् वर्ष सहस्रकम् |
व्रतम् समाप्य वरदम् तुष्टाव मधुसूदनम् || १-२९-११
अदित्या सहितः राम दीप्यमान इव ओजसा || १-२९-१०
देवी सहायो भगवन् दिव्यम् वर्ष सहस्रकम् |
व्रतम् समाप्य वरदम् तुष्टाव मधुसूदनम् || १-२९-११
10. etasmin anantare = in this, meanwhile; raama = oh Rama; agni sama prabhaH = ritual fire, similar, in brilliance; adityaa sahitaH = Lady Aditi, who will be with; ojasaa diipyamaana iva = with his own vitality, resplendent, as though; bhagavan kaashyapaH = godly sage, Kaashyapa; devii sahaayaH = lady [Aditi,] along with; divyam varSa sahasrakam = divine, years, thousand; vratam samaapya = asceticism, on completing; vara dam = boon, giver [Vishnu]; madhu suudanam = Madhu, the demon, killer [Vishnu]; tuSTaava = eulogised.
"In the meanwhile, oh Rama, he whose brilliance is similar to ritual fire, who will be with his wife Lady Aditi, who is resplendent with his own vitality, that godly sage Kaashyapa on completing his asceticism along with Lady Aditi started to eulogise the boon giver and the eliminator of demon Madhu, namely Vishnu." Thus Vishvamitra is narrating to Rama. [1-29-10, 11]
The ascetic practises conducted along with wife are said to yield best results, in the case of a desired object of that couple's interest. Therefore, Dasharatha also conducted the ritual to beget progeny along with his wives. Here Sage Kaashyapa conducted his austerities along with wife Aditi.
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