aham niyamam aatiSThe sidhdyartham puruSa.rSabha |
tasya vighnakarau dvau tu raakSasau kaama ruupiNau || 1-19-4
4. puruSarSabha= oh, best one among men; aham siddhi aartham= I, to attain, a goal [of ascesis]; [these days]; ]niyamam aatiSTe= under a [sacrificial] vow, I am abiding by; tu= but; kaama ruupiNau= guise-changers; dvau raakshasau= two, demons; tasya vighna karau= its [ritual’s,] obstacle, causers of.
“These days I am abiding by a sacrificial vow to attain a spiritual goal but, oh, best one among men, two guise changing demons as causing obstacles to that ritual. [1-19-4]
vrate me bahushaH ciirNe samaaptyaam raakSasaavimau |
maariicaH ca subaahuH ca viiryavantau sushikSitau || 1-19-5
tau maa.msa rudhira ogheNa vedim taam abhyavarSataam |
5, 6a. bahushaH chiirNe me vraate= almost, completed, in my, ritual; samaaptyaam= at its completion, near end; viiryavantau= valiant ones; su sikshitau= well, trained ones; raakshasaa= demons; maariichaH cha= Mareecha, and; subaahuH cha= Subaahu, also; tau= they two; maamsa rudhira ogheNa= with meat, blood, streams; taam vedim vimau= that, Altar of Fire, from sky; abhya varSataamoverall= they rain [they drench.]
“At the near end of almost completed ritual of mine two valiant and well-trained demons, namely Mareecha and Subaahu, are drenching the Altar of Fire with streams of meat and blood, from the sky. [1-19-5, 6a]
na ca me krodham utsraSTum buddhiH bhavati paarthiva || 1-19-7
tathaa bhuutaa hi saa caryaa na shaapaH tatra mucyate |
7b, 8a. paarthiva= oh, king; krodham= anger; utsraSTum= to let loose; me buddhiH na bhavati= to me, will, is not, becoming � I have no will; saa charyaa tathaa bhutaa hi= that [kind of,] activity [during ritual,] like that, it will be [inoffensive,] isn’t it; tatra= in there � under vow; shaapaH na muchyate= curses, will not be, issued.
“And to me there is no will to let loose my anger, oh, king, as no curse shall be issued under vows, and like that the activity during rituals shall be inoffensive, isn’t it. [1-19-7b, 8a]
sva putram raaja shaarduula raamam satya paraakramam || 1-19-8
kaaka pakSa dharam shuuram jyeSTham me daatum arhasi |
8b, 9a. raaja sharduula= oh, king, the tiger; satya paraakramam= truth, as his valour; kaaka paksha dharam= crows, wings, wearing � whose hair locks are like crow’s wings, jet black, youngster; shuuram= brave one; sva putram= [your] own, son; jyeSTham= eldest one; ramam= Rama be; me daatum arhasi= to me, to give [to spare services,] apt of you.
“As such, oh, tigerly king, it will be apt of you spare the services of that brave one whose valour itself is his truthfulness, that youngling whose hair locks are all the more jet black like crow wings on either side of his head, spare that eldest son of yours, namely Rama. [1-19-8b, 9a]
shak{}to hi yeSa mayaa gupto divyena svena tejasaa || 1-19-9
raakSasaa ye vikartaaraH teSaam api vinaashane |
9b, 10a. eSaH mayaa guptaH= he is, by me, protected; divyena svena tejasaa= divinely, his own, with resplendence; ye vikartaaraH raakshasaaH= those, wrongdoers [thwarting,] demons; teSaam api vinaashane= of them, even, in destruction; shaktaH hi= capable, indeed.
“Indeed, he is capable to eradicate those demons that are thwarting the ritual by his own divine resplendence, and protected by me as well. [1-19-9b, 10a]
shreyaH ca asmai pradaasyaami bahuruupam na sa.mshayaH || 1-19-10
trayaaNaam api lokaanaam yena khyaatim gamiSyati |
10b, 11a. asmai= to him [to Rama]; bahu ruupam= in many, a kind; shreyaH cha pradaasyaami= benefits, also, I will accord; samshayaH na= doubt, is not there; yena= by which [which benefits]; trayaaNaam lokaanaam api= three, in worlds, even; khyaatim gamiSyati= renown, he goes in [he acquires.]
“I will also accord many kinds of benefits to him by which he acquires renown in all the three worlds, no doubt about it. [1-19-10b, 11a]
aham vedmi mahaatmaanam raamam satya paraakramam || 1-19-14
vasiSTho.api mahaatejaa ye ca ime tapasi sthitaaH |
14b, 15a. mahaa aatmaanam= sublime-soul; satra paraakramam= truthfulness, as his valour; raamam= of Rama; aham vedmi I am, in the know of; mahaa tejaa vashishtaH api= great, resplendent one, Vashishta, even; ye tapasi sthitaaH ime cha= those, saints, are here, also [know about Rama.]
“I am sensible of that sublime-soul Rama, whose valour is his truthfulness, and even this great resplendent Vashishta and these saints that are here are aware. [1-19-14b, 15a]
These verses are commented extensively by early commentators. In 14th verse, the pronoun aham, ‘I’ used by Sage Vishvamitra is to announce definiteness about his own stature to know the Absolute vis-�-vis the Absolute Himself. Vishvamitra was an emperor who left off everything. He was primarily a raaja R^ishi, kingly sage, later became brahma R^ishi and performed moksha kaameSTi. That is a highest ascesis for achieving salvation. Whereas Dasharatha performed Vedic ritual called putra kaameSTi, ritual for begetting sons, as he is still involved in earthly passions. Thus he is still in karmic cycle and recently went under the veil ofmoha, worldly delusion, advent to the birth of sons. So Dasharatha cannot know who Rama is. All these aspects are said to qualify that expression aham, i.e., ‘I am’, as said by Vishvamitra.
He also says aham vedmi, it is not just ‘I know’ but ‘I am in full knowledge of Rama’ and it is immediately followed by mahaa aatmaanam , about the sublime soul Rama. Rama is at present a twelve-year lad, and Dasharatha should have enquired how a boy is said to be a sublime-soul. Dasharatha did not bother to enquire about the high souled property of his son, because of his newfound fondness for sons. But, Vishvamitra is in full knowledge as to who Rama is, and says Rama is a sublime-soul, as contained in scripture puruSa suukta which says veda aham etam puruSam mahaantam, and as in yo maam pashyati.me na praNasyati Bhagavad Gita, 6-30, as well.
In next foot at 15th verse, Vishvamitra argues that he is not just extolling Rama to achieve his personal purpose, i.e., the completion of ritual. He says,vashiSTHo api even Sage Vashishta, knows Rama. Here the word api , even, is said to have been used to qualify Vashishta as an antagonist of Vishvamitra in policy differences. ‘Even my opponent, this Sage Vashishta, the descendent of Goddess Saraswati and Brahma, and a brahmarSi, Absolute-knower, and at whose instance I became a brahmarSi from aajarSi, is aware of Rama…’ is the argument of Vishvamitra, stressing his neutrality in seeking Rama’s help.
Still Vishvamitra tells that ye cha ime tapaH sthitaa, ‘those sages that are here who are rooted in ascesis’ as in the vein of puruSa suukta which says tasya dhiiraaH pratijaananti yonim. Vishvamitra’s argument is ‘Sage Vashishta may take sides with you, because he is raja guru , the royal priest, while the others like Kaashyapa, Vaamadeva will tell you clearly, as they have no leaning on your court.’
All said and done, King Dasharatha is still lingering for a reply. Seeing that Vishvamitra further says, ‘if you want to achieve renown, send Rama.’ No father rejoices that much when a son is birthed than on his achieving reputation. Dasharatha is advised in the same way when saying yadi dharmamlaabham, yasha laabham‘if you want renown through a worthy son, who will be renowned in all three worlds by his coming with me, then you send Rama…’
Now Rama’s reputation is going to be enhanced by Sage Vishvamitra in eliminating demoness Tataka, in releasing Ahalya from her curse, breaking Shiva’s bow, marriage with Seetha, rebuffing Parashuraama etc. And also Vishvamitra leaves the decision to Dasharatha, ‘if only your ministers, clergy as well political, permit then alone you send Rama with me…’
yadi abhyanuj~naam kaakutstha dadate tava ma.ntriNaH || 1-19-16
vasiSTha pramukhaaH sarve tato raamam visarjaya |
16b, 17a. kakutstha= oh, king from Kakutstha dynasty, Dasharatha; tava mantriNaH= your, ministers; vasiSThaH pramukhaaH sarve= Vashishta, other elite, all of them; abhyanuj~nanaam dadate yadi= assent, they give, if; tataH ramam visarjaya= then, Rama be, let out � send with me.
“Oh, Dasharatha, you may send Rama if only your ministers and all the other elite headed by Vashishta are going to give assent. [1-19-16b, 17a]
sa tan nishamya rAjendro vishvAmitra vacaH shubham || 1-19-20
shokena mahataa aaviSTaH cacaala ca mumoha ca |
labdha sa.nj~naH tato utathaaya vyaSiidata bhayaanvitaH || 1-19-21
20b, 21. saH raajendraH= he, best king Dasharatha; shubham tat= propitious [words,] that; vishvamitra vachaH= Viswamitra, words; nimashya= on hearing; mahataa shokena aaviSTaH= by profound, adversity, muffled up; cacaala ca mumoha ca= shuddered, also, swooned, also; tataH= after that; labdha sa.nj~naH= gaining, consciousness; utathaaya= on getting up; bhaya anvitaH vyaSiidata= fear, along with, sunk down.
On hearing the propitious words of sage Vishvamitra that best king Dasharatha shuddered and swooned as he is muffled up with profound adversity, and after that on regaining consciousness he sunk down in fear. [1-19-20b, 21]
uuna SoDasha varSo me raamo raajiiva lochanaH |
na yuddha yogyataam asya pashyaami saha raaxasaiH || 1-20-2
2. raajiiva lochanaH= lotus, eyed one; me raamaH= my, Rama; uuna SoDasha varSaH= is less than, sixteen, years [of age]; asya raakshasaiH saha= his, with, demons; yuddha yogyataam= warring, aptitude; na pasyaami= not, I see.
“”Less than sixteen years of age is my lotus-eyed Rama, and I see no warring aptitude to him with the demons. [1-20-2]
This particular statement uuna SoDasha varshaH less than sixteen years, has evoked a spate of commentaries in deciding the age of Rama at this juncture of going along with Sage Viswamitra, i.e., at the time of his marrying Seeta and at the time of his exile to forests etc. His age is said to be twelve years as of now. And this is confirmed by Mareecha while advising Ravana, that ‘as a boy of twelve Rama, killed my mother and brother, and hit me out’ as at 3-38-6, uuna dvaadasha varSaH Or, baalo dvaadasha varSo ayam as per other versions of the same verse.
Ramayana has some bearing on the number twelve. The Books or Kaanda-s are 6, half of twelve. The total verses are 24 thousand, two folds of twelve thousand. Rama is born in twelfth month. Vishvamitra’s arrival, or better said as Seetha kalyaNa , Seetha’s marriage with Rama, is in the twelfth year. His stay in Ayodhya before crown prince ceremony and exile is for twelve years. The years of Rama’s exile are twelve, plus two years stay in Panchavati, of the total fourteen years of exile. In Uttara Ramayana Seetha’s exile in the hermitage of Valmiki is for twelve years. So on…
Some others said that because Rama has not yet attained all the sixteen phases like full moon, he is not a full-fledged person, chaaru SoDasha kalaa sahitaHAgain in saying: raajiiva lochana lotus-eyed one – petals of lotuses close down by night, so Rama’s eyelids too close by night for a boyish sleep. Then how can such a boy war with night-active demons? In answer to this Sage Vishvamitra uses the same wording in previous chapter at 1-19-18, dasha raatram; raamam raajiiva locanamwhere the wording raajiiva locana is used by Vishvamitra in the sense that the petals of a lotus spread out on the first rays of sun. So also the very opening of the lotus-petal eyelids of Rama will eradicate the nightly menace of demons with his Omniscient Sun-Moon-Fire eyes, suurya chandra agni lochana , that can see even in night.
A Kshatriya of sixteen years age is unfit to war with any one, as he is still a childhood baala aashoDashaat varSaa . But Rama is under sixteen, and he is being requisitioned for war. Can he combat even if he is under aged? Yes, he can, says Govindaraja as per the nyaya /syndrome, tejasaam hi na vayaH samiikshyate‘dextrous person’s age is not to be reckoned’ As such, though Rama appears to be under aged he can do wonders in eliminating the vice. This is again rounded off with Vishvamitra’s wording in last chapter: aham vedmi mahaa aatmaanam raamam raajiiva locanam.
iyam akSauhiNii senaa yasya aham patiH iishvaraH |
anayaa sahito gatvaa yoddha aham tair nishaacharaiH || 1-20-3
3. puurNaa iyam akshouhiNii = full-fledged one, this one � here is, battalion [of ancient Indian warfare]; yasya aham patiH = for which, I am, the leader; iishwara= controller; anayaa sam vR^itaH= by this [battalion,] surrounded – fortified by; gatvaa= having gone; aham taiH nishaa charaiH yoddhaa = I will, with those, night, walkers [demons,] I can encounter.
“Here is the full-fledged battalion, called akshouhiNi sena , for which I am the leader and controller, and fortified by this army I will go there to encounter those demons. [1-20-3]
One pankti row, is the first unit of ancient military, which consists of 1 chariot, 1 elephant, 3 cavalry, and 7-foot soldiers. Multiples of this first unit become anakshouhiNi troop, which consists of 21,870 chariots and the same number of elephants, 65,610 cavalry, and 1,09,350 of foot soldiers.
baalo hi akR^ita vidyaH ca na ca vetti balaabalam |
na ca astra bala sa.myuk{}to na ca yuddha vishaaradaH || 1-20-7
na ca asau rakSasaa yogyaH kuuTa yuddhaa hi raakshasaa |
7, 8a. hi= why because; [Rama] baalaH= a boy; a + kR^ita vidyaH cha= not done [unschooled,] in education; bala a+balam= strengths, weaknesses; na vetti cha= not, knows, also; astra bala samyuktaH = missiles, accumulation [� arsenal,] he is along with; na= he is not, – he has no equipage of arsenal; yuddha vishaaradaH cha = in warfare, he is an expert, also; na= he is not; asau raakshasaa yogyaH= to those, demons, as a match, equal; na = he is not; te dhruvam kuuTa yuddha hi= those, definitely, with deceitful, warfare, isn’t it.
“Why because Rama is boy! And he is unschooled in his princely education; does he know the strengths and weaknesses of opponents � no; has he got the equipage of arsenal � no; has he any expertise in warfare – no; is he an equal to the demons � no; be that as it may, those demons definitely conduct a deceitful warfare, isn’t it. [1-19-7, 8a]
iti narapati jalpanaat dwijendram
kushika sutam sumahAn vivesha manyuH |
su huta iva makhe agniH Ajya sik{}taH
samabhavat ujwalito maharSi vahniH || 1-20-28
28. iti= that way; nara pati jalpanaat= peoples’, lord, [king’s,] with incongruous talk; dwija indram= Brahman, outstanding one – Vishvamitra; kushika sutam= to sage Kushi’s, son � to Vishvamitra; su mahaan manyuH vivesha = very, high, anger, overwhelmed with; maharshi vahniH= glorious sage, [called] the fire; makhe su huta= in ritual, well oblated; aajya siktaH= with ghee [clarified butter,] drenched; agniH iva= fire, like; ujwalithaH = flared up [tongues of fire]; samabhavat= has happened [flared up.]
Thus, by the incongruous talk of Dasharatha, the outstanding Brahman and son of Sage Kushi, namely sage Vishvamitra is overwhelmed with outrageous anger by his mentation, and that fire-like glorious sage looked like the ritual fire into which many inflammable oblations are offered, and which is drenched with a lot of clarified butter, whereby it is flaring up its tongues. [1-20-28]
Sri Sita Rama Jeyam.
Aalvaar Emberumaanaar Jeeyar Thiruvadikale Saranam.
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