Ramayana

by Manmatha Nath Dutt | 1891 | ISBN-13: 9788171101566

This page describes Chapter XXXI of the English translation of the Ramayana, one of the largest Sanskrit epics of ancient India revolving around the characters Rama, Sita and Ravana. It was orignally authored by Valmiki at least over 2500 years ago. This is the first book of the Bāla-kāṇḍa (Bala-kanda) of the Ramayana, which consists of 24,000 Sanskrit metrical verses divided oer seven books.

Those heroes, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, their interest secured, with glad hearts passed that night there.

And when the night had passed away and the morning come, they together appeared before the saint, Viśvāmitra, and the rest.

And having saluted that foremost of ascetics resembling flaming fire, your addressed him in gentle and honied accents.

These servants of yours, O best of ascetics, have come before you. Do you command, O chief of anchorites, what command of your are we to execute

Thus addressed by them the Maharṣis with yiśvāmitra at their head spoke to Rāma, saying,

A highly meritorious sacrifice, O foremost of men, is to be celebrated by Mithilā’s lord, Janaka. Thither shall we repair.

And you, O tiger among men, must accompany us, and there behold a wonderful jewel of a bow.

And formerly this bow of immeasurable energy, and dreadful, and exceedingly effulgent at the sacrifice, had been conferred in court by the celestials (on king Dcvarata.)

And neither gods nor Gandharvas, neither Asuras nor Rākṣasas nor men, can fix the string upon it.

And desirous of being acquainted with the prowess of this bow, many kings and princes came; but they in spite of their mighty strength, failed in stringing it.

There, O Kākutstha, you will behold that bow belonging to the high-souled king of Mithilā, as well as his exceedingly wonderful sacrifice.

That rare bow, O foremost of men, furnished with an excellent device for griping it, had been solicited by Mithilā’s lord as the fruit of his sacrifice; and the celestials conferred it upon him.

Now, O descendant of Raghu, in the residence of the king, the bow is worshipped like a deity with aguru dhūpa, and various other incenses.

This having been said, that foremost of ascetics, in company with Kākutstha and the saints, departed.

And on the eve of setting out, he addressed the sylvan deities, saying, Luck! I will, with my desire obtained, go from forth this Siddhāśrama to the Himavat mountain on the north of the Jāhnavī.

Having said this, that tiger-like ascetic, Kuśika’s son, along with other anchorets having asceticism for their wealth, set out in a northerly direction.

And as that best of ascetics proceeded, he was followed by Brāhmaṇas, unholding the Veda, carrying the sacrificial necessaries on an hundred cars.

And birds and beasts dwelling in Siddhāśrama followed the high-souled Viśvāmitra having asceticism for wealth.

Having proceeded a long way, when the sun was sloping down, the ascetics rested on the banks of the Śoṇa. And when the maker of day had set, having bathed and offered oblations to the fire those ascetics of immeasurable energy, placing Viśvāmitra in their front, sat them down. And Rāma also together with Sumitrā’s son, having paid homage to those ascetics, sat him down before the intelligent Viśvāmitra.

Then Rama of exceeding energy, influenced by curiosity, asked that foremost of ascetics, Viśvāmitra, having asceticism for his wealth, saying, O worshipful one, what country is this, graced with luxuriant woods? I am desirous of hearing this Good betide you, it behove you to tell me this truly.

Thus addressed by Rāma, that one of high austerities and excellent vows began in the midst of the saints to describe the opulence of that region.

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