Vishvamitra Asks Dasharatha for Rama and Lakshmana
Sage Vishvamitra comes to Ayodhya and asks that Rama and Lakshmana accompany him to protect his sacrifice. Dasharatha hesitates, but with Vashistha's guidance he sends the two princes.
Bal Kand · Episode 39 / 59
Episode Text
मुनि आगमन सुना जब राजा। मिलन गयउ लै बिप्र समाजा॥ करि दंडवत मुनिहि सनमानी। निज आसन बैठारेन्हि आनी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
muni āgamana sunā jaba rājā। milana gayau lai bipra samājā॥ kari daṃḍavata munihi sanamānī। nija āsana baiṭhārenhi ānī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
When the king heard of the sage's arrival, he went to meet him, taking the company of the Brahmins with him. Bowing down in prostration, he honored the sage and brought him in to seat him on his own throne.
चरन पखारि कीन्हि अति पूजा। मो सम आजु धन्य नहिं दूजा॥ बिबिध भाँति भोजन करवावा। मुनिबर हृदयँ हरष अति पावा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
carana pakhāri kīnhi ati pūjā। mo sama āju dhanya nahiṃ dūjā॥ bibidha bhāṃti bhojana karavāvā। munibara hṛdayaṃ haraṣa ati pāvā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
After washing the sage's feet, he worshipped him with great reverence and said, 'Today there is none as blessed as I am.' He then had various kinds of food served, and the best of sages felt great joy in his heart.
पुनि चरननि मेले सुत चारी। राम देखि मुनि देह बिसारी॥ भए मगन देखत मुख सोभा। जनु चकोर पूरन ससि लोभा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puni caranani mele suta cārī। rāma dekhi muni deha bisārī॥ bhae magana dekhata mukha sobhā। janu cakor pūrana sasi lobhā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Then the king placed all four sons at the sage's feet. Seeing Rama, the sage forgot his bodily awareness. He became absorbed in gazing at the beauty of his face, like a chakor bird longing for the full moon.
तब मन हरषि बचन कह राऊ। मुनि अस कृपा न कीन्हिहु काऊ॥ केहि कारन आगमन तुम्हारा। कहहु सो करत न लावउँ बारा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba mana haraṣi bacana kaha rāū। muni asa kṛpā na kīnhihu kāū॥ kehi kārana āgamana tumhārā। kahahu so karata na lāvaum̐ bārā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then the king, rejoicing in his heart, spoke these words: 'O sage, you have never shown such grace to anyone. For what reason have you come? Tell me, I shall not delay in doing what you ask.'
असुर समूह सतावहिं मोही। मैं जाचन आयउँ नृप तोही॥ अनुज समेत देहु रघुनाथा। निसिचर बध मैं होब सनाथा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
asura samūha satāvahiṃ mohī। maiṃ jācana āyauṃ nṛpa tohī॥ anuja sameta dehu raghunāthā। nisicara badha maiṃ hoba sanāthā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
The host of demons troubles me greatly. O king, I have come to ask this of you. Give me Rama together with his younger brother. When the demons are slain, I shall become secure and supported.
देहु भूप मन हरषित तजहु मोह अग्यान। धर्म सुजस प्रभु तुम्ह कौं इन्ह कहँ अति कल्यान॥ २०७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dehu bhūpa mana haraṣita tajahu moha agyāna। dharma sujasa prabhu tumha kauṃ inha kahaṃ ati kalyāna॥ 207 ॥
Meaning:
O king, give them gladly and cast off delusion and ignorance. O lord, this will bring you righteousness and fame, and it will be greatly auspicious for them.
सुनि राजा अति अप्रिय बानी। हृदय कंप मुख दुति कुमुलानी॥ चौथेंपन पायउँ सुत चारी। बिप्र बचन नहिं कहेहु बिचारी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni rājā ati apriya bānī। hṛdaya kaṃpa mukha duti kumulānī॥ cautheṃpana pāyaum̐ suta cārī। bipra bacana nahiṃ kahehu bicārī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
When the king heard this extremely unpleasant speech, his heart trembled and the luster of his face faded. 'I have obtained four sons in my old age; O Brahmin, you have not spoken after due consideration.'
मागहु भूमि धेनु धन कोसा। सर्बस देउँ आजु सहरोसा॥ देह प्रान तें प्रिय कछु नाहीं। सोउ मुनि देउँ निमिष एक माहीं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
māgahu bhūmi dhenu dhana kosā। sarbasa deum̐ āju saharosā॥ deha prāna teṃ priya kachu nāhīṃ। sou muni deum̐ nimiṣa eka māhīṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
O sage, ask for land, cows, wealth, and treasure; today I shall gladly give you everything. There is nothing dearer than the body and life itself, and even that I would give in a moment.
सब सुत प्रिय मोहि प्रान कि नाईं। राम देत नहिं बनइ गोसाईं॥ कहँ निसिचर अति घोर कठोरा। कहँ सुंदर सुत परम किसोरा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saba suta priya mohi prāna ki nāīṃ। rāma deta nahiṃ banai gosāīṃ॥ kahaṃ nisicara ati ghora kaṭhorā। kahaṃ sundara suta parama kisorā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
All my sons are dear to me as life itself; among them, O Lord, it is impossible for me to give away Rama. Where are the terrifying and cruel demons, and where are my beautiful sons in the very bloom of youth, tender and delicate?
सुनि नृप गिरा प्रेम रस सानी। हृदयँ हरष माना मुनि ग्यानी॥ तब बसिष्ठ बहुबिधि समुझावा। नृप संदेह नास कहँ पावा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni nṛpa girā prema rasa sānī। hṛdayaṃ haraṣa mānā muni gyānī॥ taba basiṣṭha bahubidhi samujhāvā। nṛpa sandeha nāsa kahaṃ pāvā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing the king's speech steeped in the nectar of love, the wise sage felt great joy in his heart. Then Vashishtha instructed the king in many ways, and the king's doubt was removed.
अति आदर दोउ तनय बोलाए। हृदयँ लाइ बहु भाँति सिखाए॥ मेरे प्रान नाथ सुत दोऊ। तुम्ह मुनि पिता आन नहिं कोऊ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ati ādara dou tanaya bolāe। hṛdayaṃ lāi bahu bhāṃti sikhāe॥ mere prāna nātha suta doū। tumha muni pitā āna nahiṃ kou॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
With great honor the king called both sons and embraced them, instructing them in many ways. Then he said, 'O Lord, these two sons are my very life. O sage, now you alone are their father; there is no other.'
सौंपे भूप रिषिहि सुत बहुबिधि देइ असीस। जननी भवन गए प्रभु चले नाइ पद सीस॥ २०८ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sauṃpe bhūpa riṣihi suta bahubidhi dei asīsa। jananī bhavana gae prabhu cale nāi pada sīsa॥ 208 (a) ॥
Meaning:
The king entrusted the sons to the sage with many blessings. Then the Lord went to the mother's dwelling and departed after bowing his head at her feet.
पुरुषसिंह दोउ बीर हरषि चले मुनि भय हरन। कृपासिंधु मतिधीर अखिल बिस्व कारन करन॥ २०८ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puruṣasiṃha dou bīra haraṣi cale muni bhaya harana। kṛpāsindhu matidhīra akhila bisva kārana karana॥ 208 (b) ॥
Meaning:
The two heroic brothers, lions among men, joyfully went forth to remove the sage's fear. They are oceans of compassion, steadfast in wisdom, and the cause of the entire universe, even the cause of causes.
अरुन नयन उर बाहु बिसाला। नील जलज तनु स्याम तमाला॥ कटि पट पीत कसें बर भाथा। रुचिर चाप सायक दुहुँ हाथा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aruna nayana ura bāhu bisālā। nīla jalaja tanu syāma tamālā॥ kaṭi paṭa pīta kaseṃ bara bhāthā। rucira cāpa sāyaka duhuṃ hāthā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The Lord has red eyes, a broad chest, and massive arms. His body is dark like a blue lotus and the tamāla tree. He wears yellow garments at the waist, with a beautiful quiver fastened there, and in his two hands are a lovely bow and arrows.
स्याम गौर सुंदर दोउ भाई। बिस्वामित्र महानिधि पाई॥ प्रभु ब्रह्मन्यदेव मैं जाना। मोहि निति पिता तजेउ भगवाना॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
syāma gaura sundara dou bhāī। bisvāmitra mahānidhi pāī॥ prabhu brahmanyadeva maiṃ jānā। mohi niti pitā tajeu bhagavānā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The two brothers, dark and fair, are exceedingly beautiful. Vishvamitra has gained a great treasure. He thought, 'I now know that the Lord is Brahmanya Deva, devoted to Brahmins. For my sake, the Lord even left his father.'
चले जात मुनि दीन्हि देखाई। सुनि ताड़का क्रोध करि धाई॥ एकहिं बान प्रान हरि लीन्हा। दीन जानि तेहि निज पद दीन्हा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
cale jāta muni dīnhi dekhāī। suni tāṛkā krodha kari dhāī॥ ekahiṃ bāna prāna hari līnhā। dīna jāni tehi nija pada dīnhā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
As they went along, the sage pointed out Tāṛakā. Hearing it, she rushed in anger. Rama destroyed her life with a single arrow and, knowing her to be fallen, granted her liberation, his own supreme state.
तब रिषि निज नाथहि जियँ चीन्ही। बिद्यानिधि कहुँ बिद्या दीन्ही॥ जाते लाग न छुधा पिपासा। अतुलित बल तनु तेज प्रकासा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba riṣi nija nāthahi jiyaṃ cīnhī। bidyānidhi kahuṃ bidyā dīnhī॥ jāte lāga na chudhā pipāsā। atulita bala tanu teja prakāsā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then the sage recognized his Lord in his heart and bestowed that science upon the treasury of knowledge, by which hunger and thirst do not arise and the body shines with unmatched strength and radiance.
आयुध सर्ब समर्पि कै प्रभु निज आश्रम आनि। कंद मूल फल भोजन दीन्ह भगति हित जानि॥ २०९ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āyudha sarba samarpi kai prabhu nija āśrama āni। kaṃda mūla phala bhojana dīhna bhagati hita jāni॥ 209 ॥
Meaning:
After surrendering all his weapons, the sage brought Lord Rama to his own hermitage and, knowing him to be supremely benevolent, offered him food of roots, bulbs, and fruits with devotion.