Sunday, March 30, 2014

Rama and Lakshmana travel to Mithila along with the great sage Vishwamitra



मैथिलस्य नरश्रेष्ठ जनकस्य भविष्यति
यज्ञः परमधर्मिष्ठस्तत्र यास्यामहे वयम्
त्वं चैव नरशार्दूल सहास्माभिर्गमिष्यसि
अद्भुतम् धनूरत्नं तत्र त्वं द्रष्टुमर्हसि
नास्य देवा गन्धर्वा नासुरा राक्षसाः
कर्तुमारोपणं शक्ता कथं चन मानुषाः
धनुषस्तस्य वीर्यं हि विज्ञासन्तो महीक्षतः
शेकुरारोपयितुं राजपुत्रा महाबलाः
तद्धनुनरशार्दूल मैथिलस्य महात्मनः
तत्र द्रक्ष्यसि काकुत्स्थ यज्ञं चाद्भुतदर्शनम्
तद्धि यज्ञफलं तेन मय्थिलेनोत्तमं धनुः
याचितं नरशार्दूल सुनाभं सर्वदैवतैः
एवमुक्त्वा मुनिवरः प्रसथानमकरोत्तदा
सर्षिसंघः सकाकुत्स्थ आमन्त्र्य वनदेवताः
स्वस्ति वो अस्तु गमिष्यामि सिद्धिः सिद्धाश्रमादहम्
उत्तरे जान्हवीतीरे हिमवन्तं शिलोच्चयम्
प्रदक्षिणं ततः कृत्वा सिद्धाश्रममनुत्तमम्
उत्तरां दिशमुद्दिश्य प्रस्थातुमुपचक्रमे
तं वज्रन्तं मुनिवरमन्वगादनुसारिणम्
शकटी शतमात्रं तु प्रयाणे ब्रह्मवादिनाम्
मृगपक्षिगणाश्चैव सिद्धाश्रमनिवासिनः
अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानं विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे
वासं चक्रुर्मुनिगणाः शोणाकूले समाहिताः
ते अस्तं गते दिनकरे स्नात्वा हुतहुताशनाः
विश्वामित्रं पुरस्कृत्य निषेदुरमितौजसः
रामो अपि सहसौमित्रिर्मुनिस्तानभिपूज्य
अग्रतो निषसादाथ विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः
अथ रामो महातेजा विश्वामित्रं महामुनिम्
प्रच्छ मुनिशार्दूलं कौतूहलसमन्वितः
भगवान्को न्वयं देशः समृद्धवनशोभितः
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते वक्तुमर्हसि तत्वतः
चोदितो रामवाक्येन कथयामास सुव्रतः
तस्य  देशस्य निखिलमृषिमध्ये महातपाः

maithilasya narashrEShTha janakasya bhaviShyati
yaj~jaH paramadharmiShThastatra yaasyaamahE vayam
twaM caiva narashaardoola sahaasmaabhirgamiShyasi
adbhutam ca dhanooratnaM tatra twaM draShTumarhasi
naasya dEvaa na gandharvaa naasuraa na ca raakShasaaH
kartumaarOpaNaM shaktaa na kathaM cana maanuShaaH
dhanuShastasya veeryaM hi vij~jaasantO maheekShataH
na shEkuraarOpayituM raajaputraa mahaabalaaH
taddhanunarashaardoola maithilasya mahaatmanaH
tatra drakShyasi kaakutstha yaj~jaM caadbhutadarshanam
taddhi yaj~japhalaM tEna maythilEnOttamaM dhanuH
yaacitaM narashaardoola sunaabhaM sarvadaivataiH
Evamuktwaa munivaraH prasathaanamakarOttadaa
sarShisaMghaH sakaakutstha aamantrya vanadEvataaH
swasti vO astu gamiShyaami siddhiH siddhaashramaadaham
uttarE jaanhaveeteerE himavantaM shilOccayam
pradakShiNaM tataH kRutwaa siddhaashramamanuttamam
uttaraaM dishamuddishya prasthaatumupacakramE
taM vajrantaM munivaramanvagaadanusaariNam
shakaTI shatamaatraM tu prayaaNE brahmavaadinaam
mRugapakShigaNaashcaiva siddhaashramanivaasinaH
anujagmurmahaatmaanaM vishwaamitraM mahaamunim
tE gatwaa dooramadhwaanaM lambamaanE diwaakarE
vaasaM cakrurmunigaNaaH shONaakoolE samaahitaaH
tE astaM gatE dinakarE snaatwaa hutahutaashanaaH
vishwaamitraM puraskRutya niShEduramitoujasaH
raamO api sahasoumitrirmunistaanabhipoojya ca
agratO niShasaadaatha vishwaamitrasya dheemataH
atha raamO mahaatEjaa vishwaamitraM mahaamunim
pracCha munishaardoolaM koutoohalasamanvitaH
bhagavaankO nvayaM dEshaH samRuddhavanashObhitaH
shrOtumicChaami bhadraM tE vaktumarhasi tatvataH
cOditO raamavaakyEna kathayaamaasa suvrataH
tasya  dEshasya nikhilamRuShimadhyE mahAtapAH

Shloka Translation:
The future of Mithila kingdom is with its king Janaka
He is the prime in rituals and I’m going over there now
And you too as a great human being will be joining me
There is a magnanimous Bow, which you deserve to look at
No Gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, and Demons nor the human
Have the strength to tie the knot at both the edges of the bow
Your valour on the Bows is being observed by the sages
Who have not denied your princely strength
Hence the best among humans, we’ll go to Mithila’s best soul
Oh Kakutstha, you will be able to take the greatness of the rituals
By accepting ritual fruits, you’ll be able to see Mithila’s best bow
Oh, best of humans, the good ones and the Gods beg for this
Thus mentioning the great muni started to prepare for the travel
Alongwith the Sages and Kakutstha, he mentioned to Gods of the Jungle
After the rituals, we are leaving this siddhashrama for a while
Travelling to the north of the banks of jahnavi crossing Himalayas
Hence do keep an eye and roam around the Siddhashrama while we are away
Post completing the job at the north, we will return
Then the Diamond youth followed the sages and others
The sages travelled in hundred carts
With the animals, birds and the siddha ashrama related ones
Listening to the mighty soul of the sages, Vishwamitra
As they went from the sight while the sun was setting
The Sages who stayed in the Ashrama assembled for a duty
Which arose while the Sun was setting in the evening
Being respected by vishwamitra, the enlightened ones have no restrictions
Rama along with lakshmana bowed to the sages there
Proceeded towards the Vishwamitra, a controlled soul during the night
Then with aura, the great Rama went to Vishwamitra
And requested the best among the sages with curiosity
Oh Great one, the forest looks great, where are we
I would like to listen from you who knows about this, please explain
The right ritual performer, being asked by Rama, started the story
In the middle of the region where the meditating sages were present

The above verses are present in the 30th Sarga of Balakanda of Maharshi Valmiki’s Ramayana. Post throwing the demons out of the ritual grounds of siddhashrama, Rama and Lakshmana were told by the great sage Vishwamitra about the best bow seen on this world at Mithila. He then mentioned who rules that and the abilities of the bow and why Rama deserves to have a look at it. After persuading Rama, the great sage called the Forest Gods and the rest of his disciples and the sages in his Ashrama to take care of the routine and the Ashrama while they are away for a while as they were travelling to the North to Mithila as their destination.