Bala Kanda Sarga 27
Book I : Bala Kanda - The Youthful Majesties
Bala Kanda Sarga 27 in English
Chapter [Sarga] 27 - Astras and Shastras, the Heavenly weapons
Introduction - Sage Vishvamitra satisfied with the behaviour of Rama in obliging the orders of elders and performing the act that is assigned to him, gives many weapons to Rama, called shastra, astra-s. The weaponry is categorised mainly into two types. One is shastra - a handheld weapon like sword, lance or mace. The other is astra - a projectile missile invoked by reciting hymns. This chapter lists out those missiles that are given to Rama and in next chapter an account of some counter-attack missiles, called upasamhaara astra-s is given which can be used to nullify the enemy’s missiles. In the endnote of this chapter some verses describing the nature of astra-s are incorporated.
1. Then, on staying that night there in Tataka forest, on the next day morning the greatly renowned sage Vishvamitra, smilingly and wording sweetly spoke to Rama. [1-27-1]
2. I am highly pleased with you, oh, illustrious prince Rama, let safety be with you, I will now give you all of the divine missiles in utmost fondness of mine. [1-27-2]
3, 4a. I am going to accord all of those divine missiles by which scores of gods, demons, or even from gandharva-s, uragaa-s and the like, or even earthlings are dominated, humbled down and conquered in war. Let safety be with you. [1-27-3, 4a]
4b, 5, 6, 7a. Raghava, I am going to give the highly divine Danda disc [Punisher disc]; next, oh, best one among men, Dharma disc [Virtue-disc,] and like that kaala disc [Time-disc]; then oh, brave one, Vishnu disc; similarly oh, dextrous Rama, Indra disc and Thunderbolt missile; the best trident pertaining to Shiva; the missile called Brahma-shira [Brahma-crest]; the missile called the Aishiika missile [Grass-Blade missile,] and that way oh, Raghava, I am going to give the unexcelled and highly formidable missile called Brahma missile. [1-27-4b, 5, 6, 7a]
AiSiika missile is dried blade of grass, which by invoking with hymns will become a projectile weapon. Rama uses on Kakasura. In Mahaa Bharata Ashvadhaama also uses this at the final stage of war, which Krishna nullifies.
7b, 8a. Oh manly tiger prince Rama, I am going to accord two maces that are brilliant by their radiance called, the Modaki, [the Beater,] and Shikhari, [the Tower of Protection.] [1-27-7b, 8a]
8b, 9a. Oh, Rama, like that I will be giving three nooses called Dharma paasha and kaala-paasha and Varuna paasha, [Virtue noose and Time noose, Rain god's noose] as well as an unequalled missile called Varuna astra, Rain-god's missile. [1-27-8b, 9a]
9b, 10a. Oh, Raghu's scion, I will also give two projectile bolts, one called shushka, [The Drier] and the other aardra, [The Drencher,] and even the missiles of Pinaaka and that of Narayana, [the missiles of god Shiva and Narayana,] I will give. [1-27-9b, 10a]
10b, 11a. Oh, impeccable Rama, thus a well-known missile shikhari [The Tower,] and another the fond of Fire-god known as prathama [The Blower,] and a missile of Air-god too, I will be giving. [1-27-10b, 11a]
11b, 12a. Oh, Raghava of Kakutstha-s, I will give you two missiles named Haya-shira [The Horse-head] and Krouncha [The Wrester,] and two Impellers, one presided over by the power of Vishnu, and the other by the power of Rudra. [1-27-11b, 12a]
12b, 13a. I will be giving all those weapons that are wielded by demons, namely the deadly Pounder named Kankaalam, and Rods named as Kapaalam and Kankanam, for the elimination of those very demons. [1-27-12b, 13a]
13b, 14a. Oh, mighty armed son of the best king, I am giving a great missile named Vaidyadhara by its name, and a gem of sword named Nandana. [1-27-13b, 14a]
14b, 15a. Thus, the missile which is very much liked by Gandharva-s, namely Mohana, [The Stupefier,] the missile called Prasvapana [The Inducer of Sleep,] and the gentle Prashamana, [The Pacifier of enemy's anger.] [1-27-14b, 15a]
15b, 16, 17. Oh, highly fortunate Rama, takes these missiles namely, varshaNa, [the Rainer,] shoshana [the Drainer,] santaapana [the Humidifier,] vilaapana [the Weep-inducer,] and oh, prince, an unassailable intoxicator and a dear missile of Manmatha, namely Mohana [The Intoxicator,] and another the fond missile of gandharva-s namely maanava by its name, [The Humane missile,] and oh, tigerly man, a missile dear one to pishaaca-s, monsters, namely paishaca [The Monster missile.] [1-27-15, 16, 17]
17b, 18, 19, 20. Oh, manly-tiger Rama, greatly powered taamasa and saumana missiles, the indomitable missiles like samvarta, mausala, satya, and then the maaya-maya missile; like that oh, mighty armed Rama, a solar missile the sequestrator of others' brilliance namely teja-prabha; next, the missile of Moon-god named shishira [The Cooler]; and a very deadly missile of tvaSTa namely sudaamana; and even the dangerous missile of bhaga namely shita-iSu, these and the maanava missile of Manu, the earliest ruler of mankind, I will be giving. [1-27-17b, 18, 19, 20]
21. These missiles are, oh, dextrous prince, disguise-wizards, greatly powered, and highly providential ones, oh, Rama, you may take them forthwith." So said sage Vishvamitra to Rama. [1-27-21]
22. That pre-eminent sage Vishvamitra on performing his personal holy depuration then gave the assortment of extraordinary hymns to Rama facing eastward. [1-27-22]
23. The comprehension of which invoking hymns of the missiles is impossible even to gods with their sections and subsections of procedures, that Brahman dedicated such hymns to Raghava. [1-27-24]
24. While that intelligent saint Vishvamitra chanted the hymns, all of those highly venerable missiles came nigh and stood accessible to Raghava in their astral form. [1-27-24]
25, 26a. All of those highly obliging missiles in astral bodies, gladdening to come under the aegis of Rama, then spoke to him making palms-fold, "here are your thralls, Sire, we are here to accomplish whatever you bid us to do, let safety be with you." So said the deities presiding over the missiles to Rama. [1-27-25]
26b, 27. On receiving them with a pleased heart, then Rama patted them with his palm, and that Rama of Kakutstha-s also spoke this way to those mightily forceful missiles in ethereal bodies saying, "you may manifest yourselves in my cognisance whenever I need you," and he motivated them to take leave and to come back at his beck and call. [1-27-26b, 27]
28. That highly resplendent Rama revered sage Vishvamitra with a thankful heart and readied himself for further journey. [1-27-26]
श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तविंशः सर्गः ॥१-२७॥
अथ ताम् रजनीम् उष्य विश्वामिरो महायशाः । प्रहस्य राघवम् वाक्यम् उवाच मधुर स्वरम् ॥१-२७-१॥
परितुष्टो अस्मि भद्रम् ते राजपुत्र महायशः । प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः ॥१-२७-२॥
देव असुर गणान् वा अपि स गन्धर्व उरगान् भुवि । यैः अमित्रान् प्रसह्य आजौ वशीकृत्य जयिष्यसि ॥१-२७-३॥
तानि दिव्यानि भद्रम् ते ददामि अस्त्राणि सर्वशः । दण्ड चक्रम् महत् दिव्यम् तव दास्यामि राघव ॥१-२७-४॥
धर्म चक्रम् ततो वीर काल चक्रम् तथैव च । विष्णु चक्रम् तथा अति उग्रम् ऐन्द्रम् चक्रम् तथैव च ॥१-२७-५॥
वज्रम् अस्त्रम् नरश्रेष्ठ शैवम् शूलवरम् तथा । अस्त्रम् ब्रह्मशिरः च एव ऐषीकम् अपि राघव ॥१-२७-६॥
ददामि ते महाबाहो ब्राह्मम् अस्त्रम् अनुत्तमम् । गदे द्वे चैव काकुत्स्थ मोदकी शिखरी शुभे ॥१-२७-७॥
प्रदीप्ते नरशार्दूल प्रयच्छामि नृपाअत्मज । धर्म पाशम् अहम् राम काल पाशम् तथैव च ॥१-२७-८॥
वारुणम् पाशम् अस्त्रम् च ददामि अहम् अनुत्तमम् । अशनी द्वे प्रयच्छामि शुष्क आर्द्रे रघुनन्दन ॥१-२७-९॥
ददामि च अस्त्रम् पैनाकम् अस्त्रम् नारायणम् तथा । आग्नेयम् अस्त्रम् दयितम् शिखरम् नाम नामतः ॥१-२७-१०॥
वायव्यम् प्रथमम् नाम ददामि तव च अनघ । अस्त्रम् हयशिरः नाम क्रौञ्चम् अस्त्रम् तथैव च ॥१-२७-११॥
शक्ति द्वयम् च काकुत्स्थ ददामि तव राघव । कंकालम् मुसलम् घोरम् कापालम् अथ किन्किणीम् ॥१-२७-१२॥
वधार्थम् राक्षसाम् यानि ददामि एतानि सर्वशः । वैद्याधरम् महा अस्त्रम् च नन्दनम् नाम नामतः ॥१-२७-१३॥
असि रत्नम् महाबाहो ददामि नृवरात्मज । गान्धर्वम् अस्त्रम् दयितम् मोहनम् नाम नामतः ॥१-२७-१४॥
प्रस्वापनम् प्रशमनम् दद्मि सौम्यम् च राघव । वर्षणम् शोषणम् चैव संतापन विलापने ॥१-२७-१५॥
मादनम् चैव दुर्धर्षम् कन्दर्प दयितम् तथा । गान्धर्वम् अस्त्रम् दयितम् मानवम् नाम नामतः ॥१-२७-१६॥
पैशाचम् अस्त्रम् दयितम् मोहनम् नाम नामतः । प्रतीच्छ नरशार्दूल राजपुत्र महायशः ॥१-२७-१७॥
तामसम् नरशार्दूल सौमनम् च महाबलम् । संवर्तम् चैव दुर्धर्षम् मौसलम् च नृपात्मज ॥१-२७-१८॥
सत्यम् अस्त्रम् महाबाहो तथा मायामयम् परम् । सौरम् तेजःप्रभम् नाम पर तेजो अपकर्षणम् ॥१-२७-१९॥
सोम अस्त्रम् शिशिरम् नाम त्वाष्ट्रम् अस्त्रम् सुदारुरणम् । दारुणम् च भगस्य अपि शितेषुम् अथ मानवम् ॥१-२७-२०॥
एतान् राम महाबाहो काम रूपान् महाबलान् । गृहाण परमोदारान् क्षिप्रम् एव नृपात्मज ॥१-२७-२१॥
स्थितः तु प्राङ्मुखो भूत्वा शुचिर् मुनिवरः तदा । ददौ रामाय सुप्रीतो मंत्र ग्रामम् अनुत्तमम् ॥१-२७-२२॥
सर्व संग्रहणम् एषाम् दैवतैः अपि दुर्लभम् । तानि अस्त्राणि तदा विप्रो राघवाय न्यवेदत् ॥१-२७-२३॥
जपतः तु मुनेः तस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः । उपतस्थुः महा अर्हाणि सर्वाणि अस्त्राणि राघवम् ॥१-२७-२४॥
ऊचुः च मुदिता रामम् सर्वे प्रांजलयः तदा । इमे च परमोदार किंकराः तव राघव ॥१-२७-२५॥
यद् यद् इच्छसि भद्रन् ते तत् सर्वम् करवाम वै । ततो राम प्रसन्न आत्मा तैः इति उक्तो महाबलैः ॥१-२७-२६॥
प्रतिगृह्य च काकुत्स्थः समालभ्य च पाणिना । मनसा मे भविष्यध्वम् इति तानि अभ्यचोदयत् ॥१-२७-२७॥
ततः प्रीत मना रामो विश्वामित्रम् महामुनिम् । अभिवाद्य महातेजा गमनाय उपचक्रमे ॥१-२७-२८॥
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बालकाण्डे सप्तविंशः सर्गः ॥१-२७॥