ततस्तु राजा प्रतिवीक्ष्य ताः स्त्रियः :::प्ररूढगर्भाः प्रतिलब्धमानसः । बभूव हृष्टस्त्रिदिवे यथा हरिः :::सुरेन्द्रसिद्धर्षिगणाभिपूजितः ॥१-१६-
Then the king, seeing his wives pregnant, regained his peace of mind and was as delighted as Indra in heaven, honored by hosts of gods, perfected beings, and sages.
thumb|सप्तदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तदशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen now to the seventeenth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
पुत्रत्वं तु गते विष्णौ राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः । उवाच देवताः सर्वाः स्वयम्भूर्भगवानिदम् ॥१-१७-
When Viṣṇu had entered the state of being a son to that great-souled king, the self-born Lord addressed all the gods thus:
सत्यसंधस्य वीरस्य सर्वेषां नो हितैषिणः । विष्णोः सहायान् बलिनः सृजध्वं कामरूपिणः ॥१-१७-
'For the truthful and heroic king, who seeks the welfare of us all, create powerful helpers for Viṣṇu, able to assume any form.'
मायाविदश्च शूरांश्च वायुवेगसमान् जवे । नयज्ञान् बुद्धिसम्पन्नान् विष्णुतुल्यपराक्रमान् ॥१-१७-
'Let them be masters of illusion, valiant, swift as the wind, skilled in policy, endowed with intelligence, and equal to Viṣṇu in valor.'
असंहार्यानुपायज्ञान् दिव्यसंहननान्वितान् । सर्वास्त्रगुणसम्पन्नानमृतप्राशनानिव ॥१-१७-
Endowed with irresistible strength, unknown means of defeat, and divine forms, they were fully possessed of all the qualities of celestial weapons, as if they had partaken of ambrosia.
अप्सरस्सु च मुख्यासु गन्धर्वीणां तनूषु च । यक्षपन्नगकन्यासु ऋक्षविद्याधरीषु च ॥१-१७-
Among the foremost of the Apsarases, in the bodies of Gandharva women, in the daughters of Yakshas and Nagas, and among the Riksha and Vidyadhari women,
किन्नरीणां च गात्रेषु वानरीणां तनूषु च । सृजध्वं हरिरूपेण पुत्रांस्तुल्यपराक्रमान् ॥१-१७-
And in the bodies of Kinnari women, as well as in those of Vanara females, you shall create sons in the form of monkeys, equal in might.
पूर्वम् एव मया सृष्टो जाम्बवान् ऋक्ष पुङ्गवः । जृम्भमाणस्य सहसा मम वक्रात् अजायत ॥१-१७-
Already before, I created Jambavan, the foremost of bears; he was suddenly born from my own yawn.
ते तथोक्ता भगवता तत् प्रतिश्रुत्य शासनम् । जनयामासुरेवं ते पुत्रान् वानररूपिणः ॥१-१७-
Thus addressed by the Lord and having promised to obey his command, they then begot sons in the forms of monkeys.
ऋषयश्च महात्मानः सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः । चारणाश्च सुतान् वीरान् ससृजुर्वनचारिणः ॥१-१७-
Great sages, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Nagas, and Charanas also produced heroic sons, dwellers of the forest.
वानरेन्द्रं महेन्द्राभमिन्द्रो वालिनमात्मजम् । सुग्रीवं जनयामास तपनस्तपतां वरः ॥१-१७-
Indra begot Vali, the lord of the monkeys, equal to Mahendra himself; the Sun, best among the shining ones, begot Sugriva.
बृहस्पतिस्त्वजनयत् तारं नाम महाकपिम् । सर्ववानरमुख्यानां बुद्धिमन्तमनुत्तमम् ॥१-१७-
Brihaspati begot Tara, the great monkey, the wisest and most excellent among all the chief monkeys.
धनदस्य सुतः श्रीमान् वानरो गन्धमादनः । विश्वकर्मा त्वजनयन्नलं नाम महाकपिम् ॥१-१७-
The illustrious Gandhamadana was the son of Kubera; Vishvakarma begot Nala, the great monkey.
पावकस्य सुतः श्रीमान् नीलोऽग्निसदृशप्रभः । तेजसा यशसा वीर्यादत्यरिच्यत वीर्यवान् ॥१-१७-
The illustrious Nila, son of Agni, shone with a radiance like fire; in energy, fame, and valor, he surpassed all others.
रूपद्रविणसम्पन्नावश्विनौ रूपसम्मतौ । मैन्दं च द्विविदं चैव जनयामासतुः स्वयम् ॥१-१७-
The Ashvins, renowned for beauty and wealth, themselves begot Mainda and Dvivida, both esteemed for their appearance.
वरुणो जनयामास सुषेणं नाम वानरम् । शरभं जनयामास पर्जन्यस्तु महाबलः ॥१-१७-
Varuna begot a monkey named Sushena; Parjanya, of great might, begot Sharabha.
मारुतस्यौरसः श्रीमान् हनुमान् नाम वानरः । वज्रसंहननोपेतो वैनतेयसमो जवे ॥१-१७-
Hanuman, the illustrious son of Vayu, was born with a body firm as a thunderbolt, and in speed he equaled Garuda.
अप्रमेयबला वीरा विक्रान्ताः कामरूपिणः । ते गजाचलसंकाशा वपुष्मन्तो महाबलाः ॥१-१७-
These heroes, of immeasurable strength and valor, able to assume forms at will, were as mighty as elephants and mountains, possessing great power and splendid bodies.
ऋक्षवानरगोपुच्छाः क्षिप्रमेवाभिजज्ञिरे । यस्य देवस्य यद्रूपं वेषो यश्च पराक्रमः ॥१-१७-
Bears, monkeys, and those with cow-like tails were quickly born, each according to the form, appearance, and valor of the respective deity.
अजायत समं तेन तस्य तस्य पृथक् पृथक् । गोलाङ्गूलीषु चोत्पन्नाः किंचिदुन्नतविक्रमाः ॥१-१७-
Each was born exactly resembling that deity, each one separately; among the Golangulas, some were born with slightly superior prowess.
ऋक्षीषु च तथा जाता वानराः किन्नरीषु च । देवा महर्षिगन्धर्वास्तार्क्ष्ययक्षा यशस्विनः ॥१-१७-
Similarly, monkeys were born among the Riksha and Kinnari women; the gods, great sages, Gandharvas, Garuda, and renowned Yakshas,
नागाः किम्पुरुषाश्चैव सिद्धविद्याधरोरगाः । बहवो जनयामासुर्हृष्टास्तत्र सहस्रशः ॥१-१७-
Nagas, Kimpurushas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, and Uragas—many, delighted, begot thousands there.
चारणाश्च सुतान् वीरान् ससृजुर्वनचारिणः । वानरान् सुमहाकायान् सर्वान् वै वनचारिणः ॥१-१७-
The celestial singers also produced heroic sons who roamed the forests—monkeys of immense size, all of them dwellers of the woods.
अप्सरस्सु च मुख्यासु तथा विद्याधरीषु च । नागकन्यासु च तदा गन्धर्वीणां तनूषु च । कामरूपबलोपेता यथाकामविचारिणः ॥१-१७-
From the foremost Apsarases, Vidyādharīs, Nāga maidens, and Gandharvīs, were born those endowed with the power to assume forms and strength at will, moving about as they pleased.
सिंहशार्दूलसदृशा दर्पेण च बलेन च । शिलाप्रहरणाः सर्वे सर्वे पादपयोधिनः ॥१-१७-
All were like lions and tigers in pride and strength, wielding rocks as weapons, and all were at home among the trees and mountains.
नखदंष्ट्रायुधाः सर्वे सर्वे सर्वास्त्रकोविदाः । विचालयेयुः शैलेन्द्रान् भेदयेयुः स्थिरान् द्रुमान् ॥१-१७-
All bore claws and fangs as weapons, all were skilled in every weapon, able to shake the king of mountains and shatter even the sturdiest trees.
क्षोभयेयुश्च वेगेन समुद्रं सरितां पतिम् । दारयेयुः क्षितिं पद्भ्यामाप्लवेयुर्महार्णवान् ॥१-१७-
With their speed, they could agitate the ocean, lord of rivers, rend the earth with their feet, and leap across vast seas.
नभस्तलं विशेयुश्च गृह्णीयुरपि तोयदान् । गृह्णीयुरपि मातङ्गान् मत्तान् प्रव्रजतो वने ॥१-१७-
They could enter the sky, seize even the clouds, and capture wild, intoxicated elephants roaming the forest.
नर्दमानांश्च नादेन पातयेयुर्विहङ्गमान् । ईदृशानां प्रसूतानि हरीणां कामरूपिणाम् ॥१-१७-
With their roaring cries, they could bring down birds in flight; such were the forms of the monkeys born with the power to change shape at will.