अहमेव धनुष्पाणिर्गोप्ता समरमूर्धनि । यावत् प्राणान् धरिष्यामि तावद् योत्स्ये निशाचरैः ॥१-२०-
I myself, bow in hand, will protect you at the forefront of battle; as long as I have life, I shall fight the night-dwellers.
निर्विघ्ना व्रतचर्या सा भविष्यति सुरक्षिता । अहं तत्र गमिष्यामि न रामं नेतुमर्हसि ॥१-२०-
Your vow will be fulfilled without hindrance and kept safe; I will go there, you should not take Rāma.
बालो ह्यकृतविद्यश्च न च वेत्ति बलाबलम् । न चास्त्रबलसंयुक्तो न च युद्धविशारदः ॥१-२०-
He is a boy, untrained in knowledge, and does not know strength or weakness; he is not endowed with the power of weapons, nor is he skilled in battle.
न चासौ रक्षसां योग्यः कूटयुद्धा हि राक्षसाः । विप्रयुक्तो हि रामेण मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे ॥१-२०-
He is not fit to face the Rākṣasas, for the Rākṣasas fight deceitfully; separated from Rāma, I cannot endure even for a moment.
जीवितुं मुनिशार्दूल न रामं नेतुमर्हसि । यदि वा राघवं ब्रह्मन् नेतुमिच्छसि सुव्रत ॥१-२०-
To live, O best of sages, I cannot bear to be without Rāma; but if you, O noble one, wish to take Rāghava—
चतुरङ्गसमायुक्तं मया सह च तं नय । षष्टिर्वर्षसहस्राणि जातस्य मम कौशिक ॥१-२०-
Then take him with me, accompanied by a fourfold army; O Kauśika, I am already sixty thousand years old.
कृच्छ्रेणोत्पादितश्चायं न रामं नेतुमर्हसि । चतुर्णामात्मजानां हि प्रीतिः परमिका मम ॥१-२०-
He was obtained with great difficulty; you should not take Rāma. Of my four sons, my affection for him is supreme.
ज्येष्ठे धर्मप्रधानेच न रामं नेतुमर्हसि । किंवीर्या राक्षसास्ते च कस्य पुत्राश्च के च ते ॥१-२०-
You should not take Rāma, who is the eldest and foremost in righteousness. What is the power of those Rākṣasas, whose sons are they, and who are they?
कथं प्रमाणाः के चैतान् रक्षन्ति मुनिपुंगव । कथं च प्रतिकर्तव्यं तेषां रामेण रक्षसाम् ॥१-२०-
How strong are they, and who protects them, O best of sages? And how should Rāma oppose those Rākṣasas?
मामकैर्वा बलैर्ब्रह्मन् मया वा कूटयोधिनाम् । सर्वं मे शंस भगवन् कथं तेषां मया रणे ॥१-२०-
Should I, with my own forces or with deceitful warriors, confront them in battle, O revered one? Tell me everything, how I should face them in war.
स्थातव्यं दुष्टभावानां वीर्योत्सिक्ता हि राक्षसाः । तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत ॥१-२०-
One must stand firm against those of wicked intent, for the Rākṣasas are exceedingly proud of their strength. Hearing these words, Viśvāmitra spoke.
पौलस्त्यवंशप्रभवो रावणो नाम राक्षसः । स ब्रह्मणा दत्तवरस्त्रैलोक्यं बाधते भृशम् ॥१-२०-
There is a Rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, born in the lineage of Paulastya. Granted a boon by Brahmā, he greatly troubles the three worlds.
महाबलो महावीर्यो राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्वृतः । श्रूयते च महाराज रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥१-२०-
He is immensely powerful and mighty, surrounded by many Rākṣasas. It is said, O great king, that Rāvaṇa is the lord of the Rākṣasas.
साक्षाद्वैश्रवणभ्राता पुत्रो विश्रवसो मुनेः । यदा न खलु यज्ञस्य विघ्नकर्ता महाबलः ॥१-२०-
He is the brother of Vaiśravaṇa and the son of the sage Viśravas. Yet he himself does not directly disrupt the sacrifice, O mighty one.
तेन संचोदितौ तौ तु राक्षसौ सुमहाबलौ । मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च यज्ञविघ्नं करिष्यतः ॥१-२०-
Urged by him, two Rākṣasas of immense strength—Mārīca and Subāhu—are set to disrupt the sacrifice.
स त्वं प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कुरुष्व मम पुत्रके । मम चैवाल्पभाग्यस्य दैवतं हि भवान् गुरुः ॥१-२०-
Therefore, O knower of righteousness, show favor to my son. For I am of little fortune, and you, revered one, are like a deity to me.
देवदानवगन्धर्वा यक्षाः पतगपन्नगाः । न शक्ता रावणं सोढुं किं पुनर्मानवा युधि ॥१-२०-
Gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, birds, and serpents are unable to withstand Rāvaṇa; how much less, then, can humans face him in battle?
स तु वीर्यवतां वीर्यमादत्ते युधि रावणः । तेन चाहं न शक्तोऽस्मि संयोद्धुं तस्य वा बलैः ॥१-२०-
Rāvaṇa, in battle, takes the strength of the mighty. Therefore, I am unable to fight him or his forces.
सबलो वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ सहितो वा ममात्मजैः । कथमप्यमरप्रख्यं संग्रामाणामकोविदम् ॥१-२०-
Even with my own strength, O best of sages, or together with my sons, I could in no way withstand in battle one who is like an immortal and skilled in warfare.
बालं मे तनयं ब्रह्मन् नैव दास्यामि पुत्रकम् । अथ कालोपमौ युद्धे सुतौ सुन्दोपसुन्दयोः ॥१-२०-
O Brāhmaṇa, I will not give my young son, nor will I give the boy, even though my two sons are equal to Sunda and Upasunda in battle.
यज्ञविघ्नकरौ तौ ते नैव दास्यामि पुत्रकम् । मारीचश्च सुबाहुश्च वीर्यवन्तौ सुशिक्षितौ ॥१-२०-
Those two, Mārīca and Subāhu, who disrupt the sacrifice, are mighty and well-trained; I will not give my son.
तयोरन्यतरं योद्धुं यास्यामि ससुहृद्गणः । अन्यथा त्वनुनेष्यामि भवन्तं सहबान्धवः ॥१-२०-
With my friends and allies, I myself will go to fight one of them; otherwise, I will implore you, along with your kinsmen.
इति नरपतिजल्पनात् द्विजेन्द्रं :::कुशिकसुतं सुमहान् विवेश मन्युः । सुहुत इव मखेऽग्निराज्यसिक्तः :::समभवदुज्ज्वलितो महर्षिवह्निः ॥१-२०-
Thus, from the king's words to the chief of twice-born, a great anger entered the son of Kuśika, like fire well kindled and brightened with ghee in a sacrifice, the fire of the great sage blazed forth.
thumb|एकविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the twenty-first sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलाक्षरम् । समन्युः कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ॥१-२१-
Hearing those words, choked with affection, the sage Kauśika, filled with anger, replied to the king.
पूर्वमर्थं प्रतिश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुमिच्छसि । राघवाणामयुक्तोऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्ययः ॥१-२१-
Having previously given your word, you now wish to abandon your promise; such a reversal does not befit the house of Raghu, nor this noble lineage.
यदीदं ते क्षमं राजन् गमिष्यामि यथागतम् । मिथ्याप्रतिज्ञः काकुत्स्थ सुखी भव सुह्द्वृतः ॥१-२१-
If this is your decision, O King, I shall depart as I came; O descendant of Kakutstha, be happy and well-regarded, though you have broken your promise.
तस्य रोषपरीतस्य विश्वामित्रस्य धीमतः । चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना देवानां च भयं महत् ॥१-२१-
As the wise Viśvāmitra was seized by anger, the entire earth trembled, and great fear arose among the gods.
त्रस्तरूपं तु विज्ञाय जगत्सर्वं महानृषिः । नृपतिं सुव्रतो धीरो वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥१-२१-
Perceiving that the whole world was struck with terror, the great sage Vasiṣṭha, steadfast and virtuous, spoke to the king.
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः साक्षाद् धर्म इवापरः । धृतिमान् सुव्रतः श्रीमान् न धर्मं हातुमर्हसि ॥१-२१-
Born in the line of Ikṣvāku, you are as if Dharma himself incarnate; steadfast, virtuous, and illustrious—you should not abandon righteousness.