Sarga 9

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · Vasiṣṭha's counsel to Daśaratha (23 verses)

Sarga 9 at a glance

Vālmīki continues his account to Bharadvāja.

1. Viśvāmitra, angered, rebukes the king for breaking his promise and prepares to leave (1.9.1–1.9.4).
2. The earth shakes; Vasiṣṭha speaks for the first time in the story (1.9.5–1.9.6).
3. Vasiṣṭha reminds Daśaratha of his own dharma and of the example a king sets (1.9.7–1.9.12).
4. He reassures the father: Rāma will be safe with Viśvāmitra, master of all divine weapons (1.9.13–1.9.22).
5. A closing verse in a longer metre (1.9.23).

Verse 1.9.1

वाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य स्नेहपर्याकुलेक्षणम् ।
समन्युः कौशिको वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच महीपतिम् ॥ १.९.१ ॥

तस्य (his) स्नेह-पर्याकुल-ईक्षणं तत् वचनं श्रुत्वा (hearing those words, spoken with eyes clouded by affection) स-मन्युः कौशिकः (Kauśika, angered) महीपतिं वाक्यं प्रत्युवाच (replied to the king).

Translation: Vālmīki said: Hearing the king's words, spoken with eyes clouded by affection, Viśvāmitra replied in anger:

Pointers for Reflection:

• Eyes clouded by affection. स्नेहपर्याकुलेक्षण: love blurs sight. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha is about seeing clearly; here is attachment literally clouding the eyes.
• Viśvāmitra's famous temper. He held back from cursing the rākṣasas (1.7.8), but the broken promise stirs him.

Verse 1.9.2

करिष्यामीति संश्रुत्य प्रतिज्ञां हातुमर्हसि ।
स भवान्केसरी भूत्वा मृगतामिव वाञ्छसि ॥ १.९.२ ॥

करिष्यामि इति संश्रुत्य (having promised, 'I will do it') प्रतिज्ञां हातुम् अर्हसि (you now wish to abandon your vow)? सः भवान् (you) केसरी भूत्वा (having been a lion) मृगताम् इव वाञ्छसि (now wish to be a deer).

Translation: "Having promised, 'I will do it', you now want to abandon your vow? Having been a lion, you now wish to be a deer."

Pointers for Reflection:

• The lion and the deer again. The king used the lion image for himself (1.8.5). The sage turns it against him: the lion has become a deer, through fear.
• प्रतिज्ञा — a solemn promise. Keeping one's word is the heart of kingly dharma in the Rāmāyaṇa. Rāma himself will later go into exile to keep his father's word.

Verse 1.9.3

राघवाणामयुक्तोऽयं कुलस्यास्य विपर्ययः ।
न कदाचन जायन्ते शीतांशोरुष्णरश्मयः ॥ १.९.३ ॥

अयं विपर्ययः (this reversal) अस्य राघवाणां कुलस्य अयुक्तः (is unworthy of this line of the Raghus); शीत-अंशोः (from the cool-rayed moon) उष्ण-रश्मयः (hot rays) न कदाचन जायन्ते (are never born).

Translation: "Such a turnabout ill becomes the house of the Raghus. The moon, whose rays are cool, never gives off scorching ones."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Nature and conduct. The moon cannot give out heat; a Raghu cannot break his word. The sage appeals to what the king essentially is (his स्वधर्म, 1.9.9).

Verse 1.9.4

यदि त्वं न क्षमो राजन्गमिष्यामि यथागतम् ।
हीनप्रतिज्ञ काकुत्स्थ सुखी भव सबान्धवः ॥ १.९.४ ॥

राजन् (O king), यदि त्वं न क्षमः (if you are not able), यथा-आगतं गमिष्यामि (I will go back as I came). हीन-प्रतिज्ञ काकुत्स्थ (Kakutstha, breaker of promises), स-बान्धवः सुखी भव (be happy with your kinsmen).

Translation: "O king, if you cannot do it, I will go back as I came. Breaker of promises, be happy with your family."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Bitter irony. "Be happy with your family" — said to a man whose son is wasting away (Sarga 5). Without the sage, the household's sorrow will not be healed.
• Leaving is the real threat. If Viśvāmitra goes, the teaching that Rāma needs will not happen. The outer drama of the sacrifice covers the inner drama of Rāma's awakening.

Verse 1.9.5

वाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
तस्मिन्कोपपरीतेऽथ विश्वामित्रे महात्मनि ।
चचाल वसुधा कृत्स्ना सुरांश्च भयमाविशत् ॥ १.९.५ ॥

अथ (then) तस्मिन् महात्मनि विश्वामित्रे कोप-परीते (when the great-souled Viśvāmitra was filled with anger) कृत्स्ना वसुधा चचाल (the whole earth shook), सुरान् च भयम् आविशत् (and fear seized the gods).

Translation: Vālmīki said: Then, as the great-souled Viśvāmitra was filled with anger, the whole earth shook, and fear seized the gods.

Pointers for Reflection:

• The power of tapas. A sage's anger shakes the cosmos. The text shows how much inner energy a great ascetic carries — and why it must be governed by wisdom.

Verse 1.9.6

क्रोधाभिभूतं विज्ञाय जगन्मित्रं महामुनिम् ।
धृतिमान्सुव्रतो धीमान्वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ १.९.६ ॥

जगत्-मित्रं महा-मुनिं (the great sage, friend of the world) क्रोध-अभिभूतं विज्ञाय (knowing him overcome by anger) धृतिमान् सु-व्रतः धीमान् वसिष्ठः (the steady, devout and wise Vasiṣṭha) वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् (spoke).

Translation: Seeing that the great sage, friend of the world, was overcome by anger, the steady, devout and wise Vasiṣṭha spoke.

Pointers for Reflection:

• Vasiṣṭha speaks. His first real speech in the story. He steps in not to oppose Viśvāmitra but to calm everyone and set things right.
• जगन्मित्र. Viśvāmitra's name is played on: विश्व-मित्र, "friend of the universe", becomes जगन्मित्र, "friend of the world". Even in anger, he is the world's friend.
• धृतिमान्. "Steady." Vasiṣṭha's first quality named here is steadiness: the opposite of the king's wavering (1.8.38).

Verse 1.9.7

वसिष्ठ उवाच ।
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः साक्षाद्धर्म इवापरः ।
भवान्दशरथः श्रीमांस्त्रैलोक्यगुणभूषितः ॥ १.९.७ ॥

इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः (born in the line of Ikṣvāku) साक्षात् अपरः धर्मः इव (like a second embodiment of dharma itself) त्रैलोक्य-गुण-भूषितः (adorned with virtues known in the three worlds) श्रीमान् भवान् दशरथः [असि] (you are the glorious Daśaratha).

Translation: Vasiṣṭha said: "Born in the line of Ikṣvāku, you are like dharma itself in a second form, the glorious Daśaratha, adorned with virtues known in all three worlds."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Reminding, not scolding. Vasiṣṭha begins by reminding the king who he is. The good teacher calls the student back to their own best nature.
• A model for teaching. Viśvāmitra rebuked; Vasiṣṭha reminds. Both aim at the same result. Notice which works.

Verse 1.9.8

धृतिमान्सुव्रतो भूत्वा न धर्मं हातुमर्हसि ।
त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातो धर्मेण यशसा युतः ॥ १.९.८ ॥

धृतिमान् सु-व्रतः भूत्वा (being steady and devout) धर्मं हातुं न अर्हसि (you should not abandon dharma), त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्यातः (you who are renowned in the three worlds) धर्मेण यशसा युतः (for your dharma and fame).

Translation: "Steady and devout as you are, you should not abandon dharma, you who are famed in the three worlds for righteousness and glory."

Pointers for Reflection:

• धृतिमान्, सुव्रत. Vasiṣṭha gives the king the very qualities he himself was just described with (1.9.6). The teacher shares his own steadiness with the student.

Verse 1.9.9

स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व न धर्मं हातुमर्हसि ।
मुनेस्त्रिभुवनेशस्य वचनं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १.९.९ ॥

स्व-धर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व (keep to your own dharma); धर्मं हातुं न अर्हसि (you should not abandon dharma). त्रि-भुवन-ईशस्य मुनेः वचनं (the word of this sage, lord of the three worlds) कर्तुम् अर्हसि (you should carry out).

Translation: "Keep to your own dharma; do not abandon it. You should carry out the word of this sage, master of the three worlds."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Gītā 3.35:
  • श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् । स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः ॥
  • Better one's own dharma, though imperfect, than another's done well. Better to die in one's own dharma; another's dharma brings fear.
  • Vasiṣṭha's स्वधर्मं प्रतिपद्यस्व is the Gītā's स्वधर्म: a king's dharma is to keep his word and protect the righteous.

Verse 1.9.10

करिष्यामीति संश्रुत्य तत्ते राजन्नकुर्वतः ।
इष्टापूर्तं हरेद्धर्मं तस्माद्रामं विसर्जय ॥ १.९.१० ॥

राजन् (O king), करिष्यामि इति संश्रुत्य (having promised to do it) तत् अकुर्वतः ते (if you do not do it) इष्टापूर्तं धर्मं हरेत् (it would take away the merit of your sacrifices and good works); तस्मात् रामं विसर्जय (so send Rāma).

Translation: "O king, if you promised and then do not act, it would destroy the merit of all your sacrifices and good works. So send Rāma."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.1.8:
  • आशाप्रतीक्षे सङ्गतं सूनृतां च इष्टापूर्ते पुत्रपशूंश्च सर्वान् । एतद्वृङ्क्ते पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसो यस्यानश्नन्वसति ब्राह्मणो गृहे ॥
  • Hopes and expectations, friendship and kind words, sacrifices and good works (इष्टापूर्त), sons and cattle — all these are taken from the foolish man in whose house a brāhmaṇa stays without being fed.
  • The Upaniṣad says that failing a brāhmaṇa guest destroys इष्टापूर्त. Vasiṣṭha says breaking a promise to this sage would do the same. Both texts open with a father's broken promise and a son's journey.

Verse 1.9.11

इक्ष्वाकुवंशजातोऽपि स्वयं दशरथोऽपि सन् ।
न पालयसि चेद्वाक्यं कोऽपरः पालयिष्यति ॥ १.९.११ ॥

इक्ष्वाकु-वंश-जातः अपि (born in Ikṣvāku's line) स्वयं दशरथः अपि सन् (being Daśaratha himself), चेत् वाक्यं न पालयसि (if you do not keep your word), कः अपरः पालयिष्यति (who else will?)

Translation: "If you, born of Ikṣvāku's line, Daśaratha himself, do not keep your word, who else will?"

Pointers for Reflection:

• The leader as example. If the best do not keep their word, no one will. The next verse makes this explicit.

Verse 1.9.12

युष्मदादिप्रणीतेन व्यवहारेण जन्तवः ।
मर्यादां न विमुञ्चन्ति तां न हातुं त्वमर्हसि ॥ १.९.१२ ॥

युष्मत्-आदि-प्रणीतेन व्यवहारेण (by the conduct set by people like you) जन्तवः (ordinary beings) मर्यादां न विमुञ्चन्ति (do not abandon the bounds of right conduct); तां त्वं हातुं न अर्हसि (you should not abandon them).

Translation: "Ordinary people do not abandon right conduct because of the example set by people like you. You must not abandon it."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Gītā 3.21:
  • यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः । स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते लोकस्तदनुवर्तते ॥
  • Whatever the best person does, others do the same. Whatever standard such a one sets, the world follows.
  • The Gītā's principle, in Vasiṣṭha's mouth. A king's personal choice has public consequences.
• मर्यादा. The boundary of right conduct. Rāma himself is called मर्यादा-पुरुषोत्तम, "the best of men who keep to right conduct". The word quietly points to the son.

Verse 1.9.13

गुप्तं पुरुषसिंहेन ज्वलनेनामृतं यथा ।
कृतास्त्रमकृतास्त्रं वा नैनं शक्ष्यन्ति राक्षसाः ॥ १.९.१३ ॥

पुरुष-सिंहेन गुप्तं (protected by this lion among men) ज्वलनेन अमृतं यथा (as nectar is guarded by fire), कृत-अस्त्रम् अकृत-अस्त्रं वा (whether skilled in weapons or not) एनं राक्षसाः न शक्ष्यन्ति (the rākṣasas will not be able to harm him).

Translation: "With this lion of a man to guard him, as fire guards the amṛta, Rāma is beyond the reach of rākṣasas — trained in arms or not."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Answering the father's fear. Daśaratha said Rāma had no weapons or skill (1.8.7). Vasiṣṭha says: it does not matter. With such a guardian, he is safe.
• Nectar guarded by fire. In Purāṇic stories, the amṛta was guarded by a ring of fire. The image: what is most precious is protected by what is most powerful.

Verse 1.9.14

एष विग्रहवान्धर्म एष वीर्यवतां वरः ।
एष बुद्ध्याऽधिको लोके तपसां च परायणम् ॥ १.९.१४ ॥

एषः विग्रहवान् धर्मः (this one is dharma in bodily form); एषः वीर्यवतां वरः (the best of the mighty); एषः लोके बुद्ध्या अधिकः (the foremost in the world in understanding) तपसां च परायणम् (and the highest refuge of austerities).

Translation: "He is dharma in bodily form, the best of the mighty, the foremost in wisdom in the world, the very home of austerity."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Vasiṣṭha praises Viśvāmitra. Whatever rivalry there was between them in other tellings, here Vasiṣṭha generously honours his fellow sage.
• Reading note. The online text prints एप; the correct form एष is used here.

Verse 1.9.15

एषोऽस्त्रं विविधं वेत्ति त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे ।
नैतदन्यः पुमान्वेत्ति न च वेत्स्यति कश्चन ॥ १.९.१५ ॥

एषः (he) स-चर-अचरे त्रैलोक्ये (in the three worlds with all that moves and does not move) विविधम् अस्त्रं वेत्ति (knows every kind of divine weapon); एतत् अन्यः पुमान् न वेत्ति (no other man knows this) न च कश्चन वेत्स्यति (nor ever will).

Translation: "He knows every divine weapon in the three worlds, among all things moving and unmoving. No other man knows them, and none ever will."

Pointers for Reflection:

• अस्त्र — divine weapons. In the Rāmāyaṇa, Viśvāmitra later gives these weapons to Rāma. Here they stand for the sage's mastery over the powers of nature.

Verse 1.9.16

न देवा नर्षयः केचिन्नासुरा न च राक्षसाः ।
न नागा यक्षगन्धर्वाः समेताः सदृशा मुनेः ॥ १.९.१६ ॥

न देवाः (not gods) न ऋषयः केचित् (nor any seers) न असुराः न च राक्षसाः (nor asuras nor rākṣasas) न नागाः यक्ष-गन्धर्वाः (nor nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas) समेताः (even all together) मुनेः सदृशाः (are equal to this sage).

Translation: "No god, no ṛṣi, no asura or rākṣasa, no nāga, yakṣa or gandharva — not even all of them gathered together — can stand comparison with this muni."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Answering 1.8.32. The king said gods and demons could not face Rāvaṇa. Vasiṣṭha answers with the same list: none of them equals this sage. Fear is met with a greater truth.

Verse 1.9.17

अस्त्रमस्मै कृशाश्वेन परैः परमदुर्जयम् ।
कौशिकाय पुरा दत्तं यदा राज्यं समन्वगात् ॥ १.९.१७ ॥

यदा [सः] राज्यं समन्वगात् (when he ruled as king) पुरा (long ago) कृशाश्वेन (by Kṛśāśva) परैः परम-दुर्जयम् अस्त्रम् (weapons nearly invincible by enemies) अस्मै कौशिकाय दत्तम् (were given to this Kauśika).

Translation: "Long ago, when he was a king, Kṛśāśva gave him weapons that no enemy could overcome."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Viśvāmitra's past as a king. The sage was once a ruler, like Daśaratha. He knows both worlds: kingship and renunciation.

Verse 1.9.18

ते हि पुत्राः कृशाश्वस्य प्रजापतिसुतोपमाः ।
एनमन्वचरन्वीरा दीप्तिमन्तो महौजसः ॥ १.९.१८ ॥

ते हि कृशाश्वस्य पुत्राः (those sons of Kṛśāśva) प्रजापति-सुत-उपमाः (like the sons of the Creator) वीराः दीप्तिमन्तः महा-ओजसः (heroic, shining, mighty) एनम् अन्वचरन् (followed him).

Translation: "Those sons of Kṛśāśva — heroic, shining and mighty, like the sons of the Creator — became his followers."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Weapons as sons. In Purāṇic myth, the divine weapons are personified as the sons of Kṛśāśva. Powers of nature are pictured as living beings who serve the wise.

Verse 1.9.19

जया च सुप्रभा चैव दाक्षायण्यौ सुमध्यमे ।
तयोस्तु यान्यपत्यानि शतं परमदुर्जयम् ॥ १.९.१९ ॥

सु-मध्यमे (slender-waisted) जया च सुप्रभा च एव (Jayā and Suprabhā) दाक्षायण्यौ (were daughters of Dakṣa); तयोः तु यानि अपत्यानि (their offspring) शतं परम-दुर्जयम् (were a hundred, nearly invincible).

Translation: "Jayā and Suprabhā, slender-waisted daughters of Dakṣa, bore a hundred offspring, nearly invincible."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Mythic genealogy. The weapons' lineage is given in full. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha keeps the Purāṇic world intact even as it teaches that all of it is appearance in consciousness.

Verse 1.9.20

पञ्चाशतं सुताञ्जज्ञे जया लब्धवरा पुरा ।
वधार्थं सुरसैन्यानां ते क्षमाः कामचारिणः ॥ १.९.२० ॥

पुरा (long ago) लब्ध-वरा जया (Jayā, who had received a boon) पञ्चाशतं सुतान् जज्ञे (gave birth to fifty sons); ते (they) सुर-सैन्यानां वध-अर्थं क्षमाः (were able to destroy the armies of the gods) काम-चारिणः (moving at will).

Translation: "Jayā, blessed with a boon, bore fifty sons, able to destroy whole armies of the gods and moving wherever they wished."

Pointers for Reflection:

• Power that moves at will. कामचारिन्: the weapons go wherever their master wills. The wise sage commands such powers, yet uses them only for dharma.

Verse 1.9.21

सुप्रभा जनयामास पुत्रान्पञ्चाशतं परान् ।
संघर्षान्नाम दुर्धर्षान्दुराकारान्वलीयसः ॥ १.९.२१ ॥

सुप्रभा (Suprabhā) सङ्घर्षान् नाम (named Saṃgharṣas) दुर्धर्षान् दुराकारान् बलीयसः (hard to overcome, fearsome in form and very strong) पञ्चाशतं परान् पुत्रान् जनयामास (bore fifty other sons).

Translation: "Suprabhā bore fifty more sons, called the Saṃgharṣas, invincible, fearsome and very strong."

Pointers for Reflection:

• A hundred powers. The total of a hundred divine weapons. All this is said to reassure a frightened father: the sage commands overwhelming force.

Verse 1.9.22

एवंवीर्यो महातेजा विश्वामित्रो जगन्मुनिः ।
न रामगमने बुद्धिं विक्लवां कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १.९.२२ ॥

एवं-वीर्यः (of such power) महा-तेजाः (of great radiance) जगत्-मुनिः विश्वामित्रः (Viśvāmitra, sage of the world) [अस्ति]; राम-गमने (about Rāma's going) बुद्धिं विक्लवां कर्तुं न अर्हसि (you should not let your mind be shaken).

Translation: "Such is the power of Viśvāmitra, the radiant sage of the world. Do not let your mind be shaken about Rāma's going."

Pointers for Reflection:

• बुद्धिं विक्लवाम्. A shaken understanding. Vasiṣṭha's whole speech aims to steady the king's mind. The teaching to come will steady Rāma's.

Verse 1.9.23

अस्मिन्महासत्त्वतमे मुनीन्द्रे स्थिते समीपे पुरुषस्य साधो ।
प्राप्तेऽपि मृत्यावमरत्वमेति मा दीनतां गच्छ यथा विमूढः ॥ १.९.२३ ॥

साधो (good king), अस्मिन् महा-सत्त्व-तमे मुनि-इन्द्रे (when this most noble chief of sages) पुरुषस्य समीपे स्थिते (stands near a person), मृत्यौ प्राप्ते अपि (even when death arrives) [सः] अमरत्वम् एति (that person reaches immortality). यथा विमूढः [तथा] दीनतां मा गच्छ (do not fall into helplessness like a confused man).

Translation: "Good king, when this noblest of sages stands near a person, even if death comes, that person reaches immortality. Do not fall into helplessness like one who is confused."

Pointers for Reflection:

• A closing verse in a longer metre (upajāti).
• Gītā 2.3 again: क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ — do not yield to weakness, Pārtha. Vasiṣṭha's मा दीनतां गच्छ, "do not fall into helplessness", is Kṛṣṇa's first rebuke to Arjuna.
• Death and the teacher. Near a true sage, even death leads to immortality. Vasiṣṭha means Viśvāmitra — but the words also describe what Vasiṣṭha himself will do for Rāma.
• Reading note. The online text prints पुरूषस्य; the correct form पुरुषस्य is used here.