Rāmāyana | Bala Kaṇḍa | Chapter 54
Sargam [Chapter]: 54
Viśvāmitra and Śabala
[Viśvāmitra tries to drag away Śabala. The sad cow appeals to Vasiṣṭha and with his permission creates army after army which destroys the entire army of Viśvāmitra]
"Oh Rāma, when Vasiṣṭha did not give him the wish giving cow, Viśvāmitra started pulling her." 54.1
"Oh Rāma, when Śabala was being dragged away by the great king, she became sad, wept and started thinking." 54.2
"I am being carried away in this pitiable manner by the servants of the King and am greatly distressed. Have I been abandoned by the great Vasiṣṭha?" 54.3
"What harm have I done to the great sage, who is a pure soul, so that he forsakes me, who am innocent, likable and follower of Dharma." 54.4
"Oh Rāma, the killer of enemies, thinking like this, sighing often, she shook and got free from the hundreds of servants of Viśvāmitra and with a speed of wind rushed towards the feet of sage Vasiṣṭha." 54.5
"That weeping and sad Śabala, stood in front of Vasiṣṭha and roared like a thunder and a drum." 54.6
"Oh son of a Brahmin, Oh God like sage, have I been given up by you? May I know for what reason, the attendants of the King are dragging me away from your presence." 54.7
"Addressed like this, that Brahmin sage told her, who was like his sister, with a heart full of sorrow." 54.8
"Oh Śabala, I am not forsaking you. No harm has been done to you. That powerful one is taking you by force from me." 54.9
"My power is not equal to him as of today. He is a king, a great warrior, as well as the lord of this earth." 54.10
"His power is mighty as he has one Akshouhini of soldiers, with several horses yoked to the chariot and is surrounded by elephants and banners." 54.11
"Hearing the words of Vasiṣṭha, with humility, she, who was an expert in usage of words, replied to the Brahma Rishi with matchless power." 54.12
"Oh Brahmin, it is believed that the strength of a Kshatriya is not countable before a Brahmin of great strength, for his strength is God given and greater." 54.13
"Your strength is matchless and the great warrior Viśvāmitra's strength is not greater than yours and it can never reach your strength." 54.14
"Oh greatly fortunate one, since I possess your Brāhmanic power, give me orders and I would destroy the pride of this wicked minded one." 54.15
"Oh Rāma, when told like this, that one with great fame told, "Create an army which is capable of tormenting this powerful enemy." 54.16
"Oh Rāma, having heard his order that wish giving cow created an army. A sound "Humbha" from her brought in to existence hundreds of paplavas, who destroyed the entire army of Viśvāmitra, when he was helplessly looking." 54.17-54.18
"Then that enraged King Viśvāmitra, seeing his army destroyed, became very angry, with eyes widened by anger, got in to his chariot and with various weapons destroyed the Paplavas." 54.19
"When hundreds of paplavas were troubled by Viśvāmitra, once again with her anger she created Yavanasas well as Sakas." 54.20
"The Yavanas with sakas, possessing the great splendour and great valour and resembling the filaments of Gold crowded that place." 54.21
"Armed with long swords, lances, dressed in gold coloured cloth and shining like a flame of fire, they destroyed the entire army of Viśvāmitra." 54.22
Then Viśvāmitra, who had great lustre, released several arrows and those weapons scattered Yavanas, Sakas and Paplavas." 54.23
This is the end of Fifty Fourth Sarga of Bala Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.