Rāmāyana | Bala Kaṇḍa | Chapter 74

Sargam [Chapter]: 74
Ayodhyā Journey

[Viśvāmitra took leave and went to the forest to do penance. Daśaratha, his sons and the new brides along with sages and the army started towards Ayodhyā. Janaka came with them and gave several presents to his daughters and bid them farewell. On the way, they saw lot of disturbance. Then Paraśurāma, the son of Jamadagni, appeared before them and started talking to Rāma,]

After the night was spent, the great sage Viśvāmitra, after blessing the sons of the Raghu clan, took leave of those two kings and went towards the northern Mountains. 74.1

After the departure of Viśvāmitra, King Daśaratha, who causes happiness in people, took leave of Janaka, the King of Mithilā and speedily started going towards Ayodhyā. 74.2

While they were going, King Janaka followed them to a certain distance and King of Videha gave many presents to his daughters. 74.3

The King of Mithilā gave them several crores of cows, several excellent carpets, crores of silk dresses, elephants, horses, chariots and infantry and also well decorated excellent female and male servants, possessing divine beauty. 74.4-74.5

That greatly pleased one also gave them matchless dowry in the form of golden ornaments with lustre, decorated by pearls and corals. 74.6

The King of Mithilā, after having given them plenty of wealth and after taking leave of King Daśaratha, went back to his home. 74.7

The King of Ayodhyā also left along with his great sons; sages were going in the front; servants and others following him. 74.8

That tiger among men, along with his sons and sages, noticed that the birds were making sounds of fear here and there. 74.9

All the animals of the place went to their right in the clockwise fashion. Having seen this, the tiger among men approached sage Vasiṣṭha and asked. 74.10

"Why are the frightened birds as well as the suffering deer going round us? I am in great fear, my heart is trembling and I am in depressed spirits." 74.11

The sage Vasiṣṭha heard these words of King Daśaratha and said, "I shall listen to these noises and then tell you." 74.12

"The sounds released by the birds indicate an event of divine nature; the dreadful sound made by the animals indicate that they are restoring peace and so do not get worried." 74.13

When they were talking with each other, the earth started shaking and a great wind started blowing which made many trees fall on the ground. 74.14

Darkness enveloped the sun and all directions did not shine; the entire army was covered with ashes and looked as if they had fainted. 74.15

But sage Vasiṣṭha, other saints, Daśaratha and his sons retained their consciousness; all others lost their consciousness. 74.16

In that fearful darkness, the army looked as if it was covered by ashes and King Daśaratha saw that descendent of sage Bhrigu, looking dreadful with his matted hair and crown, who was inaccessible like the Kailāśa Mountains, who had killed several Kings of Kings, who was difficult to endure due to his shine, like the fire at the time of deluge, whose power was burning ordinary men and making him difficult to see, who was carrying an axe on his shoulder, who was carrying a bow similar to series of lightning and also an arrow and who looked like Lord Shiva who had come to destroy Tripura. 74.17- 74.20

Seeing him, who was fearful in appearance with a looks of flaming fire that was raging, Vasiṣṭha and others, who were experts in chanting Mantras and oblations in fire, assembled in one place and whispered among themselves. 74.21

"Enraged by the slaughter of his father, was he not intent upon exterminating the race of Kshatriyas? Earlier by slaughtering the Kshatriyas, he got himself freed from anger and sorrow. Is he again desirous of killing of Kshatriyas?" 74.22-74.23

After the saints had talked among themselves, they offered water to wash the feet of Bhārgava’s son, who had fearsome appearance, and started speaking to him in soft and sweet words, "Rāma, Rāma." 74.24

That valiant son of Jamadagni, after accepting the worship offered by the saints, started speaking to Rāma, the son of Daśaratha." 74.25

This is the end of Seventy Fourth Sarga of Bala Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.