Valmiki - The Rámáyan of Válmíki

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The RMYAN of VLMKI Translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith, M.A. Invocation. 1 Praise to Vlmki, 2 bird of charming song, 3 Who mounts on Poesy's sublimest spray, And sweetly sings with accent clear and strong Rma, aye Rma, in his deathless lay. 4 The Prince of Hermits is the parent mount, The lordly Rma is the darling sea. 4 The Prince of Hermits is the parent mount, The lordly Rma is the darling sea.

Glory to him whose fame is ever bright! Glory to him, Prachetas' 5 holy son! Whose pure lips quaff with ever new delight The nectar-sea of deeds by Rma done. Hail, arch-ascetic, pious, good, and kind! Hail, Saint Vlmki, lord of every lore! Hail, holy Hermit, calm and pure of mind! Hail, First of Bards, Vlmki, hail once more!

OM. 8 To sainted Nrad, prince of those Whose lore in words of wisdom flows.

Whose constant care and chief delight Were Scripture and ascetic rite, The good Vlmki, first and best [pg 002] Of hermit saints, these words addressed: 9 In all this world, I pray thee, who Is virtuous, heroic, true? Firm in his vows, of grateful mind, To every creature good and kind? Bounteous, and holy, just, and wise, Alone most fair to all men's eyes? Devoid of envy, firm, and sage, Whose tranquil soul ne'er yields to rage? Whom, when his warrior wrath is high, Do Gods embattled fear and fly? Whose noble might and gentle skill The triple world can guard from ill? Who is the best of princes, he Who loves his people's good to see? The store of bliss, the living mine Where brightest joys and virtues shine? Queen Fortune's 10 best and dearest friend, Whose steps her choicest gifts attend? Who may with Sun and Moon compare, With Indra, 11 Vishu, 12 Fire, and Air? Grant, Saint divine, 13 the boon I ask, For thee, I ween, an easy task, To whom the power is given to know If such a man breathe here below. Then Nrad, clear before whose eye The present, past, and future lie, 14 Made ready answer: Hermit, where Are graces found so high and rare? Yet listen, and my tongue shall tell In whom alone these virtues dwell. From old Ikshvku's 15 line he came, Known to the world by Rma's name: With soul subdued, a chief of might, In Scripture versed, in glory bright, His steps in virtue's paths are bent, Obedient, pure, and eloquent. In each emprise he wins success, And dying foes his power confess. Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb, Fortune has set her mark on him. 16 [pg 003] High destiny is clear impressed On massive jaw and ample chest, His mighty shafts he truly aims, And foemen in the battle tames. 16 [pg 003] High destiny is clear impressed On massive jaw and ample chest, His mighty shafts he truly aims, And foemen in the battle tames.

Deep in the muscle, scarcely shown, Embedded lies his collar-bone. His lordly steps are firm and free, His strong arms reach below his knee; 17 All fairest graces join to deck His head, his brow, his stately neck, And limbs in fair proportion set: The manliest form e'er fashioned yet. Graced with each high imperial mark, His skin is soft and lustrous dark. Large are his eyes that sweetly shine With majesty almost divine. His plighted word he ne'er forgets; On erring sense a watch he sets. By nature wise, his teacher's skill Has trained him to subdue his will.

Good, resolute and pure, and strong, He guards mankind from scathe and wrong, And lends his aid, and ne'er in vain, The cause of justice to maintain. Well has he studied o'er and o'er The Vedas 18 and their kindred lore. Well skilled is he the bow to draw, 19 Well trained in arts and versed in law; High-souled and meet for happy fate, Most tender and compassionate; The noblest of all lordly givers, Whom good men follow, as the rivers Follow the King of Floods, the sea: So liberal, so just is he. The joy of Queen Kaualy's 20 heart, In every virtue he has part: Firm as Himlaya's 21 snowy steep, Unfathomed like the mighty deep: The peer of Vishu's power and might, And lovely as the Lord of Night; 22 Patient as Earth, but, roused to ire, Fierce as the world-destroying fire; In bounty like the Lord of Gold, 23 And Justice self in human mould. With him, his best and eldest son, By all his princely virtues won King Daaratha 24 willed to share His kingdom as the Regent Heir. But when Kaikey, youngest queen, With eyes of envious hate had seen The solemn pomp and regal state Prepared the prince to consecrate, She bade the hapless king bestow Two gifts he promised long ago, That Rma to the woods should flee, And that her child the heir should be.

By chains of duty firmly tied, The wretched king perforce complied. [pg 004] Rma, to please Kaikey went Obedient forth to banishment. Then Lakshma's truth was nobly shown, Then were his love and courage known, When for his brother's sake he dared All perils, and his exile shared. And St, Rma's darling wife, Loved even as he loved his life, Whom happy marks combined to bless, A miracle of loveliness, Of Janak's royal lineage sprung, Most excellent of women, clung To her dear lord, like Rohi Rejoicing with the Moon to be. 25 The King and people, sad of mood, The hero's car awhile pursued. But when Prince Rma lighted down At ringavera's pleasant town, Where Gang's holy waters flow, He bade his driver turn and go.

Guha, Nishdas' king, he met, And on the farther bank was set. Then on from wood to wood they strayed, O'er many a stream, through constant shade, As Bharadvja bade them, till They came to Chitraka's hill. And Rma there, with Lakshma's aid, A pleasant little cottage made, And spent his days with St, dressed In coat of bark and deerskin vest. 26 And Chitraka grew to be As bright with those illustrious three As Meru's 27 sacred peaks that shine With glory, when the Gods recline Beneath them: iva's 28 self between The Lord of Gold and Beauty's Queen. The aged king for Rma pined, And for the skies the earth resigned. Bharat, his son, refused to reign, Though urged by all the twice-born 29 train.

Forth to the woods he fared to meet His brother, fell before his feet, And cried, Thy claim all men allow: O come, our lord and king be thou. But Rma nobly chose to be Observant of his sire's decree. He placed his sandals 30 in his hand A pledge that he would rule the land: And bade his brother turn again. Then Bharat, finding prayer was vain, The sandals took and went away; Nor in Ayodhy would he stay. But turned to Nandigrma, where He ruled the realm with watchful care, Still longing eagerly to learn Tidings of Rma's safe return. Then lest the people should repeat Their visit to his calm retreat, Away from Chitraka's hill Fared Rma ever onward till [pg 005] Beneath the shady trees he stood Of Daak's primeval wood, Virdha, giant fiend, he slew, And then Agastya's friendship knew.

Counselled by him he gained the sword And bow of Indra, heavenly lord: A pair of quivers too, that bore Of arrows an exhaustless store. While there he dwelt in greenwood shade The trembling hermits sought his aid, And bade him with his sword and bow Destroy the fiends who worked them woe: To come like Indra strong and brave, A guardian God to help and save. And Rma's falchion left its trace Deep cut on rpaakh's face: A hideous giantess who came Burning for him with lawless flame. Their sister's cries the giants heard. And vengeance in each bosom stirred: The monster of the triple head. And Dsha to the contest sped.

But they and myriad fiends beside Beneath the might of Rma died. When Rva, dreaded warrior, knew The slaughter of his giant crew: Rva, the king, whose name of fear Earth, hell, and heaven all shook to hear: He bade the fiend Mrcha aid The vengeful plot his fury laid. In vain the wise Mrcha tried To turn him from his course aside: Not Rva's self, he said, might hope With Rma and his strength to cope. Impelled by fate and blind with rage He came to Rma's hermitage. There, by Mrcha's magic art, He wiled the princely youths apart, The vulture 31 slew, and bore away The wife of Rma as his prey. The son of Raghu 32 came and found Jayu slain upon the ground.