Individual verses with meanings
hari Om.
Let us begin the twenty eighth sarga of the bAlakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
In this sarga, rAma prays to viSwAmitra to bless him with the ability to not only to use the divine weapons but also with the knowledge to withdraw them – that makes Him the responsible warrior. Let’s get into the sarga…
As they proceeded after rAma was given the divine weapons by sage viSwAmitra, rAma prayed to viSwAmitra thus, “O sage, by blessing me with the divine weaponry which is not available to even the gods and demons, you have made me invincible! I pray to you that, you please bless with the ability to withdraw these weapons as well.” The stickler to vows, Rshi viSwAmitra, at this request said, “here O worthy rAma, receive from me the effulgent progeny of bhRSASwa, capable of changing forms at will and are the embodied forms of the divine weaponry. They are the following:
- Satyavanta
- satyakIrti
- dhRshTa
- rabhasa
- pratihAratara
- parAngmukha
- avAngmukha
- lakshka
- vishama
- dRDhanAbha
- sunAbha
- daSAksha
- Satavaktra
- daSaSirsha
- SatOdara
- padmanAbha
- sunAbha
- mahAnAbha
- dundunAbha
- jyOtisha
- kruSana
- nairASya
- Vimala
- yOgandhara
- haridra
- daityapraSamana
- sArchimAli
- dhRtimAli
- vRttimAn
- rucira
- pitRsaumanasa
- vidhUtamakara
- karavIrakara
- dhana and dhAnya
- kAmarUpam
- kAmarucim
- mOham
- AvaraNam
- jRmbhakam
- sarvanAbham
- santAna
- vAraNa
You are the worthy recipient of these weapons, please accept them.”
rAma was very pleased and with folded hands he received them from viSwAmitra. The weapons manifested there in embodied forms. Some of them were shining black like coal, some were smoky in complexion, some shone like the moon and the Sun and yet others were kneeling down at rAma as they all spoke in a sweet voice with folded hands. “O valiant rAma, here we are at your service. Please command us as to what we can accomplish for you”.
rAma asked them to reside in his mind and be available in the time of need and allowed them to go back to their abodes. They all saluted rAma, circumambulated him and left for their abodes.
The trio resumed their journey in the forest and as they walked forth rAma, in a pleasing voice asked the sage, “I behold the place in front of us from this mountain with excellent flora and fauna and with sweet sounding birds. It feels really nice perhaps because we are out of that terrible forest. I am very curious to know about this lovely place that is in front of us. Whose ASram is this? O supreme sage, please do enlighten me about from where the vile and wicked brAhmin-tormenting demons emerge and cause obstacles to your yajnas. Please let me know about the place where I should protect your yajna. I am very curious to know about all these, O best of sages”.
Here we conclude the twenty eighth sarga of the bAlakAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 