sarga 8, bAla kAnDam
Individual verses with meanings:
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Hari Om.
Let us begin the eighth sarga of the bAlakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
In this sarga, maharshi describes the accomplished emperor daSaratha’s only source of sadness – not having progeny and describes what he intends to do. Let’s move into it right away.
That great and righteous emperor daSaratha didn’t have a son who would be the heir apparent of the throne in spite of his despair. While contemplating on this matter he thought “why not perform the aSwamEdha yajna and please the gods to beget a son”. Having resolved to perform the sacrifice, he summoned the ministers and preceptors and confided in them the sorrow that is consuming him as well as his plan to perform the aSwamEdha yajna. He prayed to them to advise him in this matter. The preceptors led by sage vasisTha at once gave their approval by uttering “sAdhu sAdhu”. vasisTha asked for the permission to start collecting the items needed for the sacrifice and to release the horse for the yajna. Thrilled at the approval of the preceptors, the emperor at once ordered the ministers to start collecting the required articles for the yajna per the instructions of the preceptors as well as set the yajna horse free under the protection of able men.
Further he ordered them to erect a yajna mandapa on the northern banks of the river sarayu where the auspicious rituals can be performed as ordained in the kalpa without any obstruction. If this yajna is performed without any omissions and completely in accordance with the scriptures it is possible for every king to obtain what he wants.There are those beings known as brahmarAkshas who look for flaws in the conduct of yajnas to spoil it. Should there be a flaw, the doer of the sacrifice or the yajna will be killed. Therefore, take extreme precaution to perform the yajna as per the scriptures and he hailed their expertise in this matter. The ministers immediately responded obediently and got ready for the preparations. The learned brAhmins took leave of the king. The king ordered to make arrangements as per the scriptures and then withdrew into the inner apartments and reaching out to his dearest wives, told them of his resolve to perform a sacrifice to beget a son and asked them to begin religious rites expected of them for the yajna. The wives at once got thrilled and their countenance bloomed like the lotus at the departure of the winter season.
Here we conclude the 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 