sarga 9, bAlakAnDam
Individual verses with meanings
Listen to the audio of recitation of this sarga
Hari Om.
Let us begin the ninth sarga of the bAlakAnDam with offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
In this sarga, the trusted minister sumantra tells daSaratha privately about a prophecy that sage sanatkumara made about king daSaratha being blessed with sons due to a yajna that was officiated by a sage named RSyaSrnga. The entire sarga is told in future tense indicating a prophecy by the sage sanatkumara. Let’s get into the sarga…
sumantra, the learned minister tells the emperor daSaratha about a prophecy that the sage sanatkumara had made in the presence of Rshis.
kaSyapa had a son by name sage vibhAnDaka who would beget a son RSyaSrnga who would be famous in the three worlds for his observance of two-fold celibacy (brahmacarya). He would be roaming around in the forest with his father observing strict religious vows propitiating the fire gods and attending to his father. He would know no one other than his father and live like that for a long time as a celibate.
At this time, there in the province of anga, there would live a king by name rOmapAda. Due to violation of good conduct on the part of the king, there would be famine in his kingdom. The king would then summon all the old and learned brAhmins well versed in vEdas and request to suggest a religious observance that would expiate his misconduct. The brAhmins would recommend to him unanimously to bring the sage RSyaSrnga to the kingdom. They would further tell him to honor the sage RSyaSrnga appropriately and also offer his daughter SAnta in wedding to the sage. The king rOmapAda would wonder how to bring the sage RshyaSrnga to the anga kingdom and request the learned brAhmins to do the needful. However the brAhmins, initially reluctant to go on this mission, fearing the wrath of sage vibhAnDaka, later agree on promise of not being held guilty if the plan to bring sage RSyaSrnga doesn’t work out! Then they would bring the celebrated sage RSyaSrnga to the anga kingdom with the help of courtesans. With the advent of the celibate sage, rains pour in the anga kingdom and king rOmapAda would offer his daughter SAnta in marriage to sage RshyaSrnga. The sage sanatkumAra further prophesied that king daSaratha would beget progeny in a sacrifice officiated by this celebrated sage RSyaSrnga
Hearing this account of the prophecy that sage sanatkumAra made about daSaratha, the emperor was pleased and asked sumantra to narrate in detail how RSyaSrnga was brought to the court of sage rOmapAda.
Here we conclude the ninth sarga of the bAla kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 