Dasharatha Pleads With Vishwamtra Not To Take Away Young Sriram Ji

In the 19th Sarga of Balakanda of Valmiki Ramayana, we saw how Sage Vishwamitra came to Ayodhya and asked Dasharatha to send young Sriram Ji along with him.

This is because two Rakshasas were disrupting Vishwamitra's yaga.

Vishwamitra wanted Sriram Ji to go with him to protect his yaga.

When Dasharatha heard this, he just fainted.


In the next two sargas, we see how Dasharatha pleaded with Vishwamitra not to take his son away and how Vishwamitra got angry at this.


Dasharatha remained unconscious for some time.

Then he regained consciousness.

Even though Vishwamitra had said अहं वेद्मि महात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् - that he knows Rama's capability very well, for Dasharatha, Rama was still a young boy.

Sriram Ji was just 12 at that time.

Can you imagine?

Dasharatha says, he is not even 16.

What is the significance of this.

It is only on completion of 16, that you can engage in warfare directly.

Until then it is learning time.

Even otherwise, the age 16 is important in our tradition.

The mind is in developing mode till 16.

On completion of 16, the mind is developed.

That's why upanayana should be performed before 16.


Rama is Rajeevalochana.

Rajeevalochana has a special significance here.

Rajeevalochana means his eyes resemble lotus petals.

What happens to a lotus at night?

It shrinks, it closes and becomes bud-like again.

Like that Rama being a young boy, he needs to close his eyes and sleep at night.

Rakshasas are Nishacharas, they become active in the night.

They are powerful in the night.

Rama being a young boy, he needs sleep in the night.

How will he fight the Nishacharas ?

At this age, he should be playing with toys, not fighting monstrous Rakshasas.

And I can't live without him even for a second.

Rama is everything for his father रामोरतिकरः पितुः

Forget Rakshasas, he is not equipped to fight even ordinary men.

My sena is one akshauhini strong.

One akshauhini means - 21870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65610 horsemen, and 109350 infantry.

In the Kurukshetra war, there were 11 akshauhinis on the Kaurava side and 7 akshauhinis on the Pandava side.

I will come with you commanding my army, I will come myself.

I will fight those Rakshasas.

My men are well trained, brave, they are all well armed.

I will lead my army from the front.

I will fight as long as there is life in my body.

Don't ask for Rama, I will protect your yaga.

Rama is not yet trained to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents.

Rakshasa are notorious for their deceptive warfare, they don't fight straight.

Rama doesn't know any of it.

Rakshasas use magic.

But if you insist that you want to take Rama himself, then I will also come, with my army.

I have got my Rama after a long wait, I have really struggled observing vratas, performing yajnas, then I got my Rama, don't take him away from me.

Among my four sons, he is my favorite.

He is my eldest, he has to inherit the kingdom, so please don't take him away from me.

And who are these Rakshasas he has to fight?

What are their names?

How big are they?

Who is behind them?

If I have to fight them, what kind of formation of the army is required to defeat them?


Vishwamitra said -

There is a Rakshasa called Ravana born in the vamsha of Pulastya.

His father is Vishrava.

Kubera is his brother.

Brahma has given him boon.

He is very strong.

He is surrounded by powerful Rakshasas,

He is the king of Rakshasas.

He has sent two Rakshasas, Maricha and Subahu to obstruct my yajna.


Dasharatha -

If that is the case, then even I won't be able to stand in front of them.

It is my bad luck that I am not of any use to you.

Nobody even Devas, Danavas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Nagas nobody can fight Ravana.

Ravana takes away the power of everyone.

If Ravana is behind them, then please excuse me and my son.

I can't give you Rama.

Maricha and Subahu are like Yamaraja himself.

I know them, Maricha is Sunda's son.

Subahu is Upasunda's son.

There mother belongs to the Yaksha clan.

They are not only powerful, they are also well trained.

Sorry, I can't give Rama.

All this while Dasharatha was stammering and stuttering, so tense was he.


Upon hearing this, Vishwamitra started fuming like a volcano about to erupt.

You promised me something and now you are going back on that.

This is quite unbecoming of those belonging to the vamsha of Raghu.

Anyway, I am going back, empty-handed, you live happily with all your relatives.

Devas were trembling in fear, what is Vishwamitra going to do?

Tremors were felt all over the earth.

Vasishta realized the impending danger.

He intervened.

Don't deviate from dharma.

You belong to the vamsha of Ikshwaku.

Kings of Ikshwaku vamsha are famous as embodiments of dharma.

Not only here, in all the three worlds.

If you have promised something then do it.

Send Rama with him.

You promised, whatever is the purpose of the Sage's visit, you will get it done.

Otherwise, whatever punya you have gaines so far everything will go futile.

Rama knows astravidya or does not know astravidya, it doesn't matter.

As long as he is under the protection of Vishwamitra, nobody can touch him.

He will be like the pot of amrita protected by a firewall.

There is no equal to Vishwamitra in observance of dharma. in valor, in intelligence, and in tapas.

Nobody knows divine weapons like him.

The 100 divine weapons, they are all sons of a Prajapati called Krishashwa.

Their mothers are Daksha's daughters, Jaya and Suprabha.

Jaya gave birth to 50 of them and Suprabha gave birth to the other 50.

They are all meant for the destruction of Asuras.

Krishshwa himself gave them to Vishwamitra when he was a king.

Vishwamitra is trikalajna, he knows the past, present, and future.

You need not have any doubt, you can send Rama with him.

Rama will not be in any danger.

When Vishwamitra picks up his bow, even Indra becomes scared.

Do you think he is not capable of doing by himself what he is asking for?

He has come to do good for your son, to make Rama famous as the protector of Vishwamitra's yaga.

These words of Vasishta settled the agitation in Dasharatha.

His face brightened up.

He became agreeable to sending young Sreeram Ji with Vishwamitra for the protection of his yaga.