Valmiki Ramayana 1.18.8-10: Bala Kanda, Sarga 18, Shlokas 8-10
पुत्रजन्मोत्सवः · Birth of the Princes and Viśvāmitra’s Arrival
Bālakāṇḍa 18
Setting: Ayodhyā (birth in the Ikṣvāku capital, implied by context of Daśaratha)
ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनां षट्समत्ययुः ।
ततश्च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ ॥८॥
नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये स्वोच्चसंस्थेषु पञ्चसु ।
ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पताविन्दुना सह ॥९॥
प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् ।
कौसल्याऽजनयद्रामं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥१०॥
विष्णोरर्धं महाभागं पुत्रमैक्ष्वाकुवर्धनम् ।
tato yajñe samāpte tu ṛtūnāṃ ṣaṭ samatyayuḥ |
tataś ca dvādaśe māse caitre nāvamikē tithau ||8||
nakṣatre ’ditidaivatyē svo-cca-saṃstheṣu pañcasu |
graheṣu karkaṭe lagne vākpatau indunā saha ||9||
prodyamāne jagannāthaṃ sarvaloka-namaskṛtam |
kausalyā ’janayad rāmaṃ sarva-lakṣaṇa-saṃyutam ||10||
viṣṇor ardhaṃ mahābhāgaṃ putram aikṣvāku-vardhanam |
जब यज्ञ पूरा हुआ और छे महीने गुज़र गए, तो बारहवें महीने में चैत्र महीना था। नवें दिन था और पुनर्वसु नक्षत्र था। पाँच ग्रह अच्छे पोजीशन में थे। कर्क लग्न था और गुरु और चंद्रमा साथ थे। उस वक़्त कौसल्या ने राम जी को जन्म दिया। वो सब दुनिया के स्वामी थे, सब उनको नमस्ते करते थे। उनके चेहरे पर सब अच्छी चीज़ें थी। वो विष्णु का हिस्सा थे और इक्ष्वाकु वंश को आगे बढ़ाने वाले थे।
Sandhi Notes
- नक्षत्रेऽदितिदैवत्ये = नक्षत्रे अदितिदैवत्ये
- वाक्पताविन्दुना = वाक्पतौ इन्दुना
- कौसल्या जनयद्रामं = कौसल्या जनयत् रामम्
- सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम्, सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् are compound adjectives in accusative singular agreeing with रामम्
Six seasons (one year) passed after the completion of the sacrifice. In the twelfth month of Chaitra on the ninth day (of the bright fortnight), with Aditi as presiding deity when the star Punarvasu was in the ascendent and the five planets Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus, were exalted in their own house in karkata lagna, when Brihaspati was in conjunction with the Moon, Kausalya gave birth to a son: a facet of Visnu, Lord of the entire universe who received obeisance from all the worlds and was adorned with all auspicious signs, the venerable one to perpetuate the Ikshvaku race.
The teaching
When yajña and dharma align with cosmic order (ṛta), outcomes manifest as loka-hita—here the advent of Rāma, the upholder of the Ikṣvāku line and dharma itself.
- Ethical theme
- Loka-saṅgraha / avatāra-dharma
Devotion and practice
Rāma-janma-smaraṇa (Navamī contemplation) for cultivating dharma, protection, and inner steadiness.
- Deity praised
- Rāma as Viṣṇu-aṃśa (Jagannātha)
- Form of praise
- Vandana (salutation)
- Mantra
- "jagannāthaṃ sarvalokanamaskṛtam" / "viṣṇor ardham"
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder), with Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Cosmic, auspicious, reverent
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Itihasa
- Maryada
Īśvara’s ‘aṃśa’ entering the world for loka-saṅgraha: the Absolute appears within nāma-rūpa without diminution, as sunlight reflected in many waters.
Chāndogya/Bṛhadāraṇyaka themes of the cosmic person pervading all worlds—here ‘jagannātha’ and ‘sarvaloka-namaskṛta’ echo the universal Lordship.
Prātaḥkāla (implied by ‘prodyamāne’—as the luminary rises)
Cycle of six seasons completed (ṛtūnāṃ ṣaṭ-samatyayuḥ)
Śukla-pakṣa navamī
Auspicious astral configuration: Punarvasu (Aditi), five planets exalted, Karkaṭa lagna, Bṛhaspati with Candra; rising luminary (prodyamāne)
- Dasharatha and Kausalya
- Husband-wife; royal consort giving heir (auspicious, joy)
- Kausalya and Rama
- Mother-son; birth of the heir (maternal, blessing)
- Rama and Vishnu
- Avatāra-aṃśa (divine portion) (reverential, wonder)
- Rama and Ikṣvāku lineage
- Dynastic upholder (vaṃśa-vardhana) (celebratory)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.20 (Rāma’s qualities elaborated); Rāmacaritamānasa Bālakāṇḍa (Rāma-janma on Navamī, Punarvasu); Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9 (Ikṣvāku lineage; avatāra context)
Vedic jyotiṣa/kalā: tithi-nakṣatra-lagna auspiciousness; yajña leading to desired progeny
Earlier: Putrakāmeṣṭi and payasa distribution (Bālakāṇḍa) culminating in births of the princes
Mixed narrative in Anuṣṭup with extended astronomical prose-like śloka sequence (Ramayana style)
Solemn celebratory
Udātta, expansive; heightened pitch on ‘Kauśalyā’ ‘Rāmam’ ‘Viṣṇor ardham’
FAQs
Dharma is framed cosmically: righteous rule and moral order are supported by auspicious alignment, and Rāma’s birth is presented as the arrival of a divinely sanctioned guardian of dharma and truth.
After the putreṣṭi sacrifice and the passing of a year, Kauśalyā gives birth to Rāma at an astrologically auspicious moment.
Rāma’s destined role as dharma’s upholder (maryādā-puruṣottama trajectory), signaled by “sarva-lakṣaṇa-saṃyuta” and his identification with Viṣṇu.
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