Sons of Sri Rama - Lava and Kusha

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Bala Kanda in Prose

Sarga IV

 

The venerable and wise sage Valmiki, authored the life

of Rama in its entirety in wonderful verses, after

Rama obtained

his kingdom. The sage Valmiki rendered Ramayana in

twenty four thousand verses, in five hundred chapters

called

sargas, and in six books called kandas, and also the

later part of the epic. Besides writing that epic with

events that had

already occured, the events that happened after Rama's

coronation and the events yet to occur, the

intellectual and

competent Valmiki also pondered thus : "Who is capable

of reciting this in a suitable manner?"

 

Later, the sons of Seetha and Rama, Kusha and Lava,

dressed in sagely garbs, touched the feet of the

thoughtful and

holy sage Valmiki. Sage Valmiki saw the virtuous

princes Kusha and Lava, who were famous brothers with

melodious

voice, and who were living in that hermitage. Seeing

those intelligent boys with a strong grasp of Vedas,

that able sage

Valmiki, taught them Ramayana, to nurture Vedic

knowledge. The devoted sage Valmiki, had authored the

entire epic

of Ramayana, also known as 'The Great Story of Seetha'

and 'Paulasthya Vadham' [slaying of Ravana]. Both the

textual

portion and the musical part of Ramayana are sweet. It

has melodious lyrical values like a glissando, to be

composed

with three scales and seven primary notes. The verses

combine well with a stringed musical instrument.

 

This ballad of Ramayana, with poetic sentiments of

love, pathos, comic relief, courage, fear, anger and

others, was sung

by Lava and Kusha. Those brothers were well acquainted

with the true principles of the art of music, were

proficient in

maintaining the correct pitch, were endowed with a

melodious voice and thus looked like Gandharvas in

human form.

Lava and Kusha conversed in a sweet voice, and with

their extraordinary beauty, they seemed to be two

reflections of

Rama, extracted from Rama's body separately. Those

princes commited to their memory, the entire righteous

legend of

Ramayana, which is the best, in a blameless manner,

with all the verses of the epic at their disposal.

Lava and Kusha,

who grasped the true essence of Ramayana, attentively

sang the epic, exactly as taught to them by Valmiki,

in an

assembly of sages, brahmans and other gentlemen.

 

At one time, those noble minded princes with great

fortune, endowed with all good qualities, sang this

epic near a

group of pure hearted sages, who were sitting

together. Listenening to that song of Kusha and Lava,

those sages were

greatly surprised, and with tears of joy, spoke thus :

"Good! Good!". All those righteous sages, being

appeased at heart,

praised the worthy Kusha and Lava, who had sung

Ramayana excellently. "Ah! What a sweet song! And

especially the

Verses! This story that happened long time back, has

been shown as if it was happening before our very

eyes. Those two

boys who are endowed with a wealthy voice, have sung

the song together very well, sweetly and delightfully,

entering

into the meaning of the verses correctly." Those two

sang the poem very sweetly and very delightfully,

while being

praised thus by those great sages, who were themselves

praise worthy with their penance. Being happy with

their

wonderful performance of the song, one of the sages

stood up and gave away his water-pot to them, and one

pleased

sage who had a great reputation, gave away a

bark-garment.

 

This wonderful legend revealed by Sage Valmiki, has

been the most excellent receptacle to generations of

poets, and

has been completed in due course. This song of

Ramayana which increases the duration of life and

which is a delight to

listen to, has been sung excellently by the experts in

all songs, Lava and Kusha.

 

At one time, Rama happened to see those singers, who

were being praised everywhere, singing Ramayana near a

royal

highway. Then, that Rama, who destroys his enemies,

brought those respectable brothers Kusha and Lava, to

his home

and honoured them.

 

Lord Rama, who subdues his enemies, sat on a brilliant

golden throne, surrounded by his ministers and

brothers. Then,

having seen those two beautiful brothers, the

self-possessed Rama spoke to Lakshmana, Shatrughna and

Bharatha : "Let

this astounding and meaningful story of these two, who

glow like celestial beings, be heard well." and

encouraged those

singers to sing the poem. And then, those two brothers

rendered the song with a very clear meaning, sweetly

and

melodiously, with a well done and sustaining sound,

which fused well with stringed instruments. That song,

which was

comfortable to ears, gladdened the heart, mind and all

body parts, shone among all the people assembled

there. Rama

then told the assembly, "These sages Kusha and Lava,

though having all royal characteristics, are great

ascetics. That

great story, which would be beneficial to me also,

would be told by them. Let it be heard attentively."

Then those boys,

encouraged by Rama's kind words, sang that poem in a

wealthy method called maarga. Rama, being in the

assembly,

listened to that song interestedly to obtain peace of

mind.

 

Thus this is the fourth chapter in Bala Kanda of

Sreemad Valmiki Ramayana.

 

 

 

 

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