Chapter 22 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 22

Valmiki Ramayana — Bala Kanda

Verse 22.9

त्रिषु लोकेषु वा राम न भवेद् सदृशस्तव। बलामतिबलां चैव पठतस्तात राघव॥ न सौभाग्ये न दाक्षिण्ये न ज्ञाने बुद्धिनिश्चये। नोत्तरे प्रतिवक्तव्ये समो लोके तवानघ॥ एतद्विद्याद्वये लब्धे न भवेत् सदृशस्तव। बला चातिबला चैव सर्वज्ञानस्य मातरौ ॥

triṣu lokeṣu vā rāma na bhaved sadṛśastava| balāmatibalāṃ caiva paṭhatastāta rāghava|| na saubhāgye na dākṣiṇye na jñāne buddhiniścaye| nottare prativaktavye samo loke tavānagha|| etadvidyādvaye labdhe na bhavet sadṛśastava| balā cātibalā caiva sarvajñānasya mātarau ||

English Meaning

Do you, O Rāghava, recite Bala and Atibala, O child! And, O sinless one, when you have secured these two kinds of knowledge, none in this world will equal you in good fortune, or in talent or in philoscphic wisdom, or in subtle apprehension, or in the capacity of answering a controversialist; for Bala and Atibala are the nurses of all knowledge.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)