Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 2: Lord Brahmā Instructs Vālmīki
Text 1.2.6
न्यस्यतां कलशस्तात दीयतां वल्कलं मम।
इदमेवावगाहिष्ये तमसातीर्थमुत्तमम्॥
nyasyatāṁ kalaśas tāta dīyatāṁ valkalaṁ mama
idam evāvagāhiṣye tamasā-tīrtham uttamam
nyasyatām = put down; kalaśaḥ = the water pot; tāta = [my] child; dīyatām = give me valkalam = bark; mama = my; idam = here; eva = right; avagāhiṣye = I will bathe tamasā-tīrtham = sacred spot of Tamasā; uttamam = the best.
My child put down the water pot. Give me my bark. I will bathe right here, the best sacred spot of Tamasā.
Nyasyatām means, “Place the water pot on the ground.” Valkalam refers to Vālmīki’s bark used as his bathing garment. Why should Bharadvāja hand him the bark? That is answered in the second half of the verse. Because it was getting late for the sage to carry out his afternoon duties, he decided to bathe in that very spot of the Tamasā instead of going to the Gaṅgā. And Bharadvāja should also bathe in the same spot.