Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 54: Śabalā Attacks King Viśvāmitra’s Army
Text 1.54.11
न हि तुल्यं बलं मह्यं राजा त्वद्य विशेषतः।
बली राजा क्षत्रियश्च पृथिव्याः पतिरेव च॥
na hi tulyaṁ balaṁ mahyaṁ rājā tv adya viśeṣataḥ
balī rājā kṣatriyaś ca pṛthivyāḥ patir eva ca
na = not; hi = surely; tulyam = is equal [to his physical strength]; balam mahyam = my [physical] strength; rājā tu adya viśeṣataḥ = above all, he is a king; balī rājā = strong is the king; kṣatriyaḥ ca = the kṣatriya; pṛthivyāḥ patiḥ eva ca = the Lord of earth.
Surely, my [physical] strength is not equal [to his physical strength]. Above all, he is a king. Strong is the king, the kṣatriya, the Lord of earth.
Anticipating that Śabalā might ask, “If your [physical] strength is not equal to his, then why don’t you punish him with the power derived from your austerity?” Vasiṣṭha says, “Above all, he is a king,” that is, a king is not to be punished with the power derived from austerity.