Bala Kanda (; IAST: ', ) is the first Book of the Valmiki Ramayana. The Bala Kanda, in partif not in its entiretyis generally regarded as an interpolation to the original epic.'
The book consists of seventy-six sargas (sometimes translated as chapters or "cantos") of Sanskrit verse.
The BÃÂla KÃÂá¹Âá¸Âa begins with the sage VÃÂlmëki asking NÃÂrada if there is a righteous man still left in the world, to which NÃÂrada replies that such a man is RÃÂma. After seeing two birds being shot, VÃÂlmëki creates a new form of meter called à Âloka, and then is granted the ability to compose an epic poem about RÃÂma. He teaches his poem to the boys Lava and Kuà Âa, who recite it throughout the land and eventually at the court of king RÃÂma, which then begins the main narrative.
The king of Kosala, Daà Âaratha, lives in AyodhyÃÂ, a utopian city, however he has no son. He and his court resolve to bring the sage RÃ¥à Âyaà ÂråṠga in order to grant him sons. After the performance of an Aà Âvamedha (Horse Sacrifice), RÃ¥à Âyaà ÂråṠga performs a PutrëyàIá¹£á¹Âi for the attainment of sons. Meanwhile the gods have petitioned to Brahmàand Viá¹£á¹Âu about RÃÂvaá¹Âa, a rÃÂká¹£asa who has been oppressing rá¹£is, yaká¹£as, gandharvas, asuras, and brÃÂhmaá¹Âas. Due to a boon from BrahmÃÂ, RÃÂvaá¹Âa is invincible to all beings except humans, so Viá¹£á¹Âu decides to be born as the sons of Daà Âaratha. Back at the sacrifice outside AyodhyÃÂ, a being emerges from the sacrificial fire carrying a celestial porridge. The being tells Daà Âaratha to distribute the porridge amongst his wives in order to bear sons. At the same time, Brahmàorders the gods to father monkey-sons who will assist RÃÂma later in the epic to defeat RÃÂvaá¹Âa. After distributing the porridge, Daà Âaratha's wives KausalyÃÂ, Kaikeyë, and Sumitràbear RÃÂma, Bharata, and the twins Laká¹£maá¹Âa and à Âatrughna respectively. Years later, the sage Vià ÂvÃÂmitra arrives in AyodhyÃÂ.
Vià ÂvÃÂmitra requests Daà Âaratha to lend him his eldest (but still adolescent) son RÃÂma to slay the rÃÂká¹£asas MÃÂrëca and SubÃÂhu, who are disrupting Vià ÂvÃÂmitra's sacrifice. Daà Âaratha, who is initially reluctant to part with his dearest son, is eventually convinced to send RÃÂma with Vià ÂvÃÂmitra, along with Laká¹£maá¹Âa. Eventually they reach a terrible, wild forest inhabited by TÃÂá¹ÂakÃÂ. TÃÂá¹ÂakÃÂ, as Vià ÂvÃÂmitra explains, is a yaká¹£a woman who gave birth to the rÃÂká¹£asa MÃÂrëca, and was herself cursed to become a raká¹£asa. RÃÂma kills her with a single shot from his bow, and in reward Vià ÂvÃÂmitra bestows on him numerous divine weapons. The party eventually reaches Vià ÂvÃÂmitra's ashram, where RÃÂma defeats MÃÂrëca and kills SubÃÂhu while Vià ÂvÃÂmitra completes his sacrifice.
The group, successful in their objective, then decide to go to attend king Janaka's sacrifice in the kingdom of MithilÃÂ. There the seers at the ashram say that Janaka has a bow that no one has been able to string. Throughout the entire journey from Ayodhyàto the ashram to MithilÃÂ, Vià ÂvÃÂmitra recounts the lore of the landscape the party travels through, as well as expounding on the deeds of the ancestors of Vià ÂvÃÂmitra and RÃÂma, respectively.
Once the group reaches MithilÃÂ, a minister in JanakaâÂÂs court narrates the life of Vià ÂvÃÂmitra, and his journey from king to brahman-seer (âÂÂbrahmará¹£iâÂÂ). Janaka recounts the history of the famed bow, and informs them that whoever strings the bow will win the hand of his daughter SëtÃÂ, whom he had found in the earth when plowing a field. RÃÂma then proceeds to not only string the bow, but snap it in the process. RÃÂma then marries SëtÃÂ, with the rest of his brothers marrying SëtÃÂâÂÂs sister and cousins. On the way back from Mithilàto AyodhyÃÂ, the procession encounters RÃÂma JÃÂmadagnya, who challenges RÃÂma to lift another bow and engage him in single combat. RÃÂma DÃÂà Âarathi seizes the bow and tells him that he will not kill him, and RÃÂma JÃÂmadagnya, now humbled, retreats. The book ends when the group returns to Ayodhyàand a scene is set for an idyllic married life.