Passage 1
नमामि ते नाथ पदारविन्दं विष्ण्वादिसेव्यं च सुखैकहेतुम्। न यत्र सद्यः प्रमितिः श्रुतीनां तत्रामिते वानरः कोऽस्मि एषः॥१॥
Lord, I bow to your lotus feet, served by Viṣṇu and the other gods and the sole source of bliss. Where even the revelations can form no immediate measure, what am I—a mere monkey—before your boundlessness?
Passage 2
तव प्रसादो मयि नाथ जातस्तथैव धामेश्वरिप्रेमदायाः। प्रमुद्वने नित्यतिकुञ्जकेली लसन्महामञ्जुलविग्रहायाः॥२॥
Your grace has arisen in me, Lord, and likewise that of the Lady of the Abode, bestower of love, whose supremely beautiful form shines in the eternal bower play of Pramoda-vana.
Passage 3
यदंशमात्रेण भवन्ति नित्यशो लक्ष्म्यादयः शक्तिवराश्च सर्वाः। लीलेश्वरी नन्दननन्दिनी सा मां पातु पादाम्बुजनित्यभक्तम्॥३॥
From but a portion of her arise, eternally, Lakṣmī and all the exalted divine powers. May that sovereign of play, Nandana-nandinī, protect me, forever devoted to her lotus feet.
Passage 4
नहि प्रभावाभ्युदिते रुचीनां तमो भवे दृष्टिपथं प्रयाति। तथा त्वयीशे कोटिसूर्यप्रकाशे श्रीराघवेन्द्र भक्तञ्जनैकलभ्ये॥४॥
When the lord of rays rises in glory, darkness can no longer enter the field of sight. So it is with you, Śrī Rāghavendra: Lord radiant as ten million suns, attainable by devotees alone.
Passage 5
यदि त्वमेतत्तिमिरं मोहरूपं न संहरेदीश निजाश्रितेषु। कथं तदैषां गोचरत्वं प्रयाति रूपं तथैतत्सच्चिदानन्दसान्द्रम्॥५॥
If you did not destroy this darkness of delusion in those who take refuge in you, Lord, how could your form—dense existence, consciousness, and bliss—ever come within their perception?
Passage 6
गोपालराजस्य च नन्दनस्य गेहे पुरा वसन् सह लक्ष्मणेन च। अरीरमद्राम भवान् व्रजाङ्गना उद्धारार्थं श्रुतिऋष्यादिरूपाः॥६॥
Long ago, dwelling with Lakṣmaṇa in the house of Nanda, king of cowherds, you, Rāma, sported with the women of Vraja in order to deliver those who had taken form as Vedic revelations, sages, and the rest.
Passage 7
तवैव लीला भुवने रसाला सुधाब्धिवत्पालयत्येव भक्तान्। नो चेत्कदाचित्त्वयि सन्तिरोहिते विशुष्येयुः पारमहंस्यभाजः॥७॥
Your rasa-filled līlā alone sustains devotees in this world like an ocean of nectar. If at any time it were withdrawn into you, those who share the state of the highest swans would wither away.
Passage 8
एवं विचिन्त्य भगवान् व्यतनोद्भवांस्तं लीलामृतोदधिमुदारमनन्तसारम्। यस्यान्तरे परमहंसवराः सदैव क्रीडन्ति कालशिरसि स्वपदं निधाय॥८॥
Thinking thus, the Lord—your exalted self—spread out that vast ocean of the nectar of līlā, noble and infinite in essence. Within it the foremost paramahaṃsas play forever, planting their feet upon the head of Time.
Passage 9
त्वं भक्तिलभ्योऽसि हरे जनानां न ज्ञानयोगादितपोभिरुग्रैः। कथं तवेदृक्प्रसादोऽपि लभ्यः कुतस्तरां सन्निधौ दर्शनं ते॥९॥
Hari, people attain you through devotion, not through the fierce austerities of knowledge, yoga, and the other disciplines. How rarely is grace such as yours obtained—much less the sight of you here at close hand!
Passage 10
त्वं रामचन्द्रो नृपतेः कुमारो नित्यं विलासः सरयूतीरवासी। तवांश एषः श्रीकृष्णो यशोदागर्भे भविष्यति वै द्वापरान्ते॥१०॥
You are Rāmacandra, the king’s son, eternally sporting on the bank of the Sarayū. This Śrī Kṛṣṇa, a portion of you, will indeed appear in Yaśodā’s womb at the end of Dvāpara.
Passage 11
अतो ह्यनन्तः शाश्वतस्त्वं पुराणः पूर्णो नित्यः सच्चिदानन्द एकः। व्योमाकारस्त्वं स्वलीलाभिरुच्चैर्विश्वानन्दं जनयन् भासि रामः॥११॥
Thus you are infinite, everlasting, primeval, complete and eternal—the one existence, consciousness, and bliss. Vast as space, you shine as Rāma, awakening the universe’s joy through your exalted līlās.
Passage 12
नमस्ते रामचन्द्राय मुक्ताहारावतंसिने। पञ्चरत्नावतंसाय सीतानेत्रविनोदिने॥१२॥
Reverence to you, Rāmacandra, adorned with a necklace of pearls and an ornament of five jewels, the delight of Sītā’s eyes.
Passage 13
नमो गोपीदृगाराम रामनाम शुभावह। वंशीधर घनश्याम वनमालिन् व्रजेन्द्र ते॥१३॥
Reverence to you who delight the cowherd women’s eyes, whose name Rāma bears blessing—to you, bearer of the flute, cloud-dark one, wearer of the forest garland, sovereign of Vraja.
Passage 14
केलिनीकेलिकान्ताय श्रीकान्ताय सुखाब्धये। गुणग्रामसमुद्राय सीताकान्ताय ते नमः॥१४॥
Reverence to you, beloved in the playful women’s play, beloved of Śrī and ocean of happiness; ocean of hosts of virtues and beloved of Sītā.
Passage 15
अपराधसहस्त्रेऽपि सद्य एव प्रसादिने। रामाय चैव रामाय नित्यमेव नमोनमः॥१५॥
Even after a thousand offences, you are gracious at once. To Rāma—yes, to Rāma—reverence and reverence forever.
Passage 16
एवं स्तुत्वा पदाम्भोजमग्रहीत् रसिकेशितुः। प्रेमविह्वलितो भूत्वा हनूमान् रामसेवकः॥१६॥
Having praised him thus, Hanumān, Rāma’s servant, was overcome with love and clasped the lotus feet of the sovereign of rasikas. Śrī Raghunandana said
Passage 17
उत्तिष्ठ वत्स हनूमन् लीलोपासनयानया। दृढया ते प्रसन्नोऽस्मि भक्तोऽसि मम सर्वदा॥१७॥
Rise, child Hanumān. I am pleased with you because of this steadfast worship of my līlā. You are my devotee forever.
Passage 18
रामो लीलाविशिष्टोऽहं त्वामानन्दयितुं क्षमः। बालक्रीडानुचरितैः पितरौ नन्दयामि च॥१८॥
I am Rāma, distinguished by līlā, able to fill you with joy; and through the deeds of my childhood play I delight my two parents as well.
Passage 19
दृढलीलोपासनायां मारुते मतिरस्तु ते। मम सर्वस्वरूपेण भक्तानां प्रकटत्वतः॥१९॥
Māruti, may your mind remain fixed in steadfast worship of my līlā, for I make myself manifest to devotees in the fullness of all my forms.
Passage 20
लीलामाधुर्यमात्रं तु स्वमास्वाद्यं रसोत्तरैः। भक्तैः परमहंसैश्च साधुभिर्हृदयालुभिः॥२०॥
The pure sweetness of līlā is itself to be savored by devotees rich in rasa, by paramahaṃsas and tender-hearted saints.
Passage 21
रसास्वादाय साधूनां लीला या राघवस्य च। आस्वाद्यमाना सा बुद्ध्या मुक्तिमेव प्रयच्छति॥२१॥
Rāghava’s līlā exists for the saints’ tasting of rasa. When savored with true understanding, it bestows liberation itself.
Passage 22
सामीप्यं तिष्ठ हनुमन् भक्तोऽसि मम सर्वदा। भज रामं राघवेन्द्रं पराभक्तिमवाप्नुहि॥२२॥
Remain near me, Hanumān; you are my devotee forever. Worship Rāma, Rāghavendra, and attain supreme devotion.
Passage 23
गरुड त्वं च देवानां कार्यं साधय गच्छ भोः। साकेतस्योत्तरे कूले सरयूतीरयोर्द्वयोः॥२३॥
And you, Garuḍa, go and accomplish the gods’ work upon Sāketa’s northern shore and along both banks of the Sarayū.
Passage 24
नृणां सञ्चरतां मृत्यौ पशुपक्ष्यन्त्यजात्मनाम्। भृङ्गकीटपतङ्गानां वत्स त्वं वाहनो भव॥२४॥
चतुर्भुजांस्तान् मद्रूपानानयस्वेह यत्नतः॥ Child, become the vehicle for human beings as they pass through death, and for animals, birds, outcaste souls, bees, worms, and moths. When they have assumed my four-armed form, carefully bring them here.
Passage 25
इत्थं विसृज्य भगवान् गरुडं रघुनन्दनः। रराम परमैश्वर्यभाविते सरयूतटे॥२५॥
Having dismissed Garuḍa in this way, the blessed Raghunandana sported on the bank of the Sarayū, radiant with supreme divine majesty. Brahmā said
Passage 26
एतद्भुशुण्ड ते प्रोक्तमाख्यानं परमाद्भुतम्। रामस्य चापि सीतायाः मिथस्तादात्म्यसूचकम्॥२६॥
Bhuśuṇḍa, I have told you this supremely wondrous account, which reveals the mutual identity of Rāma and Sītā.
Passage 27
तस्माद्विप्रतिपत्तव्यं न कदाचिन्मनीषिणा। यथा रामस्तथा सीता तथा श्रीसहजा मता॥२७॥
Therefore the wise should never entertain a contrary conception. As Rāma is, so is Sītā; Śrī Sahajā is understood in precisely the same way.
Passage 28
अथाहि ते प्रवक्ष्यामि राममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्॥२८॥
Now I shall tell you the highest greatness of Rāma.
Passage 29
यस्मात्त्वं रामभक्तोऽसि वैष्णवानां तथाग्रणीः। आदिरामायणं नाम श्रीरामचरितं शुभम्॥२९॥
Because you are a devotee of Rāma and foremost among Vaiṣṇavas, I shall relate the auspicious deeds of Śrī Rāma known as the Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.
Passage 30
किञ्चित्समाधावालोक्य प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रयत्नतः। अवतारचरित्रं च मूलं चरितमेव च॥३०॥
Having glimpsed it in samādhi, I shall carefully set forth both the narrative of the divine descent and the primordial narrative itself.
Passage 31
एकीकृत्य लभेद्यत्र प्रवक्ष्यते मया द्विज। एवं मया भुशुण्डाय प्रोक्तं तत्संहितामयम्॥३१॥
I shall present the place where the two may be grasped as one, O twice-born. In this manner I spoke to Bhuśuṇḍa that teaching embodied as a compendium.
Passage 32
आदिरामायणं दिव्यं ब्राह्मे कल्पे विनिर्मितम्। तच्छ्रूयतां सुराः सर्वे श्रीरामचरितं शुभम्॥३२॥
May all you gods now hear the divine Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, fashioned in the Brahma kalpa: the auspicious deeds of Śrī Rāma. --- Thus ends the seventh chapter, “The Narrative Is Introduced,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa. Textual note The printed text leaves the command to bring the newly four-armed beings as an unnumbered half-verse between verses 24 and 25. It is retained with verse 24, whose instruction it completes. Near the chapter’s close the edition places the number 27 after the half-verse beginning athāhi and then jumps directly to 29. The preceding complete couplet is therefore registered as verse 27 and that half-verse as editorial verse 28, preserving every word while making the transmitted sequence explicit. Verse 21 adopts the edition’s own correction buddhyā in place of the defective base reading, and verse 31 is translated conservatively because its printed syntax is compressed.