Passage 1
इति तासां वचः श्रुत्वा रामः कारुणिकोत्तमः। ददौ प्रतिवचस्तासां स्मित्वा सम्मोहयन्निव॥१॥
Hearing their words, Rāma, the supreme embodiment of compassion, smiled and gave them a reply, as though dispelling their bewilderment. Śrī Rāma said:
Passage 2
अहो प्रियाः मत्स्वरूपा मत्केलिसुखसंश्रयाः। नैवं विलपितुं योग्या भवन्त्यो नित्यसङ्गताः॥२॥
“Ah, beloved ones, you are forms of my own being and the abodes of joy in my play. Since you are eternally united with me, you should not lament in this way.
Passage 3
व्यापिवैकुण्ठलोकेऽस्मिन् प्रमोदविपिनाभिधे। मदीये चिन्मये दिव्ये भवन्त्यो ह्यपि देवताः॥३॥
“In this all-pervading Vaikuṇṭha realm called Pramoda Forest, my own divine and conscious domain, you too are divine beings.
Passage 4
श्रीमती जानकी सीता मदीया परमप्रिया। तदंशाः सकला यूयं नित्यं सन्निहिता मयि॥४॥
“The glorious Jānakī Sītā is my supreme beloved. All of you are portions of her and are eternally present within me.
Passage 5
चन्द्रस्य चन्द्रिका यद्वत्तपनस्य प्रभा यथा। पृथिव्या इव सम्बन्धो घटस्येव घटत्वकम्॥५॥
“You are related to me as moonlight is to the moon, radiance to the sun, relatedness to the earth, and pot-ness to a pot.
Passage 6
असाधारणमेवैषा मदीयं लक्षणं प्रिया। तदंशत्वाद्भवत्योऽपि मदीयं लक्षणं परम्॥६॥
“This beloved is indeed my unique defining characteristic. Because you are her portions, you too are my supreme defining characteristic.
Passage 7
विश्लेषो न कदाप्यस्ति भवतीभिः समं मम। नाभून्न भविता वापि चिन्मयेऽस्मिन् महापुरे॥७॥
“There is never any separation between you and me. It has never occurred, nor will it ever occur, in this great conscious city.
Passage 8
यथाहं सच्चिदानन्दरूपः श्रीविग्रहं दधत्। तथैव मत्प्रिया यूयं सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहाः॥८॥
“Just as I, whose nature is being, consciousness, and bliss, bear a glorious form, so you, my beloved ones, have forms of being, consciousness, and bliss.
Passage 9
लीलेक्षया यथैवाहं निर्गुणोऽपि गुणात्मकः। तथा प्रिया भवन्त्योऽपि नानुशोचितुमर्हथ॥९॥
“For the sake of play I possess qualities even while remaining beyond the guṇas. You are the same, beloved ones, and therefore should not grieve.
Passage 10
लीला गुणमयी ह्येषा मदीया निर्गुणापि च। नैते गुणाः प्राकृतत्वं कदाचित्कलयन्ति च॥१०॥
“This play of mine is filled with qualities and yet beyond the guṇas. These qualities never acquire materiality.
Passage 11
प्रमोदवनकुञ्जाश्च प्रमोदवनमेदिनी। प्रमोदवनगावश्च प्रमोदवनभूरियम्॥११॥
“The bowers of Pramoda Forest, its earth, its cows, and this whole expanse of Pramoda Forest are all of that same nature.
Passage 12
माङ्गल्या च गवेन्द्रश्च गोपा गोप्यः खगा मृगाः। सर्वं ब्रह्ममयं नित्यं सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहम्॥१२॥
“Māṅgalyā and Gavendra, the cowherds and cowherd women, the birds and deer: all are eternally filled with Brahman and possess forms of being, consciousness, and bliss.
Passage 13
अपि स्मरथ यद्दृष्टं दिव्ये प्रासादवेश्मनि। द्वारकां मथुरां चैव श्रीमद्वृन्दावनं तथा॥१३॥
“Do you remember what you saw in the divine palace: Dvārakā, Mathurā, and glorious Vṛndāvana?
Passage 14
प्रमोदविपिनस्थेऽस्मिन् प्रमोदवनमुत्तमम्। तत्र मां नित्यलीलास्थं स्वात्मनि चैव सुव्रताः॥१४॥
“Within this Pramoda woodland you saw the supreme Pramoda Forest, and there, virtuous ones, you saw me established in eternal play within my own self.
Passage 15
रुक्मिणीं जानकीं चैव सहजां प्रियमीश्वरीम्। अपरा मे प्रिया भक्ता भक्तिरूपा तथापरा॥१५॥
“You saw Rukmiṇī, Jānakī, and Sahajā, my beloved sovereign. Another was my beloved devotee, and still another was devotion embodied.
Passage 16
मत्तोऽपि मम भक्तानां मम भक्तिर्विशिष्यते। यथाहं वश्यतां यामि सा मत्तोऽप्यधिकैव हि॥१६॥
“The devotion of my devotees excels even me. Since I become subject to it, that devotion is indeed greater than I am.
Passage 17
प्रेमनेत्रा भावमुखी रसगात्री रतिस्तनी। रागाधारा महाभावहृदया मे प्रिया परा॥१७॥
“My supreme beloved has love as her eyes, bhāva as her face, rasa as her body, rati as her breasts, rāga as her foundation, and mahābhāva as her heart.
Passage 18
सैषा मद्वामतनुगा सुन्दरी मधुरस्मिता। सीतेति साधिकेत्याख्या सहजेति च कीर्तिता॥१८॥
“This beautiful, sweetly smiling one follows at my left side. She is called Sītā and Sādhikā, and is also celebrated as Sahajā.
Passage 19
मोदिनीति सदाख्याता मन्मनोमोददायिनी। शय्यासनाटनस्थाने यां भवन्त्योऽभ्यसूयथ॥१९॥
“She is always known as Modinī, the giver of delight to my mind. You felt jealous of her at the bed, the seat, and wherever we wandered.
Passage 20
इयं हि सर्वलीलानामेकैवास्ति प्रवर्त्तिका। नानया रहितः क्वापि भविष्यामि मृगेक्षणाः॥२०॥
“She alone sets all my plays in motion. Doe-eyed ones, I will never be anywhere without her.
Passage 21
यूयं तदंशभूतत्वान्नित्यं सन्निहिता मयि। मद्गात्रकिरणाकाराः किमर्थमनुशोचथ॥२१॥
“Because you are her portions, you are eternally present in me, taking the form of rays from my body. Why then do you grieve?” The gopīs said:
Passage 22
एवं चेत्तर्हि श्रीराम प्रवादः कोऽयमुत्थितः। अयोध्यां यास्यति श्रीमान् पित्रोराज्ञावशंवदः॥२२॥
“If this is so, Śrī Rāma, what is this report that has arisen: that the glorious one, obedient to his parents’ command, will go to Ayodhyā?
Passage 23
तच्छ्रुत्वा सहजो लोके महान् खेदोऽभ्यजायत। अकाण्डताण्डवप्रायं किमिदं रघुपुङ्गव॥२३॥
“On hearing it, immense and spontaneous anguish arose among the people, almost like a wild dance breaking out before its time. What is this, scion of Raghu?
Passage 24
लोकः किं वितथं ब्रूते त्वं वा किं वञ्चयस्युत। निर्हेतुको न चैवायमुदितः सुमहान् ज्वरः॥२४॥
“Is the world speaking falsely, or are you deceiving us? This terrible fever that has arisen cannot be without a cause.
Passage 25
एवं नः संशयं छिन्धि सत्यं ब्रूहि च राघव। नानृतं हि वदेल्लोको भवतीत्यास्तिकं वचः॥२५॥
“Cut through our doubt and tell us the truth, Rāghava. The orthodox maxim is that the world would not speak an untruth about what is to happen.” The Blessed Lord said:
Passage 26
न लोको वितथं ब्रूते मल्लीलादर्शको ह्यसौ। किन्त्वस्मिन् विषये यूयं नानुशोचितुमर्हथ॥२६॥
“The world is not speaking falsely, for it beholds my play. Yet you should not grieve over this matter.
Passage 27
पुरा खलु भवे यूयं देवं पशुपतिं प्रभुम्। कोपयित्वा लब्धशापाः किञ्चिद्दुःखमवाप्स्यथ॥२७॥
“In a former existence you angered the divine Lord Paśupati and received his curse. You will therefore undergo a little sorrow.
Passage 28
ददौ स भगवान् शापं युष्मभ्यं मद्वियोजनम्। तेनेदं रूपमन्तर्धाः किञ्चित्कालं भविष्यति॥२८॥
“That blessed Lord pronounced upon you a curse of separation from me. Because of it, this form will disappear for a short time.
Passage 29
तत्तद्देहांशरूपेण तदा यूयं भविष्यथ। अन्तरङ्गतया सर्वां लीलामनुभविष्यथ॥२९॥
“You will then remain in the form of portions within those respective bodies, and inwardly you will experience the whole play.
Passage 30
लोके वियोग इत्याख्या तस्यैव च भविष्यति। भविष्यति तु योऽन्तर्धिः साक्षाद्दर्शी तु किञ्चन॥३०॥
“Only in the world will it receive the name ‘separation.’ Whatever disappearance occurs will concern only direct sight.
Passage 31
तत्राप्यनवधिं तावदानन्दं समवाप्स्यथ। मद्भूयत्वान्मदंशानां नैवं यूयं भिदायुजः॥३१॥
“Even then you will attain immeasurable bliss. Since my portions share my own being, you are not truly joined to difference in this way.” The gopīs said:
Passage 32
कदा स भगवान् रुद्रः शशापास्मान् भवत्प्रियाः। किं वा तत्कारणं राम कुत्र देशेऽथवा प्रभो॥३२॥
“When did the blessed Rudra curse us, your beloved ones? What was the cause, Rāma, and in what place did it happen, Lord?” The Blessed Lord said:
Passage 33
एकदा चैव विषये श्रीप्रमोदवनान्तरे। भवन्त्यः सहजायुक्ताश्चक्रुः क्रीडां मया सह॥३३॥
“Once, within the domain of glorious Pramoda Forest, you joined Sahajā and played with me.
Passage 34
ततश्च सुरतश्रान्ता उपेक्ष्य भवतीरहम्। मध्ये निकुञ्जभवनं रतवान् रमया सह॥३४॥
“Afterward, while you were exhausted from lovemaking, I left you aside and made love with Ramā inside the bower-house.
Passage 35
यूयं निकुञ्जभवनस्याङ्गणे बद्धमण्डलाः। मद्गुणानेव गायन्त्यस्तस्थुः सुस्थिरमानसाः॥३५॥
“You formed a circle in the courtyard of the bower-house and remained there with perfectly steady minds, singing only of my qualities.
Passage 36
तत्राजगाम भगवान् रुद्रः पशुपतिः प्रभुः। कृत्वा वन्दनमेताभ्यः क्व राम इति सोऽब्रवीत्॥३६॥
“Then the blessed Lord Rudra, Paśupati, arrived. After greeting you, he asked, ‘Where is Rāma?’
Passage 37
नोचुस्ताः सम्प्रगायन्त्यो रामचारित्रमद्भुतम्। पुलकैः समुपेताङ्ग्यः कलिताश्रुविलोचनाः॥३७॥
“You gave no reply, for you were wholly absorbed in singing Rāma’s wondrous deeds, your limbs covered in horripilation and your eyes filled with tears.
Passage 38
रुद्रः प्रतिवचोऽश्रुत्वा कृतावज्ञा उवाच ताः। भवत्यो रामविश्लेषं लभन्तामचिरात्स्त्रियः॥३८॥
“Hearing no answer, Rudra felt that he had been slighted and said to you, ‘Women, may you soon suffer separation from Rāma.’
Passage 39
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ रामकुञ्जाभिमुखमीश्वरः। दृष्ट्वा तु समुपायान्तं मुदतिष्ठमहं प्रियाः॥३९॥
“Having said this, the Lord proceeded toward Rāma’s bower. Seeing him approach, beloved ones, I rose joyfully.
Passage 40
ईषद्विवसनीभूतवपुषा रमया सह। आदिद्रिये तमीशानं समस्तैरुपचारकैः॥४०॥
“Though my body and Ramā’s were still slightly unclothed, I received Lord Śiva with every form of honor.
Passage 41
अपृच्छं चैव कैलाशाद्भव्यागमनकारणम्। तव लीलादर्शनार्थं कैलाशादहमागमम्॥४१॥
“I asked the auspicious reason for his coming from Kailāsa. Rudra replied, ‘I have come from Kailāsa to behold your play.
Passage 42
अहो रसमयी लीला श्रेयोगुणमयी तव। सच्चिदानन्दैकमपि न वाङ्मनसगोचरा॥४२॥
“‘Ah, your play is filled with rasa and with qualities that bestow the highest good. Though it is solely being, consciousness, and bliss, speech and mind cannot reach it.
Passage 43
मुक्ता अभिभजन्ते यां दिव्यमास्थाय विग्रहम्। निर्गुणापि भवातीतैर्गुणैः सत्त्वादिभिर्युता॥४३॥
“‘Liberated souls worship it after assuming divine forms. Though beyond the guṇas, it is endowed with transcendent qualities such as sattva.
Passage 44
तद्दर्शनार्थं सङ्क्षुभ्य तपो विस्मृतवानहम्। दिव्यवेणुरवं श्रुत्वा स्थानं त्यक्त्वेह सङ्गतः॥४४॥
“‘Overcome by longing to behold it, I forgot my austerity. Hearing the sound of the divine flute, I left my place and came here.
Passage 45
वाञ्छामि त्वन्मुखाम्भोजदर्शनामृतपानकम्। अहो धन्ये दृशौ मत्के याभ्यां दृष्टोऽसि राघव॥४५॥
“‘I long to drink the nectar of beholding your lotus face. Ah, blessed are these eyes of mine by which I have seen you, Rāghava:
Passage 46
लीलापरिकरोपेतः स्निग्धश्यामलविग्रहः। सहजाशक्तिसहितः सहजानन्दनन्दितः॥४६॥
“‘surrounded by the retinue of your play, your form tender and dark, united with your Sahajā potency, and delighted by spontaneous bliss.
Passage 47
नमस्तेऽस्तु नमस्तेऽस्तु नमस्तेऽस्तु रघूद्वह। नमस्ते नित्यलीलायै नमस्ते केलिसम्पदे॥४७॥
“‘Homage to you, homage to you, homage to you, scion of Raghu. Homage to your eternal play; homage to the treasure of your love-sports.
Passage 48
नमः प्रमोदकुञ्जाय नमोऽस्यै रत्नभूमये। नमः साकेतदुर्गाय नमः सरयुरोधसे॥४८॥
“‘Homage to the bower of Pramoda and to this jeweled ground. Homage to the stronghold of Sāketa and to the bank of the Sarayū.
Passage 49
नमस्ते गोपिगोपेभ्यो धेनुकाय नमोनमः। गवेन्द्राय नमो नित्यं सुखिताय नमोनमः॥४९॥
“‘Homage to the cowherd women and men; repeated homage to the cows. Eternal homage to Gavendra; repeated homage to him who is ever joyful.
Passage 50
नमो गवेन्द्रसुन्दर्यै माङ्गल्यायै नमोनमः। नमो गवेन्द्रघोषाय सर्वसम्पदमीयुषे॥५०॥
“‘Homage to beautiful Māṅgalyā, the wife of Gavendra; repeated homage to her. Homage to Gavendra’s settlement, which possesses every treasure.
Passage 51
नमः प्रमुदवनस्थाय रामाय परमात्मने। सदानन्दाय रामाय सदा सीतारमाजुषे॥५१॥
“‘Homage to Rāma, the Supreme Self who dwells in Pramuda Forest; homage to Rāma, eternal bliss, who always delights with Sītā-Ramā.
Passage 52
पीताम्बराय नवनीरदनीलभाय वंशीविशालरसिने मधुराधराय। गोगोपगोपरमणीकमनीयभासे भाषान्विताय च नमोऽस्तु रघूत्तमाय॥५२॥
“‘Homage to the best of the Raghus, clad in yellow, dark as a fresh rain cloud, the great connoisseur of the flute, whose lips are sweet, whose lovely radiance shines among cows, cowherds, and cowherd women, and whose speech is full of grace.
Passage 53
राम त्वदीयमुखपङ्कजमक्षिभृङ्गैः पीत्वा त्वदन्यविषयग्रहसन्निवृत्ततैः। संसत्कृतार्थमिव सम्प्रति मन्यमानो भ्राम्यामि भूतलमशेषपदार्थसिद्धः॥५३॥
“‘Rāma, my bee-like eyes have drunk your lotus face and withdrawn entirely from grasping any object other than you. Thinking myself now completely fulfilled, I wander the earth as one who has attained every possible good.
Passage 54
सरयूसरसं शश्वच्चुलुकीकृत्य निर्वृतः। कदा रासविलासादि पश्येयं स्वाधिकारतः॥५४॥
“‘Forever content after taking the delightful Sarayū in the hollow of my palm, when shall I behold the rāsa play and the other sports by rightful admission?
Passage 55
नित्यलीलापरिकरे कदा मे गणना भवेत्। कदा वीक्षेय रामेन्दो भवद्वदनचन्द्रिकाम्॥५५॥
“‘When shall I be counted among the retinue of the eternal play? Moonlike Rāma, when shall I behold the moonlight of your face?
Passage 56
साक्षात्कृतिस्ते लीलाया एष मेऽनुग्रहः प्रभो। श्मशानचारिणोऽत्यर्थमभद्रपथसेविनः॥५६॥
“‘Lord, this direct realization of your play is your grace to me, a wanderer of cremation grounds who follows a most inauspicious path.
Passage 57
अहो मे रामचन्द्रस्य दर्शनार्थमिहागमः। तेन पृष्टा इमा देव्यो न मे प्रतिवचो ददुः॥५७॥
“‘Ah, I came here to behold Rāmacandra. When I questioned these divine women, however, they gave me no answer.
Passage 58
तमोरूपप्रकाशार्थमिह क्रोधान्धता मम। नोचेदिह गुणातीते स्थाने क्रोधः कथं भवेत्॥५८॥
“‘My blindness with anger occurred only to reveal a form of tamas. Otherwise, how could anger arise here in this place beyond the guṇas?
Passage 59
अघं ममैतत्क्षन्तव्यमपराधनमीश्वर। यत्त्वत्परिकरस्यापि शापो दत्तो मया प्रभो॥५९॥
“‘Lord, please forgive this sin and offense of mine: I pronounced a curse even upon members of your retinue.’
Passage 60
तदाहमुक्तवान् रुद्रं भगवन्नेवमेव तत्। तथापि मे चिकीर्षायाः साधनायैव कल्पताम्॥६०॥
“I then said to Rudra, ‘Blessed Lord, it is indeed so. Nevertheless, let your curse become an instrument for accomplishing what I intend to do.
Passage 61
गवेन्द्रस्य महाधाम्नि नित्यं निवसतो मम। अवतारार्थसंसिद्ध्यै शापोऽयं ते भविष्यति॥६१॥
“‘Although I dwell eternally in the great abode of Gavendra, this curse of yours will bring the purpose of my incarnation to fulfillment.
Passage 62
कौशल्यायास्तदा मातुः पितुर्दशरथस्य च। सन्तोषणं तथा ज्ञातिस्वजनानां सुखोद्भवः॥६२॥
“‘I will then satisfy my mother Kauśalyā and my father Daśaratha, and happiness will arise among my relatives and loved ones.
Passage 63
वधश्च रावणादीनां समुद्धारस्तथा शिव। पशुपक्ष्यन्त्यजादीनां कष्मलाक्रान्तचेतसाम्॥६३॥
“‘Śiva, I will also slay Rāvaṇa and the others and completely uplift animals, birds, outcastes, and all those whose minds are overcome by impurity.
Passage 64
अवतारकृत्यमेतावत्करिष्यामि महेश्वर। तदर्थं तव शापोऽयमुद्भूतोऽस्त्यत्र मा शुचः॥६४॥
“‘Great Lord, this is the work I will perform through the incarnation. Your curse has arisen for that very purpose, so do not grieve over it.
Passage 65
मच्चिकीर्षानुकूलत्वान्न ते शापो रुषावहः। स्वैरं विहर संसिद्धो मद्भक्तान्मृडयन् प्रभो॥६५॥
“‘Because your curse accords with my intention, it does not provoke my anger. Go freely, perfected Lord, and continue bringing joy to my devotees.’
Passage 66
एवमुक्तो मया शम्भुरभिवन्द्य पुनः पुनः। निर्जगाम निजं स्थानं कैलासाख्यं मनोहरम्॥६६॥
“Thus addressed by me, Śambhu bowed again and again and departed for his own lovely abode called Kailāsa.
Passage 67
युष्माकमेवं सञ्जातो रुद्रशापोऽतिदुर्धरः। यूयं तस्य प्रभावेण मद्वियोगमवाप्स्यथ॥६७॥
“In this way Rudra’s exceedingly difficult curse came upon you. Through its power, you will experience separation from me.
Passage 68
मद्रूपान्तिक्रमो ह्येष मद्रूपान्तर्हतिक्रमः। परन्त्वत्रापि विश्लेषे सन्निलीय मदं शृणु (?)॥६८॥
“This is the course by which my form disappears. Yet even in this separation you will become absorbed in me—hear what follows.”
Passage 69
मत्सायुज्यं परिप्राप्य मत्तादात्म्यमवाप्स्यथ। मदानन्दोदधौ मग्नाः क्षणवद्यापयिष्यथ॥६९॥
“Attaining complete union with me, you will attain identity with me. Immersed in the ocean of my bliss, you will pass that time as though it were a moment.
Passage 70
मद्वियोगं सुदुर्धर्षं नैव ज्ञास्यथ मत्प्रियाः। तावत्कृत्वावतारार्थमागमिष्यामि वः पुनः॥७०॥
“My beloved ones, you will not know the unbearable force of separation from me. Once I have accomplished the purpose of the incarnation, I will return to you.” --- Thus ends the forty-third chapter, “Rāma’s Journey into the City,” in the Rāma-gītā, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the *Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa*. Textual notes The chapter begins on source leaf 326, occupies leaves 326–331, and ends with passage 70 and its complete colophon on physical PDF page 332. All seventy passage numbers are sequential in the edition. The root text is controlled against the printed scan rather than copied uncritically from the auxiliary ITRANS transcription. Passage 2 follows the scan’s मत्केलिसुखसंश्रयाः; passage 15 reads अपरा मे, not the aid’s अपरा से; passage 24 reads ब्रूते, not व्रते; passage 44 reads स्थानं त्यक्त्वेह; and passage 61 reads अवतारार्थसंसिद्ध्यै. Passage 30 is syntactically compressed, but its contrast between worldly “separation” and loss of direct sight is clear. Passage 53 preserves the difficult printed संसत्कृतार्थमिव, while the English follows the sentence’s secure claim of complete fulfillment. Passage 68 is visibly marked uncertain in the printed edition; the auxiliary transcription omits its first line and supplies only the corrupt remainder. Its Devanāgarī preserves the printed reading and question mark; the English translates only the meaning securely recoverable from the surrounding passage and the transition into passage 69.