Passage 1
धन्यो व्रजस्य महिमा सुखितेन्द्रघोष- लक्ष्मीविलासभवनस्य विशेषदृष्टः। यत्र स्वयं विहरसि त्वमनन्तवीर्यो गोपाङ्गनाभिरभितो रसलोलुपाभिः॥१॥
“Blessed is the manifest greatness of Vraja, the cowherd settlement of King Sukhita and the pleasure-house of radiant fortune. There you, whose power is boundless, personally sport surrounded by cowherd women eager for divine rasa.
Passage 2
श्रीराम तावकमतीव वलक्षमीषत्- सानन्दहासवदनाः सुयशो गृणन्ति। गोप्यः स्फुरत्पुलकराजिकपोलपालि संप्रेक्ष्य पाण्डिममनोजविकारभाजः॥२॥
“Śrī Rāma, the cowherd women praise your brilliant fame with faces bearing a slight, blissful smile. Yet as we beheld the lines of horripilation flashing upon their cheeks, we saw their pallor and the transformations of their minds.
Passage 3
किं वर्णयाम तव राम रसप्रसक्ति- माभीरराजतनयाविषये विशिष्टाम्। यस्यास्तु कोटिकमलासुविलासभावा अंशांशिभावमुपयान्ति सुखप्रकर्षात्॥३॥
“Rāma, how can we describe your singular absorption in rasa with the daughter of the cowherd king? Before the supreme joy of that love, the sportive moods of millions of Lakṣmīs stand only as portions before their source.
Passage 4
धन्यैव ते रसिकता पुरुषोत्तमस्य पूर्णस्य राम परमात्मन ईशितुश्च। इत्युद्धिधीर्षसि जडानपि मोहशीलान् गोगोपगोकुलवधूपशुपक्षिकीटान्॥४॥
“Blessed indeed is the relish of rasa belonging to you, Rāma—the complete Supreme Person, Supreme Self, and Lord. Through it you desire to uplift even the dull and deluded: cows, cowherds, the women of Gokula, animals, birds, and insects.
Passage 5
इच्छा स्वतन्त्रविषया भवतोऽच्युतस्य जीवोद्धृतौ किमपि राम सपक्षपाता। यद्ब्राह्मणेषु निगमत्रयवित्सु दूरं लोलायसे पशुसरीसृपबालकेलिः॥५॥
“Your will, Acyuta, is wholly independent; in uplifting living beings, Rāma, you display a wondrous partiality. Leaving far behind brahmins versed in the three Vedas, you delight in play with animals, creeping creatures, and children.
Passage 6
हेयङ्गवीनमपि ते प्रियमस्ति राम किं त्वस्ति तत्र विषये सुमहानुपाधिः। यद्गोकुलव्रजवधूवदनारविन्द- बिम्बाधरामृतरसैः स्मरतापहानिः॥६॥
“Even fresh butter is dear to you, Rāma, yet a far greater condition is hidden there: the nectar from the bimba-red lips of the lotus-faced women of Vraja extinguishes love’s burning pain.
Passage 7
शृङ्गारसीकररसावयवोऽसि राम जानीमहे व्रजवधूचरणप्रसादात्। ब्रह्मैव पूर्णमचलं परमं चिदेक- मानन्दमात्रमिदमेव चकास्ति तावत्॥७॥
“By the grace of the cowherd women’s feet we understand, Rāma, that you are the very substance of the nectar-drops of divine love. This alone shines as the complete, unmoving, supreme Brahman—pure consciousness and bliss.
Passage 8
नान्यत्परं किमपि कोऽपि चकास्ति भाव- स्तत्त्वं च सद्विषयतैकमदोऽस्ति नान्यत्। यद्राम सुन्दर भवच्चरणारविन्द- द्वन्द्वं सदा परमहंसमनःप्रकाशम्॥८॥
“Nothing whatsoever shines beyond it; no other reality or sacred object is found. Beautiful Rāma, your pair of lotus feet forever illumines the minds of the supreme swan-like sages.
Passage 9
रामेति राम भवतो दुरितौघहारि किं वर्ण्यते सुलभहेतुकृते जनानाम्। धर्मार्थकामिति चतुर्थफलप्रदान- लीलासमर्थतनिजांशसुरव्रजस्य॥९॥
“Rāma, what need is there to describe your easily attained name ‘Rāma,’ which sweeps away floods of sin? Through the divine hosts who are your own portions, your play is capable of granting dharma, prosperity, desire, and the fourth goal, liberation.
Passage 10
एतत्त्वदीयमहिमाकलनं जनानां स्वस्यैवमुद्धरण एव रमेश नो चेत्। न त्वां विदन्ति विबुधा अपि वासवाद्या ब्रह्मातपत्रधरणादिभिरुद्धृताज्ञाः॥१०॥
“Rameśa, people grasp this greatness of yours only insofar as it serves their own upliftment. Otherwise even the gods beginning with Indra—however exalted their commands beneath Brahmā’s royal parasol—do not know you.
Passage 11
ज्ञातोऽसि राम परमः पुरुषोत्तमोऽसि इत्यागमैरपि भवान् परमार्थवेद्यः। नैवासि चिन्मयघनाकृतिरप्रमेयः पादारविन्दरजसस्तु विना प्रसादात्॥११॥
“The scriptures declare, ‘Rāma is known as the supreme Person,’ yet you, the immeasurable, concentrated form of consciousness, cannot truly be known without the grace of the dust from your lotus feet.
Passage 12
जानीमहे तदधुना विषकल्पमेवं संसारमेनमघमात्रफलप्रसूतिम्। युष्मत्कृपैकविषयव्रजभक्तगोपी- पादारविन्दरजसैव विधूतपापाः॥१२॥
“Now, our sins swept away by the dust of the lotus feet of Vraja’s devoted cowherd women—the sole recipients of your grace—we recognize this cycle of worldly existence as poison, producing nothing but the fruit of sin.
Passage 13
याचामहे तदधुना प्रभु गामनुज्ञां स्वच्छेषु पुण्यसरयूविषयाश्रमेषु। नित्यं च राम भवतश्च जपास्म नाम स्वात्मावबोधगतिस्वात्मविमुक्तिदायि॥१३॥
“Therefore, Lord, we now ask permission to depart for pure hermitages along the sacred Sarayū. There, Rāma, we shall constantly repeat your name, which bestows realization of the Self, the supreme destination, and liberation of the Self.
Passage 14
धिक् संसृतिं विषयतुच्छसुखप्रधानां त्वत्पादपद्मविमुखत्वगतिप्रदात्रीम्। तद्याम तामथ विहाय विषद्रुमाभां रामेतिनामभजनेककुठारहस्ताः॥१४॥
“Fie upon worldly existence, centered on the paltry happiness of sense objects and leading one away from your lotus feet! Let us abandon that poisonous tree and go forth holding the single axe of worshiping the name ‘Rāma.’”
Passage 15
इत्युक्त्वा राजपुत्रास्ते जगृहुस्तत्पदद्वयम्। लसत्तुलसिकामोदं झङ्कारिमुनिषट्पदम्॥१५॥
Having spoken thus, the princes clasped Rāma’s two feet, fragrant with radiant tulasī and surrounded by sages like humming bees. Rāma said:
Passage 16
किमर्थं संसृतिं घोरां तितिक्षध्वं कुमारकाः। यावत्तां कुण्ठितप्रायां कृत्वा स्थापयत प्रियाः॥१६॥
“Princes, why do you seek merely to endure the terrible world? Dear ones, remain within it after first rendering its power almost entirely blunted.” The princes said:
Passage 17
कथं वा कुण्ठितप्रायः संसार उपजायते। भुजङ्ग इव सल्लोके तन्नो वद रघूद्वह॥१७॥
“Raghūdvaha, how can this world, which moves among good people like a serpent, be rendered almost powerless? Please tell us.” Śrī Rāma said:
Passage 18
प्रवक्ष्याम्यत्र वो दिव्यमाख्यानं भरतस्य यत्। स वै अनुपगम्यैव कर्मदोषानुद्वहत्॥१८॥
“I shall tell you here a sacred account concerning Bharata, who bore the burden of karmic faults even without deliberately approaching them.
Passage 19
तमेवमृषिशार्दूलः शाण्डिल्यो नाम वै मुनिः। तत्त्वार्थं बोधयामास प्रजानां हितकाम्यया॥१९॥
“The tiger among sages named Śāṇḍilya instructed him in the meaning of truth, desiring the welfare of all people.” Śāṇḍilya said:
Passage 20
किमर्थं भरत श्रेष्ठ राजलक्ष्मीं जिहाससि। पितृपैतामहीं तात तव तत्त्वाविरोधिनीम्॥२०॥
“Noble Bharata, why do you wish to abandon the royal fortune inherited from your father and forefathers, dear one, when it does not conflict with truth?” Bharata said:
Passage 21
मदावहा राज्यलक्ष्मीः कथं तत्त्वाविरोधिनी। एतन्ममाचक्ष्व मुने किं वा वञ्चयसि ध्रुवम्॥२१॥
“How can royal fortune, which brings pride, not conflict with truth? Explain this to me, sage—or are you surely deceiving me?” Śāṇḍilya said:
Passage 22
हृदयं पुण्डरीकं यत्तस्यान्तर्वेश्म तत्परम्। ब्रह्मणस्तु पदं दिव्यं शाश्वतं ध्रुवमच्युतम्॥२२॥
“Within the lotus of the heart is the supreme inner dwelling: Brahman’s divine, eternal, constant, imperishable abode.
Passage 23
तद्भावयस्व राजेन्द्र धिया बोधविशुद्धया। तस्मिन् साक्षात्कृते स्थाने मार्गणीयं ततः परम्॥२३॥
“Meditate upon it, king, with an understanding purified by knowledge. Once that abode is directly realized, seek what lies still beyond.
Passage 24
पूर्णं चिदानन्दघनं विशुद्धं समन्ततो रामवनं पुराणम्। साकेतकुन्दवनपारिजातप्रमोदसीतावननामधेयम्॥२४॥
“That is the primeval Rāma forest, complete, pure on every side, and compact with consciousness and bliss. Its names are Sāketa, Kunda-vana, Pārijāta-vana, Pramoda-vana, and Sītā-vana.
Passage 25
तत्र स्थितं वै पुरुषं पुराणं श्रीरामरामेति शुभाभिधानम्। अहर्निशं भावयतो जनस्य संसार एवामृतकल्प एषः॥२५॥
“There abides the primeval Person whose auspicious name is Śrī Rāma-Rāma. For one who meditates upon him day and night, this very worldly life becomes like nectar.
Passage 26
महत्परब्रह्म पयोदनीलं श्रीरामचन्द्रं शरणं प्रपद्ये। इत्यात्मनः शरणापत्तिभावं विभावयन् राज्यलक्ष्मीं च भुङ्क्ष्व॥२६॥
“Reflect, ‘I take refuge in Śrī Rāmacandra, the great Supreme Brahman, dark as a raincloud.’ Cultivating this disposition of complete self-surrender, enjoy the fortune of kingship as well.
Passage 27
श्रीराजबालं समलोकपालं हेयङ्गवीनाद्यकरं रघूद्वहम्। अहर्निशं भरत विभावयान्तरे न संसृतिः किमपि करिष्यते तव॥२७॥
“Bharata, day and night contemplate within the royal child, Raghūdvaha, equal to all the guardians of the worlds, whose hand holds fresh butter. Then worldly existence will be able to do nothing to you.
Passage 28
भावनेऽप्यसमर्थश्चेन्नामजापपरो भव। रामेतिद्व्यक्षरं नाम त्रिविधाघविदारकम्॥२८॥
“If you are unable even to meditate, devote yourself to repetition of the name. The two-syllable name ‘Rāma’ rends apart the three kinds of sin.
Passage 29
उद्दीप्तवह्निसंकाशं पापपुञ्जविदाहने। अहर्निशं रटन् मर्त्यः संसाराब्धिं तरिष्यति॥२९॥
“Like a blazing fire for burning heaps of sin, it carries across the ocean of worldly existence the mortal who repeats it day and night.
Passage 30
द्वादश्यां पौर्णमास्यां च अन्नकूटोत्सवे तथा। रामप्रसादं भुञ्जानो भवाब्धिं संतरिष्यति॥३०॥
“One who eats Rāma’s prasāda on the twelfth lunar day, the full-moon day, and at the Annakūṭa festival will cross the ocean of becoming.
Passage 31
किं करिष्यति यमस्तस्य सर्वभूतोग्रदण्डनः। संजीर्यते च यत्कुक्षौ प्रसादो रामसिक्थकः॥३१॥
“What can Yama, the fierce punisher of all beings, do to one in whose belly a grain of Rāma’s prasāda has been digested?
Passage 32
रामसिक्थान्नसिक्थेन त्रायते पुरुषत्रयम्। तद्देवा अपि वाञ्छन्ति रामभुक्तोदनादिकम्॥३२॥
“A single grain from Rāma’s rice prasāda protects three generations. Even the gods desire rice and other foods that Rāma has eaten.
Passage 33
शुना काकेन वाप्यन्नं भक्षितं रामभक्षितम्। चतुर्भुजत्वं कुरुते सद्य एव न संशयः॥३३॥
“Food first eaten by Rāma, even if then eaten by a dog or crow, immediately bestows the four-armed form—of this there is no doubt.
Passage 34
अन्नादि रामाय निवेद्य भूयो भजेदनन्यो भगवत्प्रसादम्। पुण्यस्य संख्यास्य न वर्तते यद्गङ्गानदीस्पर्शनतोऽपि धन्यम्॥३४॥
“Having offered food and all else to Rāma, one should partake of the Lord’s prasāda with exclusive devotion. Its merit cannot be numbered; it is more blessed even than contact with the river Gaṅgā.
Passage 35
तुलसीभूषितगलो राममुद्राधरः कृती। रामप्रसादं भुञ्जानः कथं शोचति मानवः॥३५॥
“How could a blessed person grieve when tulasī adorns the neck, Rāma’s seal is borne upon the body, and Rāma’s prasāda is eaten?
Passage 36
न तस्य कार्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किंचिद्यो रामचन्द्रस्य बिभर्ति मुद्राम्। मृत्योः परं मूर्ध्नि पदं निधाय विमोक्षसाम्राज्यमुपैति मर्त्यः॥३६॥
“Nothing remains for one to accomplish in the three worlds when one bears the seal of Rāmacandra. Planting a foot upon Death’s head, that mortal enters the empire of liberation.
Passage 37
एवं ज्ञात्वा पूर्वतरैर्मुनीन्द्रैः स्थितं गृहं धर्ममोक्षाविरोधि। त्याज्यं न कर्हिचिद्धृतोग्रबुद्धे निषेवणीयं पद्मपत्राम्बुरीत्या॥३७॥
“Knowing this, the ancient lords among sages remained in household life, which does not conflict with dharma or liberation. One whose understanding is firm should never abandon it, but should live there like water upon a lotus leaf.
Passage 38
इति शाण्डिल्यवाक्येन नृपः संप्राप्तचेतनः। बभूव सुप्रसन्नात्मा स्थिते राज्ये प्रमादिनि॥३८॥
“Awakened by these words of Śāṇḍilya, the king became serene in heart while remaining attentive within his kingdom.
Passage 39
एवं वः कथयाम्यद्धा ज्ञानं राजकुमारकाः। धर्ममोक्षाविरोधित्वाद् गृहं न त्यक्तुमर्हथ॥३९॥
“Princes, I have thus taught you this knowledge plainly. Since household life need not oppose dharma or liberation, you should not abandon it.
Passage 40
अथ चेद् गृहमुन्मुच्य वनं यास्यथ मित्रकाः। मनस्तु चञ्चलं भूयो गृह एव निवेशयेत्॥४०॥
“Friends, if you release your hold on home and go to the forest while the mind remains restless, that mind will install another house even there.
Passage 41
मनश्चेन्निर्जितं तर्हि गृहं किं नु करिष्यति। गृह एव जितं तैस्तु यैः सत्येन मनो जितम्॥४१॥
“If the mind has been conquered, what can a house do? Those who have truly conquered the mind have conquered it while remaining at home.
Passage 42
फुल्लेन्दीवरलोचनं सुललितं श्यामावदाताङ्गकं रामं मां हृदयारविन्दसदने संविष्टमाध्यायथ। तस्मिन्नेव निवेद्य सर्वविषयान् स्वात्मानमप्यञ्जसा संसाराब्धिमिमं तरिष्यथ तदा हे राजपुत्रा भृशम्॥४२॥
“Princes, meditate upon me—Rāma, graceful, dark and radiant, with eyes like fully opened blue lotuses—seated within the lotus dwelling of your hearts. Offering to me every object of experience and your own selves as well, you will then cross this ocean of worldly existence completely.”
Passage 43
इति रामनिदेशेन प्राप्तज्ञानाः कुमारकाः। तस्थुः श्रीरामसविधे सुहृदो धर्मवित्तमाः॥४३॥
Receiving this knowledge through Rāma’s instruction, the princes—his friends and foremost knowers of dharma—remained in Śrī Rāma’s presence. --- Thus ends the seventieth chapter, entitled “Instruction to the Princes,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the Śrīmad Ādi Rāmāyaṇa. Textual notes The chapter begins on source leaf 433 below Chapter 69’s colophon, occupies leaves 433–438, and ends with its colophon on physical PDF page 439. All forty-three actual passages were transcribed directly from the 1975 scan; archive OCR was used only as a locating and typing aid. The edition prints ४२ for both the long meditation verse and the closing narrative passage. They are registered here as 42 and editorial 43 so that no text is dropped. The difficult printed readings in passages 10, 18, 26–27, 34, 37, and 38 are preserved or normalized conservatively from context, grammar, meter, and the edition’s listed variants; no modern translation was used.