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राम

दक्षिणखण्ड · अध्याय 118

Atri's Praise and the Arrival of the Daṇḍaka Sages

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Chapter context and opening material

The Mandākinī manifests at Citrakūṭa, and Atri recognizes Rāma as the eternal Supreme Person who repeatedly descends to preserve dharma. He praises the Lord through the deeds of the Matsya, Varāha, Narasiṃha, Kūrma, Vāmana, and Paraśurāma incarnations, then foretells Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki. As his hymn ends, sages driven from the Daṇḍaka forest arrive and take refuge in Rāma. Atri Recognizes the Supreme Lord

Passage 1

ब्रह्मोवाच— रामचन्द्रप्रभावेण प्रादुर्भूता पयस्विनी। साक्षान्मन्दाकिनी गङ्गा चित्रकूटे महीधरे॥१॥

Brahmā said: By the power of Rāmacandra, a flowing river appeared upon Mount Citrakūṭa—the Mandākinī, Gaṅgā herself.

Passage 2

दृष्ट्वा तां योगिवर्योऽत्रिर्भगवान् सर्वदर्शनः। तुष्टाव रघुशार्दूलं ज्ञाततत्त्वो मुनीश्वरः॥२॥

Seeing her, the venerable Atri, foremost of yogins and seer of all, understood the truth and praised the tiger of Raghu's line.

Passage 3

अत्रिरुवाच— जानामि त्वां रघुश्रेष्ठ पुराणपुरुषं परम्। धर्मसन्दोहरक्षार्थमवतीर्णं यथातथम्॥३॥

Atri said: “Best of the Raghus, I know you as the primordial Supreme Person, who has descended exactly as needed to protect the whole treasury of dharma.

Passage 4

एतत्तवैव राजेन्द्र कर्तव्यमिह विद्यते। यद्गोविप्रश्रुतिपथरक्षणं चार्तपालनम्॥४॥

“King of kings, this is indeed your work in the world: to protect cows, Brahmins, and the path of revelation, and to shelter the afflicted. The Lord's Saving Incarnations

Passage 5

कस्त्वां विनेह पुरुषस्त्रयीमुद्धर्तुमीश्वरः। असुरेण हृतां यत्र साङ्गो धर्मः सनातनः॥५॥

“What person other than you could rescue the threefold Veda when an asura had stolen it together with the complete, eternal dharma?

Passage 6

मग्नामगाधे पयसि नीतां दैत्येन मेदिनीम्। त्वां विना को नु पुरुष उद्धरेदेकदंष्ट्रया॥६॥

“When a daitya carried the earth down into the unfathomable waters, what person other than you could have raised her upon a single tusk?

Passage 7

यज्ञभागहरः साधुत्रयीधर्मविदूषकः। उज्जास्यः केन बलवांस्त्वां विना दानवेश्वरः॥७॥

“Who other than you could have destroyed that powerful lord of the dānavas, who seized the sacrificial shares and defiled the virtuous dharma of the Veda?

Passage 8

मग्नं समुद्रसलिले मन्दरं मन्थसाधनम्। त्वां विना को वहेत्पृष्ठे कृत्वा देवेष्वनुग्रहम्॥८॥

“When Mount Mandara, the churning rod, sank into the ocean, who other than you could have borne it upon his back and thereby favored the gods?

Passage 9

त्रैलोक्यसम्पदं भूरि बलेन बलिना हृताम्। कः शक्तः पुनरानेतुं त्वां विना मधुसूदन॥९॥

“Madhusūdana, when mighty Bali took by force the abundant wealth of the three worlds, who other than you could have restored it?

Passage 10

दुष्टक्षत्रवरानीकैरुत्सादितमुपारतम्। धर्ममुद्दीपयेत्कोऽन्यस्त्वत्तो भृगुकुलोदित॥१०॥

“When hosts of wicked warrior-kings had uprooted dharma and brought it to a halt, who but you, appearing in Bhṛgu's line, could have kindled it again?

Passage 11

अस्मिन्नवसरेऽपि त्वं बलिनं दशकन्धरम्। निहत्य रघुशार्दूल रक्ष धर्मं त्रयीपथम्॥११॥

“Now too, tiger of Raghu's line, kill the mighty ten-headed Rāvaṇa and protect dharma and the Vedic path.

Passage 12

भवतोऽंशः पुन राम द्वापरान्ते यदोः कुले। भविता कृष्णरूपेण दुष्टासुरविनाशनः॥१२॥

“Rāma, at the end of Dvāpara your own portion will again appear in Yadu's family in the form of Kṛṣṇa, destroyer of wicked asuras.

Passage 13

अथो यज्ञहताञ्जन्तूञ्शोचयन् करुणार्णवः। भवान् बुद्धस्वरूपेण राम प्रादुर्भविष्यति॥१३॥

“Then, ocean of compassion, grieving for creatures slain in sacrifice, you will manifest in the form of Buddha, O Rāma.

Passage 14

अथ म्लेच्छप्राये जगति जगतीशोकशमनो भवानश्वारूढः कलितकरवालः करतले। रणे दुष्टान् निघ्नन् प्रकटतरुणार्कद्युतितनुः कलेरन्ते कल्कीत्यभिहित उदेष्यस्यखिलभृत्॥१४॥

“Then, when the world is largely given over to mlecchas, you will soothe the earth's sorrow. Mounted upon a horse, a sword held in your hand, and shining in body like the newly risen sun, you will destroy the wicked in battle. At the end of Kali you, sustainer of all, will arise under the name Kalki.

Passage 15

एवं यदा यदा राम धर्मो ग्लायति सत्यते। तदा तदावतीर्यामुं भवान् रक्षयति स्वयम्॥१५॥

“Thus, Rāma, whenever dharma declines and is brought low, you yourself descend and protect it. The Inexhaustible Glory of Rāma

Passage 16

विशुद्धं सत्त्वमुदितं तनुरेषा तवोर्जिता। सत्यज्ञानानन्दनिधेरव्ययस्याखिलात्मनः॥१६॥

“This mighty form of yours has arisen from perfectly pure sattva. It belongs to the imperishable Self of all, the treasury of truth, knowledge, and bliss.

Passage 17

कर्माणि तव गीतानि विशुद्धानि महात्मभिः। न च तानि महाराज संख्यातुमहमीश्वरः॥१७॥

“Your stainless deeds are sung by the great, but, mighty king, I am not capable of counting them.

Passage 18

गणयेन्नभसस्तारा भुवः पांसुकणानपि। कश्चित्सुसूक्ष्मधी राम न तु ते विशदान् गुणान्॥१८॥

“Someone of exceedingly subtle intellect might count the stars of the sky and even the particles of earth's dust, Rāma, but never your radiant virtues.

Passage 19

वर्षीयानत्यहं दूरे गन्तुमक्षमतां दधे। इहैव गङ्गामुद्भाव्य त्वया देव कृतार्थितः॥१९॥

“I am exceedingly old and no longer able to travel far. Lord, by bringing forth Gaṅgā here itself, you have made my life fulfilled.” The Daṇḍaka Sages Seek Refuge

Passage 20

इत्थं स्तुवति योगीन्द्रे मुनयस्तपसोजिताः। आययुर्दण्डकारण्यवासिनस्तत्र पर्वते॥२०॥

As the lord of yogins praised Rāma in this way, sages who dwelt in the Daṇḍaka forest and were radiant with austerity came to that mountain.

Passage 21

रक्षोभिरुद्वेजितचित्तवृत्तयो यक्षीकृतब्रह्मकुलैर्भयावहैः। तत्राययुर्ज्ञानदृशो मुनीश्वरा ज्ञात्वा तमेकं शरणं रघूद्वहम्॥२१॥

Their minds agitated by fearsome rākṣasas whose violence had devastated Brahmin families, the great sages—seers through knowledge—came there, knowing the scion of Raghu to be their sole refuge. Thus ends Chapter 118, “The Arrival at Atri's Hermitage,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍi in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.