Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— एकदा भरतः श्रीमाञ्छ्रीमन्तं लक्ष्मणं प्रभुम्। शेषं संकर्षणं वीरं सुखासीनं शुचिस्मितम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: “Once glorious Bharata approached the glorious Lord Lakṣmaṇa—the heroic Śeṣa and Saṅkarṣaṇa—who sat at ease with a pure smile.
Passage 2
श्रीमत्सीतानुजाकान्तं श्रीरामभ्रातृसुन्दरम्। त्रैलोक्यसारं सुभगं गौरं हलधरं वरम्॥२॥
“He was radiant as Sītā's younger brother-in-law and beautiful as Śrī Rāma's brother—the essence of the three worlds, gracious, fair-complexioned, excellent, and bearing the plow.
Passage 3
एकांशधृतभूभारं श्रीरामपदसेवकम्। प्रावृषेण्यघनश्यामं मधुरोज्ज्वलविग्रहम्। एकान्ते समुपागम्य भक्त्या नम्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्॥३॥
“Lakṣmaṇa sustained the earth's burden with one portion of himself and served Śrī Rāma's feet. His sweet, radiant form was dark as a cloud of the rainy season. Bharata approached him in private, bowed with devotion, and spoke. Bharata's Question
Passage 4
भरत उवाच— स्वच्छन्दलील सर्वेश लक्ष्मण भ्रातृसत्तम। समस्ताधिकसौभाग्य नाममाहात्म्यपावन॥४॥
Bharata said: “‘Lakṣmaṇa, Lord of all whose līlā is perfectly free, best of brothers, your surpassing good fortune and the glory of your name sanctify everyone.
Passage 5
एकान्तरामभक्तेश पृच्छामि त्वां महामते। सर्वतत्त्वं परं ब्रह्म परमानन्दलक्षणम्॥५॥
“‘Great-minded lord of exclusive devotion to Rāma, I ask you about the essence of all reality—the supreme Brahman characterized by highest bliss.
Passage 6
त्रयीतत्त्वं सर्वगुह्यं श्रीराम इति कीर्तितम्। तस्यैव सकला लीला विश्वसर्गादिलक्षणाः। तत्प्रेमपात्रं परमं भवानेव न संशयः॥६॥
“‘The innermost secret and truth of the three Vedas is proclaimed as Śrī Rāma. All activities, beginning with the creation of the universe, are his līlā. Without doubt, you alone are the supreme recipient of his love.
Passage 7
न त्वां विना रमति जल्पति नो कदाचिन् नो वा क्वचिद्धसति तिष्ठति वा सजोषम्। शय्यासनाशनविहारविलासकादौ श्रीमान् विभाति भवतैव युतः प्रभुर्नः॥७॥
“‘Without you he never delights or converses; nowhere does he laugh or remain joyfully. In resting, sitting, dining, roaming, play, and every other activity, our glorious Lord shines only when accompanied by you.
Passage 8
त्वां मन्त्रयत्यविरतं पतिते विचारे प्राणाधिकस्त्वमसि तस्य सुहृत् सखा च। त्रैलोक्यभारमखिलं त्वयि न्यस्य रामः शेते सुखं जनकजासहितो विलासी॥८॥
“‘Whenever a question arises, he consults you without ceasing. You are dearer to him than life, his well-wisher and friend. Placing the entire burden of the three worlds upon you, playful Rāma rests happily with Janaka's daughter.
Passage 9
यत्कर्मवीर्यमतुलं त्रिजगत्सु वेत्तुं कः कल्पते मुनिसुरासुरमानुषेषु। तस्य स्वरूपमखिलं खलु तत्त्वतस्त्वं जानासि राघवकुलोद्वह वीरबाहो॥९॥
“‘Among sages, gods, demons, and humans, who in the three worlds can comprehend his incomparable deeds and power? Mighty-armed bearer of Rāghava's lineage, you alone know his complete nature in truth.
Passage 10
सर्वे सहोदरपदस्य जुषो वयं स्म तस्योत्तमस्य पुरुषस्य रमेश्वरस्य। भूयस्तथापि भवतैव वशीकृतात्मा विक्रीडितुं वितनुते भुवि राघवेन्द्रः॥१०॥
“‘We all enjoy the station of brothers to that Supreme Person, Lord of Ramā. Yet Rāghavendra has given his heart especially into your keeping and extends his play upon earth through you.
Passage 11
तत्कारणं किमपि लक्ष्मण भिन्नमेवं भाग्याधिकं प्रभुकृपाभरभाजनं यत्। किं वा पुरा त्रिभुवनोत्तमसंविधाभि- राराधितः स भगवान् रघुवंशरत्नः॥११॥
“‘Lakṣmaṇa, what extraordinary cause has made you the vessel of such exceptional fortune and the fullness of the Lord's grace? Or did you formerly worship that divine jewel of Raghu's line through the finest services in the three worlds?’ Lakṣmaṇa Describes His Intimacy with Rāma
Passage 12
लक्ष्मण उवाच— एवमेव यदात्थ त्वं भरत प्राणसम्मित। श्रीरामस्य दयापात्रमहमेव विशेषतः॥१२॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: “‘Bharata, dear as life, what you have said is indeed so. I am especially a recipient of Śrī Rāma's compassion.
Passage 13
अयं हि भगवान् साक्षाद्विश्वबीजप्रदः प्रभुः। स्वयंशक्तिः स्वयंज्योतिः पूर्णपूर्णः परात्परः॥१३॥
“‘This Lord is God himself, the giver of the universe's seed—his own power, self-luminous, fullness itself, and higher than the highest.
Passage 14
तस्याहं परमः प्रेयान् मित्रं चैव सखा सुहृत्। सर्वातिगः सर्वगुप्तः सर्वात्मा विश्वतः स्थितः॥१४॥
“‘I am supremely dear to him—his companion, friend, and well-wisher. He transcends all, lies hidden within all, is the self of all, and abides everywhere.
Passage 15
प्रमोदवनलीलासु पर्याप्तोऽन्यरसालसः। तस्य सर्वासु लीलासु सदा तिष्ठामि सन्निधौ॥१५॥
“‘Absorbed in the līlās of the Pramodā Forest, he has no appetite for lesser flavors. I remain forever near him in all his pastimes.
Passage 16
लीलैव मम सर्वस्वं लीलैव मम जीवनम्। अहं लीलारसाभिज्ञो जानकी हनुमाञ्छिवः॥१६॥
“‘His līlā is my entire wealth; his līlā is my very life. Jānakī, Hanumān, Śiva, and I understand the flavor of that līlā.
Passage 17
भवांश्च भरत प्राज्ञ शत्रुहा च विभीषणः। यावान् यस्याधिकारः स्यात्तावत्तस्य प्रदर्शयन्॥१७॥
“‘You too, wise Bharata, together with Śatrughna and Vibhīṣaṇa, receive its revelation according to each one's capacity.
Passage 18
अवतारचरित्राणि मूलचारित्रमेव च। कुरुते जानकीकान्तः स्वाच्छन्द्यरसनिर्भरः॥१८॥
“‘Jānakī's beloved, overflowing with the flavor of perfect freedom, performs both the deeds of his avatāras and his original, eternal pastimes.
Passage 19
तत्राहमस्य परमः सचिवः सुहृच्च मित्रं जनश्च सुजनश्च दयालयश्च। तत्कारणं जगति केवलमेतदेव श्रीजानकीचरणपङ्कजरेणुमात्रम्॥१९॥
“‘Within them I am his closest counselor, well-wisher, companion, servant, good friend, and abode of compassion. The sole cause of this in all the world is simply a particle of dust from Śrī Jānakī's lotus feet. Sītā Is Rāma's Devotional Power
Passage 20
श्रीरामस्य प्रियाभक्तिर्भावरूपा सतां गतिः। तद्रूपिणी स्वयं सीता सहजानन्दरूपिणी॥२०॥
“‘The beloved devotion of Śrī Rāma is made of divine feeling and is the goal of the saints. Sītā herself embodies that devotion and is the form of innate bliss.
Passage 21
सा चैव परमा तस्य रमा त्रैलोक्यसुन्दरी। भक्तानां वैष्णवानां च सा गुरुः समुदीर्यते॥२१॥
“‘She alone is his supreme Ramā, beauty of the three worlds. She is proclaimed the guru of devotees and Vaiṣṇavas.
Passage 22
न तां विना भवेद्दीक्षा रामतत्त्वविभाविनी। तया संसृज्यते लोकः पाल्यते ह्रियतेऽपि च॥२२॥
“‘Without her there can be no initiation that reveals the truth of Rāma. Through her the world is created, sustained, and withdrawn.
Passage 23
सैव स्वयं राम इति भेदेन समुदीर्यते। राममेव परात्परं परं ब्रह्म रसात्मकम्॥२३॥
“‘She herself is Rāma, though spoken of as distinct. Rāma alone is higher than the highest—the supreme Brahman whose nature is rasa.
Passage 24
सीताराम इति ख्यातं त्रिषु वेदेषु कीर्तितम्। न ब्रह्मा न भवो नेन्द्रो नान्ये च त्रिदिवौकसः॥२४॥
“‘The name Sītā-Rāma is renowned and celebrated in the three Vedas. Neither Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, nor the other inhabitants of heaven—
Passage 25
तस्य तत्त्वं विजानन्ति इदमित्थंतया प्रभोः। स्वच्छन्द एव लीलासु सर्वासु युगलात्मकः॥२५॥
“‘—know the Lord's reality precisely as it is. Perfectly free in every līlā, he is always the divine couple.
Passage 26
युग्मनामा युग्मकेलिर्युग्मभावविनोदवान्। युग्मभूषाविलासाढ्यो युग्मस्थानविलासकः॥२६॥
“‘His name is paired, his play is paired, and he delights in the moods of the pair. He is rich in the pair's ornaments and pleasures and sports in the divine couple's abode.
Passage 27
युग्मजन्मा युग्मजल्पो युग्मप्रेक्षाविधायकः। प्रभुरेष विलासीनः सदानन्दपयोनिधिः॥२७॥
“‘His birth is paired, his speech is paired, and he brings about the pair's exchange of glances. This playful Lord is an ocean of eternal bliss. Devotion Delivers the Soul
Passage 28
तन्नामामृतपानेन स्वस्थचित्ताः सनातनाः। ऋषयः परमहंसाश्च बहुवस्त्यक्तबान्धवाः॥२८॥
“‘By drinking the nectar of that name, the eternal sages and paramahaṃsas become established in the Self, abandoning possessions and worldly ties.
Passage 29
श्रद्धावन्तो भक्तिवन्तो रामपादनिषेवकाः। मुक्तिं गताः सद्गुरुभिर्ज्ञाततत्त्वाः सुकोविदाः॥२९॥
“‘Filled with faith and devotion, serving Rāma's feet, those wise ones learn the truth from genuine gurus and attain liberation.
Passage 30
स वै प्रपत्तिमात्रेण जनान् मोचयते भवात्। शत्रुस्तवास्मीति वदन् मत्समः क्रियतेऽचिरात्॥३०॥
“‘By surrender alone, he frees people from worldly becoming. One who says, “I was your enemy,” is soon made equal to me.
Passage 31
प्रारब्धक्लेशहारिणी तस्य भक्तिर्निगद्यते। न तच्चरणपाथोजप्रपत्त्या विशते विना॥३१॥
“‘His devotion is declared to remove even the sufferings already set in motion. Without surrender to his lotus feet, one does not enter—
Passage 32
परे ब्रह्मणि स्वानन्दलीलारसविनोदिनि। तल्लीलास्मृतिमात्रेण नरो भवति पावितः॥३२॥
“‘—the supreme Brahman who delights in the rasa of his own blissful līlā. By merely remembering that līlā, a person becomes purified.
Passage 33
कोटिगङ्गादितीर्थैर्वाजपेयादिभिर्मखैः। सा तस्य सहजानन्दविग्रहा स्वैरकेलिनी॥३३॥
“‘Millions of sacred fords such as the Gaṅgā and sacrifices such as the Vājapeya cannot equal her: she is his form of innate bliss and freely enjoys divine play.
Passage 34
नित्यलीलाविनोदा च सुखप्राग्भारसम्पदा। तस्याश्चरणपद्मोत्थप्रसादारुणरेणुभिः॥३४॥
“‘She delights in the eternal līlā and possesses an overwhelming abundance of bliss. By the reddish dust of grace arising from her lotus feet—
Passage 35
पूतात्मा लभते रामं सच्चिदानन्दलक्षणम्। रामभक्तिः स्वयं सीता तद्भक्तं विद्धि मामथ॥३५॥
“‘—a purified soul attains Rāma, whose nature is being, consciousness, and bliss. Sītā herself is devotion to Rāma; therefore know me to be her devotee.
Passage 36
तद्भक्तं हनुमन्तं च जानीहि पवनाङ्गजम्। एवं प्रवर्तिता भक्तिर्भुवि रामतोषिणी॥३६॥
“‘Know Hanumān, the Wind-god's son, also to be her devotee. In this way the devotion that delights Rāma has been established upon earth.’” --- Source Note - Source witness: Bhuśuṇḍi Rāmāyaṇa, Volume 3, Paścima-khaṇḍa. - This chapter was collated directly from physical PDF pages 15–17; all 36 passages are present continuously between the opening of Paścima-khaṇḍa and the Chapter 2 heading. - The English is a fresh, direct translation prepared for this edition.