Skip to main content
राम

पश्चिमखण्ड · अध्याय 33

The Supremacy of Rāma's Pramoda Forest

Global chapter 424 of 51432 passagesSource PDF pages 103105
Chapter context and opening material

Source: Volume 3, physical PDF pages 103–105 (printed pages 89–91). Structure: 32 continuously numbered Sanskrit verses. Summary: Sanatkumāra describes Rāma's Vaikuṇṭha, the eternal Pramoda forest, as nondual consciousness and bliss beyond time, māyā, and the guṇas. Its wish-fulfilling groves, jeweled mountains, Sarayū, companions, and eternal rāsa surround the youthful Sītā–Rāma. Nārāyaṇa, the cosmic Puruṣa, and countless Brahmās arise only through portions of Rāma, while his play never disappears. One who beholds this abode through purified bhakti and meditates upon Rāma there becomes liberated while living and bears a body made of divine love. The Eternal Pramoda Forest

Passage 1

श्रीसनत्कुमार उवाच— अथास्य देववर्यस्य वक्ष्ये धाम मनोहरम्। यद्गत्वा वेदितव्यान्ते निवर्तन्ते न योगिनः॥१॥

Śrī Sanatkumāra said: “Now I shall describe the enchanting abode of this foremost Lord. Having reached it at the culmination of all that is to be known, yogis never return.

Passage 2

धामैतदीयं शृणुत महर्षयस्तत्कालमायागुणलौकिकातिगम्। नित्यं परं निष्प्रतिमं निरञ्जनं सच्चित्सुखाकारमनन्तमद्भुतम्॥२॥

Great sages, hear of his abode. It transcends time, māyā, the guṇas, and everything worldly. Eternal and supreme, matchless and stainless, it is the infinite and wondrous form of being, consciousness, and bliss.

Passage 3

यत्केवलानुभवानन्दमात्रं पराक्षरब्रह्मविबोधमध्यगम्। पुराविदां वाङ्मनसाद्यगोचरं समन्ततो व्यापकमद्वितीयकम्॥३॥

It is nothing but the bliss of direct experience and stands at the heart of realization of the supreme imperishable Brahman. Beyond the speech, mind, and other faculties even of those who know the ancient revelation, it pervades everything and is without a second.

Passage 4

यत्र कल्पद्रुमैर्भाति प्रमोदवनमद्भुतम्। अन्यैः कामदुघैर्वृक्षैः परीवीतं सुवाटिकम्॥४॥

There the wondrous Pramoda forest shines with wish-fulfilling trees, its beautiful gardens encircled by many other trees that grant every desire.

Passage 5

रम्यानेकनिकुञ्जाढ्यं सर्वर्तुकुसुमाकरम्। फलप्रसूनपत्रर्द्धिरामणीयकमन्दिरम्॥५॥

It abounds in many lovely bowers and bears the flowers of every season. The splendor of its fruits, blossoms, and leaves makes it a dwelling of perfect beauty.

Passage 6

चतुर्विंशतिसंख्याकमुख्यदिव्यवनान्वितम्। यत्र रत्नाद्रिरुद्भाति रत्नसानुमनोहरः॥६॥

It contains twenty-four principal divine forests. There rises Ratna Mountain, captivating with its jeweled peaks.

Passage 7

अनेकनिर्झरस्राविसुगन्धिजलपूरितः। अनेकरत्नरुचिरो नानाधातुगणाश्रयः॥७॥

Many waterfalls pour from it, filled with fragrant water. It is beautiful with countless jewels and holds hosts of varied mineral veins.

Passage 8

सुवर्णशिखरश्रीमान् राजहंसनिनादितः। सहजानन्दिनीकेलिसरसीसमलंकृतः॥८॥

Splendid with golden summits and resonant with royal swans, it is adorned by the lake where Sahajānandinī performs her play.

Passage 9

कूजत्कारण्डवकुलचक्राह्वसमाकुलः। कुञ्जपुञ्जमनोहारिगह्वरान्तनिरातपः॥९॥

Calling flocks of kāraṇḍava and cakravāka birds throng it. Within its delightful caverns, clusters of bowers keep out the sun's heat.

Passage 10

तथा सौगन्धिको नाम गिरिर्यत्र मनोहरः। श्रीखण्डद्रुमसंशोभी मलयाद्रिरिवोन्नतः॥१०॥

There too stands the enchanting mountain named Saugandhika, lofty like Mount Malaya and radiant with sandalwood trees.

Passage 11

यत्र पीयूषसलिला सरयूः सरिदुज्ज्वला। सुवर्णकूलिनी दिव्यमणिसोपानमण्डिता॥११॥

There flows the radiant Sarayū, whose water is nectar. Its banks are golden, and divine jeweled steps adorn it.

Passage 12

राजहंसकुलोन्नादिसंगीतसुयशोगणा। ब्रह्मभक्तिमहायोगिसमुपासितसरित्तटा॥१२॥

The songs sounded by hosts of royal swans form a chorus of its lovely fame. Great yogis devoted to Brahman worship along its riverbanks.

Passage 13

कुमुद्वती कमलिनी फुल्लत्कोरकपूजिता। पद्मकह्लारसौगन्धिफुल्लत्कोकनदोत्करा॥१३॥

It is rich with night-lotuses and day-lotuses and honored by opening buds. Full-blown lotuses, white water-lilies, fragrant blossoms, and red lotuses rise profusely upon it.

Passage 14

यत्र श्रीसहजानन्दासयूथ्या व्रजयोषितः। विहरन्ति पदोर्नादिमञ्जीरास्ता इतस्ततः॥१४॥

There the women of Vraja in Śrī Sahajānandā's companion-groups wander here and there, the anklets upon their feet ringing.

Passage 15

रामरासरसोल्लासिप्रेममत्तान्तराः परम्। नित्यं षोडशवार्षिक्यः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाः॥१५॥

Their hearts are utterly intoxicated with the love that exults in the rasa of Rāma's rāsa. Eternally sixteen years old, their faces resemble the full moon.

Passage 16

कुरङ्गनयनाः सर्वाः सर्वकेलिकलाविदः। लास्यताण्डवनृत्यादिसंगीतकविशारदाः॥१६॥

All have the eyes of deer and know every art of divine play. They are accomplished in graceful lāsya, vigorous tāṇḍava, dance, music, and poetry.

Passage 17

श्रीरामचन्द्रवदनचन्द्रचारुचकोरिकाः। तासां मण्डलमध्यस्थो माङ्गल्यानेत्रनन्दनः॥१७॥

They are lovely cakora birds drinking the moonlight of Śrī Rāmacandra's face. In the center of their circle stands Māṅgalya, delight of every eye.

Passage 18

श्रीरामचन्द्रमाः श्रीमद्राजदशरथात्मजः। नटवेशधरो मुग्धः श्रीरामो रासमण्डले॥१८॥

Śrī Rāmacandra, the glorious son of King Daśaratha, shines like the moon. Enchanting Śrī Rāma wears a dancer's costume within the rāsa circle.

Passage 19

विहरत्यनिशं साक्षात्परब्रह्मरसाकृतिः। कन्दर्पकोटिदर्पघ्नः सहजानन्दिनीसखः॥१९॥

He sports there without cease, the direct embodiment of the rasa of the Supreme Brahman. The beloved of Sahajānandinī, he crushes the pride of millions of Cupids.

Passage 20

चरणाम्भोजदिव्याङ्कैः कुर्वन् भूमिं सुपावनीम्। किशोराकृतिरानन्दी नित्यलीलाविशारदः॥२०॥

With the divine marks of his lotus feet he makes the ground supremely holy. Youthful in form and filled with bliss, he is accomplished in eternal līlā.

Passage 21

यस्यांशमात्रविभवः श्रीमन्नारायणः स्वयम्। यस्यांशांशाः प्रजायन्ते अवतारा ह्यनेकधा॥२१॥

Glorious Nārāyaṇa himself possesses only the majesty of a portion of him, and from portions of his portions arise the many avatāras.

Passage 22

भूमापि पुरुषो यस्य सहस्रवदनः स्वराट्। अंश एव प्रकीर्तितो विष्णुब्रह्माण्डविग्रहः॥२२॥

Even Bhūmā, the self-sovereign thousand-faced Puruṣa—Viṣṇu whose body is the universe—is proclaimed to be only his portion.

Passage 23

उत्पद्यन्ते विलीयन्ते ब्रह्मणां कोटयः किल। न तु रामविहारस्य तिरोभावो भवेत् क्वचित्॥२३॥

Millions of Brahmās arise and dissolve, but Rāma's divine play never disappears anywhere.

Passage 24

इदं श्रीरामवैकुण्ठं नित्यं धाम प्रकीर्तितम्। सहजानन्दिनीलोको व्यापकश्चित्सुखाकृतिः॥२४॥

This is proclaimed to be Śrī Rāma's Vaikuṇṭha, his eternal abode: the world of Sahajānandinī, all-pervading and formed of consciousness and bliss.

Passage 25

रक्षकाः परितस्तस्य कोट्यश्चक्रधारिणः। चतुर्मुखाः कोट्यश्च कोटयश्चैव शंकराः॥२५॥

Millions of discus-bearing guardians surround it, along with millions of four-faced Brahmās and millions of Śaṅkaras.

Passage 26

पञ्चाननाः शूलकरा विभान्ति परितः स्थिताः। सरसीव महापद्मं लोकोऽयं धरणीतले॥२६॥

Five-faced and bearing tridents, they shine as they stand on every side. This world rests upon the earth like a great lotus upon a lake.

Passage 27

न तु भूमितलस्थार्थैः संस्पर्शोऽप्यस्य विद्यते। कालमायोद्भवैर्दोषैः संस्पर्शो नास्य विद्यते॥२७॥

Yet it has no contact at all with the things that belong to the earthly plane, nor is it touched by any fault arising from time or māyā.

Passage 28

तद् रामस्य परं स्थानं धिया पश्यन्ति सूरयः। अतिसूक्ष्मार्थदर्शिन्या भक्तियोगविशुद्धया॥२८॥

The wise behold that supreme abode of Rāma through an understanding purified by bhakti-yoga and able to perceive the most subtle reality.

Passage 29

चिदानन्दस्य रामस्य चिदानन्दमयं वपुः। चिदानन्दमयी लीला चिदानन्दमयोऽखिलः॥२९॥

Rāma is consciousness and bliss; his body is made of consciousness and bliss. His līlā is consciousness and bliss, and everything that belongs to him is consciousness and bliss.

Passage 30

लीलापरिकरो ज्ञेयश्चिदानन्दमयं पदम्। एवं यो वेद तद्धाम प्रमोदवननामकम्॥३०॥

His retinue of play and his abode must likewise be known as consciousness and bliss. Whoever knows in this way that abode named Pramoda forest—

Passage 31

स विमुच्येत मनुजो रामभक्तिपरायणः। स्मरँल्लोकममुं तत्स्थं भावयेद् रामदैवतम्। जीवन्मुक्तः स विज्ञेयो दधत्प्रेममयं वपुः॥३१॥

that person, wholly devoted to Rāma-bhakti, becomes liberated. Remembering this world, one should contemplate Rāma, the deity who dwells there. Such a person is to be known as liberated while living, bearing a body made of divine love.

Passage 32

न तस्य कृत्यान्तरमस्ति लोके सदा विमुक्तस्य नरोत्तमस्य। श्रीरामचन्द्रे रसिके स्थितो जनो भक्त्यैकयुक्तो हृदि नित्ययुक्तः॥३२॥

That best of people, forever liberated, has no other duty in this world. Established in rasika Śrī Rāmacandra and joined to devotion alone, that person remains forever united with him in the heart.”