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राम

पश्चिमखण्ड · अध्याय 57

The Fruit of Hearing Sahajā's Birth

Global chapter 448 of 51421 passagesSource PDF pages 192194
Chapter context and opening material

Source: Volume 3, physical PDF pages 192–194 (printed pages 178–180). Structure: Twenty-one continuously numbered Sanskrit verses. Verses 1–7 proclaim the liberating fruit of hearing Sahajā's birth and the glories of Pramodavana, Nandana, and Rājinī; verses 8–17 depict the eternal rāsa-līlā and the gods' loving service; and verses 18–21 return to the blessing obtained by devotion to Sahajā and by hearing her birth in Janaka's house. Summary: One who regularly hears the supreme festival of Sītā's birth becomes liberated in life and dear to Rāghava. Sahajā appears as one in Nandana's house and as twofold in Janaka's house, and meditation upon her, her realm, names, līlā, virtues, parents, and intimate connection with Rāma brings auspiciousness and freedom. In eternal Pramodavana she shines beside Rāma in the rāsa-circle on the Sarayū's bank. Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and the gods enter companion-bhāva, bow, roll near Rāma's feet, worship him, and count themselves fulfilled by beholding Rāma, Ayodhyā, Sarayū, and Pramodavana. Hearing this love-filled līlā grants prema-bhakti; loving Sahajā brings liberation in life, and hearing her birth in Janaka's house immerses the heart in waves of the ocean of divine līlā-love. The Blessing of Hearing Sahajā's Birth

Passage 1

श्रीशुक उवाच— एवं यः शृणुयान्नित्यं सीताजन्मोत्सवं परम्। स भवेज्जीवन्मुक्तो वै स एव राघवप्रियः॥१॥

Śrī Śuka said: One who regularly hears this supreme festival of Sītā's birth becomes liberated while living and is truly dear to Rāghava.

Passage 2

एकधा नन्दनगृहे द्विधा च भवतो गृहे। विज्ञाय सहजोत्पत्तिं कृतकृत्यः प्रजापते॥२॥

Lord of creatures, know Sahajā's manifestation as onefold in Nandana's house and twofold in your house, and become fulfilled.

Passage 3

सा चैवं राजहंसी व्रजजननयनानन्दसंदोहदात्री। सीतेत्याख्या प्रसिद्धा नृपवर सहजानन्दिनीति प्रगीता। श्रीनन्दनस्य प्रमुदवनपरा नित्यलक्ष्मीरनन्ता। चित्ते संचिन्तनीया सपदि सुमहती या प्रसिद्धा चिकीर्षोः॥३॥

That royal swan bestows a flood of joy upon the eyes of Vraja's people. Great king, she is renowned as Sītā and sung as Sahajānandinī. She is Śrī Nandana's infinite eternal Lakṣmī, devoted to Pramodavana, and one who seeks accomplishment should at once contemplate this supremely great goddess within the heart.

Passage 4

नित्यधाम च माहात्म्यं प्रमोदवनसंज्ञितम्। यः शृणोति नरस्तस्य कल्याणमुपजायते॥४॥

Blessedness arises for the person who hears the glory of the eternal realm called Pramodavana.

Passage 5

सहजां शृणुयाद्यश्च नामलीलागुणान्विताम्। सहजानन्दिनीनाथं तथा रघुकुलोद्वहम्॥५॥

One should hear of Sahajā together with her names, līlās, and virtues, and likewise of Sahajānandinī's Lord, the scion of Raghu's lineage.

Passage 6

नामलीलागुणैर्युक्तं जीवन्मुक्तः स वै भवेत्। सुखितस्य च माहात्म्यं पूर्णस्नेहस्य गोपतेः॥६॥

Hearing Rāma with his names, līlās, and virtues, one becomes liberated while living. One should also hear the greatness of Sukhita, the cowherd lord full of affection.

Passage 7

माङ्गल्यायाश्च पुण्याया महिमार्णवो वै महान्। ययोस्तनयतां प्राप्तः श्रीरामो रमणोत्सकः॥७॥

And great indeed is the ocean of holy Māṅgalyā's glory; playful Śrī Rāma became the child of those two. The Gods Behold the Eternal Rāsa-Līlā

Passage 8

नित्यलीलासमायुक्तः प्रमोदवनचन्द्रमाः। सहजानन्दिनीसीतापार्श्वद्वयसुशोभितः॥८॥

The moon of Pramodavana, absorbed in eternal līlā, shines beautifully with Sahajānandinī Sītā at his two sides.

Passage 9

रासमण्डलमध्यस्थः सखीभिः परिवारितः। सरयूपुलिने रम्ये रासलीलां करोति वै॥९॥

Standing at the center of the rāsa-circle and surrounded by companions, he performs the rāsa-līlā on the delightful bank of the Sarayū.

Passage 10

अत्र विष्ण्वादयः सर्वे सखीभावसमन्विताः। पश्यन्ति सादरं प्रेम्णा राघवेन्द्रं परात्परम्॥१०॥

There Viṣṇu and all the other gods, imbued with the mood of companions, lovingly and reverently behold Rāghavendra, who is beyond the highest.

Passage 11

हर्षिताः स्वस्वचेतसि ते रोमाञ्चितविग्रहाः। लुठन्ति राघवेन्द्रस्य चरणोपान्तविह्वलाः॥११॥

Joyful within their hearts and their bodies thrilled with horripilation, they roll upon the ground, overwhelmed near Rāghavendra's feet.

Passage 12

मुहुर्मुहुर्नतिं कृत्वा स्तुतिं कृत्वा मुहुर्मुहुः। दण्डवत् प्रणताः सर्वे राघवं रसिकोत्तमम्॥१२॥

Again and again they bow and praise; all prostrate like rods before Rāghava, the foremost relisher of rasa.

Passage 13

पुनरुत्थाय ते सर्वे ब्रह्माद्याः सुरसत्तमाः। सपर्यां राघवेन्द्रस्य चक्रुः प्रेमसुविह्वलाः॥१३॥

Rising again, Brahmā and all the foremost gods, profoundly overcome by love, performed worship of Rāghavendra.

Passage 14

कृतार्थं मन्यमानाः स्वं ब्रह्माद्याः सुरसत्तमाः। दर्शनाद् राघवेन्द्रस्य अयोध्यायाश्च दर्शनात्॥१४॥

Brahmā and the foremost gods considered themselves fulfilled by seeing Rāghavendra and beholding Ayodhyā,

Passage 15

सरयूदर्शनाच्चैव प्रमोदवनदर्शनात्। प्रेमविह्वलिताः सर्वे बभूवुः सहसा क्षणात्॥१५॥

by seeing the Sarayū and beholding Pramodavana. In a single moment they all became overwhelmed by love.

Passage 16

एवं ब्रह्मादयो देवा ये चान्ये सुरसत्तमाः। लीलां श्रीराघवेन्द्रस्य प्रेम्णा पश्यन्ति प्रत्यहम्॥१६॥

Thus Brahmā and the other foremost gods lovingly behold Śrī Rāghavendra's līlā every day.

Passage 17

इमां प्रेममयीं लीलां महोदारान् गुणांस्तथा। शृणुते राघवेन्द्रस्य प्रेमभक्तिं लभेत सः॥१७॥

One who hears this love-filled līlā and Rāghavendra's supremely noble virtues attains prema-bhakti. Love for Sahajā and the Final Fruit

Passage 18

सहजायां रतिं प्राप्य जीवन्मुक्तो भवेत्स्वयम्। यतो गृहे राजते नित्यं प्रेमानन्दमयी परा॥१८॥

Attaining love for Sahajā, one becomes liberated while living, for she who is supreme and formed of love-bliss shines eternally in that home.

Passage 19

सहजानन्दिनीनाम्नी लक्ष्मीकोटिगुणान्विता। महालक्ष्मीः श्रीरामस्य रमणी रमणीयमा॥१९॥

Named Sahajānandinī and endowed with the virtues of millions of Lakṣmīs, she is Mahālakṣmī, Śrī Rāma's most beautiful beloved.

Passage 20

कस्तयोस्तुल्यतां यायाद्राजिनीनन्दनयोर्वै। सहजानन्दिनीस्पर्शलालनात्तीर्थभूतयोः॥२०॥

Who could equal Rājinī and Nandana, who became holy places through touching and nurturing Sahajānandinī?

Passage 21

तव नृप सदने च श्रीमदाद्येन्दिराया जनुरिति शृणुयाद्यो हर्षवित्तैकचित्तः। स भवति परलीलाप्रेमजनानन्दसिन्धुप्रविततलहरीणां वृन्दमाप्लुत्य तुष्टः॥२१॥

King, one who hears with a joyful and single-pointed heart of the glorious primal Lakṣmī's birth in your house becomes satisfied, immersed in hosts of spreading waves from the ocean of the bliss of people who love the supreme līlā.