Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— नोष्णीषं धारयेद्भक्तः पुरुषाहंकृतिं तथा। श्मश्रूणि कञ्चुकं चैव पूर्वनाम च यद्भवेत्॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: A devotee should not maintain a turban as a sign of masculine pride, nor beard and moustache, a fitted jacket, or the former personal name.
Passage 2
वर्णाश्रमादिचिह्नानि सोपवीतां शिखां पुनः। वेदाङ्गादिसर्वभागांश्च सर्ववेदायतोऽस्य हि॥२॥
One should nevertheless retain the marks of varṇa and āśrama, together with the sacred thread and topknot, for all these limbs and divisions derive from the Veda.
Passage 3
सर्ववेदसमं तद्धि यत्प्राप्तं मामकं पदम्। स्मार्तानि च निषिद्धानि स्वविरोधेन पालयेत्॥३॥
The station of mine that has been attained is equal to the whole Veda. One should observe the remembered duties and prohibitions insofar as they do not conflict with one's own devotional commitment.
Passage 4
दहेच्च भुजयोः युग्मं मामकैर्धनुरायुधैः। कुर्याच्च सर्वगात्रेषु संस्कारं पुण्ड्रकाभिधम्॥४॥
One should consecrate both arms by branding them with my bow and weapon-marks and apply to every limb the sanctifying mark called puṇḍra.
Passage 5
पवित्रं धारयेन्नाम रामदासादिरूपभाक्। तदुच्चारणमात्रेण पूतो भवति मानवः॥५॥
One should bear a sacred name such as Rāmadāsa. By the mere utterance of that name, a human being becomes purified.
Passage 6
यथा रामभगवतो नामोच्चारणतो मम। तथा पावयति ब्रह्मन् नाम सम्बन्धिनोऽपि मे॥६॥
Just as uttering “Rāma,” my divine name, purifies, so too, Brahman, does a name that expresses relationship with me.
Passage 7
तादृशानि तु नामानि यान्ति लौकिकतां न च। तन्नामयोगमात्रेण मदीयो जायते नरः॥७॥
Names of that kind never become merely worldly. Simply by being joined to such a name, a person becomes mine.
Passage 8
यदात्मा मत्पदं प्राप्तः साक्षान्मद्दासतां गतः। तादृशं यस्य नामास्ति न तस्य गृहकल्पनम्॥८॥
When the self has attained my station and directly entered my service, whoever bears such a name is no longer defined by an ordinary household identity.
Passage 9
रामो देवः सदा येषां राम एव च तारकः। राम एव तथा कर्ता वैष्णवान् पूजयेत् सदा॥९॥
Those for whom Rāma is always God, Rāma alone is the deliverer, and Rāma alone is the agent should perpetually honor the Vaiṣṇavas.
Passage 10
तन्नामवति वै भक्ते न भवेद्यमयातना। तस्माल्लौकिकनामानि परित्यज्य सदा नरः॥१०॥
A devotee bearing that sacred name does not undergo Yama's torment. Therefore a person should abandon merely worldly names—
Passage 11
तादृशं धारयेन्नाम यादृशं वैष्णवोचितम्। ततः स रामदासाख्यः श्रीगुरुं सततं भजेत्॥११॥
—and take a name appropriate to a Vaiṣṇava. Then, known as a servant of Rāma, one should serve the revered guru continually.
Passage 12
स तं करुणया ब्रह्मन् दिव्यमन्त्रमुपादिशेत्। मन्त्रश्च द्विविधः प्रोक्तो द्व्यक्षरश्चाष्ट एव च॥१२॥
Out of compassion, Brahman, the guru should impart the divine mantra. Mantra is taught in two forms: the two-syllable form and the form of eight.
Passage 13
दैशिकोक्तप्रकारेण तं मन्त्रं प्रजपेन्नरः। मन्त्रजापी भवेत्पूतो मन्त्रजापी भवेन्मुनिः॥१३॥
One should recite that mantra according to the method taught by the spiritual preceptor. Through mantra recitation one becomes pure; through mantra recitation one becomes a sage.
Passage 14
मन्त्रजापी भवेद्दिव्यस्तस्मान्मन्त्रं सदा जपेत्। बीजमन्त्रं जपेद्वापि नाममन्त्रं जपेन्मुने॥१४॥
Through mantra recitation one becomes divine; therefore one should always repeat the mantra. Sage, one may recite either a seed-mantra or a name-mantra.
Passage 15
बीजमन्त्रं चिरात्सिध्येन्नाममन्त्रं तु तत्क्षणात्। रामरामादिकं नाम बीजं मायारसादिकम्॥१५॥
A seed-mantra is perfected only after a long time, while a name-mantra is effective at once. “Rāma, Rāma” and similar forms are name-mantras; māyā, rasa, and related syllables are seeds.
Passage 16
बीजचैतन्यसाक्षात्त्वे बीजं सिध्यति तत्क्षणात्। तत्तु दूरतरे लोके भावनावशचेतसाम्॥१६॥
When the living consciousness of the seed is directly realized, the seed is perfected at that very moment. Yet such realization remains exceedingly remote for minds governed by constructed visualization.
Passage 17
कोटिबालार्कसंकाशं कोटिचन्द्रसमप्रभम्। कोटिविद्युत्प्रतीकाशं चमत्कारकलानिधिम्॥१७॥
One should behold it as radiant as ten million rising suns, luminous as ten million moons, flashing like ten million bolts of lightning, and a treasury of wondrous powers.
Passage 18
भावयेन्मन्त्रचैतन्यं स्वात्माभेदेन साधकः। तत्प्रभापुञ्जसञ्जातहस्तपादादिविग्रहम्॥१८॥
The practitioner should contemplate the living consciousness of the mantra as nondifferent from the self, its hands, feet, and entire form arising from that mass of radiance.
Passage 19
भावयेन्मन्त्रदेवं च रामचन्द्रं परात्परम्। या यस्य भावनाशक्तिः सा मूर्तिस्तस्य विस्फुरेत्॥१९॥
One should contemplate the mantra-deity as Rāmacandra, the highest beyond the highest. Whatever power of visualization a person possesses, through it that form becomes manifest.
Passage 20
साक्षात्कृतो देवदेवो दत्ते कामवरं पुरः। आचारपूततां ब्रह्मा विष्णुः श्रियमनश्वराम्॥२०॥
When directly realized, the God of gods stands before the practitioner and grants the desired boon. Brahmā bestows purity of conduct, and Viṣṇu grants imperishable prosperity.
Passage 21
ऐश्वर्यं भगवानीशो बलं तु मघवा हरिः। सूर्यस्तेजः शशी चायुरग्निरोजः प्रयच्छति॥२१॥
The blessed Lord Īśa grants sovereignty, and Maghavan Hari grants strength. The sun gives brilliance, the moon gives life, and fire bestows vital force.
Passage 22
सरस्वती सरस्वतीमुमादेवी पराक्रमम्। कुबेरश्च धनं भूरि वायुर्दत्ते बलोद्भवम्॥२२॥
Sarasvatī grants eloquence, the goddess Umā grants valor, Kubera grants abundant wealth, and Vāyu gives the arising of strength.
Passage 23
वरुणः शान्तिमतुलां यमो धर्मबलोदयम्। निर्ऋतिः कुरुते वृद्धिमन्ये देवास्तथा वरान्॥२३॥
Varuṇa grants incomparable peace, Yama the arising of dharma's strength, and Nirṛti increase; the other gods likewise grant their respective boons.
Passage 24
अहं पुनरभीतिं च प्रपन्नेभ्यो ददामि वै। एवं मन्त्रं समाराध्य कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः॥२४॥
I, however, grant fearlessness to those who take refuge in me. By worshiping the mantra in this way, a person becomes fulfilled in all that must be done.
Passage 25
नहि मन्त्रेण सदृशं शीघ्रोपायेषु विद्यते। नामोपायस्ततः शीघ्रः प्रवक्ष्यामि च तं मुने॥२५॥ Among swift means, none equals mantra. Yet the way of the divine name is swifter still; I shall now explain it to you, sage. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीरामात्रेयसंवादे आत्रेयबोधितश्रीरामगीतायां त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः॥१३॥
** Thus ends Chapter Thirteen of the Śrī Rāma Gītā taught in response to Ātreya, within the dialogue of Śrī Rāma and the sage of Atri's line in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa, in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa.