Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— बाह्ययागेष्वशक्तश्चेदान्तरं यजनं चरेत्। सहस्रदलमध्यस्थं दिव्यं ज्योतिः परं पदम्॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: If one is unable to perform external worship, one should undertake inward sacrifice, contemplating the divine light and supreme station at the center of the thousand-petaled lotus.
Passage 2
हृत्पङ्कजे समानीय भावयेत्साधकोत्तमः। श्यामं पीताम्बरं देवं पुण्डरीकाक्षमच्युतम्॥२॥
The excellent practitioner should bring that presence into the lotus of the heart and contemplate the dark-hued, yellow-robed, lotus-eyed, imperishable Lord.
Passage 3
धनुर्धरं कौस्तुभाढ्यं श्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्। स्मितरञ्जितबिम्बोष्ठं कमलासेवितं सदा॥३॥
He bears the bow, is adorned with the Kaustubha, and has the Śrīvatsa upon his chest. His bimba-red lips are brightened by a smile, and Kamalā serves him always.
Passage 4
स्वर्णोपवीतसंवीतं स्वर्णरत्नविभूषितम्। स्फुरन्मकरिकाकारकुण्डलद्वयभूषितम्॥४॥
He wears a golden sacred thread and ornaments of gold and jewels, and is adorned with a shining pair of earrings shaped like makaras.
Passage 5
लम्बालकलताशोभिवदनाम्भोजसुन्दरम्। सर्वावयवशोभाढ्यं त्रिवलीराजितोदरम्॥५॥
His beautiful lotus face shines with long curling locks; every limb is radiant, and three graceful folds adorn his abdomen.
Passage 6
गम्भीरनाभिसंस्थानं सूक्ष्ममध्यस्थलं तथा। द्विभुजं मां बालकेलौ स्मरेद्दशरथालये॥६॥
His navel is deep and his waist slender. One should remember me in two-armed form, engaged in childhood play within Daśaratha's palace.
Passage 7
सुखितस्य गृहे चापि क्रीडन्तं मोदकानने। सहजानन्दिनीकान्तं कुञ्जकेलिविशारदम्॥७॥
One should also contemplate me playing in Sukhita's house and in the forest of delight—the beloved of Sahajānandinī and master of līlā in the bowers.
Passage 8
मानसैरुपचारैश्च तोषयेद्भूरिभोगदैः। न मानससमा सेवा न मानससमा क्रिया॥८॥
One should delight me with mental offerings that provide abundant enjoyments. No service equals mental service, and no rite equals the mental rite.
Passage 9
न मानससमा भक्तिर्न मानससमा मतिः। तस्मान्मानसरूपाभिः संविधाभिः प्रपूजयेत्॥९॥
No devotion equals mental devotion, and no understanding equals mental contemplation. Therefore one should worship with arrangements formed within the mind.
Passage 10
आसनं वसनं चैव पाद्यार्थ्याचमनादिकम्। गन्धादिकं सनैवेद्यं तथैवारातिकादिकम्॥१०॥
The seat, garments, water for the feet, welcome offering, sipping water, fragrances, food, lamp ceremony, and all the rest should be mentally prepared.
Passage 11
बालभोगादिकं चापि मनसैव प्रकल्पयेत्। कुर्याच्च मनसा गानं मनसा नृत्यमाचरेत्॥११॥
One should mentally arrange the offerings appropriate to the child form and all other enjoyments, sing within the mind, and perform the dance mentally.
Passage 12
प्रादक्षिणं च मनसा दण्डवत्प्रणतिस्तथा। यावन्न जायतेऽभ्यासो मानसे कर्मणि स्फुटम्॥१२॥
Circumambulation and full prostration should likewise be performed mentally. Until clear and stable practice arises in mental worship—
Passage 13
तावद्बाह्यानि कर्माणि कुर्वीत प्रयतो नरः। अभ्यस्ते मानसे कर्मण्यलं बाह्येन कर्मणा॥१३॥
—a disciplined person should continue the external acts. Once the mental rite is mastered, external action is no longer necessary.
Passage 14
शतवर्षकृतं कर्म भगवत्सेवनादिकम्। तत्क्षणे मानसं कर्म न तुलां याति तस्य तत्॥१४॥
Even divine service and other rites performed externally for a hundred years cannot equal that mental act accomplished in a single moment.
Passage 15
ब्रह्माण्डगोलकं भित्त्वा दृढज्ञानासिना नरः। एकं प्रपूरयेत् क्षीरैरन्यं भूरिसिताभरैः॥१५॥
With the sword of firm knowledge, one may mentally split open two cosmic spheres, filling one with milk and the other with vast quantities of sugar.
Passage 16
आहवनीयेन सम्पाच्य पायसं दिव्यतण्डुलैः। एकीकृत्य सिताभारान् विभवे मह्यमर्पयेत्॥१६॥
One may cook divine rice pudding in the sacrificial fire, combine it with those masses of sugar, and offer the immeasurable abundance to me.
Passage 17
एव मानससेवासु सौकर्यं भूरितापि च। तस्मात्को नाम न नरो मानसं कर्तुमर्हति॥१७॥
Such is the extraordinary ease and abundance possible in mental service. What person, then, could be unqualified to perform it?
Passage 18
मानसे सुलभा दिव्या गन्धपुष्पादिसम्पदः। मानसे सुलभो देवः सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहः॥१८॥
Within the mind, divine riches of fragrance, flowers, and every offering are readily available; within the mind, the Lord whose form is being, consciousness, and bliss is readily accessible.
Passage 19
तस्मान्मानसकर्मैव कुर्यान्नित्यमतन्द्रितः। मम सेवां विधायादौ परिवारं ममार्चयेत्॥१९॥
Therefore one should tirelessly perform mental worship each day. After first serving me, one should worship my retinue.
Passage 20
श्रीमद्दशरथं तातं कौसल्याद्याश्च मातरः। भ्रातरं लक्ष्मणं शेषं परीं कीरीं च तत्स्त्रियः॥२०॥
One should worship glorious Daśaratha as father, Kauśalyā and the other mothers, the brothers Lakṣmaṇa and Śeṣa, Parī and Kīrī, and their consorts.
Passage 21
जानकीं हनुमन्तं च कपिवर्गं च मे प्रियम्। प्रत्येकमुपचारौघैर्माण्डवीं सुखितं तथा॥२१॥
One should likewise worship Jānakī, Hanumān, my beloved company of monkeys, Māṇḍavī, and Sukhita, each with a full array of offerings.
Passage 22
प्रमोदविपिनं दिव्यमन्यैः परिकरैः सह। एवं पूजां समाचर्य कृतकृत्यो भवेन्नरः॥२२॥
One should worship divine Pramodavana together with all the other attendants. Completing worship in this way, a person becomes fulfilled in everything that must be done.
Passage 23
ऐहिके चामुष्मिके च कर्तव्यं नावशिष्यते। प्रेम्णायुतोऽखिलं कुर्यात्तदभावे तु मध्यमम्॥२३॥
No duty remains either for this world or the next. One should do everything filled with love; in love's absence, the service is only middling.
Passage 24
ज्ञानाभावे प्रेमसत्त्वे नैव मध्यमता भवेत्। तस्मात् प्रेम पुरस्कृत्य सर्वसेवादिकं चरेत्॥२४॥
Even if knowledge is absent, service is not middling when love is truly present. Therefore one should place love foremost in every act of service.
Passage 25
यथा स्त्रियो विना भूषां भोजनं च घृतं विना। भाग्यं विना च पुरुषस्तथा प्रेम विना कृतम्॥२५॥
An act done without love is like a woman without adornment, food without ghee, or a person without good fortune.
Passage 26
अयं रसो भक्तिरूपो भावरूपः सनातनः। तद्वन्तो रसिका ज्ञेया रसभावविदो जनाः॥२६॥ This rasa is eternal, taking the form of devotion and divine feeling. Those who possess it are to be known as rasikas, people who understand rasa and bhāva. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीरामात्रेयसंवादे आत्रेयबोधितश्रीरामगीतायां षोडशोऽध्यायः॥१६॥
** Thus ends Chapter Sixteen 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.