Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— चैत्रे मासि सिते पक्षे नवम्यां शुभवासरे। मम जन्मोत्सवं कुर्याद्भूरिवित्तव्ययादिभिः॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: On the auspicious ninth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Caitra, one should celebrate my birth festival with generous expenditure and abundant offerings.
Passage 2
विपुलं मण्डपं कुर्यात् पुष्पमाल्याम्बरादिभिः। वासितं पटवासाद्यैः कर्पूरघुसृणादिभिः॥२॥
One should prepare a spacious pavilion with flower garlands, cloth, and other decorations, perfuming it with scented powders, camphor, saffron, and the like.
Passage 3
कुर्याच्च शुभान् दिव्यघटान् नीरप्रपूरितान्। ममाभिषेकं कुर्वीत कुम्भैः शङ्खकुशोदकैः॥३॥
One should arrange auspicious, beautiful vessels filled with water and bathe me ceremonially with pots of water sanctified by a conch and kuśa grass.
Passage 4
उद्वर्त्य घुसृणक्षोदैः स्नानं पञ्चामृतैस्ततः। शुद्धोदकेन संस्नाप्य जातकोत्सवमाचरेत्॥४॥
After anointing me with powdered saffron, one should bathe me with the five nectars and then with pure water, and thus perform the birth celebration.
Passage 5
यथैव दुर्लभे पुत्रे वार्धके वयसि स्थिते। जाते कुर्यादुत्सवं च तथैवोत्सवमाचरेत्॥५॥
One should celebrate just as a person advanced in age would rejoice when a long-awaited son is born.
Passage 6
मिष्टान्नभोजनान्युच्चैर्दद्यान्मत्प्रीतिहेतवे। वैष्णवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यो मम भक्तेभ्य एव च॥६॥
To please me, one should distribute excellent sweet foods and meals to Vaiṣṇavas, brāhmaṇas, and all my devotees.
Passage 7
कुण्डले मुद्रिकावस्त्रे दद्यान्मत्प्रीतिहेतवे। महान्तमुत्सवं कुर्वन् मृदङ्गध्वनिपूर्वकम्॥७॥
While holding a grand festival accompanied by the sound of mṛdaṅgas, one should give earrings, rings, and garments for my pleasure.
Passage 8
जातस्य मम संवृद्धये विप्रेभ्यो भूरिदक्षिणाः। एवं वैशाखमासेऽपि नवम्यां शुक्लपक्षके॥८॥
For the flourishing of my newly manifested form, one should give abundant gifts to brāhmaṇas. In the same way, on the ninth day of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha—
Passage 9
सहजायाः शुभं कुर्याञ्जन्मोत्सवमुदारधीः। सुवासिनीभ्यः कन्याभ्यो दद्याद्भूषणमम्बरम्॥९॥
—the generous-minded devotee should perform the auspicious birth festival of Sahajā, giving ornaments and garments to married women and maidens.
Passage 10
अलंकृत्य स्नानलेपसौरभार्पणभूषणैः। भोजयेद्धरिभक्त्यैव सहजाप्रीतिहेतवे॥१०॥
After honoring them with bathing, unguents, fragrant offerings, and ornaments, one should feed them with devotion to Hari for the pleasure of Sahajā.
Passage 11
प्रमोदविपिनग्रामे राजिनीनन्दनालये। उत्पन्ना सहजालक्ष्मीर्मम रासविनोदिनी॥११॥
In the village of Pramodavipina, in the home of Rājinīnandana, Sahajā-Lakṣmī—my companion in the delights of the rāsa—appeared.
Passage 12
तस्मिन् दिने व्रतं कुर्यादुत्सवं च विशेषतः। माघशुक्ले च पञ्चम्यामवतीर्णा पुनः प्रिया॥१२॥
On that day one should observe a vow and hold a special celebration. My beloved appeared again on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Māgha—
Passage 13
जनकस्य गृहे यज्ञवेद्यां मङ्गलशालिनी। तत्रापि चोत्सवं कुर्याद्भक्त्या मत्प्रीतिहेतवे॥१३॥
—as the auspicious one upon the sacrificial altar in Janaka's home. One should celebrate that appearance as well, with devotion and for my pleasure.
Passage 14
ततः प्रदोषसमये दोलयेद्दोलया प्रियाम्। मत्सार्धं सहजानन्दां गोपितां भुवनत्रये। रत्नभूषणवासांसि नर्तकेभ्यः प्रदापयेत्॥१४॥
At twilight one should place my beloved Sahajānandā—hidden throughout the three worlds—upon a swing together with me. One should give jeweled ornaments and garments to the dancers.
Passage 15
एवं यो वार्षिकं दिव्यमुत्सवं कुरुते नरः। स याति मत्पदं दिव्यं यत्र याताः शुकादयः॥१५॥
The person who performs this divine annual festival reaches my transcendent abode, attained by Śuka and the other great sages.
Passage 16
अबन्ध्यं तद्दिनं कुर्यान्मत्कथाश्रवणादिभिः। वैष्णवान् पूजयेद्भक्त्या मम प्राणा हि ते मताः॥१६॥
One should make that day fruitful by hearing my sacred narratives and performing other devotions, and should worship the Vaiṣṇavas with devotion, for I regard them as my very life.
Passage 17
ममापराधं जनितं क्षमेऽहं न वैष्णवानामपराधलेशम्। विना च तद्वैष्णवसेवयाहं गृह्णामि सेवां न कदापि लोके॥१७॥
I forgive an offense committed against me, but not even the slightest offense against the Vaiṣṇavas. Without service to those Vaiṣṇavas, I never accept anyone's service in this world.
Passage 18
यत्र मद्वैष्णवा लोकाः कुपिता यान्ति कारणात्। तं देशं सहसा त्यक्त्वा व्रजामि खलु दुर्भगम्॥१८॥
If my Vaiṣṇavas have reason to become angry and depart from a place, I immediately abandon that unfortunate land and go away.
Passage 19
अपि नाम महापापकारी मल्लक्षणाङ्कितः। न दूष्यो वैष्णवैर्लोकैः पक्षपातो ममेदृशः॥१९॥
Even if one has committed terrible sins, if that person bears my emblems, Vaiṣṇava people must not condemn him. Such is my partiality toward my devotees.
Passage 20
तवास्मीति वदेद्यो मां सकृदप्यसकृच्च वा। कृतान्तेनापि घोरेण स वै नेतुं न शक्यते॥२०॥
Whether once or repeatedly, whoever says to me, “I am yours,” cannot be carried away even by fearsome Death.
Passage 21
तवास्मीत्यक्षरं लोके मामुद्दिश्य समीरितम्। मदीय एव स नरो नात्र कार्या विचारणा॥२१॥
The person who utters the words “I am yours” in this world, directing them to me, is truly mine; no further deliberation is needed.
Passage 22
किमर्थं बहुनामानि किमर्थं बहुमन्त्रकान्। किमर्थं बहुशास्त्राणि कण्ठशोषकराणि च॥२२॥
Why resort to countless names? Why to countless mantras? Why to the many scriptures that merely leave the throat parched?
Passage 23
गृणन्ति च किमर्थं वै स्वाध्यायान् भूरिकष्टदान्। मामुद्दिश्य तवास्मीति सकृज्जल्पेदिहैव नरः॥२३॥
Why recite laborious courses of sacred study? A person need only say once, here and now, while addressing me: “I am yours.”
Passage 24
अयमेव महायागो ह्ययमेव महान् जपः। अयमेव महान् योगस्तवास्मीति यदुच्चरेत्॥२४॥
To say “I am yours” is itself the great sacrifice, itself the great recitation, and itself the great yoga.
Passage 25
ममैव निहितं तिष्ठेन्नान्यस्य कस्यचिद्भवेत्। देवानां वा पितॄणां वा मनुष्याणामथापि वा॥२५॥
One should remain wholly entrusted to me alone and belong to no one else—not to the gods, the ancestors, or any human being.
Passage 26
असङ्गः सर्वदा तिष्ठेत्तथा वर्णाश्रमादिषु। अहमेव तस्य वर्णोऽप्यहमेवाश्रमस्तथा॥२६॥
One should always remain unattached even in relation to social class, stage of life, and the rest. I alone am that person's class, and I alone am that person's spiritual station.
Passage 27
अहमेव तथाऽऽधार ऐहिके पारलौकिके। मामेव सर्वविश्वासादाश्रयेद्भवसागरे॥२७॥
I alone am the support in this world and the next. With complete trust, one should take refuge in me alone while crossing the ocean of becoming.
Passage 28
तमहं मोचयाम्यद्धा मयि भारसमर्पिणम्। अहङ्कारोऽयमेव स्यादैहिकादिभरः स्वतः॥२८॥
I certainly liberate the person who places every burden upon me. To regard worldly and other burdens as one's own is itself egoism.
Passage 29
मयि संन्यस्य तं भारं सुखी तिष्ठेत् मत्परः। सर्व एव भरो विष्णौ (रामे) मयि ब्रह्माण्डरक्षके। तमात्मनि शठः पश्यन् बन्धनं याति मानवः॥२९॥
My devotee should place that burden upon me and live in happiness. Every burden rests upon Viṣṇu—upon me, Rāma, protector of the universe. The foolish person who sees that burden as resting upon oneself enters bondage.
Passage 30
एवं भक्तिपथः प्रोक्तो मया तुभ्यं महामुने। उत्तमः सर्वधर्माणां शरीराणां यथा शिरः॥३०॥ Thus, great sage, I have taught you the path of devotion. It is highest among all sacred duties, just as the head is highest among the limbs of a body. **इति श्रीमदादिरामायणे ब्रह्मभुशुण्डसंवादे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीरामात्रेयसंवादे आत्रेयबोधितश्रीरामगीतायां सप्तदशोऽध्यायः॥१७॥
** Thus ends Chapter Seventeen 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.