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राम

उत्तरखण्ड · अध्याय 28

The Veda-Sages' Companion Forms and Services

Global chapter 489 of 51431 passagesSource PDF pages 358360
Chapter context and opening material

Source: Volume 3, physical PDF pages 358–360 (printed pages 337–339). Structure: Thirty-one sequential Sanskrit passages. Summary: Rāma explains the companion forms and intimate services that Vasiṣṭha, Kauṇḍinya, Vāmadeva, Yājñavalkya, Bhāradvāja, Vātsyāyana, Bharata, Vyāsa, Śuka, Agastya, Gautama, Aṅgiras, Māṇḍavya, Atharvan, Vatsya, Baudhāyana, Gārgya, Āpastamba, Śāṇḍilya, and the sages of other Vedic lineages will attain. Their services include fanning, preparing foods and garlands, teaching arts and poetry, arranging reconciliation and union, bearing mirrors and water, cooking, offering tāmbūla, and adorning the divine pair. Rāma then declares entrance into the station of līlā to be supreme liberation: Brahman and the imperishable are lower than it, every current of bliss flows from it, and pure devotion to Rāma leaves nothing further to attain.

Passage 1

श्रीराम उवाच— एवं वसिष्ठो भविता वसिष्ठा नाम या सखी। चन्द्रं यथा चकोरो हि द्रक्ष्यते युगलं वपुः॥१॥

Śrī Rāma said: In this way Vasiṣṭha will become the companion named Vasiṣṭhā. As a cakora bird gazes upon the moon, she will behold the paired divine form.

Passage 2

अहर्निशं तु पार्श्वस्था चामरव्यजनादिभिः। सेवयिष्यति सम्प्रीत्या सहजारामचन्द्रयोः॥२॥

Standing at their side day and night, she will lovingly serve Sahajā and Rāmacandra with a fly whisk, fan, and other implements.

Passage 3

कौण्डिन्यो मुनिशार्दूलः प्रेमोर्जितमहोदयः। लप्स्यते सहजारामसहजानन्दपात्रताम्॥३॥

Kauṇḍinya, tiger among sages, whose great glory is strengthened by love, will become a vessel for the innate bliss of Sahajā and Rāma.

Passage 4

वामदेवो महायोगी मनोऽभिलषितं वरम्। प्राप्स्यति श्रीरामहिता वामा नाम सखीपदम्॥४॥

The great yogin Vāmadeva will receive the boon desired in his heart: the station of the companion named Vāmā, devoted to Śrī Rāma's good.

Passage 5

वामभावं शिक्षयन्ती स्वाधीनपतिका प्रिया। प्रेम्णः कौटिल्यविषये निपुणा भावभूषिता॥५॥

She will teach the beloved, who keeps her lover under her sway, the ways of contrary love. Adorned with bhāva, she will be expert in love's artful crookedness.

Passage 6

याज्ञवल्क्यो महायोगी श्रुतिसाररहस्यवित्। याज्ञवल्क्या सखी नाम भविता रामकेलिनी॥६॥

The great yogin Yājñavalkya, knower of the secret essence of revelation, will become the companion named Yājñavalkyā, delighting in play with Rāma.

Passage 7

पयःसारदधिक्षीरनवनीतघृतादिकम्। समर्पयन्ती युगलं नित्यं पर्यचरिष्यति॥७॥

Offering the divine pair cream, curd, milk, fresh butter, ghee, and other foods, she will attend them perpetually.

Passage 8

भारद्वाजो मुनिश्रेष्ठो भक्तिभूषणभूषितः। भविता प्रमोदवने भारती नाम तत्सखी॥८॥

Bhāradvāja, foremost of sages and adorned with devotion as his ornament, will become their companion named Bhāratī in Pramodavana.

Passage 9

कवितां या शिक्षयन्ती सहजायै तु शैशवे। येन प्रवीणतां याति रामलीलाविनोदिनी॥९॥

She will teach poetry to Sahajā in childhood, through which that delighter in Rāma's līlā will attain consummate skill.

Passage 10

वात्स्यायनो मुनिर्देवः षट्शृङ्गाररसपोषकः। भरतश्च कलाकान्तो भवितारौ सखीपदम्॥१०॥

The divine sage Vātsyāyana, nourisher of the six modes of erotic rasa, and Bharata, beloved of the arts, will attain the station of companions.

Passage 11

कला कलावती चैव तयोः सर्वकलागुरुः। व्यासश्च भविता रामसखी प्रेमविचक्षणा॥११॥

They will be Kalā and Kalāvatī, teachers of every art. Vyāsa too will become a companion of Rāma, discerning in love.

Passage 12

शमादिभिरुपायैर्या मानं मोचयितुं क्षमा। रामलीलागुणालापपूर्वस्मरविवर्धिनी॥१२॥

Through conciliation and other means she will be capable of releasing offended pride, rekindling former love through conversation about the virtues of Rāma's līlā.

Passage 13

श्रीसखी वासिनी नाम व्रजलीलारसोत्सुका। शुकश्च सुखदा नाम भविता श्रीप्रियासखीः॥१३॥

There will be the glorious companion named Vāsinī, eager for the rasa of Vraja līlā; and Śuka will become Sukhadā, a dear companion of Śrī.

Passage 14

सर्वोपायेन या नित्यं तयोः प्रणयसंगमम्। वाञ्छन्ती कुञ्जदेशेषु पुष्पतल्पं तनोति वै॥१४॥

Always desiring the loving union of the two by every means, she will spread flower beds in the bowers. Source note: The edition's footnote reports that passage 14 is absent from the Baḍau witness. The complete passage is present in the controlling scan and is retained.

Passage 15

अगस्त्यो नाम योगीन्द्रो रामभक्तिप्रभावतः। अगस्त्या नाम कुञ्जस्था भविता सत्सखी तयोः॥१५॥

The lord of yogins named Agastya, through the power of devotion to Rāma, will become their true, bower-dwelling companion named Agastyā.

Passage 16

यया प्रसादितं नित्यं व्रजस्त्रीणां मनोजलम्। दृष्टापराधे कान्तेऽपि रामे सर्वगुणाकरे॥१६॥

Through her, the waters of the Vraja women's minds will always be made serene, even when their beloved Rāma, treasury of every virtue, has been seen to commit an offense.

Passage 17

गौतमो मुनिरभ्यर्च्य तपसा परमेश्वरम्। तत्प्रसादेन रामेण मालाकारीपदं व्रजे। लब्ध्वा श्रीरामसहजां वैजयन्तीसमर्पिणी॥१७॥

The sage Gautama will worship the Supreme Lord through austerity and, by Rāma's grace, obtain the garland-maker's station in Vraja, offering a Vaijayantī garland to Śrī Rāma and Sahajā.

Passage 18

आङ्गिरसो महायोगी सहजारामसन्निधौ। आङ्गी नाम सखी रम्या भविता वेत्रधारिणी॥१८॥

The great yogin Aṅgiras will become, in the presence of Sahajā and Rāma, the lovely companion named Āṅgī, bearer of the staff.

Passage 19

माण्डव्यो नाम योगीन्द्रो महावैखानसार्चितः। भविता मण्डनी नाम सखी श्रीराममण्डिनी॥१९॥

The lord of yogins named Māṇḍavya, honored by the great Vaikhānasas, will become the companion Maṇḍanī, she who adorns Śrī Rāma.

Passage 20

आथर्वणो महायोगी भविता सहजासखी। व्यजने चैव ताम्बूले महावैदग्ध्यभूषिता॥२०॥

The great yogin Atharvan will become Sahajā's companion, adorned with consummate skill in fanning and preparing tāmbūla.

Passage 21

वत्स्यो नाम मुनिश्रेष्ठः श्रीरामकृपया पुनः। भविता वत्सला नाम सखी वात्सल्यकोविदा॥२१॥

The eminent sage named Vatsya, through Śrī Rāma's grace, will become the companion Vatsalā, expert in tender, parental love.

Passage 22

बौधायनश्च गार्ग्यश्च भवितारौ सखीयुगम्। एका दर्पणधारिणी परा पानीयपायिका॥२२॥

Baudhāyana and Gārgya will become a pair of companions: one bearing a mirror, the other giving water to drink.

Passage 23

आपस्तम्बो मुनिश्रेष्ठः पाककारी भविष्यति। सूपौदनादिसम्भारे श्रीरामप्रभुसेविनी॥२३॥

The eminent sage Āpastamba will become a cook, serving Lord Śrī Rāma by preparing soups, rice, and other dishes.

Passage 24

शाण्डिल्यो भगवान् नित्यं भगवद्भक्तिभावतः। कुञ्जस्था शाण्डिला नाम सत्सखी भविता तयोः॥२४॥

The venerable Śāṇḍilya, because of his perpetual devotion to the Lord, will become their true, bower-dwelling companion named Śāṇḍilā.

Passage 25

कठकौथुमकौशीतिमादिसांख्यायनादयः। सर्वे पृथक् पृथग् जाताः सख्यः श्रीरामसन्निधौ॥२५॥

The sages of the Kaṭha, Kauthuma, Kauśītika, Sāṅkhyāyana, and other lineages will each be born separately as companions in Śrī Rāma's presence.

Passage 26

असंख्याता मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सख्य एव न संशयः। यथाधिकारं लब्धारः सखीस्थानानि चैतयोः॥२६॥

Innumerable eminent sages will indeed become companions—there is no doubt. Each will obtain a companion's station with the two according to the service for which they are qualified.

Passage 27

एषा हि परमा मुक्तिर्यल्लीलापदसंगमः। अर्वाक् पदं ततः सर्वं ब्राह्ममक्षरमव्ययम्॥२७॥

This union with the station of līlā is truly supreme liberation. Every station below it—including Brahman, the imperishable and immutable—is subordinate.

Passage 28

सर्वेऽप्यानन्दसन्दोहास्तत एव विनिर्गताः। विश्रामस्थानमेकं तं निःसीमानन्दवत्पदम्॥२८॥

All masses of bliss issue from that alone. It is the single resting place of the universe, the station endowed with boundless bliss.

Passage 29

मात्रानन्दरतानां तु तल्लोकप्राप्तिरीप्सिता। महानन्दरता भक्ताः प्राप्तुमर्हन्ति तत्पदम्॥२९॥

Those attached to measured, limited bliss merely desire to reach that realm; devotees absorbed in great bliss are fit to attain that station.

Passage 30

श्रीरामाख्यं परं प्राप्य फलभूमानमव्ययम्। शुद्धभक्त्या परिप्राप्य नाप्तव्यान्तरमिष्यते॥३०॥

Having fully attained through pure devotion the supreme named Śrī Rāma—the boundless and imperishable fruit—nothing else remains to be attained or desired.

Passage 31

श्रीरामेति च रामेति रमापतिमुदीरयन्। श्रीरामसन्निधौ भक्तो मोदते नात्र संशयः॥३१॥

Uttering “Śrī Rāma,” “Rāma,” and “Lord of Ramā,” the devotee rejoices in Śrī Rāma's presence; of this there is no doubt.