Passage 1
जना ऊचुः— अहो अयं पश्यतां नो मनांसि दृष्टीः समाकर्षति नित्यमेव। पारेपरार्द्धेन्दुविभासिनीभिरनल्पश्रीविग्रहमाधुरीभिः॥१॥
The people said: Ah, before our watching eyes this one forever draws our minds and our gazes through the immeasurable beauty of his glorious form, radiant with the brilliance of countless moons.
Passage 2
कदाचिद्भवसंतप्ता नाम चेदस्य जिह्वया। गृहीतमस्तद्भवत्येव मनःपीयूषशीतलम्॥२॥
Whenever a tongue scorched by worldly existence takes his Name, the mind at once becomes cool as nectar.
Passage 3
रूपेण कान्त्या वयसा माधुर्येण स्वभावतः। गुणैश्चारित्रकैर्लीलासौन्दर्यैः सर्वमोहनः॥३॥
By his form, radiance, youth, sweetness, natural disposition, virtues, deeds, play, and beauty, he enchants everyone.
Passage 4
नात्र संदेहलेशोऽस्ति साक्षादेष स्वयं रामः। कारणं द्विजगोभूमिरक्षणं प्राप्य दृश्यते॥४॥
There is not the least doubt here: this is Rāma himself directly manifest. The evidence is visible in his taking up the protection of brahmins, cows, and the earth.
Passage 5
लीलामानुषनाट्योऽसौ परब्रह्म स्वरूपतः। शरणं गृह्यतामेष गृह्यतां च दृढं प्रभुः॥५॥
Though he performs the drama of a human being in divine play, in his own nature he is the Supreme Brahman. Let this Lord be taken as refuge and held to firmly.
Passage 6
श्रद्धया भक्तितो मर्त्याः सर्वस्वं क्रियते निजम्। तथा ह्यनेन कार्याणि कृतप्रायाणि सर्वशः॥६॥
Through faith and devotion, mortals make their whole being his own; in that way all their duties are virtually accomplished by him in every respect.
Passage 7
अधुना रमतेऽपारं निजं धाम परात्परम्। अक्षरं कालमायादि समतीत्य तदूर्जितम्॥७॥
He now delights in his own boundless and supremely transcendent abode, mighty beyond the imperishable, Time, Māyā, and all the rest.
Passage 8
तदाकारं न जानन्ति ह्यासुरं भावमाश्रिताः। तैरात्मा वञ्चितः स्वस्य भवसागरजैर्भ्रमैः॥८॥
Those who adopt a demonic disposition do not know that form. Their own self is cheated by delusions born from the ocean of worldly existence.
Passage 9
केचिदेनं वदन्तीह मानुषं भावमाश्रितम्। नहि कापि परं ब्रह्म दृश्यरूपं यदक्षरम्॥९॥
Some here describe him as one who has assumed a human condition, arguing that the imperishable Supreme Brahman could never possess a visible form.
Passage 10
केचिदेनं जगुर्लोकाः पुरुषं प्रवरं भुवि। न तु रामचन्द्रं साक्षान्मोहितास्तस्य मायया॥१०॥
Some people proclaim him merely the foremost man on earth, not Rāmacandra himself directly manifest, for they are deluded by his Māyā.
Passage 11
केचिदेनं परब्रह्म प्रवदन्ति स्वबुद्धितः। अनुभावविशेषेण विस्फुरन्तं निजैर्गुणैः॥११॥
Others, following their own understanding, call him the Supreme Brahman, shining through a distinctive power in his own qualities.
Passage 12
ते सर्वे दुरदृष्टेन वञ्चिताः प्रभुमायया। कृतार्था न भवन्त्येव दैवोपहतमानसाः॥१२॥
All of them, their minds struck by fate, are deprived by faulty vision and the Lord's Māyā; they never become fulfilled.
Passage 13
वयं त्वेनं भजिष्यामो ज्ञात्वा श्रीपुरुषोत्तमम्। अनादिनिधनं साक्षात्सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहम्॥१३॥
But we shall worship him, knowing him as the blessed Puruṣottama himself, without beginning or end and directly embodied as being, consciousness, and bliss.
Passage 14
वयं हि ज्ञातवन्तोऽस्य स्वरूपं परमेशितुः। अभाग्यास्तन्मृतयो वै ह्यधुना न भजेम चेत्॥१४॥
We have recognized the true form of this supreme ruler. We would be unfortunate and as good as dead if we did not worship him now.
Passage 15
को विशेषः पशुभ्यो नो ज्ञात्वैनं संत्यजाम चेत्। अयं श्रीभगवानस्मानुद्धर्ता दुःखसागरात्॥१५॥
What would distinguish us from animals if, after knowing him, we abandoned him? This blessed Lord will lift us out of the ocean of suffering.
Passage 16
य एनं भेजिरे पूर्वं त्यक्त्वाहंभावमात्मनः। मोचितास्तेऽनेकजन्मसंचिताद्दुःखसागरात्॥१६॥
Those who formerly worshiped him after abandoning their sense of ego were freed from the ocean of suffering accumulated through many births.
Passage 17
कर्मणापि ह्यमुं देवं भेजिरे सनकादयः। ततः पक्वकषायास्ते स्वात्मबोधमवाप्नुवन्॥१७॥
Sanaka and the others worshiped this Lord through action as well. Their residual passions thereby ripened away, and they attained knowledge of their own Self.
Passage 18
अमुमेव ज्ञानमार्गं ये विदुः शुद्धचेतसः। वामदेवप्रभृतयस्तेऽपि चैनमवाप्नुवन्॥१८॥
The pure-minded who knew this very Lord as the path of knowledge—Vāmadeva and the others—also attained him.
Passage 19
तथा हि वामदेवेन प्रतिपेदे स्वतेजसि। अहं हि मनुरभवं लोकमर्यादपालकः॥१९॥
Thus Vāmadeva realized within his own radiance: “I indeed became Manu, the guardian of the world's sacred order.”
Passage 20
स्वस्वरूपाखिलान् देवान् जानामि ज्ञानचक्षुषा। आत्मोपादानकं विश्वमात्मन्येव प्रलीयते॥२०॥
“Through the eye of knowledge I know all the gods as forms of my own Self. The universe, whose material cause is the Self, dissolves into the Self alone.”
Passage 21
मृदुपादानका अर्थाः प्रलीयन्ते यथा मृदि। आदावन्ते च मध्ये च मृद्रूपेण महीयते॥२१॥
“Just as objects whose material cause is clay dissolve into clay, so at the beginning, the end, and in between, clay alone is present in all its greatness.”
Passage 22
तथानादिः कालमानरहितोऽहं न संशयः। देशतः कालतश्चापि स्वरूपाच्च न मे त्विमाः॥२२॥
“In the same way I am beginningless and free from the measure of Time—of this there is no doubt. In place, in time, and in my own nature, I possess no limiting bounds.”
Passage 23
इत्येवं प्रतिपन्नः स बभूवामृतरूपकः। आत्मन्येव तथा ह्येनमुपासीत विचक्षणः॥२३॥
Realizing in this way, he became immortal in form. The discerning person should likewise worship this Lord within the Self itself.
Passage 24
न ह्येतस्मात्परः कश्चिदुपासा विधिगोचरः। भक्तिस्तु सुतरामस्मिन् क्रियमाणा शुभप्रदा॥२४॥
No object higher than this lies within the scope of prescribed worship, and devotion practiced toward him is exceedingly auspicious in its fruit.
Passage 25
चातुर्विध्येन मार्गस्य साधयन्ति प्रयोजनम्। स्वकं स्वकं जनाः सर्वे ह्यधिकारप्रभेदतः॥२५॥
According to their different capacities, all people accomplish the respective purpose of the path in its fourfold forms.
Passage 26
तद्रूपमस्मिन् मनुजा यथारुचिप्रभेदतः। आसंजयन्तु हृदयं नित्यं फलमवाप्स्यथ॥२६॥
O people, attach your hearts perpetually to the corresponding form within him according to the distinctions of your own inclination, and you will attain the fruit.
Passage 27
अथवा प्रकटे देवे साक्षाच्छ्रीपुरुषोत्तमे। सर्वान् मार्गान् परित्यज्य कायमानसदुःखदान्॥२७॥
Or, when the blessed Puruṣottama is himself directly manifest as Lord, abandon every path that brings distress to body and mind—
Passage 28
कुर्वन्तु भजनं शुद्धं समाधाय मनःसुखम्। शृण्वन्त्वेवं कथास्वन्तः कीर्तयन्तु तथा मुहुः॥२८॥
—and perform pure worship, settling the mind in happiness. Listen inwardly to his stories and repeatedly sing them as well.
Passage 29
अभिवादयन्तु शिरसा कुर्वन्तु पादसेवनम्। अर्चन्तु चोपचारौघैः स्मरन्तु नामरूपतः॥२९॥
Bow to him with your heads, perform service to his feet, worship him with a multitude of offerings, and remember him through his Name and form. Printed note: पादेऽस्मिन्नक्षराधिक्यमार्षः। — “In this pāda, the extra syllable is an archaic usage.” The printed form and its meter are preserved without silent regularization.
Passage 30
तथा शरणीकुर्वन्तु मैत्रीं कुर्वन्तु चामुना। निवेदयन्तु चात्मानममुष्मिन्नेव दैवते॥३०॥
In the same way, make him your refuge, cultivate friendship with him, and offer your very self to this Lord alone.
Passage 31
अङ्गीकरिष्यति परं युष्मानेष महाप्रभुः। ततस्तरिष्यथ जना दुस्तरं भवसागरम्॥३१॥
This great Lord will accept you completely; then, O people, you will cross the otherwise uncrossable ocean of worldly existence.
Passage 32
न कालो ग्रसते कश्चिदेनमाश्रित्य तिष्ठताम्। कालस्यापि परं कालं श्रीमन्तं भवतारकम्॥३२॥
Time does not devour anyone who abides relying upon him, the blessed one who is beyond even Time and carries beings across worldly existence.
Passage 33
इदानीं व्यक्ततां यात एतदर्थमयं जनाः। साधूनां च मुमुक्षूणां भक्तानां च विशेषतः॥३३॥
O people, he has now become manifest for this very purpose, especially for saints, seekers of liberation, and devotees.
Passage 34
सर्वदुःखप्रहारार्थं प्रकटः परमार्थतः। य एनं निर्गुणं मायारहितं सुनिरञ्जनम्॥३४॥
He is truly manifest in order to strike away every sorrow—he whom the knowers of the Veda describe as beyond qualities, free from Māyā, and perfectly stainless—
Passage 35
वदन्ति वेदविद्वांसो विद्यागम्यस्वरूपकम्। अविद्यानाशद्वारेण स्वरूपेण प्रकाशितम्॥३५॥
—whose essential form is reached through knowledge and becomes revealed through the gateway of ignorance's destruction.
Passage 36
मुख्यं कार्यमिदं ह्यस्य प्राकट्ययुतवर्मणः। अप्राकट्यं निजे धाम्नि कर्तुं संज्ञमगोचरम्॥३६॥
The chief purpose of his body joined to manifestation is to make intelligible the otherwise conceptually inaccessible unmanifest state within his own abode.
Passage 37
तदा स्वेच्छैकमात्रेण ह्यवितर्केण मानवैः। जनं यमनुगृह्णीयात्तस्यैव सम्प्रकाशकः॥३७॥
Then, solely through his own will, which human beings cannot reason out, he reveals himself completely to the very person whom he chooses to favor.
Passage 38
अन्यस्य तु फलं राति प्रभुर्मर्यादमास्थितः। अनुग्रहस्य रीतिः स्यादमर्यादा यथा भवेत्॥३८॥
To another, however, the Lord, established in sacred order, grants the corresponding fruit; the mode of grace is such that it can also be without limit.
Passage 39
मर्यादापोषणं चेति रीतिद्वयमुदाहृतम्। अप्राकट्ये भगवतः प्राकट्ये च परादरात्॥३९॥
These two modes—the sustaining of sacred limits and unrestricted grace—are taught with supreme regard to the Lord's unmanifest and manifest states.
Passage 40
व्रजेदेनं स्ववाञ्छातस्तं गृह्णातीति निश्चितः। यथा सर्वं परित्यज्य प्राप्तः श्रीमान् विभीषणः॥४०॥
One should approach him out of one's own longing, certain that he receives such a person—just as blessed Vibhīṣaṇa reached him after abandoning everything.
Passage 41
सकृदेव प्रपद्येत यस्तवास्मीति भाषया। तस्मै राघवशार्दूलो ददात्येवाभयं पदम्॥४१॥
Whoever surrenders just once with the words, “I am yours,” is certainly granted the fearless state by Rāghava, tiger among heroes.