Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— ततः स लोचनं लेभे रामभक्तिप्रभावतः। सञ्जातलोचनोऽथाग्रे ददर्श पुरुषं परम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: Then, through the power of devotion to Rāma, he regained his sight. His eyes restored, he beheld the Supreme Person before him.
Passage 2
निविडाम्बुधरं श्यामं श्रीमद्राजीवलोचनम्। आकाशनीलवपुषं तुङ्गनासाविराजितम्॥२॥
He was dark as a dense raincloud, with splendid lotus eyes, a body blue as the sky, and a noble, prominent nose.
Passage 3
केयूरिणं प्रविलसत्कटकं मणिमालिनम्। माणिक्यरत्नमुकुटं स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलम्॥३॥
He wore armlets and shining bracelets, a necklace of jewels, a ruby-studded crown, and radiant makara earrings.
Passage 4
करुणाचपलापाङ्गं पीताम्बरविराजितम्। श्रीवत्सवक्षसं भूरिगम्भीरावर्तनाभिकम्॥४॥
His darting side-glances overflowed with compassion; a yellow robe adorned him. The Śrīvatsa graced his chest, and his navel turned deep within.
Passage 5
सुन्दरं सिंहविक्रान्तं मृगराजोदरद्युतिम्। रत्नकाञ्चीसमाबद्धपीताम्बरसुवासितम्॥५॥
He was beautiful and lion-striding, his waist luminous like a lion's; a jeweled girdle bound his fragrant yellow garment.
Passage 6
श्रीरत्नपादुकान्यस्तचरणाम्बुरुहद्वयम्। चरणाब्जनखद्योतिविजितादित्यवर्चसम्॥६॥
His two lotus feet rested in splendid jeweled sandals, and the brilliance of their nails surpassed the splendor of the sun.
Passage 7
मन्दस्मितामितरुचिश्रिताधरबिम्बकम्। चन्द्राननं चमत्कारिमाधुर्यरसवारिधिम्॥७॥
A gentle smile of limitless beauty rested upon his bimba-red lips. Moon-faced, he was a wondrous ocean of the rasa of sweetness.
Passage 8
खिङ्गो नामान्त्यजो दृष्ट्वा मुहुरूचे कृताञ्जलिः॥८॥
Seeing him, the outcaste named Khiṅga repeatedly spoke with joined palms.
Passage 9
खिङ्ग उवाच— अहो अत्यद्भुतं रूपं रामस्य करुणानिधेः। विषयासक्तचित्तेन मया नीताश्च वासराः॥९॥
Khiṅga said: Ah, how utterly wondrous is the form of Rāma, the treasury of compassion! Yet I have spent my days with a mind attached to sense objects.
Passage 10
नैतावद्यात्मतुलं रूपमेतन्मनोहरम्। प्रायो लक्ष्मीरिदं दृष्ट्वा रूपमत्यद्भुतं प्रभोः। अभूच्चरणदासीति वयं समनुशुश्रुम॥१०॥
Never has there been a captivating form comparable to this. We have heard that Lakṣmī herself, beholding this supremely wondrous form of the Lord, became the servant of his feet.
Passage 11
व्रजाङ्गनाश्च प्रमुदाटवीस्था माधुर्यमत्यद्भुतमेतदेव। दृष्ट्वा वशीभूतहृदो निपेतुः पदाब्जयोरस्य सुपूरुषस्य॥११॥
The women of Vraja dwelling in Pramoda Forest beheld this very astonishing sweetness; their hearts subdued, they fell at the lotus feet of this supreme Person.
Passage 12
विहाय लोकत्रपितं गुरूणां कुटुम्बभीतिं प्रणयावकृष्टाः। भेजुर्भवन्तं भगवन्तमद्धा प्रत्यर्प्य चित्तं विषयांस्तनूंश्च॥१२॥
Drawn by love, they abandoned worldly shame, fear of elders, and family constraint. Offering mind, sense objects, and bodies back to you, they worshiped you directly, Blessed Lord.
Passage 13
एतावदासीन्मम भाग्यमेव स्फुटं यदन्तर्विषयावसन्तम्। सम्मूढधीः को विषमत्ति जानन् विहाय पीयूषनदीमनर्घ्याम्॥१३॥
My fortune extended only this far: I remained inwardly absorbed in sense objects. What deluded mind, knowing better, would drink poison after abandoning a priceless river of nectar?
Passage 14
इत्युक्त्वा प्रसभं खिङ्गः पपात पदयोः प्रभोः। स्रवल्लोचनधाराभिः सेचयानो मुहुर्मुहुः॥१४॥
Having spoken thus, Khiṅga suddenly fell at the Lord's feet and repeatedly bathed them with streams flowing from his eyes.
Passage 15
श्रीराम उवाच— उत्तिष्ठ खिङ्ग जातोऽसि मम सेवकसत्तमः। निर्भयः कालमायादेर्विमुक्तोऽस्यधुना भवान्॥१५॥
Śrī Rāma said: Rise, Khiṅga. You have become one of my finest servants. You are now fearless, liberated from time, Māyā, and the rest.
Passage 16
ये मामुपगता दीना जना निष्किञ्चना अपि। तेषामहमभीत्यर्थं भवामि प्रकटः स्वयम्॥१६॥
For helpless people who approach me with nothing of their own, I personally become manifest in order to remove their fear.
Passage 17
खिङ्ग उवाच— जन्मान्तरे परं पुण्यं जनैर्वा सुसत्कृतम्। तेषां त्वं गोचरो भूत्वा हरसे भवसन्ततिम्॥१७॥
Khiṅga said: You become visible to those who performed supreme merit and excellent deeds in another birth, and you end their succession of becoming.
Passage 18
अहं तु जनुरारभ्य पापाचारः सुनिन्दितः। विषयाकृष्टहृदयो भ्रष्टो ज्ञानविवर्जितः॥१८॥
But from birth onward I have behaved sinfully and been rightly condemned—fallen, bereft of knowledge, my heart dragged away by sense objects.
Passage 19
न कर्म कृतवान् किञ्चिन्न ज्ञानेन च निर्मलः। नोपासनापरः शश्वच्चरणाब्जबहिर्मुखः॥१९॥
I performed no worthy action, nor was I purified by knowledge. I never devoted myself to worship but remained forever turned away from your lotus feet.
Passage 20
तत्केन सुकृतेनाहं लब्धवाञ्छुभमीदृशम्। साक्षात्तव रमेशस्य यदेतत् खलु दर्शनम्॥२०॥
By what meritorious deed, then, have I gained a blessing such as this—the direct vision of you, the Lord of Ramā?
Passage 21
अवितर्क्याथ वा राम करुणैव तव प्रभो। मुनीनां योगनिष्ठानां नित्यं निर्मलचेतसाम्॥२१॥
Or rather, Rāma, your compassion is beyond all reasoning, Lord. Even for sages established in yoga whose minds are always stainless,
Passage 22
ज्ञानिनां तत्त्वनिष्ठानां सततोपासनावताम्। जन्मान्तरसहस्रैश्च निभृतं साधितात्मनाम्॥२२॥
for knowers established in truth and constant worshipers who have quietly disciplined themselves through thousands of births,
Passage 23
अलभ्यं मङ्गलमिदं यत्स्वरूपप्रकाशनम्। तन्मया लब्धमेवाद्धा न पश्यामि च कारणम्॥२३॥
this blessed revelation of your own form is unattainable. Yet I have truly received it, and I can see no reason why.
Passage 24
श्रीराम उवाच— ऋजीषो नाम योगीन्द्रो भवान् तपसि निष्ठितः। प्रमोदवनपार्श्वस्थो मम भक्तिविवर्जितः॥२४॥
Śrī Rāma said: You were the great yogin named Ṛjīṣa, steadfast in austerity and dwelling beside Pramoda Forest, but devoid of devotion to me.
Passage 25
श्रुत्वा गोपीः कामवतीर्मत्स्वरूपं मनोहरम्। लोकोक्त्या कृतवान्निन्दां लोकवेदपराङ्मुखः॥२५॥
Hearing that the gopīs passionately loved my captivating form, you condemned them according to worldly convention, failing to understand either world or Veda.
Passage 26
ऋजीष उवाच— अहो एताः काममत्ताः कस्मिंश्चित्पुरुषे रताः। लोकवेदौ परित्यज्य रताः किमिति दुर्मदाः॥२६॥
Ṛjīṣa had said: Ah, intoxicated with desire, these women are enamored of some man! Why do these arrogant women pursue him after abandoning both social and Vedic law?
Passage 27
कुटुम्बं वर्जयत्यासां स्वतन्त्राणां मनोगतिम्। नैताश्च खलु मन्यन्ते मोहिता विष्णुमायया॥२७॥
Their independent minds reject the family, and, bewildered by Viṣṇu's Māyā, they heed no one at all.
Passage 28
गतिरासां तु भविता केति जानामि न किञ्चित्। इति मे विप्रियं जातं त्वया खलु सुयोगिना॥२८॥
I do not know what destiny can possibly await them. Great yogin, these words of yours became deeply displeasing to me.
Passage 29
विफलं ते तपो जातं मद्भक्तानां विनिन्दया। भक्तेष्वपि च ता मुख्या आभीयो मम वल्लभाः॥२९॥
Your austerity became fruitless through disparaging my devotees. Among devotees those cowherd women are foremost; they are my beloveds.
Passage 30
प्रमोदवनवासिन्यो यासां पादभवं रजः। ब्रह्मादयः कामयन्ते विद्वांसस्ते त्रयीविदः॥३०॥
They dwell in Pramoda Forest, and Brahmā and the other learned knowers of the three Vedas long for the dust born from their feet.
Passage 31
ततस्त्वं शूकरो जातः प्रमोदवनसन्निधौ। क्रूरो विपिनसञ्चारी तामसीं योनिमागतः॥३१॥
Therefore you became a fierce boar roaming the woods near Pramoda Forest, having entered a dark, tamasic womb.
Passage 32
प्रमोदवनमध्ये तु कासारः कोऽपि निर्मलः। तत्र दैववशादेत्य मज्जनं कृतवांस्त्वया॥३२॥
Within Pramoda Forest lies a certain stainless lake. By providence you came there and immersed yourself in it.
Passage 33
तत्र व्रजजनाः केचित् स्नाताः पूर्वं मम प्रियाः। तेषां पादरजो लग्नं तवाङ्गं मज्जतो मुहुः॥३३॥
Some people of Vraja dear to me had bathed there before. As you plunged again and again, the dust of their feet touched your body.
Passage 34
अङ्गसङ्गि च तत्तोयं लग्नं तेषां तवाङ्गके। मुक्तस्तेन प्रभावेण महाशूकरयोनितः॥३४॥
That water, bearing contact with their limbs, clung to your body. Through its power you were freed from the body of a great boar.
Passage 35
तत्क्षणं स्मृतिमापन्नः स्मृतवान् पूर्वजन्म च। अहो अहं तपस्वी स ऋजीषो नाम वै मुनिः॥३५॥
At once memory returned and you recalled your former birth: “Ah, I am that ascetic sage named Ṛjīṣa!
Passage 36
केन दुष्कृतयोगेन प्राप्तवाञ्छौकरीं गतिम्। अनर्ह ईदृशीं योनिं तपस्विकुलजो मुनिः॥३६॥
Through what evil deed did I reach a boar's condition? Born in a family of ascetics, I am a sage unfit for such a womb.”
Passage 37
इति चिन्तयतस्तस्य नारदो मुनिरागतः॥३७॥
As he reflected in this way, the sage Nārada arrived.
Passage 38
नारद उवाच— अये मुनिकुलोत्पन्न मुने तापससत्तम। दिष्ट्या निर्मुक्तवानद्य भवाञ्छूकरयोनितः। महतां खलु पापानामिदं फलमभूत्तव॥३८॥
Nārada said: O sage born in an ascetic lineage, finest of the austere, by good fortune you have today been freed from a boar's womb. This indeed was the fruit of grave sins.
Passage 39
ऋजीष उवाच— किं मया दुष्कृतं पूर्वं कृतं देवर्षिसत्तम। तपस्यता योगनिष्ठमानसेन सुचेतसा॥३९॥
Ṛjīṣa said: Best of divine seers, what evil did I formerly commit while practicing austerity with a pure mind established in yoga?
Passage 40
नारद उवाच— भवान् निन्दितवान् पूर्वं गोपीः श्रीरामवल्लभाः। कृतोऽसह्यापराधोऽयं रामस्य त्रिजगत्पतेः॥४०॥
Nārada said: You formerly disparaged the gopīs beloved of Śrī Rāma. You thereby committed an unbearable offense against Rāma, Lord of the three worlds.
Passage 41
स्वस्यापराधं भगवान् कदाचित् क्षमते प्रभुः। न तु स्वीयापराधस्य क्षान्तिर्भगवतः क्वचित्॥४१॥
The Blessed Lord may sometimes forgive an offense against himself, but there is never forgiveness for an offense against those who are his own.
Passage 42
तेन दोषेण हि भवाञ्छौकरीं योनिमागतः। तासां चरणपद्मोत्थधूलिधोरणिसङ्गमात्॥४२॥
Through that fault you entered a boar's womb; through contact with a cloud of dust risen from their lotus feet,
Passage 43
व्रजकासारसंस्नानान्मुक्तवान् योनिमेतकाम्। अतः परं पुनरपि नैव कर्तव्यमीदृशम्॥४३॥
and by bathing in Vraja's lake, you have been freed from that birth. From now on you must never again do anything of this kind.
Passage 44
असह्यं रामदेवस्य नितरामपराधनम्। एता हि भगवद्रूपा भगवत्प्रचारिकाः॥४४॥
Offense against them is utterly intolerable to the divine Rāma. These women are forms of the Lord and heralds of the Lord.
Passage 45
न ह्यासां सदृशो ब्रह्मा न शेषो नापि चेन्दिरा। अतः परं भजस्व त्वं ता गोपीरेव भक्तितः॥४५॥
Neither Brahmā nor Śeṣa nor even Indirā is their equal. Therefore from now on worship those gopīs themselves with devotion.
Passage 46
तासां चरणपद्मोत्थधूलिधूसरविग्रहः। प्राप्स्यसे त्वं पुनरपि रामसायुज्यमद्भुतम्॥४६॥
Your body grey with dust risen from their lotus feet, you will again attain wondrous union with Rāma.
Passage 47
एकं तु जन्म भविता तदसह्यापराधतः। अन्त्यजेषु जनुः प्राप्य पुनर्मुक्तो भविष्यसि॥४७॥
Because of that unbearable offense, however, one birth still remains. After taking birth among outcastes, you will again be liberated.
Passage 48
इत्युक्त्वा नारदो नाम देवर्षिरगमद्दिवि। भवांश्चैव पुनर्जातः साकेतनगरेऽत्र च॥४८॥
Having spoken thus, the divine seer Nārada departed into heaven, and you were later born again here in the city of Sāketa.
Passage 49
विषयानन्दसम्मग्नः पूर्वजन्मापराधतः। नारदस्य मुनेः सङ्गात् कासारस्नानतोऽपि च॥४९॥
Because of the former birth's offense, you sank into the pleasure of sense objects. Yet through association with the sage Nārada and through bathing in the lake,
Passage 50
रामाङ्गनापदाम्भोजरजोमाहात्म्यतोऽपि च। पुनर्मद्भक्तियोगेन स्तुत्वा मां भक्तवत्सलम्॥५०॥
and also through the greatness of the dust from the lotus feet of Rāma's women, you again became joined to devotion for me and praised me, the lover of devotees.
Passage 51
अन्धत्वं समतिक्रम्य प्राप्तवान् मम दर्शनम्। अतः परं पुनर्जन्म न भविष्यति संसृतौ॥५१॥
Passing beyond blindness, you have obtained my vision. From now on you will have no further birth in saṃsāra.
Passage 52
सम्प्राप्तो मत्पदाम्भोजे निर्भयोऽद्य निराकुलः। तपसां कर्मणां चैव ज्ञानानां चापि सर्वशः। फलं प्राप्तोऽस्येकदैव कृतार्थोऽसि विशेषतः॥५२॥
You have now reached my lotus feet, fearless and free from distress. In this one moment you have obtained the full fruit of austerities, actions, and knowledge, and have become completely fulfilled.
Passage 53
मन्नामसंस्मरणकृन्मम भक्तियुक्तो मल्लोकसङ्गतिपरो मदुपासनस्थः। मत्स्थानमेष्यसि विमुक्तसमस्तमोहो भूयोऽप्यृजीष मुनिरेव भविष्यसि त्वम्॥५३॥
Constantly remembering my name, joined to devotion for me, intent upon fellowship with my world, and established in my worship, you will enter my abode free of every delusion. Once again you will become the sage Ṛjīṣa himself.