Chapter Five: Avatāra Doctrine and Rama Worship

—for the qualities that steal devotees’ hearts are Bhagavan’s accessibility, sweetness, dawning youth, fragrance, tenderness, grace, supreme radiance, gracious character, strength, friendship, easy approachability, compassion, parental affection, and naturally perpetual delight. To enchanted young women he eternally manifests as the ever-adolescent prince and sovereign connoisseur of every rasa, forever fifteen years old.

Everything apart from service to Bhagavan’s feet is misfortune. Sri Rama alone is the enjoyer; all others are objects of his enjoyment. Although Rama is bliss itself, the Lord in person, and eternally absorbed in his own bliss, his supremely loving devotees worship him with loving attachment and offer him enjoyment. Sri Rama accepts their offerings with the highest delight.

Rama and Sita are both embodied forms of a single rasa: for the sake of līlā alone, the One has become two.

Manifestation of the divine form

The powers of action, knowledge, and worship are the three primal powers of the Veda. Kaikeyi is the power of action, Sumitra the power of worship, and Kausalya the power of knowledge. Emperor Dasharatha, the form of the Veda, is endowed with all three.

In the manifestation of form, action naturally contains some conflict, worship contains love, and knowledge yields eternal, causeless, stainless delight in the Self. Dharma is born from Kaikeyi as the power of action; Bharata is the embodiment of dharma. His name signifies both absorption in the devotee and nourishment of the universe. From Sumitra, the power of worship, Lakshmana became the teacher of the friendly disposition. Through Kausalya as knowledge, Rama became the form of blessedness and the giver of joy to the universe. Shatrughna destroys enemies and presides over prosperity; he knows both weaponry and scripture completely.

Shatrughna’s fair body is the colour of radiant gold, and he especially loves garments of flower-red. His eyes resemble crimson lotus petals and his voice a kettledrum. Lakshmana is fair like a fold of camphor, with eyes like crimson lotuses, and wears blue. Sri Bharata is dark like a blue jewel, wears yellow, and enchants every heart. He is sovereign over Rama’s household, gardens, music, and other enjoyments, and is supremely skilled in all the Lord’s pastimes.

Rama, Lord of Sita, possesses the beauty of ten million Love-gods. He delights and gives delight throughout all worlds and is the Lord who grants liberation. He is the deity of the amorous rasa and awakens the highest ecstasy of love in every lover.

Sri Janakanandini is the sovereign of the life of Rama, who is himself the life of the universe. She is the crown jewel of faithful wives.

Those who serve Rama fall into two classes: male and female. All are divine—