Agastya Sends Rama toward Panchavati with the Secret of His Own Devotion
Aranya Kanda, Chaupai 12
Doha 13 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Rama tells Agastya that nothing is hidden from him and asks for the counsel by which the enemies of the sages may be destroyed. The sage smiles at the Lord of all worlds questioning him like a human being. Rama's Maya, he says, is a vast udumbara tree whose countless fruits are universes crowded with moving and unmoving lives. Terrible Time devours those fruits, yet even Time forever fears Rama.
Agastya uses the moment to ask his own boon. Let Rama dwell in his heart with Sita and Lakshmana. Let unbroken devotion, detachment, holy company, and indestructible love for the lotus feet remain. Though he knows indivisible, infinite Brahman through the realization honored by saints, his love returns again and again to the formed Brahman standing before him.
Then he names Panchavati, a supremely beautiful and sacred grove. Rama should dwell there, purify the Dandaka forest, remove the great sage's fierce curse, and show mercy to all ascetics. Receiving Agastya's command, Rama departs. The forest opens, and Panchavati soon draws near.
The knower of formless Brahman points down a forest path toward the grove where the beloved form will make its home.
Read the passage from the Manas
तब रघुबीर कहा मुनि पाहीं। तुम्ह सन प्रभु दुराव कछु नाही।। तुम्ह जानहु जेहि कारन आयउँ। ताते तात न कहि समुझायउँ।। अब सो मंत्र देहु प्रभु मोही। जेहि प्रकार मारौं मुनिद्रोही।। मुनि मुसकाने सुनि प्रभु बानी। पूछेहु नाथ मोहि का जानी।। तुम्हरेइँ भजन प्रभाव अघारी। जानउँ महिमा कछुक तुम्हारी।। ऊमरि तरु बिसाल तव माया। फल ब्रह्मांड अनेक निकाया।। जीव चराचर जंतु समाना। भीतर बसहि न जानहिं आना।। ते फल भच्छक कठिन कराला। तव भयँ डरत सदा सोउ काला।। ते तुम्ह सकल लोकपति साईं। पूँछेहु मोहि मनुज की नाईं।। यह बर मागउँ कृपानिकेता। बसहु हृदयँ श्री अनुज समेता।। अबिरल भगति बिरति सतसंगा। चरन सरोरुह प्रीति अभंगा।। जद्यपि ब्रह्म अखंड अनंता। अनुभव गम्य भजहिं जेहि संता।। अस तव रूप बखानउँ जानउँ। फिरि फिरि सगुन ब्रह्म रति मानउँ।। संतत दासन्ह देहु बड़ाई। तातें मोहि पूँछेहु रघुराई।। है प्रभु परम मनोहर ठाऊँ। पावन पंचबटी तेहि नाऊँ।। दंडक बन पुनीत प्रभु करहू। उग्र साप मुनिबर कर हरहू।। बास करहु तहँ रघुकुल राया। कीजे सकल मुनिन्ह पर दाया।। चले राम मुनि आयसु पाई। तुरतहिं पंचबटी निअराई।।
Then Raghuvira spoke to the sage: 'O Lord, nothing is hidden from You.' 'You know the purpose for which I have come, so I need not explain it, dear one.' 'Now grant me that counsel, O Lord, by which I may slay the enemy of the sages.' The sage smiled upon hearing the Lord's words and said, 'O Natha, You ask me, knowing full well who I am?' 'By the power of devotion to You alone, O destroyer of sin, I know something of Your glory.' 'Your Maya is like a vast udumbara tree, and its fruits are countless clusters of universes.' 'All moving and still beings, all creatures alike, dwell inside those fruits and know nothing beyond them.' 'Those who devour these fruits are terrible and fierce, yet even Kala (Death) trembles before You always.' 'You are the sovereign of every world, O Master, and yet You ask me as though You were a mere mortal.' 'This is the boon I ask, O abode of mercy: dwell in my heart together with Shri and Your younger brother.' 'Grant me unbroken bhakti, vairagya, satsanga, and love for Your lotus feet that can never be shattered.' 'Though Brahman is whole and infinite, whom the saints worship through direct experience alone,' 'though I describe and know that formless truth, again and again my heart returns to the saguna Brahman, to You in Your beautiful form.' 'You always bestow honor upon Your servants. That is why You have asked me, O Raghuraya.' 'There is a supremely enchanting place, O Lord, a sacred grove called Panchavati.' 'Purify the Dandaka forest, O Lord, and remove the fierce curse that weighs upon the great sage.' 'Make Your dwelling there, O king of Raghu's line, and shower Your mercy upon all the sages.' Receiving the sage's command, Rama set forth, and soon Panchavati drew near.