Rama's Fame Becomes the Sure Refuge in the Difficult Age
Aranya Kanda, Doha 7क
Doha 7क · Movement 3 of 3
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The beautiful fame of Rama moves through the age of Kali as cleansing sound. It quiets the restless mind, destroys the age's accumulated stain, and opens the root of happiness wherever it is heard with reverence.
Rama remains gracious toward those who listen in this way. Hearing is not treated as passive. Attention becomes a form of shelter, and the sacred account enters the places where agitation, impurity, and despair have made their dwelling.
This is a difficult age, a treasury of corruption in which dharma, knowledge, yoga, and japa seem beyond ordinary strength. The discerning therefore abandon every competing reliance and worship Rama. Their wisdom lies not in acquiring another power, but in knowing the one refuge upon which the burden of liberation can be placed.
When the age offers no firm ground, the wise place their whole weight upon Rama's name and glory.
Read the passage from the Manas
कलिमल समन दमन मन राम सुजस सुखमूल। सादर सुनहि जे तिन्ह पर राम रहहिं अनुकूल।।6(क)।। कठिन काल मल कोस धर्म न ग्यान न जोग जप। परिहरि सकल भरोस रामहि भजहिं ते चतुर नर।।6(ख)।।
The beautiful fame of Rama destroys the sins of Kali Yuga, tames the restless mind, and is the very root of happiness. Those who listen to it with reverence: Rama remains ever gracious to them. In this hard age, thick with impurity, there is no dharma, no wisdom, no yoga, no japa that avails. Those wise souls who set aside every other reliance and simply worship Rama are the truly discerning ones.