What Even a Rival Must Praise
Bala Kanda, Sortha 14
Sortha 14 · Movement 2 of 2
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Simple verse and stainless fame possess a force that crosses hostility. Hearing them, even an enemy forgets the old quarrel long enough to speak praise. Tulsidas knows such clarity requires a pure mind, and he asks again for the grace his small intellect cannot manufacture.
Around the poet gathers another immense council. Learned poets move like swans upon the beautiful Manas of Raghubar's deeds. He bows to Valmiki, whose Ramayana can hold the sharp and the tender, beauty and even the presence of fault, without losing its perfection. He bows to the four Vedas, boats upon the ocean of becoming, tireless in proclaiming Ram's spotless glory.
He bows to Brahma, in whose creation saints arise like nectar, moonlight, and the wish fulfilling cow, while the wicked emerge like poison and intoxicating wine. Gods, Brahmins, wise ones, and the governing powers of the heavens receive his joined hands. Before them all he asks that the noble longing within him be fulfilled.
For one breath, even the rival lowers his opposition and names the poem beautiful.
Read the passage from the Manas
सरल कबित कीरति बिमल सोइ आदरहिं सुजान। सहज बयर बिसराइ रिपु जो सुनि करहिं बखान।।14(क)।। सो न होइ बिनु बिमल मति मोहि मति बल अति थोर। करहु कृपा हरि जस कहउँ पुनि पुनि करउँ निहोर।।14(ख)।। कबि कोबिद रघुबर चरित मानस मंजु मराल। बाल बिनय सुनि सुरुचि लखि मोपर होहु कृपाल।।14(ग)।। बंदउँ मुनि पद कंजु रामायन जेहिं निरमयउ। सखर सुकोमल मंजु दोष रहित दूषन सहित।।14(घ)।। बंदउँ चारिउ बेद भव बारिधि बोहित सरिस। जिन्हहि न सपनेहुँ खेद बरनत रघुबर बिसद जसु।।14(ङ)।। बंदउँ बिधि पद रेनु भव सागर जेहि कीन्ह जहँ। संत सुधा ससि धेनु प्रगटे खल बिष बारुनी।।14(च)।। बिबुध बिप्र बुध ग्रह चरन बंदि कहउँ कर जोरि। होइ प्रसन्न पुरवहु सकल मंजु मनोरथ मोरि।।14(छ)।।
Simple verse and spotless fame: these are what the wise hold dear. Even a rival, forgetting his natural enmity, speaks its praise the moment he hears it. Such poetry cannot arise without a pure intellect, and my own strength of mind is very small. Therefore I bow again and again before the poets.