The Gods Confess Their Self Interest Before Rama's Boundless Mercy
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 109
Doha 110ख · Movement 1 of 2
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Matali receives Rama's permission, bows, and departs. The gods approach, and Tulsidas exposes their contradiction: they arrive for their own purposes while speaking as though established in the highest truth.
Still, their praise becomes confession. Rama is imperishable Brahman, beyond time and qualities, unborn, sinless, unconquered, detached, compassionate, and of unfailing power. He has taken the forms of Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Narasimha, Vamana, and Parashurama whenever heaven suffered.
They marvel that Ravana, impure, wrathful, and devoted to harming the world, has reached Rama's feet. Then they turn the wonder upon themselves. Though called supreme authorities, the gods remain bound to self interest, forget devotion, and drift in the current of samsara. They ask the friend of the lowly to protect them now that they have sought refuge. Ravana's liberation has shown heaven how far divine mercy exceeds celestial merit.
The gods come to thank Rama for rescue and discover that Ravana's grace filled ending has exposed their own need for refuge.
Read the passage from the Manas
तब रघुपति अनुसासन पाई। मातलि चलेउ चरन सिरु नाई।। आए देव सदा स्वारथी। बचन कहहिं जनु परमारथी।। दीन बंधु दयाल रघुराया। देव कीन्हि देवन्ह पर दाया।। बिस्व द्रोह रत यह खल कामी। निज अघ गयउ कुमारगगामी।। तुम्ह समरूप ब्रह्म अबिनासी। सदा एकरस सहज उदासी।। अकल अगुन अज अनघ अनामय। अजित अमोघसक्ति करुनामय।। मीन कमठ सूकर नरहरी। बामन परसुराम बपु धरी।। जब जब नाथ सुरन्ह दुखु पायो। नाना तनु धरि तुम्हइँ नसायो।। यह खल मलिन सदा सुरद्रोही। काम लोभ मद रत अति कोही।। अधम सिरोमनि तव पद पावा। यह हमरे मन बिसमय आवा।। हम देवता परम अधिकारी। स्वारथ रत प्रभु भगति बिसारी।। भव प्रबाहँ संतत हम परे। अब प्रभु पाहि सरन अनुसरे।।
Then receiving Raghupati's command, Matali bowed his head at His feet and departed. The gods come only when they have selfish motives, yet they speak as if they are supremely righteous. O friend of the poor, compassionate Raghuraya, You showed mercy upon the gods. This wicked lustful one was devoted to harming the world and went astray due to his own sins. You are of the same form as Brahman, imperishable, eternally unchanging and naturally detached. You are beyond time, without attributes, unborn, sinless, free from disease, unconquerable, of unfailing power and compassionate. You took the forms of Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man-Lion, Dwarf and Parashurama. Whenever the gods suffered distress, O Lord, You took various forms and destroyed it. This wicked one was always impure, hostile to the gods, devoted to lust, greed and pride, and extremely wrathful. That this lowest of the low reached Your feet fills our minds with wonder. We gods, though having supreme authority, are devoted to selfishness and have forgotten devotion to You, Lord. We are constantly caught in the current of worldly existence. Now, Lord, protect us who have taken refuge in You.