Vibhishana Reveals the Death of Death Standing Beyond the Sea
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 39
Doha 39 · Movement 1 of 2
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Vibhishana turns from warning to revelation. Rama is not merely a human king waiting with an army at the ocean. He is Lord of the worlds and the death of Death, unborn Brahman without illness, beginning, or end, all pervading and unconquerable.
Yet the immeasurable has taken a human form for the good of the earth, cows, the learned, and the gods. He delights his servants, breaks the wicked, guards the dharma of the Vedas, and remains an ocean of compassion. Vibhishana asks Ravana to lay down enmity, bow his heads, and return Vaidehi to her Lord.
Worship Rama, who loves without any selfish cause. Even one burdened with the sin of hostility toward the whole world is never abandoned after taking refuge. His Name extinguishes the threefold fires of suffering. That very Lord is no distant doctrine now. Vibhishana tells Ravana to understand within his heart that Rama stands manifest before him.
Beyond Lanka's walls, the Lord without beginning waits in human form and offers refuge even to his enemy.
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तात राम नहिं नर भूपाला। भुवनेस्वर कालहु कर काला।। ब्रह्म अनामय अज भगवंता। ब्यापक अजित अनादि अनंता।। गो द्विज धेनु देव हितकारी। कृपासिंधु मानुष तनुधारी।। जन रंजन भंजन खल ब्राता। बेद धर्म रच्छक सुनु भ्राता।। ताहि बयरु तजि नाइअ माथा। प्रनतारति भंजन रघुनाथा।। देहु नाथ प्रभु कहुँ बैदेही। भजहु राम बिनु हेतु सनेही।। सरन गएँ प्रभु ताहु न त्यागा। बिस्व द्रोह कृत अघ जेहि लागा।। जासु नाम त्रय ताप नसावन। सोइ प्रभु प्रगट समुझु जियँ रावन।।
Dear brother, Rama is not merely a human king. He is Bhuvaneshwar, Lord of the universe, and the Kaala of Kaala, the death of Death itself. He is Brahman, free from all ailment, unborn, divine. He is all-pervading, unconquerable, without beginning, without end. He is the protector of cows, the learned, the earth, and the devas. He is Kripaasindhu, an ocean of mercy, who has taken a human body. He delights His devotees and destroys the wicked. Listen, O brother: He is the guardian of Veda-dharma. Abandon enmity with Him and bow your head. Raghunatha destroys the sufferings of all who surrender at His feet. Return Vaidehi to her Lord, O Nath. Worship Rama, the one who loves binu hetu, without any selfish cause. Even one upon whom the sin of the whole world's enmity rests, if that soul takes refuge, Prabhu never turns him away. Understand this in your heart, O Ravana: He whose holy Naam destroys the three taapas, that very Lord now stands manifest before you.'