Rama Grants Vibhishana Pure Devotion and Crowns Him With Ocean Water
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 49
Doha 49 · Movement 1 of 2
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All these virtues dwell in you, Rama tells Vibhishana, and therefore you are exceedingly dear to me. A cry of victory rises from the monkey multitudes. Vibhishana drinks the Lord's words like nectar, grasps the lotus feet again and again, and cannot contain the love expanding within his heart.
He confesses that some worldly desire once remained, but the river of love for Rama's feet has carried it away. Only one prayer survives: grant me your own purifying devotion, the devotion forever cherished by Shiva. Rama answers at once, so be it.
Then the warrior Lord calls for water from the ocean. Though Vibhishana seeks no worldly reward, Rama's sight never falls fruitlessly. Upon the shore, before Lanka has been conquered, he marks the exile with the royal tilak of its future king. Flowers pour without measure from the sky over the consecrated servant.
Vibhishana asks only for devotion, and Rama gives devotion, a kingdom, and flowers from heaven.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनु लंकेस सकल गुन तोरें। तातें तुम्ह अतिसय प्रिय मोरें।। राम बचन सुनि बानर जूथा। सकल कहहिं जय कृपा बरूथा।। सुनत बिभीषनु प्रभु कै बानी। नहिं अघात श्रवनामृत जानी।। पद अंबुज गहि बारहिं बारा। हृदयँ समात न प्रेमु अपारा।। सुनहु देव सचराचर स्वामी। प्रनतपाल उर अंतरजामी।। उर कछु प्रथम बासना रही। प्रभु पद प्रीति सरित सो बही।। अब कृपाल निज भगति पावनी। देहु सदा सिव मन भावनी।। एवमस्तु कहि प्रभु रनधीरा। मागा तुरत सिंधु कर नीरा।। जदपि सखा तव इच्छा नाहीं। मोर दरसु अमोघ जग माहीं।। अस कहि राम तिलक तेहि सारा। सुमन बृष्टि नभ भई अपारा।।
"Listen, O king of Lanka, all these virtues reside in you. Therefore you are exceedingly dear to Me." Hearing Rama's words, all the monkey hosts exclaimed, "Victory to the ocean of compassion!" Hearing the Lord's speech, Vibhishana felt no satiation, knowing it as nectar for the ears. Grasping the Lord's lotus feet again and again, his heart could not contain the boundless love. "Listen, O Lord, master of all that moves and stands still, protector of the devoted, knower of every heart." "Some worldly desires still lingered in my heart, but they have been swept away by the river of love for Your feet." "Now, O compassionate one, grant me Your own pure devotion, that devotion which is ever dear to the heart of Lord Shiva." "So be it," said the Lord, valiant in battle, and at once He called for water from the ocean. "Though, friend, you have no worldly desire, know that My glance never falls in vain upon anyone in this world." Saying this, Rama performed his royal consecration, and a boundless shower of flowers rained down from the sky.