The Coronation Story Becomes a Boat across the River of Delusion
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 13
Doha 15ख · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Rama's coronation is not merely an event completed inside Ayodhya. Shiva calls its telling sacred before the King of Birds, for it burns the threefold afflictions and the fear of worldly existence. Those who hear it receive dispassion and discernment, while those who approach with desires receive happiness and many forms of prosperity.
Liberated, detached, and worldly listeners all find a fitting gift within the same current: devotion, the supreme way, and renewed abundance. Rama's story steadies dispassion, discernment, and love until it becomes a beautiful boat crossing the river of delusion.
Within Kausala, blessing rises new each day. Every family lives in joy, and love for the lotus feet bowed to by Shiva, sages, and Brahma is never stale. The needy receive clothing, the learned receive gifts, and royal generosity moves outward through the city. The coronation continues wherever its story carries a heart from fear toward Rama.
The crown rests upon Rama once, but the story of that crowning ferries listening hearts across delusion in every age.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनु खगपति यह कथा पावनी। त्रिबिध ताप भव भय दावनी।। महाराज कर सुभ अभिषेका। सुनत लहहिं नर बिरति बिबेका।। जे सकाम नर सुनहिं जे गावहिं। सुख संपति नाना बिधि पावहिं।। सुर दुर्लभ सुख करि जग माहीं। अंतकाल रघुपति पुर जाहीं।। सुनहिं बिमुक्त बिरत अरु बिषई। लहहिं भगति गति संपति नई।। खगपति राम कथा मैं बरनी। स्वमति बिलास त्रास दुख हरनी।। बिरति बिबेक भगति दृढ़ करनी। मोह नदी कहँ सुंदर तरनी।। नित नव मंगल कौसलपुरी। हरषित रहहिं लोग सब कुरी।। नित नइ प्रीति राम पद पंकज। सबकें जिन्हहि नमत सिव मुनि अज।। मंगन बहु प्रकार पहिराए। द्विजन्ह दान नाना बिधि पाए।।
Hear, O King of Birds, this sacred story that burns away the threefold suffering and the fear of worldly existence. The auspicious coronation of the great king: hearing it, one gains dispassion and discernment. Those who listen with desires, and those who sing it, receive happiness and prosperity in many ways. After enjoying pleasures rare even for the gods in this very world, at life's end they go to the abode of Raghupati. Whether liberated souls, the detached, or the worldly hear it, all gain devotion, liberation, and new-found prosperity. O King of Birds, I have narrated Rama's story as my understanding allows. It destroys fear and sorrow. It firmly establishes dispassion, discernment, and devotion. It is a beautiful boat for crossing the river of delusion. Every day brings new blessings to the city of Kausala. All its people and families live in delight. Each day their love for Rama's lotus feet, before which Shiva, sages, and Brahma bow, grows ever new. The needy were clothed in many fine ways, and the learned ones received gifts of every kind.