The Lord Who Holds Worlds in Every Pore Rules One Beloved City
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 20
Doha 22 · Movement 1 of 2
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The earth wears seven oceans like a jeweled girdle, and Raghupati stands as its one sovereign from Kausala. Yet countless universes dwell within each pore of his being. Beside that immeasurable reality, dominion over earth is scarcely a display of power at all.
Even those who know Rama's cosmic greatness delight in this intimate lila of a king ruling a city. Great self-controlled sages say that such delight is itself the fruit of understanding. Infinity does not become less true when it enters a household scene. It becomes lovable.
Shesha and Sarasvati cannot describe the happiness and abundance of Rama's reign. People are generous, serve one another, honor sacred learning, and remain faithful within marriage through thought, word, and deed. The worlds hidden in Rama's pores do not make Ayodhya insignificant. They make his attention to its smallest relation astonishing. The universal Lord chooses to reveal immeasurable order through the daily fidelity of ordinary lives.
He who contains universes in every pore makes one city luminous by caring for the vows spoken inside its homes.
Read the passage from the Manas
भूमि सप्त सागर मेखला। एक भूप रघुपति कोसला।। भुअन अनेक रोम प्रति जासू। यह प्रभुता कछु बहुत न तासू।। सो महिमा समुझत प्रभु केरी। यह बरनत हीनता घनेरी।। सोउ महिमा खगेस जिन्ह जानी। फिरी एहिं चरित तिन्हहुँ रति मानी।। सोउ जाने कर फल यह लीला। कहहिं महा मुनिबर दमसीला।। राम राज कर सुख संपदा। बरनि न सकइ फनीस सारदा।। सब उदार सब पर उपकारी। बिप्र चरन सेवक नर नारी।। एकनारि ब्रत रत सब झारी। ते मन बच क्रम पति हितकारी।।
The earth is girdled by seven oceans, yet Raghupati rules as the sole sovereign of Kosala. Countless worlds exist in each pore of His being, so this earthly dominion is but little for Him. Understanding the Lord's true glory, describing this appears as great inadequacy. Even those who know that supreme glory, O Garuda, find delight in these earthly pastimes. Those who understand the purpose of this divine play, say the great and self-controlled sages. The happiness and prosperity of Rama's reign cannot be described even by Shesha and Sarasvati. All were generous and benevolent to others, men and women devoted to serving the feet of brahmins. All men were devoted to the vow of one wife, and women were beneficial to their husbands in thought, word, and deed.