Ayodhya's Citizens Teach One Another to Worship the Protector of All Who Surrender
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 28
Doha 30 · Movement 1 of 2
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Everywhere in Ayodhya, people sit together and sing Raghupati's qualities. Their conversation becomes mutual instruction: worship Rama, protector of all who surrender, the dwelling of beauty, character, form, and every noble virtue.
They praise the lotus-eyed Lord with rain-cloud body, who protects servants as eyelids guard the eyes. Bow, arrow, and quiver shine upon him. He is sun to the lotus garden of saints, Garuda to the serpent of death, hunter to the herds of greed and delusion, and fire to the forest of demons.
Rama is the sun that ends the dense darkness of doubt and grief, the snow mountain before which the mosquitoes of countless desires perish, unborn and imperishable through every change. With Janaka's daughter beside him, he destroys the fear of becoming, delights the sages, and removes the earth's burden. Tulsidas closes within the citizens' hymn by naming this generous Lord as his own. The whole city has become a satsang in which each person reminds another where refuge lies.
Ayodhya needs no herald to summon devotion, for every neighbor has become another neighbor's guide to Rama.
Read the passage from the Manas
जहँ तहँ नर रघुपति गुन गावहिं। बैठि परसपर इहइ सिखावहिं।। भजहु प्रनत प्रतिपालक रामहि। सोभा सील रूप गुन धामहि।। जलज बिलोचन स्यामल गातहि। पलक नयन इव सेवक त्रातहि।। धृत सर रुचिर चाप तूनीरहि। संत कंज बन रबि रनधीरहि।। काल कराल ब्याल खगराजहि। नमत राम अकाम ममता जहि।। लोभ मोह मृगजूथ किरातहि। मनसिज करि हरि जन सुखदातहि।। संसय सोक निबिड़ तम भानुहि। दनुज गहन घन दहन कृसानुहि।। जनकसुता समेत रघुबीरहि। कस न भजहु भंजन भव भीरहि।। बहु बासना मसक हिम रासिहि। सदा एकरस अज अबिनासिहि।। मुनि रंजन भंजन महि भारहि। तुलसिदास के प्रभुहि उदारहि।।
Everywhere people sang the glories of Raghupati, sitting together and teaching one another this very thing: 'Worship Rama, the protector of all who surrender to Him, the abode of beauty, virtue, divine form, and noble qualities. He whose eyes are lotuses, whose body is dark as a raincloud, who shields His devotees as eyelids shield the eyes. He who holds beautiful arrows, a graceful bow, and a quiver. He is the sun for the lotus-garden of the saints, and valiant in battle. He is like Garuda, king of birds, to the terrible serpent of Death. Bow to Rama, who is free from desire and all possessiveness. He is like a hunter to the herds of greed and delusion, and like a lion who brings joy to His devotees. He is like the sun to the dense darkness of doubt and grief, and like a fire that burns the thick forest of demons. Why not worship the hero of Raghu's line, together with Sita, daughter of Janaka, who destroys the fear of worldly existence? He is like a mountain of snow to the mosquitoes of countless desires, forever unchanging, unborn, and imperishable. He delights the sages and lifts the burden of the earth. He is the generous Lord of Tulsidas.'