Rama's Eyes Fill with Tears before the Unblinking Sages
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 31
Doha 33 · Movement 1 of 2
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The three brothers and Hanuman bow in overwhelming joy. Before them, the four sages behold Rama's dark body, lotus eyes, and incomparable beauty. They cannot turn away or even lower their eyelids.
The sages stand with joined hands and bowed heads, absorbed before the beautiful liberator from worldly bondage. Seeing their condition, tears flow from Rama's eyes and a thrill rises across his body.
Rama takes the great sages by the hand, seats them, and declares himself blessed by their sight. Sin is destroyed by darshan of saints, he says, and only immense good fortune brings satsang. In such company, the bonds of becoming break without effort. The Lord who frees the worlds presents himself as the recipient of grace, teaching the worth of holy company through his tears before he teaches it through words.
Rama honors satsang first with tears, then with the teaching that holy company breaks the world's bonds without effort.
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कीन्ह दंडवत तीनिउँ भाई। सहित पवनसुत सुख अधिकाई।। मुनि रघुपति छबि अतुल बिलोकी। भए मगन मन सके न रोकी।। स्यामल गात सरोरुह लोचन। सुंदरता मंदिर भव मोचन।। एकटक रहे निमेष न लावहिं। प्रभु कर जोरें सीस नवावहिं।। तिन्ह कै दसा देखि रघुबीरा। स्त्रवत नयन जल पुलक सरीरा।। कर गहि प्रभु मुनिबर बैठारे। परम मनोहर बचन उचारे।। आजु धन्य मैं सुनहु मुनीसा। तुम्हरें दरस जाहिं अघ खीसा।। बड़े भाग पाइब सतसंगा। बिनहिं प्रयास होहिं भव भंगा।।
All three brothers, together with Hanuman, bowed down with overwhelming joy. The sages, beholding Rama's incomparable beauty, became so absorbed that they could not hold back their hearts. Dark of limb, with lotus eyes, the very temple of beauty, the liberator from worldly bondage. They gazed without blinking, joining their palms and bowing their heads before the Lord. Seeing their state, Rama's own eyes filled with tears and His body trembled with divine love. Taking the great sages by the hand, the Lord seated them and spoke most tender words: 'Today I am truly blessed, O lords among sages. By your darshan, all sins are swept away. Great fortune it is to find the company of saints. Through satsanga, the bonds of the world break without any effort at all.'