Rama Cuts Pride from His Servant as a Mother Opens a Child's Wound
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 72
Doha 75 · Movement 1 of 2
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Bhushundi tells Garuda that he will now reveal how Rama's maya once touched him. Nothing will be concealed. Garuda is a vessel of grace, and his love for Hari's qualities gives the crow-sage joy enough to sing the supreme hidden mystery.
Rama's natural disposition is this: he does not allow pride to remain in a devotee. Pride is the root of samsara, a thorn that produces many forms of pain and gives birth to sorrow. Because the Lord's affection for his servant is immense, the treasury of compassion removes it.
Bhushundi offers a tender and severe image. When disease hides inside a child's wound, the mother opens it with a firm hand. The blade does not prove absence of love. Love is precisely why she will not leave the sickness sealed beneath the skin. In the same way, Rama may permit bewilderment or pain to reach the place where a devotee's pride has lodged, cutting only to heal what adoration alone could not expose.
The hand that opens the wound is the mother's hand, and the grace that wounds pride is Rama's refusal to abandon his servant to it.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनु खगेस रघुपति प्रभुताई। कहउँ जथामति कथा सुहाई।। जेहि बिधि मोह भयउ प्रभु मोही। सोउ सब कथा सुनावउँ तोही।। राम कृपा भाजन तुम्ह ताता। हरि गुन प्रीति मोहि सुखदाता।। ताते नहिं कछु तुम्हहिं दुरावउँ। परम रहस्य मनोहर गावउँ।। सुनहु राम कर सहज सुभाऊ। जन अभिमान न राखहिं काऊ।। संसृत मूल सूलप्रद नाना। सकल सोक दायक अभिमाना।। ताते करहिं कृपानिधि दूरी। सेवक पर ममता अति भूरी।। जिमि सिसु तन ब्रन होइ गोसाई। मातु चिराव कठिन की नाईं।।
Listen, O Khagesha, I shall tell of Raghupati's glorious prabhutai (majesty) to the best of my understanding, in this beautiful katha. The manner in which the Lord brought moha upon me, that entire account I shall relate to you. You are a vessel of Rama's kripa, dear Tata, and your love for Hari's gunas brings me great joy. Therefore I shall conceal nothing from you, and I sing this most enchanting parama rahasya (supreme mystery). Hear now Rama's sahaja subhau (natural disposition): He never allows His devotees to hold on to abhimana. Abhimana (pride) is the root of samsara and the cause of manifold suffering. It is the giver of all sorrow. Therefore the Kripaanidhi removes it far away, for His mamataa (tender affection) for His sevaks is boundless. Just as when a child's body has a wound, O Gosain, the mother operates upon it with firm resolve.