Bhushundi Has Worn Countless Bodies, but Only This Crow Body Gave Him Rama-Bhakti
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 94
Doha 97 · Movement 1 of 2
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True self-interest for the jiva is love for Rama's feet in mind, action, and speech. Only the body used to worship Raghubira becomes truly pure and beautiful. Even Brahma's form wins no praise if it turns away from Rama.
Bhakti took root in Bhushundi's present body, so he will not abandon it by choice. Scripture describes no embodied worship without a body. The form is not adored for itself, but honored as the field in which love acts, listens, speaks, and bows.
Earlier delusion drove him far from rest. Across numberless births he practiced yoga, japa, austerity, sacrifice, charity, and countless actions in every kind of species. None gave the happiness he knows now. Through Shiva's grace he remembers those lives without becoming clouded by them. The immortal crow is not one who escaped embodiment through disgust. He discovered the sacred use of embodiment through Rama-bhakti.
After wandering through every kind of birth, Bhushundi keeps the crow body because it finally learned how to bow.
Read the passage from the Manas
स्वारथ साँच जीव कहुँ एहा। मन क्रम बचन राम पद नेहा।। सोइ पावन सोइ सुभग सरीरा। जो तनु पाइ भजिअ रघुबीरा।। राम बिमुख लहि बिधि सम देही। कबि कोबिद न प्रसंसहिं तेही।। राम भगति एहिं तन उर जामी। ताते मोहि परम प्रिय स्वामी।। तजउँ न तन निज इच्छा मरना। तन बिनु बेद भजन नहिं बरना।। प्रथम मोहँ मोहि बहुत बिगोवा। राम बिमुख सुख कबहुँ न सोवा।। नाना जनम कर्म पुनि नाना। किए जोग जप तप मख दाना।। कवन जोनि जनमेउँ जहँ नाहीं। मैं खगेस भ्रमि भ्रमि जग माहीं।। देखेउँ करि सब करम गोसाई। सुखी न भयउँ अबहिं की नाई।। सुधि मोहि नाथ जन्म बहु केरी। सिव प्रसाद मति मोहँ न घेरी।।
The true self-interest for every soul is this: love for Rama's feet in mind, action, and speech. That body alone is pure and beautiful which, having been obtained, worships the heroic Rama. Even if one obtains a body like Brahma's but turns away from Rama, neither poets nor the learned will praise such a one. Rama's devotion has taken root in this body and heart of mine. Therefore this body is supremely dear to me, O Lord. I will not abandon this body by my own wish. Without the body, the Vedas describe no way to worship. At first, delusion led me far astray. Turned away from Rama, I never knew true rest. Through countless births I performed countless deeds: yoga, japa, tapas, yajnas, and charity. In what species have I not been born, O king of birds? I have wandered and wandered throughout this world. Having tried every action, O Lord, never was I as happy as I am now. I remember many of my births, O Lord. By Shiva's grace, delusion has not clouded my understanding.