The Satguru Prescribes Rama-Bhakti as the Sanjeevani of the Soul
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 117
Doha 123क · Movement 1 of 2
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The world becomes an immense ward of afflicted beings. Sorrow, elation, fear, attachment, and separation move from bed to bed. Few recognize their disease, and even recognition only weakens it while the wrong diet of sense pleasure causes every buried tendency to sprout again.
Then the true physician enters. The satguru speaks, and trust in his word becomes medicine. Self-restraint is the healing regimen; freedom from craving removes the harmful food. Raghupati-bhakti is placed in the cup as the life-restoring sanjeevani, and full faith becomes the sacred liquid by which it is taken.
Rama's grace completes the cure. Dispassion grows strong, noble understanding awakens with fresh hunger, and desire loses its wasting weakness. Bathed in the clear water of knowledge, the heart is covered by devotion. Shiva, Brahma, Shuka, Sanaka, Narada, Vedas, and Puranas speak with one voice: happiness does not arise apart from Raghupati-bhakti. Hair may grow on a tortoise, flowers bloom in empty sky, a mirage quench thirst, darkness defeat the sun, or fire rise from ice sooner than a soul turned away from Rama find peace.
The guru offers the sanjeevani, faith receives it, and Rama's grace makes the fevered heart remember life.
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एहि बिधि सकल जीव जग रोगी। सोक हरष भय प्रीति बियोगी।। मानक रोग कछुक मैं गाए। हहिं सब कें लखि बिरलेन्ह पाए।। जाने ते छीजहिं कछु पापी। नास न पावहिं जन परितापी।। बिषय कुपथ्य पाइ अंकुरे। मुनिहु हृदयँ का नर बापुरे।। राम कृपाँ नासहि सब रोगा। जौं एहि भाँति बनै संयोगा।। सदगुर बैद बचन बिस्वासा। संजम यह न बिषय कै आसा।। रघुपति भगति सजीवन मूरी। अनूपान श्रद्धा मति पूरी।। एहि बिधि भलेहिं सो रोग नसाहीं। नाहिं त जतन कोटि नहिं जाहीं।। जानिअ तब मन बिरुज गोसाँई। जब उर बल बिराग अधिकाई।। सुमति छुधा बाढ़इ नित नई। बिषय आस दुर्बलता गई।। बिमल ग्यान जल जब सो नहाई। तब रह राम भगति उर छाई।। सिव अज सुक सनकादिक नारद। जे मुनि ब्रह्म बिचार बिसारद।। सब कर मत खगनायक एहा। करिअ राम पद पंकज नेहा।। श्रुति पुरान सब ग्रंथ कहाहीं। रघुपति भगति बिना सुख नाहीं।। कमठ पीठ जामहिं बरु बारा। बंध्या सुत बरु काहुहि मारा।। फूलहिं नभ बरु बहुबिधि फूला। जीव न लह सुख हरि प्रतिकूला।। तृषा जाइ बरु मृगजल पाना। बरु जामहिं सस सीस बिषाना।। अंधकारु बरु रबिहि नसावै। राम बिमुख न जीव सुख पावै।। हिम ते अनल प्रगट बरु होई। बिमुख राम सुख पाव न कोई।।
In this way, all beings in the world are afflicted: sorrow, joy, fear, love, and separation are their diseases. I have described some of the mental ailments. All suffer from them, yet few recognize them. By recognizing them, some sinful tendencies diminish, but the suffering is not fully destroyed. Finding the wrong diet of sense-pleasures, they sprout forth. What can be said of ordinary people when even sages' hearts are affected? By Rama's grace alone are all diseases destroyed, if such a fortunate combination occurs. The true guru is the physician. Faith in his words is the medicine. Self-restraint, and freedom from craving for pleasures, is the diet. Devoted love for Raghupati is the life-giving herb (sanjeevani). Complete faith and mature wisdom are the vehicle for taking it. In this way alone the disease is truly cured. Otherwise, even millions of efforts avail nothing. Know that the mind is free from disease, O Lord, when the heart is filled with strength and intense dispassion. Good understanding and hunger for righteousness grow daily afresh; weakness born of desire for pleasures departs. When one bathes in the pure waters of jnana, then Rama-bhakti pervades the heart. Shiva, Brahma, Shuka, the Sanakadi sages, Narada, and all the sages skilled in the contemplation of Brahman: the considered view of all, O king of birds, is this: cultivate love for Rama's lotus feet. All the Vedas, Puranas, and scriptures declare: without devotion to Raghupati, there is no happiness. Sooner would hair grow on a tortoise's back, or a barren woman's son slay someone. Sooner would flowers bloom in the sky in many colors, than a soul opposed to Hari find happiness. Sooner would thirst be quenched by drinking a mirage, or horns grow on a rabbit's head. Sooner would darkness destroy the sun, than a soul turned from Rama find peace. Sooner would fire emerge from ice, than one who turns from Rama find happiness.