Moon, Stars, and Burning Mountains Cannot End the Night without the Sun
Uttara Kanda, Doha 79
Doha 79 · Movement 2 of 2
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One may seek liberation without worship of Ramachandra and possess great learning, yet Bhushundi compares such a person to an animal without tail or horns. Knowledge severed from devotion has lost both recognizable form and saving direction.
Then night covers the world. The full moon rises complete in all sixteen digits, surrounded by every star. Fires are kindled upon all the mountains until the horizons glow from peak to peak.
Still the night does not depart. Moonlight, starlight, and mountain flame can illuminate portions of darkness, but only sunrise ends night itself. So disciplines and insights may clarify the mind, yet the root sorrow of the jiva does not vanish without devotion to Hari and the grace it receives. Bhushundi's image does not despise lesser lights. It shows their limit before the one radiance in whose coming darkness ceases to have a realm.
Let every mountain burn and every star awaken; until Rama rises like the sun, the ancient night remains.
Read the passage from the Manas
रामचंद्र के भजन बिनु जो चह पद निर्बान। ग्यानवंत अपि सो नर पसु बिनु पूँछ बिषान।।78(क)।। राकापति षोड़स उअहिं तारागन समुदाइ।। सकल गिरिन्ह दव लाइअ बिनु रबि राति न जाइ।।78(ख)।।
Without the bhajan (worship) of Ramachandra, one who desires the state of nirvana (liberation), however learned he may be, is like an animal without a tail or horns. Even if the full moon rises with all its sixteen kalas (digits), along with all the stars, and all mountains catch fire, still, without the sunrise, night cannot depart.