राम

नख-शिख ध्यान-समापन

Conclusion of the Meditation

The completion of the head-to-feet meditation and a song of incomparable beauty.

Conclusion of the meditation from head to feet

Sri Swami Agradeva first offered reverence in two verses. In twenty-eight verses he then described meditation upon Avadh, the divine abode, the throne, and related features as a remedy for the torments of the twenty-eight hells.

From verse 31 through verse 46, he presented meditation upon Sri Rama in sixteen verses, corresponding to the sixteen ritual offerings. In one further verse he described the Lord's eternal age and the uniformity of his limitless radiance. Then, in a single verse, he described the Divine Couple's being-consciousness-bliss and their union; and in sixteen verses completed meditation upon Sri Swamini. This structure reveals both the supremacy of the Couple and the equality of his own love for them.

He now describes the glory of both Lords in two verses and meditation upon the subsidiary members of their retinue in four.

65. What comparison could be offered for the incomparable forms of the Divine Couple? Every object used in comparison shines only through a ray of their own power.

मूल पाठ 65 अतुलित युगल स्वरूप कवन अस उपमा तिनको । जेतिक उपमा दीप्ति शक्ति करि भासित तिनको ॥६५॥

Commentary

Every possible object of comparison in the world shines through the illuminating power received from them. What could possibly be offered as their comparison? There is none. The joined form of Sri Sita-Rama is therefore unequalled, without peer or analogy.

66. Thus Rama, the eternal enjoyer of Ayodhya, reigns within that divine city. The supremely generous Couple bless their servants with the joy of their glorious renown.

मूल पाठ 66 यहि विधि राजत राम अवधपुर अवधविहारी । दंपति परम उदार सुजस सेवक सुखकारी ॥६६॥

Song offered as illustration

Only Rama compares with Rama, and only Sita with Sita. Shiva, Brahma, Saraswati, Shesha, and Shuka sought a parallel, but their effort bore little fruit. Their beauty, character, marital blessedness, and limitless virtues conquer every woman and man in all the worlds. Agra's radiant Master and Mistress are beyond all words; Shruti and Gita sing, "Not this, not this."

Commentary

"Thus" in verse 66 means "in precisely the manner previously described." In eternal Ayodhyapura, Sri Rama, Sitramana and unbroken Lord of Avadh, perpetually reigns.

They are a dampati, wife and husband: the one Supreme Self appears in the paired form in order to enjoy divine play in Avadh. They are supremely generous. They gave Maharaja Mithilesha the wealth of parental affection; they gave the people of Avadh and Mithila the bliss of childhood, wedding, and other divine sports; they gave Sugriva and Vibhishana kingdoms in this world and the fearless state beyond; and they gave the supreme state even to Avadh's members of all four social orders, animals, ants, and other creatures. Thus Sri Sita-Rama are the supremely generous Couple.

Even now their beautiful renown, filled with the same perfect generosity, gives joy to their servants. Whatever happiness they gave directly through their own forms in Treta Yuga, that very happiness the Couple now gives devotees merely through hearing and contemplating their noble fame.

There is a second interpretation. "Thus reigns Sri Rama, Lord of Avadh in Ayodhyapura. The Couple's glory is supremely generous." The hundred-crore-fold story of Rama, through the utterance of each single syllable, destroys even great sins such as brahmin-slaying, ends birth and death, and gives the supreme state. A verse testifies:

Raghunatha's deeds extend through a hundred crores of verses; a single syllable destroys a person's greatest sins.

Their supremely generous glory gives joy to devotees, just as Sri Sita-Rama themselves gave joy in Treta Yuga.

Rasikacharya Swami Agradas (Agradeva) · commentary by Sri Rasrangamani Ji Maharaj