Invocation and the Ten Questions

श्रीमन्तं श्रुतिवेद्यमद्भुतगुणग्रामाग्र्यरत्नाकरं प्रेयःस्वेक्षणसंसुलज्जितमहीजाताक्षिकोणेक्षितम्। भक्ताशेषमनोभिवाञ्छितचतुर्वर्गप्रदं स्वर्द्रुमं रामं स्मेरमुखाम्बुजं शुचिमहानीलाश्मकान्तिं भजे॥१॥

I worship Rāma: eternally joined with Śrī; known through revelation; an ocean holding the finest jewels of wondrous virtues; glanced at from the corner of the Earth-born Sītā’s eye, bashful beneath his loving gaze; a heavenly wish-fulfilling tree who grants his devotees all four aims of life; pure and radiant like a great sapphire, with a smiling lotus face.

ऐश्वर्यं यदपाङ्गसंश्रयमिदं भोग्यं दिगीशैर्जग- च्चित्रं चाखिलमद्भुतं शुभगुणा वात्सल्यसीमा च या। विद्युत्पुञ्जसमानकान्तिरमितक्षान्तिः सुपद्मेक्षणा दत्तान्नोऽखिलसम्पदो जनकजा रामप्रिया साऽनिशम्॥२॥

May Janaka’s daughter, Rāma’s beloved, always give us every treasure. All sovereignty rests upon a trace of her sidelong glance; this astonishing, many-coloured world enjoyed by the guardians of the directions depends on it. She is the dwelling of auspicious virtues, the furthest reach of maternal tenderness, bright as a mass of lightning, limitless in patience, and beautifully lotus-eyed.

प्रत्यूहव्यूहभङ्गं विदधदुरुबलः शक्तिमान् सर्वकारी भूरिश्रेयःप्रतापो मुनिवरनिकरैः स्तूयमानो विमानः। रक्षोदैत्यादिनाशी क्षुभितजलनिधिर्लोकजिल्लोकमान्यो धन्यो नो मङ्गलौघं सपदि सुकुरुताद्रामशस्त्रास्त्रसङ्घः॥३॥

May Rāma’s blessed host of weapons and missiles quickly bring us a flood of auspiciousness. Vast in force, mighty, and able to accomplish every task, it breaks every formation of obstacles. Its splendour brings abundant good; the great sages praise it. Free from pride, it destroys rākṣasas and daityas, stirred the ocean, conquered the worlds, and is honoured by the world.

तत्त्वं किं किञ्च जप्यं परमिह विबुधैर्वैष्णवैर्ध्यानमिष्टं मुक्तेः किं साधनं सत्सुमतिमतिमतो धर्म एकोऽस्ति कश्च। धर्माणां वैष्णवास्ते गुरुवर कतिधा लक्षणं किञ्च तेषां कालक्षेपः किमाप्यं कथमुरुशुभदं कुत्र कार्यो निवासः॥४॥

What is reality? What should learned Vaiṣṇavas recite, and what meditation do they cherish here? What is the means to liberation? Among the noble paths of the wise, which one dharma is supreme? Master, how many kinds of Vaiṣṇavas are there, and what marks them? How should they pass their time, what should they attain, by what most auspicious way, and where should they dwell?