सञ्जप्यस्तारकाख्यो मनुवर इह तैर्वह्निबीजं यदादौ
रामो ङेप्रत्ययान्तो रसमितशुभदस्वक्षरः स्यान्नमोऽन्तः।
मन्त्रो रामद्वयाख्यः सकृदितिचरमप्राणितो गुह्यगुह्यो
भूताक्ष्युत्संख्यवर्णः सुकृतिभिरनिशं मोक्षकामैर्निषेव्यः॥१०॥
Those who seek liberation should constantly recite the excellent mantra known as Tāraka: it begins with the seed of fire, places *Rāma* in the dative, ends in *namaḥ*, and consists of six auspicious syllables. They should also honour the mantra called the Rāma-dvaya and the supremely secret final declaration beginning “once,” whose letters are counted by the traditional symbolic numbers.
मन्त्राणां व्यापकानां भगवत इह चाव्यापकानां तु मध्ये-
ऽतिश्रेष्ठो व्यापकः स श्रुतिमुनिसुमतः शिष्टमुख्यैर्गृहीतः।
नित्यानामाश्रयोऽयं परित उरुशुभो राममन्त्रः प्रधानः
प्राप्योऽथ प्रापकश्च प्रचुरतरगुणज्ञानशक्त्यादिकानाम्॥११॥
Among mantras, whether all-embracing names of the Lord or more particular forms, this all-embracing Rāma-mantra is supreme. Revelation and the sages approve it, and the foremost learned devotees have received it. It is the principal mantra, wholly and greatly auspicious, the support of the eternal ones. It reveals both the goal and the means, and the Lord’s abundant virtues, knowledge, power, and the rest.
यावद्वेदार्थगर्भं प्रणववदुदधारभूतं सबिन्दुं
प्रव्यक्तं रामबीजं रेफारूढत्रिमूर्तिं प्रचुरतरमहाशक्ति विश्वैकनिदानम्।
शश्वत्संराजते यद्विविधसकलसम्भासमानप्रपञ्चम्॥१२॥
The manifest seed of Rāma contains the meaning of the whole Veda, as praṇava does. Joined with its bindu, it is the sustaining ground; the three divine forms rest upon its letter *ra*. Rich in supreme power and the single source of the universe, it shines eternally while the entire manifold cosmos appears through it.
तत्राद्येन पदेन रेण भगवान् सीतापतिः प्रोच्यते श्री-
रामो जगतां गुणैकनिलयो हेतुश्च संरक्षकः।
तच्छेषी पदतोऽप्यतो भगवतोऽनन्यार्हशेषत्वकं
व्यावृत्तिस्तु सुरान्तरादिगतसत्तच्छेषताया मुहुः॥१३॥
In that mantra, its first element, *ra*, declares the blessed Lord Rāma, Sītā’s husband: the unique dwelling of all virtues, the cause and protector of the worlds, and their sovereign. The following element teaches that the self belongs exclusively to him, repeatedly excluding the idea that it could belong ultimately to any other deity.
पितापुत्रत्वसम्बन्धो जगत्कारणवाचिना।
रक्ष्यरक्षकभावश्च रेण रक्षकवाचिना॥१४॥
The syllable that denotes the cause of the world establishes the bond of father and child; *ra*, denoting the protector, establishes the relation of the protected and protector.
भार्याभर्तृत्वसम्बन्धोऽप्यनन्यार्हत्ववाचिना।
अकारेणापि विज्ञेयो मध्यस्थेन महामते॥१५॥
Wise one, the relation of bride and bridegroom is also to be understood from the medial letter *a*, which declares that the self is fit to belong to no other.
अकारेणापि विज्ञेयो मध्यस्थेन महामते।
स्वस्वामिभावसम्बन्धो मकारेणाथ कथ्यते॥१६॥
Wise one, the medial letter *a* also discloses this truth; the letter *ma* then teaches the relation between possession and its owner.
आधाराधेयभावोऽपि ज्ञेयो रामपदेन तु।
सेव्यसेवकभावस्तु चतुर्थ्या विनिगद्यते॥१७॥
The word *Rāma* also reveals the relation between that which supports and that which is supported; the dative ending declares the relation of the one served and the servant.
नमःपदेनाखण्डेन त्वात्मात्मीयत्वमुच्यते।
षष्ठ्यन्तेन मकारेण भोग्यभोक्तृत्वमप्युत॥१८॥
*Namaḥ*, understood as a whole, declares the relation between the Self and what belongs to the Self. The letter *ma*, understood with a genitive sense, also expresses the relation of the enjoyed and the enjoyer.
ज्ञानानन्दस्वरूपोऽवगतिसुखगुणो मेन वेद्योऽणुमानो
देहादेरप्यपूर्वो विविधतनुविधस्तत्प्रियस्तत्सहायः।
नित्यो जीवस्तृतीयेन तु खलु पदतः प्रोच्यते स्वप्रकाशो
जिज्ञासूनां सदेत्थं शुभनतिसुमते शास्त्रवित्सज्जनानाम्॥१९॥
The third element declares the jīva: atomic in measure, essentially knowledge and bliss, with awareness and joy as its attributes; distinct from the body and its adjuncts; assuming many different bodies; dear to the Lord and aided by him; eternal and self-revealing. Good and reverent-minded disciple, this is how seekers who know scripture and live nobly should understand it.
मवाच्योऽहं रवाच्याय शेषभूतोऽस्मि सर्वदा।
इतीत्थमेव बोध्यो ज्ञैर्वाक्यार्थस्तद्विवित्सया॥२०॥
“I, denoted by *ma*, am eternally a dependent servant of him who is denoted by *ra*.” Those who wish to know the mantra should understand its sentence-meaning in precisely this way.
रामायेति चतुर्थेन श्रिया देव्यास्तु सर्वदा।
चेतनाऽचेतनानां च रमणाश्रयतेर्यते॥२१॥
The dative expression *Rāmāya* declares that the goddess Śrī is eternally the beloved and refuge of all that is conscious and all that is insentient.
सर्वविधबन्धुत्वं सर्वप्राप्यत्वमेव च।
सर्वप्रापकता तेन तथा चोभयलिङ्गता॥२२॥
Through it are taught his kinship of every kind, his being the goal of all, his power to bring all to that goal, and his possession of both defining marks of Brahman—freedom from every fault and fullness of every excellence.
उच्यते तत्पदेनेव सच्चिदानन्दरूपता।
यावद्विभूतिनेतृत्वं श्रीरामब्रह्मणो मतम्॥२३॥
That same expression teaches that Śrī Rāma, the Supreme Brahman, is being, consciousness, and bliss in essence, and is sovereign over the full extent of both his realms.
रागादिकारणे बन्धौ तेनैव विनिवर्त्यते।
बन्धुत्वप्रतिपत्तिश्च भासमाना विचारतः॥२४॥
It removes the mistaken sense of kinship that appears, without true discernment, in attachments and the other causes of bondage.
तच्चतुर्थ्या सानुरूपकैङ्कर्यप्रार्थनोच्यते।
विषयान्तरसेवाऽपि प्राप्ता सा विनिवर्त्यते॥२५॥
The dative ending voices a prayer for service suited to one’s true nature; it also turns away the service of any other object that one may have taken up.
पदेन नेनात्र तु पञ्चमेन प्रकथ्यतेऽथो तदनन्यशेषता।
हेयं तदन्यार्थ्यमपि स्वतन्त्रता निवर्त्यतेऽतः सततं स्वकीया॥२६॥
Here the fifth element, *na*, declares that the self exists solely for him. Existence for any other end is to be abandoned, and with it the self’s imagined independence is forever denied.
पदेन षष्ठेन म इत्यनेन स्वस्वाम्यनन्यार्हकशेषतापि।
उच्यते चेतनवाचिना तु तत्किङ्करत्वैकफलत्वमेव॥२७॥
The sixth element, conscious-self-denoting *ma*, teaches that the self is a possession fit for no owner but its Lord, and that service to him is its one true fruit.
उपायार्थपरेणासावखण्डनमसोच्यते।
उपायो हि मवाच्यस्य रवाच्यो राम एव सः॥२८॥
When the undivided word *namaḥ* is read as denoting the means, it says that Rāma alone—the one denoted by *ra*—is the means for the self denoted by *ma*.
बीजेनैवाथ जीवस्य स्वरूपं प्रतिपाद्यते।
रामायेति परस्यापि चतुर्थ्या तत्फलस्य च॥२९॥
The seed itself teaches the jīva’s true nature; *Rāmāya* with its dative ending teaches the Supreme and the fruit that consists in service to him.
उपायस्य त्वखण्डेन नमःखण्डेन चोच्यते।
सखण्डेन मकारेण षष्ठ्यन्तेन विरोधिनः॥३०॥
Undivided *namaḥ* declares the means. When divided, its *ma* in a genitive sense discloses what stands opposed to the self’s true nature and goal.
तात्पर्यार्थोऽशेषवेदशास्त्राभिरुचिसंश्रयः।
वाक्यार्थः प्राप्यसम्बन्धिस्वरूपाभिनिरूपणम्॥३१॥
The mantra’s purport accords with the intention of the entire Veda and śāstra. Its sentence-meaning establishes the nature of the goal, the self, and their relationship.
तारकस्य प्रधानार्थः स्वस्वरूपनिरूपणम्।
सम्बन्धस्यानुसन्धानमनुसन्ध्यर्थ इष्यते॥३२॥
The principal meaning of the Tāraka mantra is the disclosure of the self’s own nature; the meaning to be continually contemplated is its relationship with the Lord.
उक्त्वेत्थं तारकार्थं तु द्वयार्थः प्रतिपाद्यते।
विमत्सराः प्रपश्यन्तु प्रगृह्णन्त्ववयन्तु च॥३३॥
Having thus stated the meaning of Tāraka, I shall now unfold the meaning of the Dvaya. Let those free from envy see it clearly, receive it, and understand.
श्रीरामद्वयमन्त्रमद्भुततमं वाक्यद्वयं षट्पदं
बाणाक्षिप्रमिताक्षरं तु खलु विद्धि त्वं दशार्थान्वितम्॥३४॥
Know the wondrous Śrī Rāma Dvaya-mantra to be two sentences made of six words, measured by twenty-five syllables, and joined to ten meanings.
युक्तं तत्त्रिपदैस्तु तत्र सुमते पूर्वं शुभस्यास्पदं
वाक्यं पञ्चदशाक्षरं तदनु दिग्वर्णात्मकं तूत्तरम्॥३५॥
Good-minded disciple, its first, auspicious sentence consists of three words and fifteen syllables; the following sentence also has three words and is formed of ten syllables.
सर्वाधीशेश्वरस्याप्तेर्हेतुरत्राभिधीयते।
सीता पुरुषकारार्था श्रीत्यनेन पदेन तु॥३६॥
Here *Śrī* names Sītā in her mediating grace, the cause by which one reaches the Lord who rules over every ruler.
मतः पुरुषकारस्य नित्यसम्बन्ध उच्यते।
रामचन्द्रेति पदतो वात्सल्यादिगुणस्य च॥३७॥
It teaches her eternal union with this compassionate mediation; the word *Rāmacandra* teaches his eternal possession of tenderness and the other auspicious qualities.
चरणावित्यनेनैव वात्सल्यादिकसीतयोः।
विलक्षणस्य दिव्यस्य विग्रहस्याश्रयस्य च॥३८॥
The word *caraṇau*, “the two feet,” signifies the support in which the unique divine form and Sītā’s tender grace and other qualities are inseparably present.
शरणेतिपदेनैवोपायस्तद्विग्रहो बुधैः।
उपायाध्यवसायस्तु प्रपद्य इति वर्ण्यते॥३९॥
The wise understand *śaraṇam*, “refuge,” to declare that very divine form as the means; *prapadye*, “I surrender,” expresses the settled act of choosing that means.
प्राप्यं मिथुनमेवेति श्रीमते पदतो मतम्।
रामचन्द्रेति पदतः स्वामित्वं प्रतिपाद्यते॥४०॥
The word *śrīmate* teaches that the Divine Couple together are the goal; the word *Rāmacandra* establishes the Lord’s sovereign ownership.
विभक्त्यायेतिपदतः शेषवृत्तिर्महात्मभिः।
विरोधिनो निरासस्तु नमःपदेन वर्ण्यते॥४१॥
The great teachers understand the dative ending in *Rāmacandrāya* to teach the dependent self’s life of service; *namaḥ* expresses the removal of everything opposed to it.
तात्पर्यार्थोऽस्य विज्ञेय आचार्यरुचिसंश्रयः।
वाक्यार्थो मन्त्ररत्नस्य त्वथ निर्णीयते बुधैः॥४२॥
Its purport is understood through the teacher’s gracious intention. The wise determine the sentence-meaning of this jewel of mantras as follows.
प्राप्यप्रापकसम्बन्धस्वरूपाभिनिरूपणम्।
प्रधानार्थस्तु तद्युग्मकैङ्कर्यस्य प्रधानता॥४३॥
It establishes the nature of the goal, the means, the self, and their relationship. Its principal meaning is the supremacy of service to that Divine Couple.
स्वदोषाभ्यनुसन्धानमनुसन्ध्यर्थ उच्यते।
एवमेवानुसन्धेयं मोक्षकामैरहर्दिवम्॥४४॥
The meaning to be continually contemplated is recognition of one’s own faults. Those who seek liberation should contemplate the mantra in this way, day and night.
प्रोक्ता वत्सक मन्त्ररत्नविवृतिः सन्मानसाभीष्टदा
सद्वेद्यं सकृदित्यवेहि चरमं निर्णीतवाक्यार्थकम्।
रामायं हि तदीयमन्त्रनिरतैरुद्बोधनीयं परं
द्वात्रिंशत्प्रमिताक्षरं मनुपदं द्व्यर्धं जगद्विश्रुतम्॥४५॥
Dear child, I have explained the jewel-mantra that grants the noble heart’s desire. Now understand the well-known final declaration beginning *sakṛt*, whose sentence-meaning is settled: Rāma’s supreme assurance, to be awakened in the heart by those devoted to his mantra, expressed in two and a half lines and thirty-two syllables.
अत्रोपायान्तरस्याथो निवृत्तिः प्रतिपाद्यते।
सकृदित्येवकारेण तूपायनिरपेक्षता॥४६॥
The declaration first excludes every other saving means. The restrictive force in *sakṛd eva*, “once alone,” teaches that surrender requires no other means to complete it.
प्रपन्नायेतिपदतस्तूपायस्थानमुच्यते।
उपायत्वं भगवतस्तवेति पदतस्तथा॥४७॥
*Prapannāya*, “to the one who has surrendered,” names the recipient in whom the means takes effect; *tava*, “your,” teaches that the Lord himself is that person’s saving means.
अस्मीत्यनेन चोपायस्वीकारः प्रतिपाद्यते।
समाप्त्यर्थेतिशब्देन तूपायानन्यतोच्यते॥४८॥
*Asmi*, “I am,” expresses the surrendered person’s acceptance of the Lord as the means; the quotative *iti*, which closes the statement, teaches that this means is exclusive.
चकारतोऽनुक्तसमुच्चयार्थतो निगद्यते त्वन्य उपाय आत्मवित्।
उपायसंसेव्यधिकारिलक्षणं पदेन वै याचत इत्यनेन तु॥४९॥
The conjunction gathers in further unspoken implications. The word *yācate*, “asks,” marks the qualified recipient: a self-knower who seeks protection from the saving Lord.
अथाभयमिति प्राप्तिप्रतिबन्धकवारणम्।
सर्वभूतेभ्य इत्येव प्राप्यस्य प्रतिबन्धकम्॥५०॥
*Abhayam*, “fearlessness,” declares the removal of whatever obstructs attainment; *from all beings* identifies the entire field of forces that can oppose the seeker’s reaching the goal.
ददामीतिपदेनाथोपायस्य सर्वशक्तिता।
एतदित्येव पदतोऽसंशयत्वमितीर्यते॥५१॥
*Dadāmi*, “I give,” proclaims the saving Lord’s omnipotence; *etat*, “this,” proclaims the utter certainty of his promise.
व्रतमेतत्पदेनाथो तद्दार्ढ्यमभिधीयते।
निर्भरत्वानुसन्धानं ममेति प्रतिपाद्यते॥५२॥
*Vratam etat*, “this is my vow,” expresses the promise’s unbreakable firmness; *mama*, “my,” teaches contemplation of complete reliance upon him.
तात्पर्यार्थोऽस्य विज्ञेयः शरण्यरुचिसंश्रयः।
तत्प्रापकस्वरूपस्य वाक्यार्थोऽथ निरूपणम्॥५३॥
The declaration’s purport rests in the compassionate intention of the giver of refuge. Its sentence-meaning establishes the nature of the self and of the Lord who brings that self to the goal.
प्रधानार्थः परेशस्य स्वरूपस्य निरूपणम्।
निर्भरत्वानुसन्धानमनुसन्ध्यर्थ उच्यते॥५४॥
Its principal meaning is the revelation of the Supreme Lord’s nature; the meaning to be continually contemplated is total, unburdened reliance upon him.