Jun 3, 2019
Divine Childhood(Contd. 23)
Couplet:
34. Many bands of saints bathe in the pure waters of Sarayu that day and holding the image of beautiful dark complexioned body of Sri Rama in meditation, they chant his name.
Quatrain:
- Vedas and Puranas say that vision, touch, bath and drink from Sarayu takes away one’s sins. This river is very pure and its greatness infinite, which even pure-minded Saraswati cannot describe.
2. This resplendent city of Ayodhya is a giver of Sri Rama’s divine abode and is the renowned in the world and utterly pristine. There are multitudes of beings of four kinds¹ and amongst them those who leave their mortal coil in Ayodhya, never return to this world² again.
3. Knowing this city to be enchanting in all manner, and giver of all attainments and and source of all auspiciousness, I begin this pure tale, listening to which destroys all desire, ego and arrogance.
4. Its name is Ramcharitmanas, merely listening to which gives repose. The elephant called mind is burning in the forest fire called desires. If it falls into this lake called Ramcharitmans, it will attain felicity.
5. Ramcharitmans is beloved of the contemplatives. This beautiful and pure manas has been composed by Shiva. It destroys the three kinds of faults, suffering, poverty as well as guile and sins of Kaliyuga.
6. Mahesh composed it and held it in the crypt of his mind, and narrated it to Parvati at opportune moment. Due to this, Hara, witnessing it in his heart and feeling elate, gave it the beautiful name ‘Ramcharitmanas’³.
7. O wise! I narrate the same bliss giving beautiful tale of Rama. Yoke your mind to it with respect and listen.
Couplet:
35. This Ramcharit is like manas. How it was created and why it was propagated in the world, I will now narrate that tale, remembering Uma and Vrishaketu⁴.
Quatrain:
- By Shiva’s grace purity of mind arose in Tulsidas, by virtue of which he became the poet of Ramcharitmanas. According to his intellect he has made it beautiful, but O wise ones! listen with a pure heart and make amends.
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- This refers to the fourfold classification of living beings based on their manner of birth, which has been discussed earlier.
- The original word used is “sansaara” or the cyclic nature of existence in which beings are trapped and suffer due to ignorance of their true selves. The verse implies that the beings who die in Ayodhya do not fall into this state of ignorance and suffering ever again.
- ‘manas’ implies ‘mind’.
- Another name for Shiva as he has the emblem of the Bull(‘Vrishabh’ in Sanskrit) on his flag.
