I reverence Sāradā and Gaṇeś, the inventors of the alphabet and of phraseology, of the poetic modes and of metre. I reverence Bhavānī and Śaṅkara, the incarnations of faith and hope, without whom not even the just can see God, the Great Spirit! I reverence, as the incarnation of Śaṅkara, the all-wise Guru, through whom even the crescent moon is everywhere honoured. I reverence the king of bards and the monkey king, of pure intelligence, who ever lingered with delight in the holy forest land of Rāma and Sītā’s infinite perfection. I bow before Sītā, the beloved of Rāma; the queen of birth, of life and death; the destroyer of sorrow; the cause of happiness.
I reverence, under his name Rāma, the lord Hari; supreme over all causes; to whose illusive power are subject the whole universe and every supernatural being from Brahma downwards; by whose light truth is made manifest, as when what appeared to be a snake turns out a rope; and by whose feet as by a bark those who will may pass safely over the ocean of existence.
In accord with all the Purāṇas and different sacred texts, and with what has been recorded in the Rāmāyaṇa (of Vālmīki) and elsewhere, I, Tulsi, to gratify my own heart’s desire, have composed these lays of Raghunāth in most choice and elegant modern speech.
I reverence, under his name Rāma, the lord Hari; supreme over all causes; to whose illusive power are subject the whole universe and every supernatural being from Brahma downwards; by whose light truth is made manifest, as when what appeared to be a snake turns out a rope; and by whose feet as by a bark those who will may pass safely over the ocean of existence.
In accord with all the Purāṇas and different sacred texts, and with what has been recorded in the Rāmāyaṇa (of Vālmīki) and elsewhere, I, Tulsi, to gratify my own heart’s desire, have composed these lays of Raghunāth in most choice and elegant modern speech.
O Gaṇeś, of the grand elephant head; the mention of whose name ensures success, be gracious to me, accumulation of wisdom, storehouse of all good qualities! Thou, too, by whose favour the dumb becomes eloquent, and the lame can climb the vastest mountain, be favourable to me, O Thou that consumest as a fire all the impurities of this iron age. Take up thy abode also in my heart, O Thou that slumberest on the milky ocean, with body dark as the lotus, and eyes bright as a budding water-lily. O spouse of Umā, clear of hue as the jasmine or the moon; home of compassion, who showest pity to the humble; show pity upon me, O Destroyer of Kāmadeva. I reverence the lotus feet of my master, that ocean of benevolence, Hari incarnate, whose words are like a flood of sunlight on the darkness of ignorance and infatuation.
I reverence the pollen-like dust of the lotus feet of my master, bright, fragrant, sweet, and delicious; pure extract of the root of ambrosia, potent to disperse all the attendant ills of life; like the holy ashes on the divine body of Sambhu, beautiful, auspicious, ecstatic. Applied to the forehead as a tilak, it cleanses from defilement the fair mirror of the human mind and gives it the mastery of all good. By recalling the lustre of the nails of the reverend guru's feet, a divine splendour illumines the soul, dispersing the shades of error with its sun-like glory. How blessed is he who takes it to his heart! The mental vision brightens and expands, the night of the world with sin and pain fades away, the actions of Rama, like diamonds and rubies, whether obvious or obscure, all alike become clear in whichever direction the mine is explored.
I reverence the pollen-like dust of the lotus feet of my master, bright, fragrant, sweet, and delicious; pure extract of the root of ambrosia, potent to disperse all the attendant ills of life; like the holy ashes on the divine body of Sambhu, beautiful, auspicious, ecstatic. Applied to the forehead as a tilak, it cleanses from defilement the fair mirror of the human mind and gives it the mastery of all good. By recalling the lustre of the nails of the reverend guru's feet, a divine splendour illumines the soul, dispersing the shades of error with its sun-like glory. How blessed is he who takes it to his heart! The mental vision brightens and expands, the night of the world with sin and pain fades away, the actions of Rama, like diamonds and rubies, whether obvious or obscure, all alike become clear in whichever direction the mine is explored.
Dohâ.
By applying this collyrium, as it were, to the eyes, the student acquires both holiness and wisdom, and is able to understand his sportive career when on earth—on mountain, or in forest—and all the treasures of his grace.
Chaupâî.
The dust of the guru's feet is a soft and charming collyrium, like ambrosia for the eyes, to remove every defect of vision. With this having purified the eyes of my understanding, I proceed to relate the actions of Rama, the redeemer of the world. First I reverence the feet of the great Brahman saints, potent to remove the doubts engendered by error. In my heart, as with my voice, I reverence the whole body of the faithful, mines of perfection; whose good deeds resemble the fruit of the cotton plant in austerity, purity, and manifold uses, and in painful cleansing from impurities: reverence to them, whatever the age or clime in which their glory was consummated. An assembly of the saints is all joy and felicity, like the great tīrtha Prayag endowed with motion: for faith in Rama is as the stream of the Ganges; contemplation on Brahma as the Sarasvati; and ritual, dealing with precepts and prohibitions for the purification of this iron age, as the sun-god's daughter, the Jamuna. The united flood of the Tribeni is represented by the legends of Hari and of Hara, filling all that hear with delight: the sacred fig-tree by faith firm in its own traditions, and Prayag itself by the assembly of the virtuous. Easy of access to all, on any day, at any place, curing all the ills of pious devotees, is this unspeakable spiritual chief tīrtha, of manifest virtue and yielding immediate fruit.
By applying this collyrium, as it were, to the eyes, the student acquires both holiness and wisdom, and is able to understand his sportive career when on earth—on mountain, or in forest—and all the treasures of his grace.
Chaupâî.
The dust of the guru's feet is a soft and charming collyrium, like ambrosia for the eyes, to remove every defect of vision. With this having purified the eyes of my understanding, I proceed to relate the actions of Rama, the redeemer of the world. First I reverence the feet of the great Brahman saints, potent to remove the doubts engendered by error. In my heart, as with my voice, I reverence the whole body of the faithful, mines of perfection; whose good deeds resemble the fruit of the cotton plant in austerity, purity, and manifold uses, and in painful cleansing from impurities: reverence to them, whatever the age or clime in which their glory was consummated. An assembly of the saints is all joy and felicity, like the great tīrtha Prayag endowed with motion: for faith in Rama is as the stream of the Ganges; contemplation on Brahma as the Sarasvati; and ritual, dealing with precepts and prohibitions for the purification of this iron age, as the sun-god's daughter, the Jamuna. The united flood of the Tribeni is represented by the legends of Hari and of Hara, filling all that hear with delight: the sacred fig-tree by faith firm in its own traditions, and Prayag itself by the assembly of the virtuous. Easy of access to all, on any day, at any place, curing all the ills of pious devotees, is this unspeakable spiritual chief tīrtha, of manifest virtue and yielding immediate fruit.
Dohâ.
At this Prayag of holy men, whoever hears and understands, and in spirit devoutly bathes, receives even in this life all four rewards.
Chaupâî.
In an instant behold the result of the immersion; the crow becomes a parrot and the goose a swan. Let no one marvel at hearing this, for the influence of good company is no mystery. Valmiki, Narad and the jar-born Agastya have told its effect upon themselves. Whatever moves in the water, or on the earth, or in the air; every creature in the world, whether animate or inanimate, that has attained to knowledge, or glory, or salvation, or power, or virtue, by any work, at any time or place, has triumphed through association with the good; neither the world nor the Veda knows of any other expedient. Intercourse with the good is attainable only by the blessing of Rama and without it wisdom is impossible: it is the root of all joy and felicity; its flowers are good works and its fruit perfection. By it the wicked are reformed; as when by the touch of the philosopher's stone a vile metal becomes gold. If by mischance a good man falls into evil company, like the gem in a serpent's head, he still retains his virtue. Brahma, Vishnu, Mahadeva, the wisest of the poets, all have failed to expound the pre-eminence of a saint; for me to tell it is, as it were, for a costermonger to describe the excellence of a set of jewels.
At this Prayag of holy men, whoever hears and understands, and in spirit devoutly bathes, receives even in this life all four rewards.
Chaupâî.
In an instant behold the result of the immersion; the crow becomes a parrot and the goose a swan. Let no one marvel at hearing this, for the influence of good company is no mystery. Valmiki, Narad and the jar-born Agastya have told its effect upon themselves. Whatever moves in the water, or on the earth, or in the air; every creature in the world, whether animate or inanimate, that has attained to knowledge, or glory, or salvation, or power, or virtue, by any work, at any time or place, has triumphed through association with the good; neither the world nor the Veda knows of any other expedient. Intercourse with the good is attainable only by the blessing of Rama and without it wisdom is impossible: it is the root of all joy and felicity; its flowers are good works and its fruit perfection. By it the wicked are reformed; as when by the touch of the philosopher's stone a vile metal becomes gold. If by mischance a good man falls into evil company, like the gem in a serpent's head, he still retains his virtue. Brahma, Vishnu, Mahadeva, the wisest of the poets, all have failed to expound the pre-eminence of a saint; for me to tell it is, as it were, for a costermonger to describe the excellence of a set of jewels.