Balakanda - Doha 31 to 40

Doha - 31

The story of Sri Rama is the river Mandakini (which washes the foot of Citrakuta) a guileless heart is Mount Citrakuta (one of the happy resorts of Sri Rama during his wanderigs in the forest); while pure love, says Tulasidasa, is the woodland in which Sita and Rama carry on Their divine pastimes.

The narrative of Rama is a lovely wish-yielding gem, and a graceful adornement for saintly wisdom. The hosts of virtues possessed by Sri Rama are a blessing to the world and the bestowers of liberation, riches, religious merit and the divine abode. They are true teachers of wisdom, dispassion and Yoga (contemplative union with (God) and celestial physicians (Asvinikumaras) for the fell disease of metempsychosis; parents of devotion to Sita and Rama and the seed of all holy vows, practices and observances; antidotes for sins, agones and griefs and beloved guardiants in this as well as in the next world; valiant ministers to King Reason, and a veritable Agastya drinking up the illimitable ocean of greed; young lions residing in the forest of the devotee's mind to kill the herb of elephants in the demon Tripura) as a highly respectable and most beloved guest, and wish-yielding clouds quenching the wild fire of indigence. They are spells and valuable gems as it were for counteracting the venom of serpents in the form of sensuous enjoyments, and efface the deep marks of evil destiny contained on the forehead. They are sunbeams, as it were, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, and clouds nourishing the paddy crop in the form of devotees; trees of paradise as it were, yielding the object of one's desire; easily available for service and gratifying like Visnu and siva stars as it were adorning the devotees of sri Rama; a rich harvest of enjoyments as it; were yielded by the totality of one's meritorious deeds and sincerely devoted to the good of the world like holy men; sporting in the mind of the defvotees as swans in the Manasarovara lake and purifying as the waves of the holy Ganga.

The hosts of virtues possedssed by Sri Rama are like a blazing fire to consume the dry wood of evil ways, fallacious reasoning, mischievous practices, deceit, hypocrisy and heresy prevailing in Kali. The exploits of Sri Rama are delightful to one and all even as the rayas of the full moon, they are particularly agreeable and highly beneficial to the mind of the virtuous , who can be compared to the while water- lily and the Cakora bird.

I shall now relate at some length the seed of the story -viz , how Goddess Bhavani (parvati) questioned Lord Sankara and how the latter answered Her questions-weaving a strange narrative round this episode Let no one who should happen not to have heard this world. They are convinced in thear heart that Sri Rama has bodied Himself forth in diverse ways and that the Ramayana though comsisting of a thousand million verses, is yet infinite. Great sages have diversely sung the charming stories of Sri Hari ; relating as they do to different Kalpas or cycles. Bearing this in mind, the reader should not entertain any doubt and should hear this narrative reverently and with devotion.

Rama is infinite are His virtues and the dimensions of His story are also immeasurable. Those whose thoughts are pure will, therefore, feel no surprise when they hear it.

putting away all doubts in this way and placing on my head the dust from the lotus feet of my preceptor, I supplicate all with joined plams once more , so that no blame may attach to the telling of the story. Reverently bowing my head to Lord Siva, I now proceed to recount the fair virtues of Sri Rama. Placing my head on the feet of Sri Hari I commence this story in the Samvat year 1631 (1574A.D.) On Tuesday, the ninth of the luner month of Caitra, this story shed its lustre at Ayodhy .On this day of Sri Rama's birth the presiding spirits of all holy places flock there-so declare the Veds -and demons. Nagas, birds, human beings, sages and gods come and pay their homage to the Lord of Raghus . Wise men celebrate the great birthday festival and sing the sweet glory of Sri Rama.

Namerous groups of pious men take dip in the holy water of the Sarayu river and, visualizing in their heart the beautiful swarthy form of Sri Rama, mutter His name.

The very sight and touch of the Sarayu, a dip waters or a draught from it cleanses one's sins-so declare the Vedas and Puranas. Even Sarada, the goddess of learning with Her pure intelligence cannot describe the infinite glory of this most learning, with Her pure intelligence cannot describe the infinite glory of this most sacred river. The beautiful town of Ayodhya grants an abode in Sri Rama s heaven;It is celebrated through all the worlds and is the holiest of the holy , There are countless living beings in this world belonging to the four species (vin, viviparous, oviparous ,sweat-born and those shooting from the earth ); whoever of these shed their mortal coil in Ayodhya are never born again. Knowing the town to be charming in everyway, a bestower of all forms of success and a storehouse of blessings,I commenced writing this sacred story there. The impulses of lust, arrogance and hypocrisy positively disappear from the mind of those who hear it One derives solace by hearing its very name , Ramacaritamanasa (the Manasa lake of Sri Rama 's exploits). enjoyments, is sure to get relief should it drop into this lake. The holy and beautiful Ramacaritamanasa is the delight of sages: it was conceived by Sambhu (Lord Siva) It puts down the therr kinds of error, sorrow and indigence *and uproots all evil practices and impurities of the Kali age. Having conceived it , the great Lord Siva treasured it in His mind till, when a favourable opportunity presented itself, He communicated it to His consort, Siva (parvati) Therefore , after due consideration Lord Hara joyously gave it the excellent title of Ramacaritamanasa I repeat the same delightful and charming story; hear it reverently and atteintively, O noble souls.

Invoking Uma (Goddess Parvati ) and Lord Siva (who has a bull emblazoned His standard),I now proceed to give a full account as to what this Ramacaritamanasa is like , how it came to be and what led to its popularity in the world.

By the grace of Sambhu (Lord Siva) a blessed idea inspired the mind of Tulasidasa, which made him the author of Ramacaritamanasa. The author has polished his composition to the best of his intellect; yet listen to it with a sympathetic mind , O noble souls, and correct it. A refined (Sattvika) intellect is the catchment area, heart is the fathomless depression, the Vedas and Puranas constitute the ocean; while holy men represent the clouds which rain down pure, sweet, agreeable and blessed water in the form of Rama 's excellent glory . pastimes of a personal God that holy men nar-rate in extenso are the transparency of this water. which cleanses all impurity; while loving Devotion, which defies all description, represents its sweetness and coolness. This water is beneficial for the paddy crop in the form of virtuous deeds; it is life itself to the devotees of Sri Rama. The same holy water, when it dropped on the soil of the in tellect , flowed in a volume through the beaytiful channel of the ears and , collecting in the lovely spot called the heart , came to be stationary. Having remained there for a long time , it became clear, agreeable, cool and refreshing.

The four most beautiful and excellent dialogues (viz ; thouse between (i) Bhusundi and Garuda. (ii) Siva and Parvati (iii) Yajnavalkya and Bharadvaja and (iv) between Tulasidasa and other saints) that have been cleverly woven into this narrative are the four lovely Ghatas of this holy and charming lake.

The seven Books are the seven beautiful of steps, which the soul delights to look upon with the eyes of wisdom; the unqualified and unbouned greatness of Sri Rama, which will be persently discussed , represents the , unfathomable , dipth of this holy water . The glory of Sri Rama and Sita constitutes the nectarean water; the similes represent the soul-ravishing sport of its wavelets. The beautiful Caupais represent the thick growth of lotus-plants; the various poetic devices contitule the lovely shells that yied beautiful pearls. The other metres, viz; Chandas, Sorathas and Dohas. are the cluster of charming many -coloured lotus-plants; The other metres , viz ; Chandsas, Sorathas and Dohas, are the cluster of charming many -coloured lotuses. The incomparable sense, the beautiful ideas and the elegant expression represent the pollen, honey and fragrance of those flowers respectively. The virtuous acts mentioned therein are the charming swarms of bees; the references to spritual enlightenment, dispassion and reason represent the swan . The implications and involutions and the various excellences and styels of poetry are the lovely fishes of various kinds The four ends of human exposionce , viz , worldly riches religious merit , enjoyment , and liberation, the reasoned exposition of jana (knowledg of qualified Divinity both with and without form the nine sentiments of poetry * and the references to japa (the muttering of mystic formulae),austerity , Yoga (contemplative union with God) and detachment from the world-all these represent the charming aquatic creatures of this lake. Eulogies on virtuous men , pious souls and the Name of God this corresopond to water-birds of various kinds. The assemblages of saints referred to herein are the mango groves hemming the lake on all sides and piety has been likened to the vernal season. The exposition of the various types of Devotion and the reference to forbearance, compassion and sense-control represent the canopies of creepers Even so mind-control, the five-Yamas or forms of self-restraint (viz; non-violence, truthfulness, non-thieving, contince and non- acquisition of property), the five Niyamas or religious vows (viz, those of external and internal purity, contentment, austerity, study of sacred books or repetition of the Divine Name and self-surrender to God ) are the blossoms of these creepers; spiritual enlightenment is their fruit and loving devotion to the feet of Sri Hari constitutes the sap of this fruit of spiritual enlightenment; so declar the vedas. The various other repisodes forming part of this narrative are the bird of different colours such as the parrot and the cuckoo.

The thrill of joy that one experiences while listening to this narrative represents the flower gardens, orchards and groves; and the delight one feels is the sporting of birds; while a nobe mind is the gardene, who waters the garden etc, with the moisture of love through the charming jars of eyes.

Thouse who carefully recite this poem, they alone are the vigilant guardians of this lake And those men and wommen who reverently hear it everyday are the great gods exercisng jurisdiction over this Manasarovara lake. Sensual wertches are the accursed herons and pleasures of sense, corresponding to snails, frogs and moss. That is why poor crows and herons in the form of lustful men lack the heart to visit this place. For there is much difficulty in getting to this place and it is not possible to reach it without the grace of Sri Rama Bad company , which is so obdurate, constitutes a terriby rough road; and the words of such companions are so many tigers , lions and serpents. The various occuptions and the entanglrments of domestic life are huge mountains which are so difficult to approach. infatuation, arrogance and pride are so many inaccessible woods; and sophisms of various kinds are frightful streams,

The Manasa is most inaccessible to those who lack provisions for journey in the shape of piety, who do not enjoy the saints and who have no love for the Lord of Raghus (Sri Rama).

Even if anyone makes his way to it undergoing so much hardship, he is forthwith attacked by heart, so that the unhappy soul is desprived of a dip even after reaching there. Finding himself unhappy soul is deprived of a dip even after reaching there. Finding himself unable to take a plunge into the lake or to drink from it, he returns with a feeling of pride. And if anyone comes to inquire , deter him whom Sri Rama regards with overwhelming kindness, He alone reverntly bathes in the lake and thus escapes threefold agony * of the fiercest kind. Those men who cherish ideal devotion to the feet of Sri Rama never quit this lake. Let him who would bathe in this lake , brother, diligently practise Satsanga (association with saints) . Having seen the said Manasa lake with the mind 's eye and taken a dip into it, the poet's intellect got purged of all its dross. The heart was flooded with joy and alacrity and a torrent of love and rapture welled from it Thence flowed a stream of beautiful poeetry , carrying the water of Sri Rama fair renown Saratu is the name of this river, which is the very fountain of pure bliss. The secular view -point and the view -point of the Vedas-there represent its two charming banks . This holy stream . issuning as it does from the beautiful Manasa lake, uproots in its course all the impurities of the kali age, whether in the form of tiny blades of grass or of mighty trees.

The three types of audience are the towns, villages and cities and cities on both the banks; and the congregation of saints is the incomparable Ayodhya, which is the fountain of all auspicious blessings.

The beautiful Sarayu in the form of Sri Rama's fair renown joined the heavenly stream (Ganga) of devotion to Rama The latter was joined again by the charming stream of the mighty Sone in the form of the martial glory of Rama with His younger brother Laksmana. Intervening the two streams of Sarayu and Sone shines the celestial stream of Devotion blended with nobel dispassion and reason. This triple stream , which scares away the threefold agony referred to above , headed towards the ocean of Sri Rama's divine personality. With its source in the Manasa lake and united with the celestial river (Gana), the Sarayu of Sri Rama 's fame will purify the mind of the pious souls who listen to it; while the strange episodes interspersed here and there are the groves and gardens as it were adjoining the river banks . The bridegroom 's party in the wedding of Goddes Uma (parvati) and the great Lord Siva are the numberless aquatic creatures of various kinds. The rejoicings and felicitations that attended the advent of Sri Rama, the Chief of Raghus represent the charm of the eddies and waves.

The childlike sports of the four divine brothers are the , numerous lotus flowers of varied colours; while the stock of merits of king Dasaratha and his consorts and court repersent the and water-birds.

The fascinating story of Sita's choice -marriage is the delightful charm surrounding the river. The numerous pertinent questions are the boats on the river, while the judicious replies on the same are the skilled boatmen. The conversation that follows the narration of the srory is the crowed of travellers moving along the river banks. The wrath of parasurama (the Lord of Bhrgus) represents the furious current of this river; while Sri Rama 's soft wards are the strongly bulit ghatas on the banks. The festivities connecyed with the wedding of Sri Rama and His younger brothers represent the graceful swell in the river, which is a source of delight to all. Thouse who rejoice and experience a therill of joy in narrating or hearing the story are the luck sould who take an exhilarating dip in the river. The auspicious preparations that were gone through in connections with the installation of Sri Rama as the Yuvaraja (prince-regent) represent as it were the crowds of bathers assembled at the river bank on a sacred occasion. Kaikeyis evil counsel represents the moss on the bank, which brought a serious calamity in its wake.