Doha - 81
Everything I saw had a distinctive stamp of its own universe and was exceedingly worderful too, O mount of Sri Hri. But in my round of the innumerable universes I saw no other Rama, my lord. Tossed by the blast of infatution I saw, in each suceessive world that I visited, the same child-like ways, the same beauty, the same gracious Rama (Hero of Raghu's line).
Chaupala
It seemed as if a hundred cycles had been spent in my wonderings thought the many universes. at last after all my travels I came to my own hermitage and stayed there for some time. Meanwhile as I happend to hear of my lord's birth at Ayodhya I started up and ran in an overhwelming ecstasy of love and went and witnessed the grand festival of His birth as I have already told you at length. (It need hardly. be said that all this happened inside the belly of my lord.) Thus in the belly of Sri Rama I beheld a number of universes. But what I saw could only be seen with one's eyes; it was beyond all telling. There again I beheld the divine Sri Rama, the gracious and all-wise Lord of Maya. I pondered again and again, But my understanding was obcured by the mists of delusion. In less than an hour. I had seen everything. My soul being utterly bewidered, I was lost in a maze.
Doha - 82A-B
Seeing my distress the gracious Hero of Raghu's line laughed; and mark me, O Garuda of resolute mind: the moment He laughted I came out of His mouth. Sri Rama again began the same childish pranks with me. I resoned with myself in every way I could: but my mind knew peace.
Chaupala
seeing this childish play and recalling tht glory (which I had seen inside the Lord's belly) I lost consciousness of my body, and crying: "Save me, save me, O Protector of the devotees in distress!" dropped to the ground. No other word came to my mouth. When the the Lord saw me overpowered with love, He immediately checked the power of His Maya. The Lord, Who is so merciful to the afflicted, placed His lotus hand on my head and relieved me of all sorrow. The gracious Sri Rama, the delight of His servants, rid me of my deep-rooted error. As I reflected on His former glory my mind was flooded with joy. seeing the Lord's loving kindness to His devotees my heart began to throb with profuse love. With eyes full of tears and joined palms and every hair on my body standing erect, I then made supplication to Him in many ways.
Doha - 83A-B
Hearing my loving words and seeing the wretchd plight of His servant, Sri Rama (the Abode of Laksmi) spoke in words which were not only soft and pleasing but profound at the same time; "Kakabhusundi! ask of Me a boon, knowing Me to be highly pleased with you. Be it mystic powers such as Anima (the power of assuming a form as small as an atom), fabulous wealth (such as that possessed by Kubera, the god of riches) and final beatitude, which is the fountain of all joy:-
Chaupala
--Or spiritual wisdom, critical judgment dispassion, realization and numerous other virtues which cannot be easily attained in this word even by the sages--today I am prepared to give you all undoubtedly; therefore, ask whatever pleases your mind." On hearing the words of the Lord I was overwhelmed with love and began to reason thus within myself; "The Lord, it is true, has promised to give me all kinds of blessings: but He did not offer to grant me devotion to His own feet. Without such devotion all sorts of virtues and blessings are like so many auxiliary dishes without salt. Of what avail is any blessing without adoration." Pondering thus, O king of the birds, I replied as follows: "If it is your pleasure, my lord, to grant me a boon and if you are kind and affectionate to me, I ask my cherished boon, O master; for you are generous and know the secrets of all hearts.
Doha - 84A-B
"O my lord, Sri Rama, tree of paradise to the devotee, friend of the suppliant ocean of copassion and abode of bliess, in Your mercy grant me that devoteion to Your feet, uninterrupted, and unalloyed, which the vedas and Puranas extol, which is sought after by Sages and great yogis (contemplative mystics) but attained by few and that too by the Lord's grace."
Chaupala
"So be it!" said the Chief of Raghu's line, and contunued in these most pleasing terms" "Listen, Kakabhusundi: you are sagavious by nature, no wonder, therefore, that you ask this boon. No one in this world is so highly blessed as you, since you have sought the gifts= of Devotion, wich is the fountain of all blessings and which even sages cannot attain in spite of all their efforts, even though they consume their body in the fire of prayer and meditation. I am pleased to see your sagacity in that you have sought devotion, which is extremely dear to My heart. Listen, O bird: by My grace now all good qualities shall abide in your heart. Devotion, spiritual wisdom, realization dispassion, yoga, My exploits as well as their secrets and classification--by My grace shall obtain insight into all these and shall not be required to undergo the rigours of Sadhana (self-discipline).
Doha - 85A-B
"None of the errors that arise from Maya shall clound your mind any more. Henceforth know Me to be the same as Brahma, who is without beginning, birthless, devoid of attributes (the products of Maya ) and yet a mine of (transcendent diveine) virtues: Listen, Kakabhusundi: devotees are always dear to Me. realizing this, cherish unflinching devotion to My feet in thought, word and deed."
Chaupala
"Now listen to My most sacred teaching, which is not only true and easily intelligible but has also been echoed by the Vedas and other scriptures. I give you to hear My own conclusion; listen to it and imprint it on your mind; and forswearing everything else, worship Me. This world with all its varieties of life, both moving and motionless, is a creation of my Maya (delusive potency). I love them all because all are My creatures. But human beings are the dearest to me of all. of human beingss, the Brahmanas; of the Brahmanas, those well-versed in the Vedas; of these, again, those that follow the course of conduct prescribed in the Vedas; of these, again, those that follow the course of conduct prescribed in the Vedas; of thse latter, those who are averse to the pleasure of sense are dear to Me, and yet more the wise; of the wise too I love a man of realization all the more; more beloved to Me even than these is my own servant (devotee), who solely depends on Me and has no other hope. Again and again I repeat to you the truth that no one is so dear to me as My devotee. If Viranci (the Creator)too had no devotion to Me, he would be only as dear to Me as all the other creatures. And the humblest creature that breathes, if possessed of Devotion, is dear to Me as life: such is My nature.
Doha - 86
"Tell Me, who would not love a faithful, amiable and sagacious servant? Listen attentively, O Kakabhusundi: the Vedas and Puranas declare this to be a sound principle:-
Chaupala
"A father has number of sons, each differing from the others in character, temper and conduct. One is learned, another given to austerities, a third spiritually enlightended, a fourth rich, a fifth possessed of valour, a sixth charitably disposed, a seventh all-wise and an eighth internt on piety; but the father equally loves all A ninth son is devoted to his father in thought, word and deed and never dreams of any other son is devotede to his father in thought, word and deed and never dreams of any other duty. This is the son whom the father loves as his own life, though he be a perfect ignoramus. In a like manner all animate and inanimate beings, including the subhuman species, gods, men and demons--in short, the whole of this univrse is My creation and I am equally compassionate to all. Of these, however, he who adores Me in thought, word and deed, forswearing arrogance and wiles--
Doha - 87A-B
"Be it man, woman or one lacking the characteristies of both, or, for the matter of that, any living being whatsoever of the animate or inanimate world--he who adores Me with all his being giving up all guile, is supremely dear to Me. O bird, I tell you in all sincerity that a guileless servant is dear to Me as life, Realizing this worship Me, abandoning all other hope and reliance.
Chaupala
"Time shall have no power over you. Remember and adore Me unceasingly." I did not feet sated with hearing the nectar-like words of the Lord; the hair on my body stood erect and I felt extremely delighted at heart. The joy felt on the occasion was shared only by the mind and the ears (the auditory sense); the tongue had no power to tell it. The eyes alone had the blissful experience of beholding the Lord's beauty; but how could they describe it, devoid of speech as they are? After He had gladdened me by His manifold exhortations in this way He again began to sport like a child as before. With ears in His eyes and His looks somewhat gloomy He olooked at his mother (Kausalya)as if He were hungry. Seeing this the mother started up in haste and ran; and addressing Him in soft words clasped Him to her bsoso. then, laying Him in her she began to succkle Him, singing the while of Sri Rama's charming exploits.
Doha - 88A-B
The men and women of Ayodhya remained never absorbed in that (transcendental) joy, to attain which the blessed Lord Siva, the delighter of all, assumed His unsightly garb (such as a garland of human skulls, serpents for His ornaments, ashes for scented cosmetics and joy only once even in a dream think nothing of the joy of absorption into Brahma(much less of any earthly or heavenly joy).
Chaupala
After this I Stayd a while at Ayodhya and enjoyed and enjoyed the Lord's delightful childish sports. Having by Sri Rama's grace obtained the boon of Devotion I adored my Lord's feet and returned to my own hermitage. ever since the Lord accepted me as his own I have never fallen a victim to delusion. I have told you at length all this strange story of how Sri Hari's Maya made a pupper of me. Now I tell you my own realization, O lord of the winged creatures: unless we adore Sri Hari our troubles will not end. Listen, king of the birds: without Sri Rama's grace it is not possible to know the Lord's greatness. Without knowledge faith is out of the question; and without faith there can be no love. Shorn of love, devotion will not abide any more than the lubricity produced by water.
Doha - 89A-B
Is spiritual illumination possible without a preceptor? Or, again, is it possible to acquire wisdom without dispassion? Or, as the Vedas and Puranas declare, can on attain happiness without devotion to Sri Hari? Again, dear Garuda, can one find peace without innate content? Can a boat ever float without water even though you strain every nerve till your last breath?
Chaupala
Without content desire cannot cease; and so long as desire continues you can never dream of happiness. Again, can desire be got rid of without adoring Sri Rama? Can a tree ever take root without soil? Can even-mindness be acquired without spiritual enlightement? Can anyone get moving space without ether? There can be no piety without faith. Can anyone get odour except from the earth and spread one's glory except through austere penance? Can there be any taste in this world without water? Can virtue be acquired without waiting upon the wise, any more than colour can exist without the element of fire, my master? Can the mind be at rest without experiencing the joy inherent in one's own self? Can there be any sensation of touch without air, and any success without faith? In a like-manner the fear of rebirth can never cease except through worship of Sri Hari.
Doha - 90A-B
Without faithf there can be no Devotion and Sri Rama never melt except through Devotion; and without Sri Rama's grace the human soul can never attain peace even in a dream. Pondering thus, O Garuda of resolute mind, abandon all cavilling and scepticism and adore the all beautiful Sri Rama, the Hero of Raghu's line, a fountain of mercy and the delight of all.
Chaupala
Thus, my master, have i sung according to my own light the greatness of my lord's glory, O king of the birds, I have not had recourse to any inventive skill; I have seen all this with my own eyes. Sri Rama's greatness, His Name, beauty and the song of His praises, they are all boundless and endless; and the Lord of the Raghus Himself is infinite. The sages sing Sri Hari's praises each according to his wits; but neither the Vedas nor Sesa (the serpent-god)nor the blessed Siva Himself can reach their end. All winged creatures, from yourself down to the mosquito, take their fight across the sky; but none can reach the end of it. Even so, dear Garuda, can anyone ever gauge the exent of Sri Rama's greatness, unfathomable as it is? Rama's body possesses the charm of a myriad Cupids. He is inexorable in crushing the enemy as countless millions of Durgas. He enjoys the luxury of a myriad Indras and is immeasurable in expanse as a myriad firmaments.