Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 117 of 128 · 33 verses
The Gods Praise Rama
Hearing the cries of the people, Rama, troubled, righteous, broods for a moment, his eyes clouded with tears. Then King Vaishravana, Yama with the ancestors, thousand-eyed Indra, lord of the gods, Varuna, lord of the waters, glorious three-eyed Mahadeva, whose banner is the bull, and Brahma, maker of the whole world, best of knowers of Brahman, all come together in aerial chariots bright as the sun to the city of Lanka and approach Raghava. Raising their great arms adorned with ornaments, the best of the gods say to Raghava, standing with joined palms: maker of the whole world, best of the wise, all-pervading, how can you disregard Sita falling into the fire? How do you not know yourself, the best of the hosts of gods? You were once Ritadhaman, the Vasu, the Prajapati of the Vasus; you are the first maker of the three worlds, self-ruling; you are the eighth Rudra of the Rudras and the fifth of the Sadhyas; the two Ashvins are your ears and the moon and sun your eyes; at the end and the beginning of the worlds you are seen, scorcher of foes; and you disregard the Vaidehi like an ordinary man!
Spoken to so by the world guardians, Raghava, lord of the world, best of upholders of dharma, says to the best of the gods: I think of myself as a man, Rama, son of Dasharatha; who I am, whose I am and whence I came, let the blessed one tell me. As Kakutstha speaks, Brahma, best of knowers of Brahman, says: hear the truth from me, Rama of true valour. You are the god Narayana, the glorious lord who bears the discus; the one-horned boar, conqueror of past and future enemies; the imperishable Brahman, the truth in the middle and at the end, Raghava; the highest dharma of the worlds, Vishvaksena, four-armed; bearer of the Sharnga bow, Hrishikesha, the Person, the Supreme Person; unconquered, bearer of the sword, Vishnu, Krishna of mighty strength; the general and the village leader; intelligence, goodness, patience and self-control; origin and dissolution; Upendra, slayer of Madhu; doer of Indra’s deeds, great Indra, lotus-naveled, ender of battles. The heavenly great sages call you the refuge and the protector; thousand-horned, the self of the Veda, hundred-headed, the great bull; you are the first maker of the three worlds, self-ruling; refuge of the siddhas and sadhyas, the first-born; you are the sacrifice, the vashat call and the syllable Om, higher than the highest. No one knows your origin or end, or who you are; you are seen in all beings, in brahmins and cows, in all directions, in the sky, on mountains and in forests; thousand-footed, glorious, hundred-headed, thousand-eyed, you bear all beings and the earth with its mountains; at the end of the earth you are seen in the waters as the great serpent, bearing the three worlds, gods, gandharvas and danavas. I am your heart, Rama; the goddess Sarasvati is your tongue; the gods made by Brahma are the hairs on your limbs, lord; your closing of the eyes is called night and your opening day; the Vedas are your refinements; there is nothing without you. The whole world is your body; the earth is your steadiness; fire is your anger and the moon your grace; you bear the Shrivatsa mark. Long ago you crossed the three worlds with your three strides and made great Indra king, having bound the terrible Bali. The highest light that is heard of, the highest darkness that is heard of, that which is higher than the highest, you are called the supreme Self; you alone are sung as that which is called supreme; they call you the final refuge of preservation, creation and destruction. Sita is Lakshmi, and you are Vishnu, the god Krishna, Prajapati; for the killing of Ravana you entered a human body here. You have done this work of ours, best of the upholders of dharma; Ravana is killed, Rama; rejoicing, go up to heaven. Unfailing is your strength and valour, unfailing your prowess; unfailing is the sight of you, Rama, and unfailing the praise of you; unfailing will be the men on earth who are devoted to you, the god, the constant, the ancient, the Supreme Person; they will always gain their desires in this world and the next. Those who recite this ancient hymn of the seers, this old history, will never meet defeat.
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ततो हि दुर्मना रामः श्रुत्वैवं वदतां गिरः । दध्यौ मुहूर्तं धर्मात्मा बाष्पव्याकुललोचनः ॥ १ ॥
Then, hearing the voices of those speaking so, Rama, troubled at heart, righteous, brooded for a moment, his eyes clouded with tears.
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The Gods Praise Rama 1 min read.
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ततो वैश्रवणो राजा यमश्च पितृभिः सह । सहस्राक्षश्च देवेशो वरुणश्च जलेश्वरः ॥ २ ॥
Then King Vaishravana, and Yama with the ancestors, and the thousand-eyed lord of the gods, and Varuna, lord of the waters,
षडर्धनयनः श्रीमान्महादेवो वृषध्वजः । कर्ता सर्वस्य लोकस्य ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां वरः ॥ ३ ॥
the glorious three-eyed Mahadeva, whose banner is the bull, and Brahma, maker of the whole world, best of the knowers of Brahman:
एते सर्वे समागम्य विमानैः सूर्यसन्निभैः । आगम्य नगरीं लङ्कामभिजग्मुश्च राघवम् ॥ ४ ॥
all these, coming together in aerial chariots like the sun, coming to the city of Lanka, approached Raghava.
ततः सहस्ताभरणान्प्रगृह्य विपुलान्भुजान् । अब्रुवंस्त्रिदशश्रेष्ठाः प्राञ्जलिं राघवं स्थितम् ॥ ५ ॥
Then, raising their great arms with their ornaments, the best of the thirty gods spoke to Raghava, who stood with joined palms:
कर्ता सर्वस्य लोकस्य श्रेष्ठो ज्ञानविदां विभुः । उपेक्षसे कथं सीतां पतन्तीं हव्यवाहने ॥ ६ ॥
“Maker of the whole world, best of the knowers of wisdom, all-pervading, how can you disregard Sita falling into the bearer of offerings?
कथं देवगणश्रेष्ठमात्मानं नावबुध्यसे । ऋतधामा वसुः पूर्वं वसूनां त्वं प्रजापतिः ॥ ७ ॥
“How do you not know yourself, the best of the hosts of gods? You were once Ritadhaman, the Vasu, the Prajapati of the Vasus.
त्रयाणां त्वं हि लोकानामादिकर्ता स्वयंप्रभुः । रुद्राणामष्टमो रुद्रः साध्यानामसि पञ्चमः । अश्विनौ चापि ते कर्णौ चन्द्रसूर्यौ च चक्षुषी ॥ ८ ॥
“For you are the first maker of the three worlds, self-ruling; you are the eighth Rudra of the Rudras, the fifth of the Sadhyas; the two Ashvins are your ears, and the moon and sun your eyes.
अन्ते चादौ च लोकानां दृश्यसे त्वं परन्तप । उपेक्षसे च वैदेहीं मानुषः प्राकृतो यथा ॥ ९ ॥
“At the end and at the beginning of the worlds you are seen, scorcher of foes; and you disregard the Vaidehi like an ordinary man.”
इत्युक्तो लोकपालैस्तैः स्वामी लोकस्य राघवः । अब्रवीत्रिदशश्रेष्ठान्रामो धर्मभृतां वरः ॥ १० ॥
Spoken to so by those world guardians, Raghava, lord of the world, Rama, best of the upholders of dharma, said to the best of the thirty gods:
आत्मानं मानुषं मन्ये रामं दशरथात्मजम् । योऽहं यस्य यतश्चाहं भगवांस्तद्ब्रवीतु मे ॥ ११ ॥
“I think of myself as a man, Rama, son of Dasharatha; who I am, whose I am and whence I am, let the blessed one tell me.”
इति ब्रुवन्तं काकुत्स्थं ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां वरः । अब्रवीच्छृणु मे राम सत्यं सत्यपराक्रम ॥ १२ ॥
To Kakutstha speaking so, Brahma, best of the knowers of Brahman, said: “Hear the truth from me, Rama of true valour.
भवान्नारायणो देवः श्रीमांश्चक्रायुधः प्रभुः । एकशृङ्गो वराहस्त्वं भूतभव्यसपत्नजित् ॥ १३ ॥
“You are the god Narayana, the glorious lord armed with the discus; you are the one-horned boar, conqueror of past and future enemies;
अक्षरं ब्रह्म सत्यं च मध्ये चान्ते च राघव । लोकानां त्वं परो धर्मो विष्वक्सेनश्चतुर्भुजः ॥ १४ ॥
“the imperishable Brahman, the truth, in the middle and at the end, Raghava; you are the highest dharma of the worlds, Vishvaksena, the four-armed;
शार्ङ्गधन्वा हृषीकेशः पुरुषः पुरुषोत्तमः । अजितः खड्गधृद्विष्णुः कृष्णश्चैव बृहद्बलः ॥ १५ ॥
“bearer of the Sharnga bow, Hrishikesha, the Person, the Supreme Person, unconquered, bearer of the sword, Vishnu, and Krishna of mighty strength;
सेनानीर्ग्रामणीश्च त्वं बुद्धिः सत्त्वं क्षमा दमः । प्रभवश्चाप्ययश्च त्वमुपेन्द्रो मधुसूदनः ॥ १६ ॥
“you are the general and the village leader, intelligence, goodness, patience and self-control; you are the origin and the dissolution, Upendra, slayer of Madhu;
इन्द्रकर्मा महेन्द्रस्त्वं पद्मनाभो रणान्तकृत् । शरण्यं शरणं च त्वामाहुर्दिव्या महर्षयः ॥ १७ ॥
“doer of Indra’s deeds, you are great Indra, lotus-naveled, ender of battles; the heavenly great sages call you the refuge and the protector.
सहस्रशृङ्गो वेदात्मा शतशीर्षो महर्षभः । त्वं त्रयाणां हि लोकानामादिकर्ता स्वयम्प्रभुः ॥ १८ ॥
“Thousand-horned, self of the Veda, hundred-headed, great bull, you are the first maker of the three worlds, self-ruling.
सिद्धानामपि साध्यानामाश्रयश्चासि पूर्वजः । त्वं यज्ञस्त्वं वषट्कारस्त्वमोङ्कारः परात्परः ॥ १९ ॥
“You are the refuge of the siddhas and the sadhyas, the first-born; you are the sacrifice, you the vashat call, you the syllable Om, higher than the highest.
प्रभवं निधनं वा ते नो विदुः को भवानिति । दृश्यसे सर्वभूतेषु ब्राह्मणेषु च गोषु च । दिक्षु सर्वासु गगने पर्वतेषु वनेषु च ॥ २० ॥
“No one knows your origin or end, or who you are; you are seen in all beings, in brahmins and in cows, in all the directions, in the sky, on mountains and in forests.
सहस्रचरणः श्रीमाञ्शतशीर्षः सहस्रदृक् । त्वं धारयसि भूतानि पृथिवीं च सपर्वताम् ॥ २१ ॥
“Thousand-footed, glorious, hundred-headed, thousand-eyed, you bear the beings and the earth with its mountains.
अन्ते पृथिव्याः सलिले दृश्यसे त्वं महोरगः । त्रीँल्लोकान्धारयन्राम देवगन्धर्वदानवान् ॥ २२ ॥
“At the end of the earth you are seen in the water as the great serpent, bearing the three worlds, Rama, the gods, gandharvas and danavas.
अहं ते हृदयं राम जिह्वा देवी सरस्वती । देवा गात्रेषु रोमाणि ब्रह्मणा निर्मिताः प्रभो ॥ २३ ॥
“I am your heart, Rama; the goddess Sarasvati is your tongue; the gods made by Brahma are the hairs on your limbs, lord.
निमेषस्ते स्मृता रात्रिरुन्मेषस्ते भवेद्दिवा । संस्कारास्तेऽभवन्वेदा न तदस्ति त्वया विना ॥ २४ ॥
“Your closing of the eyes is called night; your opening of the eyes would be day; the Vedas became your refinements; there is nothing without you.
जगत्सर्वं शरीरं ते स्थैर्यं ते वसुधातलम् । अग्निः कोपः प्रसादस्ते सोमः श्रीवत्सलक्षणः ॥ २५ ॥
“The whole world is your body; your steadiness is the surface of the earth; fire is your anger, the moon your grace; you bear the Shrivatsa mark.
त्वया लोकास्त्रयः क्रान्ताः पुरा स्वैर्विक्रमैस्त्रिभिः । महेन्द्रश्च कृतो राजा बलिं बद्ध्वा सुदारुणम् ॥ २६ ॥
“By you the three worlds were crossed long ago with your own three strides, and great Indra was made king, having bound the very terrible Bali.
यत् परं श्रूयते ज्योतिर्यत् परं श्रूयते तमः । यत् परं परतश्चैव परमात्मेति कथ्यसे ॥ २७ ॥
“What is heard of as the highest light, what is heard of as the highest darkness, and what is beyond the highest, you are called the supreme Self.
परमाख्यं परं यच्च त्वमेव परिगीयसे । स्थित्युत्पत्तिविनाशानां त्वामाहुः परमां गतिम् ॥ २८ ॥
“And what is called supreme, the supreme, you alone are sung as that; they call you the final refuge of preservation, origin and destruction.
सीता लक्ष्मीर्भवान्विष्णुर्देवः कृष्णः प्रजापतिः । वधार्थं रावणस्येह प्रविष्टो मानुषीं तनुम् ॥ २९ ॥
“Sita is Lakshmi; you are Vishnu, the god Krishna, Prajapati; for the killing of Ravana you entered a human body here.
तदिदं नः कृतं कार्यं त्वया धर्मभृतां वर । निहतो रावणो राम प्रहृष्टो दिवमाक्रम ॥ ३० ॥
“So this work of ours has been done by you, best of the upholders of dharma; Ravana has been killed, Rama; rejoicing, go up to heaven.
अमोघं बलवीर्यं ते अमोघस्ते पराक्रमः । अमोघं दर्शनं राम अमोघस्तव संस्तवः ॥ ३१ ॥
“Unfailing is your strength and valour, unfailing your prowess; unfailing is the sight of you, Rama, unfailing the praise of you.
अमोघास्ते भविष्यन्ति भक्तिमन्तो नरा भुवि । ये त्वां देवं ध्रुवं भक्ताः पुराणं पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥ ३२ ॥
“Unfailing will be the men on earth who are devoted to you, who are devoted to you, the god, the constant, the ancient, the Supreme Person.
प्राप्नुवन्ति सदा कामानिह लोके परत्र च । इममार्षं स्तवं नित्यमितिहासं पुरातनम् । ये नराः कीर्तयिष्यन्ति नास्ति तेषां पराभवः ॥ ३३ ॥
“They will always gain their desires in this world and the next. Those men who always recite this hymn of the seers, this ancient history, will have no defeat.”