RAMACHARITMANAS

||om tat sat||
Sri Rama was born to give peace & joy to the world.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa on "The Glory of Bhakti":
The important thing is somehow to cultivate devotion to God and love for Him.
What is the use of knowing many things?
It is enough to cultivate love of God by following any of the paths.
When you have this love, you are sure to attain God.
Afterwards, if it is necessary, God will explain everything to you and tell you about the other paths as well.
It is enough for you to develop love of God.
You have no need of many opinions and discussions.
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Sri Rama's Discourse to His Subjects on the Characteristics of Bhakti

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As the king of Kosala country, Sri Rama, addressing His subjects, describes the characteristics of Bhakti.
एक बार रघुनाथ बोलाए।
गुर द्विज पुरबासी सब आए।।
बैठे गुर मुनि अरु द्विज सज्जन।
बोले बचन भगत भव भंजन।।
One day, invited by the Lord of the Raghus, the preceptor (Vasistha) and other leading Brahmanas and all the other citizens assembled (in the royal court).
When the preceptor and the other sages and Brahmanas as well as all other gentlemen had taken their seats, the Lord who puts an end to the round of birthsof His devotees, addressed the citizens of Kosala country in the following words:
सनहु सकल पुरजन मम बानी।
"Listen to My words, citizens all:
कहउँ न कछु ममता उर आनी।।
नहिं अनीति नहिं कछु प्रभुताई।
सुनहु करहु जो तुम्हहि सोहाई।।

I am not going to say anything out of attachment for you in My heart;
I do not ask you to do anything wrong nor do I make use of My authority.
Therefore, listen to Me and act accordingly if you please.

सोइ सेवक प्रियतम मम सोई।
मम अनुसासन मानै जोई।।
जौं अनीति कछु भाषौं भाई।
तौं मोहि बरजहु भय बिसराई।।
He is My servant and he is dearest to Me, who obeys My command.
If I say anything which is wrong, brethren, be not afraid to correct Me.

बड़ें भाग मानुष तनु पावा।
सुर दुर्लभ सब ग्रंथिन्ह गावा।।
साधन धाम मोच्छ कर द्वारा।
पाइ न जेहिं परलोक सँवारा।।
It is by good fortune that you have secured a human body, which — as declared by all the scriptures — is difficult even for the gods to attain.
It is a tabernacle suitable for spiritual endeavours, gateway to liberation.
He who fails to earn a good destiny hereafter even on attaining it."
दो0-सो परत्र दुख पावइ सिर धुनि धुनि पछिताइ।
कालहि कर्महि ईस्वरहि मिथ्या दोष लगाइ।।43।।
"He reaps torture in the other world and beats his head in remorse, wrongly attributing the blame to Time, Fate and God." (43)
एहि तन कर फल बिषय न भाई।
स्वर्गउ स्वल्प अंत दुखदाई।।
नर तनु पाइ बिषयँ मन देहीं।
पलटि सुधा ते सठ बिष लेहीं।।
Sensuous enjoyment, brethren, is not the be-all and end-all of human existence;
even heavenly enjoyment is short-lived and ends in sorrow.
The fools who devote their mind to the pleasures of sense even after attaining
human birth, take poison in exchange for nectar.
ताहि कबहुँ भल कहइ न कोई।
गुंजा ग्रहइ परस मनि खोई।।
None will ever speak well of him who picks up a peppercorn throwing away the philosopher's stone.
आकर चारि लच्छ चौरासी।
जोनि भ्रमत यह जिव अबिनासी।।
फिरत सदा माया कर प्रेरा।
काल कर्म सुभाव गुन घेरा।।
This immortal soul goes round through eighty-four lakh species of life, falling under four broad divisions.
Driven by Maya (My deluding potency) and encompassed by Time, destiny, Nature and phenomenal existence, it ever drifts along.
कबहुँक करि करुना नर देही।
देत ईस बिनु हेतु सनेही।।
नर तनु भव बारिधि कहुँ बेरो।
सन्मुख मरुत अनुग्रह मेरो।।
करनधार सदगुर दृढ़ नावा।
दुर्लभ साज सुलभ करि पावा।।
Rarely does God, who loves the Jiva without any self- interest, graciously bestow on it a human form, which is a veritable raft whereby it can cross the ocean of mundane existence, with My grace for a favourable wind and a worthy preceptor for a helmsman to steer this strong boat — a combination which, though difficult to secure, has been made easily available to it."
दो0-जो न तरै भव सागर नर समाज अस पाइ।
सो कृत निंदक मंदमति आत्माहन गति जाइ।।44।।
"The man who, though equipped with all these resources, fails to cross the ocean of mundane existence, is ungrateful and dull-witted and meets the fate of a self-murderer." (44)
जौं परलोक इहाँ सुख चहहू।
सुनि मम बचन ह्रृदयँ दृढ़ गहहू।।
"If you seek happiness here as well as hereafter, listen to My words and imprint them deeply in your heart.
सुलभ सुखद मारग यह भाई।
भगति मोरि पुरान श्रुति गाई।।
It is an easy and pleasant road, brethren, that of devotion to My feet, extolled in the Puranas and Vedas.
ग्यान अगम प्रत्यूह अनेका।
साधन कठिन न मन कहुँ टेका।।
Gnyana is difficult to attain and beset with numerous obstacles.
The path is rugged and there is no solid ground for the mind to rest on.
करत कष्ट बहु पावइ कोऊ।
भक्ति हीन मोहि प्रिय नहिं सोऊ।।
Scarcely one attains it after a hard struggle;
yet, lacking in Devotion, the man fails to win My love.
भक्ति सुतंत्र सकल सुख खानी।
बिनु सतसंग न पावहिं प्रानी।।
Devotion is independent and a mine of all blessings; men, however, cannot attain it except through the fellowship of saints.
पुन्य पुंज बिनु मिलहिं न संता।
सतसंगति संसृति कर अंता।।
Saints for their part are inaccessible without a stock of merit;
Communion with the Lord's devotees in any case brings to an end the cycle of births and deaths.
पुन्य एक जग महुँ नहिं दूजा।
मन क्रम बचन बिप्र पद पूजा।।
There is only one meritorious act in this world and no other — to adore the feet of the Brahmanas by thought, word and deed.
सानुकूल तेहि पर मुनि देवा।
जो तजि कपटु करइ द्विज सेवा।।
The sages and gods are propitious to him who guilelessly serves the twice-born (the Brahmanas)." (1 — 4)
दो0-औरउ एक गुपुत मत सबहि कहउँ कर जोरि।
संकर भजन बिना नर भगति न पावइ मोरि।।45।।
"With joined palms I lay before you all, another secret doctrine: without adoring Sankara (Lord Siva) man cannot attain devotion to Me." (45)
कहहु भगति पथ कवन प्रयासा।
जोग न मख जप तप उपवासा।।
"Tell Me what pains are involved in treading the path of Devotion: it requires neither Yoga (mind-control), nor sacrifices, nor Japa (muttering of prayers), nor penance, nor fasting.
सरल सुभाव न मन कुटिलाई।
जथा लाभ संतोष सदाई।।
A guileless disposition, a mind free from perversity and absolute contentment with whatever may be got — this is all that is needed.
मोर दास कहाइ नर आसा।
करइ तौ कहहु कहा बिस्वासा।।
If he who is called a devotee yet counts upon man, tell me, what faith does he have in Me?
बहुत कहउँ का कथा बढ़ाई।
एहि आचरन बस्य मैं भाई।।
What use My dwelling on the subject further: I am won by the conduct of a man as depicted below, brethren.
बैर न बिग्रह आस न त्रासा।
सुखमय ताहि सदा सब आसा।।
He who has no enmity or quarrel with anyone and is devoid of hope and fear — to such a man all the quarters are ever full of joy.
अनारंभ अनिकेत अमानी।
अनघ अरोष दच्छ बिग्यानी।।

प्रीति सदा सज्जन संसर्गा।
तृन सम बिषय स्वर्ग अपबर्गा।।

भगति पच्छ हठ नहिं सठताई।
दुष्ट तर्क सब दूरि बहाई।।
Undertaking nothing (with an interested motive), without home, without pride and without sin, free from wrath, clever and wise, ever loving the company of saints and accounting the enjoyments even of heaven as well as final beatitude as no more than a blade of grass, tenaciously adhering to the cult of Devotion but avoiding bigotry, and giving up all sophistical reasoning (1 — 4)
दो0-मम गुन ग्राम नाम रत गत ममता मद मोह।
ता कर सुख सोइ जानइ परानंद संदोह।।46।।
"Fond of singing and hearing My praises and devoted to My Name, and free from attachment to the world, arrogance and infatuation — the felicity that such a man enjoys is known to him alone who has become one with God, the embodiment of supreme bliss." (46)

||om tat sat||
Reference:
Sri Ramacaritamanasa
With Hindi Text and English Translation
(A Romanized Edition)
Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India.

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