The Marks of Saints and Inspiration for Holy Company and Devotion
Rama describes the humility, compassion, and equanimity that mark true saints. He also presents holy company and devotional singing as supreme means of crossing the ocean of worldly existence.
Aranya Kand · Episode 18 / 18
Episode Text
षट बिकार जित अनघ अकामा। अचल अकिंचन सुचि सुखधामा॥ अमित बोध अनीह मितभोगी। सत्यसार कबि कोबिद जोगी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ṣaṭa bikāra jita anagha akāmā। acala akiñcana suci sukhadhāmā॥ amita bodha anīha mitabhogī। satyasāra kabi kobida jogī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Such saints conquer the six vices [lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and jealousy], are sinless, desireless, steadfast, possessionless, pure within and without, abodes of bliss, of limitless understanding, free from desires, moderate in their living, true in essence, poets, scholars, and yogis.
गुनागार संसार दुख रहित बिगत संदेह। तजि मम चरन सरोज प्रिय तिन्ह कहुँ देह न गेह॥ ४५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gunāgāra saṃsāra dukha rahita vigata saṃdeha। taji mama carana saroja priya tinha kahuṃ deha na geha॥ 45 ॥
Meaning:
They are abodes of virtue, free from the sorrows of the world, and entirely freed from doubt. Leaving my lotus feet, neither body nor home is dear to them.
निज गुन श्रवन सुनत सकुचाहीं। पर गुन सुनत अधिक हरषाहीं॥ सम सीतल नहिं त्यागहिं नीती। सरल सुभाउ सबहि सन प्रीती॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija guna śravana sunata sakucāhīṃ। para guna sunata adhika haraṣāhīṃ॥ sama sītala nahiṃ tyāgahīṃ nītī। sarala subhāu sabahi sana prītī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
They feel shy when hearing their own virtues, but are greatly delighted when hearing the virtues of others. They are balanced and calm, never abandon righteous conduct, and have a simple nature with love for everyone.
जप तप ब्रत दम संजम नेमा। गुरु गोबिंद बिप्र पद प्रेमा॥ श्रद्धा छमा मयत्री दाया। मुदिता मम पद प्रीति अमाया॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
japa tapa brata dama saṃjama nemā। guru gobinda bipra pada premā॥ śraddhā chamā mayatrī dāyā। muditā mama pada prīti amāyā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
They are devoted to chanting, austerity, vows, self-restraint, discipline, and observances, and they cherish love for the feet of the guru, God, and the Brahmins. In them are faith, forgiveness, friendship, compassion, gladness, and pure love for my feet.
बिरति बिबेक बिनय बिग्याना। बोध जथारथ बेद पुराना॥ दंभ मान मद करहिं न काऊ। भूलि न देहिं कुमारग पाऊ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
birati bibeka binaya bigyānā। bodha jathāratha beda purānā॥ daṃbha māna mada karahiṃ na kāū। bhūli na dehīṃ kumāraga pāū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
They possess dispassion, discrimination, humility, and spiritual knowledge, along with true understanding of the Vedas and Puranas. They never act with hypocrisy, pride, or arrogance, and do not even by mistake place a foot on the wrong path.
गावहिं सुनहिं सदा मम लीला। हेतु रहित परहित रत सीला॥ मुनि सुनु साधुन्ह के गुन जेते। कहि न सकहिं सारद श्रुति तेते॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gāvahiṃ sunahiṃ sadā mama līlā। hetu rahita parahita rata sīlā॥ muni sunu sādhunha ke guna jete। kahi na sakahiṃ sārada śruti tete॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
They continually sing and hear my divine pastimes, and their character is ever engaged in doing good to others without motive. O sage, listen: however many virtues the saints possess, even Saraswati and the Vedas cannot describe them all.
कहि सक न सारद सेष नारद सुनत पद पंकज गहे। अस दीनबंधु कृपाल अपने भगत गुन निज मुख कहे॥ सिरु नाइ बारहिं बार चरनन्हि ब्रह्मपुर नारद गए। ते धन्य तुलसीदास आस बिहाइ जे हरि रँग रँए॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahi saka na sārada seṣa nārada sunata pada paṃkaja gahe। asa dīnabandhu kṛpāla apane bhagata guna nija mukha kahe॥ siru nāi bārahiṃ bāra carananha brahmapura nārada gae। te dhanya tulasīdāsa āsa bihāi je hari raṅga raṅe॥
Meaning:
Hearing that 'even Shesha and Saraswati cannot describe them,' Naradji seized Shri Rama's lotus feet. In this way, the compassionate Lord, friend of the lowly, spoke the virtues of His devotees with His own divine mouth. Bowing his head again and again at the Lord's feet, Naradji went to Brahmapur. Tulsidas says: blessed are those who, abandoning all worldly hopes, have been dyed in the color of Hari alone.
रावनारि जसु पावन गावहिं सुनहिं जे लोग। राम भगति दृढ़ पावहिं बिनु बिराग जप जोग॥ ४६ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāvanāri jasu pāvana gāvahiṃ sunahiṃ je loga। rāma bhagati dṛḍha pāvahiṃ bina birāga japa joga॥ 46 (a) ॥
Meaning:
Those who sing and hear the sacred glory of Shri Rama, the enemy of Ravana, obtain firm devotion to Shri Rama even without renunciation, japa, or yoga.
दीप सिखा सम जुबति तन मन जनि होसि पतंग। भजहि राम तजि काम मद करहि सदा सतसंग॥ ४६ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dīpa sikhā sama jubati tana mana jani hosi pataṃga। bhajahi rāma taji kāma mada karahiṃ sadā satsaṃga॥ 46 (b) ॥
Meaning:
The body of a young woman is like a lamp's flame; O mind, do not become its moth. Abandon lust and pride, worship Shri Ramchandra, and always keep the company of the holy.