Invocation
Ayodhyakand opens with reverent praise of Lord Shiva, the Guru, and the holy ones. Tulsidas invokes humility, devotion, and auspiciousness before the narrative begins.
Ayodhya Kand · Episode 1 / 49
Episode Text
यस्याङ्के च विभाति भूधरसुता देवापगा मस्तके भाले बालविधुर्गले च गरलं यस्योरसि व्यालराट्। सोऽयं भूतिविभूषणः सुरवरः सर्वाधिपः सर्वदा शर्वः सर्वगतः शिवः शशिनिभः श्रीशङ्करः पातु माम्॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yasyāṅke ca vibhāti bhūdharasutā devāpagā mastake bhāle bālavidhur gale ca garalaṃ yasyorasi vyālarāṭ। so'yaṃ bhūtivibhūṣaṇaḥ suravaraḥ sarvādhipaḥ sarvadā śarvaḥ sarvagataḥ śivaḥ śaśinibhaḥ śrīśaṅkaraḥ pātu mām॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
May Śrī Śaṅkara protect me forever—he who has Pārvatī, daughter of the mountain, in his lap; Ganga on his head; the young moon on his forehead; poison on his throat; and the king of serpents on his chest. Adorned with ashes, foremost among the gods, lord of all, all-pervading, auspicious in form, and bright like the moon, may he shelter me.
प्रसन्नतां या न गताभिषेकतस्तथा न मम्ले वनवासदुःखतः। मुखाम्बुजश्री रघुनन्दनस्य मे सदास्तु सा मञ्जुलमङ्गलप्रदा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prasannatāṃ yā na gatābhiṣekatas tathā na mamle vanavāsaduḥkhataḥ। mukhāmbujaśrī raghunandanasya me sadāstu sā mañjulamaṅgalapradā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
May that radiance of Rama’s lotus face, which did not become pleased at the prospect of coronation, nor grow dim from the sorrow of exile, ever remain for me a giver of lovely blessings.
नीलाम्बुजश्यामलकोमलाङ्गं सीतासमारोपितवामभागम्। पाणौ महासायकचारुचापं नमामि रामं रघुवंशनाथम्॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nīlāmbujaśyāmalakomalāṅgaṃ sītāsamāropitavāmabhāgam। pāṇau mahāsāyakacārucāpaṃ namāmi rāmaṃ raghuvaṃśanātham॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
I bow to Rama, lord of the Raghu dynasty, whose body is dark and tender like a blue lotus, whose left side is adorned by Sita, and whose hands hold a splendid bow and a mighty arrow.