Salutation to Poets
The poet honors the great poets of the past whose words enriched dharma, devotion, and beauty. In their lineage, he begins his own work with humility.
Bal Kand · Episode 8 / 59
Episode Text
एहि प्रकार बल मनहि देखाई। करिहउँ रघुपति कथा सुहाई॥ ब्यास आदि कबि पुंगव नाना। जिन्ह सादर हरि सुजस बखाना॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi prakāra bala manahi dekhāī। karihaūṃ raghupati kathā suhāī॥ byāsa ādi kabi puṃgava nānā। jinha sādara hari sujasa bakhānā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Thus, by encouraging my mind, I shall compose the beautiful story of Lord Raghunath. Many great poets, such as Vyasa and others, have gone before, and with great reverence they have sung the fame of Hari.
चरन कमल बंदउँ तिन्ह केरे। पुरवहुँ सकल मनोरथ मेरे॥ कलि के कबिन्ह करउँ परनामा। जिन्ह बरने रघुपति गुन ग्रामा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
carana kamala bandauṃ tinha kere। puravahuṃ sakala manoratha mere॥ kali ke kabinha karauṃ paranāmā। jinha barane raghupati guna grāmā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
I bow to the lotus feet of those noble poets; may they fulfill all my wishes. I also bow to the poets of the age of Kali who have described the many virtues of Lord Raghunath.
जे प्राकृत कबि परम सयाने। भाषाँ जिन्ह हरि चरित बखाने॥ भए जे अहहिं जे होइहहिं आगें। प्रनवउँ सबहि कपट सब त्यागें॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
je prākṛta kabi parama sayāne। bhāṣāṃ jinha hari carita bakhāne॥ bhae je ahahiṃ je hoihahiṃ āgeṃ। pranavauṃ sabahi kapaṭa saba tyāgeṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
I bow, giving up all deceit, to those very wise vernacular poets who have narrated the deeds of Hari in their own language; to those who have been in the past, those who are present now, and those who will come in the future.
होहु प्रसन्न देहु बरदानू। साधु समाज भनिति सनमानू॥ जो प्रबंध बुध नहिं आदरहीं। सो श्रम बादि बाल कबि करहीं॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hohu prasanna dehu baradānū। sādhu samāja bhaniti sanamānū॥ jo prabandha budha nahiṃ ādarahīṃ। so śrama bādi bāla kabi karahīṃ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Please be pleased and grant this blessing: let my composition be honored in the society of the holy. For if wise people do not value a composition, then only foolish poets undertake the useless labor of composing it.
कीरति भनिति भूति भलि सोई। सुरसरि सम सब कहँ हित होई॥ राम सुकीरति भनिति भदेसा। असमंजस अस मोहि अँदेसा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kīrati bhaniti bhūti bhali soī। surasari sama saba kahaṃ hita hoī॥ rāma sukīrati bhaniti bhadesā। asamañjasa asa mohi aṃdesā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Fame, poetry, and wealth are truly good only when they are beneficial to all, like the Ganga. Lord Ram's fame is indeed beautiful and wholly auspicious for everyone, but my poetry is crude. There is a mismatch between the two; that is my concern.
सरल कबित कीरति बिमल सोइ आदरहिं सुजान। सहज बयर बिसराइ रिपु जो सुनि करहिं बखान॥ १४ (क) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sarala kabita kīrati bimala soi ādarahīṃ sujāna। sahaja bayara bisarāi ripu jo suni karahiṃ bakhāna॥ 14 (a) ॥
Meaning:
Wise people honor that poetry which is simple and describes pure glory, and which even enemies, upon hearing it, forget their natural enmity and begin to praise.
सो न होइ बिनु बिमल मति मोहि मति बल अति थोर। करहु कृपा हरि जस कहउँ पुनि पुनि करउँ निहोर॥ १४ (ख) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so na hoi binu bimala mati mohi mati bala ati thora। karahu kṛpā hari jasa kahauṃ puni puni karauṃ nihora॥ 14 (b) ॥
Meaning:
Such poetry does not arise without a pure intellect, and the strength of my own understanding is very slight. Therefore I repeatedly entreat you: please show your grace, so that I may be able to describe Hari's glory.
कबि कोबिद रघुबर चरित मानस मंजु मराल। बालबिनय सुनि सुरुचि लखि मो पर होहु कृपाल॥ १४ (ग) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kabi kobida raghubara carita mānasa manju marāla। bālabinaya suni suruci lakhi mo para hohu kṛpāla॥ 14 (c) ॥
Meaning:
O poets and scholars, you are the graceful swans on the beautiful Manasarovar of Ram's story. Hearing the plea of this child and seeing my sincere taste, please be merciful to me.