Salutation to All Beings as Forms of Rama
Seeing all living beings as forms of Rama, the poet offers reverence to every creature. This vision expresses compassion, equality, and the Lord’s presence everywhere.
Bal Kand · Episode 6 / 59
Episode Text
जड़ चेतन जग जीव जत सकल राममय जानि। बंदउँ सब के पद कमल सदा जोरि जुग पानि॥ ७ (ग) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jaṛa cetana jaga jīva jata sakala rāmamaya jāni। bandauṃ saba ke pada kamala sadā jori juga pāni॥ 7 (c) ॥
Meaning:
Knowing all beings in the world, both inert and conscious, to be filled with Rama, I forever bow with both hands joined to the lotus feet of all of them.
देव दनुज नर नाग खग प्रेत पितर गंधर्ब। बंदउँ किंनर रजनिचर कृपा करहु अब सर्ब॥ ७ (घ) ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
deva danuja nara nāga khaga preta pitara gaṃdharba। bandauṃ kiṃnara rajanicara kṛpā karahu aba sarba॥ 7 (d) ॥
Meaning:
I bow to the gods, demons, humans, serpents, birds, spirits, ancestors, gandharvas, kinnaras, and night-wanderers. Now, all of you, please show mercy upon me.
आकर चारि लाख चौरासी। जाति जीव जल थल नभ बासी॥ सीय राममय सब जग जानी। करउँ प्रनाम जोरि जुग पानी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ākara cāri lākha caurāsī। jāti jīva jala thala nabha bāsī॥ sīya rāmamaya saba jaga jānī। karauṃ pranāma jori juga pānī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
There are 8.4 million species of life, dwelling in water, on land, and in the sky. Seeing this entire world, filled with all such beings, as Sri Sita-Rama himself, I bow with both hands joined.
जानि कृपाकर किंकर मोहू। सब मिलि करहु छाड़ि छल छोहू॥ निज बुधि बल भरोस मोहि नाहीं। तातें बिनय करउँ सब पाहीं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāni kṛpākara kiṃkara mohū। saba mili karahu chāṛi chala chohū॥ nija budhi bala bharosa mohi nāhīṃ। tāteṃ binaya karauṃ saba pāhīṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Knowing me to be your servant, O source of compassion, all of you together, leaving aside deceit and hardness, please be gracious. I have no भरोसा in my own strength of intellect, so I make my plea before all.
करन चहउँ रघुपति गुन गाहा। लघु मति मोरि चरित अवगाहा॥ सूझ न एकउ अंग उपाऊ। मन मति रंक मनोरथ राऊ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karana cahauṃ raghupati guna gāhā। laghu mati mori carita avagāhā॥ sūjha na ekau aṃga upāū। mana mati raṃka manoratha rāū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
I wish to sing the virtues of Raghupati, but my mind is small and Rama’s life-story is unfathomable. I can find not even one means, not the slightest way, to do it. My mind and intellect are poor, yet my ambition is like a king.
मति अति नीच ऊँचि रुचि आछी। चहिअ अमिअ जग जुरइ न छाछी॥ छमिहहिं सज्जन मोरि ढिठाई। सुनिहहिं बालबचन मन लाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mati ati nīca ūṃci ruci āchī। cahi'a amia jaga jurai na chāchī॥ chamihahiṃ sajjana mori ḍhiṭhāī। sunihahiṃ bālabacana mana lāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
My intellect is very low, while my desire is very high; I long for nectar, yet in this world even buttermilk will not come together. The noble will forgive my boldness, and they will listen attentively and lovingly to my childish words.
जौं बालक कह तोतरि बाता। सुनहिं मुदित मन पितु अरु माता॥ हँसिहहिं कूर कुटिल कुबिचारी। जे पर दूषन भूषनधारी॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jauṃ bālaka kaha totari bātā। sunahiṃ mudita mana pitu aru mātā॥ haṃsihahiṃ kūra kuṭila kubicārī। je para dūṣana bhūṣanadhārī॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
Just as when a child speaks in a lisping way, its father and mother hear those words with joy, so too cruel, crooked, and evil-minded people, who wear others’ faults as their ornament (that is, who delight in others’ defects), will laugh.
निज कबित्त केहि लाग न नीका। सरस होउ अथवा अति फीका॥ जे पर भनिति सुनत हरषाहीं। ते बर पुरुष बहुत जग नाहीं॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nija kabitta kehi lāga na nīkā। sarasa hou athavā ati phīkā॥ je para bhaniti sunata haraṣāhīṃ। te bara puruṣa bahuta jaga nāhīṃ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Whether it is flavorful or extremely bland, whose own poetry does not seem good to him? But those who rejoice on hearing another’s composition are rare noble persons in this world.
जग बहु नर सर सरि सम भाई। जे निज बाढ़ि बढ़हिं जल पाई॥ सज्जन सकृत सिंधु सम कोई। देखि पूर बिधु बाढ़इ जोई॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jaga bahu nara sara sari sama bhāī। je nija bāṛhi baṛhahiṃ jala pāī॥ sajjana sakṛta sindhu sama koī। dekhi pūra bidhu bāṛhai joī॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
O brother, in this world there are many people like ponds and rivers, who rise only by their own swelling when they get water—that is, they delight in their own growth. Like the ocean, however, there is only a rare noble person who swells in joy when he sees the moon become full—that is, when he sees others’ excellence.
भाग छोट अभिलाषु बड़ करउँ एक बिस्वास। पैहहिं सुख सुनि सुजन सब खल करिहहिं उपहास॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhāga chota abhilāṣu baḍa karauṃ eka bisvāsa। paihahiṃ sukha suni sujana saba khala karihahiṃ upahāsa॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
My fortune is small and my desire is great, yet I have one confidence: hearing this, all the noble will find joy, while the wicked will mock.