Rama's Teaching to the Citizens and Their Gratitude
Rama instructs his citizens on righteous living, detachment, and devotion in the teaching remembered as the Rama Gita. The people receive his words with reverence and gratitude.
Uttar Kand · Episode 9 / 21
Episode Text
एक बार रघुनाथ बोलाए। गुर द्विज पुरबासी सब आए॥ बैठे गुर मुनि अरु द्विज सज्जन। बोले बचन भगत भव भंजन॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
eka bāra raghunātha bolāe। gura dvija purabāsī saba āe॥ baiṭhe gura muni aru dvija sajjana। bole bacana bhagata bhava bhaṃjana॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Once, at the call of Raghunath, the guru, the learned men, and all the townspeople came. When the guru, sages, and noble brahmins had taken their seats, then Rama, the destroyer of the woes of devotees, spoke these words:
सुनहु सकल पुरजन मम बानी। कहउँ न कछु ममता उर आनी॥ नहिं अनीति नहिं कछु प्रभुताई। सुनहु करहु जो तुम्हहि सोहाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunahu sakala purajana mama bānī। kahauṃ na kachu mamatā ura ānī॥ nahiṃ anīti nahiṃ kachu prabhutāī। sunahu karahu jo tumhahi sohāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Listen, all you townspeople, to my words. I speak them with no attachment in my heart. I am not saying anything unrighteous, nor is there any pride of authority in it. So listen carefully to my words, and if they seem right to you, then act accordingly.
सोइ सेवक प्रियतम मम सोई। मम अनुसासन मानै जोई॥ जौं अनीति कछु भाषौं भाई। तौ मोहि बरजहु भय बिसराई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
soi sevaka priyatama mama soī। mama anusāsana mānai joī॥ jauṃ anīti kachu bhāṣauṃ bhāī। tau mohi barajahu bhaya bisarāī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
He alone is my servant and my beloved who obeys my command. O brother, if I should speak anything unrighteous, then, putting aside fear, stop me at once.
बड़ें भाग मानुष तनु पावा। सुर दुर्लभ सब ग्रंथन्हि गावा॥ साधन धाम मोच्छ कर द्वारा। पाइ न जेहिं परलोक सँवारा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baṛeṃ bhāga mānuṣa tanu pāvā। sura durlabha saba granthanhi gāvā॥ sādhana dhāma moccha kara dvārā। pāi na jehiṃ paraloka saṃvārā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
By great good fortune one has obtained this human body. All scriptures proclaim that this body is rare even for the gods. It is the abode of spiritual practice and the doorway to liberation. Even after obtaining it, one who does not improve the life beyond this world,
सो परत्र दुख पावइ सिर धुनि धुनि पछिताइ। कालहि कर्महि ईस्वरहि मिथ्या दोस लगाइ॥ ४३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so paratra dukha pāvai sira dhuni dhuni pachitāi। kālahi karmahi īsvarahi mithyā dosa lagāi॥ 43 ॥
Meaning:
He suffers pain in the next world and beats his head in remorse, while wrongly blaming Time, action, and God for his own fault.
एहि तन कर फल बिषय न भाई। स्वर्गउ स्वल्प अंत दुखदाई॥ नर तनु पाइ बिषयँ मन देहीं। पलटि सुधा ते सठ बिष लेहीं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi tana kara phala biṣaya na bhāī। svargau svalpa aṃta dukhadāī॥ nara tanu pāi biṣayaṃ mana dehīṃ। paṭali sudhā te saṭha biṣa lehīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O brother, the fruit of obtaining this body is not sensual enjoyment. Even heavenly pleasures are brief and end in sorrow. Thus those who, after receiving the human body, fix their minds on worldly pleasures are fools who exchange nectar for poison.
ताहि कबहुँ भल कहइ न कोई। गुंजा ग्रहइ परस मनि खोई॥ आकर चारि लच्छ चौरासी। जोनि भ्रमत यह जिव अबिनासी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāhi kabahuṃ bhala kahai na koī। guṃjā grahai parasa mani khoī॥ ākara cāri laccha caurāsī। joni bhramata yaha jiva abināsī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
No one ever calls it wise if someone loses a touchstone and takes a guñjā seed in exchange. This imperishable soul wanders through the four types of birth and eighty-four lakh species.
फिरत सदा माया कर प्रेरा। काल कर्म सुभाव गुन घेरा॥ कबहुँक करि करुना नर देही। देत ईस बिनु हेतु सनेही॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
phirata sadā māyā kara prerā। kāla karma subhāva guna gherā॥ kabahuṃka kari karunā nara dehī। deta īsa binu hetu sanehī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Driven by illusion and surrounded by Time, action, temperament, and the guṇas, it keeps wandering endlessly. Only rarely does the loving Lord, without any cause, show mercy and grant it a human birth.
नर तनु भव बारिधि कहुँ बेरो। सन्मुख मरुत अनुग्रह मेरो॥ करनधार सदगुर दृढ़ नावा। दुर्लभ साज सुलभ करि पावा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nara tanu bhava bāridhi kahuṃ bero। sanmukha maruta anugraha mero॥ karanadhāra sadagura dṛḍha nāvā। durlabha sāja sulabha kari pāvā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
This human body is a boat for crossing the ocean of existence. My grace is the favorable wind. The true guru is the helmsman of this sturdy vessel. In this way, the rare and difficult means have been made easy to obtain through divine grace.
जो न तरै भव सागर नर समाज अस पाइ। सो कृत निंदक मंदमति आत्माहन गति जाइ॥ ४४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jo na tarai bhava sāgara nara samāja asa pāi। so kṛta niṃdaka mandamati ātmāhana gati jāi॥ 44 ॥
Meaning:
Whoever, having obtained such means, still does not cross the ocean of worldly existence is ungrateful and dull-witted, and he goes to the state of one who destroys the self.
जौं परलोक इहाँ सुख चहहू। सुनि मम बचन हृदयँ दृढ़ गहहू॥ सुलभ सुखद मारग यह भाई। भगति मोरि पुरान श्रुति गाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jauṃ paraloka ihāṃ sukha cahahū। suni mama bacana hṛdayaṃ dṛḍha gahahū॥ sulabha sukhad māraga yaha bhāī। bhagati mori purāna śruti gāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
If you seek happiness both here and in the next world, then hear my words and hold them firmly in your heart. O brother, this path of devotion to me is easy and blissful; it has been sung by the Puranas and the Vedas.
ग्यान अगम प्रत्यूह अनेका। साधन कठिन न मन कहुँ टेका॥ करत कष्ट बहु पावइ कोऊ। भक्ति हीन मोहि प्रिय नहिं सोऊ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gyāna agama pratyūha anekā। sādhana kaṭhina na mana kahuṃ ṭekā॥ karata kaṣṭa bahu pāvai koū। bhakti hīna mohi priya nahiṃ soū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Knowledge is inaccessible, and there are many obstacles in attaining it. The means to it are difficult, and the mind finds no support in it. Even if someone attains it after great effort, if he is without devotion, he is not dear to me.
भक्ति सुतंत्र सकल सुख खानी। बिनु सतसंग न पावहिं प्रानी॥ पुन्य पुंज बिनु मिलहिं न संता। सतसंगति संसृति कर अंता॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhakti sutaṃtra sakala sukha khānī। binu satasaṃga na pāvahiṃ prānī॥ puṇya puṃja binu milahiṃ na saṃtā। satasaṃgati saṃsṛti kara aṃtā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Devotion is independent and the mine of all happiness. Yet living beings cannot attain it without satsang, the company of the saints. And without a store of merit, saints are not met. Good company alone brings an end to the cycle of birth and death.
पुन्य एक जग महुँ नहिं दूजा। मन क्रम बचन बिप्र पद पूजा॥ सानुकूल तेहि पर मुनि देवा। जो तजि कपटु करइ द्विज सेवा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puṇya eka jaga mahuṃ nahiṃ dūjā। mana krama bacana bipra pada pūjā॥ sānukūla tehi para muni devā। jo taji kapaṭu karai dvija sevā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
In this world there is but one true merit, and no second like it: to worship the feet of the brahmins with mind, action, and speech. The sages and gods are favorable to one who serves the twice-born with sincerity and without deceit.
औरउ एक गुपुत मत सबहि कहउँ कर जोरि। संकर भजन बिना नर भगति न पावइ मोरि॥ ४५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aurau eka guputa mata sabahi kahauṃ kara jori। saṃkara bhajana binā nara bhagati na pāvai mori॥ 45 ॥
Meaning:
There is one more secret teaching, which I tell everyone with folded hands: without worship of Shankar, a person cannot attain my devotion.
कहहु भगति पथ कवन प्रयासा। जोग न मख जप तप उपवासा॥ सरल सुभाव न मन कुटिलाई। जथा लाभ संतोष सदाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā। joga na makha japa tapa upavāsā॥ sarala subhāva na mana kuṭilāī। jathā lābha saṃtoṣa sadāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Tell me, what labor is there in the path of devotion? It requires neither yoga nor sacrifice, mantra-repetition, austerity, or fasting. Here only this is needed: a simple nature, no crookedness in the mind, and constant contentment with whatever one receives.
मोर दास कहाइ नर आसा। करइ तौ कहहु कहा बिस्वासा॥ बहुत कहउँ का कथा बढ़ाई। एहि आचरन बस्य मैं भाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mora dāsa kahāi nara āsā। karai tau kahahu kahā bisvāsā॥ bahuta kahauṃ kā kathā baṛhāī। ehi ācarana basya maiṃ bhāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
If someone calls himself my servant yet still seeks favors from men, then tell me, what sort of faith does he have? In other words, his trust in me is very weak. Why should I elaborate further? O brothers, I am bound by this very code of conduct.
बैर न बिग्रह आस न त्रासा। सुखमय ताहि सदा सब आसा॥ अनारंभ अनिकेत अमानी। अनघ अरोष दच्छ बिग्यानी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
baira na bigraha āsa na trāsā। sukhamaya tāhi sadā saba āsā॥ anārambha aniketa amānī। anagha aroṣa daccha bigyānī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
He bears no enmity and no strife, has no longing and no fear. For him all directions are ever peaceful. He undertakes no worldly enterprise, has no attachment to a home, is free from pride, sin, and anger, and is skilled and wise in devotion.
प्रीति सदा सज्जन संसर्गा। तृन सम बिषय स्वर्ग अपबर्गा॥ भगति पच्छ हठ नहिं सठताई। दुष्ट तर्क सब दूरि बहाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prīti sadā sajjana saṃsargā। tṛna sama biṣaya svarga apabargā॥ bhagati paccha haṭha nahiṃ saṭhatāī। duṣṭa tarka saba dūri bahāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
He who always delights in the company of the good, for whom all worldly objects, even heaven and liberation, are like blades of grass before devotion, who firmly supports the side of devotion without foolish contentiousness, and who has washed away all wicked arguments—
मम गुन ग्राम नाम रत गत ममता मद मोह। ता कर सुख सोइ जानइ परानंद संदोह॥ ४६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mama guna grāma nāma rata gata mamatā mada moha। tā kara sukha soi jānai parānanda saṃdoha॥ 46 ॥
Meaning:
Only one who has attained the ocean of supreme bliss can know the happiness of the one who is devoted to my multitude of virtues and to my name, and who is free from attachment, pride, and delusion.
सुनत सुधासम बचन राम के। गहे सबनि पद कृपाधाम के॥ जननि जनक गुर बंधु हमारे। कृपा निधान प्रान ते प्यारे॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sunata sudhāsama bacana rāma ke। gahe sabani pada kṛpādhāma ke॥ janani janaka guru bandhu hamāre। kṛpā nidhāna prāna te pyāre॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing Rama’s words, sweet like nectar, all grasped the feet of the abode of grace, saying: “O treasure of compassion, you are our mother, father, teacher, brother—everything to us, dearer than life itself.”
तनु धनु धाम राम हितकारी। सब बिधि तुम्ह प्रनतारति हारी॥ असि सिख तुम्ह बिनु देइ न कोऊ। मातु पिता स्वारथ रत ओऊ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tanu dhanu dhāma rāma hitakārī। saba bidhi tumha praṇatārati hārī॥ asi sikha tumha binu dei na koū। mātu pitā svāratha rata ōū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
And, O Rama, remover of the sufferings of the surrendered! You alone are beneficent to us in every way—our body, wealth, home, and all else. Such instruction can come from no one except you. Parents may be affectionate and instructive, but they too are attached to self-interest, and therefore do not give such supremely beneficial counsel.
हेतु रहित जग जुग उपकारी। तुम्ह तुम्हार सेवक असुरारी॥ स्वारथ मीत सकल जग माहीं। सपनेहुँ प्रभु परमारथ नाहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hetu rahita jaga juga upakārī। tumha tumhāra sevaka asurārī॥ svāratha mīta sakala jaga māhīṃ। sapanehuṃ prabhu paramāratha nāhīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O enemy of the demons! In the world, there are only two who do good without motive: you, and your servant. Everyone else in the world is merely a friend of self-interest. O Lord, in them there is not even a dream of selfless righteousness.
सब के बचन प्रेम रस साने। सुनि रघुनाथ हृदयँ हरषाने॥ निज निज गृह गए आयसु पाई। बरनत प्रभु बतकही सुहाई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saba ke bacana prema rasa sāne। suni raghunātha hṛdayaṃ haraṣāne॥ nija nija gṛha gae āyasu pāī। baranata prabhu batakahī suhāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing everyone’s words steeped in the nectar of love, Rama was gladdened in his heart. Then, having received permission, all went back to their own homes, narrating the Lord’s delightful conversation.
उमा अवधबासी नर नारि कृतारथ रूप। ब्रह्म सच्चिदानंद घन रघुनायक जहँ भूप॥ ४७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
umā avadhavāsī nara nāri kṛtāratha rūpa। brahma saccidānanda ghana raghunāyaka jahaṃ bhūpa॥ 47 ॥
Meaning:
[Shiva says:] O Uma, the men and women who dwell in Ayodhya are all fulfilled and blessed, for there Lord Raghunath himself reigns there as the supreme, conscious-blissful Brahman.