Among the most remarkable compositions of Swami Śrīman Nigamānta Mahādeśikar is the Śrī Mahāvīra Vaibhavam, also known as the Raghuvīra Gadyam. In about 90 lines, it summarizes the entire story of the Rāmāyaṇa, paying special attention to the glory and heroism of Rāma. I have attempted to translate the work here while paying close attention to the poetic effects of the original.
śrīmān veṅkaṭanāthâryaḥ kavi-tārkika-kesarī |
vedāntâcārya-varyo me sannidhattāṃ sadā hṛdi ||
The noble Veṅkaṭanātha,
endowed with śrī,
saffron-maned Lion among poets and philosophers,
supreme teacher of the Vedānta
—may he be established forever in my heart!
jayaty āśrita-saṃtrāsa-dhvānta-vidhvaṃsanôdayaḥ |
prabhāvān sītayā devyā parama-vyoma-bhāskaraḥ ||
He conquers all,
His dawn dispelling the darkness of His devotees’ dread;
Luminous,
Inseparable from the Goddess Sītā,
The Sun of the Supreme Heaven!
jaya jaya mahāvīra!
mahādhīra dhaureya!
Victory, victory to the great hero!
to the steadfast, resolute, bearer of all burdens!
devâsura-samara-samaya-samudita-nikhila-nirjara-nirdhārita-niravadhika-māhātmya!
whose boundless greatness was extolled unanimously by the gods during the cosmic struggle between the Devas and Asuras;
daśavadana-damita-daivata-pariṣad-abhyarthita-dāśarathi-bhāva!
who took birth as Daśaratha’s son when beseeched by the assembly of gods being crushed by the Ten-Headed Rāvaṇa;
dinakara-kula-kamala-divākara!
who is the sun to the lotus of the Solar Dynasty (of the Raghus);
diviṣad-adhipati-raṇa-sahacaraṇa-catura-daśaratha-carama-rṇa-vimocana!
who enabled Daśaratha (who fought in battles alongside Indra, Lord of Heaven) to fulfill his debt to his forefathers;
kaumāra-keli-gopāyita-kauśikâdhvara!
who protected Kauśika Viśvāmitra’s sacrificial ceremonies as if it were child’s play;
raṇâdhvara-dhurya-bhavya-divyâstra-bṛnda-vandita!
who is worshipped by the whole host of holy weapons that are the perfect instruments of the sacrifice of war;
praṇata-jana-vimata-vimathana-durlalita-dor-lalita!
whose radiant shoulders disperse the evil people who torment those who seek His protection;
tanutara-viśikha-vitāḍana-vighaṭita-viśarāru-śarāru-tāṭakā-tāṭakeya!
whose slender, sharp arrows cut to pieces the evil Tāṭakā and her sons;
jaḍa-kiraṇa-śakala-dhara-jaṭila-naṭa-pati-makuṭa-taṭa-naṭana-paṭu-vibudha-sarid-atibahula-madhu-galana-lalita-pada-nalina-raja-upamṛdita-nija-vṛjina-jahad-upala-tanu-rucira-parama-muni-vara-yuvati-nuta!
who was worshipped by Ahalyā, beloved wife of the great sage Gautama, who was restored to her beautiful form from being a motionless stone when touched by His beautiful lotus-feet’s pollen-dust, which is what makes sacred the river Ganges, flowing playfully on the matted locks of Śiva, Lord of Dance, that bear the cool-rayed crescent moon;
kuśika-suta-kathita-vidita-nava-vividha-katha!
who was told many new stories by Viśvāmitra, son of Kuśika;
maithila-nagara-sulocanā-locana-cakora-candra!
who is the cooling moon that fills the eyes of the beautiful-eyed Mithilā women;
khaṇḍa-paraśu-kodaṇḍa-prakāṇḍa-khaṇḍana-śauṇḍa-bhuja-daṇḍa!
whose mighty arms shattered the excellent bow of sharp-axed Śiva;
caṇḍakara-kiraṇa-maṇḍala-bodhita-puṇḍarīka-vana-ruci-luṇṭāka-locana!
whose eyes exceed the beauty of a forest of lotuses that have just blossomed to welcome the warming rays of the sun;
mocita-janaka-hṛdaya-śaṅkā-taṅka!
who banished the fears of Janaka;
parihṛta-nikhila-nara-pati-varaṇa-janaka-duhitṛ-kuca-taṭa-viharaṇa-samucita-kara-tala!
who alone was deserving of winning Sītā, Janaka’s daughter who rejected the marriage proposals of all other kings;
śata-koṭi-śata-guṇa-kaṭhina-paraśudhara-muni-vara-kara-dhṛta-duravanamatama-nija-dhanur-ākarṣaṇa-prakāśita-pārameṣṭhya!
who showed His Supremacy by taking back His own bow from Paraśurāma, the great sage who bears an axe a hundred times harder than the hundred-edged thunderbolt of Indra;
anṛta-bhaya-muṣita-hṛdaya-pitṛ-vacana-pālana-pratijñâvajñāta-yauvarājya!
who abandoned His rights as heir-apparent in order to obey the words of His father, who lost heart through his fear of having lied to his wife;
ananya-śāsanīya!
who cannot be ruled by anyone;
mahita-mahāmṛtha-darśana-mudita-maithilī-dṛḍhatara-parirambhaṇa-vibhava-viropita-vikaṭa-vīra-vraṇa!
whose large battle-wounds were healed by the embrace of Sītā of Mithilā, delighted by His success in the great battle;
avandhya-mahima-muni-jana-bhajana-muṣita-hṛdaya-kaluṣa-śabarī-mokṣa-sākṣi-bhūta!
who witnessed the salvation of Śabarī, whose spiritual stains had been washed away by her service to the sages of unsurpassed greatness;
prabhañjana-tanaya-bhāvuka-bhāṣita-rañjita-hṛdaya!
who was delighted by His poignant conversation with Hanumān, son of Wind;
taraṇi-suta-śaraṇāgati-paratantrīkṛta-svātantrya!
who gave up His independence and joined hands with Sugrīva, son of Sun;
dṛḍha-ghaṭita-kailāsa-koṭi-vikaṭa-dundubhi-kaṅkāla-kūṭa-dūra-vikṣepa-dakṣa-dakṣiṇetara-pādâṅguṣṭha-dara-calana-viśvasta-suhṛd-āśaya!
who reassured His friend Sugrīva by a mere twitch of His big toe that sufficed to hurl the Kailāsa-sized skeleton of Dundubhi far away;
atipṛthula-bahu-viṭapi-giri-dharaṇi-vivara-yuga-pad-udaya-vivṛta-citrapuṅkha-vaicitrya!
who displayed His wondrous mastery of archery by firing an arrow through seven gigantic trees, a mountain, and the earth itself;
vipula-bhuja-śaila-mūla-nibiḍa-nipīḍita-rāvaṇa-raṇaraṇaka-janaka-catur-udadhi-viharaṇa-catura-kapi-kulapati-hṛdaya-viśāla-śilā-tala-dāraṇa-dāruṇa-śilīmukha!
whose cruel, cleaving arrowhead cut open the vast, boulder-like chest of Vālin, king of monkeys, who could jump across the four oceans, and who once tightly seized a terrified Rāvaṇa under his mountain-like arm;
apāra-pārâvāra-parikhā-parivṛta-para-pura-parisṛta-dava-dahana-javana-pavana-bhava-kapi-vara-pariṣvaṅga-bhāvita-sarvasva-dāna!
who gave His all to Hanumān by embracing that supreme monkey, son of the Wind, who created a forest-fire all around the enemy city of Laṅkā, defended on all sides by the limitless ocean;
ahita-sahodara-rakṣaḥ-parigraha-visaṃvādi-vividha-saciva-visrambhaṇa-samaya-saṃrambha-samujjṛmbhita-sarvêśvara-bhāva!
whose Lordship over all was manifested by His embracing Vibhīṣaṇa, whose brother Rāvaṇa was hostile to him, over and above the hesitation and objections of Sugrīva’s ministers;
sakṛt-prapanna-jana-saṃrakṣaṇa-dīkṣita!
who vowed to protect all those who surrendered to him just once;
vīra!
who is heroic;
satya-vrata!
whose word is always true;
pratiśayana-bhūmikā-bhūṣita-payodhi-pulina!
who adorned the seashore by lying down to fast there;
pralaya-śikhi-paruṣa-viśikha-śikhā-śoṣitâkūpāra-vāri-pūra!
who dried up the endless expanses of the oceans with His flame-arrows that resemble the fires of cosmic dissolution;
prabala-ripu-kalaha-kutuka-caṭula-kapi-kula-kara-tala-tūlita-hṛta-giri-nikara-sādhita-setu-patha-sīmā-sīmantita-samudra!
who parted the ocean with a bridge made from boulders and rocks that were but wisps of cotton to the monkey armies, trembling in their eagerness to attack the enemy;
abhicaraṇa-hutavaha-paricaraṇa-vighaṭana-sarabhasa-paripatad-aparimita-kapi-bala-jaladhi-lahari-kalakala-rava-kupita-maghavaji-dabhi-hananakṛd-anuja-sākṣika-rākṣasa-dvandva-yuddha!
whose brother Lakṣmaṇa saw the infighting among the rākṣasa armies after he killed Rāvaṇa’s son Indrajit, angered by the thunderous din made by wave after wave of the ocean-like monkey army invading his malevolent sacrifice;
akhila-jagad-adhika-bhuja-bala-vara-bala-daśa-lapana-lapana-daśaka-lavana-janita-kadana-para-vaśa-rajanicara-yuvati-vilapana-vacana-sama-viṣaya-nigama-śikhara-nikara-mukhara-mukha-muni-vara-paripaṇita!
who was worshipped by hosts of sages chanting the Upaniṣads, the crown of the Vedas, which address the same topics as the laments of Mandodarī, the rākṣasa queen, utterly immersed in sorrow after the decapitation of her husband Rāvaṇa, who had gained mastery over all by the power of his arms and of his boons;
abhigata-śatamakha-hutavaha-pitṛpati-nirṛti-varuṇa-pavana-dhanada-giriśa-mukha-sura-pati-nuti-mudita!
whose spouse Sītā willingly separated and re-united with Him in accordance with dharma;
pratijnârṇava-taraṇa-kṛta-kṣaṇa-bharata-manoratha-saṃhita-siṃhāsanâdhirūḍha!
who ascended the throne of Ayodhyā, and thus fulfilled the desires of Bharata, who had been impatiently waiting for this moment that marked the crossing of the ocean of his vow;
svāmin!
who is Lord (of all);
rāghava-siṃha!
who is the lion of the dynasty of Raghu;
hāṭaka-giri-kaṭaka-laḍaha-pāda-pīṭha-nikaṭa-taṭa-pariluṭhita-nikhila-nṛpati-kirīṭa-koṭi-vividha-maṇi-gaṇa-kiraṇa-nikara-nīrājita-caraṇa-rājīva!
whose lotus-feet are illuminated by the rays emanating from the diverse gems on the crowns of kings who lie prostrate at the footstool of His mountain-like lion-throne;
divya-bhaumâyodhyâdhidaivata !
who is the Supreme Lord for the two Ayodhyās, heavenly and earthly;
pitṛ-vadha-kupita-paraśu-dhara-muni-vihita-nṛpa-hanana-kadana-pūrva-kāla-prabhava-śata-guṇa-pratiṣṭhāpita-dhārmika-rāja-vaṃśa !
who established a righteous, dhārmic royal dynasty a hundred times superior to the earlier lineages that were slaughtered by Paraśurāma, the axe-wielding sage angered by his father’s murder;
sanātana-dharma!
who is the eternal Dharma;
sāketa-jana-pada-jani-dhanika-jaṅgama-tad-itara-jantu-jāta-divya-gati-dāna-darśita-nitya-niḥsīma-vaibhava!
whose eternal, limitless glory was shown by His granting salvation to all the creatures—even insentient plants and animals—dwelling in Sāketa;
bhava-tapana-tāpita-bhakta-jana-bhadrârāma!
who is a delightful garden for His devotees tormented by worldly existence;
caturmukhêśvara-mukhaiḥ putra-pautrâdi-śaline |
namaḥ sītā-sametāya rāmāya gṛha-medhine ||
Salutations to Him,
always accompanied by Sītā,
whose children and grandchildren
starting with Brahmā and Śiva
comprise the entire universe;
to Rāma, the exemplar of the householder’s life!
kavi-kathaka-siṃha-kathitaṃ kaṭhora-sukumāra-gumbha-gambhīram |
bhava-bhaya-bheṣajam etat paṭhata mahāvīravaibhavaṃ sudhiyaḥ ||
O wise people:
recite this Splendor of the Great Hero,
composed by the Lion among poets and philosophers,
mixing soft and hard sounds and profound meaning,
a cure for all worldly fears!
kavi-tārkika-siṃhāya kalyāṇa-guṇa-śāline |
śrīmate veṅkaṭeśāya vedānta-gurave namaḥ ||
Salutations to
the Lion among poets and philosophers,
resplendent with illustrious auspicious virtues,
the noble Veṅkaṭeśa
endowed with śrī,
teacher of the Vedānta!
|| Śrīḥ ||
śrīmān veṅkaṭanāthâryaḥ kavi-tārkika-kesarī |
vedāntâcārya-varyo me sannidhattāṃ sadā hṛdi ||
The noble Veṅkaṭanātha,
endowed with śrī,
saffron-maned Lion among poets and philosophers,
supreme teacher of the Vedānta
—may he be established forever in my heart!
jayaty āśrita-saṃtrāsa-dhvānta-vidhvaṃsanôdayaḥ |
prabhāvān sītayā devyā parama-vyoma-bhāskaraḥ ||
He conquers all,
His dawn dispelling the darkness of His devotees’ dread;
Luminous,
Inseparable from the Goddess Sītā,
The Sun of the Supreme Heaven!
jaya jaya mahāvīra!
mahādhīra dhaureya!
Victory, victory to the great hero!
to the steadfast, resolute, bearer of all burdens!
devâsura-samara-samaya-samudita-nikhila-nirjara-nirdhārita-niravadhika-māhātmya!
whose boundless greatness was extolled unanimously by the gods during the cosmic struggle between the Devas and Asuras;
daśavadana-damita-daivata-pariṣad-abhyarthita-dāśarathi-bhāva!
who took birth as Daśaratha’s son when beseeched by the assembly of gods being crushed by the Ten-Headed Rāvaṇa;
dinakara-kula-kamala-divākara!
who is the sun to the lotus of the Solar Dynasty (of the Raghus);
diviṣad-adhipati-raṇa-sahacaraṇa-catura-daśaratha-carama-rṇa-vimocana!
who enabled Daśaratha (who fought in battles alongside Indra, Lord of Heaven) to fulfill his debt to his forefathers;
kosalasutā-kumāra-bhāva-kañcukita-kāraṇâkāra!
who concealed His being the Ultimate Cause by being born to Kausalyā;kaumāra-keli-gopāyita-kauśikâdhvara!
who protected Kauśika Viśvāmitra’s sacrificial ceremonies as if it were child’s play;
raṇâdhvara-dhurya-bhavya-divyâstra-bṛnda-vandita!
who is worshipped by the whole host of holy weapons that are the perfect instruments of the sacrifice of war;
praṇata-jana-vimata-vimathana-durlalita-dor-lalita!
whose radiant shoulders disperse the evil people who torment those who seek His protection;
tanutara-viśikha-vitāḍana-vighaṭita-viśarāru-śarāru-tāṭakā-tāṭakeya!
whose slender, sharp arrows cut to pieces the evil Tāṭakā and her sons;
jaḍa-kiraṇa-śakala-dhara-jaṭila-naṭa-pati-makuṭa-taṭa-naṭana-paṭu-vibudha-sarid-atibahula-madhu-galana-lalita-pada-nalina-raja-upamṛdita-nija-vṛjina-jahad-upala-tanu-rucira-parama-muni-vara-yuvati-nuta!
who was worshipped by Ahalyā, beloved wife of the great sage Gautama, who was restored to her beautiful form from being a motionless stone when touched by His beautiful lotus-feet’s pollen-dust, which is what makes sacred the river Ganges, flowing playfully on the matted locks of Śiva, Lord of Dance, that bear the cool-rayed crescent moon;
kuśika-suta-kathita-vidita-nava-vividha-katha!
who was told many new stories by Viśvāmitra, son of Kuśika;
maithila-nagara-sulocanā-locana-cakora-candra!
who is the cooling moon that fills the eyes of the beautiful-eyed Mithilā women;
khaṇḍa-paraśu-kodaṇḍa-prakāṇḍa-khaṇḍana-śauṇḍa-bhuja-daṇḍa!
whose mighty arms shattered the excellent bow of sharp-axed Śiva;
caṇḍakara-kiraṇa-maṇḍala-bodhita-puṇḍarīka-vana-ruci-luṇṭāka-locana!
whose eyes exceed the beauty of a forest of lotuses that have just blossomed to welcome the warming rays of the sun;
mocita-janaka-hṛdaya-śaṅkā-taṅka!
who banished the fears of Janaka;
parihṛta-nikhila-nara-pati-varaṇa-janaka-duhitṛ-kuca-taṭa-viharaṇa-samucita-kara-tala!
who alone was deserving of winning Sītā, Janaka’s daughter who rejected the marriage proposals of all other kings;
śata-koṭi-śata-guṇa-kaṭhina-paraśudhara-muni-vara-kara-dhṛta-duravanamatama-nija-dhanur-ākarṣaṇa-prakāśita-pārameṣṭhya!
who showed His Supremacy by taking back His own bow from Paraśurāma, the great sage who bears an axe a hundred times harder than the hundred-edged thunderbolt of Indra;
kratuhara-śikhari-kantuka-vihṛty-unmukha-jagad-aruntuda-jitahari-danti-danta-dantura-daśavadana-damana-kuśala-daśa-śata-bhuja-mukha-nṛpati-kula-rudhira-jhara-bharita-pṛthutara-taṭāka-tarpita-pitṛka-bhṛgu-pati-sugati-vihatikara-nata-paruḍ-iṣu-parigha!
whose broad arrow, heavy as the bolt of a gate, sealed off the free wanderings of Paraśurāma of the Bhṛgu dynasty, who propitiated his ancestors in a deep pool filled by rivers of blood from the clan of Thousand-Armed Kārtavīrya, who in turn had defeated Ten-Headed Rāvaṇa with fangs like an elephant’s tusks, who in turn defeated Indra in battle and lifted Kailāsa, the mountain of Śiva the sacrifice-destroyer;
[ (2) The Ayodhyākāṇḍam]
anṛta-bhaya-muṣita-hṛdaya-pitṛ-vacana-pālana-pratijñâvajñāta-yauvarājya!
who abandoned His rights as heir-apparent in order to obey the words of His father, who lost heart through his fear of having lied to his wife;
niṣāda-rāja-sauhṛda-sūcita-sauśīlya-sāgara!
who showed His oceanic graciousness and accessibility through His friendship with Guha, king of the Niṣādas;
bharadvāja-śāsana-parigṛhīta-vicitra-citrakūṭa-giri-kaṭaka-taṭa-ramyā-vasatha!
who dwelled in a beautiful hut on the ridges of the wonderful Citrakūṭa mountain, accepting the word of the sage Bharadvāja;ananya-śāsanīya!
who cannot be ruled by anyone;
praṇata-bharata-makuṭa-taṭa-sughaṭita-pādukâgryâbhiṣeka-nirvartita-sarva-loka-yoga-kṣema!
who secured the well-being of the entire cosmos by putting His pādukas (sandals) as a crown on the head of prostrated Bharata;
piśita-ruci-vihita-durita-valamathana-tanaya-bali-bhug-anugati-sarabhasa-śayana-tṛṇa-śakala-paripatana-bhaya-cakita-sakala-sura-muni-vara-bahu-mata-mahâstra-sāmarthya!
whose mastery of weapons was celebrated by all the gods and sages, who were awestruck by His arrow, made from a blade of grass from His bed, that followed the crow, son of Indra, who sinned against Sītā due to its desire for her flesh;
druhiṇa-hara-valamathana-durārakṣa-śara-lakṣa!
whose arrow’s target—the crow—could not be protected by Brahmā, Śiva, or Indra;
daṇḍakā-tapo-vana-jaṅgama-pārijāta!
who is the wish-fulfilling tree for all beings living in the sacred Daṇḍaka forest;
virādha-hariṇa-śārdūla!
who is the tiger to the deer that is the demon Virādha;
vilulita-bahu-phala-makha-kalama-rajanicara-mṛga-mṛgayârambha-sambhṛta-cīra-bhṛd-anurodha!
who brought about the welfare of the bark-clad sages by hunting down night-crawling sacrifice-destroying rākṣasas as if they were mere deer;
triśiraḥ-śiras-tritaya-timira-nirāsa-vāsarakara!
who is the sun that destroyed the darkness created by the three heads of the demon Triśiras;
dūṣaṇa-jala-nidhi-śoṣaṇa-toṣita-ṛṣi-gaṇa-ghoṣita-vijaya-ghoṣaṇa!
whose victory was hailed by hosts of sages, delighted by His drying up of the ocean that was the demon Dūṣaṇa;
kharatara-khara-taru-khaṇḍana-caṇḍa-pavana!
who is the typhoon that destroyed the terrible tree that was the demon Khara;
dvisapta-rakṣaḥ-sahasra-nala-vana-vilolana-mahā-kalabha!
who is the great elephant that swept through the fourteen thousand rākṣasas as if they were a field of grass;
asahāya-śūra!
who fought all these demons single-handedly;
anapāya-sāhasa!
whose ferocity in combat is undiminished;mahita-mahāmṛtha-darśana-mudita-maithilī-dṛḍhatara-parirambhaṇa-vibhava-viropita-vikaṭa-vīra-vraṇa!
whose large battle-wounds were healed by the embrace of Sītā of Mithilā, delighted by His success in the great battle;
mārīca-māyā-mṛga-carma-parikarmita-nirbhara-darbhâstaraṇa!
whose seat of darbha grass was adorned by the hide of Mārīca the deceiving deer;
vikrama-yaśo-lābha-vikrīta-jīvita-gṛdhra-rāja-deha-didhakṣā-lakṣita-bhakta-jana-dākṣiṇya!
who showed His love for His devotees by personally performing the last rites for Jaṭāyus, the king of vultures who sold his life dearly, earning fame through his heroic deeds;
kalpita-vibudha-bhāva-kabandhâbhinandita!
who was praised by Kabandha after he regained his divine form;avandhya-mahima-muni-jana-bhajana-muṣita-hṛdaya-kaluṣa-śabarī-mokṣa-sākṣi-bhūta!
who witnessed the salvation of Śabarī, whose spiritual stains had been washed away by her service to the sages of unsurpassed greatness;
[ (3) The Kiṣkindākāṇḍam]
prabhañjana-tanaya-bhāvuka-bhāṣita-rañjita-hṛdaya!
who was delighted by His poignant conversation with Hanumān, son of Wind;
taraṇi-suta-śaraṇāgati-paratantrīkṛta-svātantrya!
who gave up His independence and joined hands with Sugrīva, son of Sun;
dṛḍha-ghaṭita-kailāsa-koṭi-vikaṭa-dundubhi-kaṅkāla-kūṭa-dūra-vikṣepa-dakṣa-dakṣiṇetara-pādâṅguṣṭha-dara-calana-viśvasta-suhṛd-āśaya!
who reassured His friend Sugrīva by a mere twitch of His big toe that sufficed to hurl the Kailāsa-sized skeleton of Dundubhi far away;
atipṛthula-bahu-viṭapi-giri-dharaṇi-vivara-yuga-pad-udaya-vivṛta-citrapuṅkha-vaicitrya!
who displayed His wondrous mastery of archery by firing an arrow through seven gigantic trees, a mountain, and the earth itself;
vipula-bhuja-śaila-mūla-nibiḍa-nipīḍita-rāvaṇa-raṇaraṇaka-janaka-catur-udadhi-viharaṇa-catura-kapi-kulapati-hṛdaya-viśāla-śilā-tala-dāraṇa-dāruṇa-śilīmukha!
whose cruel, cleaving arrowhead cut open the vast, boulder-like chest of Vālin, king of monkeys, who could jump across the four oceans, and who once tightly seized a terrified Rāvaṇa under his mountain-like arm;
[ (4) The Sundarakāṇḍam]
apāra-pārâvāra-parikhā-parivṛta-para-pura-parisṛta-dava-dahana-javana-pavana-bhava-kapi-vara-pariṣvaṅga-bhāvita-sarvasva-dāna!
who gave His all to Hanumān by embracing that supreme monkey, son of the Wind, who created a forest-fire all around the enemy city of Laṅkā, defended on all sides by the limitless ocean;
[ (5) The Yuddhakāṇḍam]
ahita-sahodara-rakṣaḥ-parigraha-visaṃvādi-vividha-saciva-visrambhaṇa-samaya-saṃrambha-samujjṛmbhita-sarvêśvara-bhāva!
whose Lordship over all was manifested by His embracing Vibhīṣaṇa, whose brother Rāvaṇa was hostile to him, over and above the hesitation and objections of Sugrīva’s ministers;
sakṛt-prapanna-jana-saṃrakṣaṇa-dīkṣita!
who vowed to protect all those who surrendered to him just once;
vīra!
who is heroic;
satya-vrata!
whose word is always true;
pratiśayana-bhūmikā-bhūṣita-payodhi-pulina!
who adorned the seashore by lying down to fast there;
pralaya-śikhi-paruṣa-viśikha-śikhā-śoṣitâkūpāra-vāri-pūra!
who dried up the endless expanses of the oceans with His flame-arrows that resemble the fires of cosmic dissolution;
prabala-ripu-kalaha-kutuka-caṭula-kapi-kula-kara-tala-tūlita-hṛta-giri-nikara-sādhita-setu-patha-sīmā-sīmantita-samudra!
who parted the ocean with a bridge made from boulders and rocks that were but wisps of cotton to the monkey armies, trembling in their eagerness to attack the enemy;
druta-gati-taru-mṛga-varūthinī-niruddha-laṅkâvarodha-vepathu-lāsya-līlôpadeśa-deśika-dhanur-jyā-ghoṣa!
whose bowstring’s twang was like a dance teacher teaching the women of Rāvaṇa’s harem to tremble, from their fear of the siege imposed by the rapidly advancing monkey armies;
gagana-cara-kanaka-giri-garima-dhara-nigamamaya-nija-garuḍa-garud-anila-lava-galita-viṣa-vadana-śara-kadana!
whose wounds caused by poisoned snake-arrows were eliminated by a light breeze from the wings of His mount Garuḍa, who is the embodiment of the Vedas, and who is as great as Meru, the golden mountain wandering in the sky;
akṛtacara-vanacara-raṇa-karaṇa-vailakṣya-kūṇitâkṣa-bahuvidha-rakṣo-balâdhyakṣa-vakṣaḥ-kavāṭa-pāṭana-paṭima-sāṭopa-kopâvalepa!
who, greatly angered by the rākṣasa generals closing their eyes out of shame for fighting monkeys, broke their gate-like chests;
kaṭu-raṭad-aṭani-ṭaṅkṛti-caṭula-kaṭhora-kārmuka-vinirgata-viśaṅkaṭa viśikha vit¯ad. ana vighatita makuṭa vihvala-viśravas-tanaya-viśrama-samaya-viśrāṇana-vikhyāta-vikrama !
whose glory was celebrated for granting rest to Rāvaṇa, son of Viśravas, unnerved by his crowns being broken by the powerful arrows fired from His terrible bow, whose bowstring’s twang is sweet to the ears;
kumbhakarṇa-kula-giri-vidalana-dambholi-bhūta-niḥśaṅka-kaṅka-patra!
whose unerring heron-feather arrows were the thunderbolt that shattered Kumbhakarṇa, the mountain of Rāvaṇa’s clan;abhicaraṇa-hutavaha-paricaraṇa-vighaṭana-sarabhasa-paripatad-aparimita-kapi-bala-jaladhi-lahari-kalakala-rava-kupita-maghavaji-dabhi-hananakṛd-anuja-sākṣika-rākṣasa-dvandva-yuddha!
whose brother Lakṣmaṇa saw the infighting among the rākṣasa armies after he killed Rāvaṇa’s son Indrajit, angered by the thunderous din made by wave after wave of the ocean-like monkey army invading his malevolent sacrifice;
apratidvandva-pauruṣa!
whose valor is unrivaled;
tryambaka-samadhika-ghorâstrâḍambara!
whose weapons exceed even Śiva’s in power;
sārathi-hṛta-ratha-satrapa-śātrava-satyâpita-pratāpa!
whose martial prowess was praised even by Rāvaṇa, whose charioteer had to steer him away to safety (after he was knocked unconscious);
śita-śara-kṛta-lavana-daśamukha-mukha-daśaka-nipatana-punar-udaya-dara-galita-janita-dara-tarala-hari-haya-nayana-nalina-vana-ruci-khacita-khatala-nipatita-surataru-kusuma-vitati-surabhita-ratha-patha!
whose chariot-path was showered with flowers from the heavenly Kalpa tree that resemble the lotus-eyes of Indra, which shrank with relief and opened wide with fear as Rāvaṇa’s ten heads, cut off by His arrows, grew back;akhila-jagad-adhika-bhuja-bala-vara-bala-daśa-lapana-lapana-daśaka-lavana-janita-kadana-para-vaśa-rajanicara-yuvati-vilapana-vacana-sama-viṣaya-nigama-śikhara-nikara-mukhara-mukha-muni-vara-paripaṇita!
who was worshipped by hosts of sages chanting the Upaniṣads, the crown of the Vedas, which address the same topics as the laments of Mandodarī, the rākṣasa queen, utterly immersed in sorrow after the decapitation of her husband Rāvaṇa, who had gained mastery over all by the power of his arms and of his boons;
abhigata-śatamakha-hutavaha-pitṛpati-nirṛti-varuṇa-pavana-dhanada-giriśa-mukha-sura-pati-nuti-mudita!
who was pleased by the praises offered by Indra of the hundred sacrifices, Agni the oblation-bearer, Yama the lord of the departed, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Pavana, Kubera the granter of wealth, Śiva the lord of the mountain, and others;
amita-mati-vidhi-vidita-kathita-nija-vibhava-jaladhi-pṛṣata-lava!
whose ocean of glory is so vast that even Brahmā of infinite knowledge praise only a tiny droplet;
vigata-bhaya-vibudha-paribṛḍa-vibodhita-vīra-śayana-śāyita-vānara-pṛtanaûgha!
whose vast army of monkeys was brought back to life by Indra, lord of gods, whose fear of Rāvaṇa had been removed;
sva-samaya-vighaṭita-sughaṭita-sahṛdaya-sahadharma-cāriṇīka!
vibhīṣaṇa-vaśaṃvadīkṛta-laṅkaîśvarya!
who placed all of the glories of Laṅkā at Vibhīṣaṇa’s disposal;
niṣpanna-kṛtya!
who fulfilled all His duties;
kha-puṣpita-ripu-pakṣa!
whose enemies are as substantial as (wholly imaginary) sky-flowers;
puṣpaka-rabhasa-gati-goṣ-padīkṛta-gaganârṇava!
whose aerial travels in the Puṣpaka chariot crossed the sea-like sky as if it were a puddle in a cow’s hoof-mark;pratijnârṇava-taraṇa-kṛta-kṣaṇa-bharata-manoratha-saṃhita-siṃhāsanâdhirūḍha!
svāmin!
who is Lord (of all);
rāghava-siṃha!
who is the lion of the dynasty of Raghu;
[ (6) The Uttarakāṇḍam]
hāṭaka-giri-kaṭaka-laḍaha-pāda-pīṭha-nikaṭa-taṭa-pariluṭhita-nikhila-nṛpati-kirīṭa-koṭi-vividha-maṇi-gaṇa-kiraṇa-nikara-nīrājita-caraṇa-rājīva!
whose lotus-feet are illuminated by the rays emanating from the diverse gems on the crowns of kings who lie prostrate at the footstool of His mountain-like lion-throne;
divya-bhaumâyodhyâdhidaivata !
who is the Supreme Lord for the two Ayodhyās, heavenly and earthly;
pitṛ-vadha-kupita-paraśu-dhara-muni-vihita-nṛpa-hanana-kadana-pūrva-kāla-prabhava-śata-guṇa-pratiṣṭhāpita-dhārmika-rāja-vaṃśa !
who established a righteous, dhārmic royal dynasty a hundred times superior to the earlier lineages that were slaughtered by Paraśurāma, the axe-wielding sage angered by his father’s murder;
śubha-carita-rata-bharata-kharvita-garva-gandharva-yūtha-gīta-vijaya-gāthā-śata!
whose songs of victory were sung by the Gandharvas after they were humbled on the battlefield by Bharata of noble deeds;
śāsita-madhusuta-śatrughna-sevita!
who was worshipped by His brother Śatrughna, who overthrew Lavaṇa, son of Madhu;
kuśa-lava-parigṛhīta-kula-gāthā-viśeṣa!
whose lineage’s song of glory (the Rāmāyaṇa) was sung by His sons Kuśa and Lava;
vidhi-vaśa-pariṇamad-amara-bhaṇiti-kavi-vara-racita-nija-carita-nibandhana-niśamana-nirvṛta!
who was delighted by hearing the composition narrating His life’s deeds composed by the great sage Vālmīki, whose words were perfected by Brahmā;
sarva-jana-sammānita!
who is honored by all;
punar-upasthāpita-vimāna-vara-viśrāṇana-prīṇita-vaiśravaṇa-viśrāvita-yaśaḥ-prapañca!
whose magnanimity was celebrated by Kubera, son of Viśravas, delighted by His returning the Puṣpaka vehicle to him;
pañcatā-panna-muni-kumāra-sañjīvanâmṛta !
who is the life-restoring nectar that brought the sage’s dead son back to life;
tretāyuga-pravartita-kārtayuga-vṛttânta!
who brought about conditions resembling the Kṛta-yuga in the Tretā-yuga;
avikala-bahu-suvarṇa-hayamakha-sahasra-nirvahaṇa-nirvartita-nija-varṇāśrama-dharma!
who fulfilled the duties appropriate to social rank and life station by completing a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices, distributing huge amounts of pure gold;
sarva-karma-samārādhya!
who is propitiated by all worship;sanātana-dharma!
who is the eternal Dharma;
sāketa-jana-pada-jani-dhanika-jaṅgama-tad-itara-jantu-jāta-divya-gati-dāna-darśita-nitya-niḥsīma-vaibhava!
whose eternal, limitless glory was shown by His granting salvation to all the creatures—even insentient plants and animals—dwelling in Sāketa;
bhava-tapana-tāpita-bhakta-jana-bhadrârāma!
who is a delightful garden for His devotees tormented by worldly existence;
śrī-rāma-bhadra!
namas te punas te namaḥ!
to that delightful Rāma,
Salutations, and more salutations, over and over!
caturmukhêśvara-mukhaiḥ putra-pautrâdi-śaline |
namaḥ sītā-sametāya rāmāya gṛha-medhine ||
Salutations to Him,
always accompanied by Sītā,
whose children and grandchildren
starting with Brahmā and Śiva
comprise the entire universe;
to Rāma, the exemplar of the householder’s life!
kavi-kathaka-siṃha-kathitaṃ kaṭhora-sukumāra-gumbha-gambhīram |
bhava-bhaya-bheṣajam etat paṭhata mahāvīravaibhavaṃ sudhiyaḥ ||
O wise people:
recite this Splendor of the Great Hero,
composed by the Lion among poets and philosophers,
mixing soft and hard sounds and profound meaning,
a cure for all worldly fears!
kavi-tārkika-siṃhāya kalyāṇa-guṇa-śāline |
śrīmate veṅkaṭeśāya vedānta-gurave namaḥ ||
Salutations to
the Lion among poets and philosophers,
resplendent with illustrious auspicious virtues,
the noble Veṅkaṭeśa
endowed with śrī,
teacher of the Vedānta!
|| Śrīḥ ||
Heard "Ragu Veer Gadyam" for the first time, albeit late in life, in 2005 when I had purchased the CD by Geethanjali. Coincidentally titled, "LIke Pearls on a String" :MANTRAS- Sacred words of Power. Produced by Duper Audios (Madras) Pvt Ltd...
ReplyDeleteGod has chosen a few like you to preserve and pass on for posterity what little that remains of the once vast storehouses of wisdom of ancient Bharat of which present day India is but a fraction.. All the Best in your endeavor. God bless.
Splendid ! Dasan .
ReplyDelete