May the splendour of Shri Rama’s lotus-like face, which neither grew brighter at the prospect of His being installed on the throne of Ayodhya nor was dimmed by the painful experience of exile in the woods, ever bring sweet felicity to me.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
However fondly you may nurture a brood of crows, can you ever expect ravens to turn vegetarians? I adore the feet of a saint and a wicked soul, both of whom give pain, though some difference is said to exist between them. Whereas the former class cause mortal pain while parting, the latter give agonizing torment during their meeting. Though born together in the world, they differ in their traits even as the lotus and the leech (both of which spring from water).
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Of course, a good man has a bias for goodness alone, while a vile person is prone to vileness. While nectar is praised for its immortalizing virtue, poison is extolled for its deadly effects.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
God has created the universe consisting of animate and inanimate beings as partaking of both good and evil; swans in the form of saints imbibe the milk of goodness rejecting water in the form of evil.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Bad association is harmful, while good company is an asset in itself: this is true in the world as well as in the eyes of the Vedas, and is known to all.Through contact with the wind dust ascends to the sky, while it is assimilated with mud when united with low-lying waters. Parrots and Mainas nurtured in the house of the virtuous and the wicked repeat the name of Rama and pour a volley of abuses respectively.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
The world abounds in men who resemble lakes and rivers, that get swollen with their own rise when waters are added to them. There is some rare good soul like the ocean, which swells at the sight of the full moon.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“My lord, there is a maxim laid down in the Vedas: the great show kindness to the small. Mountains always bear tiny blades of grass on their tops, the fathomless ocean carries floating foam on its breast and the earth ever bears dust on its bosom.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“The weight of mountains, rivers and oceans,” she (the earth) said to herself, “is not so oppressive to me as of him who is malevolent to others.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“No one is a source of delight or pain to another; everyone reaps the fruit of one’s own actions, brother. Union and separation, pleasurable and painful experiences, friends, foes and neutrals—snares of delusion are these. Even so birth and death, prosperity and adversity, destiny and time and all the illusion of the world; lands, houses, wealth, town and family, heaven and hell, and all the phenomena of the world; nay, whatever is seen, heard or thought of with the mind has its root in ignorance: nothing exists in reality.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“Reasoning thus be not angry nor blame anyone in vain. Everyone is slumbering in the night of delusion, and while asleep one sees dreams of various kinds. In this night of mundane existence it is Yogis (mystics) alone who keep awake—Yogis who are in quest of the highest truth and remain aloof from the world. A soul should be deemed as having awoke from the night of the world only when he develops an aversion for the enjoyments of the world of sense. It is only when right understanding comes that the error of delusion disappears and then alone one develops love for the feet of Shri Rama (the Lord of Raghus). O friend, the highest spiritual goal is this: to be devoted to the feet of Shri Rama in thought, word and deed. Shri Rama is no other than Brahma (God), the supreme Reality, unknown, imperceptible, beginningless, incomparable, free from all change and beyond all diversity. The Vedas ever speak of Him in negative terms (not this).”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“Those who have no lust, anger, arrogance, pride or infatuation, are without greed, excitement, attraction or aversion and who are free from fraud, hypocrisy and deceit—it is in their heart that You should abide, O Chief of Raghus. Again, those who are beloved of all and friendly to all, to whom joy and sorrow, applause and abuse are alike and who scrupulously utter truthful and polite words, nay, who are resigned to You whether awake or asleep and who have no support other than Yourself—it is in their mind, O Rama, that You should dwell. Again, those who look upon another’s wife as their own mother and to whom another’s wealth is the deadliest of all poisons, who rejoice to see others’ prosperity and are particularly grieved to see another’s distress, and to whom, O Rama, You are dear as their own life— their minds are Your blessed abodes.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Vibheeshana was disconcerted when he saw Ravana mounted on a chariot and the Hero of Raghu’s line without any. His great fondness for the Lord filled his mind with diffidence; and bowing to His feet he spoke with a tender heart: “My lord, You have no chariot nor any protection either for Your body (in the shape of armour) or for Your feet (in the shape of shoes). How, then, can You expect to conquer this mighty hero?” “Listen, friend:” replied the All-merciful, “the chariot which leads one to victory is quite another. Valour and fortitude are the wheels of that chariot, while truthfulness and good conduct are its enduring banner and standard. Even so strength, discretion, self-control and benevolence are its four horses, that have been joined to the chariot with the cords of forgiveness, compassion and evenness of mind. Adoration of God is the expert driver; dispassion, the shield and contentment, the sword. Again, charity is the axe; reason, the fierce lance and the highest wisdom, the relentless bow. A pure and steady mind is like a quiver; while quietude and the various forms of abstinence (Yamas) and religious observances (Niyamas) are a sheaf of arrows. Homage to the Brahamanas and to one’s own preceptor is an impenetrable coat of mail; there is no other equipment for victory as efficacious as this. My friend, he who owns such a chariot of piety shall have no enemy to conquer anywhere.”
“Listen, O friend of resolute mind: the hero who happens to be in possession of such a strong chariot can conquer even that mighty and invincible foe, attachment to the world.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Shri Ramcharitmanas
However fondly you may nurture a brood of crows, can you ever expect ravens to turn vegetarians? I adore the feet of a saint and a wicked soul, both of whom give pain, though some difference is said to exist between them. Whereas the former class cause mortal pain while parting, the latter give agonizing torment during their meeting. Though born together in the world, they differ in their traits even as the lotus and the leech (both of which spring from water).
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Of course, a good man has a bias for goodness alone, while a vile person is prone to vileness. While nectar is praised for its immortalizing virtue, poison is extolled for its deadly effects.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
God has created the universe consisting of animate and inanimate beings as partaking of both good and evil; swans in the form of saints imbibe the milk of goodness rejecting water in the form of evil.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
Bad association is harmful, while good company is an asset in itself: this is true in the world as well as in the eyes of the Vedas, and is known to all.Through contact with the wind dust ascends to the sky, while it is assimilated with mud when united with low-lying waters. Parrots and Mainas nurtured in the house of the virtuous and the wicked repeat the name of Rama and pour a volley of abuses respectively.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
The world abounds in men who resemble lakes and rivers, that get swollen with their own rise when waters are added to them. There is some rare good soul like the ocean, which swells at the sight of the full moon.
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“My lord, there is a maxim laid down in the Vedas: the great show kindness to the small. Mountains always bear tiny blades of grass on their tops, the fathomless ocean carries floating foam on its breast and the earth ever bears dust on its bosom.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“The weight of mountains, rivers and oceans,” she (the earth) said to herself, “is not so oppressive to me as of him who is malevolent to others.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“No one is a source of delight or pain to another; everyone reaps the fruit of one’s own actions, brother. Union and separation, pleasurable and painful experiences, friends, foes and neutrals—snares of delusion are these. Even so birth and death, prosperity and adversity, destiny and time and all the illusion of the world; lands, houses, wealth, town and family, heaven and hell, and all the phenomena of the world; nay, whatever is seen, heard or thought of with the mind has its root in ignorance: nothing exists in reality.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“Reasoning thus be not angry nor blame anyone in vain. Everyone is slumbering in the night of delusion, and while asleep one sees dreams of various kinds. In this night of mundane existence it is Yogis (mystics) alone who keep awake—Yogis who are in quest of the highest truth and remain aloof from the world. A soul should be deemed as having awoke from the night of the world only when he develops an aversion for the enjoyments of the world of sense. It is only when right understanding comes that the error of delusion disappears and then alone one develops love for the feet of Shri Rama (the Lord of Raghus). O friend, the highest spiritual goal is this: to be devoted to the feet of Shri Rama in thought, word and deed. Shri Rama is no other than Brahma (God), the supreme Reality, unknown, imperceptible, beginningless, incomparable, free from all change and beyond all diversity. The Vedas ever speak of Him in negative terms (not this).”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“Those who have no lust, anger, arrogance, pride or infatuation, are without greed, excitement, attraction or aversion and who are free from fraud, hypocrisy and deceit—it is in their heart that You should abide, O Chief of Raghus. Again, those who are beloved of all and friendly to all, to whom joy and sorrow, applause and abuse are alike and who scrupulously utter truthful and polite words, nay, who are resigned to You whether awake or asleep and who have no support other than Yourself—it is in their mind, O Rama, that You should dwell. Again, those who look upon another’s wife as their own mother and to whom another’s wealth is the deadliest of all poisons, who rejoice to see others’ prosperity and are particularly grieved to see another’s distress, and to whom, O Rama, You are dear as their own life— their minds are Your blessed abodes.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
“Listen, O friend of resolute mind: the hero who happens to be in possession of such a strong chariot can conquer even that mighty and invincible foe, attachment to the world.”
Shri Ramcharitmanas
He called for a boat, but the ferryman would not bring it. The latter said, “I know your secret; about the dust of your lotus-feet everyone says it is some drug possessing the quality of turning things into human beings. By its very touch a rock was transformed into a charming woman and wood is not harder than stone. If my boat itself gets converted into a hermit’s wife (like Ahalya), I shall be robbed of the very means of my subsistence in that my boat will disappear. It is by means of this boat that I maintain the whole of my family; I know no other trade. If, therefore, my lord, you must cross the river, command me to lave your lotus-feet.I will let you board the boat only when I have bathed your lotus-feet; I seek no toll from you. I swear by you, O Rama, as well as by King Dashratha, that what I tell you is all true. Let Lakshmana shoot me with his arrows if he will; but until I have washed your feet I will not, O gracious lord of Tulasasidasa, ferry you across.
On hearing these words of the ferryman, mysterious though imbued with love, the all-merciful Lord looked at Janaka’s Daughter and Lakshmana and smiled.
On hearing these words of the ferryman, mysterious though imbued with love, the all-merciful Lord looked at Janaka’s Daughter and Lakshmana and smiled.
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