Causes of Śrī Rāma’s Descent
Chaupais
sunu girijā haricarita suhāē. bipula bisada nigamāgama gāē..
hari avatāra hētu jēhi hōī. idamitthaṃ kahi jāi na sōī.. [1-120(A)-1]
rāma artakya buddhi mana bānī. mata hamāra asa sunahi sayānī..
tadapi saṃta muni bēda purānā. jasa kachu kahahiṃ svamati anumānā.. [1-120(A)-2]
tasa maiṃ sumukhi sunāvau tōhī. samujhi parai jasa kārana mōhī..
jaba jaba hōi dharama kai hānī. bāḍhahiṃ asura adhama abhimānī.. [1-120(A)-3]
karahiṃ anīti jāi nahiṃ baranī. sīdahiṃ bipra dhēnu sura dharanī..
taba taba prabhu dhari bibidha sarīrā. harahi kṛpānidhi sajjana pīrā.. [1-120(A)-4]
Hark, O Girijā: the Vedas and the Tantras have sung numerous charming and sinless exploits of Śrī Hari. The cause of Śrī Hari’s descent cannot be precisely stated. Listen, O sensible lady: Śrī Rāma is beyond the grasp of intellect, mind or speech: such is my conviction. Yet, O charming lady, I tell you the reason as I understand it and even as the saints and sages, the Vedas and the Purāṇas have stated according to their intellectual level. Whenever virtue declines and vile and haughty demons multiply and work uniquity that cannot be told, and whenever Brāhmaṇas, cows, gods and earth itself are in trouble, the gracious Lord assumes various (transcendent) forms and relieves the distress of the virtuous.”
Dohas
asura māri thāpahiṃ suranha rākhahiṃ nija śruti sētu.
jaga bistārahiṃ bisada jasa rāma janma kara hētu..121.. [1-121]
“Killing the demons He reinstates the gods, preserves the bounds of propriety fixed by the Vedas, which represent His own breath, and diffuses His immaculate glory throughout the world. This is the motive of Śrī Rāma’s descent.”
Chaupais
sōi jasa gāi bhagata bhava tarahīṃ. kṛpāsiṃdhu jana hita tanu dharahīṃ..
rāma janama kē hētu anēkā. parama bicitra ēka tēṃ ēkā.. [1-121-1]
janama ēka dui kahau bakhānī. sāvadhāna sunu sumati bhavānī..
dvārapāla hari kē priya dōū. jaya aru bijaya jāna saba kōū.. [1-121-2]
bipra śrāpa tēṃ dūnau bhāī. tāmasa asura dēha tinha pāī..
kanakakasipu aru hāṭaka lōcana. jagata bidita surapati mada mōcana.. [1-121-3]
bijaī samara bīra bikhyātā. dhari barāha bapu ēka nipātā..
hōi narahari dūsara puni mārā. jana prahalāda sujasa bistārā.. [1-121-4]
“Singing this glory the devotees cross the ocean of mundane existence; it is for the sake of His devotees that the compassionate Lord bodies Himself forth. The motives of Śrī Rāma’s birth are many, each more wonderful than the other. I will refer to one or two such births at some length; please listen attentively, O wise Bhavānī. Śrī Hari has two favourite gate-keepers Jaya and Vijaya, who are known to everybody. Due to the curse of certain Brāhmaṇas (Sanaka and his three brothers) both these brothers were born in the accursed species of demons. One of them was known as Hiraṇyakaśipu and the other as Hiraṇyākṣa. They became known throughout the universe as the tamers of the pride of Indra (the chief of gods). Both of them were celebrated heroes who came out victorious in battle. The Lord assumed the form of a Boar in order to kill one of the two brothers (viz., Hiraṇyākṣa); while bodying Himself forth as a Man-Lion, He killed the other (Hiraṇyakaśipu) and spread the fair renown of His devotee, Prahlāda (Hiraṇyakaśipu’s son).”
Dohas
bhaē nisācara jāi tēi mahābīra balavāna.
kuṃbhakarana rāvaṇa subhaṭa sura bijaī jaga jāna..122 . [1-122]
“It is these two brothers that were born again as the powerful and most valiant Rākṣasas. Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa, who were great warriors and, as all the world knows, conquered even gods.”
Chaupais
mukuta na bhaē hatē bhagavānā. tīni janama dvija bacana pravānā..
ēka bāra tinha kē hita lāgī. dharēu sarīra bhagata anurāgī.. [1-122-1]
kasyapa aditi tahāom pitu mātā. dasaratha kausalyā bikhyātā..
ēka kalapa ēhi bidhi avatārā. caritra pavitra kiē saṃsārā.. [1-122-2]
ēka kalapa sura dēkhi dukhārē. samara jalaṃdhara sana saba hārē..
saṃbhu kīnha saṃgrāma apārā. danuja mahābala marai na mārā.. [1-122-3]
parama satī asurādhipa nārī. tēhi bala tāhi na jitahiṃ purārī.. [1-122-4]
“Even though slain by the Lord, the two brothers (Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu) did not attain liberation; for the Brāhmaṇas had doomed them to three births. It was on their account that the Lover of the devotees bodied Himself forth on one occasion. In that birth Kaśyapa and Aditi were His parents, who were known by the names of Daśaratha and Kausalyā respectively. This was how in one Kalpa (round of creation) the Lord descended from heaven and performed purifying deeds on earth. In another Kalpa all the gods were worsted in their conflict with the demon Jalandhara. Seeing their distress Śambhu waged war against him, which knew no end; but the demon, who possessed a great might, could not be killed in spite of His best efforts. The wife of the demon chief was a most virtuous lady. Armed by her strength of character the demon could not be conquered even by the Vanquisher of Tripura.”
Dohas
chala kari ṭārēu tāsu brata prabhu sura kāraja kīnha..
jaba tēhi jānēu marama taba śrāpa kōpa kari dīnha..123.. [1-123]
By a stratagem the Lord broke her vow of chastity and accomplished the purpose of the gods. When the lady discovered the trick, she cursed Him in her wrath.”
Chaupais
tāsu śrāpa hari dīnha pramānā. kautukanidhi kṛpāla bhagavānā..
tahāom jalaṃdhara rāvana bhayaū. rana hati rāma parama pada dayaū.. [1-123-1]
ēka janama kara kārana ēhā. jēhi lāgi rāma dharī naradēhā..
prati avatāra kathā prabhu kērī. sunu muni baranī kabinha ghanērī.. [1-123-2]
nārada śrāpa dīnha ēka bārā. kalapa ēka tēhi lagi avatārā..
girijā cakita bhaī suni bānī. nārada biṣnubhagata puni gyāni.. [1-123-3]
kārana kavana śrāpa muni dīnhā. kā aparādha ramāpati kīnhā..
yaha prasaṃga mōhi kahahu purārī. muni mana mōha ācaraja bhārī.. [1-123-4]
“The sportive and gracious Lord accepted her curse. It was this Jalandhara who was reborn as Rāvaṇa in this latter Kalpa. Killing him in battle Śrī Rāma conferred on him the supreme state (final beatitude). This was the reason why Śrī Rāma assumed a human form in one particular birth. Hark, O Bharadvāja; the story of each birth of the Lord has been sung by poets in diverse ways. On one occasion Nārada cursed the Lord; this served as an excuse of His birth in one particular Kalpa.” Girijā was taken aback to hear these words and said, “Nārada is a votary of God Viṣṇu and enlightened soul to o. Wherefore did the sage pronounce a curse? What offence had Lakṣmī’s lord committed against him? Tell me the whole story, O Slayer of the demon Tripura. It is very strange that the sage should have fallen a prey to delusion.”
Dohas
bōlē bihasi mahēsa taba gyānī mūḍha na kōi.
jēhi jasa raghupati karahiṃ jaba sō tasa tēhi chana hōi..124ka.. [1-124(A)]
kahau rāma guna gātha bharadvāja sādara sunahu.
bhava bhaṃjana raghunātha bhaju tulasī taji māna mada..124kha.. [1-124(A)-124(B)]
The great Lord Śiva then replied with a smile, “There is no one enlightened or deluded. Man instantly becomes what the Lord of Raghus wills him to be at a particular moment.” Said Yājñavalkya, “I am going to recount the virtues of Rāma, O Bharadvāja; listen with a devout mind.” Renouncing pride and intoxication, O Tulasīdāsa, adore the Lord of Raghus, who puts an end to metempsychosis.
Chaupais
himagiri guhā ēka ati pāvani. baha samīpa surasarī suhāvani..
āśrama parama punīta suhāvā. dēkhi dēvariṣi mana ati bhāvā.. [1-124(A)-1]
nirakhi saila sari bipina bibhāgā. bhayau ramāpati pada anurāgā..
sumirata harihi śrāpa gati bādhī. sahaja bimala mana lāgi samādhī.. [1-124(A)-2]
muni gati dēkhi surēsa ḍērānā. kāmahi bōli kīnha sanamānā..
sahita sahāya jāhu mama hētū. cakēu haraṣi hiyaom jalacarakētū.. [1-124(A)-3]
sunāsīra mana mahu asi trāsā. cahata dēvariṣi mama pura bāsā..
jē kāmī lōlupa jaga māhīṃ. kuṭila kāka iva sabahi ḍērāhīṃ.. [1-124(A)-4]
“In the Himālaya mountains there was a most sacred cave; the beautiful heavenly stream (Gaṅgā) flowed near by. The sight of this most holy and charming hermitage highly attracted the mind of the celestial sage Nārada. Seeing the mountain, the river and the forest glades, his heart developed love for the feet of Lakṣmī’s lord. The thought of Śrī Hari broke the spell of the curse* (pronounced by Dakṣa, which did not allow him to stay at one place); and his mind, which was naturally sinless, fell into a trance. Seeing the sage’s condition, Indra (the chief of gods) became apprehensive. Summoning the god of love, he received him with great honour and said, “For my sake go with your associates!” The god of love (who has a fish emblazoned on his standard) set out gladdened at heart. Indra apprehended that the celestial sage sought to occupy his abode. Those who are lustful and grasping are afraid of everyone like the evil-minded crow.
- * For the cause of the curse see Caupāī I following Dohā 78
Dohas
sukha hāḍa lai bhāga saṭha svāna nirakhi mṛgarāja.
chīni lēi jani jāna jaḍa timi surapatihi na lāja..125.. [1-125]
Just as a foolish dog, on seeing a king of beasts, should run away with a dry bone, fearing in his crass ignorance lest the lion should rob him of it, Indra too in his shamelessness thought as above.
Chaupais
tēhi āśramahiṃ madana jaba gayaū. nija māyāom basaṃta niramayaū..
kusumita bibidha biṭapa bahuraṃgā. kūjahiṃ kōkila guṃjahi bhṛṃgā.. [1-125-1]
calī suhāvani tribidha bayārī. kāma kṛsānu baḍhaāvanihārī..
raṃbhādika suranāri nabīnā . sakala asamasara kalā prabīnā.. [1-125-2]
karahiṃ gāna bahu tāna taraṃgā. bahubidhi krīḍahi pāni pataṃgā..
dēkhi sahāya madana haraṣānā. kīnhēsi puni prapaṃca bidhi nānā.. [1-125-3]
kāma kalā kachu munihi na byāpī. nija bhayaom ḍarēu manōbhava pāpī..
sīma ki cāompi sakai kōu tāsu. baḍa rakhavāra ramāpati jāsū.. [1-125-4]
When the god of love reached that hermitage, he created a semblance of the vernal season by his illusory power. Many-coloured blossoms appeared on the trees of different kinds; cuckoos sang and bees hummed. Delightful breezes, cool, soft and fragrant, blew, fanning the flame of passion. Rambhā and other heavenly damsels, who looked ever young and were all past masters in amorous sports, sang in undulating tones of various kinds and sported in many ways, ball in hand. The god of love was delighted to see his associates there and employed a variety of deceptive tricks. But his amorous devices had no effect on the sage. Guilty Cupid was now apprehensive of his own destruction. Can anyone dare to trespass the bounds of him who has the Lord of Lakṣmī as his great protector.
Dohas
sahita sahāya sabhīta ati māni hāri mana maina.
gahēsi jāi muni carana taba kahi suṭhi ārata baina..126.. [1-126]
In dire dismay the god of love with his accomplices acknowledged his defeat and clasped the sage’s feet, addressing him in accents of deep humility.
Chaupais
bhayau na nārada mana kachu rōṣā. kahi priya bacana kāma paritōṣā..
nāi carana siru āyasu pāī. gayau madana taba sahita sahāī.. [1-126-1]
muni susīlatā āpani karanī. surapati sabhāom jāi saba baranī..
suni saba ke māna acaraju ava, munihi prasamsi harihi siru nāva [1-126-2]
taba nārada gavanē siva pāhīṃ. jitā kāma ahamiti mana māhīṃ..
māra carita saṃkarahiṃ sunāē. atipriya jāni mahēsa sikhāē.. [1-126-3]
bāra bāra binavau muni tōhīṃ. jimi yaha kathā sunāyahu mōhīṃ..
timi jani harihi sunāvahu kabahūom. calēhu prasaṃga durāēḍu tabahūom.. [1-126-4]
There was no anger in Nārada’s mind; he reassured the god of love by addressing him in friendly terms. Then, bowing his head at the sage’s feet and obtaining his leave, Love retired with his accomplices. Reaching the court of Indra (the chief of gods) he related his own doings, on the one hand, and the sage’s clemency, on the other. Hearing the tale all were astonished; they extolled the sage and bowed their head to Hari. Then Nārada called on Śiva; he was proud of his victory over Love and told Him all Love’s doings. Knowing him to be His most beloved friend, the great Lord Śiva admonished him as follows:-“O sage, I pray you again and again: never repeat this story to Hari as you have repeated it to me. Even if the topic ever comes up before Him, please hush it up.”