Kākabhuśuṇḍi approaches the sage Lomaśa, who first pronounces a curse on him but later on showers his grace and bestows a boon on him

Dohas

gura kē bacana surati kari rāma carana manu lāga.

raghupati jasa gāvata phirau chana chana nava anurāga..110ka.. [7-110(A)]

mēru sikhara baṭa chāyāom muni lōmasa āsīna.

dēkhi carana siru nāyau bacana kahēu ati dīna..110kha.. [7-110(B)]

suni mama bacana binīta mṛdu muni kṛpāla khagarāja.

mōhi sādara pūomchata bhaē dvija āyahu kēhi kāja..110ga.. [7-110(C)]

taba maiṃ kahā kṛpānidhi tumha sarbagya sujāna.

saguna brahma avarādhana mōhi kahahu bhagavāna..110gha.. [7-110(D)]

Even as I recalled the words of my erstwhile preceptor my mind conceived a fondness for Rāma’s feet and I went about singing the praises of Śrī Rāma (the Lord of the Raghus) with a love which gathered new strength every moment. On a peak of Mount Meru in the shade of a banyan tree sat the sage Lomaśa. On seeing him I bowed at his feet and addressed him in the humblest strain. When the gracious sage heard my meek and gentle address, O king of the birds, he politely enquired : “For what purpose have you come, O Brāhmaṇa?” Thereupon I replied, “O fountain of mercy, you are omniscient and sagacious. Tell me, blessed one, how to worship the embodied supreme Spirit.”

Chaupais

taba muniṣa raghupati guna gāthā. kahē kachuka sādara khaganāthā..

brahmagyāna rata muni bigyāni. mōhi parama adhikārī jānī.. [7-110(D)-1]

lāgē karana brahma upadēsā. aja advēta aguna hṛdayēsā..

akala anīha anāma arupā. anubhava gamya akhaṃḍa anūpā.. [7-110(D)-2]

mana gōtīta amala abināsī. nirbikāra niravadhi sukha rāsī..

sō taiṃ tāhi tōhi nahiṃ bhēdā. bāri bīci iva gāvahi bēdā.. [7-110(D)-3]

bibidha bhāomti mōhi muni samujhāvā. nirguna mata mama hṛdayaom na āvā..

puni maiṃ kahēu nāi pada sīsā. saguna upāsana kahahu munīsā.. [7-110(D)-4]

rāma bhagati jala mama mana mīnā. kimi bilagāi munīsa prabīnā..

sōi upadēsa kahahu kari dāyā. nija nayananhi dēkhauṃ raghurāyā.. [7-110(D)-5]

bhari lōcana bilōki avadhēsā. taba sunihau nirguna upadēsā..

muni puni kahi harikathā anūpā. khaṃḍi saguna mata aguna nirūpā.. [7-110(D)-6]

taba maiṃ nirguna mata kara dūrī. saguna nirūpau kari haṭha bhūrī..

uttara pratiuttara maiṃ kīnhā. muni tana bhaē krōdha kē cīnhā.. [7-110(D)-7]

sunu prabhu bahuta avagyā kiēom. upaja krōdha gyāninha kē hiēom..

ati saṃgharaṣana jauṃ kara kōī. anala pragaṭa caṃdana tē hōī.. [7-110(D)-8]

Thereupon the great sage recounted with reverence a few virtues of Śrī Rāma (the Lord of the Raghus), O lord of the feathered creation. But himself devoted to the knowledge of Brahma (the Absolute), and knowing me to be the fittest person (to be initiated into such knowledge), the enlightened sage began a sermon on Brahma, the unborn, the One without a second and without attributes, the Ruler of the heart (the inner Controller), incomprehensible, desireless, without name or form, attainable only through realization, indivisible and incomparable, beyond the mind and the senses, immaculate and indestructible, immutable, unlimited and all-blissful : “You are identical with the Brahma referred to above; no more difference exists between Him and you than between a sheet of water and the ripples on its surface: so declare the Vedas.” The sage instructed me in various ways; but the truth that the individual soul is identical with the attributeless Brahma did not appeal to my heart. Bowing my head at his feet I submitted again, “Kindly tell me how to worship the embodied Brahma, O lord of the sages. My mind takes delight in the worship of Śrī Rāma even as a fish rejoiees in water; how, then, can it exist without it, O wise lord of the sages? Be gracious, therefore, to teach me the method whereby I may be able to behold the Lord of the Raghus with my own eyes. Having feasted my eyes on the King of Ayodhyā I will then listen to your discourse on the attributeless Brahma.” The sage once more recited the incomparable story of Śrī Hari; but demolishing the doctrine that the supreme Spirit does appear in an embodied form, he established the proposition that He is ever without attributes. Thereupon I would set aside the view that God is ever attributeless and establish with great obstinacy the doctrine that He takes an embodied form. When I thus entered into hot discussion with him, signs of resentment appeared on the sage’s person. Listen, my lord: insolence carried to an excess rouses passion even in the breast of an enlightened soul. Too much friction will produce fire even out of sandal-wood.

Dohas

bāraṃbāra sakōpa muni karai nirupana gyāna.

maiṃ apanēṃ mana baiṭha taba karau bibidha anumāna..111ka.. [7-111(A)]

krōdha ki dvētabuddhi binu dvaita ki binu agyāna.

māyābasa parichinna jaḍa jīva ki īsa samāna..111kha.. [7-111(B)]

Again and again in the heat of passion the sage expatiated on spiritual wisdom, while I sat still and put myself various questions : “Can there be anger without duality or duality without ignorance? Can an individual soul, dull, finite and subject to Māyā, ever be on a par with God?”

Chaupais

kabahu ki dukha saba kara hita tākēṃ. tēhi ki daridra parasa mani jākēṃ..

paradrōhī kī hōhiṃ nisaṃkā. kāmī puni ki rahahiṃ akalaṃkā.. [7-111(B)-1]

baṃsa ki raha dvija anahita kīnhēṃ. karma ki hōhiṃ svarūpahi cīnhēṃ..

kāhū sumati ki khala saomga jāmī. subha gati pāva ki paratriya gāmī.. [7-111(B)-2]

bhava ki parahiṃ paramātmā biṃdaka. sukhī ki hōhiṃ kabahu hariniṃdaka..

rāju ki rahai nīti binu jānēṃ. agha ki rahahiṃ haricarita bakhānēṃ.. [7-111(B)-3]

pāvana jasa ki punya binu hōī. binu agha ajasa ki pāvai kōī..

lābhu ki kichu hari bhagati samānā. jēhi gāvahiṃ śruti saṃta purānā.. [7-111(B)-4]

hāni ki jaga ēhi sama kichu bhāī. bhajia na rāmahi nara tanu pāī..

agha ki pisunatā sama kachu ānā. dharma ki dayā sarisa harijānā.. [7-111(B)-5]

ēhi bidhi amiti juguti mana gunaūom. muni upadēsa na sādara sunaūom..

puni puni saguna paccha maiṃ rōpā. taba muni bōlēu bacana sakōpā.. [7-111(B)-6]

mūḍha parama sikha dēu na mānasi. uttara pratiuttara bahu ānasi..

satya bacana bisvāsa na karahī. bāyasa iva sabahī tē ḍarahī.. [7-111(B)-7]

saṭha svapaccha taba hṛdayaom bisālā. sapadi hōhi pacchī caṃḍālā..

līnha śrāpa maiṃ sīsa caḍhaāī. nahiṃ kachu bhaya na dīnatā āī.. [7-111(B)-8]

“Can suffering ensue from solicitude for others’ well-being? Can anyone possessing the philosopher’s stone suffer from want any longer ? Can the malevolent be free from anxiety? Can the sensualist escape obloquy? Can one’s posterity survive even though one has persecuted the Brāhmaṇas? Can one continue to perform actions (with attachment) even after attaining Self-Realization? Has anyone acquired sound wisdom while living in the company of the vicious? Can an adulterer attain a happy destiny? Can those who have realized God fall again into the ocean of transmigration? Can the revilers of Śrī Hari be ever happy? Can a kingdom stand without a knowledge of statecraft? Can sins persist even after one has commenced narrating Śrī Hari’s exploits? Can one enjoy sacred renown without religious merit and can anyone earn a bad reputation without a sin? Is there any gain as valuable as Devotion to Śrī Hari, which is glorified alike by saints as well as by the Vedas and Purāṇas? And, brother, is there any loss in the world as grievous as that of the man who fails to adore Śrī Rāma even after obtaining a human body? Is there any other sin so bad as backbiting or any virtue so great as compassion, O mount of Śrī Hari?” In this way I mentally advanced numberless arguments in my favour and did not listen to the sage’s teaching with any reverence. Again and again I maintained the cause of the Saguṇa form of worship (the worship of an embodied Deity), till at last the sage uttered these angry words : “Fool, you refuse to accept the supreme lesson I have been inculcating on you and indulge in endless arguments and counter- arguments. You give no credence to my authentic words and, like a crow, look on everything with distrust ! Fool, you are exceedingly self-opinionated; therefore, you shall at once take the form of a crow (the pariah among birds).” I bowed to the curse prohounced by the sage but felt neither alarmed nor humbled.

Dohas

turata bhayau maiṃ kāga taba puni muni pada siru nāi.

sumiri rāma raghubaṃsa mani haraṣita calēu uḍaāi..112ka.. [7-112(A)]

umā jē rāma carana rata bigata kāma mada krōdha..

nija prabhumaya dēkhahiṃ jagata kēhi sana karahiṃ birōdha..112kha.. [7-112(B)]

I was immediately transformed into a crow. Thereupon I bowed my head at the sage’s feet again and, fixing my thoughts on Śrī Rāma, the Jewel of Raghu’s line, joyfully took flight. Umā, (continues Lord Śaṅkara,) they who are devoted to Śrī Rāma’s feet and are free from lust, vanity and anger look upon the whole word as full of their lord; against whom can they harbour animosity?

Chaupais

sunu khagēsa nahiṃ kachu riṣi dūṣana. ura prēraka raghubaṃsa bibhūṣana..

kṛpāsiṃdhu muni mati kari bhōrī. līnhi prēma paricchā mōrī.. [7-112(B)-1]

mana baca krama mōhi nija jana jānā. muni mati puni phērī bhagavānā..

riṣi mama mahata sīlatā dēkhī. rāma carana bisvāsa bisēṣī.. [7-112(B)-2]

ati bisamaya puni puni pachitāī. sādara muni mōhi līnha bōlāī..

mama paritōṣa bibidha bidhi kīnhā. haraṣita rāmamaṃtra taba dīnhā.. [7-112(B)-3]

bālakarūpa rāma kara dhyānā. kahēu mōhi muni kṛpānidhānā..

suṃdara sukhada mihi ati bhāvā. sō prathamahiṃ maiṃ tumhahi sunāvā.. [7-112(B)-4]

muni mōhi kachuka kāla tahaom rākhā. rāmacaritamānasa taba bhāṣā..

sādara mōhi yaha kathā sunāī. puni bōlē muni girā suhāī.. [7-112(B)-5]

rāmacarita sara gupta suhāvā. saṃbhu prasāda tāta maiṃ pāvā..

tōhi nija bhagata rāma kara jānī. tātē maiṃ saba kahēu bakhānī.. [7-112(B)-6]

rāma bhagati jinha kēṃ ura nāhīṃ. kabahu na tāta kahia tinha pāhīṃ..

muni mōhi bibidha bhāomti samujhāvā. maiṃ saprēma muni pada siru nāvā.. [7-112(B)-7]

nija kara kamala parasi mama sīsā. haraṣita āsiṣa dīnha munīsā..

rāma bhagati abirala ura tōrēṃ. basihi sadā prasāda aba mōrēṃ.. [7-112(B)-8]

Listen, O lord of the winged creatures : the sage was in no way at fault; it is Śrī Rāma (the Ornament of Raghu’s race) who prompts all hearts. The All-merciful put my devotion to the test by clouding the sage’s reason. When He came to know that I was His devoted servant in thought, word and deed, the Lord disabused the saint again. The sage was amazed at my extraordinary forbearance and the unique faith in Śrī Rāma’s feet and, repenting again and again politely called me back. He consoled me in everyway and then gladly imparted to me the formula sacred to Śrī Rāma. The gracious sage also taught me how to meditate on Śrī Rāma as a child. The form which I was thus taught to fix my thoughts upon, charming and delightful as it was, pleased me much; I have already told you the same. The sage detained me in his hermitage for sometime and then recited the “Rāmacaritamānasa” (the Mānasa lake of Śrī Rāma’s exploits). Having reverently repeated the story the sage then addressed me in the following gracious words : “I discovered this secret and charming lake of Śrī Rāma’s exploits, dear son, by the grace of Lord Śambhu. I have come to know that you are a beloved devotee of Śrī Rāma; hence I recited it to you in full. Never repeat it, dear child, in the presence of those whose heart is void of devotion to Śrī Rāma.” The sage admonished me in various ways and I lovingly bowed my head at his feet. The great sage touched my head with his lotus palm and gladly gave me his blessing : “Henceforth, by my grace, devotion to Śrī Rāma shall ever abide in your heart and know no interruption.

Dohas

sadā rāma priya hōhu tumha subha guna bhavana amāna.

kāmarūpa icdhāmarana gyāna birāga nidhāna..113ka.. [7-113(A)]

jēṃhiṃ āśrama tumha basaba puni sumirata śrībhagavaṃta.

byāpihi tahaom na abidyā jōjana ēka prajaṃta..113kha.. [7-113(B)]

You shall ever be a favourite with Śrī Rāma and a storehouse of good qualities, free from pride, changing your form at will and choosing your own time for death, and a repository of wisdom and dispassion. Nay, in whatever hermitage you live with your thought fixed on the Lord, ignorance will have no access within a radius of eight miles from it.

Chaupais

kāla karma guna dōṣa subhāū. kachu dukha tumhahi na byāpihi kāū..

rāma rahasya lalita bidhi nānā. gupta pragaṭa itihāsa purānā.. [7-113(B)-1]

binu śrama tumha jānaba saba sōū. nita nava nēha rāma pada hōū..

jō icchā karihahu mana māhīṃ. hari prasāda kachu durlabha nāhīṃ.. [7-113(B)-2]

suni muni āsiṣa sunu matidhīrā. brahmagirā bhai gagana gaombhīrā..

ēvamastu tava baca muni gyānī. yaha mama bhagata karma mana bānī.. [7-113(B)-3]

suni nabhagirā haraṣa mōhi bhayaū. prēma magana saba saṃsaya gayaū..

kari binatī muni āyasu pāī. pada sarōja puni puni siru nāī.. [7-113(B)-4]

haraṣa sahita ēhiṃ āśrama āyau. prabhu prasāda durlabha bara pāyau..

ihāom basata mōhi sunu khaga īsā. bītē kalapa sāta aru bīsā.. [7-113(B)-5]

karau sadā raghupati guna gānā. sādara sunahiṃ bihaṃga sujānā..

jaba jaba avadhapurīṃ raghubīrā. dharahiṃ bhagata hita manuja sarīrā.. [7-113(B)-6]

taba taba jāi rāma pura rahaūom. sisulīlā bilōki sukha lahaūom..

puni ura rākhi rāma sisurūpā. nija āśrama āvau khagabhūpā.. [7-113(B)-7]

kathā sakala maiṃ tumhahi sunāī. kāga dēha jēhiṃ kārana pāī..

kahiu tāta saba prasna tumhārī. rāma bhagati mahimā ati bhārī.. [7-113(B)-8]

“No suffering occasioned by time, fate, merit, demerit or disposition shall ever torment you. The manifold charming mysteries of Śrī Rāma, that are found mentioned in the chronicles and Purāṇas either explicitly or implicitly, you will come to know without any difficulty; and the flame of your devotion to Śrī Rāma’s feet will grow ever brighter and brighter. Whatever longing you may entertain in your mind, you shall have no difficulty in attaining it by the grace of Śrī Hari.” On hearing the sage’s benediction, mark me, O Garuḍa of steadfast reason, a deep voice-which was evidently the voice of the Supreme Spirit-was heard from the heavens: “May your prophesy come to be true, O enlightened sage ! He is My votary in thought, word and deed.” I rejoiced to hear the heavenly voice and stood overwhelmed with love and rid of all my doubts. On receiving the sage’s permission in response to my prayer I repeatedly bowed my head at his feet and gladly came away to this hermitage, having obtained by the Lord’s grace a rare boon. Listen, O lord of the feathered creation : I have now lived in this hermitage for seven and twenty rounds of creation. I am ever engaged in hymning the praises of Śrī Rāma (the Lord of the Raghus), while enlightened birds reverently listen to them. Each time the Hero of Raghu’s line assumes the form of a man in the city of Ayodhyā for the sake of His devotees I go and stay at the capital of Śrī Rāma and enjoy the spectacle of His childish sports. Again, enshrining an image of the child Rāma in my heart I return to my hermitage, O king of the birds. I have now told you all the circumstances that invested me with the form of a crow, and have also replied to all your queries. The glory of devotion to Śrī Rāma is superb indeed.

Dohas

tātē yaha tana mōhi priya bhayau rāma pada nēha.

nija prabhu darasana pāyau gaē sakala saṃdēha..114ka.. [7-114(A)]

bhagati paccha haṭha kari rahēu dīnhi mahāriṣi sāpa.

muni durlabha bara pāyau dēkhahu bhajana pratāpa..114kha.. [7-114(B)]

I love this body only because it was in this body that devotion to Śrī Rāma’s feet sprang up in my heart, I was blessed with the sight of my lord and all my doubts vanished. I stubbornly upheld the cause of Devotion, for which the great sage Lomaśa cursed me; but eventually I obtained a boon which is difficult even for the sages to obtain, Witness the efficacy of adoration.