rule



 

Canto 9

Nārada Muni

 

    

Chapter 11: Lord Rāmacandra Rules the World

(1) S'rī S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord Rāmacandra, the heart and soul of all the demigods, accepted an ācārya and performed sacrifices with the greatest opulence. Thus He [factually] was worshiping Himself by Himself [see also 4.31: 14]. (2) The hotā priest [the one offering oblations] He gave the entire east, the brahmā priest [supervising the proceedings] received the southern side from His Lordship, the adhvaryu priest [who chants the Yajur mantras preparing the sacrifice] got the entire west and the northern side went to the udgātā priest [singing the Sāma Veda hymns]. (3) Departing from the notion that the brahmins who are free from material desires deserve the complete of the earth, He gave the teacher of example, the ācārya, the rest of whatever land there was in between the regions. (4) What this way remained for Himself were His personal ornaments and garments, while for the queen, the daughter of the king of Videha, only her nose ring remained. (5) But when the brahmins saw how much He cared for them as their Lord, their hearts melted, so that they, most pleased with Him, honored Him with prayers. They returned everything they had received from Him and said: (6) 'What did You not give us, oh Supreme Lord, oh Master of the universe? With You entering the core of our hearts You dissipate, with Your effulgence, the darkness of our ignorance. (7) Our obeisances unto You Rāmacandra, oh Lord of the transcendentalists, oh best of all persons of fame, whose lotus feet are worshiped by those who are free from violence, oh You whose intelligence is never clouded by anxiety.'

(8) Curious about the public opinion, Rāma one night walked unnoticed in disguise and heard someone speak who was referring to His wife [Sītā]. (9) 'I cannot maintain you any longer because you are an impure, unchaste woman going to another man's house. And I will not, like someone henpecked, accept you again as Rāma did with Sītā!' (10) Apprehensive of folk who say anything that comes to mind, who do not know where to stop and have a poor fund of knowledge, she [Sītā] was abandoned by her husband. Thereupon she went to the hermitage of Prācetasa [Vālmīki Muni]. (11) She being pregnant [when she left Rāma], delivered there after some time a twin, two boys who from the sage who performed the birth rituals received the names Kus'a and Lava ['from the grass' and 'what is cut off']. (12) Also Lakshmana had two sons: Angada and Citraketu [named after 6.14-17]. Bharata, oh great ruler, had two sons who were named Taksha and Pushkala. (13-14) Subāhu and S'rutasena were fathered by S'atrughna. Bharata, who brought all directions under His control, in His conquest had to kill millions of Gandharvas [or obstinate rebels] and offered all their riches to the king [Rāma]. The Rākshasa listening to the name of Lavana, a son of Madhu, was killed by S'atrughna in the great forest of Madhuvana, where He established the great town known as Mathurā. (15) Sītā, who being sent away by her husband kept meditating on Rāma's feet, entrusted her sons to the sage and entered the earth. (16) When Rāma, the Supreme Lord, heard about this He, remembering her qualities in the different circumstances, could not check His grief, however much He tried to ban it in meditation. (17) Such an attraction between husband and wife constitutes a universal source of anxiety. When this is even true for the great controllers, then what about the common man who is fixed on a household existence? (18) After she went to heaven, the Lord observed strict celibacy and performed a ceremony, an Agnihotra [fire] sacrifice, that was continued for thirteen thousand years without interruption. (19) Rāma [concluding His earthly stay] placed His lotus feet, which were pierced by the thorns of the Dandakāranya forest [the forest of His exile], in the hearts of those who remembered Him and then entered the [beyond of the] Light of the Soul [of the ātma-jyoti, His heavenly abode Vaikunthha].

(20) The Lord of the Raghu dynasty [Rāma], who assumed a [spiritual] body for the purpose of His pastimes, had, with no one being greater or equal to Him, [personally] no need for all this honor of the prayers of the godly souls, the killing of the Rākshasas, building a bridge over the ocean and His bow and arrows, nor was He in need of the monkeys to assist Him in defeating the enemy [compare B.G. 3: 20-26]. (21) Let me surrender myself to Him, that Master of the Raghu dynasty whose spotless fame to the present day, as good as the cloth that covers the elephant of victory, is celebrated in royal assemblies and by the sages in all directions, to Him whose lotus feet, which vanquish all sin, are worshiped by the helmets of earthly kings and the gods of heaven. (22) He to whom the people of Kosala were looking up and who they wanted to touch, was by them all, whether they ate and slept with Him, or respected Him as a servant, followed to the place for which He left and where all [bhakti] yoga practitioners go [see also B.G. 4: 9]. (23) Anyone who hears about the activities of Lord Rāma and is filled with compassion towards others, oh King, will be liberated from the clutches of karma.'

(24) The king asked: 'How did He, the Supreme Lord, Rāma, relate to His brothers who were His personal expansions, and how did they and also His people, His subjects, behave towards Him, their Controller?'

(25) The son of Vyāsadeva said: 'After accepting the throne He, the Lord of the universe, ordered His younger brothers to conquer the world [*], while He Himself gave audience to His people, looking after the capital with other assistants. (26) The streets were sprinkled with perfumed water and the musth of the elephants. It was the highest and greatest delight to see Him, their Master and Ruler, personally present. (27) The palaces, the palace gates, the assembly houses, the platforms and the temples and such, were adorned with golden water pots and flags. (28)  [When He appeared] one turned it into a festival with reception gates, tapestries, garlands, betel nut, flowers and fruits, banana trees, colorful flags and mirrors. (29) Wherever He passed, the locals, carrying their articles of worship, approached Him to receive His blessings and said: 'Oh Lord, please maintain this land that You recovered like before [in the form of Lord Varāha].' (30) The men and women in the city thereafter, desirous to see their king, the Lord with the lotus eyes, returning after such a long time, left their homes to get on the rooftops of the greater mansions, satisfy their hungry eyes and shower Him with flowers. (31-34) He thereafter entered His family home that by His ancestors had been turned into an unfathomable treasury filled with the most costly goods. The doorposts were of coral, the pillars lining up on the polished marakata [emerald] floors were of vaidūrya stone and there were dazzling marble walls. All sorts of flowers and flags could be seen as also draperies, pearls and the most valuable effulgent gems. With all the desirable beauty that increased everyone's joy and with the many bunches of flowers, fragrant incense and lamps, the men and women there, whose physical beauty competed with their jewelry, appeared like demigods. (35) The Supreme Lord Rāma [lit.: 'joy'], the most excellent one delighting in devotion, to His full satisfaction personally enjoyed [His life] there with His dearest wife Sītā. (36) With the people meditating on His lotus feet, He for many years enjoyed all the pleasures of life, on their proper time, without running into trouble with the dharma.'

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Third revised edition, loaded December 23, 2019.
 

 

 

 

Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:

Text 1

S'rī S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord Rāmacandra, the heart and soul of all the demigods, accepted an ācārya and performed sacrifices with the greatest opulence. Thus He [factually] was worshiping Himself by Himself [see also 4.31: 14].
S'rī S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord Rāma, the Godhead, heart and soul of the godly, accepted an ācārya so that of Himself by Himself with the greatest opulence there was worship in the performance of sacrifices [see also 4.31: 14]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

The hotā priest [the one offering oblations] He gave the entire east, the brahmā priest [supervising the proceedings] received the southern side from His Lordship, the adhvaryu priest [who chants the Yajur mantras preparing the sacrifice] got the entire west and the northern side went to the udgātā priest [singing the Sāma Veda hymns].

The hotā priest [the one offering oblations] He gave the entire east, the brahmā priest [supervising the proceedings] received the southern side from His Lordship, the adhvaryu priest [who chants the Yajur mantras preparing the sacrifice] got the entire west and the northern side went to the udgātā priest [singing the Sāma Veda hymns]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 3

Departing from the notion that the brahmins who are free from material desires deserve the complete of the earth, He gave the teacher of example, the ācārya, the rest of whatever land there was in between the regions.

Thinking that the brahmins free from desire deserved the complete of it, gave He the teacher of example, the ācārya, the rest of whatever land there was in between the regions.  (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

What this way remained for Himself were His personal ornaments and garments, while for the queen, the daughter of the king of Videha, only her nose ring remained.

All that He kept for Himself this way were His personal ornaments and garments while for the queen, the daughter of the king of Videha, just her nose ring remained. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

But when the brahmins saw how much He cared for them as their Lord, their hearts melted, so that they, most pleased with Him, honored Him with prayers. They returned everything they had received from Him and said:

But when they saw how He as the God of the brahmins was of such a great care melted, pleased with Him, their hearts and worshiped they Him with prayers with returning to Him all they received and said they: (Vedabase)

   

Text 6

'What did You not give us oh Supreme Lord, oh Master of the universe? With You entering the core of our hearts You dissipate, with Your effulgence, the darkness of our ignorance.

'What indeed have You not given us o Supreme Lord, o Master of the Universe? With You entering the core of our hearts do You, with Your effulgence, dissipate the darkness of our ignorance. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

Our obeisances unto You Rāmacandra oh Lord of the transcendentalists, oh best of all persons of fame, whose lotus feet are worshiped by those who are free from violence, oh You whose intelligence is never clouded by anxiety.'

Our obseisances unto You Rāmacandra, o best of all the renown, o You whose memory and knowledge, in Your divine respect for the brahmins, are never disturbed by anxiety. Those beyond the sanctions [the sages] are delivered to Your feet!' (Vedabase)

 

Text 8

Curious about the public opinion, Rāma one night walked unnoticed in disguise and heard someone speak who was referring to His wife [Sītā].

One night curious about the public opinion walked Rāma in disguise unnoticed and heard He someone speaking who was referring to his [and His] wife. (Vedabase)

 

Text 9

'I cannot maintain you any longer because you are an impure, unchaste woman going to another man's house. And I will not, like someone henpecked, accept you again as Rāma did with Sītā!'

'I can't maintain you since you are an impure, unchaste woman keeping it with another man; I'll not again accept to be the henpecked one like even Rāma is with Sītā!' (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

Apprehensive of folk who say anything that comes to mind, who do not know where to stop and have a poor fund of knowledge, she [Sītā] was abandoned by her husband. Thereupon she went to the hermitage of Prācetasa [Vālmīki Muni].

Apprehensive of folk who, not knowing where to stop, in their poor fund of knowledge speak a lot of nonsense, was she [Sītā] thus by her husband abandoned and went she to the hermitage of Prācetasa [Vālmīki Muni]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

She being pregnant [when she left Rāma], delivered there after some time a twin, two boys who from the sage who performed the birth rituals received the names Kus'a and Lava ['from the grass' and 'what is cut off'].

There delivered she, being pregnant, when the time had arrived twin sons who thus from the sage performing the birth-rituals received the names Kus'a and Lava ['from the grass' and 'what's cut off']. (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

Also Lakshmana had two sons: Angada and Citraketu [named after 6.14-17]. Bharata, oh great ruler, had two sons who were named Taksha and Pushkala.

Also Lakshmana had two sons: Angada and Citraketu [named after 6.14-17] and Bharata, o great ruler, had two who were remembered as Taksha and Pushkala. (Vedabase)

 

Text 13-14

Subāhu and S'rutasena were fathered by S'atrughna. Bharata, who brought all directions under His control, in His conquest had to kill millions of Gandharvas [or obstinate rebels] and offered all their riches to the king [Rāma]. The Rākshasa listening to the name of Lavana, a son of Madhu, was killed by S'atrughna in the great forest of Madhuvana, where He established the great town known as Mathurā.

Subāhu and S'utrasena were born of S'atrughna. The Gandharvas [pretenders and gamblers] were by the millions killed by Lord Bharata who in His conquest brought all directions under the control of the King [Rāma] whom He offered all their riches. The Rākshasa listening to the name of Lavana, a son of Madhu, was killed by S'atrughna in the great forest of Madhuvana where he established the great town known as Mathurā. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

Sītā, who being sent away by her husband kept meditating on Rāma's feet, entrusted her sons to the sage and entered the earth.

Entrusting the sage her sons did Sītā, who banished by her husband kept meditating on Rāma's feet, enter the earth.  (Vedabase)

  

Text 16

When Rāma, the Supreme Lord, heard about this He, remembering her qualities in the different circumstances, could not check His grief, however much He tried to ban it in meditation.

Hearing about this was He, Rāma, the Supreme Lord remembering her qualities in the different circumstances, not able to check His grief, however much He tried to ban it with His intelligence. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

Such an attraction between husband and wife constitutes a universal source of anxiety. When this is even true for the great controllers, then what about the common man who is fixed on a household existence?

An attraction between husband and wife like this is a universal source of worries; even to the great controllers - how much then woudn't that be true for the common people who are enslaved to a household existence? (Vedabase)

  

Text 18

After she went to heaven, the Lord observed strict celibacy and performed a ceremony, an Agnihotra [fire] sacrifice, that was continued for thirteen thousand years without interruption.

After she went to heaven observed He complete celibacy and performed the Lord a ceremony, a fire-sacrifice [Agnihotra], that continued for a thirteen thousand years without interruption. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

Rāma [concluding His earthly stay] placed His lotus feet, which were pierced by the thorns of the Dandakāranya forest [the forest of His exile], in the hearts of those who remembered Him and then entered the [beyond of the] Light of the Soul [of the ātma-jyoti, His heavenly abode Vaikunthha].

Thereafter placed Rāma the lotuspetals of His feet that were pierced by the thorns of the Dandakāranya forest [were He stayed during His exile] in the hearts of those remembering Him, and entered He, the Light of the Soul [ātma-jyoti], the Beyond. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

The Lord of the Raghu dynasty [Rāma], who assumed a [spiritual] body for the purpose of His pastimes, had, with no one being greater or equal to Him, [personally] no need for all this honor of the prayers of the godly souls, the killing of the Rākshasas, building a bridge over the ocean and His bow and arrows, nor was He in need of the monkeys to assist Him in defeating the enemy [compare B.G. 3: 20-26].

The Lord of the Raghu dynasty [Rāma], spiritually relating to us in His pastimes, had, with no one greater or equal to Him, [personally] no need for all this fame, all the prayers of the godly, the killing of the Rākshasas, bridging the ocean and His bow and arrows, nor needed He the monkeys to assist Him in defeating the enemy [compare B.G. 3: 20-26]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 21

Let me surrender myself to Him, that Master of the Raghu dynasty whose spotless fame to the present day, as good as the cloth that covers the elephant of victory, is celebrated in royal assemblies and by the sages in all directions, to Him whose lotus feet, which vanquish all sin, are worshiped by the helmets of earthly kings and the gods of heaven.

Unto Him whose spotless fame in royal assemblies to the present day is glorified, unto Him whose sin-devouring lotus feet are to the saintly as what the cloth covering the elephant of victory is to the gods of heaven and kings of earth who greet it with their helmets - unto that Master of the Raghu dynasty I surrender myself. (Vedabase)

 

Text 22

He to whom the people of Kosala were looking up and who they wanted to touch, was by them all, whether they ate and slept with Him or respected Him as a servant, followed to the place for which He left and where all [bhakti] yoga practitioners go [see also B.G. 4: 9].

He, who the people of Kosala looked for and wanted to touch, was by them all, whether they ate and slept with Him or respected Him as a servant, followed to the place for which He left where all [bhakti-]yoga practicioners go to [see also B.G. 4: 9]. (Vedabase)

  

Text 23

Anyone who hears about the activities of Lord Rāma and is filled with compassion towards others, oh King, will be liberated from the clutches of karma.'

Any person hearing about the activities of Lord Rāma will simply by this process be freed from the human weakness [envy, or original sin], o King, and be liberated from the clutches of karma.' (Vedabase)


   

Text 24

The king asked: 'How did He, the Supreme Lord, Rāma, relate to His brothers who were His personal expansions, and how did they and also His people, His subjects, behave towards Him, their Controller?'

The King asked: 'How did He, the Supreme Lord, Rāma, relate to His brothers who were His personal expansions and how did they as well as all His people, His subjects, behave towards Him, their Controller?' (Vedabase)

 

Text 25

The son of Vyāsadeva said: 'After accepting the throne He, the Lord of the universe, ordered His younger brothers to conquer the world [*], while He Himself gave audience to His people, looking after the capital with other assistants.

The son of Vyāsadeva said: 'After accepting the throne ordered He, the Lord of the Universe, His younger brothers to conquer the world [*] while He personally gave audience to His people supervising the affairs of the capital with other assistants. (Vedabase)

 

Text 26

The streets were sprinkled with perfumed water and the musth of the elephants. It was the highest and greatest delight to see Him, their Master and Ruler, personally present.

The streets were sprinkled with perfumed water and the musth of the elephants. To see Him, their Master and Ruler, present in person was the highest and greatest delight. (Vedabase)

  

Text 27

The palaces, the palace gates, the assembly houses, the platforms and the temples and such, were adorned with golden water pots and flags.

In the palaces, at the palace gates, in the assembly-houses on the platforms and the houses of God and such were golden waterpots placed together with flags. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

[When He appeared] one turned it into a festival with reception gates, tapestries, garlands, betel nut, flowers and fruits, banana trees, colorful flags and mirrors.

Everywhere was He received with the charm of reception gates, tapestries, garlands, betel nut, flowers and fruits, banana-trees, colorful flags and mirrors. (Vedabase)

 

Text 29

Wherever He passed, the locals, carrying their articles of worship, approached Him to receive His blessings and said: 'Oh Lord, please maintain this land that You  recovered like before [in the form of Lord Varāha].'

Wherever He passed approached the locals Him carrying their articles of worship to receive His blessings saying: 'O my Lord, maintain this land that You, like You did before [as the other vishnu-avatāras], have rescued'. (Vedabase)

 

Text 30

The men and women in the city thereafter, desirous to see their king, the Lord with the lotus eyes, returning after such a long time, left their homes to get on the rooftops of the greater mansions, satisfy their hungry eyes and shower Him with flowers.

The men and women in the city thereafter, desirous to see their king returning after so long a time, left their homes to get on the rooftops of the greater mansions in order to feast their hungry eyes on the Lord with the Lotus-eyes and shower Him with flowers. (Vedabase)

 

Text 31-34

He thereafter entered His family home that by His ancestors had been turned into an unfathomable treasury filled with the most costly goods. The doorposts were of coral, the pillars lining up on the polished marakata [emerald] floors were of vaidūrya stone and there were dazzling marble walls. All sorts of flowers and flags could be seen as also draperies, pearls and the most valuable effulgent gems. With all the desirable beauty that increased everyone's joy and with the many bunches of flowers, fragrant incense and lamps, the men and women there, whose physical beauty competed with their jewelry, appeared like demigods.

He thereafter entered His home occupied by His family members which by His ancestors had been turned into an unlimited treasury decorated with a wealth of the most costly paraphernalia. The door-posts were of coral, the pillars lining up on the polished marakata floors [of emerald] were of vaidūrya-stone, there were dazzling marble fountains, all sorts of flowers and flags, draperies and an utter heaven to each his desire of paraphernalia embellished with pearls and the most valuable effulgent gems. Full with bunches of flowers, fragrant incense and lamps appeared the men and women there, whose bodies competed in beauty with their ornamentation, like demigods. (Vedabase)

 

Text 35

The Supreme Lord Rāma [lit.: 'joy'], the most excellent One delighting in devotion, to His full satisfaction personally enjoyed [His life] there with His dearest wife Sītā.

There enjoyed He, the Supreme Lord Rāma [lit.: 'the source of joy'], ever pleased by His dearmost wife, mother Sītā, His personal happiness as the chief of the greatest scholars. (Vedabase)

 

Text 36

With the people meditating on His lotus feet, He for many years enjoyed all the pleasures of life, on their proper time, without running into trouble with the dharma.'

For many many years, enjoyed He without interruption, with the people meditating His lotus feet, and without transgressing the dharma, of all the pleasures of life.' (Vedabase)

 

*: S'rī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said to this Rāma mission of conquering of the world: 'prithivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma'; A pure devotee, therefore, must execute the order of the Lord and must not gratify his senses by remaining stagnant in one place, falsely proud, thinking that, because he does not leave Vrindāvana but chants in a solitary place, he has become a great devotee. He also said: 'yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'krishna'-upades'a'; every devotee, therefore, should spread Krishna consciousness by preaching, asking whomever he meets to accept the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead [Cc. Madhya 7.128].

 

 

 

 

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The text and audio are offered under the conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
The vintage Hindu painting shows Sītā, Kus'a and Lava.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time.


 

 

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