Doha 101
कृपासिंधु बोले मुसुकाई। सोइ करु जेहिं तव नाव न जाई॥ बेगि आनु जल पाय पखारू। होत बिलंबु उतारहि पारू॥१॥
जासु नाम सुमिरत एक बारा। उतरहिं नर भवसिंधु अपारा॥ सोइ कृपालु केवटहि निहोरा। जेहिं जगु किय तिहु पगहु ते थोरा॥२॥
पद नख निरखि देवसरि हरषी। सुनि प्रभु बचन मोहँ मति करषी॥ केवट राम रजायसु पावा। पानि कठवता भरि लेइ आवा॥३॥
अति आनंद उमगि अनुरागा। चरन सरोज पखारन लागा॥ बरषि सुमन सुर सकल सिहाहीं। एहि सम पुन्यपुंज कोउ नाहीं॥४॥
Meaning
The all-compassionate Lord smilingly said, “Do what may prevent the loss of your boat. Bring water at once and wash my feet; we are getting late, take us across.” (1) The same gracious Lord by uttering whose Name only once men cross the boundless ocean of mundane existence, and for whose three strides the universe proved too small*, thus importuned the boatman! (2) * There is an allusion here to the Lord’s Descent as a Dwarf and to His subsequently assuming colossal dimensions and measuring the earth and heavens in a couple of strides. The same Lord who had assumed the form of a Dwarf in the Satyayuga now appeared as Śrī Rāma; hence the two are identified by the poet. It is further mentioned in the Purāṇas that Brahmā (the Creator) laved the foot of the Lord when it reached Brahmaloka (the highest heaven) after measuring the heavens and it was this water which flowed through the heavens and later on reached the earth in the form of the river Gaṅgā. Though bewildered by the Lord’s words, the celestial river Gaṅgā rejoiced on beholding the nails† of His toes (it’s own source)—On receiving Śrī Rāma’s command, the ferryman brought a wooden basin full of water. (3) † It is also gathered from the Purāṇas that the river, like all other rivers and mountains etc., is presided over by a goddess of the same name and it is this deity who is represented here as mystified by the Lord’s behaviour as an ordinary human being depending on a boatman for being taken across the stream. When, however, the godess Gaṅgā saw the nails on the lotus feet of the Lord, the goddess took no time in recognizing these as its own source and rejoiced to discover the Almighty Lord. In great joy and with a heart overflowing with love he proceeded to bathe the Lord’s lotus feet. Raining flowers on him all the gods envied his lot and said, ‘there is none so pious as he’. (4)
पद पखारि जलु पान करि आपु सहित परिवार। पितर पारु करि प्रभुहि पुनि मुदित गयउ लेइ पार॥१०१॥
Meaning
Having laved the Lord’s feet and drunk of the (ambrosial) water in which they had been immersed, alongwith the other members of his family, he thereby transported the souls of his deceased forbears across the ocean of metempsychosis and then gladly took the Lord across the Gaṅgā. (101)
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