---
title: "Bal Kand Invocation"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand/mangalacharan"
lang: "en"
---

# Bal Kand · Invocation

Invocations · Salutations to the Guru

**श्लोक** 
> वर्णानामर्थसंघानां रसानां छन्दसामपि।  
> मङ्गलानां च कर्त्तारौ वन्दे वाणीविनायकौ॥ १ ॥

Meaning: Śrī Rāmacaritamānasa (The Mānasa lake containing the exploits of Śrī Rāma) Descent One (Bāla-Kāṇḍa)

I reverence Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech, and Lord Gaṇeśa, the originators of sounds represented by the alphabet, of the multitudes of objects denoted by those sounds, of poetic sentiments as well as of metres, and the bestowers of all blessings. (1)

**श्लोक** 
> भवानीशङ्करौ वन्दे श्रद्धाविश्वासरूपिणौ।  
> याभ्यां विना न पश्यन्ति सिद्धाः स्वान्तःस्थमीश्वरम्॥ २ ॥

Meaning: I greet Goddess Pārvatī and Her consort, Bhagavān Śaṅkara, embodiments of reverence and faith, without whom even the adept (Siddhas) cannot perceive God enshrined in their very heart. (2)

**श्लोक** 
> वन्दे बोधमयं नित्यं गुरुं शङ्कररूपिणम्।  
> यमाश्रितो हि वक्रोऽपि चन्द्रः सर्वत्र वन्द्यते॥ ३ ॥

Meaning: I make obeisance to the eternal preceptor in the form of Lord Śaṅkara, who is all wisdom, and resting on whose brow the crescent moon, though crooked in shape, is universally adored. (3)

**श्लोक** 
> सीतारामगुणग्रामपुण्यारण्यविहारिणौ।  
> वन्दे विशुद्धविज्ञानौ कवीश्वरकपीश्वरौ॥ ४ ॥

Meaning: I pay homage to the king of bards, Vālmīki, and the chief of monkeys, Hanumān, of pure intelligence, both of whom sport in the holy woods in the shape of glories of Sītā and Śrī Rāma. (4)

**श्लोक** 
> उद्भवस्थितिसंहारकारिणीं क्लेशहारिणीम्।  
> सर्वश्रेयस्करीं सीतां नतोऽहं रामवल्लभाम्॥ ५ ॥

Meaning: I bow to Sītā, the beloved consort of Śrī Rāma, who is responsible for the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe, removes afflictions and begets all blessings. (5)

**श्लोक** 
> यन्मायावशवर्त्ति विश्वमखिलं ब्रह्मादिदेवासुरा  
> यत्सत्त्वादमृषैव भाति सकलं रज्जौ यथाहेर्भ्रमः।  
> यत्पादप्लवमेकमेव हि भवाम्भोधेस्तितीर्षावतां  
> वन्देऽहं तमशेषकारणपरं रामाख्यमीशं हरिम्॥ ६ ॥

Meaning: I adore Lord Hari, known by the name of Śrī Rāma, who is superior to and lies beyond all causes, whose Māyā (illusive power) holds sway over the entire universe including gods from Brahmā (the Creator) downwards and demons, whose presence lends positive reality to the world of appearances—even as the false notion of a serpent is entertained with reference to a rope—and whose feet are the only bark for those who are eager to cross the ocean of mundane existence. (6)

**श्लोक** 
> नानापुराणनिगमागमसम्मतं यद्‌ रामायणे निगदितं क्वचिदन्यतोऽपि।  
> स्वान्तःसुखाय तुलसी रघुनाथगाथाभाषानिबन्धमतिमञ्जुलमातनोति॥ ७ ॥

Meaning: For the satisfaction of his inner Self Tulasīdāsa brings forth this very elegant composition relating the story of Śrī Raghunātha, which is in accord with the various Purāṇas, Vedas and the Āgamas (Tantras), and incorporates what has been recorded in the Rāmāyaṇa (of Vālmīki) and culled from some other sources. (7)

**सो०** 
> जो सुमिरत सिधि होइ गन नायक करिबर बदन।  
> करउ अनुग्रह सोइ बुद्धि रासि सुभ गुन सदन॥ १ ॥

Meaning: May Lord Gaṇeśa, the leader of Śiva’s retinue, whose very thought ensures success, who has the head of a beautiful elephant, who is a repository of wisdom and an abode of virtuous and benign qualities, shower his grace on me. (1)

**सो०** 
> मूक होइ बाचाल पंगु चढ़इ गिरिबर गहन।  
> जासु कृपाँ सो दयाल द्रवउ सकल कलि मल दहन॥ २ ॥

Meaning: May that merciful Lord, whose grace enables the dumb to wax eloquent and a cripple to ascend an inaccessible mountain, and who burns all the impurities of the Kali age, be moved to compassion on me. (2)

**सो०** 
> नील सरोरुह स्याम तरुन अरुन बारिज नयन।  
> करउ सो मम उर धाम सदा छीरसागर सयन॥ ३ ॥

Meaning: May the Lord who ever reposes on the ocean of milk, and who is swarthy as a blue lotus and has eyes resembling a pair of full-blown red lotuses, take up His abode in my heart. (3)

**सो०** 
> कुंद इंदु सम देह उमा रमन करुना अयन।  
> जाहि दीन पर नेह करउ कृपा मर्दन मयन॥ ४ ॥

Meaning: May the crusher of Cupid, Bhagavān Śiva, whose form resembles in colour the jasmine flower and the moon, who is the consort of Goddess Pārvatī and an abode of compassion and who is fond of the afflicted, be gracious to me. (4)

**सो०** 
> बंदउँ गुरु पद कंज कृपा सिंधु नररूप हरि।  
> महामोह तम पुंज जासु बचन रबि कर निकर॥ ५ ॥

Meaning: I bow to the lotus feet of my Guru, who is an ocean of mercy and is no other than Śrī Hari Himself in human form, and whose words are sunbeams, as it were, for dispersing the mass of darkness in the form of gross ignorance. (5)

Kand: https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand  
Next: https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand/doha-1

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Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition

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