Doha 26
इहाँ बिचारहिं कपि मन माहीं। बीती अवधि काजु कछु नाहीं॥ सब मिलि कहहिं परस्पर बाता। बिनु सुधि लएँ करब का भ्राता॥१॥
कह अंगद लोचन भरि बारी। दुहुँ प्रकार भइ मृत्यु हमारी॥ इहाँ न सुधि सीता कै पाई। उहाँ गएँ मारिहि कपिराई॥२॥
पिता बधे पर मारत मोही। राखा राम निहोर न ओही॥ पुनि पुनि अंगद कह सब पाहीं। मरन भयउ कछु संसय नाहीं॥३॥
अंगद बचन सुनत कपि बीरा। बोलि न सकहिं नयन बह नीरा॥ छन एक सोच मगन होइ रहे। पुनि अस बचन कहत सब भए॥४॥
हम सीता कै सुधि लीन्हें बिना। नहिं जैहैं जुबराज प्रबीना॥ अस कहि लवन सिंधु तट जाई। बैठे कपि सब दर्भ डसाई॥५॥
जामवंत अंगद दुख देखी। कहीं कथा उपदेस बिसेषी॥ तात राम कहुँ नर जनि मानहु। निर्गुन ब्रह्म अजित अज जानहु॥६॥
हम सब सेवक अति बड़भागी। संतत सगुन ब्रह्म अनुरागी॥७॥
Meaning
On this side (standing on the sea-coast) the monkeys thought to themselves, “The time-limit (fixed by Sugrīva) has expired, yet nothing has been done.” Sitting together they all said to one another, “Without obtaining any news about Sītā what shall we gain by returning to Kiṣkindhā either?” (1) Said Aṅgada with eyes full of tears, “It is death for us both ways.* Here we have failed to get tidings of Sītā and if we go home, King Sugrīva (the lord of monkeys) will behead us. (2) * Failure to do one’s allotted duty is worse than death to a hero like Aṅgada. It is in this sense that he speaks of death in either case. “He would have finished me immediately my father was killed, had not Śrī Rāma protected me; hence I owe no gratitude to him.” Again and again Aṅgada told them all, “Our death has come: there is no doubt about it.” (3) The monkey chiefs heard Aṅgada’s words, but they could make no answer and tears rolled from their eyes. For a moment they remained plunged in sorrow; but at last they spoke as follows: (4) “We are not going to return without obtaining Sītā’s news, O sagacious prince!” So saying all the monkeys went to the sea-shore and spreading Kuśa grass there squatted on it. (5) Seeing Aṅgada’s distress, Jāmbavān (the old bear chief) gave a highly instructive discourse. “Imagine not Rāma to be a mortal, dear child; know Him to be the same as Brahma (the Supreme Spirit) without attributes—Nirākāra, invincible and unborn. (6) “We, His servants, are all highly blessed in that we are ever devoted to the same Brahma endowed with a form and attributes (viz., Śrī Rāma). (7)
निज इच्छाँ प्रभु अवतरइ सुर महि गो द्विज लागि। सगुन उपासक संग तहँ रहहिं मोच्छ सब त्यागि॥२६॥
Meaning
“Of His own free will the Lord descends on earth for the sake of gods, Earth, cows and the Brāhmaṇas. Spurning all the varieties of final beatitude* the worshippers of His qualified (Sākāra) form remain with Him in His service (even here on earth).” (26) * Our Scriptures enumerate as many as six varieties of final beatitude. They are: (1) Sālokya (residence in the abode of the supreme Deity), (2) Sārṣṭi (sharing the powers, enjoyments and splendour of the Deity), (3) Sāmīpya (close proximity to the Deity in Heaven), (4) Sārūpya (possessing a form exactly similar to the Deity), (5) Sāyujya (absorption into the Deity) and (6) Identity with the attributeless and formless Brahma (the Absolute).
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