Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 117

Meaning

Hearing the cries of those who were wailing as aforesaid, Śrī Rāma for his part, whose mind was set on virtue, thereupon became thoughtful for a while, afflicted as he was in mind, his eyes blinded by tears. (1)

Meaning

Nay, gathering together and reaching the city of Laṅkā in their aerial cars, which shone brightly like the sun, Kubera (son of Sage Viśravā), the king (of Yakṣas), and Yama (the god of retribution), alongwith the Pitṛs (the eternal manes), as also the thousand-eyed Indra (the ruler of gods) and Varuṇa, the ruler of the waters, the glorious three-eyed Lord Śiva (the Supreme God) who bears the device of a bull on His banner, Brahmā, the creator of the entire universe, the foremost of the knowers of Brahma (the Absolute)—all these then approached Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu). (2—4)

Meaning

Lifting up their long arms, their hands adorned with jewels, the foremost of gods thereupon submitted as follows to Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), who stood with joined palms by way of salutation: (5)

Meaning

“The Maker of the entire cosmos, the foremost of those well-versed in the spiritual lore, and the suzerain lord of the cosmos, how do You ignore Sītā falling into the fire, the bearer of sacrificial offerings? How do You not recognize Yourself to be the foremost of the hosts of gods? (6)

Meaning

“Among the Vasus (a class of gods) You are the Vasu Ṛtadhāmā, who was formerly a lord of creation and the first creator of all the three worlds, their self-constituted Ruler. (7)

Meaning

“You are the eighth Rudra (Mahādeva) of the eleven Rudras and the fifth Vīryavān by name among the Sādhyas (a particular class of celestial beings). The twin Aswins (the physicians of the gods) are Your ears and the sun and the moon, likewise, constitute Your eyes. (8)

Meaning

“Nay, You are seen to exist at the end as also at the beginning, as well as at the middle of the creation, O scourge of Your enemies! And yet You seem to ignore Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, as a common man would do.” (9)

Meaning

Spoken to in these words by the aforesaid protectors of the world, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the lord of the universe and the foremost of those upholding the cause of righteousness replied as follows to the aforesaid jewels among the gods: (10)

Meaning

“I account myself a human being, Rāma by name, sprung from the loins of Emperor Daśaratha. And yet let the glorious lord Brahmā tell me that which I as such really am and whence I have come.” (11)

Meaning

To Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha), who was speaking in this strain, Brahmā, the creator, the foremost of the knowers of Brahma, replied as follows: “Listen, O Lord of unfailing prowess, to my true submission. (12)

Meaning

You are Lord Nārāyaṇa Himself, the glorious god who wields the discus, ‘Sudarśana’. Nay, You are the divine Boar with a single tusk, the conqueror of Your bygone as well as future enemies. (13)

Meaning

“You are the imperishable Brahma, the Absolute, the Truth abiding at the beginning, in the middle, as well as at the end of the universe, O scion of Raghu! You are the supreme Law operating in all the worlds. Your forces in the shape of Your controlling agents are spread all round; You are the four-armed Lord, Śrī Hari. (14)

Meaning

“You are are the Wielder of the Śārṅga bow, the Subduer of the senses, the Inner Controller and the Supreme Person, the invincible Viṣṇu, the Wielder of a sword called Nandaka as well as Śrī Kṛṣṇa endowed with great might. (15)

Meaning

“You are Lord Kārtikeya (the commander of the celestial army) as well as the village headman. You are the faculty of understanding, strength, forbearance and sense-control. You are the origin as well as the end of all. You are the Divine Dwarf (the younger brother of Indra) as also the exterminator of the demon Madhu. (16)

Meaning

“You are the creator of Indra (in the form of Prajāpati, a creator of beings), the Supreme Ruler, Lord Viṣṇu (who has a lotus sprung from His navel), who puts an end to all in combat. Eminent divine sages pronounce You to be fit to afford protection to all as well as the refuge of all. (17)

Meaning

In the shape of the Vedas, You are the great Bull with a thousand horns (in the shape of as many redactions) and a hundred heads in the shape of as many precepts. You are the first Creator of all the three worlds and the self-constituted Lord of all. (18)

Meaning

You are the refuge as well as the forbear of the Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers by virtue of their very birth) as well as of the Sādhyas (a class of celestial beings). You are the Sacrificial performance; nay, You are the sacred syllable ‘Vaṣaṭ’ (on hearing which the Adhvaryu priest casts the oblation offered to a deity into the sacred fire); You are the mystic syllable ‘OM’ (an appellation of God) and higher than the highest. (19)

Meaning

“People neither know your origin, nor Your end, nor who You are in reality. You alone are manifest in all created beings, in the cows as well as in the Brāhmaṇs. (20)

Meaning

“You exist in all the quarters, in the firmament, in mountains as well as in rivers. You are the glorious Being endowed with thousand of feet, hundreds of heads and thousand of eyes. (21)

Meaning

“You sustain all created beings, the earth as also all the mountains. On the disappearance of the earth at the end of the Cosmic day, You are seen lying on a huge serpent known by the name of Śeṣa, on the waters. (22)

Meaning

“You are the Cosmic Person, Lord Nārāyaṇa, supporting all the three worlds as also the gods, the Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and the devils, O Rāma! I, Brahmā, constitute Your heart, while Goddess Saraswatī, O Rāma, Your tongue. (23)

Meaning

“The gods created by Brahmā are the hair on Your limbs, O Lord! Night has been recognized as the closing of Your eyelids and the day as the opening of your eyelids.(24)

Meaning

“And the latencies of Your mind appeared as the Vedas. The visible universe does not exist but for You. The entire Cosmos is Your body and the earth constitutes Your firmness. (25)

Meaning

“Fire is Your wrath and the moon constitutes Your placidity. Nay, You are Lord Viṣṇu, who bears the mark of Śrīvatsa—a curl of white hair on His breast. All the three worlds were covered by You in Your three strides in the past. (26)

Meaning

“Nay, after binding the exceptionally formidable Bali (the ruler of the three worlds) the mighty Indra was crowned king by you. Sītā is no other than Goddess Lakṣmī, the divine consort of Lord Viṣṇu, while You are the same as Lord Viṣṇu. You alone are Kṛṣṇa, who is all Truth, Consciousness and Bliss and You are the Lord of created beings. (27)

Meaning

“For the destruction of Rāvaṇa You assumed a human semblance on this earth. This aforesaid purpose of ours has been accomplished by You, O prince of those upholding the cause of virtue! (28)

Meaning

“Rāvaṇa has been killed by You, O Rāma! Therefore, highly rejoiced, return to Your divine Abode. Unfailing, O Lord, is Your valour; while Your exploits never go in vain. (29)

Meaning

“Your blessed sight is unfailing in its effects; singing Your praises, too, never goes in vain. Nay, those who are full of devotion to You will never be unsuccessful on earth. (30)

Meaning

“Those who are devoted to You, the primeval and eternal Lord, the Supreme Person, likewise attain all their desired objects here as well as hereafter.” (31)

Meaning

Discomfiture will never be the lot of those men who will repeat this hymn sung by Brahmā (the foremost seer) and recount this ancient story. (32)