Friday, April 22, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn [79], Makes a Humble Petition to Lord Ram

Raag Todi

Lord Ram is Merciful to the Poor

dev-

tuu dayaalu, deen haaun, tuu daani, haaun bhikhaaree |

haaun prasiddh paatkee, tuu paap-punj-haaree ||1||

naath tuu anaathko, anaath kaaun moso |

mo samaan aarat nahin, aartihar toso ||2||

brahma tuu, haaun jeev, tuu haai thakur, haaun chero |

taat-maat, guru-sakhaa, tuu sab bidhi hitu mero ||3||

tohin mohin naate anek, maaniyaai jo bhaavaai |

jyon tyon tulsee kripaalu ! charan-saran paavaai ||4||

Lord Ram Destroys Accumulated Sins

O Lord ! You are merciful to the poor, and in that case I am needy. You are immeasurably beneficent and then I am a beggar. I am a renowned sinner, and at that point of time you are the destructor of accumulated sins ||1||


Lord Ram is the Svami of Orphans

You are the master of destitution and in that case who else is a an orphan like me? There is no one whose grief is comparable to mine and there is none who can alleviate suffering like you can ||2||


Lord Ram is Brahm, the All Pervading Spirit of the Universe

You are *Brahm and I am a living being. You are the svami or master and I am the servitor. What more, you are my mother, father, guru and friend. And you are the one who is a benefactor in every possible way ||3||


The Refuge of Lord Ram's Feet

You and I share several relationships; accept whichever bond you are fond of. But O compassionate one, the concern is! This Tulsidas must attain the refuge of your feet, somehow ||4||


Brahm: the impersonal Ultimate Being, the all pervading spirit of the universe

Vinay Patrika: Hymn [77], Makes a Humble Petition to Lord Ram

Raag Lalit


Shri Ram is the Very Life of Janaki ji


jaankee-jeevan, jag-jeevan, jagat-hit,

jagdees, raghunath, rajeevlochan ram |

sarad-bidhu-badan, sukhseel, shreesadan,

sahaj sundar, tanu, sobha agnit kaam ||1||

jag-supitaa, sumaatu, suguru, suhit, sumeet,

sabko daahino, deenbandhu, kaahooko na baam |

aartiharan, saranad, atulit daani,c

pranatpaalu, kripaalu, patit-paavan naam ||2||

sakal bisva-bandit, sakal sur-sevit,

aagam-nigam kahaain raavreie gungraam |

ihaai jaani tulsee tihaaro jan bhayo,

nyaaro kaai ganibo jahaan gane gareeb gulaam ||3||


Shri Ram, the Lord of the Race of Raghus

O Sri Ram ji ! You are the life of Janaki ji, the very soul of the universe, a well-wisher of the world, svami or Supreme Being of the world, Lord of the race of Raghus and have eyes which are just like a lotus.Your lovely face is like the autumnal full moon (of Sharad Poornima), and bestowing joy is your basic nature. Goddess Lakshmi forever dwells in your being. Innately your body is supremely beautiful, whose radiance is equivalent to countless Kamdevs ||1||


Shri Ram, an Ally of the Needy & Poor

You are the world's father who grants happiness, its mother and guru or spiritual preceptor, well-wisher, friend and favourable to everyone. You are an ally of the needy and poor, but do not bring wrong to anyone. You are the reliever of adversities, grant us shelter, immeasurably generous, a protector of refugees and compassionate.Chanting your Ram Naam (name), purifies the sinful ||2||


Goswami Tulsidas Enslaved to Shri Ram

The entire universe prays to you, all the gods attend to your needs, and the whole lot of Vedas-Shastras (ancient Indian scriptures), sing of your multifaceted virtues. Knowing this reality, Tulsidas was enslaved to you. Now please tell me, will you consider him separate or count him as one of the poor slaves enrolled in your service||3||

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn [73] Makes a Humble Petition to Lord Ram

Raag Bhairav


We Must Awaken Spiritually


jaagu, jaagu, jeev jadh! johaai jag-jaaminee |

deh-geh-neh jaani jaaise ghan-daaminee ||1|

sovat sapanehoon sahaai sansriti-santaap re |

boodhyo mrig-baari khaayo jevreeko saanp re ||2||

kahaain baid-budh, too to boojhi manmaahin re |

dosh-dukh sapaneke jaage hee paai jaahin re ||3||

tulsee jaagete jaay taap tihoon taay re |

ram-naam suchi ruchi sahaj subhaay re ||4||


Lightning Within Clouds

Oh foolish being ! Wake up, awaken (spiritually)! Have a look at the night of this (illusionary) world! Consider the love for this body, home and family to be as transitory as the lightning within the clouds, which flashes for a moment and hides soon after ||1||


Drowning in a Mirage of Water

(Not only during the span when you are awake) but even during the time span when you are asleep, you are just bearing the hardships of this material world; Oh ! You are gradually drowning in the water of a mirage because of deception.


Human Bonding in the Mundane World

And the snake of a (human) bond is biting you ||2||


The Vedas & Scholars

The Vedas and learned scholars are repeatedly calling out and stating that all the sorrows and vices of our dreams are actually destroyed when we wake up (evolve spiritually). You must ponder over and understand this reality ||3||


Selfless Love for Lord Ram, Arises in Our Heart

O Tulsi! The *three painful sufferings of this world are expelled when we awaken from the sleep of ignorance. And that is precisely when a selfless, spontaneous and sincere love for the name of Shri Ram arises( in our heart) ||4||


three painful sufferings: Man has to encounter sorrow from three sources while on earth. The scriptures mention these and ask us to be on guard. They are aadhyaathmic (an individual, personal sorrow which afflicts man through physical & mental illnesses), aadhibhowthic (the second faction of sorrows, is created from external elements and derived from living beings like snakes, wild animals, worms, insects and so on) and aadhidhaivic (the third kind of sorrow arises from the super natural and troubles mankind through calamities like floods, droughts, storms and so on.)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Hymn [72], Makes a Humble Petition to Lord Ram

Raag Bhairav


The Kind Goodness of Shri Ram


mero bhalo kiyo ram aapnee bhalaaee |

haaun to saaeen-drohee paai sevak-hit saaeen ||1||

ramson badho haai kaun, moson kaaun chhoto |

ram so kharo haai kaaun, moson kaaun khhoto ||2||

lok kahaai ramko gulaam haaun kahaavaaun |

eto badho apraadh bhaau na man baavaaun ||3||

paath maathe chadhe trin tulsee jyon neecho |

borat na baari taahi jaani aapu seencho ||4


Shri Ram is a Benefactor of His Devotees

Shri Ram brought about my good solely by his kind goodness. (What hope was there of my well-being coming about by my conscientiousness?) Because I am the one who does wrong to my svami ; but my master Shri Ram is a well-wisher of his sevak or devotee||1||


There is None Greater than Shri Ram

Who is greater than Shri Ram ji and who can be more contemptible than me ? Who is more genuine than Him and who can be more fraudulent than me ?||2||


Goswami Tulsidas, Adulates Shri Ram

The world says that I (Tulsidas) am a slave of Ram ji and I am also addressed as such. (In reality, not attending to the needs of Ram, I conveniently accept that position). This is a very grave offence of mine, still the heart of Shri Ram did not turn against me, even a bit ||3||


A Blade of Grass Floating on Water

O Tulsi! Even on being so inferior, just as a blade of grass rises to the surface of water (floats on top)but the water does not drown the blade, assuming that it has been reared due to being irrigated by it. (Similarly Lord Shri Ram thinks the same about his devotees) ||4||

Vinay Patrika: Shri Ram Naam Japa [69]

Raag Bhairav


Do Smarana of Shri Ram


sumiru sanehson too naam ramraayako |

sambal nisambalko, sakhaa asahaayako ||1||

bhaag haai abhaagehooko, gun gunheenko |

gaahak gareebko, dayaalu daani deenko ||2||

kul akuleenko, sunyo haai baid saakhi haai |

pangureko haath-paanya, aandhareko aankhi haai ||3||

maaya-baap bhookheko, adhaar niraadhaarko |

setu bhav-saagarko, hetu sukhsaarko ||4||

patitpaavan ram-naam so na doosro |

sumiri subhoomi bhayo tulsee so oosro ||5||


Lord Ram, the Great King of Kings

O living being! You lovingly do *smarana of the name of Lord Ram, the great king of kings. Chanting his name is the resource (kaleva or a light midday meal) for those travellers who are bereft of any provisions. It is the patron of a person who has no rescuer||1||


Shri Ram with *Shabari

This name of Ram is the good fortune of one who is unfortunate, and the virtue of another who is lacking in good qualities,(those who are unfortunate and not virtuous also become supremely fortunate, and are endowed with all the gunas when they repeatedly do japa of Ram Naam). It is the appraiser which honours the poor, and is a compassionate benefactor of the needy||2||


The Vedas Confirm that the Name of Shri Ram is a Support for the Crippled & the Blind

The name of Ram is the family prestige of those hailing from a disgraceful tribe (even *chandals who do japa of the name of Ram are considered most superior), and this chant becomes the limbs of the crippled and serves as eyes for the blind (those who repeatedly recite the name of Ram, easily cross over the path of this mundane world). The *Vedas endorse this doctrine||3||


Ram Naam Helps us Cross Over the Ocean of this Material World

That Ram Naam turns into parents for the hungry, and a supporter of those who are helpless. It is a bridge to cross over the ocean of this material world and the prime reason for attaining the Supreme Being (esp as equated with Vishnu) ||4||


Reciting the Name of Ram Purifies the Sinful

Who else is as patit-paavan (one who purifies the sinful) as the name of Ram, by doing smarana of which even a barren (person) like Tulsi has transformed into a beautiful fertile patch of land (abounding with the paddy of loving bhakti or religious devotion)||5||


smarana: a concentrated internal practice of imaginative recollecting or meditating upon the Supreme Being


chandals: the lowest of the original mixed Aryan communities


Shabari: was a hunter's daughter belonging to the Bhil tribal community. Just before marriage she renounced the world and met sage Matanga who blessed her, confirming that Lord Ram would give her darshan. On Rama's arrival she tasted the berries before feeding him. When Lakshmana was concerned Lord Ram answered, "Whomsoever offers a fruit, leaf, flower or some water with love, I partake it with great joy."


Vedas: any of the four early Indian scriptures



Monday, April 18, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Shri Ram Naam Japa [66]

Raag Bhairav


Chant the Name of Lord Ram


ram japu, ram japu, ram japu baavre |

ghor bhav-neer-nidhi naam nij naav re ||1||

ek hee saadhan sab riddhi-siddhi saadhi re |

grase kali-rog jog-samjam-samaadhi re ||2||

bhalo jo haai, poch jo haai, daahino jo, baam re |

ram-naam hee son anth sab hee ko kaam re ||3||

jag nabh-baatikaa rahee haai phali phooli re |

dhuvaan kaaise dhaaurhar dekhi too na bhooli re ||4||

ram-naam chhadhi jo bharoso karaai aaur re |

tulsee paroso tyaagi maangaai koor kaaur re ||5||


The Name of Shri Ram is the Boat which Makes us Cross the Ocean of this Material World

Oh insane man! Repeatedly recite the name of Ram, do japa of Ram and chant Ram. The name of Shri Ram is the sole boat which can help us cross over the terrifying ocean of this mundane world. In other words by sitting in this boat of Ram Naam,whenever a person wants he can instantly get across the ocean of existence, because this is his prerogative ||1||


One Acquires all the Riddhis & Siddhis by Chanting the Name of Shri Ram

By the power of Ram Naam, acquire all the *riddhis and *siddhis, because the various means of *yoga, abstinence, *samadhi etcetera, have been devoured by the disease of Kaliyuga (the age of spiritual darkness) ||2||


All Beings Rely on the Sole Name of Lord Ram

Whether a person is righteous or wicked, wrong-headed or straightforward, everyone will ultimately have to rely on the sole name of Ram ||3||


The Flourishing Garden of Life

You must not forget this fact on seeing worldly objects which are momentarily perceptible but vanish soon after, like billowing palaces of smoke. This world is completely deceptive just like the *mirage of a flourishing garden of life, sighted in the universe ||4||



Goswami Tulsidas Adulating Lord Ram
O Tulsidas, a person who abandons the name of Ram and has faith in someone else! Is equivalent to that fool who discarding the food which has been served in front, roams around like a dog from one house to another, begging for every morsel ||5||


riddhis: spiritual prosperity

siddhis: spiritual powers attained by one who has been perfected and sanctified as if by penance

yoga: a practice of abstract meditation undertaken to bring the soul towards union with the supreme spirit

samadhi: profound meditation esp with the mind successfully fixed on the ultimate being, and with the senses completely restrained in the final trance like stage of yoga

mirage: The emptiness of our universe is in all actuality a flourishing garden of life.Therefore the emptiness is an illusion to our eyes that makes the human spirit strive to see that garden which is hidden by our own ignorance.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Vinay Patrika: Shri Ram Naam Japa [65]

Raag Bhairav


Shri Ram Naam Japa


ram ram-ramu, ram ram ratu, ram ram japu jeehaa |

ramnaam-navneh-mehko, man! hathi hohi papeehaa ||1||

sab saadhan-phal koop-sarit-sar, saagar-salil-niraasaa |

ramnaam-rati-svaati-sudhaa-subh-seekar prempiyaasaa ||2||

garji, tarji, paashaan barshi pavi, preeti parkhi jiya jaanaai |

adhik adhik anuraag umang ur, par parmiti pahichaanaai ||3||

ramnaam-gati, ramnaam-mati, ram-naam-anuraagee |

havaai gaye, haain, je hohinge, tei tribhuvan ganiyat badhbhaagee ||4||

ek ang mag agamu gavan kar, bilmu na chhin chhin chhaahaain |

tulsee hit apno apnee disi, nirupadhi nem nibaahaain ||5||


Repeatedly Chant the Name of Lord Ram

O tongue of mine! You must always be engrossed in Ram Ram, repeatedly chant Ram Ram and do *japa of Ram Ram. Oh heart of mine! By persistence, you also become a papiha or the pied crest cuckoo for the constant-fresh cloud of affection for the name of Ram||1||


The Ambrosian Drop of Love for the Name of Shri Ram

Just as the papiha ardently longs for a just a raindrop of love falling in the *svati asterism and does not have the slightest desire for the water of a well, river, pond and ocean, in the same manner not having hope in any other means and their fruition, you must solely show affection for the ambrosian drop of Shri Ram Naam's love||2||


The Pied Crest Cuckoo Longs for Raindrops of the Svati Asterism

Its beloved cloud thunders, threatens, showers hailstorms and strikes the pied crest cuckoo with lightning. Making the papiha go through the toughest of tests in this fashion and completely assessing the intensely devoted love of the cuckoo, when it comes to know that the love of this papiha increases in proportion to the successive tests it undergoes (then he is given the raindrop of svati asterism)||3||

Become Solely Attached to the Name of Ram

In precisely the same manner (whichever calamities may befall you and strive to deviate you, with God's grace) you must seek the refuge of Shri Ram Naam (with an intent mindset), focus your intellect on the name of Ram and become attached solely to the name of Ram.


Shri Hanuman a Dedicated Devotee of Lord Ram

Only those bhaktas who have been adherents to Shr Ram Naam in the past, are relying on Him at present and are going to depend on Him in the future, should be considered extremely fortunate in the three lokas ||4||


Goswami Tulsidas

This one-sided path (of intensely loving the name of Ram) is very tough, in case you turn to this path, then do not delay by waiting to faintly relish (worldly joys) every other moment. O Tulsidas! Your good will come about by carrying on the sincere and honest loving relationship with Shri Ram Naam, from your end.



Japa: repetition in a low tone of an incantation


svati asterism : the pied crested cuckoo is supposed to live only on rain-drops esp those falling in the autumn asterism svati.


Three lokas: heaven, earth and the lower regions