Sri Ramastakam (full) by Srila Murari Gupta

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These 8-verses are best glorification of Lord Rama for the Gaudiya Vaisnavas

because:

 

(1) These prayers have been approved by Lord Caitanya Himself.

(2) These prayers have been composed by Hanuman, the greatest devotee of Lord

Rama.

 

tatah provaca karuno / murari ta patha svayam

kavita bhavatah srutva / sa papatha subhakaram 9

 

tatah - then; provaca - declared; karuna - the compassionate Lord; murarim -

Murari Gupta, the incarnation of Hanuman; tam - that; patha - please recite;

svayam - of your own accord; kavitam - poetry; bhavatah - by Your honor; srutva

- hearing; sah - he; papatha - recited; subha-akaram - pleasing accents.

 

The compassionate Lord Gauranga commanded Murari Gupta, "Please recite from

your heart that poetry composed by your good self." Hearing this order, Murari

chanted with pleasing accents the following hymn:

 

Sri Ramastakam

by Srila Murari Gupta

 

rajat-kirita-mani-didhiti-dipitasam / udyad-bhaspati-kavi-pratime vahanta

dve kundale 'nka-rahitendu-samana-vaktra / rama jagat-traya-guru satata bhajami

10

 

rajat - shining; kirita - crown; mani - jewels; didhita - splendor; dipita -

illuminated; asam - face; udyat - rising; bhaspati - Jupiter; kavi - Venus;

pratime - resembling; vahantam - bearing; dve - two; kundale - earrings;

anka-rahita - free of spots; indu - moon; samana - like; vaktram - moon; ramam

- the reservoir of pleasure; jagat-traya - three worlds; gurum - spiritual

master; satatam - perpetually; bhajami - I worship.

 

Though His face is like a spotless moon, still it is further brightened by a

shining crown of jewels. His earrings resemble Jupiter and Venus rising in the

evening sky. I forever worship this Lord Sri Rama, guru of the three worlds.

 

udyad-vibhakara-marici-vibodhitabja- / netra su-bimba-dasana-cchada-caru-nasam

subhrasu-rasmi-parinirjjita-caru-hasa / rama jagat-traya-guru satata bhajami 11

 

udyat - rising; vibha-akara - the sun; marici - rays; vibodhita - awakening;

abja-netram - lotus eyes; su-bimba - beautifully red like the bimba fruit;

dasana-chada - teeth-covering (the lips); caru-nasam - graceful nose;

subhra-asu - moon; rasmi - rays; parinirjita - defeated; caru-hasam - sweet

smile.

 

When He awakens and opens His lotus eyes, their luster resembles the early

rays of the rising sun. His teeth are enclosed by charming bimba fruit-red

lips. His nose is shapely and graceful and seeing the beams of His beautiful

smile, the white-rayed moon accepts defeat. I forever worship this Lord Sri

Rama, guru of the three worlds.

 

ta kambu-kantham ajam ambuja-tulya-rupa / muktavali-kanaka-hara-dhta vibhantam

vidyud-balaka-gana-sayutam ambu-da va / rama jagat-traya-guru satata bhajami

12

 

tam - Him; kambu-kantham - neck like a conch; ajam - unborn; ambu-ja - a

lotus; tulya - like; rupam - form; mukta-avali - string; kanaka - gold; hara -

necklace; dhtam - held; vibhantam - shining; vidyut - lightning; balaka -

cranes; gana - flocks; sayutam - together with; ambu-dam - water-giver (cloud);

va - or.

 

The throat of the unborn Lord is like a three-ringed conchshell, and His form

is soft as the lotus. He wears a shining necklace of pearls set in gold, and

thus He resembles a water-laden cloud accompanied by lightning flashes and a

flock of cranes. Such is Sri Rama, guru of the three worlds, whom I

perpetually adore.

 

uttana-hasta-tala-sastha-sahasra-patra / panca-cchadadhika-sata

pravarangulibhih

kurvvaty asita-kanaka-dyuti yasya sita / parsve 'sti ta raghu-vara satata

bhajami 13

 

uttana - turned upwards; hasta-tala - palms; sastha - situated;

sahasra-patram - thousand-petalled (a lotus flower); panca - five; cchada -

covered; adhika - more; satam - a hundred; pravara - excellent; angulibhih - by

Her fingers; kurvati - She does; asita-kanaka - molten gold; dyutih - light;

yasya - He whose; sita - Sita Devi; parsve - by His side; asti - there is; tam

- Him; raghu-varam - best of the Raghu dynasty; satatam - perpetually; bhajami

- I adore.

 

In Her upraised hand Sita Devi holds a thousand-petalled lotus flower, and

Her five graceful fingers make it appear that the flower's hundred petals are

covered by another five petals. I forever worship Rama, best of the Raghu

dynasty, by whose side forever remains this Sita, whose radiance is like molten

gold.

 

agre dhanurddhara-varah kanakojjvalango / jyethanu-sevana-rato

vara-bhuanadhyah

seakhya-dhama-vara-lakmana-nama yasya / rama jagat-traya-guru satata bhajami

14

 

agre - in the front; dhanuh-dhara-varah - best bow-holder; kanaka - gold;

ujjvala - blazing; angah - body; jyetha - elder; anusevana - serving; ratah -

attached; vara-bhuana - fine ornaments; adhyah - enriched; sea-akhya - called

Sesa; dhama - abode; vara - enclosing; lakmana-nama - named Laksmana; yasya -

whose.

 

Before Rama stands his brother Laksmana, deeply attached to His elder

brother's service, the most skilled of archers, his body brilliant golden, and

enhanced by splendid ornaments. He is also known as Sesa, the all-accomodating

abode of the worlds. I worship this Lord Sri Rama guru of the three worlds.

 

yo raghavendra-kula-sindhu-sudhasu-rupo / marica-rakasa-subahu-mukhan nihatya

yajna raraka kusikanvaya-punya-rasi / rama jagat-traya-guru satata bhajami 15

 

yah - who; raghava-indra - best of the Raghus; kula-sindhu - ocean of the

dynasty; sudha-asu - moon; rupah - form; marica-rakasa - man-eater named

Marica; subahu-mukhan - headed by Subahu; nihatya - slain; yajnam - sacrifice;

raraka - protected; kusika - Visvamitra; anvaya - lineage; punya - pious; rasim

- heaps.

 

Like the nectar-rayed moon shining on the ocean of the Raghu dynasty, He slew

the foremost among the man-eating demons, Marica and Subahu, thus protecting

the sacrifice performed by the sage Visvamitra for the welfare of His ancstors.

I worship this Lord Sri Rama, guru of the three worlds.

 

hatva khara-trisirasau sa-ganau kabandha / sri-danda-kananam aduanam eva ktva

sugriva-maitram akarod vinihatya satru / ta raghava dasa-mukhanta-kara bhajami

16

 

hatva - having killed; khara-trisirasau - the two brothers of Ravana named

Khara and Trisira; sa-ganau - with their hordes; kabandham - the demon named

Kabandha; sri-danda-kananam - the sacred forest of Danda; aduanam - free of

violating; eva - surely; ktva - made; sugriva - the monkey king named Sugriva;

maitram - friendship; akarot - made; vinihatya - killing; satrum - the enemy

(Bali); raghavam - best of the Raghu dynasty; tam - Him; dasa-mukha - the

ten-headed one, Ravana; antakaram - the causer of death; bhajami - I adore.

 

Slaying the raksasas Khara, Trisira, Kabandha, and their armies, He rendered

safe the forest of Danda-kanana. By killing thevmonkey-king, Sugriva's enemy,

Bali, He made alliance with him, I adore Sri Rama, best of the Raghu dynasty,

the slayer of the ten-headed Ravana.

 

bhanktva pinakam akaroj janakatmajaya / vaivahikotsava-vidhi pathi

bhargavendram

jitva pitur mudam uvaha kakutstha-varyya / rama jagat-traya-guru satata

bhajami 17

 

bhanktva - having broken; pinakam - bow; akarot - He did; janaka-atma-jayah

- of the daughter of Maharaja Janaka; vaivahika - marriage; utsava-vidhim - the

rites of marriage; pathi - on the path; bhargava-indram - Parasurama; jitva -

having defeated; pituh - of His father; mudam - happiness; uvaha - brought;

kakutstha-varyam - the best of the descendants of Kakutstha (a king of the

solar dynasty).

 

After breaking Siva's bow, He married Sita, daughter of Janaka-raja. Then on

the path home, He defeated the mighty Parasurama, best of Bhrgu's line,

bringing pleasure to Maharaja Dasaratha, His father. I forever worship this

Lord Sri Rama, the foremost descendant of Kakutstha and guru of the three

worlds.

 

* * * * *

ittha nisamya raghu-nandana-raja-siha- / slokataka sa bhagavan carana murareh

vaidyasya murddhni vinidhaya lilekha bhale / tva rama-dasa iti bho bhava

mat-prasadat 18

 

ittham - thus; nisamya - hearing; raghu-nandana - the delight of the Raghu

dynasty; raja-siha - the lion among kings; sloka-atakam - eight verses; sah -

He; bhagavan - all-opulent Lord; caranam - feet; murareh - of Murari; vaidyasya

- of the physician; murdhni - on the head; vinidhaya - placing; lilekha - He

wrote; bhale - on the forehead; tvam - you; rama-dasah - the servant of Rama;

iti - thus; bho - Oh!; bhava - be; mat-prasadat - by My mercy.

 

After hearing these eight verses composed by the physician Murari describing

Sri Rama, lion among kings and delight of the Raghu dynasty, Placing His foot

on the physican's head, Bhagavan Gaura Hari wrote the words "Rama Dasa" on his

brow and proclaimed, "Bho! By My mercy, be forever Sri Rama's servant."

 

>From Sri Caitanya-carita mahakavya by Srila Murari Gupta (who is none other

than Hanuman).