Adhyathma ramayana- Balakanda chapter2

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Balakanda chapter2

 

Parvati, on hearing the discourse

of Siva, said that the essence of Rama like nectar, will give one immortality

and that her doubt was cleared. But she wanted to hear the story of Rama in

full as her desire for it only grew and was not

satiated.. Then Siva said that he would tell her the Adhyathma Ramayana

which was told to him by Rama Himself and which was the profound secret,

hearing which one would be free from fear of samsara and would live for long

getting all blessings in life.

 

Once when the rakshasas headed

by Ravana were tormenting the whole

world the goddess earth was grief-stricken and took the form of a cow and went to Brahmaloka. There she narrated all the woes

that befell her and stood with her eyes streaming with tears. Brahma went into meditation for a short while and learnt

all that happened. Then he went to the milky ocean along with Bhoodevi and the

devas. He praised Lord Hari with hymns sanctioned by the scriptures with

devotion. The Lord appeared in the east with the effulgence of a million suns eradicating the darkness of

the directions. Seeing His form like a blue sapphire the devas and Brahma were

in ecstasy and stood with folded hands.

 

The Lord was seen on Garuda, with

His lotus-like eyes full of mercy and a bewitching smile on His face, with His

chest decorated with the garland of Tulasi and the mark of Srivatsa, with pithaambara

on His hips shining like gold, decked with all ornaments like kireeta, kundala,

keyoora haara etc., wielding His conch and chakra , and with Sridevi.

 

Brahma started praising Him thus:

 

natho asmi the padham dheva

praaNa buddheendhriyaathmabhiH

yacchinthyathe karmapaaSaathDhrdhi nithyam mumukshubhiH

 

I bow with my vital airs,

intellect, senses and soul, to your feet, oh Lord, which is meditated upon by

those who wish to be free from the bondage of karma and attain salvation.

 

thaThaa SudDhir na dhushtaanaam dhaanaaDhyayanakarmabhiH

SudDhaathmathaa the yasasi sadhaa bhakthimathaam yaThaa

 

The wicked do not attain purity

by doing acts like giving for charity, or by contemplation etc. like your devotees

who are always pure at heart engrossed in your glory.

 

athaH thavaanghrih me dhrshtachittha dhoshsapanutthayye

sadhaH antharhrdhaye nithyam munibhiH saathvatahiH vrthaH

 

Therefore I bow to your feet,

which are contemplated by the sages and holy men always, for purifying my mind

of defects.

 

athaH thavapaadhabhaktheshu thava bhakthiH SriyaH aDhikaa

bhakthimeva abhivaancChanthi thavthbhakthaaH saaravedhinaH

 

The affection you have for the

devotees of your feet is more than that for Lakshmi. Therefore the devotees who

know the truth wish only for devotion.

 

athaH thvathpaadhakamale bhakthireva sadhaa asthu me

samsaaraamayathamaanaam bheshajam bhakthireva the

 

Hence may I always have only

devotion to your lotus-feet. The devotion to you alone is the remedy for those

who are afflicted by the ills of samsara.

 

Then the Lord asked Brahma what

He should do for them. Then Brahma very pleased, told Him about Ravana who was

tormenting the whole world. Brahma further said that since he himself had given

Ravana the boon that he could not be killed by any one except a human being, the

Lord Himself should take up an incarnation as a man and kill Ravana.

 

The Lord said that sage Kasyapa

was doing penance to get the Lord as His son and who had been born as Dasaratha

now and hence He would be born as the son of Dasaratha and finish the needed

action. When He was going to be born in the three wives of Dasaratha dividing

His power into four, His yogamaya would incarnate in the house of Janaka, the

Lord said, and He would perform the deed with her assistance. Saying thus Lord

Hari disappeared.

 

Then Brahma told the devas to be

born as vanaras and help the Lord and stay on earth as long as He does. Brahma went back to his abode after consoling

Bhoodevi that all would be well soon Devas

did like wise and were awaiting the arrival of Rama for the destruction of

Ravana.