श्रीरामगीता (Śrīrāmagītā): A Devotional Ode to Bhagavan Rama

Introduction

Śrīrāmagītā, a poetic masterpiece composed by Vasishtha Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni (1878–1936), stands as a profound expression of devotion to Bhagavan Rama. This lyrical song, consisting of nine stanzas, serves as a divine hymn extolling the virtues of Sri Rama. The Muni, in his composition, emphasizes the transformative power of this hymn, suggesting that it has the potential to lead seekers towards a deeper realization of the essence of Sri Rama and, consequently, to heightened spiritual understanding.

The text, originally composed in Sanskrit, holds a timeless appeal due to its poetic beauty and spiritual depth. As we explore the verses, we delve into the Muni’s heartfelt admiration for Bhagavan Rama, recognizing the hymn’s significance as a means of connecting with the divine and fostering a profound spiritual experience.

Vasishtha Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni also has composed another hymn called श्रीतारकरामनामस्तुति śrītārakarāmanāmastuti in which each line of the present hymn is recited with the following refrain:

दशरथनन्दन दशरथनन्दन दशरथनन्दन दाशरथे
daśarathanandana daśarathanandana daśarathanandana dāśarathe

“O Delight of King Dasharatha, O Joy of Dasharatha, O Beloved of Dasharatha, O dearest son of Dasharatha!”

This presentation includes the original Sanskrit text, a Roman transliteration for easy pronunciation, a word-by-word meaning to unravel the essence of each verse, and an English translation to convey the spiritual wisdom encapsulated in Śrīrāmagītā. May the resonance of these verses illuminate the path of seekers and inspire a deeper connection with the divine presence of Bhagavan Rama.

श्रीरामगीता (Śrīrāmagītā)

(Text and Translation)

निर्गुण निष्कल नित्य निरञ्जन, निर्गतमत्सर गम्य दयालो।

संसारेऽस्मिन्निर्गतसारे, पाहि विपारे दशवदनारे॥१॥

nirguṇa niṣkala nitya nirañjana, nirgatamatsara gamya dayālo.

samsāre’sminnirgatasāre, pāhi vipāre daśavadanāre॥1॥

• निर्गुण (nirguṇa ): Without attributes.
• निष्कल (niṣkala ): Without parts.
• नित्य (nitya): Eternal.
• निरञ्जन (nirañjana): Immaculate.
• निर्गतमत्सर (nirgatamatsara): Beyond envy.
• गम्य (gamya): Reachable.
• दयालो (dayālo): Compassionate.
• संसारे (samsāre): In the worldly existence.
• अस्मिन् (asmin): In this.
• निर्गतसारे (nirgatasāre): Devoid of any essence.
• पाहि (pāhi): Protect.
• विपारे (vipāre): With no definite shore to land.
• दशवदनारे (daśavadanāre): O Annihilator of the Ten-faced One!

Truly, O Bhagavan, you exist without attributes, beyond fragmentation, eternal, unstained, free from envy, approachable, and compassionate. In this worldly realm, bereft of essence, where shores are undefined, be the refuge for those seeking, O Destroyer of the Ten-faced One!॥1॥

कोऽयं पुत्रः केयं जाया, माया सेयं मर्दय रागम्।

सर्वसमत्वं सर्वहितत्वं, सत्सङ्गित्वं देहि विभो मे॥ २॥

ko’yaṁ putraḥ keyaṁ jāyā, māyā seyaṁ mardaya rāgam।

sarvasamatvaṁ sarvahitatvaṁ, satsaṅgitvaṁ dehi vibho me॥ 2॥

• कोऽयम् (ko’yam): Who is this?
• पुत्रः (putraḥ): Son.
• केयं (Keyam): Who is this?
• जाया (jāyā): Wife.
• माया (māyā): Illusion.
• सेयम् (seyam): This.
• मर्दय (mardaya): Slay.
• रागम् (rāgam): Attachment.
• सर्वसमत्वम् (sarvasamatvam): Equanimity.
• सर्वहितत्वम् (sarvahitatvam): Benevolence.
• सत्सङ्गित्वम् (satsangitvam): Association with the wise.
• देहि (dehi): Grant.
• विभो (vibho): O Lord!

Who is this, a son? Who is this, a wife? All of this is but illusion, O Lord; dissolve the bonds of attachment. Grant me equanimity, benevolence towards all, and the companionship of the wise.

विश्वारम्भं विष्णोर्नाम्नामम्, अस्तु सहस्रं सकलस्तुत्यम्।

नाम तु “रामे” त्यमलमिदं ते, तारकमृषयः परिभाषन्ते॥३॥

viśvārambhaṁ viṣṇor nāmnām, astu sahasraṁ sakalastutyam।

nāma tu “rāme” tyamalamiḍaṁ te, tārakamṛṣayaḥ paribhāṣante॥3॥

• विश्वारम्भम् (viśvārambham): The beginning of creation.
• विष्णोर्नाम्नाम् (viṣṇor nāmnām): Of the names of Vishnu.
• अस्तु (astu): Let it be
• सहस्रम् (sahasram): A thousand.
• सकलस्तुत्यम् (sakalastutyam): Praised by all.
• नाम (nāma): Name.
• तु (tu): But.
• “राम” (rāma): “Rama.”
• इति (iti): Thus
• अमलमिदम् (amalamidam): This pure one.
• ते (te): Your.
• तारकम् ( tārakam): Is the PROTECTOR.
• [इति] ऋषयः ([iti] ṛṣayaḥ): Thus the Rishis.
• परिभाषन्ते (paribhāṣante): Speak of.

This very name, “Rama,” among the thousand names of Vishnu, is the origin of the entire creation. It stands pure and untainted, and is praised by all. This immaculate name is the true Protector, as thus spoken by the Rishis.

सीताकामिन्निह भीतानां, चरणं शरणं तव यातानाम्।

जननक्लेशं मरणक्लेशं, नाशय गमनागमनक्लेशम्॥ ४॥

sītākāminnih bhītānāṁ, caraṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ tava yātānām।

jananakleśaṁ maraṇakleśaṁ, nāśaya gamanāgamana kleśam॥ 4॥

• सीताकामिन् (sītākāmin): O the one desired by Sita.
• इह (iha): Here
• भीतानाम् (bhītānām): For those frightened.
• चरणम् (caraṇam): Feet.
• शरणं (śaraṇam): Refuge.
• तव (Tava): Your.
• यातानाम् (yātānām): Of the living beings.
• जननक्लेशम् (jananakleśam): Distress of birth.
• मरणक्लेशम् (maraṇakleśam): Torment of death.
• नाशय (nāśaya): Alleviate.
• गमनागमनक्लेशम् (gamanāgamanakleśam): Torment of coming and going!

O Bhagavan, you are cherished and loved by Devi Sita! The distressed and frightened ones here find refuge at your feet. Do dispel, O Bhagavan, the sorrows of birth, the pangs of death, and the vexation of ceaseless cycles of coming and going!

चतुरास्यस्त्वं चक्रधरस्त्वं, प्रमथेशस्त्वं परमात्मा त्वम्।

सनकप्रभृतिस्तुतगुणमेतद्, व्यूहचतुष्कं बहुकीर्ते ते॥५॥

caturāsyastvaṁ cakradharastvaṁ, pramathesastvaṁ paramātmā tvam।

sanakaprabhṛtistutaguṇametad, vyūhacatuṣkaṁ bahukīrte te॥5॥

• चतुरास्यस्त्वम् (caturāsyastvam): You are the Four-faced One.
• चक्रधरस्त्वम् (cakradharastvam): Bearer of the discus.
• प्रमथेशस्त्वम् (pramathesastvam): Destroyer of demons.
• परमात्मा त्वम् (paramātmā tvam): Supreme Soul!
• सनकप्रभृतिस्तुतगुणमेतद् (sanakaprabhṛtistutaguṇametad): The sages headed by Sanaka sing these divine qualities.
• व्यूहचतुष्कम् (vyūhacatuṣkaṁ ): Quartet of your manifestations.
• बहुकीर्ते ते (bahukīrte): O widely celebrated One!
• ते (te): Your

O revered Bhagavan Rama, you embody Brahma with four faces, you manifest as Vishnu wielding the Sudarshana Chakra, and you are Shiva, the annihilator of demons, you are the Supreme One, from whom all emanate. The illustrious virtues of these four manifestations are extolled by the sage Sanaka and others.

नास्ति वपुस्ते नास्ति तवाख्या, नास्ति च कर्म स्वस्तिद विष्णो।

मायाकल्पितमिदमखिलं ते, रूपं कर्म च नाम च विविधम्।। ६।।

nāsti vapuste nāsti tavākhyā, nāsti ca karma svastid viṣṇo।

māyākalpitamidamakhilaṁ te, rūpaṁ karma ca nāma ca vividham।। 6।।

• नास्ति वपुस्ते (nāsti vapuste): There is no form of Yours.
• नास्ति तवाख्या (nāsti tavākhyā): There is no name of Yours.
• नास्ति च कर्म (nāsti ca karma): There is no action beyond You.
• स्वस्तिद विष्णो (svastid Vishno): O Vishnu, the bestower of all good!
• मायाकल्पितमिदम् अखिलं ते (māyākalpitamidamakhilam te): All this is created by your Maya.
• रूपं कर्म च नाम च विविधम् (rūpaṁ karma ca nāma ca vividham): Form, action, and name, variously.

O Bhagavan Rama, you are the auspicious form of Vishnu, bestowing all that is good. You transcend physicality, devoid of a distinct name or actions. All the varied names, forms, and deeds in this illusory world are but reflections of your own name, form, and deeds.

तत्त्वसमूहादुपरि लसन्तं, पुरुषं साङ्ख्याः प्रवदन्ति त्वाम्।

दशशतपत्रे दशमुखशत्रो, योगविदस्त्वामालोकन्ते॥७॥

tattvasamūhādupari lasantaṁ, puruṣaṁ sāṅkhyāḥ pravadanti tvām।

daśaśatapatre daśamukhaśatro, yogavidastvāmālokante॥7॥

• तत्त्वसमूहादुपरि (tattvasamūhādupari): Above the aggregation of principles.
• लसन्तम् (lasantam): Shining.
• पुरुषम् (puruṣam): The Person.
• साङ्ख्याः (sāṅkhyāḥ): The Sankhyas.
• प्रवदन्ति (pravadanti): Proclaim.
• त्वाम् (tvām): You.
• दशशतपत्रे (daśaśatapatre): In the Sahasrāra.
• दशमुखशत्रो (daśamukhaśatro): O Destroyer of the Ten-faced Ravana.
• योगविदः (yogavidaḥ): The Yogis
• त्वाम् आलोकन्ते (tvām ālokante): Contemplate You as the One, O lotus-eyed One!

O Bhagavan Rama, vanquisher of the Ten-faced Ravana, the Sankhyas perceive your radiance transcending all principles, while the Yogis meditate upon you in the Sahasrāra.

जैमिनिमुख्याः कर्मश्रौतं, देवपते ते वैभवमाहुः।

वेदान्ते ये निष्ठितमतयः, ते प्राहुस्त्वामेकमभेदम्॥८॥

jaiminimukhyāḥ karmashrauṁ, devapate te vaibhavamāhuḥ।

vedānte ye niṣṭhitamatayaḥ, te prāhustvāmekamabhedam॥8॥

• जैमिनिमुख्याः (jaiminimukhyāḥ): Followers of Jaimini.
• कर्मश्रौतं (karmashrauṁ): Rituals and sacrifices.
• देवपते (devapate): O King of Devas!
• ते वैभवम् आहुः (te vaibhavam āhuḥ): They declare Your glory.
• वेदान्ते (vedānte): In Vedanta.
• ये निष्ठितमतयः (ye niṣṭhitamatayaḥ): Those firmly devoted.
• ते (te): They.
• प्राहुः (prāhuḥ): Speak.
• त्वाम् (tvām): You.
• एकम् (ekam): One.
• अभेदम् (abhedam): Indivisible.

O Bhagavan Rama, the King of the Gods, according to Jaimini’s followers, all rituals and sacrifices are proclaimed as your divine glories. Those deeply devoted to Vedanta declare you as indivisible, the One without a second.

तव च ममापि च भेदाभावं, दूरदृशांपर कथयति वाणी।

मम तु तयाऽभूद्दशमज्ञानं, दशवदनारे दशमस्यैव॥९॥

tava ca mamāpi ca bhedābhāvaṁ, dūradṛśāṁpara kathayati vāṇī।

mama tu tayā’bhooddaśamajñānaṁ, daśavadanāre daśamasyaiva॥9॥

• तव च (tava ca): And Your.
• ममापि च (mamāpi ca): And mine.
• भेदाभावम् (bhedābhāvam): State of non-distinction.
• दूरदृशांपर (dūradṛśāṁpara): Beyond perception.
• कथयति (kathayati): Narrates.
• वाणी (vāṇī): Eloquence.
• मम तु (mama tu): But for me.
• तया भूत् दशमज्ञानम् (tayā’bhut):By that happened.
• दशमज्ञानम् (daśamajñānam): The final realisation.
• दशवदनारे (daśavadanāre): O Ten-faced One!
• दशमस्यैव (daśamasyaiva): Of the final.

O Bhagavan Rama, you transcend perception. The hymn I’ve composed articulates the state where the distinction between you and me dissolves. Through this, O vanquisher of the Ten-faced Ravana, I have achieved ultimate realization.

।। इति श्रीरामगीता समाप्ता ।।

।। iti śrīrāmagītā samāptā।।

(Compiled, Edited and Translated by Sampadananda Mishra)