GANAPATI CHARANA SAROJA GAHI CHARANODAKA DHARI BHAALA LIKHAUN VIMALA RAAMAAVALII SUMIRI ANAJANIILAALA Having clasped the lotus-feet of Ganesha, Lord of Shiva’s henchmen and having anointed my forehead with the water hallowed by his (Ganehsa’s) feet, I meditate on Anjani’s son Hanuman and compose this spotless Ramavali, a series of verses in praise of Rama. RAAMA CHARITA VARNANA KARAUN RAAMAHIN HRIDAYA MANAAII MADANA KADANA RATA RAAKHI SIRA MANA KAHAN TAAPA MITAAII With Rama’s image enshrined in my heart and with my head at the feet of Shiva who destroyed Cupid, I recount the holy acts of Rama, so that it may destroy all my heart’s impurities and agonies. RAAMA RAMAAPATI RAGHUPATI JAI JAI MAHAA LOKAPATI JAGAPATI JAI JAI RAAJITA JANAKA DULAARII JAI JAI MAHINANDINII PRABHU-PYAARII JAI JAI Glory, all glory to you Rama, Lord of Lakshmi and of the house of Raghu; glory, all glory to you, the high Lord of the spheres and of the world; glory, all glory to the respondent daughter of Janaka; glory, all glory to the delight of the Earth (her daughter) and beloved consort of the Supreme Lord! RAATIHUN DIVASA RAAMA DHUNA JAAHIIN MAGANA RAHATA MANA, TANA DUKHA NAAHIIN RAAMA SANEHA JAASU URA HOII MAHAA BHAAGYASHAALII NARA SOII Wherever people chorus the glory of Rama throughout the night and day and have their minds fully absorbed in it, they are cured of all bodily suffering. Highly fortunate is only that person whose heart brims with love of Rama. RAAKSHASA DALA SAMHAARII JAI JAI MAHAA PATITA TANU TAARII JAI JAI RAAMA NAAMA JO NISHADINA GAAVATA MANA VAANCHITA PHALA NISHCHAYA PAAVATA Glory, all glory to you, O destroyer of the demon host! Glory, all glory to you, the deliverer of the most degraded! Whosoever hymns the glory of Rama’s name throughout the day and night is verily rewarded with whatever he desires most. RAAMAYUDHASARA JEHIN KARA SAAJATA MANA MANOJA LAKHI KOTIHUN LAAJATA RAAKHAHU LAAJA HAMAARI JAI JAI MAHIMAA AGAMA TUMHAARII JAI JAI Beholding the exquisite bow and arrow in Rama’s splendid and shapely hands, myriad of Cupids are at once abashed; glory, glory to you, O Lord, whom I beseech to keep my honour; glory, glory to you, O Lord, whose majesty is incomprehensible (immeasurable). RAAJIIVA NAYANA MUNINA MANA MOHAI MUKUTA MANOHARA SIRA PARA SOHAI RAAJITA MRIDULA GAATA SHUCHI AANANA MAKARAAKRITA KUNDALA DUHUN KAANANA Your lotus-eyes, O Lord, fascinate even the minds of hermits and recluses (who are detached from the allurements of the world). The lovely coronet looks lustrous on your head and your fair and splendid face sheds its brilliance on your tender body. No less sparkling are the crocodile-shaped pendants in your ears. RAAMACHANDRA SARVOTTAMA JAI JAI MARYAADAA PURUSHOTTAMA JAI JAI RAAMA NAAMA GUNA AGAMA ANANTAA MANANA KARATA SHAARADA SHRUTI SANTAA Glory, all glory to you, O Lord Supreme; you are the best of all earth-born guardian of all bounds and custodian of moderation. Glory, all glory to you O Ramchandra; your very name has boundless and immeasurable virtues, which the Vedas, the saints and Saraswati contemplate. RAATI DIVASA DHYAAVAHU MANA RAAMAA MANA RANJANA BHANJANA BHAVA DAAMAA RAAJA BHAVANA SANGA MEIN NAHIN JAIHEIN MANAKE HII MANA MEIN RAHI JAIHEIN O (rambling) mind, meditate on Rama (the changeless) night and day, for such a meditation will bring you delight and quell all worldly fire (which burns you ceaselessly). The magnificent palace (of which you have kept dreaming) will not accompany you; instead, it will remain a desire unfulfilled. RAAMAHIN NAAMA ANTA SUKHA DAIHEIN MANA GADHANTA GAPA KAAMA NA AIHEIN RAAMA KAHAANII RAAMAHIN SUNIHEIN MAHIMAA RAAMA TABAI MANA GUNIHEI It is Rama’s name that will ultimately give you comfort (and accompany you on your last journey). The fanciful pleasures you have been dreaming of will turn out to be a mirage ( the promised land that you long for will remain an unrealized dream). Your story- the story of all that you wanted to do or of what you did-would be heard only by Rama himself and by none else; then will you realize how glorious the Lord Rama is. RAAMAHI MAHAN JO NITA CHITA RAAKHIHEIN MADHUKARA SARISA MADHURA RASA CHAKHIHEIN RAAGA RANGA KAHUN KIIRTANA THAANIHEIN MAMATAA TYAAGI EKA RASA JAANIHEIN Those who keep their mind centered every day on Rama will savour the honeyed taste of it as bumblebees do(when they savour the pollen of the flowering plants). Then will start the glorification of the name amid a life of luxury and enjoyment and abandoning all attachment, the mind will recognize only one source of true delight- the Name of the Lord. RAAMA KRIPAA TINHIIN PARA HOIHEIN MANA VAANCHITA PHALA ABHIMATA PAIHEIN RAAKSHASA DAMANA KIYO KSHANA MEIN MAHA BAHNI BANI VICHARYO VANA MEIN Rama will rain down his compassion on them and fulfill all their cherished desires. The Lord trounced the demons in a truce, just as a dreadful wildfire, breaking out in the midst of the forest, reduces its trees to ashes. RAAVANAADI HATI GATI DAI DIINHON MAHIRAAVANAHIN SIYAHITA VADHA KIINHON RAAMA BAANA SUTA SURASARI DHAARAA MAHAAPAATAKIHUN GATI DAI DAARAA Having slain the Ten-headed and his host, he sent him to his own celestial abode and for rescuing Sita had Mahiravana killed in the nether regions of the earth where he dwelt. Rama’s arrow, like the pure stream of the Ganga, redeems even the vilest of the sinners. RAAMA RAMITA JAGA AMITA ANANTAA MAHIMAA KAHI NA SAKAHIN SHRUTI SANTAA RAAMA NAAMA JOI DETA BHULAAII MAHAA NISHA SOI LETA BULAAII Rama, the omnipresent Lord, permeates this infinite and endless world and eludes description by the Vedas and the high sages. He who forgets Rama’s name only invites (dense) darkness of ignorance or, as some commentators believe, his utter doom. RAAMA BINAA URA HOTA ANDHERAA MANA SOHII DUKHA SAHATA GHANERAA RAAMAHI AADI ANAADI KAHAAVATA MAHAAVRATII SHANKARA GUNA GAAVATA|| Bereft of Rama, the heart plunges deep into darkness and the mind has to experience insufferable grief. It is Rama and Rama alone who is described as both beginning and beginningless and as the subject of the praise sung by the high ascetic Shankara. RAAMA NAAMA LEHI BRAHMA APAARAA MAHIKARA BHAARA SHESHA SIRA DHAARAA RAAKHI RAAMA HIYA SHAMBHU SUJAANAA MAHAA GHORA VISHA KIINHYO PAANAA Fathomless became Brahma with the help of Rama’s name and the Serpent-king could bear the burden of the earth upon hi head; with Rama in his heart the wise Shambhu gulped down the dread potion (churned up from the ocean). RAAMAHI MAHI LAKHI LEKHA MAHESHU MAHAA PUUJYA KARI DIYO GAENSHU RAAMA RAMITA RASA GHATITA BHAKTI GHATA MANA KE BHAJATAHIN KHULATA PREMA PATA Having observed the name of Rama scribbled on the earth, the great Lord Shiva made Ganesha highly venerable (so much so that all ceremonies begin with his worship). He pervades all the bliss filling the heart with devotion to Rama. Chanted with profound interest it opens up the gates of devotional love) RAAJITA RAAMA JINAHIN URA ANTARA MAHAAVIIRA SAMA BHAKTA NIRANTARA RAAMAHI LEVATA EKA SAHAARAA MAHAASINDHU KAPI KIINHESI PAARAA The heart resplendent with the image of Rama dwelling in it and filled with devotion like that of Mahavira, the heart that takes refuge only in Rama, crosses the ocean of this world as did the monkey-king. (The poet describes a votary as Mahavira whose heart is devoted to glorious Rama, when the monkey-king made Rama his only refuge he got over the ocean of birth and death.) RAAMA NAAMA RASANAA RASA SHOBHAA MARDANA KAAMA KRODHA MADA LOBHAA RAAMA CHARITA BHAJI BHAYO SUGYAATAA MAHAADEVA MUKTI KE DAATAA Rama’s name is the sweetness of taste enjoyed by the human tongue; it eradicates lust, anger, arrogance and greed. By chanting the story of Rama’s holy acts the all-wise Mahadeva became a saviour and liberator. RAANAHI JAPATA MITATA BHAVA SHULAA RAAMAMANTRA YAHA MANGAKLAMUULAA RAAMANAAMA JAPI JO NA SUDHAARAA MANA PISHACHA SO NIPATA GANVAARAA Chanting of Rama’s praise destroys all worldly distress, for the mystic name, ‘Rama’ is the source of all well being. He who does not mend himself by singing Rama’s praise is verily one whose mind is demoniac and devilish and who is utterly ignorant. RAAMA KII MAHIMAA KAHAN LAGA GAAUUN MATI MALINA ASA PAARA NA PAAUUN RAAMAAVALII ASA LIKHI CHAALIISAA MATI ANUSAARA DHYAANA GAURIISAA The more I sing of Rama’s glory the more remains to be sung. Being dull-witted, I fail to fathom its immeasurable depth. I have nonetheless strung together the manifold virtues of Rama in the form of the Chalisa as well as I could with my mind centered on Shiva, the beloved consort of Gauri. RAAMAHI SUNDARA RACHI RASA PAAGAA MATHA DURVAASAA NIKATA PRAYAAGAA RAAMABHAKTA YAHI JO NITA DHYAAVAHIN MANAVAANCHITA PHALA NISCHAYA PAABAHIN By soaking it in the flavour of devotion to Rama, I, Sundardasa, have composed this beautiful hymn in the hermitage of Durvasa near Prayaga (Allahabad). If the votaries of Rama chant it everyday with due attention they will assuredly be rewarded with the fruit they desire most. RAAMA NAAMA NITA BHAJAHU MANA RAATIHUN DINA CHITA LAAII MAMATAA MATSARA MALINATAA MANASTAAPA MITI JAAII With unwavering attention, O, mind, meditate on Rama’s name day and night with uninterrupted regularity, so that you are rid of your sense of attachment, your jealousy, dullness and your inmost intemperate sufferings. RAAMA KAA TITHI BUDHA ROHINII RAAMAAVALII KIYAA BHAASA MAANA SAHASRA BHUJA DRIGA SAMETA MAGASARA SUNDARDAASA Sundardasa completed this hymn, the string of Rama’s virtues, in the language of the people on the ninth day of the month Margashirsa, Wednesday, under the constellation, Rohini, of the year 2002 of the Vikarami era.