तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यमेतस्य मुनिवर्यस्य वाडव । सुमतिः कथयामास वाक्यं वादविचक्षणः
Hearing these words of the eminent sage, Sumati, skilled in discourse, began to speak.
सुमतिरुवाच। रघुवंशनृपस्यायमश्वो वै पाल्यतेऽखिलैः । यागं करिष्यते वीरः सर्वसंभारसंभृतम्
Sumati said: This horse of the king of the Raghu dynasty is being guarded by all; the hero will perform a sacrifice, fully supplied with all requisites.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तेषां जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । दंतकांत्याखिलं घोरं तमोनिर्वारयन्निव
Hearing their words, the foremost sage spoke, his radiance dispelling all darkness as if with the brilliance of his teeth.
आरण्यक उवाच। किं यागैर्विविधैरन्यैः सर्वसंभारसंभृतैः । स्वल्पपुण्यप्रदैर्नूनं क्षयिष्णुपददातृभिः
Āraṇyaka said: What is the use of various sacrifices, furnished with all requisites, which surely grant little merit and are given by those whose rewards are perishable?
मूढो लोको हरिं त्यक्त्वा करोत्यन्यसमर्चनम् । रघुवीरं रमानाथं स्थिरैश्वर्यपदप्रदम्
The foolish world, abandoning Hari, performs other worship; Raghu's hero, Lord of Lakṣmī, grants the stable abode of prosperity.
यो नरैः स्मृतमात्रोपि हरते पापपर्वतम् । तं मुक्त्वा क्लिश्यते मूढो यागयोगव्रतादिभिः
He who, even by mere remembrance by men, removes the mountain of sin—abandoning him, the fool suffers with sacrifices, yoga, vows, and the like.
अहो पश्यत मूढत्वं लोकानामतिवंचितम् । सुलभं रामभजनं मुक्त्वा दुर्ल्लभमाचरेत्
Behold, how astonishing is the folly of people, thoroughly deceived—forsaking the easy worship of Rama, they pursue what is difficult to attain.
सकामैर्योगिभिर्वापि चिंत्यते कामवर्जितैः । अपवर्गप्रदं नॄणां स्मृतमात्राखिलाघहम्
Even by yogis with desires, or by those free from desire, it is contemplated; it grants liberation to humans and destroys all sins by mere remembrance.
पुराहं तत्त्ववित्सायां ज्ञानिनं सुविचारयन् । अगमं बहुतीर्थानि तत्त्वं कोपि न मेऽदिशत्
Formerly, seeking truth, I carefully questioned the wise; I visited many holy places, yet no one revealed the essence to me.
तदैकं हि महद्भाग्यात्प्राप्तं वै लोमशं मुनिम् । स्वर्गलोकात्समायातं तीर्थयात्राचिकीर्षया
Then, by great fortune, I met the sage Lomasha, who had come from heaven, desiring to undertake a pilgrimage.
तमहं प्रणिपत्याथ पर्यपृच्छं महामुनिम् । महायुषं महायोगिसंसेवितपदद्वयम्
I approached him, bowed, and questioned that great sage, whose feet were served by long-lived, great yogis.
स्वामिन्मयाद्य मानुष्यं प्राप्तमद्भुतदुर्ल्लभम् । संसारघोरजलधिं किं कर्तव्यं तितीर्षुणा
Master, today I have attained this rare and wondrous human birth; what should one do who wishes to cross the dreadful ocean of worldly existence?
विचार्य कथय त्वं तद्व्रतं दानं जपो मखः । देवो वा विद्यते यो वै संसृत्यंभोधितारकः
Consider and tell me: what vow, charity, recitation, or sacrifice, or which god exists who can carry one across the ocean of transmigration?
यज्ज्ञात्वा संसृतिं घोरां तरामि त्वत्कृपाब्धितः । तन्मे कथय योगेश सर्वशास्त्रार्थपारग
By knowing which, through your ocean of compassion, I may cross the terrible cycle of birth—tell me that, O lord of yoga, knower of all the meanings of scripture.
इति मद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य जगाद मुनिसत्तमः । शृणुष्वैकमना विप्र श्रद्धया परया युतः
Hearing my words, the best of sages spoke: 'Listen with one-pointed mind, O Brahmin, endowed with supreme faith.'
संति दानानि तीर्थानि व्रतानि नियमा यमाः । योगा यज्ञास्तथानेके वर्तंते स्वर्गदायकाः
There are charities, holy places, vows, disciplines, restraints, yogas, and many sacrifices—these exist, bestowing heaven.
परं गुह्यं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । तच्छृणुष्व महाभाग संसारांभोधितारकम्
But I shall declare the supreme secret, destroyer of all sins; listen to it, O highly fortunate one, which carries across the ocean of worldly existence.
नास्तिकाय न वक्तव्यं न चाऽश्रद्धालवे पुनः । निंदकाय शठायापि न देयं भक्तिवैरिणे
It must not be spoken to an atheist, nor again to one without faith; nor given to a blasphemer, a deceiver, or an enemy of devotion.
रामभक्ताय शांताय कामक्रोधवियोगिने । वक्तव्यं सर्वदुःखस्य नाशकारकमुत्तमम्
It should be spoken to a devotee of Rama, peaceful, free from desire and anger; it is the supreme destroyer of all suffering.
रामान्नास्ति परो देवो रामान्नास्ति परं व्रतम् । न हि रामात्परो योगो न हि रामात्परो मखः
There is no god higher than Rama, no vow greater than Rama; indeed, there is no yoga superior to Rama, nor any sacrifice greater than Rama.
तं स्मृत्वा चैव जप्त्वा च पूजयित्वा नरः परम् । प्राप्नोति परमामृद्धिमैहिकामुष्मिकीं तथा
By remembering, reciting, and worshipping him, a person attains the highest prosperity, both in this world and the next.
संस्मृतो मनसा ध्यातः सर्वकामफलप्रदः । ददाति परमां भक्तिं संसारांभोधितारिणीम्
Remembered in the mind and meditated upon, he grants all desired fruits; he bestows supreme devotion, which carries one across the ocean of worldly existence.
श्वपाकोपि हि संस्मृत्य रामं याति परां गतिम् । ये वेदशास्त्रनिरतास्त्वादृशास्तत्र किं पुनः
Even a dog-eater, by remembering Rama, attains the highest state; what then of those like you, devoted to the Vedas and scriptures?
सर्वेषां वेदशास्त्राणां रहस्यं ते प्रकाशितम् । समाचर तथा त्वं वै यथा स्यात्ते मनीषितम्
To you has been revealed the secret of all the Vedas and scriptures; act accordingly, as you deem best.
एको देवो रामचंद्रो व्रतमेकं तदर्चनम् । मंत्रोऽप्येकश्च तन्नाम शास्त्रं तद्ध्येव तत्स्तुतिः
There is one god, Rāmacandra; one vow, his worship; one mantra, his name; his scripture is that alone, and his praise is that itself.
तस्मात्सर्वात्मना रामचंद्रं भजमनोहरम् । यथा गोष्पदवत्तुच्छो भवेत्संसारसागरः
Therefore, with all your heart, worship Rāmacandra, the delight of the mind, so that the ocean of worldly existence may become as insignificant as a cow’s hoofprint.
श्रुत्वा मया तु तद्वाक्यं पुनः प्रश्नमकारिषम् । कथं वा ध्यायते देवः कथं वा पूज्यते नरैः
Hearing those words from him, I asked again: How is the god to be meditated upon? How is he to be worshipped by people?
कथयस्व महाबुद्धे सर्वज्ञ मम विस्तरात् । यज्ज्ञात्वाहं कृतार्थः स्यां त्रिलोक्यां मुनिसत्तम
Tell me in detail, O greatly wise and all-knowing one, so that, having learned, I may be fulfilled in all the three worlds, O best of sages.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु मद्वाक्यं विचार्य स तु लोमशः । कथयामास मे सर्वं रामध्यानपुरःसरम्
Hearing my words and reflecting, Lomaśa then explained everything to me, beginning with the meditation on Rāma.
शृणु विप्रेंद्र वक्ष्यामि यत्पृष्टं तु त्वयानघ । यथा तुष्येद्रमानाथः संसारज्वरदाहकः
Listen, O foremost of Brāhmins, I will tell you what you have asked, O sinless one—how Rāma, the lord who burns the fever of worldly existence, may be pleased.