शिखां मे पातु विश्वात्मा कर्णौ मे पातु कामदः । पार्श्वयोस्तु सुरत्राता कालकोटिदुरासदः
May the soul of the universe protect my crown, the fulfiller of desires my ears; may the protector of the gods, difficult to approach even for Death, guard my sides.
अनंतः सर्वदा पातु शरीरं विश्वनायकः । जिह्वां मे पातु पापघ्नो लोकशिक्षाप्रवर्त्तकः
May the endless Lord, leader of the universe, always protect my body; may the destroyer of sin, the initiator of the world's instruction, protect my tongue.
राघवः पातु मे दंतान्केशान्रक्षतु केशवः । सक्थिनी पातु मे दत्त विजयो नाम विश्वसृक्
May Rāghava protect my teeth, may Keśava guard my hair; may Datta protect my thighs, and may the one named Vijaya, the creator of the universe, protect me.
एतां रामबलोपेतां रक्षां यो वै पुमान्पठेत् । स चिरायुः सुखी विद्वान्लभते दिव्यसंपदम्
Whoever recites this protection, endowed with the strength of Rāma, that man attains long life, happiness, wisdom, and divine prosperity.
रक्षां करोति भूतेभ्यः सदा रक्षा तु वैष्णवी । रामेति रामभद्रेति रामचंद्रेति यः स्मरेत्
This protection always wards off beings; it is truly Vaiṣṇava protection. Whoever remembers 'Rāma', 'Rāmabhadra', or 'Rāmacandra',
विमुक्तः स नरः पापान्मुक्तिं प्राप्नोति शाश्वतीम् । वसिष्ठेन इदं प्रोक्तं गुरवे विष्णुरूपिणे
that man is freed from sins and attains eternal liberation. This was spoken by Vasiṣṭha to the guru who is the form of Viṣṇu.
ततो मे ब्रह्मणः प्राप्तं मयोक्तं नारदं प्रति । नारदेन तु भूर्लोके प्रापितं सुजनेष्विह
Then I received it from Brahmā and have spoken it to Nārada; and Nārada has conveyed it to the good people on earth.
सुप्त्वावाथ गृहे वापि मार्गे गच्छंत एव वा । ये पठंति नरश्रेष्ठास्ते नराः पुण्यभागिनः
Whether sleeping, at home, or traveling on the road, those best of men who recite this are truly fortunate and blessed.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे रामक्षास्तोत्रंनाम त्रिसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa, in the section of fifty-five thousand verses, in the Uttarakhaṇḍa, in the dialogue of Umāpati and Nārada, this is the seventy-third chapter named 'The Hymn of Rāma's Protection.'
महादेव उवाच- शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्ममाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । यच्छ्रुत्वा न पुनर्जन्म जायते भुवि कर्हिचित्
Mahādeva said: Listen, O goddess, I will declare the supreme greatness of dharma; by hearing this, one is never born again on earth.
धर्मादर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं चैतत्त्रयं लभेत् । तस्माद्धर्मं समीहेत विद्वान्यः स बुधः स्मृतः
From dharma, one attains wealth, desire, and liberation—these three. Therefore, the wise should strive for dharma; such a one is called learned.
तपसा चैव दानेन व्रतेन नियमेन च । तपसा प्राप्यते स्वर्गः सात्विकेन तथैव च
By austerity, by giving, by vows, and by discipline—by austerity, heaven is attained, and likewise by the quality of goodness.
इहायातो लभेद्राज्यं क्रोधलोभविवर्जितः । जन्मांतरेण मुक्तिः स्यात्पदं विंदति वैष्णवम्
One who comes here, free from anger and greed, obtains sovereignty; in another birth, liberation is attained, and the Vaiṣṇava state is reached.
तपसा राजसेनेह राजसश्चैव जायते । तप्त्वा तामसभावेन क्रूरकर्मा हि निष्ठुरः
By royal austerity here, one is born as a royal person; but by practicing with a dark nature, a cruel person performs harsh deeds.
तपस्तद्रक्षसां चोक्तं भुक्तिदं तामसात्मनाम् । यत्तप्तं सात्विकं चैव तत्तपो भवति ध्रुवम्
The austerity prescribed for demons grants enjoyment to those of dark nature; but whatever is practiced with goodness, that austerity is certainly true.
रजस्तमोभ्यां नियतं तपस्यां वने सतां वायुभुजां सुनिर्जने । तपस्विनां चैव धनादिवांच्छतां वनेऽपि दोषाः प्रभवंति रागिणाम्
Through passion and darkness, even in the forest among the virtuous who live on air in solitude, faults arise for those who desire wealth, even among ascetics.
गृहेऽपि पंचेंद्रियनिग्रहस्तपस्त्वकुत्सिते कर्मणि यः प्रवर्त्तते । निवृत्तरागस्य तपोवनं गृहं गृहाश्रमोऽतो गदितः स्वधर्मः
Even at home, the restraint of the five senses is austerity; but one who engages in impure actions—if his passion is subdued, his home is like a forest of ascetics, and thus the householder's path is called one's own dharma.
सुदुस्तरः सत्वजितेंद्रियाणां संहन्यते श्रेष्ठतमः शुभाश्रमः । गृहस्तु धर्मः प्रवरो मनीषिणां ब्रह्मादिभिश्चाभिहितो नगात्मजे
For those who have conquered their senses, the highest and most auspicious stage is extremely difficult to attain; but for the wise, the householder's dharma is declared best, even by Brahmā and others, O daughter of the mountain.
तप्त्वा तपस्वी विपिने क्षुधार्तो गृहं समायाति सदान्नदातुः । भक्त्या स चान्नं प्रददाति तस्मै तपोविभागं भजते हि तस्य
When an ascetic, afflicted by hunger, comes from the forest to the house of one who always gives food, and that person gives food with devotion, he partakes in the merit of the ascetic's austerity.
गृहाश्रमं ज्येष्ठमिहाश्रमाणां सम्यक्च यः पालयते मनुष्यः । इहैव भुंजन्समनुष्यभोगान्स्वर्गं प्रयातीति न संशयोऽत्र । गृहं सदा पालयतां नराणां पापं समायाति कथं हि देवि
Among all the stages of life, the householder's is the foremost; whoever properly maintains it, enjoying human pleasures here, surely attains heaven—of this there is no doubt. How could sin approach those who always uphold the householder's life, O goddess?
गृहाश्रमः पुण्यतमः सर्वदा तीर्थवद्गृहम् । अस्मिन्गृहाश्रमे पुण्ये दानं देयं विशेषतः
The householder stage is most holy, and the home is always like a sacred pilgrimage place; in this sacred householder life, one should especially give gifts.
देवानां पूजनं यत्र अतिथीनां च भोजनम् । पथिकानां च शरणं अतो धन्यतमो मतः
Where the gods are worshipped, guests are fed, and travelers are given shelter, that is considered most blessed.
तद्गृहं तु समाश्रित्य येऽर्चयंति द्विजान्नराः । आयुर्लक्ष्मीस्तथा पुत्रा न हीयंते कदाचन
Those people who, taking refuge in such a home, honor the twice-born, never suffer loss of lifespan, wealth, or children.
शृणु सुंदरि वक्ष्यामि महापापविशोधनम् । सर्वसंपत्करं दानं इहामुत्रफलप्रदम्
Listen, O beautiful one, I will tell you of a great purifier of sins: the giving of gifts, which brings all prosperity and yields results both here and hereafter.
शुभेकाले समायाते समभ्यर्च्य स्वदैवतम् । नित्यं नैमित्तकं कृत्वा दद्याद्दानं स्वशक्तितः
When an auspicious time arrives, having properly worshipped one’s chosen deity, and having performed daily and occasional rites, one should give gifts according to one’s ability.
गृहीत्वा परद्रव्यं च द्विजदेवेभ्य एव हि । दद्यात्स निरयं दृष्ट्वा पश्चाद्याति परां गतिम्
If one gives to the twice-born and the gods, even after having taken another’s wealth, seeing hell, he later attains the highest state.
शतानीको यथा दानात्सपुत्रश्चैव तारितः । दत्त्वान्ये च द्विजेभ्यश्च स गंता धर्मतो दिवम्
Just as Shatānīka was saved along with his son by giving gifts, so too, one who gives to the twice-born will go to heaven by righteousness.
धर्मस्थानेषु यैर्दत्तं तेषां धर्ममुदाहृतम् । शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि वित्तदानं समासतः
Those who give in places of righteousness are declared to have righteousness; listen, O goddess, I will briefly explain the giving of wealth.
देहशुद्धिकरं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । पापहीनो येन पुमान्जायते नात्र संशयः
There has never been, nor will there be, a gift that purifies the body as this does; by it, a man is born free from sin—of this there is no doubt.
भोगान्भुक्त्वा ततश्चायं याति विष्णुं सनातनम् । पुरा वै ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं भार्गवाय महात्मने
After enjoying pleasures, he then attains the eternal Vishnu; this was formerly spoken by Brahmā to the great-souled Bhārgava.