Ramacharithra Manjari

Ramacharithra Manjari (translation by Sri Kesava Rao Tadipatri)

श्रीमान् पूर्वं प्रजातो दशरथनृपते रामनामाऽथ नीतो
विश्वामित्रेण मन्त्राहृदनुजसहितस्ताटकां घातकोऽस्त्रम् ।
ब्राह्माद्यं प्राप्य हत्वा निशिचरनिकरं यज्ञपालो विमोच्या–
हल्यां शापाच्च भङ्क्त्वा शिवधनुरुपयन् जानकीं नः प्रसीदेत् ॥ १॥

“(At the request of gods like Brahma), Lord Narayana incarnated as the son of Dasharatha, accompanied Vishvamitra along with Laxmana, killed Tataka, acquired Brahmastra, etc. from Vishvamitra, killed the demons, saved the sacrifice, freed Ahalya from the curse, broke the bow of Shiva and married Sita devi. May such Lord save us”.

आयन् रामः सभार्योध्वनि निजसहजैर्भार्गवेष्वासरोषा–
त्तद्गं हत्वा  सुरारिं पुरग उत नुतस्तापसैर्भूपपृष्ठैः ।
कल्याणानन्तधर्मोऽगुणलवरहितः प्राणिनामन्तरात्मे–
त्याद्युक्तश्चाभिषेके पुरजनमहितो मह्यतां मे वचोभिः ॥ २॥

“While Rama was returning to Ayodhya along with his wife and brothers, killed the demon (Atula) residing in Lord Parashurama [with the pretext] of sending an arrow against Parashurama, reached Ayodhya. He was praised by sages and kings as full of all auspicious qualities and devoid of all flaws and the innner prompter of all beings and was approved by them and the citizens to be coronated as king. May such Lord be pleased with my stotra”.

कैकेयीप्रीतिहेतोः स सहजनृपजोवल्कली यानरण्यं
गङ्गातारी गुहार्च्यः कृतरुचिरजटो गीष्पतेः पुत्रमान्यः ।
तीर्त्वा कृष्णां प्रयातोऽवतु निजममलं चित्रकूटं प्रपन्नं
स्वाम्बाभिर्भ्रातरं तं श्रुतजनकगतिः सान्त्वयन् व्युप्ततीर्थः ॥ ३॥

In order to please Kaikeyi, Sri Rama, along with Sita and Laxmana, wore saintly garb, went to the forest and crossed river Ganga. He was worshipped by Guha. He changed His hair into effulgent “jaTa”(locked hair). He was meditated upon by Brihaspathi’s son Bharadvaja. He reached Chitrakuta by crosing Krishna river, heard about his father’s death through his brothers and mothers, performed the last rites after consoling everyone. May such Lord Rama protect us.

दत्त्वास्मै पादुकॆ स्वॆ क्शितिभरणकृतौ प्रॆश्य तं काकनॆत्रं
व्यस्याराध्यॊऽत्रिनाम्ना वनमथ समितॊ दन्डकं तापसॆष्टं ।
खुर्वन् हत्वा विराधं खलकुलदमनं याचितस्तापसाग्रैः
तॆषां दत्वाऽभयं स्वानसिधनुरिषुधीन्यानगस्त्यात् पायात् ॥ ४ ॥

Lord Rama gave his pAduka to Bharata, entrusted the welfare of the kingdom to him and destroyed Kakasura residing in [Jayanta’s] eye (#). He was worshipped by Atri, reached Dandakaranya, the favourite place of rishis, killed Virata, gave “abhaya” to the rishis, who pleaded Him to kill evil demons. He retrieved his sword, bow, arrows and quiver from Agastya maharshi. May such Rama protect us.

आसीनः पञ्चवट्यामकुरुत विकृतां राक्षसीं यो द्विसप्त–
क्रव्यादानप्यनेकानथ खरमवधीद् दूषणं च त्रिशीर्षम् ।
मारीचं मार्गरूपं दशवदनहृतामाकृतिं भूमिजायाः
अन्विष्यन्नार्तगृध्रं स्वगतिमथ नयन् मामवेत् घ्नन् कबन्धम् ॥ ५॥

Rama, who stayed at Panchavati, deformed Shurpanakha through Laxmana, killed 14,000 rakshasas along with Khara, Dushhana and Trishira. He also killed Maricha, disguised as deer, searched the “image of Sita”, who was abducted by Ravana. He was informed of that news by Jatayu, who was hurt [by Ravana]. He [gave mukti to Jatayu and] killed Kabandha. May such Rama protect us.

पम्पातीरं स गच्छन्निह कृतवसतिर्भक्तितुष्टः शबर्यै
दत्वा मुक्तिं प्रकुर्वन् हनुमत उदितं प्राप्तसुग्रीवसख्यम् ।
सप्त च्छित्वा तालान् विधिवरबलिनो वालिभित्सूर्यसूनुं
कुर्वाणो राज्यपालं समवतु निवसन् माल्यवत्कन्दरेऽसौ ॥ ६॥

Lord Rama went to Pampa tIra, stayed there. He was pleased with Shabari’s devotion and granted moxa to her. After meeting Hanuman, He befriended Sugriva, felled seven palm trees [there by killing the mighty demons hiding in them]. He killed mighty Vali, coronated his brother Sugriva. May that Shri Rama, who stayed in the cave of Malya mountain, protect us.

नीत्वा मासान् कपीशानिह दश हरितः प्रेष्य सीतां विचित्या–
ऽयात श्रीमद्धनूमद्गिरमथ समनुश्रुत्य गच्छन् कपीन्द्रैः ।
सुग्रीवाद्यैरसङ्ख्यैर्दशमुखसहजं मानयन्नब्धिवाचा
दैत्यघ्नः सेतुकारी रिपुपुररुदवेद्वानरैर्वैरिघाती ॥ ७॥

[Lord Rama] spent some months [at Malya cave], sent vAnarAs in all ten directions in search of Sita and heard from Sri Hanuman the whereabouts of Sita, went with Sugriva and other vAnarAs, gave refuge to Vibhishna, brother of Ravana, killed some demons on the words of god of ocean, built a bridge [across the ocean] and besieged Lanka, the city of the enemies with the help of the vAnarAs. May that Lord Rama, protect us.

भग्नं कृत्वा दशास्यं गुरुतरवपुषं कुम्भकर्णं निहत्य
प्रध्वस्ताशेषनागं पदकमलनतं तार्क्ष्यमानन्द्य रामः ।
सर्वानुज्जीवयन्तं गिरिधरमनघश्चाञ्जनेयं कपीन् स्वान्
विज्ञानास्त्रेण रक्षन् समवतु दमयंल्लक्ष्मणाच्छक्रशत्रुम् ॥ ८॥

Lord Rama created fear in Ravana, killed the gigantic Kumbhakarna, destroyed all the nagastras discharged by Indrajit, pleased Garuda who came to worship the Lord Rama, brought back to life all the vanaras through Hanuman who brought Sanjivini mountain. may such Lord Rama, who is free from all flaws and bondage, who saved all the vanaras with vij~nanastra and killed Indrajit through Laxmana, protect us.

क्रव्यादान् घ्नन्न्सङ्ख्यानपि दशवदनं ब्रह्मपूर्वैः सुरेशैः
पुष्पैराकीर्यमाणो हुतवहविमलामाप्य सीतां विधाय ।
रक्षोनाथं स्वभक्तं स्वपुरमथ गतः पुष्पकस्थः समस्तैः
साम्रज्ये चाभिषिक्तो निजजनमखिलं मानयन् मे गतिः स्यात् ॥ ९॥

Lord Rama killed countless demons including Ravana. He was showered with flowers by Brahma and all the gods. He made the flawless Sita enter the fire, coronated His devotee Vibhishana as the king of rakxasas, reached Ayodya with his devotees in Pushpaka vimana, got coronated and thereby pleased all His devotees. May such Lord Rama be my refuge.

रक्षन् क्षोणीं समृद्धां नुत उत मुनिभिर्मानयन् वायुसूनुं
प्रेष्यादित्यात्मजादीन् व्यतनुत भरतं यौवराज्येऽनुमान्य ।
कार्ये सौमित्रिमार्तश्वगदितकृदरिघ्नोऽथ शत्रुघ्नतो यो
हत्वाऽसौ दुष्टशूद्रं द्विजसुतगुबवेत् कुम्भजान्मालभारी ॥ १०॥

Lord Rama ruled and protected the earth with abundance. He was extolled by the sages. He specially blessed Vayu putra Sri Hanuman and sent back Sugriva and other vAnarAs to their respective places, made Bharata the crown prince, appointed Laxmana as His assistant, fulfilled the desire of a sad dog [who prayed that the person who beat him for no fault should be made as a ‘bell man’ at the temple], killed the enemies through Shatrughna, killed the wicked shudra tapasvi and rescued the brahmin’s son, wore the garland given by Agastya R^ishi. May such Rama protect us.

यज्ञं तन्वन् त्रिकोटीन् व्यतुदत भरताद्योऽसुरानीशवाक्या–
द्यास्यन् धामात्रिपुत्रं भुजिमथ स नयन्नात्मसूनू स्वराज्ये ।
कॄत्वा श्रीह्रीहनूमद् धृतविमलचलच्चामरच्छत्रशोभी
ब्रह्माद्यैः स्तूयमानो निजपुरविलसत्पादपद्मोऽवतान्माम् ॥ ११॥

Lord Rama performed Ashwameda Yaga, destroyed three crore demons through Bharata, while going to Vaikunta as per the wish of Lord Shiva, fed Atri’s son Durvasa, coronated His sons Lava and Kusha. May such Lord, who is served with chowrie (chAmara) and parasol (chhatra) by shrI devi, bhU devi and Hanumantha, extolled by Brahma and others. May the effulgent lotus feet of such Lord in Vaikuntha protect me.

इति श्रीरामचरित्रमञ्जरी लेशतः कृता ।
राघ्वेन्द्रेण यतिना भूयाद्रामप्रसाददा ॥ १२॥

May this work Sri Rama Charitra Manjari, composed in brief by Sri Raghavendra Yati, help in yielding the grace of Lord Sri Rama.

॥ इति श्रीमत्सुधीन्द्रकरकमलसञ्जात राघवेन्द्रयतिकृता श्रीरामचारित्रमञ्जरी सम्पूर्णा ॥

Ramacharitramanjari