Bhakti Arohan
ॐ

Sundarkand — Doha 44

The Vow of Refuge

Doha 44: The Vow of Refuge

Even the gravest sinner is accepted once he turns to Rama; only a pure heart reaches him.

Verse 44.1

कोटि बिप्र बध लागहिं जाहू। आएँ सरन तजउँ नहिं ताहू॥ सनमुख होइ जीव मोहि जबहीं। जन्म कोटि अघ नासहिं तबहीं॥ १ ॥

koṭi bipra badha lāgahiṁ jāhū āem̐ sarana tajaum̐ nahiṁ tāhū sanamukha hoi jīva mohi jabahīṁ janma koṭi agha nāsahiṁ tabahīṁ

Translation

"Even one guilty of killing ten million brahmins, if he comes to me for refuge, I will not abandon. The moment a soul turns to face me, the sins of ten million births are destroyed.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

"जिसे करोड़ों ब्राह्मणों की हत्या का पाप लगा हो, शरण में आने पर मैं उसे भी नहीं त्यागता। जीव जब मेरे सम्मुख होता है, उसी समय उसके करोड़ों जन्मों के पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं।

Commentary

Killing a brahmin was counted the gravest of sins in the scriptures. Rama's vow deliberately picks the worst imaginable case to show that refuge is refused to no one.

Verse 44.2

पापवंत कर सहज सुभाऊ। भजनु मोर तेहि भाव न काऊ॥ जौं पै दुष्ट हृदय सोइ होई। मोरें सनमुख आव कि सोई॥ २ ॥

pāpavaṁta kara sahaja subhāū bhajanu mora tehi bhāva na kāū jauṁ pai duṣhṭa hṛidaya soi hoī moreṁ sanamukha āva ki soī

Translation

"It is the natural way of the sinful that worship of me never appeals to them. If he were really wicked at heart, would he come before me at all?

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

"पापी का यह सहज स्वभाव होता है कि मेरा भजन उसे कभी अच्छा नहीं लगता। यदि वह सचमुच दुष्ट हृदय वाला होता, तो क्या मेरे सामने आता?

Commentary

Rama's reasoning answers Sugriva's fear: the very act of coming to him for refuge is evidence of a changed heart.

Verse 44.3

निर्मल मन जन सो मोहि पावा। मोहि कपट छल छिद्र न भावा॥ भेद लेन पठवा दससीसा। तबहुँ न कछु भय हानि कपीसा॥ ३ ॥

nirmala mana jana so mohi pāvā mohi kapaṭa chhala chhidra na bhāvā bheda lena paṭhavā dasasīsā tabahum̐ na kachhu bhaya hāni kapīsā

Translation

"Only one with a pure mind reaches me; I do not like deceit, trickery or fault-finding. And even if the ten-headed one has sent him to spy, king of monkeys, there is no fear or harm in it.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

"निर्मल मन वाला व्यक्ति ही मुझे पाता है, मुझे कपट, छल और छिद्र (दोष ढूँढना) अच्छे नहीं लगते। और हे कपिराज! यदि रावण ने इसे भेद लेने भेजा हो, तब भी कोई भय या हानि नहीं है।

Commentary

"Nirmala mana jana so mohi pava, mohi kapata chhala chhidra na bhava" is one of the most frequently quoted lines of the Manas as a summary of what God asks of a devotee.

Verse 44.4

जग महुँ सखा निसाचर जेते। लछिमनु हनइ निमिष महुँ तेते॥ जौं सभीत आवा सरनाईं। रखिहउँ ताहि प्रान की नाईं॥ ४ ॥

jaga mahum̐ sakhā nisāchara jete lachhimanu hanai nimiṣha mahum̐ tete jauṁ sabhīta āvā saranāīṁ rakhihaum̐ tāhi prāna kī nāīṁ

Translation

"Friend, all the demons in the world Lakshman can kill in the blink of an eye. And if he has come in fear seeking refuge, I will guard him like my own life."

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

"हे मित्र! संसार में जितने राक्षस हैं, लक्ष्मण उन सबको पल भर में मार सकते हैं। और यदि वह डरकर शरण में आया है, तो मैं उसे प्राणों की तरह रखूँगा।"

Verse 44.5

उभय भाँति तेहि आनहु हँसि कह कृपानिकेत। जय कृपाल कहि कपि चले अंगद हनू समेत॥ ४४ ॥

ubhaya bhām̐ti tehi ānahu ham̐si kaha kṛipāniketa jaya kṛipāla kahi kapi chale aṁgada hanū sameta

Translation

"Either way, bring him here," said the abode of mercy with a smile. Crying "Victory to the compassionate one!" the monkeys went, with Angada and Hanuman.

Hindi Meaning (हिंदी अर्थ)

कृपा के धाम प्रभु ने हँसकर कहा, "दोनों ही स्थितियों में उसे ले आओ।" "कृपालु की जय हो" कहते हुए वानर अंगद और हनुमान के साथ चले।

Contents
  1. Mangalacharan
  2. Doha 1: The Leap
  3. Doha 2: Surasa's Test
  4. Doha 3: First Sight of Lanka
  5. Doha 4: Lankini
  6. Doha 5: Searching the Palaces
  7. Doha 6: Meeting Vibhishana
  8. Doha 7: The Tongue among the Teeth
  9. Doha 8: Sita in the Ashoka Grove
  10. Doha 9: The Firefly and the Lotus
  11. Doha 10: Chandrahasa
  12. Doha 11: Trijata's Dream
  13. Doha 12: The Ring Falls
  14. Doha 13: Hanuman Reveals Himself
  15. Doha 14: Has He Forgotten Me?
  16. Doha 15: Rama's Message
  17. Doha 16: The Golden-Mountain Form
  18. Doha 17: Sita's Blessing
  19. Doha 18: Wrecking the Grove
  20. Doha 19: Meghanada and the Brahmastra
  21. Doha 20: In Ravana's Court
  22. Doha 21: On Whose Strength?
  23. Doha 22: The Envoy's Plea
  24. Doha 23: Wealth without Rama
  25. Doha 24: Punishment for the Envoy
  26. Doha 25: The Burning Tail
  27. Doha 26: Lanka Burns
  28. Doha 27: The Crest-Jewel
  29. Doha 28: The Return
  30. Doha 29: Before Rama
  31. Doha 30: Jambavan's Report
  32. Doha 31: Sita's Words
  33. Doha 32: A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid
  34. Doha 33: All by Your Glory
  35. Doha 34: The Boon of Devotion
  36. Doha 35: The March to the Sea
  37. Doha 36: Mandodari's Plea
  38. Doha 37: Flattering Counsel
  39. Doha 38: Vibhishana's Counsel
  40. Doha 39: Rama Is Not Merely a King
  41. Doha 40: Good Sense and Bad
  42. Doha 41: Vibhishana Is Cast Out
  43. Doha 42: Longing for Rama's Feet
  44. Doha 43: Sugriva's Suspicion
  45. Doha 44: The Vow of Refuge
  46. Doha 45: Vibhishana before Rama
  47. Doha 46: The Embrace
  48. Doha 47: Vibhishana's Hymn
  49. Doha 48: The Marks of a Devotee
  50. Doha 49: Vibhishana Crowned
  51. Doha 50: How to Cross the Ocean
  52. Doha 51: Before the Ocean
  53. Doha 52: The Spies Caught
  54. Doha 53: Ravana's Questions
  55. Doha 54: Shuka's Report
  56. Doha 55: Natural Heroes
  57. Doha 56: Lakshman's Letter
  58. Doha 57: Without Fear There Is No Love
  59. Doha 58: The Fire-Arrow
  60. Doha 59: The Ocean Surrenders
  61. Doha 60: Nala and Nila; Conclusion