Adhyaya 12: Supratīka’s Hymn to Rāma and the Granting of a Boon through Divine Manifestation

Verse 1

श्रीवराह उवाच । ततः पुत्रं रथाङ्गाग्निदग्धं श्रुत्वा नृपोत्तमः । सुप्रतीकः प्रतीतात्मा चिन्तयामास पार्थिवः । तस्य चिन्तयतस्त्वेवं तदा बुद्धिरजायत ॥ १२.१ ॥

Śrī Varāha said: Then, having heard that his son had been burned by the fire of the discus (rathāṅga), the foremost of kings—Supratīka, a ruler of composed understanding—fell into reflection. As he was thus contemplating, a resolve (a course of thought) arose in his mind.

Verse 2

चित्रकूटे गिरौ विष्णुः सदा रामेति कीर्त्यते । ततोऽहं रामसंज्ञेन नाम्ना स्तौमि जगत्पतिम् ॥ १२.२ ॥

On the mountain of Citrakūṭa, Viṣṇu is always celebrated by the name “Rāma.” Therefore, I praise the Lord of the world using the appellation “Rāma.”

Verse 3

सुप्रतीक उवाच । नमामि रामं नरनाथमच्युतं कविं पुराणं त्रिदशारिनाशनम् । शिवस्वरूपं प्रभवं महेश्वरं सदा प्रपन्नार्तिहरं धृतश्रियम् ॥ १२.३ ॥

Supratīka said: “I bow to Rāma—Acyuta, the lord among men; the seer, the ancient one, the destroyer of the foes of the gods; of auspicious nature, the source, the great sovereign—ever the remover of the distress of those who seek refuge, and the bearer of enduring splendor.”

Verse 4

भवान् सदा देव समस्ततेजसां करोषि तेजांसि समस्तरूपधृक् । क्षितौ भवान् पञ्चगुणस्तथा जले चतुःप्रकारस्त्रिविधोऽथ तेजसि । द्विधाऽथ वायौ वियति प्रतिष्ठितो भवान् हरे शब्दवपुः पुमानसि ॥ १२.४ ॥

O Deity, you continually bring forth the powers (tejas) of all luminous beings, assuming all forms. In earth you are constituted by five qualities; in water by four; in fire by three; in wind by two; and, established in space—O Hari—you are the Person whose body is sound.

Verse 5

भवान् शशी सूर्यहुताशनोऽसि त्वयि प्रलीनं जगदेतदुच्यते । भवत्प्रतिष्ठं रमते जगत् यतः स्तुतोऽसि रामेति जगत् प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥ १२.५ ॥

You are the Moon, the Sun, and the sacrificial fire. It is said that this entire world dissolves into you. Since the world abides and finds its stability in you, you are praised as “Rāma”; the world is established in you.

Verse 6

भवार्णवे दुःखतरोर्मिसङ्कुले तथाक्षमाणाग्रहणेऽतिभीषणे । न मज्जति त्वत्स्मरणप्लवो नरः स्मृतोऽसि रामेति तथा तपोवने ॥ १२.६ ॥

In the ocean of becoming (saṃsāra)—crowded with waves that are trees of suffering, and terrifying with the grasping of relentless forces—one who has the raft of remembrance of you does not sink. Thus you are remembered as “Rāma,” even in the ascetic forest (tapovana).

Verse 7

वेदेषु नष्टेषु भवांस्तथा हरे करोषि मात्स्यं वपुरात्मनः सदा । युगक्षये रञ्जितसर्वदिङ्मुखो भवांस्तथाग्निर्बहुरूपधृग्विभो ॥ १२.७ ॥

When the Vedas have been lost, you, O Hari, assume your own form as the Fish again and again. At the end of an aeon, you become Fire—your face turned toward and illuminating all directions—O powerful one, bearer of many forms.

Verse 8

कौर्मं तथा ते वपुरास्थितः सदा युगे युगे माधव तोयमन्थने । न चान्यदस्तीति भवत्समं क्वचिज्जनार्दनाद्यः स्वयं भूतमुत्तमम् ॥ १२.८ ॥

And so, O Mādhava, you have ever assumed that tortoise-form in every age at the churning of the waters. Indeed, nowhere is there anything equal to you—(you) Janārdana, who are yourself the supreme being.

Verse 9

त्वया ततम् विश्वमिदं महात्मन् स्वकाखिलान् वेद दिशश्च सर्वाः । कथं त्वमाद्यं परमं तु धाम विहाय चान्यं शरणं व्रजामि ॥ १२.९ ॥

O great-souled one, by you this entire universe is pervaded; you know all that is your own—everything in its entirety—and all the directions. How could I, abandoning you—the primordial one, the supreme abode—go to any other refuge?

Verse 10

भवान् एकः पूर्वम् आसीत् ततश्च त्वत्तो मही सलिलं वह्निरुच्चैः । वायुस् तथा खं च मनोऽपि बुद्धि-श्चेतोगुणास्तत्प्रभवं च सर्वम् ॥ १२.१० ॥

You alone existed in the beginning; thereafter, from you arose the earth, the waters, the fire (aloft), the wind, and the sky; also mind and intellect, the mental qualities, and indeed all that originates from them.

Verse 11

त्वया ततं विश्वमिदं समस्तं सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे । समस्तविश्वेश्वर विश्वमूर्ते सहस्रबाहो जय देव देव । नमोऽस्तु रामाय महानुभाव ॥ १२.११ ॥

By you this entire universe is pervaded in its totality; in my understanding you are the eternal Purusha. O Lord of all the universe, O embodiment of the cosmos, O thousand-armed one—victory to you, O God of gods. Homage be to Rāma, the great-souled one.

Verse 12

इति स्तुतो देववरः प्रसन्नः तदा राज्ञः सुप्रतीकस्य मूर्तिम् । संदर्शयामास ततोऽभ्युवाच वरं वृणीष्वेति च सुप्रतीकम् ॥ १२.१२ ॥

Thus praised, the excellent god became gracious. Then he revealed his own form to King Supratīka; thereafter he addressed Supratīka, saying, “Choose a boon.”

Verse 13

एवं श्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य राजा ससम्भ्रमं देवदेवं प्रणम्य । उवाच देवेश्वर मे प्रयच्छ लयं यदास्ते परमं वपुस्ते ॥ १२.१३ ॥

Having thus heard his words, the king—filled with reverent agitation—bowed to the God of gods and said: “O Lord of the gods, grant to me that laya (dissolution) in which your supreme form abides.”

Verse 14

इतीरिते राजवरः क्षणेन लयं तथाऽगादसुरघ्नमूर्तौ । स्थितस्तस्मिन्नात्मभूतो विमुक्तः स भूमिपः कर्मकाण्डैरनेकैः ॥ १२.१४ ॥

When this had been spoken, the excellent king, in an instant, passed into laya in that form which is the slayer of the asuras. Established in that state—self-originated and liberated—that ruler of the earth was thus freed, despite the many ritual procedures (karma-kāṇḍas).

Verse 15

श्रीवराह उवाच । इतीरितं ते तु मया पुराणं स्वायम्भुवे चादिकृतैकदेशम् । शक्यं न चास्यैर्बहुभिः सहस्रैरपीह केनापि मुखेन वक्तुम् ॥ १२.१५ ॥

Śrī Varāha said: “Thus, I have recounted to you this Purāṇa—a portion first composed in the Svāyambhuva (Manu’s) era. Yet even with many thousands of mouths, it is not possible for anyone here to fully speak it.”

Verse 16

उद्देशतः संस्मृतमात्रमेतन् मया भद्रे कथितं ते पुराणम् । समुद्रतोयात् परिमाणसृष्टिः क्वचित् क्वचिद् वृत्तमथो ह्यनर्घ्यम् ॥ १२.१६ ॥

O noble lady, I have told you this Purāṇa only in outline, as much as could be recalled. From the ocean’s waters arises the account of measures and creation; and here and there are narratives—indeed, of inestimable worth.

Verse 17

स्वयम्भुवा कथितं ब्रह्मणाऽपि नारायणेनेपि कुतो भवेऽन्यः । अशक्यमस्माभिरितीरितं ते तन्मूर्त्तित्वात् स्मरणेनेदमाद्यम् ॥ १२.१७ ॥

This has been narrated even by Svayambhū (Brahmā), and by Brahmā as well; and even by Nārāyaṇa—how then could any other being do so? We are unable to describe it to you; yet, because it has taken form, this primordial reality is to be recalled through remembrance.

Verse 18

समुद्रे बालुकासंख्या विद्यते रजसः क्षितौ । न तु सृष्टेः पुनः संख्या क्रीडतः परमेष्ठिनः ॥ १२.१८ ॥

The grains of sand in the ocean can be numbered, and the particles of dust upon the earth can be numbered; but the number of creations of the Parameṣṭhin as he plays cannot be numbered.

Verse 19

एष नारायणस्यांशो मया प्रोक्तः शुचिस्मिते । क्रीते वृत्तान्त एषश्च किमन्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ १२.१९ ॥

O you of pure smile, I have narrated this portion concerning Nārāyaṇa. This is the episode as it occurred—what else do you wish to hear?