Adhyaya 45: Ritual Procedure for Worship of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in the Month of Jyeṣṭha

Verse 1

दुर्वासा उवाच । ज्येष्ठमासेऽप्येवमेवं संकल्प्य विधिना नरः । अर्चयेत् परमं देवं पुष्पैर्नानाविधैः शुभैः ॥ ४५.१ ॥

Durvāsā said: “Even in the month of Jyeṣṭha, having thus formed the intention (saṅkalpa) in the prescribed manner, a person should worship the Supreme Deity with auspicious flowers of many kinds.”

Verse 2

नमो रामाभिरामाय पादौ पूर्वं समर्चयेत् । त्रिविक्रमायेति कटिं धृतविश्वाय चोदरम् ॥ ४५.२ ॥

One should first worship the feet with the salutation, “Homage to Rāma, the supremely delightful.” Then one should worship the waist with the formula “to Trivikrama,” and the belly with the formula “to the bearer of the universe.”

Verse 3

उरः संवत्सरायेति कण्ठं संवर्त्तकाय च । सर्वास्त्रधारिणे बाहू स्वनाम्ना अब्जरथाङ्गकौ ॥ ४५.३ ॥

“(He assigns) the chest to Saṃvatsara and the throat to Saṃvarttaka; and the two arms—bearers of all weapons—are called by their own names ‘Abjaratha’ and ‘Aṅgaka.’”

Verse 4

सहस्रशीर्षेऽभ्यर्च्य शिरस्तस्य महात्मनः । एवमभ्यर्च्य विधिवत् प्रागुक्तं कुम्भं विन्यसेत् ॥ ४५.४ ॥

Having worshipped (the deity) as “Sahasraśīrṣa,” and likewise worshipped the head of that great-souled one, having thus worshipped in due prescribed manner, one should set in place the previously mentioned ritual pitcher (kumbha).

Verse 5

प्राग्वद् वस्त्रयुगच्छन्नौ सौवर्णौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । अर्चयित्वा विधानॆन प्रभाते ब्राह्मणाय तौ । दातव्यौ मनसा काममीहता पुरुषेण तु ॥ ४५.५ ॥

As previously described, the golden (images of) Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, covered with a pair of garments, having been worshipped according to prescription, should at dawn be given to a brāhmaṇa by the person who seeks the fulfillment of his intended desire.

Verse 6

अपुत्रेण पुरा पृष्टो राज्ञा दशरथेन च । पुत्रकामपरः पश्चाद् वसिष्ठः परमार्चितः ॥ ४५.६ ॥

Formerly, King Daśaratha—being without a son—questioned him; thereafter, intent upon obtaining offspring, Vasiṣṭha was duly honored with the highest reverence.

Verse 7

इदमेव विधानं तु कथयामास स द्विजः । प्राग्राहस्यं विदित्वा तु स राजा कृतवानिदम् ॥ ४५.७ ॥

That brāhmaṇa (dvija) explained precisely this prescribed procedure; and the king, having understood the earlier instruction/secret (prāgrāhasya), carried it out accordingly.

Verse 8

तस्य पुत्रः स्वयं जज्ञे रामनामाऽसुतो बली । चतुर्द्धा सोऽव्ययो विष्णुः परितुष्टो महामुने । एतदैहिकमाख्यातं पारत्रिकमतः शृणु ॥ ४५.८ ॥

From him a son was born of himself—an energetic son named Rāma. That imperishable Viṣṇu, manifested in fourfold form, was satisfied, O great sage. This concerns what pertains to the present world; now listen to what pertains to the hereafter.

Verse 9

तावद् भोगान् भुञ्जते स्वर्गसंस्थो यावदिन्द्राः दश च द्विद्विसंख्याः । अतीतकाले पुनरेत्य मर्त्यो भवेत राजा शतयज्ञयाजी । नश्यन्ति पापानि च तस्य पुंसः प्राप्नोति निर्वाणमलं च शाश्वतम् ॥ ४५.९ ॥

So long does one, established in heaven, enjoy pleasures—so long as the span of ten Indras and those counted as twice that endures. When that time has passed, the mortal returns again to the human condition and becomes a king, a performer of a hundred sacrifices. That man’s sins are destroyed, and he attains enduring, stainless nirvāṇa (liberation).