"WHERE SHALL I STAY?"

 The story of Śrī Rāma, as depicted in the Rāmāyaṇa, is endlessly inspiring. A dip into any part of the story gives us food for study and contemplation. Over the centuries, numerous performances of the Rāmāyaṇa have come down to us, starting with Sage Vālmīki’s in Sanskrit, which is said to be historically the oldest. Among the more recent, and presumably the most popular, is Śrī Rāma’s story recited by Goswami Tulsidās( 1532- 1623) in Awadhi, a shoptalk of Hindi. 

 

 In the Ayodhyā- kāṇḍa of his book Śrī Rāma- carita- mānasa, we read that Rama is on his way to the timber and reaches Vālmīki’s Vihara, introduces himself, tells him how fortunate he's in getting this occasion not only to observe his father and to make his mama happy, but also to see an ideal person like his family Bharata come the king of Ayodhyā. Most importantly, Rāma says, his exile also gives him the occasion to admit darśan and blessings of pundits like Vālmīki. He seeks Valmīki’s advice about which place he should stay in the timber. 

 

 Valmīki is completely apprehensive of who Rāma truly is. He smiles and says to Rāma “ First tell me where you aren't formerly, so I can tell you where you should go and stay! ” 

 

 Vālmīki also praises Śrī Rāma 

 

 राम सरूप तुम्हार बचन अगोचर बुद्धिपर । 

 

 अबिगत अकथ अपार “ नेति नेति ” नित निगम कह ॥ 

 

 “ O Rāma, your true nature is inexpressible, beyond understanding and appreciation, and without limits. ” 

 

 Vālmīki knows that Rāma is playing the part of a mortal being in order to set an illustration to us all. He proceeds to tell Rāma where he should stay 

 

 सुनहु राम अब कहौं निकेता । जहाँ बसहु सिय लखन समेता ॥ 

 

 जिन्ह के श्रवन समुद्र समाना । कथा तुम्हारि सुभग सरि नाना 

 

 भरहिँ निरंतर होहिँ न पूरे । तिन्ह के हिय तुम कहुँ गृह रूरे ॥ 

 

 “ O Rāma, I ’ll now tell you the place where you can stay with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. There are people who can noway hear enough about your life and words, like an ocean which noway overflows indeed when filled continuously by gutters please make the hearts of similar people your home. ” 

 

 लोचन चातक जिन्ह करि राखे । रहहिँ दरस जलधर अभिलाषे ॥ 

 

 तिन्ह के हृदय सदन सुखदायक । बसहु बंधु सिय सह रघुनायक ॥ 

 

 “ Please make your joyful home with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa in the hearts of those whose eyes worry for your vision, like the chātaka raspberry yearns for rainwater. ” 

 

 जसु तुम्हार मानस बिमल हंसिनि जीहा जासू । 

 

 मुकुताहल गुनगन चुनइ राम बसहु हिय तासु ॥ 

 

 “ Please stay in the hearts of those who, like a swan playing with plums in a lake, remain engaged with the magnific rates of your mind. ” 

 

 प्रभु प्रसाद सुचि सुभग सुबासा । सादर जासु लहइ नित नासा ॥ 

 

 तुम्हहि निवेदित भोजनु करहीं । प्रभु प्रसाद पटु भूषन धरहीं ॥ 

 

 कर नित करहिं राम पद पूजा । रामभरोस हृदय नहि दूजा ॥ 

 

 चरन राम तीरथ चलि जाहीं । राम बसहु तिन्ह के मन माहीं ॥ 

 

 “ Please stay in the hearts of those who enjoy the scent of flowers after offering them to you, who eat food only after offering it to you, who wear clothes only after offering them to you, whose hands are purified by doing your regular pūjā, whose heart is fully given to you, and whose walking is a passage to places sanctified by your presence. ” 

 

 सबु करि मागहिं एकु फलु राम चरन रति होऊ । 

 

 तिन्ह कें मन मंदिर बसहु सिय रघुनंदन दोऊ ॥ 

 

 “ Please stay with Sītā in the sanctum- suchlike hearts of those who, after carrying out all their duties, only seek pure devotion to your bases. ” 

 

 काम कोह मद मान न मोहा । लोभ न छोभ न राग न द्रोहा ॥ 

 

 जिन्ह कें कपट दंभ नहि माया । तिन्ह कें हृदय बसहु रघुराया ॥ 

 

 “ O king of Raghus, please stay in the hearts of those who are free from lust, wrathfulness, arrogance, pride, vision, rapacity, covetousness, attachment, abomination, business, insincerity, and dishonesty. ” 

 

 कहहिं सत्य प्रिय बचन बिचारी । जागत सोवत सरन तुम्हारी ॥ 

 

 तुम्हहि छाडि गति दूसरि नाहीं । राम बसहु तिन्ह के मन माहीं ॥ 

 

 “ O Rāma, please stay in the hearts of those who suppose precisely, who speak what's true and what's affable, who always, awake or asleep, take retreat in you, and who have no thing other than you. ” 

 

 स्वामी सखा पितु मातु गुर जिन्हके सब तुम्ह तात । 

 

 मन मंदिर तिन्ह के बसहु सीय सहित दोऊ भ्रात ॥ 

 

 “ May you and your family, along with Sītā, stay in the sanctum- suchlike hearts of those for whom you're everything — master, friend, father, mama , schoolteacher. ” 

 गुन तुम्हार समुझइ निज दोसा । जेहि सब भाँति तुम्हार भरोसा ॥ 

 

 राम भगत प्रिय लागहिं जेही । तेहि ऊर बसहु सहित बैदेही ॥ 

 

 “ Please stay on with Sītā in the hearts of those who impute all their merits to you and their sins to themselves, who depend on you for everything, and who enjoy the company of your addicts. ” 

 

 जाति पाँति धनु धरमु बडाई । प्रिय परिवार सदन सुखदाई ॥ 

 

 सब तजि तुम्हहि रहइ लऊ लाई । तेहि के हृदयँ रहहु रघुराई ॥ 

 

 “ O King of Raghus, please stay in the hearts of those who have given up the pride of estate, race, wealth, church, and attachment to family and home. ” 

 

 जाहि न चाहिअ कबहूँ कछु तुम्ह सन सहज सनेहु । 

 

 बसहु निरंतर तासु मन सो राऊर निज गेहु ॥ 

 

 “ Please stay ever in the hearts of those who want nothing but robotic love for you for that's your own home. ” 

 

 We know now what we need to do before God chooses to come and stay in our hearts.