śrī rāma bhujaṅga prayāta stotram

I take refuge in Rāma — the perfectly pure, the supreme form of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, the foundation of all qualities yet himself without any foundation, most worthy — the great, the luminous, the hidden in the cave of the heart, the transcender of all qualities, the end of all happiness, himself the self-luminous abode. (1)

I take refuge in the auspicious, eternally one, all-pervading, known as "Tāraka" (the liberating name), of the nature of pure happiness, the formless, most worthy of reverence — the great Lord, the lord of time, the lord of gods, the supreme Lord, the lord of men, the lord beyond all lords, the lord of the earth. (2)

That which Śiva whispers in the ear at the moment of death at Kāśī (Varanasi) — "Rāma, Rāma, Rāma" — that single, supreme, transcendent Brahman, the liberating essence — I worship, I worship, I worship, I worship. (3)

On the great gem-throne, at the root of the auspicious Kalpa tree, seated at ease, radiant as a crore of suns, ever accompanied by Jānakī and Lakṣmaṇa, the one — I worship, I worship Rāmacandra, again and again. (4)

His lotus feet adorned with tinkling jeweled anklets, gleaming with a beautiful yellow silk cloth and a glittering gem-set waistband — his body brilliant with the great jeweled necklace and the Kaustubha gem — and a swaying garland with humming bees and blossoms. (5)

His lips red-glowing with the cool sheen of moonlight, radiant as a crore of risen suns and moons — his feet worshipped with the lustrous gems of the diadems of Brahmā, Rudra and crores of the bowing gods. (6)

Illuminating Āñjanēya and other devotees standing before him with folded hands — with his pure hand in the sign of wisdom and auspiciousness — I worship, I worship forever Rāmacandra. Other than you I know nothing, I know nothing, I know nothing. (7)

When the god of death himself approaches near me, threatening me with his terrible and wrathful warriors — then you reveal your own form, bearing the bow and arrow, the eternal destroyer of all calamities that befall me. (8)

Be present in my own heart-temple; be gracious, be gracious, O Lord Rāmacandra — being served by Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa), by the son of Kaikeyī (Bharata), by your own divine power, and by loving devotion. (9)

Be gracious, O Rāma, be gracious — with the foremost of your devotees, the lords of monkeys and the lords of the earth and their many armies. Salutation to you, salutation, O Lord! O Rāma, be gracious; command, command; illumine me, O Master. (10)

You alone are my supreme deity, the one pure consciousness — other than you I know nothing. From you arose this immeasurable sky, wind, fire, water, earth and all their effects — the moving and the still. (11)

Salutation to that one whose form is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss — salutation to you, O God of gods, O Rāma. Salutation to you, O life and Lord of Jānakī — salutation to you, O lotus-wide-eyed one. (12)

Salutation to you, beloved of the devoted — attainable only through an accumulation of great merit. Salutation to you, the primal Person known through the Vedas — salutation to the beautiful one, the beloved of Indirā (Lakṣmī). (13)

Salutation to the creator of the universe, salutation to the destroyer of the universe — salutation to the enjoyer of the universe, salutation to the form of the universe — salutation to the eye of the universe, salutation to the conqueror of the universe — salutation to the father of the universe, salutation to the mother of the universe. (14)

Salutation, salutation to you — skilled in the use, application and measure of all worldly experience — may my mind engage in the service of your two lotus feet, for the attainment of pure consciousness. (15)

Even a stone gained consciousness through the dust of your feet's contact with the earth, O Rāma. Is it any wonder then that a person attains pure consciousness through devoted service to your two lotus feet? (16)

Whoever daily remembers your pure, holy, wondrous deeds, O Rāmacandra — filling themselves with your presence, worshipping you, carrying you close — they see no Death at the end; they never face the god of death. (17)

Holy, worthy of reverence, my refuge — is that person who knows you, O jewel of the gods, as the eternal pure form, pure consciousness and bliss — beyond the reach of mind and speech, O Rāma, the supreme abode. (18)

O Lord Rāmacandra — how can one describe your valor, even in your very youth, O you of fierce and overpowering might, by which the mighty staff of Caṇḍīśa's (Śiva's) bow was shattered in two? (19)

The fierce ten-headed Rāvaṇa with all his sons and allies — the lord of the demon hordes ensconced within a river-guarded fortress — who other than you, O Rāma, could conquer him — whether man, god, or immortal in all the three worlds? (20)

I ever worship from within my heart that Hanumān — who drinks the nectar of your name "Rāma, Rāma, Rāma" — the root-source of the ever-flowing bliss of your name — who bows, who has beautiful teeth, who smiles ever so sweetly. (21)

Ever drinking the nectar of your name "Rāma, Rāma, Rāma" — the unceasing root-source of the bliss of your ever-beautiful name — day after day I have no fear of Death, by your grace alone, O Rāma! (22)

We have no use for deities who are without Sītā, who bear no bow as their ornament, not bowed to by Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa), not of fierce valor, not the Death of Laṅkā's lord, not friends of Sugrīva — without the name "Rāma". (23)

We have no use for deities not seated on the heroic throne, not possessing the wisdom mudrā, not revealers of truth to Āñjanēya and other devotees, not rooted at the Mandāra tree, not garlanded with Mandāra flowers — without the name "Rāma". (24)

We have no use for deities who did not enrage the ocean, not of inviolate valor, not accompanied by brothers in exile, not graced with a gentle smile, not in unbroken exile, not of unbroken awakening — without the name "Rāma". (25)

O Hari, O Rāma, O Lord of Sītā, O foe of Rāvaṇa, O slayer of Khara, O Murāri (vanquisher of Mura), O slayer of Asuras, O the transcendent — see me, O bond of all, who passes all time ever chanting thus. (26)

Salutation to you, worshipped by the excellent son of Sumitrā (Lakṣmaṇa) — salutation to you, ever extolled by the son of Kaikeyī (Bharata) — salutation to you, ever honored by the lord of monkeys (Sugrīva) — salutation, salutation always to you, O Rāmacandra. (27)

Be gracious, be gracious, O one of fierce might — be gracious, be gracious, O Death itself to all fierce enemies — be gracious, be gracious, O compassionate toward the surrendered — be gracious, be gracious, O Lord Rāmacandra. (28)

Whoever recites with joy this Bhujangaprayāta (the supreme essence of the Vedas) of Rāmacandra — with devotion, constantly, meditating in the innermost depth of the heart — that person themselves becomes Rāmacandra — blessed indeed is such a one. (29)