ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು / A devotee should be like Saumitra

An explanation is given after the english translation ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಸೇವೆಯನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಬೇಕು

ಅಹಂಕಾರವ ಸುಟ್ಟಿರಬೇಕು

ಅಹಂಕಾರವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಸಾಧ್ಯವೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಚಿತ್ತ ಪರಿಶುದ್ಧವಾಗಿರಬೇಕು

ಹೊಗೆಯಾಡುವ ಚಿತ್ತದಿ

ಭಕುತಿ ಉಳಿವುದೆ ತಾಯಿ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ದಾಶರಥಿಯಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಕಾಮದೆಣ್ಣೆಯನುರಿಸಿ

ಮನವ ಬೆಳಗಬೇಕು

ತಮವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಬೆಳೆವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಇಂದ್ರಜಿತಹರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ನಾಮಜಪದ ಮಹಿಮೆಯ ಅರಿವಿರಬೇಕು

ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯಲಿ ನಂಬುಗೆಯಿರಬೇಕು

ನಂಬುಗೆಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಬರುವುದೆ ತಾಯಿ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೀತಾಭಗಿನೀಪತಿಯಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಬಾಯ್ತೆರೆದರೆ ತಾಯನಾಮ ಮೊಳಗಬೇಕು

ಕಣ್ತೆರೆದರೆ ತಾಯರೂಪ ಕಾಣಬೇಕು

ಮನದಲಿ ಅವಳನಾಮ ತುಂಬಿರದೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಸಾಧ್ಯವೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಶೇಷಾವತಾರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಸುಖದುಃಖವೆಣಿಸದೆ ಕಜ್ಜಮಾಡಬೇಕು

ನೋವುನಲಿವಲಿ ಉರಿವ ಮನವು

ಭಕುತಿಯ ಪರಿಮಳ ಬೀರುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ರಾಮಭದ್ರನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಜಗದ ಕಲ್ಮಶವ ತೊಳೆಯಬೇಕು

ತೀರ್ಥವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಪೂಜೆ ಸಲ್ಲುವುದೆ

ಸ್ವಾರ್ಥವಿದ್ದೆಡೆ ಭಕುತಿ ಫಲಿಸುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ರಾಮಾನುಜನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನರಸವ ಹಂಚಬೇಕು

ನೈವೇದ್ಯವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಮರುಳರಿಗೆ

ಭಕುತಿಯ ಸವಿ ಭಾಸವಾಗುವುದೆ?

ಭಕುತನೆಂದರೆ ಸೀತೆಯ ಪೂಜಿಸುವವನಂತಿರಬೇಕು

ಆತ್ಮವನಾವರಿಸಿದ ಅಜ್ಞಾನವ ತೊರೆಯಬೇಕು

ಆತ್ಮವಲ್ಲದೆ ಭಕುತಿಯು ಬಲ್ಲದೆ

ಭಕುತಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವು ಪಡೆಯಲು ಬಲ್ಲದೆ

ತಾಯಿ ವಜ್ರಗರಿಕಾಂಬಿಕೆಯೆ

ಪರಮಭಕ್ತ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಣನೇ ಧಕ್ಯ

ಭಕುತರಾಮ ಸೌಮಿತ್ರನಂತಾಗಲೆಂದು

ಹರಸಿ ಕರುಣಿಸು ತಾಯಿ.

--------ರಾಮಾಂಜನೇಯ

A devotee should be like Saumitra

A bhakta should be like Saumitra

He should offer service

Have burned ahamkara (ego)

Where ahamkara is present

can bhakti be present?

A bhakta should be like Lakshmana

His chitta should be pure

Can a chitta smouldering with smoke

Retain bhakti in it?

Bhakta should be like Daasharathi

Burn the oil of desires

And light the mind

In a place filled with darkness,

can bhakti ever flower?

Bhakta should be like Indrajita-hara

Who has a deep understanding

of the greatness of chanting Her name

And faith in Vajragarikambika

Without faith, is bhakti possible?

Bhakta should be like Seeta-bhagini-pati

He opens his mouth ever,

to only utter Mother’s name

And opens his eyes, to see her form

Without Her name reverberating

in the mind, is bhakti possible?

Bhakta should be like Shesha-avataara

Without bothering about pain or pleasure

should keep doing his duty

A mind that burns in pain and pleasure

Can it ever spread the fragrance of bhakti?

Bhakta should be like Ramabhadra

Wash the impurities of the world

Can there be pooja without teertham

Can bhakti fructify in him

who is filled with selfishness

Bhakta should be like Ramanuja

Spread around knowledge of Brahman

Can ordinary folk ever

Realise the sweetness of bhakti

without naivedyam?

Bhakta is one who worships Seeta

And discards the ignorance surrounding the Self (Atman)

Can any other than the Atma realise bhakti

Without bhakti can Brahman be realised?

Mother Vajragarikambika

Blessed is Lakshmana, the first among bhaktas

With your infinite kindness,

bless this Rama, your bhakta

That I may become like Saumitra

--------Ram Sharaph

In the previous poem (https://ramsharaph.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-should-devotee-be.html) Mother Vajragarikambika gave a hint as to the qualities of a bhakta. This was explained by comparing the qualities to such articles as camphor, vibhooti etc., A doubt can arise if these qualities can be found in a human? This is elaborated with the example of Lakshmana, Sri Ramachandra’s brother, and an ardent devotee of Seetamma, who he worshipped as a mother. Lakshmana has been addressed by various names here: Saumitra – son of Sumitra, Lakshmana – the name he is most popular with, Daasharathi – son of Dasharatha and this epithet is frequently used for Rama also, Indrajitahara – he who defeated Indrajit, Seeta-bhagini-pati – the husband of Sita’s sister (Urmila), Sheshavatara – incarnation of Adishesha, Ramabhadra – one who is dear to Rama, Ramanuja – Rama’s brother. Each of the examples given in the previous poem (https://ramsharaph.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-should-devotee-be.html) is further elaborated here. Some of the epithets have particular significance. Daasharathi means the son of Dashartha. Dasharatha, which means a person capable of riding a chariot yoked with ten horses, also means a person who has gained mastery over the ten sense organs (five organs of perception and five organs of action).