Ayodhya Kaanda The boatman's love and the passage across the Ganga - Chaupais
Ramcharitmanas · Ayodhya Kaanda The boatman's love and the passage across the Ganga · Verse Chaupais 1752
Sanskrit Original
जासु बियोग बिकल पसु ऐसे। प्रजा मातु पितु जिइहहिं कैसें।। बरबस राम सुमंत्रु पठाए। सुरसरि तीर आपु तब आए।। मागी नाव न केवटु आना। कहइ तुम्हार मरमु मैं जाना।। चरन कमल रज कहुँ सबु कहई। मानुष करनि मूरि कछु अहई।। छुअत सिला भइ नारि सुहाई। पाहन तें न काठ कठिनाई।। तरनिउ मुनि घरिनि होइ जाई। बाट परइ मोरि नाव उड़ाई।। एहिं प्रतिपालउँ सबु परिवारू। नहिं जानउँ कछु अउर कबारू।। जौ प्रभु पार अवसि गा चहहू। मोहि पद पदुम पखारन कहहू।।
jāsu biyōga bikala pasu aisē. prajā mātu pitu jiihahiṃ kaisēṃ.. barabasa rāma sumaṃtru paṭhāē. surasari tīra āpu taba āē.. māgī nāva na kēvaṭu ānā. kahai tumhāra maramu maiṃ jānā.. carana kamala raja kahu sabu kahaī. mānuṣa karani mūri kachu ahaī.. chuata silā bhai nāri suhāī. pāhana tēṃ na kāṭha kaṭhināī.. taraniu muni gharini hōi jāī. bāṭa parai mōri nāva uḍaāī.. ēhiṃ pratipālau sabu parivārū. nahiṃ jānau kachu aura kabārū.. jau prabhu pāra avasi gā cahahū. mōhi pada paduma pakhārana kahahū..
When even beasts felt so miserable on being torn away from Him how could His subjects and His father and mother hope to live without Him? Sri Rama dismissed Sumantra against the latter's will and Himself arrived at the bank of the heavenly stream (Ganga) immediately afterwards. He called for a boat, but the ferryman would not bring it. The latter said, "I know your secret; about the dust of your lotus-feet everyone says it is some drug possessing the quality of turning things into human beings. By its very touch a rock was transformed into a charming woman* and wood is not harder than stone. If my boat itself gets converted into a hermit's wife (like Ahalya), I shall be robbed of the very means of my subsistence in that my boat will disappear. It is by means of this boat that I maintain the whole of my family; I know no other trade. If, therefore, my lord, you must cross the river, command me to lave your lotus-feet.