Maataa Raamo Mat-Pitaa Raamacandrah |
Svaamii Raamo Mat-Sakhaa Raamacandrah ||
Sarvasvam Me Raamacandro Dayaalu |
Na-Anyam Jaane Naiva Jaane Na Jaane ||
For the devotee, Rama is not an abstract or distant figure; He is the very essence of every relationship and bond. He is Mother, who lovingly nourishes and protects with boundless love, and He is Father, who guides with wisdom and discipline. He is the Lord, the eternal master to whom one dedicates his service, yet He is also a Friend, sharing one’s joys and sorrows with intimate closeness. Rama is truly everything, wealth, strength, refuge, very breath,and it is His infinite compassion that sustains. Beyond Him, there is no other; no worldly tie, no fleeting treasure, no false support can compare. Time and again, I affirm with a full heart: I know no other, I seek no other, I need no other but the compassionate Rama.
Goswami Shri Tulsi Das expresses the very same in Kavitavali
Our mother, father, relative, close friend, teacher, esteemed guide, and ultimate benefactor is solely Ram. Ram serves as our friend, companion, and supporter, and all relationships we cultivate with a pure heart are manifestations of Ram. Our nation, resources, certain religious practices, wealth, home, and liberation are also embodied in Ram. Our caste and heritage are likewise connected to Ram, and our honor is entirely reliant on Shri Ram. Generosity, labor, a good reputation, and the rewards of all endeavors are readily accessible to us solely through Ram. Goswamiji asserts that whether it occurs now or at any future time, my well-being will derive exclusively from Ram.
KavitaVali 110
This feeling profoundly aligns with the Upanishadic wisdom: “Sarvam khalvidam brahma” – “All this is indeed Brahman” (Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1). When a devotee perceives Ram in every connection and every facet of life, they reflect this timeless insight that acknowledges the divine as the fundamental essence of all that exists.
Likewise, in Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta-
“The Supreme Lord resides within the hearts of every living being, O Arjun. Based on their karmas, He guides the journeys of the souls, who are positioned on a contraption crafted from material energy.”
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 18, Verse 61
This entire universe is filled with My unmanifest presence. All creatures live in Me, but I do not inhabit them.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 9, Verse 4
To those who see Me everywhere and in everything, I am never invisible, and they are never invisible to Me.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 6, Verse 30
Goswami Shri Tulsi Das again, the very same in Shri Ram Charit Manas-
“सब कै ममता ताग बटोरी। मम पद मनहि बाँध बरि डोरी॥”
“By weaving together all these strands of love into one strong cord, he who ties his thoughts to my feet (placing me at the heart of all earthly connections), who remains even-minded, who harbors no desires, and in whose heart there is neither joy, sorrow, nor fear.”
“सीय राममय सब जग जानी। करउं प्रनाम जोरी जुग पानी॥” This verse from the Shri Ram Charit Manas expresses the idea of seeing the divine in all beings and the world itself.
Meaning of the Chaupai
- सीया राममय सब जग जानी (Siya Ram may sab jag jani): This translates to “Knowing that the entire world is filled with Sita and Rama,” or “Seeing Sita and Rama in every corner of the world”.
- करउं प्रनाम जोरी जुग पानी (Karahu pranam jori jug pani): This means “With folded hands (representing reverence), I bow down”.
In essence, the chaupai is a profound statement of universal love and the presence of the divine in everything and everyone, inspiring one to treat all beings with respect and devotion.
When one perceives Ram as the heart of all connections, the wellspring of every good fortune, and the pillar of all safety, the devotee surpasses the boundaries of typical consciousness, entering a domain where every instant is a possibility for divine interaction.
Saints teach us that the journey of devotion is not about losing who we are, but about revealing our truest selves in the infinite arms of divine love.
