Rāghuvīra Stava Rāja
The Rāghuvīra Stava Rāja is the highest stotra to Bhagavān Rāma. Bhagavān Śiva himself composed it and sang it in the divine assembly at Ayodhyā. It is found in the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vilāsa Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1.
It first tells how to meditate on Bhagavān Rāma, seated on an eight-petalled lotus under the wish-fulfilling tree. It then names Bhagavān Rāma as the one supreme Brahman, eternal, infinite and all-pervading. Bhagavān Śiva sang it before Bhagavān Rāma and received the vara (boon) of unbroken bhakti. Those who recite it at the three sandhyās are freed even from the gravest pāpa (sin) gathered over a hundred kalpas.
The setting
Vishṇudāsa asked his guru Rāmadāsa to tell him the stotra that Bhagavān Śiva had sung in praise of Bhagavān Rāma. Rāmadāsa first meditated on Bhagavān Hari. Then he told what happened.
In the divine assembly at Ayodhyā, within the splendour of the ratna-maṇḍapa (jewelled pavilion), Bhagavān Śiva was moved by the highest devotion. He rose and offered the Rāghuvīra Stava Rāja. The text calls this stotra parama (the highest). It calls it the foundation of the three guṇas (the three qualities of existence), pure as an unblemished flame, auspicious, and the giver of kaivalya (final freedom).
The dhyāna verse
Before the stotra begins, the text gives this meditation on Bhagavān Rāma.
Meditate on Bhagavān Rāma in the ratna-maṇḍapa of the city of Ayodhyā. He sits under the Kalpavṛksha (wish-fulfilling tree), on a shining eight-petalled lotus. The lotus rests on the auspicious jewelled throne of his father.
He shines with the light of a thousand suns, yet his body is the colour of the dark indranīla gem. His limbs are soft and his eyes are wide. His garments flash like lightning. His crown blazes with the light of ten million suns.
He wears arm-ornaments (keyūras) set with gems and the finest earrings. His wrists are decorated with jewelled bangles and anklets, and his waist with a jewelled waist-thread. On his chest rest the Śrīvatsa mark and the Kaustubha gem. Pearl necklaces and necklaces set with the Cintāmaṇi jewel adorn him. Rings set with divine gems grace every finger. He is anointed with camphor, musk and fragrant pastes. He wears garlands of tulasī, kunda and mandāra flowers.
He has two arms. He is heroic and smiles gently. He loves the yoga-śāstra. He is the master of all yoga and the giver of yoga.
Lakshmaṇa, Bharata and Śatrughna always serve him. The Vidyādharas, suras, siddhas, gandharvas and kinnaras praise him without pause, and so do the great munis led by Nārada. The maharshis Viśvāmitra and Vasishṭha stand around him. The Sanaka ṛshis and companies of great yogīndras attend him.
He is Rāghava, the bow-hero, the expert in the science of the bow (dhanurvijñāna). He is the auspicious lotus-eyed Rāma, the deva of the divine abode, the knower of the essence of all śāstras, the form of ānanda (bliss), supremely beautiful, the son of Kauśalyā, who holds bow and arrows. He is Hari, the light beyond all lights. He is Vishṇu himself.
The Stava Rāja
These are the principal Sanskrit verses of the stotra as the text keeps them.
यदेकं यत्परं नित्यं यदनंतं चिदात्मकं
यदेकं व्यापकं लोके तद्रूपं चिन्तयाम्महम्॥
“That which is One, which is the Supreme, which is eternal, which is infinite, which is pure consciousness, that One which pervades all the worlds: on that Form I meditate.”
सर्वत्रैलोक्यसौभाग्यं रामभक्त्यभिवृद्धये
विज्ञानहेतुं विमलायताक्षं प्रज्ञानसन्दिव्यसुखैकरूपम्॥श्रीरामचन्द्रं हरिमादिदेवं विश्वेश्वरं रामहमहं भजामि।
“For the bliss of all three worlds, for the growth of devotion to Rāma, for the gaining of vijñāna (higher knowledge): Rāma of the spotless wide eyes, whose form is pure divine bliss and supreme wisdom, I worship Śrī Rāmacandra, the Hari who is the original deva, the master of all the worlds.”
सर्वेशस्तं परंब्रह्म त्वद्रूपं विश्वमेव च
त्वमक्षरं परमंज्योति स्त्वमेव रघुपुंगव॥
“You are the master of all. You are the supreme Brahman. This whole universe is your form. You are the imperishable. You are the supreme light itself. You alone are this, O greatest of the Raghu line.”
शान्तं सर्वगतं सूक्ष्मं परंब्रह्म सनातनम्
राजीवलोचनं रामं प्रणमामि जगत्पतिम्।
“Peaceful, all-pervading, subtle, the supreme Brahman, the eternal one, the lotus-eyed Rāma, the ruler of all the worlds: I bow before him.”
Other names of address
The hymn also calls Bhagavān Rāma by these names.
- Śrīrāmacandra: the divine and auspicious Rāmacandra.
- Raghupuṃgava: the greatest of the Raghu line.
- Rājasabha: the master of the royal assembly.
- Rāmacandra: used directly, as a call to him.
- Rāghaveśa: the master who is Rāghava.
The devas in Bhagavān Rāma’s court heard the stotra and were deeply moved. Bhagavān Śiva himself stood in the assembly with folded hands (kṛtāñjali). His mind was full of devotion, and he meditated on Hari.
Bhagavān Rāma’s answer and the varas
Bhagavān Rāma was moved and glad. He said to Bhagavān Śiva: “Girija-manoharā! I am fully pleased. Ask for the best of varas.”
Bhagavān Śiva answered: “Deva! By your darśana alone my purpose is fulfilled (kṛtārtha). I need nothing else. But since you insist, O Purushottama, grant me this. Give me pure and non-dual jñāna (knowledge). Let your name be always on my lips (nāma-smaraṇa). Give me true bhakti at your lotus feet, without any break.”
Bhagavān Rāma granted this and asked Bhagavān Śiva to ask for more. Bhagavān Śiva said once again: “Bhakti at your feet. This alone is my beloved vara. I ask for nothing else.”
Bhagavān Rāma was moved by Bhagavān Śiva’s single-minded wish for bhakti above all other gifts. He then gave Bhagavān Śiva many more varas.
The phalaśruti
Rāmadāsa says that this Stava Rāja, composed by Bhagavān Śiva, is supremely auspicious. It is the essence of all the Vedas. It is the greatest of all secrets. Bhagavān Śiva spoke it out of his pure love for Bhagavān Rāma.
Whoever recites it every day at the three sandhyās (dawn, noon and dusk), with śraddhā (faith) and devotion, whether by reading it or by hearing it, will have these destroyed without remainder:
- Brahmahatyā: the killing of a brāhmaṇa.
- Svarṇaharaṇa: the theft of gold.
- Surāpāna: the drinking of alcohol.
- Gurusthāna-strī-saṃparka: union with the wife of the guru.
- Go-vadha: the killing of a cow.
- The pāpas that arise from thought.
Even if such pāpas have been gathered over a hundred kalpas, this stotra, heard or recited with devotion, dissolves them completely. The pāpas of mind, speech and body are all destroyed by the mere remembering (smaraṇa) of Śrī Rāma.
Rāmadāsa ends: “This is truth. This is truth. This is nothing other than truth. Rāma is truth. Rāma alone is Parabrahman. There is nothing other than Rāma. This whole world is Rāma’s form. All of this universe is Rāma.”
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Vilāsa Khaṇḍa, Chapter 1