Passage 4

Tap any word for its meaning.

In plain words

Guṇa saṅkīrtana, līlā saṅkīrtana, bhāva saṅkīrtana, nāma saṅkīrtana: our bhajan is the form in which all four are blended. Beyond these four there is one more path, special and distinctive. ‘Writing the Name’: thinking of God in the mind, remembering Him in speech, and writing the Name with the hand. This is the path to purity of thought, word and deed. ‘Manasyekam, vacasyekam, karmaṇyekam mahātmanam.’ This is something very great. The Name has been spreading in many forms.

Jayadeva contemplated only the līlās of God, trusting that God dwelt within him; in daily life he experienced all his play, his songs and his talk with God; trusting, “I need no other love but Your Prema,” he joined his own Prema to that Prema and became Prema embodied. But because there were none able to understand Jayadeva's songs aright, people have brought this to nothing with misreadings and mischief. True devotees seek Prema alone, and seek nothing else.

Hanumān had finished his task and given Sītā the news of Śrī Rāmacandra, and as he was about to carry Sītā's word back to Śrī Rāmacandra, he prayed, ‘Mother, bless me.’ She: ‘My son! You are Hanumān, calm, virtuous and strong. May you flourish, free from age and death,’ she said. ‘May old age never come to you at all,’ she said. But he was not glad. Sītā, seeing the discontent on his face: ‘Hanumān! May you live on, deathless!’ she said. But even at that, no gladness showed on his face. Next: ‘Hanumān! You are very virtuous. May the dwellers of the three worlds sing your virtues,’ she blessed him. At that he bowed his head, as if ashamed. Sītā noticed this sight. At the very last she said, ‘May Rāma love you always.’