First Shloka of Sundar Kand!

First Shloka of Sundar Kand!

Ramcharit Manas, literally means "Lake of Deeds of Shri Rama". Goswami Tulsidas, wrote this in vernacular Awadhi language!

English Translation - In this Shloka, Goswami Tulsidas, writes that he bows down and pays his respects to the ever calm, old, immemorial and in continuum, the one who is beyond evidence, never touched by evil deeds, the giver of nirvana or mokhsha, the one who is continuously revered and served by Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh (The creator, preserver and destroyer), the omnipresent, the greatest amongst gods, the one who destroys one's sins, the one who appears as human, the one who has immense mercy and compassion, the one who is best among raghukuls and is also the king of kings.

My Interpretation - I must say, this shloka seems just an adulation but my take is, this, if this shloka is to be recited and imbibed with belief also means, the first attempt at surrender. Our ego, makes us the center of our world, however when you appreciate Lord Rama you also take the first step towards acknowledging something larger than you, more magnanimous, something near perfect. Our imperfections force us to believe that nothing as perfect like the one mentioned in this shloka can be there and therefore we justify and accommodate our imperfections, our weaknesses. I am not hinting that one should aim at being perfect, no human can be perfect, but its just like a benchmark, that something as perfect like him can exist. And more importantly if you bow to him, put him above you, take the first step to contain ahankaar, ghamand or ego and pride.