Śaraṇāgati Gādyam | Śrī Rāmānuja Āchārya

Category:

॥ Śrī: ॥
॥ śrīmate rāmānujāya namaḥ ॥
॥ śaraṇāgati Gādyam ॥

Śaraṇāgati Gādyam | Śrī Rāmānuja Āchārya

Introduction

Śaraṇāgati Gādya, the poetic work of Śrī Rāmānuja Āchārya is a commentary on the principle of the Dvaya mantra, which declares the method and goal to reach the nature of Brahman.

The ultimate goal of life is Moksha, the release of one’s soul from the cycle of Samsāra:

To attain this, there are two ways indicated by the śāstras, one Bhakti Yoga and the other Prapatti. By either of these means, the redemptive grace of God can be secured.

Bhakti Yoga is difficult to perform for ordinary mortals, for; it means constant one-pointed meditation of Brahman to be practiced by the devotee during his whole life time, accompanied at the same time by the performance of the usual rites, sacrifices, etc.

On the other hand, Prapatti is the absolute surrender of the Self to the Lord;

it is comparatively more easy and can be performed by any person who has learnt about it from his Āchārya and is desirous of Moksha.

In ancient times Prapatti was kept as a close secret. Hence, in Brahma Sūtra, Prapatti is mentioned but not clearly. For the same reason, Śrī Rāmānuja also did not wish to refer to it explicitly in his Śrī Bhāṣya and Gītā Bhāṣya.

Whatever controversy there may be as to whether Śrī Rāmānuja advocated Prapatti in his other works or not, there is no doubt that he has unmistakably indicated in his Gādya traya the path of Prapatti as a sure and direct means of salvation.

So, while the other works of Śrī Rāmānuja are to be studied to learn from them exactly what are the tattva and Puruṣārtha, but to know what is Hita, it is necessary to complete the study the Gādya traya, for, it is only then we can understand Hita, (Prapatti), its nature and how it is to be performed.

Śaraṇāgati Gādya is in the form of a dialog between Śrī Rāmānuja and Śrī Devi (Maha Lakshmi) in the first instance, then between Śrī Rāmānuja and Śrīman Nārāyaṇa.

Tradition is that Śrī Rāmānuja performed Śaraṇāgati in Śrīraṅgam before Lord Raṅganātha and His consort, when They were seated on a throne

and that Śrī Devi and Her Lord actually spoke to Rāmānuja and granted him the boon sought in his prayers as seen from the dialog in Śaraṇāgati Gādya.

To Śrī Rāmānuja, Īśvara is a personal God, who has the Universe, Cit and acit as His body and is full of all various benevolent attributes:

It is appropriate therefore that, as is usual with him, Śrī Rāmānuja should in his Śaraṇāgati Gādya, sing the glory and beauty of His divine personality, the brilliance of His wonderful ornaments, and the mighty powers of His weapons.

He is also adored as the consort of Śrī, Bhūmi and Nīlā Devīs. He has also for His attendants Nityās like Ādiśeṣa, Garuda and Viṣvaksena, and the Muktas in Vaikuṇṭha, His blissful abode.

Śaraṇāgati Gādya is the exposition of the Dvaya Mantra, which has come to us traditionally.

Dvaya Mantra – is the Mantra for taking Refuge or Śaraṇāgati in Lord Śrīman Nārāyaṇa and His Divine consort Mother Lakshmi.

/ Śrīman Nārāyaṇa Chāraṇau Śaranam Prapadye
Śrīmate Nārāyaṇāya Namaḥ
/

This is the major Gādya, while the other two (Śrīraṅga and Vaikuṇṭha Gādyas) stay as supplementary Gādyas. This work is one of great religious importance to the followers of Śrī Rāmānuja, who believe in his philosophy of Viśiṣṭādvaita."

Āchārya Vandanam (Taṉiyaṉ):

yo nityamacyutapadāmbujayugmarukma
vyāmohatastaditarāṇi tṛṇāya mene ।
asmadgurorbhagavato'sya dayaikasindhoḥ
rāmānujasya caraṇau śaraṇaṃ prapadye ॥

Meaning:

That one who considered everything as a mere straw
opposite the invaluable treasure viz., the lotus feet of Acyuta,
I surrender to that holy Guru, Śrī Rāmānujācārya,
the veritable Ocean of compassion.

1.

Śaraṇāgati to Śrī

bhagavān nārāyaṇa abhimata anurūpa svarūparūpa guṇa vibhava
aiśvarya śīlādi anavadhikātiśaya asaṅkhyeya kalyāṇa guṇa gaṇāṃ padmavanālayāṃ
bhagavatīṃ śriyaṃ devīṃ nitya anapāyinīṃ niravadyāṃ Devadeva divya mahiṣīṃ
akhila jaganmātaram asman mātaram aśaraṇya śaraṇyām ananyaśaraṇaḥ
śaraṇam ahaṃ prapadye ॥

Meaning:

With no other help to resort to, I seek Thee, Śrī Devi,
full of all benevolent qualities, seated in a forest of lotus flowers:

(Thou art) the refuge for all the helpless;
(Thou art) my Mother, indeed the Mother of the whole world.
The crowned Divine Queen of the Lord of the Devas,
the pure and the unsullied, never separated from the Lord;

Thyself, Thine form, its qualities,
and the most wonderful, limitless innumerable
collections of auspicious qualities of Thine
such as, greatness, Rulership and high virtues, all to His liking
and worthy of the natural form and qualities of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa.

Commentary:

Śaraṇāgati Gādya is a commentary on the principle of the Dvaya mantra, which declares the method and goal to reach the nature of Brahman.

In this context, it will be noticed that the Mantra (Dvaya) starts with the mention of Śrī, who is full of (maternal) love and who is the (Puruṣākāra) mediator for approaching the Lord, the almighty Father.

As He, like all fathers, is sometimes harsh and not easily approachable, She is to be propitiated first. Hence the Gādya starts with the exposition of the words, "Śrī" and "Śrīmat".

It may also be that "Śrī" is first taken up for comment considering the fact that our ancient Āchāryas have said that before the utterance of the Mūla mantra,

Śrī must be approached and Her affectionate permission taken from Her by praying to Her for saving the Soul and also for being made fit for performing the method (i.e.)., Śaraṇāgati for achieving the goal of the Soul.

The words "Bhāgavat" and "Nārāyaṇa" indicate the fullness of Guṇa (qualities) and Vibhūti (form), and remind us that in both -

Oṁ namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya (12-syllable mantra) and
Oṁ namo Nārāyaṇāya (8-syllable mantra),

- Śrī Lakṣmī is closely associated.

Śrī Lakṣmī is characterized by the qualities of the Vigraha, such as beauty, etc. The words Aiśvarya and Śīla are used to denote collection of qualities implied by rulership and accessibility.

She represents a greatness with no limit or boundary (i.e.), "with nothing above".

Śrī Lakṣmī is ever present with, and not separated from Her Lord, so that She may ever be ready to see that the faults of the erring souls may be veiled from His notice.

Unlike Paramātma, She is not unapproachable, nor affected with any faults. Lakṣmī is the anointed queen; hence She is One whose wishes cannot be transgressed (easily ignored by the Lord).

Rāmānuja includes himself among those to whom She is a Mother, as well as persons with no other resource to go for refuge.

Thus far, the prayer is to Śrī Devi.

2.

Why this Śaraṇāgati to her?

pāramārthika bhagavad śaraṇāravindayugaḻa
aikāṅtika atyantika parabhakti parajñāna
paramabhaktikṛta paripūrṇa anavarata nitya viśadatama ananyaprayojana
anavadhikātiśayapriya bhagavadanubhava janita anavadhikātiśaya prītikārita
aśeṣāvasthocita aśeṣaśeṣataikaratirūpa nitya kaiṅkarya prāptya pekṣayā
pāramārthikī bhagavad śaraṇāravinda śaraṇāgatiḥ
yathāvasthitā aviratā'stu me ॥

Meaning:

Pray Thee, bless my sincere and real Śaraṇāgati at the lotus feet of Bhagavān

so that it may become well and truly performed with all its aṅgas (formalities) and be continued, without interruption till the goal of Puruṣārtha is reached.

This is with the object of securing for myself the privilege of the occupation of ever-service to the Lord (i.e.).,

the satisfaction derived in all forms and kinds of service always suited to the conditions and circumstances for the moments

and which is the result of boundless intense devotion born out of the experience of enjoyment of the Lord that is, the unbounded limitless, unselfish love for no other end but that of service direct to Him,

--A love perfect, enjoyed fully in all His manifestations, not only now but continuously without any interruption

- this again promoted by the sincere one-pointed and ever intense para bhakti (i.e., the desire for His Vision), para Jñāna (direct perception of God), parama bhakti(the longing to have that perception continued for ever) --Bhakti at the lotus feet of the Lord.

(This prayer to Śrī is acceded by Her).

Says Śrī Devi:

astu te । tayaiva sarvaṃ sampatsyate ॥

(So shall it be Thus done, All is attained).

3.

Exposition of Nārāyaṇa:

akhilaheyapratyanīkakalyāṇaikatāna ! svetarasamastavastuvilakṣaṇa
anantajñānānandaikasvarūpa ! svābhimatānurūpa ekarūpa acintya divyādbhuta
nityaniravadya niratiśaya aujjvalya saundarya saugandhya saukumārya lāvaṇya
yauvanādyanantaguṇanidhidivyarūpa !

Meaning:

(Then follows invocations to the Lord with a description of all His qualities, His divine Form, and His weapons, etc.)

With no person to surrender myself to,
I take shelter unto Thine lotus feet, Oh Śrīman Nārāyaṇa!
The refuge of all the helpless, the Enemy of all Evil
and the Abode of all beneficial qualities,
perfect embodiment (distinct from the forms of all other things)
of immeasurable knowledge and of bliss,
bearing a form agreeable to Thee,
unchanging beyond the reach of thought,
Divine in essence wonderful to behold;
ever existing pure and unsullied;
pre-eminently excellent, of Brilliant Loveliness;
Sweet smelling, charming with the prime of Youthfulness
- a form full of such and a whole treasure of excellences.

4.

Exposition on His Attributes:

svābhāvikānavadhikātiśaya jñānabalaiśvarya vīryaśaktitejassauśīlya
vātsalya mārdava ārjava sauhārda sāmya kāruṇya mādhurya gāmbhīrya audārya
cāturyasthairyadhairyaśauryaparākramasatyakāmasatyasaṅkalpakṛtitva
kṛtajñatādyasaṅkhyeyakalyāṇaguṇagaṇaughamahārṇava !

Meaning:

Thou art the Ocean
unto which flow rivers of limitless excellent virtues,
all natural to Thee, and useful for the protection of the devotees,

such as All knowledge, Mighty rulership of the worlds,
untiring virility, Power to act without any outside help,
kind disposition, like that of a cow to its calf.
Affectionate tenderness; Gentleness,
Truthfulness in mind, speech and body, Friendliness,
Feeling of equality, Mercifulness, Sweetness, Nobility, Generosity,
Quickness to respond to the miseries of the devotees,
Firmness in Thy resolve to protect Your Devotees,
undaunted courage to bring succour to them,
Courage to fight for the devotees,
ability to fight the enemies within their own camp,
Having Thine will ever fulfilled,
having Thy commands irresistible, Thy deeds fully executed
- always remembering with gratitude
(even the smallest amount of worship done to Thee).

5.

Ornaments of Lord Raṅganātha

svocitavividhavicitrānantāścaryanityaniravadyaniratiśayasugandha
niratiśayasukhasparśaniratiśayaujjvalyakirīṭamakuṭacūḍāvataṃsa
makarakuṇḍalagraiveyakahārakeyūrakaṭakaśrīvatsakaustubhamuktādāmodarabandhana
pītāmbarakāñcīguṇanūpurādyaparimitadivyabhūṣaṇa !

Meaning:

Oh Nārāyaṇa! Thou art decorated
with all sorts and kinds of ornaments, worthy of Thee,
most wonderful to behold, everlasting, faultless,
sweet smelling, soft to touch, wonderfully splendorous,
such as the crown bearing the central diadem of lustrous stones,
other head ornaments, ear ornaments, necklaces and neck ornaments,
garlands, shoulder bracelets and bracelets in the hands,
Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha, pearl garlands,
waistlets, lace cloths, gold waist band and leg ornaments
and other precious and innumerable ornaments.

6.

His Weapons:

[In the 6th stanza, Āchārya Rāmānuja salutes the Lord's instruments.]

svānurūpa acintyaśaktiśaṅkhacakragadāsiśārṅgādyasaṅkhyeyanityaniravadya
niratiśayakalyāṇadivyāyudha !

Meaning:

Oh Nārāyaṇa!

Though Thou bearest also various weapons
of par-excellent powers, and worthy of Thee
(i.e.), the Conch, the discus, the Mace, the Sword and the Bow
and such like other innumerable auspicious divine weapons
exceed all others in power and force.

7.

His Consorts

svābhimatanityaniravadyānurūpasvarūparūpaguṇavibhavaiśvarya
śīlādyanavadhikātiśayāsaṅkhyeyakalyāṇaguṇagaṇaśrīvallabha !
evambhūtabhūminīḷānāyaka !

Meaning:

Thou art also the Consort of Śrī Devi

with a form harmonizing with Thine and of highly beneficent qualities,
such as glory, rulership with innumerable auspicious attributes.

Thou art also the consort of Bhū and Nīlā Devīs,
possessors of similar noble attributes.

8.

Attendants of Lord Raṅganātha.

svacchandānuvartisvarūpasthitipravṛttibhedāśeṣaśeṣataikaratirūpa
nityaniravadyaniratiśayajñānakriyaiścaryādyanantakalyāṇaguṇagaṇa
śeṣaśeṣāśanagaruḍapramukhanānāvidhānantaparijanaparicārikāparicarita
caraṇayugala !

Meaning:

Thou possesses also innumerable followers and servants, male and female,
to minister to Thy wants and comforts, waiting at Thine feet,
whose form, existence and actions are due to Thine will;

they are, Ādiśeṣa, Viṣvaksena, Garuda,

who are endowed with host of beneficent virtues,
unperishing, pure, of limitless wisdom and energy for action,
endowed with power to direct and maintain.

9.

paramayogivāṅmanasā'paricchedyasvarūpasvabhāvasvābhimata
vividhavicitrānantabhogyabhogopakaraṇabhogasthānasamṛddhānantāścaryā-
nantamahāvibhavānantaparimāṇanityaniravadyaniratiśayaśrīvaikuṇṭhanātha !

Meaning:

Thou art also the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, the eternal, faultless,
immeasurable world, beyond the speech
or the mind of even the holy Yogins
- a country dear to Thee, containing in itself
all kinds and varieties of enjoyments
and the things helpful for such enjoyments,
as also places convenient for such enjoyments,
full of all kinds of Vibhavas
--such is the Vaikuṇṭha of Thine, Oh Lord!

10.

His Recreation:

svasaṅkalpānuvidhāyi svarūpasthitipravṛtti
svaśeṣataikasvabhāva prakṛti puruṣa
kālātmaka vividha vicitrānanta bhogya bhoktṛvarga bhogopakaraṇa
bhogasthānarūpa nikhilajagadudaya vibhava layalīla !

Meaning:

Thy sport

is the creation, maintenance and the dissolution of the world
which contain in themselves many different kinds of enjoyments,
the instruments of enjoyment and suitable places for such enjoyment,

such as, Prakṛti, Purusha and Kāla,

which are by their very nature ever under service to Thee, Oh Lord,
in the matter of their form, their existence, and their activities;
they always follow only Thy wishes and the dictates of Thine.

11.

Invocations Linking to the Lord's Guṇas (Qualities)

satyakāma! satyasaṅkalpa ! parabrahmabhūta ! puruṣottama mahāvibhūte !
śrīman! nārāyaṇa! vaikuṇṭhanātha !

apārakāruṇya sauśīlya vātsalya audārya aiśvarya saundarya mahodadhe !
anālocitaviśeṣa aśeṣalokaśaraṇya ! praṇatārtihara !
āśritavātsalyaikajaladhe! anavaratavidita nikhilabhūtajātayāthātmya!
aśeṣacarācarabhūta nikhilaniyamananirata! aśeṣacidacidvastuśeṣibhūta!
nikhilajagadādhāra! akhilajagatsvāmin! asmatsvāmin! satyakāma!
satyasaṅkalpa! sakaletaravilakṣaṇa! arthikalpaka! āpatsakha! śrīman!
nārāyaṇa! aśaraṇyaśaraṇya!

Meaning:

Thy will fulfilled, Thy commands carried out, by all,
Thou art the Para Brahman
the biggest of persons of great might and wealth;
Thou art the Consort of Śrī! Oh Nārāyaṇa!, Lord of Vaikuṇṭha,
Thou art the ocean filled with beneficent qualities,
such as unlimited mercy, easy accessibility, affectionate kindness,
generosity, rulership, extreme comeliness.
Thou art again the refugee of the whole world
without any preference (as to race, colour or caste).
Thou removest the distress of those that resort to Thee.
Thou art the ocean of motherly affection towards Your devotees.
Thou art all-knowing,
knowing all the time the true nature, etc.,
of all the groups of beings.
Thou dost skilfully control
all the movable and immovable things of the Worlds.
Thou art their Lord, the sustainer of all the worlds,
their Master, My Master; Thy desires ever fulfilled,
Thy commands scrupulously executed.
Distinct from all the others, Thou art the wish fulfilling Tree
(the giver of all prayers, Friend in distress,
Śrīman, Nārāyaṇa, the refuge of the helpless,
the One and the only Refuge (with no others to go for help).

12.

Śaraṇāgati:

ananya śaraṇaḥ tvat pādāravinda yugalaṃ śaraṇam ahaṃ prapadye ॥

atra Dvayam ।

Meaning:

I seek Thy protection and surrender Myself unto Thine lotus feet.

12.1:

``pitaraṃ mātaraṃ dārān putrān bandhūn sakhīn gurūn ।
ratnāni dhanadhānyāni kṣetrāṇi ca gṛhāṇi ca ॥

sarvadharmāṃśca santyajya sarvakāmāṃśca sākṣarān ।
lokavikrāntacaraṇau śaraṇaṃ te'vrajaṃ vibho! ॥ ''

pitaraṃ mātaraṃ …. (I do prostrate before Thee)

-- Renouncing my Father, Mother, Wife, Children, relatives, Friends, even my teacher, precious stones, wealth and goods, my field, my house, etc., all desires, and actions relating to them, as well as Kaivalya.

I prostrate at Thine feet, which bestrode the Three worlds.

12.2:

``tvameva mātā ca pitā tvameva tvameva bandhuśca gurustvameva ।
tvameva vidyā draviṇaṃ tvameva tvameva sarvaṃ mama devadeva ॥

Oh Lord! I surrender myself unto Thee.
Thou alone art My Mother, My Father,
Thou art My relations; even My Teacher Thou alone art;
So also My learning, My wealth. Indeed Thou art My All.

12.3:

pitā'si lokasya carācarasya tvamasya pūjyaśca gururgarīyān ।
na tvatsamo'styabhyadhikaḥ kuto'nyo lokatraye'pyapratimaprabhāva ! ॥ ''

Oh God of Gods! Thou art the Father of the worlds
moving and unmoving, worshipped by the world.
Thou art greater than the greatest.
There is no one bigger than Thee in all these three worlds.
Oh! Thou of Matchless glory!

12.4:

``tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṃ prasādaye tvāmahamīśamīḍyam ।
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum ॥ ''

Therefore prostrating before Thee,
with my body bent in adoration,
I pray unto Thee, the adorable Master.
Thou art like a Father unto a son like a friend unto a friend,
affectionate as to a Dear Person.
Thou alone can save me.

13.

Prayer for Purification

manovākkāyairanādikālapravṛtta ananta akṛtyakaraṇa
kṛtyākaraṇa bhagavadapacāra
bhāgavatāpacāra asahyāpacārarūpa nānāvidha anantāpacārān
ārabdhakāryān, anārabdhakāryān, kṛtān, kriyamāṇān, kariṣyamāṇāṃśca
sarvān aśeṣataḥ kṣamasva ।

anādikālapravṛttaviparītajñānaṃ, ātmaviṣayaṃ kṛtsnajagadviṣayaṃ ca,
viparītavṛttaṃ ca aśeṣaviṣayaṃ,
adyāpi vartamānaṃ vartiṣyamāṇaṃ ca sarvaṃ kṣamasva ॥

Meaning:

Pray grant me forgiveness without reserve
of all my sins without exception, sins of various kinds,
committed, being committed or to be committed - endless and beginningless,
i.e., commission of acts forbidden, omission of acts enjoined to be performed,
all committed by mind, or tongue or body towards Thee or Thine devotees
-- sins unforgivable (so many in number)
whether connected with acts started or not so started.
Forgive me, Oh Lord, my (poor) knowledge or action, however, perverse.

14.

Prayer for being Saved:

madīyānādikarmapravāhapravṛttāṃ, bhagavatsvarūpatirodhānakarīṃ,
viparītajñānajananīṃ, svaviṣayāyāśca bhogyabuddherjananīṃ,
dehendriyatvena ??
bhogyatvena sūkṣmarūpeṇa ca avasthitāṃ, daivīṃ guṇaayīṃ māyāṃ,
``dāsabhūtaḥ śaraṇāgato'smi tavāsmi dāsaḥ, ''
iti vaktāraṃ māṃ tāraya ।

Meaning:

I am Thy servant. I have surrendered myself unto Thee.
Help me, Thy servant, Oh Lord to cross over
Thy Mūla Prakriti of three guṇas, which flow
like a current of the beginningless and endless Karma,
which hides from my vision Thy natural Form,
and produces in me a perverted knowledge about Thee
and a sense of (false) satisfaction in me
in enjoyment of material matters existing (in the worlds)
in all manners of forms, subtle and gross
- -in body, senses and objects of enjoyment.

15.

The Desired End Result: Eternal Services

``teṣāṃ jñānī nityayuktaḥ ekabhaktirviśiṣyate ।
priyo hi jñānino'tyarthamahaṃ sa ca mama priyaḥ ॥

udārāḥ sarva evaite jñānī tvātmaiva me matam ।
āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā māmevānuttamāṃ gatim ॥

bahūnāṃ janmanāmante jñānavān māṃ prapadyate ।
vāsudevaḥ sarvamiti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ॥''

iti ślokatrayoditajñāninaṃ māṃ kuruṣva ।

``puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha ! bhaktyā labhyastvananyayā '',
``bhaktyā tvananyayā śakyaḥ'', ``madbhaktiṃ labhate parām''

iti sthānatrayoditaparabhaktiyuktaṃ māṃ kuruṣva ।

parabhaktiparajñānaparamabhaktyekasvabhāvaṃ māṃ kuruṣva ।

parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktikṛta paripūrṇānavarata nityaviśadatama
ananyaprayojana anavadhikātiśayapriya bhagavadanubhavo'haṃ, tathāvidha
bhagavadanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśaya prītikārita aśeṣāvasthocita
aśeṣaśeṣataikaratirūpa nityakiṅkaro bhavāni ।

Meaning:

Please, Oh Lord! Favour me and make me a Jñānī
like one described in the following three ślokas:

1.

Of them (the four classes of devotees), the one who is steadfast
and concentrates his devotion on Me Only
is above the other three
--for to him, I am excessively dear:
So also is he dear to Me.

2.

Indeed, I consider all these (the four classes) are generous;
but of them the Jñānī the wise is My inner Self.
He being steadfast in his mind,
rests on Me, as the Supreme Goal.

3.

At the end of many births, a man
having realized that that Vāsudeva is All, comes to Me,
He is a Mahatma, rare indeed to find.

Also make me endowed with Para-bhakti
described in the following three passages in Bhagavad Gītā:

1.

Oh Arjuna!
That Supreme person is attainable only by Bhakti undistracted

2.

He is to be attained only by Bhakti,
which seeks no other benefit than that of attaining Him

3.

He obtains that supreme devotion to me.

Make me also endowed
with constant Para Bhakti, Para Jñāna and Parma Bhakti.

I pray that I may become Thy servant
in ever constant service to Thee
--having acquired the experience of the Lord,

i.e., full and clear and constant, highly desired,
having no other object in view
and produced by Para Bhakti, Para Jñāna and Parma Bhakti,
a service which is the result of great urge
to perform services of all forms
suited to the conditions and circumstances of the moment,
which are produced by unlimited love and devotion to Thee
arising out of the experience as stated above.

16.

Prayer Answered: (Redemption)

evambhūta matkaiṅkaryaprāptyupāyatayā avakḷptasamastavastuvihīno'pi,
ananta tadvirodhipāpākrānto'pi, ananta madapacārayukto'pi,
ananta madīyāpacārayukto'pi, ananta asahyāpacārayukto'pi,
etatkāryakāraṇabhūta anādi viparītāhaṅkāra vimūḍhātmasvabhāvo'pi,
etadubhayakāryakāraṇabhūta anādi viparītavāsanāsambaddho'pi,
etadanuguṇa prakṛtiviśeṣasambaddho'pi,
etanmūla ādhyātmika ādhibhautika ādhidaivika sukhaduḥkha taddhetu
taditaropekṣaṇīya viṣayānubhava jñānasaṅkocarūpa maccaraṇāravindayugaḻa
ekāntikātyantika parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktivighnapratihato'pi,
yenakenāpi prakāreṇa Dvayavaktā tvam,
kevalaṃ madīyayaiva dayayā, niśśeṣavinaṣṭa
sahetuka maccaraṇāravindayugaḻa ekāntikātyantika parabhakti parajñāna
paramabhaktivighnaḥ, matprasādalabdha maccaraṇāravindayugaḻa ekāntikātyantika
parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktiḥ, matprasādādeva sākṣātkṛta yathāvasthita
matsvarūparūpaguṇavibhūti līlopakaraṇavistāraḥ, aparokṣasiddha manniyāmyatā
maddāsyaikarasātmasvabhāvātmasvarūpaḥ, madekānubhavaḥ, maddāsyaikapriyaḥ,
paripūrṇānavarata nityaviśadatama ananyaprayojana anavadhikātiśayapriya
madanubhavastvaṃ tathāvidha madanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśaya prītikārita
aśeṣāvasthocita aśeṣaśeṣataikaratirūpa nityakiṅkaro bhava ।

evambhūto'si ।

Meaning:

{Then the Lord answers the prayer and says to the devotee}

You may not have all the requisite qualifications
for attaining the state of being in my such service;
you may even be beset with sins
which stand in your way (of attaining My service)
you may have sinned grievously against Me
or against My people (Bhāgavatas)
or committed unto Me extremely grievous wrongs unforgivable.
Your disposition may be such a disposition
which hides Me from your vision,
i.e., Ahaṅkāra which is the cause and result of the above sins.
You may be even affected
by beginningless and perverted impressions and tendencies
(inherited from previous births)
which are the cause and result of your sins and of Ahaṅkāra.
You may be connected with Prakṛti (the cause of the above All).
You may be even set upon by obstructions
 to Para bhakti, Para Jñāna and Parama Bhakti
- a Bhakti constant and one pointed towards the lotus like feet of Mine,
the obstructions for which are due to the enjoyment of external (Material) things,
which in turn are the objects of pleasure and sorrow or of neither:
caused by bodily organs and outside objects (of the earth or divine),
all these due to connection with Prakṛti.

However, you have somehow or other uttered the words of Dvaya mantra.

By My mere Dayā, you will be freed completely from the obstructions
to Para Bhakti, Para Jñāna, Parama Bhakti and their causes.
You will also by My grace obtain Para Bhakti, Para Jñāna and Parama Bhakti
and be favoured with the direct vision of Me, My form, My attributes,
My Vibhūtis and also of Moola Prakṛti, which is My playground.
You will also realize directly and clearly your own nature (innate quality),
i.e., being in ever service to Me and be controlled by Me.
Then, finding your enjoyment only in Me only and desirous of serving Me only
and experiencing such enjoyment (as stated above)
full clear, eternal, with no goal other than Me and extremely pleasant,
you will be My servant for ever and ever as stated above.

Take it that you have become My servant as described above.

17.

ādhyātmika ādhibhautika ādhidaivika duḥkhavighnagandharahitastvaṃ
Dvayamarthānusandhānena saha sadaivaṃ vaktā yāvaccharīrapātaṃ
atraiva śrīraṅge sukhamāsva ॥

śarīrapātasamaye tu kevalaṃ madīyayaiva dayayā atiprabuddhaḥ, māmevāvalokayan,
apracyuta pūrvasaṃskāramanorathaḥ, jīrṇamiva vastraṃ sukhena imāṃ prakṛtiṃ
sthūlasūkṣmarūpāṃ visṛjya, tadānīmeva matprasādalabdha maccaraṇāravindayugaḻa
ekāntikātyantika parabhakti parajñāna paramabhaktikṛta paripūrṇānavarata nitya
viśadatama ananyaprayojana anavadhikātiśayapriya madanubhavastvaṃ tathāvidha
madanubhavajanita anavadhikātiśaya prītikārita aśeṣāvasthocita
aśeṣaśeṣataikaratirūpa nityakiṅkaro bhaviṣyasi ॥

Meaning:

Thus relieved and not troubled by the obstructions in the least degree
which are the cause of worldly or divine grieves and sorrows,
always uttering Dvaya mantra
with full understanding of its meaning and significance,
You shall reside in Śrīraṅgam till the body falls to the ground (death).

You will, by My grace, attain true knowledge
with no diminution of your capacities of consciousness of desires (to go to heaven)
and shaking off easily the mortal coil (body) both physical and subtle,
you will at once attain the privilege of constant and ever service (as stated above).

18.

Assurance by the Lord:

mā te'bhūdatra saṃśayaḥ ।
``anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me na ca vakṣye kadācana ।''
``rāmo dvirnābhibhāṣate ।''
``sakṛdeva prapannāya tavāsmīti ca yācate ।
abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo dadāmyetadvrataṃ mama ॥''
``sarvadharmān parityajya māmekaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja ।
ahaṃ tvā sarvapāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ॥''
iti mayaiva hyuktam ।

atastvaṃ tava tattvato madjñānadarśanaprāptiṣu niḥsaṃśayaḥ sukhamāsva ॥

antyakāle smṛtiryātu tava kaiṅkaryakāritā ।
tāmenāṃ bhagavannadya kriyāmāṇāṃ kuruṣva me ॥

Meaning:

(Assurance by the Lord) Entertain no doubt about it.

"I have never uttered nor shall I ever utter a falsehood".

Rāma never speaks in two voices.

"Have I not already given the assurance?"
"Him who even once bows to Me saying that I am Thine,
I grant him shelter and protection from all evils.
This is My vow."

"Renounce all dharmas and surrender unto Me only.
I shall save you from all sins. Do not grieve".

Therefore, you may rest free of doubt of fear
in the matter of obtaining true knowledge about Me,
True realization and attainment of Me".

iti śrī bhagavadrāmānujaviracite Gādyatrayaprabandhe śaraṇāgati Gādyam