Ramayana Parayana Krama –Visishtadvaithins

Ramayana Parayana Krama –Visishtadvaithins

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

( Reading of Valmiki Ramayana  is supposed to grant you all prosperity and in the end salvation. It is proper to read it  after   chanting an initial prayer  , do the Parayana and after it   complete it by another  series of prayers. Here is the system  for Parayana  by Vishishtadvaithins. They are followers of saint Ramanuja and the Azhvars  and are Vaishnavites by nature .It is believed that  Valmiki Ramayana   was taught to saint Ramanuja  by Periya Thirumalai Nambi  (also known as  Sri Saila pootna)  . Because of this the initial prayer   starts   with a prayer to this great saint.Here also there is an initial prayer ,reading of Ramayana   and then again prayer.)

I.Prayers  before the Parayana

1.Start the  Parayana  with a prayer  to Sri Saila poorna (Periya Thirumalai Nambi):-

1.Pithamahasyaapi   pithamahaya prachetha saadesa  phala pradhaya ,

Sri Bhashyakarothama   desikaya  , Sri Saila poornaaya  namo Namasthe

1.I  salute  Thirumalai nambi  , who is the grand father  of Lord Brahma* 

Who gave great commentary to Valmiki Ramayana    ,

Who is a great   teacher and   very great  commentator

      *.Lord of Thirupathi called him his father   and so he is grand father  to Lord Brahma.

(Thirumalai Nambi   also called as Saila Purnar was the maternal uncle of Saint Ramanuja    and was the  one who taught   Ramayana   to Ramanuja.)

2.Other prayers

1.Koojantham Rama Ramethi maduram madsuraksharam,
Aaroohya kavitha shakhaam vande Valmiki kokilam. 3

Salutations to The nightingale Valmiki,
Who sits on the poem like branch,
And who goes on singing sweetly,
“Rama”, “Rama” and “Rama”.

2.Valmiki muni simhasya kavitha vana charina,
Srunvan Rama kadha naadam ko na yathi paraam gathim. 4

Who in this world will not attain salvation,
Who happen to hear the story of Rama,
Composed by the lion among poets Valmiki,
Who always lived in the forest.

3,Ya pibhan Rama charithamrutha sagaram,
Aruthastham munim vande, prachethasa makalmasham. 5

I salute that resplendent sage ,
Who never got satisfied,
But forever drank the story of Rama,
Which is like the sea of nectar.

4.Goshpadi krutha vaareesham masaki krutha rakshasam,
Ramayana maha mala rathnam Vande anilathmajam,

I pray to him who is born to the God of wind.
Who made the king of lakes look like the hoof of a cow,
Who made the great Rakshasas look like simple mosquitoes,
And who is born to the God of wind.
And is the greatest jewel in the garland of the story of Rama,

5.Anjananandanam veeram  , Janaki  Soka nasanam,

Kapeesamaksha hanthaaram , Vandhe Lanka   Bhayanagaram

I salute   the terror to Lanka  , who is valorous son of Anjana  ,

Who destroyed the sorrow of Sita, who is the God of monkeys who killed Akshaya  Kumara.

6.Mano javam , marutha thulya vegam,
Jithendriyam buddhi matham varishtam,
Vatha atmajam vanara yudha mukhyam,
Sree rama dootham sirasa namami.

I bow my head and salute the emissary of Rama,
Who has won over his mind,
Who has similar speed as wind,
Who has mastery over his organs,
Who is the greatest among the knowledgeable,
Who is the son of God of wind,
And who is the chief in the army of monkeys

7. Ullangasya sindho salilam salilam cha sokha vahnim janakathmajaya,
AAdhaya thenaiva dhadhaha Lankam namami tham pranjalir Anjaneyam

I salute that son of Anjana with folded hands,
Who crosses the great ocean playfully,
Who took away the fire like sorrow of Sita,
And with that burnt the city of Lanka.

8, Anjaneya madhi patalananam,
Kanchanadri kamaneeya vigraham,
Parijatha tharu moola vasinam,
Bhavayami bhava mana nandanam.

I bow before the darling son of the god of wind,
Who is the son of Anjana,
Who is great among killers of Rakshasas,
Who is like a golden mountain,
Who is handsome to look at,
And who lives near the roots of Parijatha tree.

9.Yatra yatra Raghu nada keerthanam,
Thathra thathra krudha masthakanjalim,
Bhashpa vari pari poorna lochanam,
Maruthim namatha Rakshasanthakam.

I pray and salute the son of wind god,
Who brought to end the rakshasas,
Who is always present with eye full of tears,
With head bowed in veneration,
Wherever the praise of Lord Rama is sung

10.Veda vedhye pare pumsi jathe dasaradhathmaje,
Veda prachethasa daseeth sakshath Ramayanathmana.

When the God who is known by Vedas,
Was born as the son of Dasaratha,
Veda was born again from Sage Valmiki as Ramayana.

11.Thadhupagatha  Samasa  sandhi yogam   sama madhuropanathardha vakhya badham,

Raghu vara charitham   muni praneetham   dasa sirasascha  vadham  nisamayadhwam

 The words  , their alliteration  ,their conjunction  ,

With equally   sweet and appropriate  meanings ,

And very  inimitable    story of killing of Ravana ,

Occur in the   history of Rama   composed by the sage.

12.Sri Raghavam  Dasrathathmaja maprameyam,

Sita pathim  Raghukulaanvaya  rathna deepam,

Aajanubahu  maravinda  Dalayathaksham,

Ramam nisachara  vinasakaram namami.

12.I salute  Rama who exterminated  asuras who move at night  ,

Who is Raghava , who is son of Dasaratha  , who is unlimited,

Who is the Lord  of Sita, who is   gem lamp  of the  clan of Raghus,

Who has hands touching his  thigh   and has eyes like lotus  petals.

13.Vaidehi sahitham surudrumathale haime maha mandape,
Madhye pushpaka masane mani maye veerasane susthitham,
Aagre vaachayathi prabhanjana suthe thathwam muneebhya param,
Vyakhyaantham Barathathibhi parivrutham Raamam bhaje syamalam.

I salute that black coloured Rama,
Who sits along with daughter of Videha,
And in the company of Baratha and others,
Inside the golden shed beneath the holy tree of Karpaga,
On the seat of flowers bedecked with jewels,
Built in its centre,
Explaining the essence of knowledge,

II.Prayers   after  reading Ramayana

(Parayana  samaptha  Krama )

1,Yevamethath   puraa vruthamaakhyaanam  Bhadramasthu  va:,

Pravyaaharatha   visthrabdham  balam vishnou  pravardhathaam .

Let   the story   which was   related   like   this ensure   safety,

And let the sounds of it

2.Labhastheshaam  jayastheshaam   kuthastheshaam paraabhava  ,

Yeshaam indheevara  shyamo  hrudaye   suprathishtitha.

How can profit   and victory  brought   from somewhere  cause   defeat  ,

To those   who are keeping in their mind the God who is of the colour  of blue lotus.

3.Kale varshathu parjanya,
Prauthwee sasya shalini,
Deso yam kshobha rahitha,
SAjjana santhu nirbhaya.

Let the monsoon be timely and plentiful,
Let earth be covered with vegetation,
Let the country live without problems,
And let good people never have fear.

4,Kaveri vardathaam  kale  , kale  varshathu  vaasava,

Sri Ranga Nadho  jayathu  Sri Ranga srischa vardathaam.

4.The Cauvery   river increases   with time  if  Lord Indra sends  rain in time  ,

Let there  be victory to Ranganadha   and let the  wealth of Sri Ranga  increase

5.Swasthi prajabhya paripalayantham,
Nyayena margena maheem maheesa,
Gobrahmanebhyo shubhamasthu nithyam,
Loka samastha Sukhino bhavantu.

Let good things occur to the king of the country,
Who looks after his people well, in the path of justice,
Let Cows* and Brahmins** have a pleasant life daily,
Let all people of the world have a very pleasant life.
*wealth was measured by cows in those times
** People in search of God

6.Kosalendraya , mahaneeya gunabhdhaye,

Chakravarthi thanujaaya  sarva bhoumaya Mangalam.             

Let good happen to , Rama ,

Who is the king of Kosala,

And the ocean of good qualities.

Let good happen to Rama,

Who is son of emperor Dasaratha,

And who is a very great king.

7.Vedavedantha vedhyaya , Megha Shyamala moorthaye,

Pumsaam mohana roopaya , punyaslokaya Mangalam.            

Let good happen to Rama,

Who is venerated by Vedas and Vedanta,

Who is of the black colour of the rich cloud,

Who is one of the prettiest among men,

And who has a fame which is pure.

8,Viswamithrantharangaya , mithila nagari pathe,

Bhagyaanaam paripakaya , bhavya roopaya Mangalam.             

Let good happen to Rama,

Who is a confidant of Viswamithra,

Who is the matured luck of ,

The king of Mithila and ,

Is the form of pure humility.

9.Pithru bhakthaya sathatham brathrubhi saha seethaya,

Nandithakhila lokaya , Ramabhadraya Mangalam.                         

Let good happen to Ramabhadra,

Who is a devotee of his father,

Who shines with Sita and his brothers,

And who makes the entire world happy.

10.Thyaktha saketha vasaya , chithra koota viharine,

Sevyaya sarva yaminaam , dheerodhayaya Mangalam.                 

Let good happen to Lord Rama,

Who is courageous and kind,

Who left the city of Ayodhya,

And lived in the forest of Chithrakoota,

And who served all great sages.

11.Soumithrina cha janakya  chapa banasi dharine,

Samsevyaya  sada bhakthya , swamine mama Mangalam.                  

Let good happen to my Lord Rama,

Who was with Lakshmana and Sita,

Who was armed with sword and bow,

And who is always served by devotees.

12,Danda karanya vasaya , khara dhooshana sathrave,

Grudhra rajaya Bhakthaya , mukthi dayasthu Mangalam.                   

Let good happen to the giver of salvation,

Who lived in the forest of Danda karanya,

Who was the enemy of Asuras,  Khara and Dhooshana,

And who was greatly devoted  to Jatayu , the king of birds.

13.Sadaram Sabari datha phala moola abhilashine,

Soulabhya paripoornaa, sathvodrikthaya Mangalam,                              

Let good happen to him who has lot of good qualities,

Who liked the fruits and roots offered by Shabhari.

And can be fully realized , extremely easily.

14.Hanumath sama vethaya , harresabheeshta dhayine,

Bali pramadhanayasthu , Maha dheeraya Mangalam.                             

Let good happen to the God who is very brave,

Who can be easily be attained by Hanuman,

Who used to fulfill desires  of King Sugreeva,

And who wounded and killed the great Bali.

15.Srimathe Raghu veeraya , sethullangitha sindhave,

Jitha rakshasa Rajaya , Rana dheeraya Mangalam.                                 

Let good happen to the God who is brave in battle,

Who is the valorous hero of the clan of Raghu,

Who built the bridge over the sea,

And who won over the king of Rakshasas.

16.Vibheeshana kruthe preethya , lankabheeshta pradhayine,

Sarva loka saranyaya , Sri Raghavaya Mangalam.                                 

Let good happen to Lord Raghava,

Who presented with happiness Lanka,

To Vibheeshana due to his love,

And who has the entire world as devotees.

17.Asadhya nagarem  divyamabhishikthaya Seethaya,

Rajadhi rajaya Rama Bhadraya Mangalam.                                             

Let good happen to Lord Raghava,

Who was crowned along with Sia,

When he returned back to the city of Ayodhya,

And who is the king of all kings.

18.Brahmadhi deva sevyaya , brahmanyaya mahathmane,

Janaki prana nadhaya , Ragu nadhaya Mangalam.                                    

Let good happen to the Lord of the Raghu clan,

Who is served by Lord Brahma and other devas,

Who protected Vedas and Brahmins,

And who was the king of the soul of Janaki.

19,Sri soumya jamathru mune  krupaya smanu peyushe,

Mahathe mama nadhaya , Raghu nadhya Mangalam.            

Let good happen to the Lord of the Raghu clan,

Who was got to us by the grace of the saint Jamathru,

Who is my Lord who is on of the greatest.

20.Mangala sasana paraiir madacharya purogamai,

SArvescha poorvairacharyai , sathkruthayasthu Mangalam.                      

Let good happen to the Lord who only did good,

The salutary song about him is greatest by my teacher,

Grater than all that is written by previous great teachers.