वर्णानामर्थसंधानाम रसानां छन्दसामपि ।
मंगलाणं मंगलानाम च कर्तारौ वन्दे वाणीविनायकौ ।। 1 ।।
I pay my reverence to Vani (the goddess of speech) and Vinayaka (Lord Ganesha),
the originators of sounds represented by the alphabets, of the
multitudes of objects denoted by those sounds, of poetic sentiments as
well as of metres, and begetters of all blessings.
भावानीशंकरौ वन्दे श्रद्धाविश्वास रूपिणौ ।
याभयाम विना न पश्यन्ति सिद्धा: स्वान्तःस्थमिस्वरम ।। 2 ।।
I greet Goddess Parvati and Her cosort, Bhagavan Sankara, embodiments of reverence and faith respectively, without which even the adept cannot perceive God enshrined in their very heart.
वन्दे बोधमयं नित्यं गुरुं शंकररूपिणम ।
यामासृतो हि वाकरोअपी चन्द्रः सर्वत्र वंदते ।। 3 ।।
I make obeisance to the eternal preceptor in the form of Lord Sankara, who is all wisdom, and resting on whose brow the crescent moon, though crooked in shape, is universally adored.
सीताराम गुणं पुण्य अरण्य विहारिनौ ।
वन्दे विशुद्ध विहानौ कविश्वर कापिस्वरौ ।। 4 ।।
I pay homage to the king of bards (Valmiki) and the chief of monkeys (Hanuman) of pure intelligence, both of whom sport in holy woods in the shape of glories of Sita and Rama.
उद्भव स्तिथि सन्हार कारिणीम क्लेश्हरिनिम ।
सर्वस्रेयस्करीम सीतां नातो अहम् रामवल्लभाम ।। 5 ।।
I bow to Sita the beloved consort of Sri Rama, who is responsible for the creation, sustenance and dissolution (of the universe), removes affliction and begets all blessings.
यंमायाव्शावर्ती विश्वमखिलं ब्रह्मादिदेवासुरा यात्स सात्व अद्म्रिशैव भाति सकलं रज्जौ याथाहेभ्रमः।
यात्पाद अप्लवमेकमेव हि भावाभ्भो धेस्तितिर्षा वताम वन्दे अहम् तमशेषकारणपरनम रामाख्यमीशम हरिं ।। 6 ।।
I adore Lord Hari, known by the name of Sri Rama, who is superior to and lies beyond all causes, whose Maya holds sway over the entire universe including gods from Brahma downwards and demons, whose presence lends positive reality to the world of appearances - even as the false notion of a serpent is entertained with reference to a rope - and whose feet are the only bark for those who are eager to cross the ocean of mundane existence.
नानापुराण निगम अगम सम्मतं यद् रामायणे निगदितं कवचिद अन्यतो अपि ।
स्वांतः सुखाय तुलसी रघुनाथ गाथा भाषा निबंधम अतिम अन्जुलमातनोती ।। 7 ।।
For the gratification of his own self Tulasidasa brings forth this very elegant composition relating in common pralance the story of the Lord of Raghus, which is in accord with the various Puranas, Vedas and Agamas (Tantras) and incorporates what has been recording in Ramayana of Valmiki and culled down from some other sources.
