To him who seeks to cross the sea of worldly existence, the story of Rama serves as a secure bark. To the sensualist, too, the hearing of Hari’s perfections is pleasant to the ear and grateful to the mind.

Is there anyone in the world with ears to hear whom the story of Rama’s acts does not delight? Stupid indeed are those creatures and self-destroyers to whom the story of Raghunatha gives no pleasure.

While you sang of the Manasa Lake of Rama’s Acts, I listened, my Lord, with boundless joy; but inasmuch as you said that this charming story was recited by Kakabhushundi to Garuda,

I am filled with great doubt that one in the body of a crow should possess such steadfastness in dispassion, knowledge and mystic wisdom, such staunch devotion to Raghunatha and such love for the story of his exploits.

Listen, O foe of the demon Tripura; among a thousand men there is scarce one who is steadfast in his vow of piety; and among ten million souls devoted to righteousness there may be one who loathes sensuality and delights in dispassion.

Among millions of souls free from worldly attachment – so declare the Vedas – scarce one succeeds in acquiring perfect wisdom; and among millions of enlightened souls in this world, there is hardly one who wins final beatitude even when living.

Among a thousand such liberated souls, hard is it to find one who is a fountain of all bliss and who, well-equipped with knowledge of the Self, is one with the Absolute. Of the righteous, the unattached, the enlightened and the emancipated, as well as of those absorbed in the Absolute,