पूरब दिसि गिरि-गुहा निवासी । परम प्रताप तेज बल रासी ॥
मत्त-नाग-तम-कुरुम बिदारी । ससि केसरी गगन-बन-चारी ॥
pūraba disi giri-guhā nivāsī | parama pratāpa teja bala rāsī ||
matta-nāga-tama-kuruma bidārī | sasi kesarī gagana-bana-cārī ||
Lanka Kanda
Chapter 12: Why the moon bears a dark mark
7 verses · 12 of 121
What happens in this chapter
Why the moon bears a dark mark
Shri Rama likens the moon to a lion that lives in the cave of the eastern hills and tears the elephant of darkness. Then he asks: what is the dark patch in the moon? Sugriva says it is the shadow of the earth. Another says Rahu struck the moon and left a bruise on its breast. Another says that when Brahma fashioned Rati's face he took the moon's best part, and through that hole we see the sky. The Lord says poison is the moon's brother, and the moon keeps it lovingly in its heart, which is why its rays burn separated lovers. Hanuman says the moon is your servant; your dark form dwells in its heart.
बिथुरे नभ मुकुताहल तारा । निसि-सुन्दरी केर सिँगारा ॥
कह प्रभु ससि मह मेचकताई । कहहु काह निज निज मति भाई ॥
bithure nabha mukutāhala tārā | nisi-sundarī kera sim̐gārā ||
kaha prabhu sasi maha mecakatāī | kahahu kāha nija nija mati bhāī ||
कह सुग़ीव सुनहु रघुराई । ससि महँ प्रगट भूमि के झाँई ॥
मारेउ राहु ससिहि कह कोई । उर महँ परी स्यामता सोई ॥
kaha suġīva sunahu raghurāī | sasi maham̐ pragaṭa bhūmi ke jhām̐ī ||
māreu rāhu sasihi kaha koī | ura maham̐ parī syāmatā soī ||
कोउ कह जब विधि रति-मुख कीन्हा । सार भाग सखि कर हरि लीन्हा ॥
छिद्र से प्रगट इन्दु उर माहीँ । तेहि मग देखिय नभ परिछाहीं ॥
kou kaha jaba vidhi rati-mukha kīnhā | sāra bhāga sakhi kara hari līnhā ||
chidra se pragaṭa indu ura māhīm̐ | tehi maga dekhiya nabha parichāhīṃ ||
प्रभु कह गरल बन्धु ससि केरा । अति प्रिय निज उर दीन्ह बसेरा ॥
विष संजुत कर निकर पसारी । जारत बिरहवन्त नर नारी ॥
prabhu kaha garala bandhu sasi kerā | ati priya nija ura dīnha baserā ||
viṣa saṃjuta kara nikara pasārī | jārata birahavanta nara nārī ||
कह मारुत-सुत सुनहु प्रभु, ससि तुम्हार प्रिय दास ।
तव मूरति बिधु उर बसति, सोइ स्यामता अभास ॥
kaha māruta-suta sunahu prabhu, sasi tumhāra priya dāsa |
tava mūrati bidhu ura basati, soi syāmatā abhāsa ||
पवन-तनय के बचन सुनि, बिहंसे राम सुजान ।
दच्छिन दिसि अवलोकि प्रभु, बोले कृपा निधान ॥
pavana-tanaya ke bacana suni, bihaṃse rāma sujāna |
dacchina disi avaloki prabhu, bole kṛpā nidhāna ||
Text source: Wikisource · Public domain (Tulsidas, 16th c.; 1925 edition, Wikisource PD-1996 tag); transcription CC BY-SA 4.0