Rama Rahasya Upanishad Translated by Dr. Sunder Hattangadi and P. R. Ramachander Published by EBYS [This great Upanishad is in Atharvana Veda and is the authoritative source of Lord Rama's worship methods.]
Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
I salute that Lord Rama, who is the personification of salvation, who is a great king, who is a great man and who destroys all his enemies.
First Chapter
1-2. Great sages like Mudgala, Sandilya, Paingala, Bikshu, Sanaka and Prahlada approached Lord Hanuman, who was a great devotee of Vishnu and asked him,
3-4. “Which is the greatest principle among the four Veda-s, 18 purana-s, 18 Smriti-s, Sastra-s, all knowledge and among the great powers ruled by the Sun and moon?” 5-6. He replied, “Hey, great sages and devotees of Lord Vishnu! Please hear my words which cut of all attachments, the greatest principle among these is the principle of Brahma Taraka (OM). Rama is Para-Brahma and supreme austerity, and Rama is the Supreme Essence and Brahma Taraka.”
7. They all again asked, Lord Hanuman,”Please tell us the angas (aspects) of Lord Rama.”
Lord Hanuman told, “Please understand that Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Durga, all the Kshetra Palaka-s, Sun, Moon, Lord Narayana, Lord Narasimha, Lord Vasudeva, Lord Varaha, Lord Lakshmana, Shatrughna, Bharata, Vibheeshana, Sugreeva, Angada, Jambavanta and Pranava are the angas of Lord Rama. Without these angas, Lord Rama will not remove all roadblocks. They again asked, “How will Brahmins and householders get the capacity to recite Pranava?” He said, “All People (even if they are not eligible to chant “Om”,) who chant the six letter mantra would get the capacity to meditate on Pranava. Those who chant silently the mantra of Rama would get the same effect as repeating the letter “Om”. After the name of Rishi, Devata and meter, japa of the Rama mantra would give the same effect as repetition of Pranava and further he explained that Rama Himself has said that pranava is a part of Rama mantra.
8. On another occasion answering Vibheeshana’s question “How can your angas be made easy to worship? Please tell me an easy way.”
Rama replied, “The japa of my name “Rama” removes all sins. Suppose some one is meditating on my six lettered mantra or reads my Gita or thinks of me with devotional fervor, he would get the same effect. He would get rid of the five great sins, viz. killing of father, killing of mother, killing of brothers, killing of teachers, killing of husband or even other well-known great sins, if one repeats my six lettered mantra ten million times. He also would get the immortal and ever lasting bliss.
Vibheeshana again asked him, “What would be the way for people who are not capable of doing It.?”
Rama replied “they can either read my Gita, my thousand names or meditate on my Viswa Roopa or my 108 names, or repeat my name 100 times, or read the king of stotras written by sage Narada, or read the great prayer called mantra raja stavam written by Hanuman, or read the prayer to Sita or daily pray to me by reciting my name; they will doubtless attain Me.”
Here ends the First Chapter.
Second Chapter
The great sages led by Sanaka asked Hanuman again, “Please tell us the mantra for meditating (or worshipping) the Taraka Brahma Rama.”
Hanuman replied: 1. That king of mantra-s is the Ekakshara (one-syllabled) which is the store house of fire, which is Lord Vishnu who is lying down and which is Lord Shiva who adorned with the crescent moon.
2. Its sage is Brahma, meter is Gayatri, Deity is Lord Rama, its anga is waxing half-Moon and its mind is the soul of fire,
3. Its root is the Beeja Shakti and it has to be chanted for fulfillment of desires. [The prayer (dhyana sloka) for the mantra is:-] He who sits on the lotus flower on the shores of river Sarayu,
4. He who is black, seated on the throne of heroes, who shines in the Jnana-Mudra that he shows, whose left side is adorned by Sita and Lakshmana,
5. He who shines as their soul to those souls, who pray to him, who is like the clear crystal, who is the only source to those who wish for salvation,
6. He who is the Paramatma to those thinkers, who shines like the millions of Suns, who is like Narayana residing in the nadi-s, who is digestive fire.
7. The king of mantras with two syllables (Rama) would lead to fulfillment of all desires, and along with the suffix of one letter, it becomes six different mantras, [they are Om, Hrim, Srim, Klim, Aim and Ram.]
8. These king of mantras consisting of three syllables also will fulfill all desires.
9. The two four lettered mantras are Ramachandra and Ramabhadra.
10. These can be chanted with the rishi and others as told before; Viswamithra is its Rishi, the meter is pankti, Devatha is Ramabhadra, The Bheeja is Shakthi.
11. This mantra should be invoked mentally in the middle of the eye brows, head, navel, thighs and feet.
12. One should go to the middle of the forest and sit under the Kalpa-Vriksha (wish-fulfilling or eternal tree) and assume the posture of “Pushpalata” (flowering creeper plant), do the anga nyasa and chant the mantras,
13. With Lakshmana having arranged properly the arrow and the Lord being fanned by Sita.
14. Dhyana mantra:- I salute that Rama, who has lustrous matted hair, who is bluish in colour, who is surrounded by sages, who is being fanned by Janaki, who is protected by Lakshmana holding an umbrella,
15. The one who killed Ravana, who is extremely peaceful, and before whom stand Sugreeva and Vibeeshana. For achieving victory one should chant this sloka ten million times.
16. The five lettered mantra-s are formed by adding the root letters for Manmatha, Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi at the beginning of the four lettered mantra, [adding OM to make it six-syllabled] and lead to the realization of the four Purushartha-s.
17. When each of the fifty mystic syllables of the Sanskrit alphabet (nasalized), as well as the root letters of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Manmatha and OM are added as the first syllable several varieties of six lettered mantras are formed.
18. Chanting the four letter mantras by adding the root letters of Sri, Maya and Manmatha as prefix and suffix of the four and six letter mantras grants all ones wishes.
19. Adding svaha, or hum phat or namah at the end, in various combinations, make up the 18-lettered mantra-s.
20. In these mantra-s, Brahma as sammohana shakti, Dakshinamurty, Agastya, and Shiva are said to be the ascetics, in that order.
21. The meter (chanda) is Gayatri, and the Deity is Shri Rama. Or, Kama-bija at the beginning and Vishvamitra the Rishi.
22. The meter Gayatri of different deities and Ramabhadra the ‘devata’. The shakti-bija is invoked as before as with the 6-lettered mantra.
23. Touching on the top of the head, in the middle between the eye-brows, heart, thighs, and feet, the mantras are recited with bija-s and anga-nyasa.
24. Dhyana: I worship Sri Rama, Whose body shines with various ornaments, Who is as brilliant as lightning, Who assumes the Virasana posture, Who shows jnana Mudra by one hand, Who keeps the other hand on his thigh, And who wears the crown.
25. Then one should, with prostrations, recite “Ramachandraya and Ramabhadraya Namah”, and the king of seven lettered mantras and the fulfiller of all wishes.
26. Eight lettered mantra: Adding OM at the beginning to the two seven lettered mantras gives rise to two eight lettered mantras. OM added to the four lettered “Ramaya” and “Hum Phat svaha” is another 8 lettered mantra.
27. The Rishis and other adjuncts for the 8-lettered mantra are the same as for the 6-lettered ones. Again, the 8-lettered mantra also has Rama as the Rishi.
28. The meter is Gayatri, the Deity is Rama, OM, the pair of Shri bija-s, and Shakti bija and others are also (added).
29. Thereafter one recites the mantra-s with the 6-limbed nyasa, and recites Ramaya Namah with OM and a pair of Shri-bija-s.
30. Shiva Rama Mantra: Glaum OM, Maya-bija (heart-abiding) Ramaya Namah is recited again. Shiva, Om, Rama mantra is the giver of all excellence.
31. Sadashiva is spoken of as the Rishi, Gayatri as the meter, and Shiva-OM-Ramachandra as the Deity.
Dhyanam: I worship that Rama, Who has three eyes, Who wears the crescent, Who holds the trident, Who is anointed all over by ash, And who is with matted hair.
32. I worship the three eyed one, Who is Abhirama, the pinnacle of beauty, Who wears the crescent as ear ring, And who holds the noose, the goad, the bow and the arrow,
34. Thus meditating, devoted wholly to recitation and oblations one shall chant mantra-s one-hundred thousand times, offering bilva leaves, fruits, flowers, gingili seeds, and lotuses.
35. Rama Brahma Gayatri: Even the treasures and powers, wished for by the celestials, come by themselves, when the 8-lettered Raghava brahma-gayatri (is chanted).
36. The Rishis knowing Shri-bija as my Shakti, chant the mantra-s with the limbs, as viniyoga for its adoration.
37. Dhyanam: I worship that blue complexioned Rama, Who wears the bracelet on upper arm and bangle, Which are studded with shining gems, Who has the royal umbrella held over his head, Who shines like millions of waxing moons, Who sits in the hall of one thousand sixteen golden pillars, And who is surrounded by Bharata and others.
38. Rama Sharana Mantra: The chanting of “Ramam sharanam mama” (i.e. Rama is my refuge) achieves much more than many other mantras which lead with difficulty to mere ephemeral gains and productive of the misery of samsara due to the greed for the transient fruits. This mantra gives the fruits of all of them without the taint of greed and other defects. There is also the 8-lettered mantra which is well-known in seven-fold ways. It is Om added to the seven lettered mantra.
39. Other mantras with more letters: The 8-syllabled mantra is (chanted) seven-fold ways. OM is added at the beginning and end of the seven lettered (mantra).
40. Nine lettered mantra: This 9-lettered mantra is offered like the 6-lettered one, to Sita in the beginning and to the consort of Janaki at the end.
41. Ten lettered mantra: The 10-lettered mantra gives all that is desirable wished-for fruits. The great Vasishtha is the Rishi of this 10-lettered mantra; the meter is Virat,
42. The Deity is Rama holding Sita’s hand; The beginning bija Visarga is the shakti. With the anga-nyasa for the wishes,
43. The 10 lettered mantra is offered mentally to the head, forehead, middle of the eye-brows, palate, ears, heart, navel, thighs, knees, and feet.
44. Dhyanam: I think of that Rama, Who is in the city of Ayodhya, Who is decorated by various gems, Who sits under a golden canopy, Whose doorways are decorated by mandara flowers,
45. Who is seated on a throne, Surrounded by celestial vehicles,
46. Who is praised by sages with reverence, Who is adorned on the left by Sita, Who is being served by Lakshmana,
47. Who is blue complexioned, Who has a tranquil face, And who is adorned by ornaments. This mantra should be recited a hundred-thousand times with exclusive devotion.
48. The form of Rama holding the bow in his hands and Sita within. Brahma is the Rishi of the 10-lettered mantra. The meter is Virat,
49. The Deity is Rama, the slayer of demons. Rest of the worship is similar to the previous one. One should remember Rama holding the bow and arrow.
50. Eleven lettered mantra: With the six-fold addition of OM-Maya-Rama-Kama-Vac-sva- bija-s, and recite the 10-lettered mantra for Rudra.
51. The remainder (ritual) is the same as for the 6-lettered mantra, as regards nyasa and dhyana, according to the wise. Of the 12-lettered mantra Sri Rama is the Rishi;
52. The meter is jagati and Sri Rama the Deity; the pranava is said to be the bija, kliim is Shakti, and hrim is kilaka.
53. Reciting the mantra-s with the anga-nyasa, the rest is performed as previously. Also to be added are OM, kiim and also Bharatagraja.
54. Twelve lettered mantra: This 12-lettered mantra ends with Rama, kliim and svaha. OM Hrridbhagavate Ramachandrabhadraya;
55. As before, the Rishi and dhyana, and [arna meter (12-feet) or the 12 suryas??]; Jagati meter, and the mantra-s with anga-nyasa.
56. Reciting the name Sri Rama and Jayarama thereafter, the wise one says jaya jaya twice, Rama who sheds joy on the mind.
57. Thirteen lettered mantra: The 13-lettered mantra has the same Rishi and other adjuncts as before, the fulfiller of all wishes. Repeating the phrase twice with the anga-s and dhyana as before.
58. Fourteen lettered mantra: When Om is added, the mantra is 14-lettered. After chanting the 13-lettered, one adds (the name) Rama;
59. Fifteen lettered mantra: This is the 15-lettered wish-fulfilling tree (kalpa - bhuruhah). Add namah to Sitapataye Ramaya hana hana;
60. Sixteen lettered mantra: Thereafter, the 16-lettered ends with the kavacha and asthra. Of this, Agastya is the Rishi, Brihati is the meter, and Rama is the Deity.
61. Ram is the bija, astra is shakti, and hum the kilaka. The 10-15 lettered mantra-a are offered in sequence with the anga-nyasa-s.
62. Seventeen lettered mantra: Adding OM, the mantra is 17-lettered. OM namo bhagavata Ram at the end there-after.
63. Eighteen lettered mantra: Adding purushaya at the end gives the 18-lettered mantra, with Vishvamitra as the Rishi and gayatri meter and the Deity as Rama.
64. Nineteen lettered mantra: With the Kama bija, the mantra is 19-lettered. OM namo bhagavate Ramaya is to be recited.
65. Twenty lettered mantra: After uttering all the mantra-s one asks for all auspiciousness. When svaha is added the mantra is 20-lettered.
66. OM namo bhagavate Ramaya is to be recited. Then svaha for protection from dangers.
67. Twenty one lettered mantra: The 21-lettered mantra fulfills all one’s wishes. OM Rama svabijaa Dasharathaya thereafter.
68. Twenty two lettered mantra: Then one chants the all-auspicious sitavallabhaya (to Sita’s consort). Then this 22-lettered mantra.
69. Twenty three lettered mantra: OM namo bhagavate viraramaya is chanted. Then softly, hana hana svaha is recited.
70. The 23-lettered mantra is the slayer of all enemies. Vishvamitra is the Rishi and Gayatri is the meter.