līlā-tanor adhika-sāmya-vimukta-dhāmnaḥ

līlā-tanor adhika-sāmya-vimukta-dhāmnaḥ

rakṣo-vadho jaladhi-bandhanam astra-pūgaiḥ

kiṁ tasya śatru-hanane kapayaḥ sahāyāḥ

Rāmacandra's reputation for having killed Rāvaṇa with showers of arrows at the request of the devatās and for having built a bridge over the ocean does not constitute the factual glory of Rāma, whose spiritual body is always engaged in various pastimes and who has no equal or superior. He had no need to take help from the monkeys to gain victory over Rāvaṇa.

One should taste the astonishing sweetness in his human pastimes, not his display of power. Ātta-līlā-tanoḥ means Rāma has an eternal form for his pastimes. Ātta means “completely obtained.” Killing Rāvaṇa is not to be praised since Rāma has power (dhāmnaḥ) with no equal or superior. What is the use of monkeys helping him? Everything becomes suitable because Rāma possesses sweetness in his human pastimes.

|| 9.11.21 ||

yasyāmalaṁ nṛpa-sadaḥsu yaśo 'dhunāpi

gāyanty agha-ghnam ṛṣayo dig-ibhendra-paṭṭam

taṁ nākapāla-vasupāla-kirīṭa-juṣṭa-

pādāmbujaṁ raghupatiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

In the assembly of kings, even today, the sages glorify Rāma’s spotless fame, which destroys all sin and which spreads in all directions. I surrender to Rāma, whose lotus feet are served by the crowns of the devatās and earthly kings.

 

This verse describes the excellence of Rāma for a surrendering person. Sages like Mārkaṇḍeya glorify his spotless fame in the assembly of kings like Yudhiṣṭhira even today. Paṭṭa means “reaching.” Thus his fame reaches in all directions. His feet are served by the crowns of the devatās and earthly kings (vasupāla). Another version has juṣṭam and raghupateḥ.

|| 9.11.22 ||

sa yaiḥ spṛṣṭo 'bhidṛṣṭo vā