The verse and its meaning · Stotras · Stotras — Rama Raksha Stotram

Speech and the Broken Bow

Rama Raksha Stotram 6

जिह्वां विद्यानिधिः पातु कण्ठं भरतवन्दितः । स्कन्धौ दिव्यायुधः पातु भुजौ भग्नेशकार्मुकः

Meaning · English

May the treasury of learning protect my tongue, the one Bharata bows to protect my throat, the bearer of heavenly weapons my shoulders, the breaker of Shiva's bow my arms.

Four parts of the body get four names of Rama, and each name suits the part it guards. The tongue speaks and recites, so it goes to the one who is a treasury of learning. The throat goes to the one his younger brother Bharata honors. The shoulders, where a warrior carries his weapons, go to the bearer of heavenly weapons. The arms go to the one who broke Shiva's great bow, a feat done with the arms themselves.

Picture a mother buttoning a child's coat before school. She starts at the collar and works down one button at a time, and each button closes a gap the cold could get through. The hymn works down the body the same way, from tongue to throat to shoulders to arms, fastening one name of Rama over each place.

अर्थ · हिन्दी

In this book

• Before: Guarding Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth · Rama Raksha Stotram 5
• Next: From Hands to Navel · Rama Raksha Stotram 7
• All of Stotras · Ask Krishna about it

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