Covenant

I promise that you will once again be the queen of kings!

The muttering of prayers, austere penance, performing sacrifices, subjugation of the mind and the senses, undertaking sacred vows, charity, dispassion, right judgment, Yoga (union with God) and Realization - the fruit of all these is devotion to the feet of the Lord of the Raghus; without this no one can attain lasting peace.

Love me with all your heart, for I am omnipresent and friendly to all. Worship me with a steadfast vow.

They are naturally pure and loving, dedicated to prayer, austerity, self-control, and spiritual practices. They take sacred vows and follow them diligently.

He has kept my vow, giving up his own, and has thus shown great kindness and love.

Whether He shuns me as one with a black heart or welcomes me as his servant, my only refuge is in Rama's shoes. He is a noble master, and the blame lies with me, his servant. The only ones who deserve fame are the Cataka bird and the fish, who keep their vows of love and fidelity fresh.

Just as gold gets brighter by being put into the fire, even so the lover shines by sticking to his vow of devotion to the feet of his most beloved lord.

There is no one, says Tulasīdāsa, so supremely dear to Rāma as you are: I declare this on oath.

The king prioritized his word over his own life, so, dear son, fulfill your father's promise.

Either accept my proposal or reject it. You are known for keeping your promises, more so than anyone else in the lineage of Raghu.

If I am true to my vow in thought, word, and deed, and if my mind is really attached to the lotus-feet of Rama, I am sure God, who dwells in the heart of all, will make me Rama's bondslave; for one gets united without doubt with him for whom one cherishes true love.

Give up all hope and turn your faces homewards. It is not the will of Providence that Sītā should be married. All my religious merits shall be gone if I abandon my vow.

Knowing Him as such, if I have served Him lovingly in thought, word and deed, then hear, O great sages: the gracious Lord will accomplish my vow.

Glory to the great Lord Shiva, who has so staunchly upheld the cause of devotion. Who else but You can take such a vow? You are a devotee of Lord Rama and the all-powerful Lord at the same time.

Controlling the mind, the five self-restraints (non-violence, truth, not stealing, self-control, and not accumulating wealth), and the five religious vows (purity, contentment, austerity, studying sacred texts or repeating the Divine Name, and surrendering to God) are like the flowers of these climbing plants.

Oh kings, this grand sacrifice is not equal to a small amount of powdered barley given away by a generous Brahmin of Kurukshetra who was following the Unccha vow.

All creatures, whether moving or stationary, are born from truth and survive through their actions. Understand this, you who have excellent vows. As a result of their own actions, they transcend their own origin.

Those who are devoted to Him with a steady vow will be freed from calamity and fear in proportion to their devotion.

Those who follow the authority of the Vedas are seen to become devoted to the observance of vows in their next lives.

One who adopts a vow of perfect sincerity towards all creatures and considers themselves the soul of all creatures becomes endowed with righteousness.