Verse thirty one of the Ramayana Chaupai
Sringaverpur Raghuvar aaye, Rath ko Avadhpuri lautaaye
O Raghuvar reached Sringaverpur sending the chariot back to Ayodhya
Gangaa tat par aaye Raam
Ram reached the backs of the Ganga
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
Shri Rama, his beloved wife, and valiant brother come to their first threshold leading to the forest, Sringaverpur. A small fishing village beholds the glory of the Lord. All the local residence drop their fishing and cleaning and bartering to come and greet the Mighty Ram and his blessed company. They prostrate and offer fish, fruits, and other local treasures to the scion of the Raghu clan. Rama greets them all with patience and joy. The leader of the village inquires for the reason of his visit. Then with all honor, the village head ceremoniously relays the message to the crowd that the Lord needs passage across the sacred Ganges river. The ferryman Kevat immediately falls at Prince Rama's feet, and pleads that the privilege be his.
Kevat kahe charon dhulvaao, Peechhe haukaa mein chadh jaao
O a boatman wished to wash the dust off his lotus feet before they climbed into the rear of the boat
Patthar kar di naari Raam
since Raam raised a women from a stone (Ahalya)
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
“Please allow me this great honor, my Lord! And first let me wash your revered lotus feat that I may prevent my livelihood from turning into a women. For I have heard of the wondrous miracles from your youth.” The boat man asks this favor of the Lord in a seemingly selfish way, but the humility and devotion in his gestures give away the deeper intention of his request. An opportunity such as this hardly ever presents itself. To those that know the treasure of darshan (holy grace from the Lord in the form of visitation), such as this most blessed boatman, they make every effort of receive divine grace in the fullest. A ceremonial washing of the Lord Rama's feet would bless Kevat's entire family, village, and descendant for all generations.
Laaya ek kathautaa paani, Charon kamal dhoye sukh maani
O he brought a pitcher of water after washing and drying his lotus feet
Naav Chadhaaye Laxman Raam
Ram and Lakshman climbed the boat
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
Kevat carefully uses his finest pitcher, towels, and basin for the washing of Adorable Rama's lotus feet. He gently pours water over them, tears of joy join with the river water to bath the Lord fully in devotion. He tenderly pats Shri Rama's sacred feet dry. Gathering up all the water back into the pitcher he drinks some and pours the rest back to the Ganges to increase everyone's blessings who would purify themselves in the holy waters.
Utaraayi mein mudri deeni, Kevat ne yah binati keeni
O to climb he made them step onto his hands the boat man thus got his prayers fulfilled
Utaraayi nahin loongaa Raam
with this climb Raam gave him liberation
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
The Lord and his holy company boards the humble and most fortunate boat by way of a bridge made of Kevat's vary hands. Gently they step over the humble hands of the ferry man bowing full of devotion and gratitude. This great humility and insight into the divinity of Shri Rama lifts the soul of Kevat to knowledge beyond the mind, beyond suffering, and even death itself.
Tum aaye hum ghaat utaare, Hum aayenge ghaat tumhaare
O you came and took me to the other bank, like this, I came to Thy bank
Tab Tum paar lagaayo Raam
You have thus displayed your love, O Ram
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
Just as Kevat had taken so many passengers from the bank of the Ganges to the other side, being their bridge over waters that they could not cross otherwise, Lord Rama now ferries the boatman across the greater expanse of the ocean of Samsar, the ocean of suffering or world process. Rejoicing, unending joy crowns the humble Kevat, he falls at Adorable Rama's feet once again. Sita tries to give payment to the boatman for his labor. “No, dear lady it is I that should be paying you!” Lakshman began to scout the forest path they would take and Sita reluctantly follows. Rama's tender gaze falls on Kevat, “Oh noble tortoise you have payed me thousand fold with your great love and devotion for millennia. I could never deny one such as you from your desire.” The ferryman looks up with tears of bliss streaming down his face to see his Lord and savior walking off to fulfill his dharma.
Kevat's story goes back to the time when the world's riches have yet emerge from the great ocean and the gods and demons work together to find the ambrosia laying in the depths. In order to obtain this all powerful substance they need each other's help to churn the watery expanse. Soon they realize their efforts are lacking stability. They propitiate the great god Vishnu, who appears to them in the form of a tortoise. Kurma, Lord Vishnu's second avatar, holds steady the churning rod, mount Meru, on his back as they churn the vast waters. It is during this time that a smaller tortoise beholds his larger Self with awe and reverence. Desperately he tries to touch the humongous Lord Vishnu. However, Kurma is unreachable to the small tortoise. This began countless years of penance, austerity, prayer, and devotional acts to the great Lord until finally he took birth as Kevat. The boatman's time was now ripe to meet the adorable Vishnu face to face in the form of Rama.
As we begin our journey to reconnect with God, the first time we recognize him after our delusive ignorance starts to fall away, he can seem very large and fair off, hard to touch. However, through great effort in devotion, prayer, and self sacrifice, we will finally be blessed with personal contact from God and liberation from sorrow. This story of the boatman Kevat as well as many others in the masterful Ramayana beacon of hope for all aspirants that with true devotion to God, no mater how long it takes to develop, the glorious light of salvation reveals itself. Victory over the darkness! Keep moving toward the Light dear friend!