Baal kaand mangalacharan

Shloka

वर्णानामर्थसंघानां रसानां छन्दसामपि।
मङ्गलानां च कर्त्तारौ वन्दे वाणीविनायकौ।।1।।

I pray to Goddess Saraswati and Lord Ganesh , who are the creators of varn(letters),akshar(alphabets), arthsamooh( words), sentences, Ras(poetic devices), and Chhand(metres).

भवानीशङ्करौ वन्दे श्रद्धाविश्वासरूपिणौ।
याभ्यां विना न पश्यन्ति सिद्धाःस्वान्तःस्थमीश्वरम्।।2।।

I pray to Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva who are the embodiement of faith , without whom the learnt sages would not be able to realise the consciousness within themselves. I offer my salutations to such divine couple.

वन्दे बोधमयं नित्यं गुरुं शङ्कररूपिणम्।
यमाश्रितो हि वक्रोऽपि चन्द्रः सर्वत्र वन्द्यते।।3।।

I pray to Lord Shankara in the form of the ultimate Guru , who is supremely knowledgeable and omnipresent . Even the moon (Chandradev) on taking shelter on his forehead is worshipped throughout the world. I pray to such divine being.

सीतारामगुणग्रामपुण्यारण्यविहारिणौ।
वन्दे विशुद्धविज्ञानौ कबीश्वरकपीश्वरौ।।4।।

I pray to Lord Hanuman and Maharishi Valmiki , who dwells in the forest of divine virtues of Rama and Sita (metaphor used).

उद्भवस्थितिसंहारकारिणीं क्लेशहारिणीम्।
सर्वश्रेयस्करीं सीतां नतोऽहं रामवल्लभाम्।।5।।

I pray to Devi Sita , who is the cause of generation, preservance and destruction of the creation and who is the beloved of Shri Ram .

यन्मायावशवर्तिं विश्वमखिलं ब्रह्मादिदेवासुरा
यत्सत्वादमृषैव भाति सकलं रज्जौ यथाहेर्भ्रमः।
यत्पादप्लवमेकमेव हि भवाम्भोधेस्तितीर्षावतां
वन्देऽहं तमशेषकारणपरं रामाख्यमीशं हरिम्।।6।।

The entire world including the Gods , devtas , Brahma and Asur ( demons) are under his material illusionary energy . Because of his energy , the material world seems to be the absolute truth to the living being just like the rope sometimes appears as a snake due to illusion. His feets are the only shelter for salvation for people desiring liberation form birth and death. I pray to such divine being Bhagwan Ramchandra , who is the cause of all causes and the supreme being.

नानापुराणनिगमागमसम्मतं यद्
रामायणे निगदितं क्वचिदन्यतोऽपि।
स्वान्तःसुखाय तुलसी रघुनाथगाथा-
भाषानिबन्धमतिमञ्जुलमातनोति।।7।।

From the resources that are available in the form of Vedas ,Upanishads, Puranas ,Tantra and Valmiki Ramayana(and other) , I (tulsidas) present the story of Rama in an extremely enchanting way of writing , in the form of ‘Shri Ramcharitmanas ‘ for the pleasure of my inner soul.

Sortha

जो सुमिरत सिधि होइ गन नायक करिबर बदन।
करउ अनुग्रह सोइ बुद्धि रासि सुभ गुन सदन।।1।।

I pray to the Lord Ganesh , just a little remembrance of whom would complete all tasks, who is the Lord of Ganas( various races of devotee of Shiva) , who has a beautiful tusk of elephant and who is the abode of all great virtues . I request him to bless me.

मूक होइ बाचाल पंगु चढइ गिरिबर गहन।
जासु कृपाँ सो दयाल द्रवउ सकल कलि मल दहन।।2।।

I pray to God , under whose mercy a dumb person become an excellent orator, a lame person would climb a mountain .One who burns all sins of Kaliyug, I pray to him for having mercy on me.

नील सरोरुह स्याम तरुन अरुन बारिज नयन।
करउ सो मम उर धाम सदा छीरसागर सयन।।3।।

One who has blue-complexioned body , one who has eyes like a full blown lotus and who always resides in Kshirasagar(ocean of milk) . I pray to him to reside in my heart.

कुंद इंदु सम देह उमा रमन करुना अयन।
जाहि दीन पर नेह करउ कृपा मर्दन मयन।।4।।

One whose body is like a flower of Kund( a variety of Jasmine) , whose face glows like the moon , who is the beloved of Parvati and who is the slayer of Kaamdev, I offer my prayers to Lord Shiva to bestow his grace upon me.

बंदउ गुरु पद कंज कृपा सिंधु नररूप हरि।
महामोह तम पुंज जासु बचन रबि कर निकर।।5।।

I pray to the feets of Guru Maharaj , who is the ocean of mercy , who is a form of Hari and whose words are like the rays of sunshine to clear the dense clouds of ignorance .