Ramcharitmanas

Shri Ram Shalaka Prashnavali

Tradition: ask with a clear mind. Each question once. Three questions a day.

हिन्दी

Hold one question in your heart

Remember Shri Ram. Then ask.

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What the Ram Shalaka Prashnavali is

The Shri Ram Shalaka Prashnavali is a 15 by 15 grid of syllables that tradition links to Goswami Tulsidas: hold a question, place a finger on any square and read every ninth syllable, and it spells one of nine chaupais from the Ramcharitmanas, which is your answer. The grid is printed with Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions of the Ramcharitmanas.

The nine answers, with meanings and scenes

Tradition reads five of the chaupais as auspicious, two as uncertain and two as ‘not now’. Each answer comes with its scene and what it asks of you today.

  • Auspicious

    सुनु सिय सत्य असीस हमारी। पूजिहि मन कामना तुम्हारी॥

    sunu siya satya asīsa hamārī pūjihi mana kāmanā tumhārī

    Listen, Sita, my blessing is true: the wish in your heart will be fulfilled.

    Bal Kand · the garden in Janakpur · Goddess Gauri, to Sita

    For you today
    What you asked for with a true heart will come. Trust your prayer.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 9.22

  • Auspicious

    प्रबिसि नगर कीजे सब काजा। हृदयँ राखि कोसलपुर राजा॥

    prabisi nagara kīje saba kājā hṛdayã rākhi kosalapura rājā

    Enter the city and do all your work, keeping the King of Kosala in your heart.

    Sundar Kand · the gate of Lanka · Lankini, to Hanuman

    For you today
    Begin. Take each step with Ram in your heart.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 8.7

  • Not now

    उघरहिं अंत न होइ निबाहू। कालनेमि जिमि रावन राहू॥

    ugharahiṃ anta na hoi nibāhū kālanemi jimi rāvana rāhū

    Pretense is exposed in the end and cannot last, as it was with Kalanemi, Ravana and Rahu.

    Bal Kand · the opening · Goswami Tulsidas

    For you today
    Somewhere in this there is pretense, yours or someone else's. Set it right before you go further.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 3.6

  • Uncertain

    बिधि बस सुजन कुसंगत परहीं। फनि मनि सम निज गुन अनुसरहीं॥

    bidhi basa sujana kusaṃgata parahīṃ phani mani sama nija guna anusarahīṃ

    By fate, good people fall into bad company, yet like the gem in a serpent's hood they keep their own nature.

    Bal Kand · on good and bad company · Goswami Tulsidas

    For you today
    Look closely at the people around this. Even if the company is wrong, keep your own nature.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 3.35

  • Uncertain

    होइहि सोइ जो राम रचि राखा। को करि तर्क बढ़ावै साखा॥

    hoihi soi jo rāma raci rākhā ko kari tarka baṛhāvai sākhā

    What Ram has ordained will come to pass. Why grow more branches by arguing?

    Bal Kand · Sati's doubt · Lord Shiva

    For you today
    You have done what was in your hands. Stop arguing with the outcome; wait, and remember the Name.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 2.47

  • Auspicious

    मुद मंगलमय संत समाजू। जो जग जंगम तीरथराजू॥

    muda maṃgalamaya saṃta samājū jo jaga jaṃgama tīratharājū

    The company of saints is joy and blessing itself, a Prayag that walks the earth.

    Bal Kand · praise of the company of saints · Goswami Tulsidas

    For you today
    The work is auspicious. Do it with good people and take their counsel.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 4.34

  • Auspicious

    गरल सुधा रिपु करहिं मिताई। गोपद सिंधु अनल सितलाई॥

    garala sudhā ripu karahiṃ mitāī gopada siṃdhu anala sitalāī

    For one who holds Ram in the heart, poison turns to nectar, enemies turn friendly, the ocean shrinks to a calf's hoofprint and fire turns cool.

    Sundar Kand · the gate of Lanka · Lankini, to Hanuman

    For you today
    The obstacles are smaller than they look. Keep your mind steady and go on.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 18.58

  • Not now

    बरुन कुबेर सुरेस समीरा। रन सन्मुख धरि काहुँ न धीरा॥

    baruna kubera suresa samīrā rana sanmukha dhari kāhũ na dhīrā

    Varuna, Kubera, Indra and Vayu: none of them could hold steady before you in battle.

    Lanka Kand · Mandodari's lament · Mandodari, over Ravana

    For you today
    Strength alone is not enough; Ravana had all of it. Ask whether this is right, as well as whether you can.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 18.78

  • Auspicious

    सुफल मनोरथ होहुँ तुम्हारे। रामु लखनु सुनि भए सुखारे॥

    suphala manoratha hohũ tumhāre rāmu lakhanu suni bhae sukhāre

    May your hopes bear fruit. Hearing this, Ram and Lakshman were glad.

    Bal Kand · the guru's blessing · Vishwamitra, to Ram and Lakshman

    For you today
    Your effort and service have been seen. Your hope will bear fruit.

    Full chaupai and scene, in HindiGita 9.26

Stay with your question for seven days

One Gita verse a day for what you are facing, with its meaning, tuned to your life.

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Questions people ask

How to ask
  1. Remember Shri Ram with a calm, clear mind.
  2. Hold one question. Ask each question only once.
  3. With your eyes closed, rest a finger or a shalaka (a straw) on any square of the grid.
  4. Write down that square's syllable, then every ninth syllable after it. When you reach the end of the grid, carry on counting from the first square.
  5. The 25 syllables make one chaupai. Find it among the nine answers below and sit with its scene.

The three traditional rules: ask with a clear mind, ask each question once, and ask no more than three a day. The three diyas above are those three questions.

The full grid

This is the traditional grid of 225 squares. Start from any square, read every ninth syllable, and when you reach the end carry on from the first row.

The Shri Ram Shalaka Prashnavali grid: 15 rows, 15 columns, 225 syllables
सुप्रउबिहोमुगबसुनुबिघधिइद
ररुफसिसिरहिंबसहिमंलनलयनअं
सुजसोगसुकुमसगतनइलधाबेनो
त्यरनकुजोमरिररअकीहोसंराय
पुसुथसीजेइगमसंकरेहोससनि
तरतरसहुँहबबपचिसहिंसतु
मकााररममिमीम्हााजाहूहींाा
तारारेरीहृकाफखाजूईररापूदल
निकोजोगोनमुजियँनेमनिकजपसल
हिरामिसरिगदन्मुखमखिजिमतजं
सिंखनुनकोमिनिजर्कगधुधसुकासर
गुबमअरिनिमलानढ़तीनकभ
नापुवअारलाएतुरननुवैथ
सिहुँसुम्हरारससरतनखाजा
राालाधीारीाहूहींखाजूईरारे
How do I use the Ram Shalaka Prashnavali?
Remember Shri Ram and hold one question. Close your eyes and rest a finger on any square, then write down every ninth syllable from that square. The 25 syllables spell a chaupai from the Ramcharitmanas, and that chaupai is your answer. The shalaka above does the counting for you.
How many questions can I ask in a day?
Tradition says no more than three a day, and each question only once. The three diyas at the top of this page are today's three questions, and they relight at 4 AM.
What if I get a ‘not now’ chaupai?
Two of the nine chaupais are read as ‘not now’. Take them as a sign to pause. Ugharahin ant na hoi nibahu asks you to set right any pretense first, and Barun kuber sures samira reminds you to ask whether the thing is right as well as whether you can do it.
Where does the prashnavali come from?
Tradition links it to Goswami Tulsidas. The grid and its nine answers are printed with Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions of the Ramcharitmanas. All nine chaupais are in the Manas: six from the Bal Kand, two from the Sundar Kand and one from the Lanka Kand.
Is my question sent anywhere?
You don't have to type it. If you do, it stays on your phone. We never send it anywhere and never print it on the share card.
Which chaupais are the nine answers?
Sunu siya satya asis hamari, Prabisi nagar kije sab kaja, Ugharahin ant na hoi nibahu, Bidhi bas sujan kusangat parahin, Hoihi soi jo Ram rachi rakha, Mud mangalmay sant samaju, Garal sudha ripu karahin mitai, Barun kuber sures samira and Suphal manorath hohun tumhare.

The Manas and the Gita

If your chaupai stays with you, read the scene it comes from and the Gita verse that says the same thing. For the whole story of Ram, read the Ramayana page.

Sources and method

The grid and the nine chaupais are the traditional prashnavali printed with the Gita Press, Gorakhpur edition of the Ramcharitmanas, and we checked every square against the text of the Manas. The meanings, scenes and ‘for you today’ lines are Wisdom's own English, written in line with the Gita Press commentary tradition.