The Wedding Letter Leaves Himavan
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 91
Doha 91 · Movement 1 of 2
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The sages tell Himavan everything. He grieves to hear of Kama's burning, then rejoices when he learns of Shiva's compassionate boon to Rati. Fierceness and mercy together reveal the bridegroom's immeasurable power.
With reverence the mountain king summons the learned, chooses an auspicious day, constellation, and hour, and fixes the wedding according to Vedic rite. He places the formal letter in the hands of the seven sages and bows at their feet.
They carry it to Brahma. The Creator reads with love too great for the heart to contain, then announces the sacred hour to sages and gods. Flowers rain from heaven, instruments sound, and auspicious vessels appear throughout the ten directions.
The wedding letter opens in Brahma's hands, and all ten directions begin to prepare.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 91
Himavan handing wedding-letter to sages before his bow
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 107 · printed pages 105. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-091. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Himavan gives the wedding-letter to seven sages, then holds their feet and entreats them
- Image selects letter handoff before bow; later Brahma delivery/reading and celebration outside scene
Artistic choices
- Two representative receivers shown, five outside crop; approved Himavan/sage appearances reused, king one giving hand/other knee, older sage two receiving hands, darkbearded sage attentive resting hands, one unmarked folded ivory paper added
- Letter prop symbolic/unreadable, no invented date or historical artifact; exact folds/hand poses/ages/faces/robes/terrace/bough/mountains/coral field imaginative not authenticated
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
सबु प्रसंगु गिरिपतिहि सुनावा। मदन दहन सुनि अति दुखु पावा।। बहुरि कहेउ रति कर बरदाना। सुनि हिमवंत बहुत सुखु माना।। हृदयँ बिचारि संभु प्रभुताई। सादर मुनिबर लिए बोलाई।। सुदिनु सुनखतु सुघरी सोचाई। बेगि बेदबिधि लगन धराई।। पत्री सप्तरिषिन्ह सोइ दीन्ही। गहि पद बिनय हिमाचल कीन्ही।। जाइ बिधिहि दीन्हि सो पाती। बाचत प्रीति न हृदयँ समाती।। लगन बाचि अज सबहि सुनाई। हरषे मुनि सब सुर समुदाई।। सुमन बृष्टि नभ बाजन बाजे। मंगल कलस दसहुँ दिसि साजे।।
They told the mountain king the whole story. Hearing of Kama's burning, he was deeply grieved. Then they told him that Shiva had granted Rati her boon. Hearing this, Himavan rejoiced greatly.