Maina Sees the Bridegroom
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 96
Doha 96 · Movement 1 of 3
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
The welcoming party escorts the baraat into beautiful guest quarters. Maina prepares the aarti herself and walks forward with women singing auspicious songs, a golden plate and sacred water bright in her hands.
Then she sees Rudra. Serpents, ash, skulls, matted locks, three eyes, and the terrible company behind him overturn every image a mother carried toward her daughter's wedding. The women flee into the palace while Mahesh proceeds calmly to the lodging.
Heavy sorrow fills Maina. She calls Parvati, seats her tenderly in her lap, and weeps through dark lotus eyes. How could the Creator who gave her daughter such beauty make the bridegroom appear so wild and mad?
The aarti flame trembles in Maina's hand before the ash covered groom.
Read the passage from the Manas
AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 96
Maina joyful with golden arati tray and singing women before fear
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 112 · printed pages 110. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-096. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Maina prepares auspicious arati with women singing, a beautiful golden tray in her hands as she joyfully sets out to greet Hara
- Selected joyful tray-carrying phase before sight of strange Rudra attire/fear/retreat and later lament
Artistic choices
- Approved imaginative Maina green-sari mature appearance reused, two representative adult singing women cream/rust and cream/rose, exact count/ages/faces/dress/poses/grey hair additions not authenticated
- One golden tray source-prescribed, small lamp/pale flowers conventional artistic ritual props, precise shape/layout imagined; Maina supports tray with near hand visible and far support largely occluded
- Courtyard/low arch terrace/bough/mountains/rose field invented scenery, no full step or completed greeting ritual claimed, no Shiva/Uma/fear/lament combined
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
लै अगवान बरातहि आए। दिए सबहि जनवास सुहाए।। मैनाँ सुभ आरती सँवारी। संग सुमंगल गावहिं नारी।। कंचन थार सोह बर पानी। परिछन चली हरहि हरषानी।। बिकट बेष रुद्रहि जब देखा। अबलन्ह उर भय भयउ बिसेषा।। भागि भवन पैठीं अति त्रासा। गए महेसु जहाँ जनवासा।। मैना हृदयँ भयउ दुखु भारी। लीन्ही बोलि गिरीसकुमारी।। अधिक सनेहँ गोद बैठारी। स्याम सरोज नयन भरे बारी।। जेहिं बिधि तुम्हहि रूपु अस दीन्हा। तेहिं जड़ बरु बाउर कस कीन्हा।।
The welcoming party escorted the baraat into the city. Everyone was given lovely quarters at the janvaasa. Maina prepared an auspicious aarti with her own hands. Women sang shubha mangala songs alongside her.