The Hands of Shiva and Parvati Join
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 101
Doha 101 · Movement 1 of 3
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The great sages perform every marriage rite sung by the Vedas. Himavan takes sacred kusha and his daughter's hand and offers Bhavani to Bhava, knowing the pair to be eternally one.
Mahesh receives Parvati's hand. Joy erupts in the hearts of the gods as Vedic mantras rise around the fire. Cries of victory to Shankara answer from the assembly, instruments sound, and flowers descend through the sky.
The marriage of Hara and Girija fills every world with celebration. Himavan gives servants, horses, chariots, elephants, cows, garments, gems, vessels of gold, grain, and gifts beyond counting, though the bridegroom lacks nothing.
Two hands meet above the sacred fire, and all the worlds answer with flowers.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 101
Shiva performs hand-taking while sages chant
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 117 · printed pages 115. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-101. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Mahesha performs panigrahan/takes Uma's hand and gods rejoice
- Sages recite Vedic mantras, gods proclaim Shiva's victory; selected hand-taking with one chanting representative sage
- Himavan's earlier kusa/daughter-hand offering outside crop, later dowry/farewell not combined
Artistic choices
- Approved Shiva groom and young-adult Uma appearances reused, one hand of each distinctly clasped, other hands on own laps, one unnamed older whitebearded cream/rust sage behind chanting; exact hand laterality/grip/poses/ages/faces/robes/representative count imagined not authenticated
- Seated arrangement/ornate throne/floral glass pavilion/mountain view artist choices, remaining sages/gods outside crop, no written mantra or literal joy rays
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
जसि बिबाह कै बिधि श्रुति गाई। महामुनिन्ह सो सब करवाई।। गहि गिरीस कुस कन्या पानी। भवहि समरपीं जानि भवानी।। पानिग्रहन जब कीन्ह महेसा। हिंयँ हरषे तब सकल सुरेसा।। बेद मंत्र मुनिबर उच्चरहीं। जय जय जय संकर सुर करहीं।। बाजहिं बाजन बिबिध बिधाना। सुमनबृष्टि नभ भै बिधि नाना।। हर गिरिजा कर भयउ बिबाहू। सकल भुवन भरि रहा उछाहू।। दासीं दास तुरग रथ नागा। धेनु बसन मनि बस्तु बिभागा।। अन्न कनकभाजन भरि जाना। दाइज दीन्ह न जाइ बखाना।।
The marriage rites that the Vedas prescribe were all performed by the great sages. The mountain king took kusha grass and his daughter's hand and offered Bhavani to Bhava, knowing them to be the eternal divine pair.