The Mother's Last Counsel
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 102
Doha 102 · Movement 1 of 3
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Shambhu consoles his mother-in-law tenderly. Then Mena calls Uma, gathers her once more into her lap, and gives the counsel held for the threshold of departure. Honour Shankara's feet always and let the husband be received as sacred within married life.
Tears interrupt every instruction. Mena presses the maiden to her heart and laments the dependence through which women have so often found no happiness even in dreams. Love makes her lose composure, but awareness of the solemn hour forces a fragile patience.
Mother and daughter meet again and again, touching feet, embracing, releasing, then embracing once more. The women of the household surround Bhavani in farewell. At last Parvati returns to her mother's heart as though the body could memorize one final nearness.
Every farewell becomes another embrace because neither mother nor daughter can make it the last.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 102
Mother tearfully draws adult Uma to her breast after counsel
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 118, 119 · printed pages 116, 117. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-102. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- While speaking counsel Maina's eyes fill with tears; she again draws her daughter to her breast in embrace
- Selected maternal embrace, before later repeated farewells/departure; historical counsel and dependence-lament outside selected action, not current-user advice
Artistic choices
- Approved mature Maina green-sari and young-adult Uma rose/cream braided appearances reused, mother's two embracing arms with visible hands on shoulder/upperarm, Uma one hand on mother's arm and other partly occluded, tearful affectionate faces/precise gestures/ages/faces imagined unauthenticated
- Waist-up/upperhip crop leaves full seated/lap alignment unspecified, no child/infant body; terrace/bough/garden/mountain vista art scenery
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
बहु बिधि संभु सास समुझाई। गवनी भवन चरन सिरु नाई।। जननीं उमा बोलि तब लीन्ही। लै उछंग सुंदर सिख दीन्ही।। करेहु सदा संकर पद पूजा। नारिधरमु पति देउ न दूजा।। बचन कहत भरे लोचन बारी। बहुरि लाइ उर लीन्हि कुमारी।। कत बिधि सृजीं नारि जग माहीं। पराधीन सपनेहुँ सुखु नाहीं।। भै अति प्रेम बिकल महतारी। धीरजु कीन्ह कुसमय बिचारी।। पुनि पुनि मिलति परति गहि चरना। परम प्रेम कछु जाइ न बरना।। सब नारिन्ह मिलि भेटि भवानी। जाइ जननि उर पुनि लपटानी।।
Shambhu consoled his mother-in-law in many tender ways. She bowed her head at his feet and returned home. Then the mothers called Uma to their side. Taking her upon their laps, they gave her loving counsel of every kind.