Narada Enters the Cave Beside Ganga
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 125
Doha 125 · Movement 1 of 2
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High in the Himalayas, Narada finds a sacred cave near the beautiful descent of Ganga. Mountain, river, and forest meet in a purity that delights his heart. He settles there, turns wholly toward Vishnu's feet, and enters meditation while the river continues its bright movement below the stillness of the hermitage.
Hari's presence restrains the force of the curse that lies upon that place. Narada's naturally pure mind sinks into deep absorption. Far away, Indra sees the sage's spiritual power and mistakes it for an approaching claim upon heaven. Fear enters the celestial court, and Kamadeva is summoned with honour.
Kama gladly accepts the command and gathers his companions. Indra imagines Narada desiring his city because desire interprets every other heart through itself. Like a cunning crow guarding its gain, the lustful and greedy fear everyone.
Beside the singing Ganga, Narada becomes still while fear begins to move in heaven.
Read the passage from the Manas
AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 125
Narada remembers Hari and enters samadhi by Himalayan cave and nearby Ganga before later Indra/Kama dispatch
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 138, 139 · printed pages 136, 137. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-125. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Sacred Himalayan cave and beautiful nearby SurSari/Ganga ashram delight the divine sage; mountain river forest stir devotion to Ramapati
- Remembering Hari stops the curse's effect and naturally pure mind enters samadhi; selected meditation phase, not visible curse intervention
- Later units5-8 Indra fears loss of realm and sends Kama with helpers; no physical flight by Indra or Pratapabhanu story in selected image
Artistic choices
- Approved imagined youngadult naturalbrown clean-shaven Narada longblackknottedhair unlettered Vaishnav mark creamochre modest drapes/darkbeads retained; exact face age appearance garments not authenticated
- Meditating crosslegged at cave entrance eyesclosed two hands restedknees thumbindexcircles; vina beside seat customary artistic attribute, specific gesture/rockseat artistchoices
- Detailed flowering woodland mountain river rocks Himalayan peaks and glass floral arch imaginarytopography/flora; Ganga actual nearby landscape river distinct from Shiva symbolic hairwave; no literal curse bindings/magic or apparition
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
हिमगिरि गुहा एक अति पावनि। बह समीप सुरसरी सुहावनि।। आश्रम परम पुनीत सुहावा। देखि देवरिषि मन अति भावा।। निरखि सैल सरि बिपिन बिभागा। भयउ रमापति पद अनुरागा।। सुमिरत हरिहि श्राप गति बाधी। सहज बिमल मन लागि समाधी।। मुनि गति देखि सुरेस डेराना। कामहि बोलि कीन्ह सनमाना।। सहित सहाय जाहु मम हेतू। चकेउ हरषि हियँ जलचरकेतू।। सुनासीर मन महुँ असि त्रासा। चहत देवरिषि मम पुर बासा।। जे कामी लोलुप जग माहीं। कुटिल काक इव सबहि डेराहीं।।
On the Himalaya there is a supremely sacred cave. Near it flows the beautiful Ganga, the river of the gods. The ashram there is supremely holy and lovely. Seeing it, one's heart is drawn to it beyond all telling.