Shiva Returns to the Forest Where Sati Doubted
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 141
Doha 141 · Movement 1 of 2
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Shiva announces another reason the unborn, attributeless, formless Brahman became the king of Kosala. He brings Parvati back to the forest vision from her former birth, when she saw Ram moving in ascetic dress beside his brother and could not reconcile grief stricken humanity with the Absolute.
That Leela bewildered her while she inhabited Sati's body. Shiva says its shadow has not entirely vanished, so he will narrate the deeds of the incarnation as his understanding allows. Ram's story itself is the remedy that removes the illness of confusion and pain.
Hearing the affectionate reminder, Uma smiles with love and a trace of bashfulness. The bull bannered Lord begins again, turning from the general mysteries of incarnation toward the particular chain by which Ram came to Ayodhya.
Uma smiles beneath the banyan as Shiva opens the road from formless Brahman to Kosala.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 141
Uma hears Shiva's words and smiles with shyness and love; narrator separately addresses Bharadvaja
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 151, 152 · printed pages 149, 150. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-141. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Shiva addresses Sailkumari about ANOTHER incarnationcause, unbornqualitylessformlessBrahman asKosala king andforestLord withBROTHER inASCETICDRESS whomsheobservedAS SATI.
- ASMYUNDERSTANDING qualifies Shiva'stelling; no unverifiednumberedthirdbirth cause.
- Part7 narrator addressesBHARADVAJA, UMA hearsSHIVA andsmiles shyly/lovingly; not Bharadvaja shyhearer. Next142 MANU/SHATARUPA notPratapbhanu.
Artistic choices
- Approved imagined Uma warmbrown darkbraid rosecream modestveil bindi jewels retained fromC140; exactagefacewardrobe notauthenticated.
- Seatedwaistcrop bothhandsownlap slightheadincline shysoftsmile towardoffframeShiva, botanicalglassbanyangarden inventedpose/scenery; no actualSati/Rama flashback or physicalsageframe.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
अपर हेतु सुनु सैलकुमारी। कहउँ बिचित्र कथा बिस्तारी।। जेहि कारन अज अगुन अरूपा। ब्रह्म भयउ कोसलपुर भूपा।। जो प्रभु बिपिन फिरत तुम्ह देखा। बंधु समेत धरें मुनिबेषा।। जासु चरित अवलोकि भवानी। सती सरीर रहिहु बौरानी।। अजहुँ न छाया मिटति तुम्हारी। तासु चरित सुनु भ्रम रुज हारी।। लीला कीन्हि जो तेहिं अवतारा। सो सब कहिहउँ मति अनुसारा।। भरद्वाज सुनि संकर बानी। सकुचि सप्रेम उमा मुसकानी।। लगे बहुरि बरने बृषकेतू। सो अवतार भयउ जेहि हेतू।।
Hear now another reason, O daughter of the mountain. I shall tell a wondrous story at length. The cause by which the unborn, attributeless, formless Brahman became the king of Kosalapura.