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राम
Sacred Tableau

The Fallen Court Is Born as Lanka's House

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 176

Doha 176 · Movement 1 of 2

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In due time Pratapbhanu and his whole assembly enter demonic birth. The former emperor rises with ten heads and twenty mighty arms as Ravana, a warrior of terrible strength. His younger brother Arimardan becomes the immense Kumbhakarna.

Dharmaruchi, the minister devoted to righteousness and Hari's feet, is born from another mother as the youngest brother Vibhishana. Wisdom and Vishnu devotion survive the curse within him like a lamp carried into the rakshasa house.

The king's sons, servants, and followers become multitudes of demons able to assume whatever forms they choose. Crooked, violent, merciless, and without discernment, they torment the world. An entire royal order reappears under the altered nature spoken in the brahmins' anger.

Pratapbhanu's crown returns upon ten heads, while Dharmaruchi carries devotion into Lanka.

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An imagined Vibhishana offers inward devotion to Vishnu, as described in the rebirth passage.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 176

VIBHISHANA Vishnu-devotee repositoryofknowledge newrebirthportrait

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 179, 180 · printed pages 177, 178. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-176. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • ALL8: KingPratap becomesRAVANA TENHEADS TWENTYARMS, youngerARIMARDANA KUMBHAKARNA strength; MINISTERpropernameDHARMARUCHI becomesYOUNGER DIFFERENT-MOTHERHALFBROTHER VIBHISHANA notgenericrighteousness/Pratapsecondfullbrother.
  • Selected5 VIBHISHANA explicitlyVISHNUDEVOTEE repositoryofknowledge, notactualVishnu/Ramamanifestation or alreadyRamaALLY.6-8 offspringservantsnumerouscruel shapeshifterRakshasas violentdevoiddiscernment/mercy underrebirthsource notallliteralactsshown/certifiedcosmicevilwhydoctrine.

Artistic choices

  • NEWVIBHISHANA imaginedadult~30 naturalwarmmediumbrown SOFTLONGOVALFACE gentleeyes FULLSHORTNEATBLACKBEARD longBLACKlooselywavyhair centrepart belowshoulders NO BUN/crown unmarkedforehead smallgoldstuds thinGOLDchain creamplainROBE deepTEALshawl, distinctapprovedhumanMinister/Arimardana/Pratap/Royalpriest/fake; exactageportraitclothes sourceunspecified.
  • BothNAMASTEhands OWN CHEST twoarms twohands no knees/lapthirdhand, gentlyloweredeyes inwarddevotionalartistpose. Imaginaryquietforestgarden rocks flowers distantwater architecture time sourceunverified no actualVishnuavatar/tapasfire/physicalmorph.

An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.

काल पाइ मुनि सुनु सोइ राजा। भयउ निसाचर सहित समाजा।। दस सिर ताहि बीस भुजदंडा। रावन नाम बीर बरिबंडा।। भूप अनुज अरिमर्दन नामा। भयउ सो कुंभकरन बलधामा।। सचिव जो रहा धरमरुचि जासू। भयउ बिमात्र बंधु लघु तासू।। नाम बिभीषन जेहि जग जाना। बिष्नुभगत बिग्यान निधाना।। रहे जे सुत सेवक नृप केरे। भए निसाचर घोर घनेरे।। कामरूप खल जिनस अनेका। कुटिल भयंकर बिगत बिबेका।। कृपा रहित हिंसक सब पापी। बरनि न जाहिं बिस्व परितापी।।

"When the appointed hour arrived, O sage, that very king became a rakshasa, and his whole court with him. He had ten heads and twenty mighty arms. His name was Ravana, a warrior of tremendous valor."