The Guardians of the Directions Abandon Their Realms
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 182
Sortha 182 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ravana summons Meghanada and commands him to defeat the proud warriors of heaven and bring them back in bonds. The son receives the order upon his shoulders. Other forces are dispatched, while Ravana himself takes up his mace and goes out.
Earth trembles beneath the movement of the ten headed king. His roar brings terror even into the wombs of celestial women. The gods hide within caves of Mount Meru, and the beautiful realms of the directional guardians stand empty.
Ravana wanders the worlds, roaring challenges and finding no opponent. Sun, Moon, Wind, Varuna, Kubera, Fire, Time, Yama, Kinnaras, Siddhas, humans, gods, and serpents are obstructed. Throughout Brahma's creation, embodied beings become his subjects and come daily in fear to bow at his feet.
The directional palaces empty as Ravana's roar crosses the architecture of heaven.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 182
Meghanada rises accepting Ravana's command to capture brave gods bound; not completed capture
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 184, 185 · printed pages 182, 183. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-182. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- ALL THIRTEEN parts retained. Ravana summons/instructs Meghanada, increasing his strength and enmity; orders him to defeat battle-proud brave gods and BRING THEM BOUND. Single SON rises accepting father's command; not victory already completed, not plural sons. Meghanada/Baridanada is eldest son from C180; no invented source word Hanumana.
- Ravana orders everyone and departs himself with MACE. His steps shake earth and roar causes gods' wives to MISCARRY, not merely weep; consequence retained in metadata without illustration. Gods seek Meru caves; direction-guardians' beautiful worlds found empty. Repeated roars/abuse/challenges, he searches world finding no equal opponent.
- Named rulers all retained: Sun, Moon, Wind, Varuna, Kubera lord of wealth, Fire, Time, Yama. Kinnara, Siddha, human, deva, naga are forcefully pursued/harassed, not a literal road block/conversion to own path. All embodied men/women in Brahma's creation become subject, fearful obedience and daily humble feet-bowing.
Artistic choices
- NEW adult Meghanada about25: natural warm brown slim athletic body, long narrow face, small thin straight black moustache, clean jaw, straight black hair in low ponytail, low gold circlet with sapphire, unmarked forehead, cream robe/deep indigo shawl, simple gold studs/bands/belt. Age/body/face/color/clothing fictional conventions, distinct established characters.
- Standing upright after rising, looks up left toward offscreen father; right palm own chest with five digits, left relaxed fist at own waist, exactlyone head/twoarms/twohands. Acceptance gesture, empty court seat, glass arch/flora/distant city light imagined; lower legs outside crop. No mace assigned to son, no captive gods, no completed conquest or graphic consequence.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
मेघनाद कहुँ पुनि हँकरावा। दीन्ही सिख बलु बयरु बढ़ावा।। जे सुर समर धीर बलवाना। जिन्ह कें लरिबे कर अभिमाना।। तिन्हहि जीति रन आनेसु बाँधी। उठि सुत पितु अनुसासन काँधी।। एहि बिधि सबही अग्या दीन्ही। आपुनु चलेउ गदा कर लीन्ही।। चलत दसानन डोलति अवनी। गर्जत गर्भ स्त्रवहिं सुर रवनी।। रावन आवत सुनेउ सकोहा। देवन्ह तके मेरु गिरि खोहा।। दिगपालन्ह के लोक सुहाए। सूने सकल दसानन पाए।। पुनि पुनि सिंघनाद करि भारी। देइ देवतन्ह गारि पचारी।। रन मद मत्त फिरइ जग धावा। प्रतिभट खौजत कतहुँ न पावा।। रबि ससि पवन बरुन धनधारी। अगिनि काल जम सब अधिकारी।। किंनर सिद्ध मनुज सुर नागा। हठि सबही के पंथहिं लागा।। ब्रह्मसृष्टि जहँ लगि तनुधारी। दसमुख बसबर्ती नर नारी।। आयसु करहिं सकल भयभीता। नवहिं आइ नित चरन बिनीता।।
Then Ravana summoned Meghanada and gave him instruction, stoking his strength and deepening his enmity. Those gods who were steadfast and mighty in battle, Meghanada defeated them all and sent them fleeing.