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राम
Leela Scene

Videha Becomes Bodiless Before Ram

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 212

Doha 215 · Movement 1 of 2

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Janaka places his head at Vishwamitra's feet and receives blessing. Brahmins exchange reverent salutations, welfare is asked repeatedly, and the king is seated within the grove.

Then Ram and Lakshmana return from seeing the garden. One dark and one fair, tender with youth, their eyes give joy while their beauty steals the hearts of the world. Everyone rises. Vishwamitra seats the brothers near him as tears and thrilled bodies reveal the gathering's delight.

Janaka beholds their sweet forms. The king called Videha, bodiless through detachment, becomes bodiless in another way as love sweeps awareness of self away. Philosophy turns into astonished seeing.

The detached king of Videha loses awareness of himself before the two princes.

Read the passage from the Manas
Rama and Lakshmana return from viewing the flower garden, their youthful dark and fair forms delighting the gathering.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 212

All8units read; selected4-5 brothersreturnfromviewingflowers youthfuldark/fairforms

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 215 · printed pages 213. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-212. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • KINGJANAKA bows HEAD at MUNIFEET, delightedMUNI blesses. KING respectfullysalutes ALLBRAHMINS andJOYFULknowsOWNgreatFORTUNE; notBrahminsbowingtohim/godsBIBUDHabsentterm orrecipientsreceivinggladly invented.
  • RepeatedWELFAREquestions thenVISHVAMITRA seatsKING. Atthattime BOTHBROTHERS return from VIEWINGFLOWERGARDEN notpickingflowers. DARK/FAIR tenderKISHORA forms delightBEHOLDERS EYES andstealworldhearts, nottheir eyesmagicallydelight.
  • EVERYONEstands whenRAGHUPATI arrives; VISHVAMITRA seatsbothNEARHIM. ALLhappyseeingbrothers wateryEYES goosebumps. Seeing sweetbeautifulFORMS KINGVIDEHA becomesmoreVIDEHA bodyforgettingdetachmentpun notphysicalbodiless/dissolvingtransformation. All8retained, selected4-5arrivalonly.

Artistic choices

  • ApprovedC207 earlier-youthmodel reused bluegreyRama brown eyes blackcurls smallhighknot whiteU yellowcreamgold tinyhoops pearlbeadchain; fairwarmtanLakshmana browneyes blackwaves highknot whiteUredcenter orangecreamwoodbeads tinyhoops. Age15/14artistnotcertificate, sourcehereexplicitKISHORA/tenderyouth fitsstage.
  • Fourtotalownarms/hands eachbowarrowbackquiver inheritedepisodeartistgear; RamaLEFT/LrightturnedgazeLEFT towardoffcropgathering, sourceprescribesno sides. Upperhipcrop legstepoutsideview, imaginedfloweringboughs/path/mangogroveedge lightingweather nothistoricalgeography. No flowerpicking/heldbasket or Sitaappearing.
  • Actual youthspair bothgazeLEFT; whiteU Rama andwhiteUredcenter Lakshmana; goldornament/armlets andquiverdecor artistic. Ramaownbowinleftimageinnerhand arrowouterhand; Lakshmanaownbowouterhand arrowinnerhand, no targets. Floweringgardenpath/mangoboughs imagined.

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

कीन्ह प्रनामु चरन धरि माथा। दीन्हि असीस मुदित मुनिनाथा।। बिप्रबृंद सब सादर बंदे। जानि भाग्य बड़ राउ अनंदे।। कुसल प्रस्न कहि बारहिं बारा। बिस्वामित्र नृपहि बैठारा।। तेहि अवसर आए दोउ भाई। गए रहे देखन फुलवाई।। स्याम गौर मृदु बयस किसोरा। लोचन सुखद बिस्व चित चोरा।। उठे सकल जब रघुपति आए। बिस्वामित्र निकट बैठाए।। भए सब सुखी देखि दोउ भ्राता। बारि बिलोचन पुलकित गाता।। मूरति मधुर मनोहर देखी। भयउ बिदेहु बिदेहु बिसेषी।।

Janaka bowed low, placing his head upon the sage's feet. The lord of sages, well pleased, bestowed his blessing. All the Brahmins were honored with deep reverence. Recognizing them as beings worthy of divine regard, the Brahmins received this homage with gladness.