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राम
Leela Scene

Speech Has No Eyes and Eyes Have No Words

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 226

Doha 229 · Movement 1 of 2

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The companion says two youthful princes have entered the garden, beautiful in every way, one dark and one fair. Then language reaches its limit: speech has no eyes to behold them, and the eyes that beheld them possess no words.

Sita's wise friends understand the eagerness rising within her. These are the princes who arrived with Vishwamitra, they explain, the youths whose beauty has made every man and woman in Mithila their own.

The report pleases Sita deeply. Her eyes grow restless for sight, and she follows the beloved friend into the garden. No observer recognizes the ancient love drawing them forward, older than the bodies now about to meet.

Led by a friend beyond the reach of language, Sita walks toward her ancient love.

Read the passage from the Manas
The returning companion joyfully describes the two princes to Sita and her friends, finding their beauty beyond words.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 226

Full source retained; selected representative scene as described in sourceFacts and artisticAdditions.

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 226, 227 · printed pages 224, 225. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-226. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • 1 Returning companion describes TWO beautiful youthful princes who came to SEE GARDEN.
  • 2 DARK AND FAIR: how describe? SPEECH HAS NO EYES AND EYES NO VOICE; RETURNING COMPANION speaks, not Sita, no literal blindness.
  • 3 Friends rejoice, discern Sita's GREAT EAGERNESS.
  • 4 Another says royal sons arrived with MUNI YESTERDAY.
  • 5 Beauty charms city men and women figuratively, no literal hypnosis.
  • 6 Everyone praises them as worth seeing.
  • 7 Sita likes words, eyes restless for DARSHAN.
  • 8 Sita goes with DEAR FRIEND AHEAD; ANCIENT LOVE not perceived by others.

Artistic choices

  • Selected RETURNING COMPANION speaking poetically to Sita/listeners offcrop. Same D229 anonymous ADULT mediumbrownovalface blacksidepartlowhair coralorangegold modest sari/veil coveredblouse pearls goldhoops redbindi; no whiteearflower notSita, no historicalsamecitywindowwoman claim.
  • Actual onehead2connectedownarms2distincthands ownchest/openpalm waist, normal openeyes/mouth slightlyparted, smallwhite nearcheektear priorD229context artistic; joy no hypnosis/physical blindness. Lowerlegsfeet cropped. Speech wordmeaning metadata not actual audible quotation certificate.
  • Muted E17 creamochreolive agedpaperwash floweringgardenarch faintivorypavilion no ornateglassframe. Venue/species/counts/age/pose/time artist; whole8 source retained othersoffcrop not denied.

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

देखन बागु कुअँर दुइ आए। बय किसोर सब भाँति सुहाए।। स्याम गौर किमि कहौं बखानी। गिरा अनयन नयन बिनु बानी।। सुनि हरषीं सब सखीं सयानी। सिय हियँ अति उतकंठा जानी।। एक कहइ नृपसुत तेइ आली। सुने जे मुनि सँग आए काली।। जिन्ह निज रूप मोहनी डारी। कीन्ह स्वबस नगर नर नारी।। बरनत छबि जहँ तहँ सब लोगू। अवसि देखिअहिं देखन जोगू।। तासु वचन अति सियहि सुहाने। दरस लागि लोचन अकुलाने।। चली अग्र करि प्रिय सखि सोई। प्रीति पुरातन लखइ न कोई।।

"Two princes have come to see the garden. Young in age, lovely in every way. One dark, one fair. How shall I describe them? Speech has no eyes, and eyes have no speech."