Sita Writes Ram upon the Walls of Her Heart
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 232
Doha 235 · Movement 1 of 2
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Knowing the hardness of Shiva's bow, Sita leaves in sorrow with Ram's dark form held inside. When she understands that he too is departing, the treasury of love, beauty, joy, and virtue feels the separation sharply.
Supreme love becomes soft ink. Sita writes the form she has seen upon the beautiful walls of her heart so no distance or outward obstacle can erase it.
She returns to Parvati's shrine, bows, and praises the daughter of the mountain, the chakori nourished by Shiva's moonlike face, mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya, lightning radiant Mother of the world. Beginningless and endless, Gauri creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe through her free play.
With love as ink, Sita writes Ram upon the inner walls before bowing to Gauri.
Read the passage from the Manas
AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 232
Full8 source units preserved, selected representative moment with source subjects and sequence explicit.
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 231, 232 · printed pages 229, 230. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-232. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- 1 SITA knows SHIVABOW HARD/UNYIELDING, departs sorrow holding RAMA DARKFORM HEART.
- 2 RAMA observes JANAKI LEAVING, she treasure JOY LOVE BEAUTY VIRTUE; notSita observingRamaleave.
- 3 RAMA makes LOVEINK writes SITA IMAGE on HIS HEART simile, not Sita writingRama form.
- 4 THEN SITA RETURNS BHAVANI TEMPLE, bowsDEITYFEET speaks FOLDEDHANDS; not Parvati returning to prayherself.
- 5 Praise DAUGHTER of MOUNTAINKING; CHAKORI of SHIVA MOONFACE simile.
- 6 MOTHER GANESHA and SIXFACED KARTIKEYA, WORLD MOTHER bodyLIGHTNINGRADIANCE simile.
- 7 No BEGINNING MIDDLE END; INFINITE POWER VEDAS cannotknow.
- 8 CAUSE CREATION PRESERVATION DESTRUCTION; universeENCHANTRESS freelyherOWNWILL. Correctsubjects/whole8 retained selectedSita templeprayer.
Artistic choices
- ActualcanonicalD230Sita warmgoldenwheatbrownslenderovalface browneyes blacksidepartlowhair/braid rustcoralgoldedge sari/veil modestcoveredblouse WHITEearflowercluster pearls redbindi hoops bangles; youngphaseartist no assignedsourcenumericage, distinctanonymouscompanion. 1head2connectedownarms2ownNAMASTEhands joinedwithnaturalforearms/chest fingersnoextrahand.
- Actualeyelids gentlyCLOSED/LOWERED headDOWNRIGHT devotionwithlonging uprightwaistup, no sleep/faint/hypnosis. Previousfeetbow is sourceretained, kneeslegsfeet/deityfeet outcrop no actualfootcontact or bodypose kneelingcertificate; princes/Gauri idol/sakhis/Shiva/Ganesha/Kartikeya offcropnotdenied.
- E02 imaginedcreamcarvedtemplepillars/arch marigoldwhiteflowergarlands finegoldfloralborder; actual two brasslampfixtures smallnaturalflames, shallowstoneflowerledge/flowercluster RIGHT, specificpropscounts/material/venue/time artist notscripturaldetail. No physicalloveink writing/literalgods/birdmoon/lightningbody, source8retained no fullchronology/audibleprayer/innerstate certificate. No Poddar attribution or copiedmoderncommentary.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
जानि कठिन सिवचाप बिसूरति। चली राखि उर स्यामल मूरति।। प्रभु जब जात जानकी जानी। सुख सनेह सोभा गुन खानी।। परम प्रेममय मृदु मसि कीन्ही। चारु चित भीतीं लिख लीन्ही।। गई भवानी भवन बहोरी। बंदि चरन बोली कर जोरी।। जय जय गिरिबरराज किसोरी। जय महेस मुख चंद चकोरी।। जय गज बदन षड़ानन माता। जगत जननि दामिनि दुति गाता।। नहिं तव आदि मध्य अवसाना। अमित प्रभाउ बेदु नहिं जाना।। भव भव बिभव पराभव कारिनि। बिस्व बिमोहनि स्वबस बिहारिनि।।
Knowing the bow of Shiva to be unyielding, Sita departed in sorrow, keeping the dark-complexioned form of Rama safe within her heart. When Janaki learned that the Lord was leaving, she, the very treasure of joy, love, beauty and virtue, was overcome with longing. She made soft ink out of deepest love, and upon the beautiful walls of her heart she inscribed His form forever. Then Sita returned to the temple of Bhavani, and bowing at the goddess's feet, she spoke with folded hands. Glory, all glory to the daughter of the king of mountains! Glory to the chakori who lives upon the moon of Maheshvara's face! Glory to the mother of Gajanana and Shadanana, mother of the world, whose body shines with the radiance of lightning! You have no beginning, no middle, and no end. Your boundless power is beyond even what the Vedas can know. You are the cause of creation, sustenance, and dissolution. Enchantress of the universe, You sport freely by Your own will.