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राम
Leela Scene

All Mithila Moves toward the Swayamvara

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 237

Doha 240 · Movement 1 of 2

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Vishwamitra invites the company to witness Sita's swayamvara and wonders aloud upon whom the Lord will bestow the great honour. Lakshmana answers that grace will fall upon the vessel of virtue.

Sages delight in the words and bless them. Ram and Lakshmana walk with the ascetic company toward the bow hall, and news of their arrival spreads through Janakpur.

Children, youths, elders, women, and men abandon household work and converge upon the arena. Seeing the immense crowd, Janaka commands pure servants to provide everyone a fitting place. The city gathers around one act still hidden in the future.

From every house, Mithila flows toward the hall where Ram will stand before the bow.

Read the passage from the Manas
Lakshmana replies that Rama’s grace makes one worthy of glory, after Vishvamitra invites them to the svayamvara.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 237

Full coherent source retained; selected seatedRama/Lakshmanareply/courteousseating moment with role/sequence/artistlimits explicit.

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 236 · printed pages 234. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-237. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • 1 VISHVAMITRA says letussee SITASVAYAMVARA asks WHO GOD WILLGIVEGLORY; sagequestioner notRama.
  • 2 LAKSHMANA answers RAMA: oneuponwhom YOURGRACE falls worthyof GLORY/HONOR. GRACEcondition HONORoutcome not virtueearningfuturegrace.
  • 3 ALLMUNIS joyhearinggoodwords blessALL joy.
  • 4 Compassionatelord with MUNIGROUP goes BOWSACRIFICEHALL.
  • 5 BOTHBROTHERS ARRIVEARENA newsALLCITY.
  • 6 ALL CHILDREN YOUNG OLD MEN WOMEN leaveHOMESWORK tocome.
  • 7 JANAKA seesHEAVYCROWD CALLS PURE SERVANTS.
  • 8 GoEVERYONE GIVE ALL APPROPRIATESEATS. SelectedLakshmanareply source2 full8 retained; notactualarenaarrival/shownfullcrowdcensus.

Artistic choices

  • ActualLAKSHMANA ONLY C236RIGHT fairwarmtan youthfulovalface browneyes blackearshouldercurls creamgoldfourcornerclothcap separateWHITEUthinredcenter onepeacockfeather whitepinkbudclusters yellowcreamgold dhoti/drape gempearlgreenredstone necklace goldhoops. Sourceage/numerals/capwearingtime/counts/materialartist no bluegreyRama identityswap.
  • Actual1head2connectedownarms2ownNAMASTEpalms naturalwrists chest; OPENeyes gentlyUPLEFT towardRama/Guruoffcrop subtlepartedmouth courteousconfidentjoy, notarrogance/audioquote. Gear/lowerlegsfeetoutcrop notabsent; Guru/Rama/Janaka/crowd ALLothergroupsoutsidecropnotdenied.
  • E17 mutedcreamochreoliveagedpaper softnaturalportrait creamguestlodgearch whitepinkboughs faintivorypavilion noframe. Exactpose/gaze/site/timecountsartist; no literalgodgrantingbadge/castegroups/wedding/bowbreaking/fan or fullspeech/chronology certificate.

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

सीय स्वयंबरु देखिअ जाई। ईसु काहि धौं देइ बड़ाई।। लखन कहा जस भाजनु सोई। नाथ कृपा तव जापर होई।। हरषे मुनि सब सुनि बर बानी। दीन्हि असीस सबहिं सुखु मानी।। पुनि मुनिबृंद समेत कृपाला। देखन चले धनुषमख साला।। रंगभूमि आए दोउ भाई। असि सुधि सब पुरबासिन्ह पाई।। चले सकल गृह काज बिसारी। बाल जुबान जरठ नर नारी।। देखी जनक भीर भै भारी। सुचि सेवक सब लिए हँकारी।। तुरत सकल लोगन्ह पहिं जाहू। आसन उचित देहू सब काहू।।

"Let us go and see Sita's swayamvar. To whom will Ishvara grant this great honor?" Lakshman replied: "He alone is the true vessel of glory on whom rests the complete kripa of the Lord."