Pride and Wisdom Speak among the Kings
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 242
Sortha 245 · Movement 1 of 2
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At the sight of Ram, many kings lose heart as stars grow pale before the full moon. Some whisper that even if the great bow remains unbroken, Sita will surely place the garland upon him. Better to return home than lose fame, strength, and splendour in a hopeless contest.
Proud rulers laugh at this counsel. Blind with ambition, they insist the marriage cannot occur without the bow's defeat. For Sita they would challenge even Death in battle, and their voices sharpen as boast answers boast across the royal tiers.
Righteous kings devoted to Hari hear the uproar and smile. They neither tremble with the fearful nor swell with the arrogant. The two responses expose the assembly: one group senses Ram's destiny, another trusts its own force, and the wise wait for truth to reveal itself without noise.
Across the royal seats, pride raises its voice while wisdom answers only with a smile.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 242
All eight retained; selected ONE favorable confident assembly king response source1-4; other distinct king groups retained outsidecrop.
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 240, 241 · printed pages 238, 239. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-242. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- 1 Kings seeing Lord losecourage like stars when moon rises SIMILE.
- 2 Favorable kings convinced NO DOUBT RAMA WILL BREAK BOW, सक doubt witness-local not ability/negated prediction.
- 3 Separate next belief SITA WILL GARLAND RAMA even WITHOUT bowbreaking.
- 4 These kings advise brothers GO HOME losing renown power strength splendor.
- 5 OTHER blind arrogant kings LAUGH hearing.
- 6 Arrogant kings argue EVEN broken bow marriage difficult; withoutbreaking who wedsprincess?
- 7 Boast FOR SITA they will defeat EVEN DEATH/Deathlike opponent in battle; not mortalityproverb.
- 8 OTHER religious HARI DEVOTED DISCERNING kings SMILE on hearing.
Artistic choices
- PASS one head two connected ownarms two distinct naturalhands ownRIGHTchest ownLEFTopenpalm towardRIGHT scene. OpeneyesRIGHT composed halfsmile, notmockingsneer. Legs covered/outcrop.
- NEW unnamedADULTfavorableking artistmodel mediumdeepbrown longoval aquilinenose browneyes BLACKwavyhair/nape neatmoustache cleanshavenchin goldlowpointedcrown BLUEjewel ivorytunic PLUMgoldshawl pearls goldhoops cuffs UNMARKEDforehead. NotJanaka/Dasharatha/prince/knownking; numericalage unassigned.
- Exact pose gaze venue platform/flower/jewel counts materials and numerical age artist choices unverified. Other source participants and weapon details offcrop notdenied; no fullcensus/audio/fullchronology or ritualpurity certificate. Full source retained; no literal moon Deathbattle/garlanding/bowbreaking event shown.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
प्रभुहि देखि सब नृप हिंयँ हारे। जनु राकेस उदय भएँ तारे।। असि प्रतीति सब के मन माहीं। राम चाप तोरब सक नाहीं।। बिनु भंजेहुँ भव धनुषु बिसाला। मेलिहि सीय राम उर माला।। अस बिचारि गवनहु घर भाई। जसु प्रतापु बलु तेजु गवाँई।। बिहसे अपर भूप सुनि बानी। जे अबिबेक अंध अभिमानी।। तोरेहुँ धनुषु ब्याहु अवगाहा। बिनु तोरें को कुअँरि बिआहा।। एक बार कालउ किन होऊ। सिय हित समर जितब हम सोऊ।। यह सुनि अवर महिप मुसकाने। धरमसील हरिभगत सयाने।।
Seeing the Lord, every king lost heart, as stars fade when the full moon rises. This conviction took root in every mind: Sita will wed Ram, and no one else.