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राम
Leela Scene

Ten Thousand Kings Cannot Move the Bow

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 248

Doha 251 · Movement 1 of 2

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At last ten thousand kings gather around Shiva's bow and strain together. Hands crowd its ancient surface, shoulders press beside shoulders, and a forest of crowns bends beneath the effort. Still the weapon does not shift.

It remains firm as the heart of a faithful woman before the words of a lustful man. The failed rulers become objects of ridicule, like renunciants who possess the garment but not detachment. Fame, victory, and vaunted courage fall away from them at the bow's side.

They return to their separate companies with splendour drained from their faces. Janaka watches the defeat and grows distressed. Anger enters his voice as he remembers kings arriving from every island, even gods and demons clothed in human form, all famed as warriors, yet none able to answer the vow.

Ten thousand crowns bow beneath the effort, and Shiva's bow does not move.

Read the passage from the Manas
Janaka responds anxiously and angrily after the kings fail to move Shiva’s bow.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 248

All eight retained; selected JANAKA anxiousangry response/address source6-8 afterunmovedbowattempts, no ten-thousand census drawn.

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 246 · printed pages 244. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-248. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • 1 TEN THOUSAND KINGS ATONCE attemptlift; bow doesnotMOVE.
  • 2 Shivabowimmovable like VIRTUOUSWOMAN MIND towardLUSTFULWORDS: simile notactualharassment.
  • 3 Allkings ridiculous likeRENUNCIANTwithoutDETACHMENT simile.
  • 4 BowforcefullyTAKESFAMEVICTORYHEROISM poetic.
  • 5 KingsSPLENDORLESS DISHEARTENED RETURN OWN ASSEMBLYSEATS.
  • 6 JANAKA seeingkingsDISTRESSED sayswords ASIFEDGEDANGER.
  • 7 KingsmanyISLANDS came hearingMYVOW.
  • 8 GODS DEMONS inHUMANBODIES abundantbravebattlewarriorscame.

Artistic choices

  • PASS onehead twoownconnectedarms twonaturalhands ownRIGHTopenLEFTpalm ownLEFTchest. OPENeyesLEFT slightlyfurrowedbrows courteousPARTEDmouth disappointedfirm anxiety controlledanger noactualaudiblequote. Lowerlimbsoutcrop.
  • PASS establishedJanaka mediumbrownrectoval blackwavy silvertemples trimdarkbeard silverchin WHITEUredmark GOLDthreecrest centralGREENemeraldcrown ivoryTEALgold pearls greenjewels cuffs hoops notnewfailedrubyking/Dasharatha.
  • Exactpose gaze venue materials modelages ornamentcounts artist unverified. D251 actualadded CROPPEDgoldbrown decoratedBOWSECTION restingonsmall supports REDPLINTH; firstartistpartialdesign notsourcefullweaponshape/string/size/weight/finalfullbowcertificate. Wholebowextendsoutsidecrop unlifted notbroken. Otherssourceparticipants offcropnotdenied fullfacts retained; no physicalmetaphor/ten-thousand fullcensus/eventsequence/audio/bowlifting orwalking mechanics certificate.

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

भूप सहस दस एकहि बारा। लगे उठावन टरइ न टारा।। डगइ न संभु सरासन कैसें। कामी बचन सती मनु जैसें।। सब नृप भए जोगु उपहासी। जैसें बिनु बिराग संन्यासी।। कीरति बिजय बीरता भारी। चले चाप कर बरबस हारी।। श्रीहत भए हारि हियँ राजा। बैठे निज निज जाइ समाजा।। नृपन्ह बिलोकि जनकु अकुलाने। बोले बचन रोष जनु साने।। दीप दीप के भूपति नाना। आए सुनि हम जो पनु ठाना।। देव दनुज धरि मनुज सरीरा। बिपुल बीर आए रनधीरा।।

Ten thousand kings, all at once, strained together to lift it, yet it would not budge even a hair's breadth. How could Shambhu's bow be moved? It stood as firm as a faithful woman's heart, unmoved by the words of a lustful man.