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राम
Leela Scene

Lakshmana Offers to Lift the Universe

Bala Kanda, Chaupai 250

Doha 253 · Movement 1 of 2

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Lakshmana declares that no one speaks of a heroless earth wherever a son of Raghu is present. Janaka's words are unworthy precisely because the king knows the jewel of that lineage sits before him.

Turning toward Ram, Lakshmana says he speaks from his nature, not from pride. With one command from his brother he could lift the universe like a ball, shatter it like an unbaked pot, or uproot Mount Meru as easily as a radish.

Before Ram's glory, what is one ancient bow? Let permission be given and the assembly will see the sport. Lakshmana would string Shiva's weapon as lightly as a lotus stalk and run a hundred yojanas carrying it drawn. His immense boast rests upon a deeper renunciation: every power he names exists only beneath Ram's command.

Lakshmana places the strength of worlds at Ram's feet and waits for one word.

Read the passage from the Manas
Lakshmana asks Rama’s permission to demonstrate his strength, speaking naturally rather than arrogantly.

AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 250

All8conditional speech retained; selectLakshmana respectfulpermission request toRama source3/7. No physicalcosmicfeat event.

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 247, 248 · printed pages 245, 246. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-250. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • 1 ANY RaghuLINEAGE member present none sayssuchassemblywords; not inventedlion epithet.
  • 2 JANAKA inappropriatewords despitepresentRAGHUKULJEWELRAMA.
  • 3 RAMA SUNofSOLARLINELOTUS hearNATURE notARROGANCE.
  • 4 IF YOUR COMMAND universeLIFT LIKE BALL.
  • 5 BreakUNBAKEDPOT simile universe; MERU LIKE RADISH notdart.
  • 6 YOURGLORY LORD oldPINAKA trivial.
  • 7 LORD GIVEORDER seeAMUSINGFEAT.
  • 8 STRINGbowLIKELOTUSSTALK RUN CARRYINGBOW HUNDREDYOJANAS distance notbowextension.

Artistic choices

  • PASS1head2connectedownarms2naturalhands ownRIGHTchest ownLEFTopenpalm actualRIGHToutward, eyesUPLEFT Ramaoffcrop mildfurrow PARTEDlips firmrespect. Feetgearoutcrop.
  • Current identitiesLakshmanaFAIR/RamaBLUEGREY blackcurls brown eyes whiteUredmarks yellowfoldedfourcornerfabriccaps whitepinkbuds onepeacockfeather each creampearlsGREENTULSIgarlands yellowgold hoops creamarmstripes; source numericalage/material/count/assemblywearingtime artistunverified.
  • All other source participants offcropnotdenied; exactpose gaze venue/architecture countsartist no fullcensus/audio/wholechronology/physicalmetaphor orconditionalcosmicfeat certificate. D254 bowANDquiver retained sourceoffcrop notabsence. C251 youngLION metaphor notactualanimal/head. Sourcehash/original/Hindi gaps unchanged.

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

रघुबंसिन्ह महुँ जहँ कोउ होई। तेहिं समाज अस कहइ न कोई।। कही जनक जसि अनुचित बानी। बिद्यमान रघुकुल मनि जानी।। सुनहु भानुकुल पंकज भानू। कहउँ सुभाउ न कछु अभिमानू।। जौ तुम्हारि अनुसासन पावौं। कंदुक इव ब्रह्मांड उठावौं।। काचे घट जिमि डारौं फोरी। सकउँ मेरु मूलक जिमि तोरी।। तव प्रताप महिमा भगवाना। को बापुरो पिनाक पुराना।। नाथ जानि अस आयसु होऊ। कौतुकु करौं बिलोकिअ सोऊ।। कमल नाल जिमि चाफ चढ़ावौं। जोजन सत प्रमान लै धावौं।।

"In any assembly where a son of the Raghu dynasty is present, no one would dare speak so. Knowing full well that the jewel of the Raghu clan stands before him, Janaka has spoken words unworthy of a king."