Rati Before the Lord Who Burned Her Husband
Bala Kanda, Chhand 6
Doha 87 · Movement 2 of 3
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Yogis rejoice in a path cleared of its thorn, but the cosmic victory becomes intimate grief when Rati hears what happened. She falls unconscious, then rises into lamentation for the husband whose body has vanished.
Weeping, she goes directly to Shankara. The one who burned Kama is also the only refuge capable of answering the loss. With joined hands she stands before him and pleads in many ways, love stripping all pride from her voice.
Shiva looks upon the grieving woman. The easily pleased Lord does not harden himself behind the justice of wrath. Compassion turns toward the consequence of his own fire.
Rati kneels beside the ashes, and Shiva's anger gives way before her tears.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chhand 6
Rati standing with joined hands in petition before Shiva, who remains outside the close selected frame; earlier fainting and eventual reply retained.
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 104 · printed pages 102. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chhand-006. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Yogis became free from obstruction; hearing her husband's fate, Rati fainted.
- Weeping, speaking lament in many ways and expressing grief, she went to Shankara.
- With great love she made many petitions and stood before him with joined hands.
- The quickly pleased compassionate Shiva looked upon the helpless woman and began to speak; the actual reassurance belongs to the following passage.
- The verse specifies neither falling to the ground nor an allegorical collapse of carnal longing.
Artistic choices
- Approved imaginative Rati appearance reused; waist portrait selects her standing petition while Shiva remains outside frame. Exact age, moist eyes, pose, clothing detail, flowers and pastoral landscape are artist choices; no ground-fall or later reassurance outcome inferred.
- Complete source facts retained in metadata; source and existing translations unchanged.
- Two pearl strands and wrist beads, small gold forehead ornament, flower count, veil floral pattern, distant temple, fields and hill silhouettes are artistic; no historical architectural or ornament-count claim.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
जोगि अकंटक भए पति गति सुनत रति मुरुछित भई। रोदति बदति बहु भाँति करुना करति संकर पहिं गई। अति प्रेम करि बिनती बिबिध बिधि जोरि कर सन्मुख रही। प्रभु आसुतोष कृपाल सिव अबला निरखि बोले सही।।
The yogis were freed from all obstruction, for Kama's power was destroyed. Hearing her husband's fate, Rati fell senseless to the ground. Weeping, lamenting, pouring out her grief in countless ways, she went before Shankara and pleaded for his mercy.