The Bow Feeds upon Their Strength
Bala Kanda, Doha 250
Doha 250 · Movement 2 of 2
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Foolish kings seize Shiva's bow with anger sharpening their faces. Muscles harden, feet press into the ceremonial earth, and breath breaks loudly through the effort. The immense curve remains where it lies.
Unable to lift or move it, each contender releases his grip and withdraws in shame. The path back to the royal seats feels longer beneath thousands of watching eyes.
The verse imagines the bow consuming the very force used against it. Every warrior brings arm strength as though bringing food, and the weapon grows heavier after each attempt. Pride expects effort to accumulate toward victory. Here effort offered without fitness only deepens the impossibility and sends its owner away diminished.
The kings spend their strength, and the ancient bow seems only to grow heavier.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Doha 250
Full Doha250 retained; selected oneanonymousfailedcontender embarrassedturnaway AFTER failedattempt, notactualgrasp orliftingmotion.
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 246 · printed pages 244. Reader passage: bala-kanda-doha-251. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- Foolishkings GRASP BOW INANGER cannotLIFT thenWITHDRAW EMBARRASSED.
- Bow SEEMS increasinglyHEAVY receivingwarriorARMMIGHT SIMILE, notactualweightmeasurement/trembling/fatesealed.
Artistic choices
- PASS onehead twoconnectedownarms twodistinctnaturalhands ownRIGHTlowercoveredwaist ownLEFTupperabdomen. Headlowered OPENeyesDOWNLEFT browfurrow tightclosedlips ashamedfrustrated nottearsterror. Feetoutcrop no withdrawalwalk mechanics certificate.
- NEW UNNAMEDADULTFAILED CONTENDERKING artistmodel deepbrownBROADsquareface broadnose browneyes blackshortsidepart hair neatblackmoustache closeSHORTBLACKCHINbeard no silver. UNMARKEDforehead GOLDlowRUBYcrown RUSTREDtunic NAVYgoldshawl pearls hoops cuffs distinctJanaka/favorableking/Dasharatha/RavanaBanasura.
- 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.
तमकि धरहिं धनु मूढ़ नृप उठइ न चलहिं लजाइ। मनहुँ पाइ भट बाहुबलु अधिकु अधिकु गरुआइ।।250।।
The foolish kings seize the bow in fury, yet it does not rise. They slink away in shame. As though feeding on the warrior's own strength, the bow grows heavier still.