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राम
Sacred Tableau

A Young Lion Faces the Maddened Elephants

Bala Kanda, Doha 267

Doha 267 · Movement 2 of 2

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Lakshmana's eyes redden and his brows draw into a sharp curve. He looks across the armed kings with open fury, every line of his youthful face declaring how little their numbers frighten him.

The assembly becomes a wilderness image. The boastful rulers are a herd of elephants crazed with intoxication, stamping and sounding their challenge. Lakshmana is the young lion watching them, eager rather than overwhelmed.

His restraint gives the sight greater force. No arrow leaves his bow because Ram has not commanded it. The fire remains contained within glance and posture. The kings see a younger brother standing still, but the verse reveals a predator whose obedience alone prevents the charge.

Before a forest of armoured kings, Lakshmana waits like a lion held only by love.

Read the passage from the Manas
Lakshmana looks toward the kings with angry, knitted brows.

AI-created devotional illustration · Doha 267

Full sourceDOHA267; selected Lakshmana angry gaze.

Source reference and artistic choices

Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 260 · printed pages 258. Reader passage: bala-kanda-doha-268. Printed numbering may differ.

Source facts

  • Lakshmana REDangryeyes crookedknittedBROWS gazesKINGS wrathfully.
  • LikeYOUNGLION eagerseeingMAD ELEPHANTS, SIMILE notactualanimalform/battle.

Artistic choices

  • PASS oneLakshmana head two connectedownarms two naturalownhands downatownSIDES; OPENeyesRIGHT angryfurrowreddishrims browniris CLOSEDfirm lips. Fairwarmtan youthfuloval blackcurls whiteUred yellowbudfoldedfabriccap peacockfeather pearlsGREENTULSI yellowgold creamarmstripes notBLUEGREYRama noVICTORYloop. ZEROotherfigures/animals; no literalglowingeyes or combat.
  • Exact poses/gazes/counts/numericalages/gear materials/shapes/stringfastening/architecture artist choices not source biography or wholeparticipant/anatomy/motion/animal census. Fullsource kept offcrop noabsenceinference, no corpus corrections, missingHindi notinvented. Source similes no literalanimalconflict/sunmoonbody/clandestruction.
  • NewParashurama source-described model firstapprovedC265; shortbeard hairstyle details numericalage exactashtexture axegeometry arrowcount gearstrap support are artistchoices. No existingverifiedidentity found byledgerreferences/alt search; no historicalauthenticitycertificate. D269 actualgazeRIGHT despitepromptLEFT, countsreviewedactualoutput.

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

अरुन नयन भृकुटी कुटिल चितवत नृपन्ह सकोप। मनहुँ मत्त गजगन निरखि सिंघकिसोरहि चोप।।267।।

His eyes burned red, his brows curved sharp. He glared at the kings with open fury, like a young lion cub beholding a herd of maddened elephants and itching for battle.