The Making of Aparna
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 74
Doha 74 · Movement 1 of 2
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Uma enters the forest holding the feet of her life's Lord within her heart. Her body is exceedingly tender, unsuited to severe austerity, yet remembrance of Shiva makes every former comfort easy to abandon. Love grows new each day until awareness of the body recedes behind the vow.
For a thousand years she lives on roots and fruit. A hundred years pass with only leaves and herbs. Then come water, air, and complete fasts. For three thousand years she eats dry bel leaves fallen upon the earth, taking nothing green from the tree.
At last she renounces even the fallen leaf and receives the name Aparna, the one who takes no leaf. Her form grows thin beneath the immeasurable tapas. Then a deep voice crosses the sky, descending toward the solitary ascetic whose whole being has become one act of love.
The final dry leaf remains upon the ground, and the forest begins to call her Aparna.
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उर धरि उमा प्रानपति चरना। जाइ बिपिन लागीं तपु करना।। अति सुकुमार न तनु तप जोगू। पति पद सुमिरि तजेउ सबु भोगू।। नित नव चरन उपज अनुरागा। बिसरी देह तपहिं मनु लागा।। संबत सहस मूल फल खाए। सागु खाइ सत बरष गवाँए।। कछु दिन भोजनु बारि बतासा। किए कठिन कछु दिन उपबासा।। बेल पाती महि परइ सुखाई। तीनि सहस संबत सोई खाई।। पुनि परिहरे सुखानेउ परना। उमहि नाम तब भयउ अपरना।। देखि उमहि तप खीन सरीरा। ब्रह्मगिरा भै गगन गभीरा।।
Holding the feet of her Pranapati in her heart, Uma went into the forest and began her tapasya. Her body was surpassingly tender, not at all suited for austerities. Yet, remembering her Lord's feet, she renounced every comfort.