Rivers Rush Toward the Sea
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 85
Sortha 85 · Movement 1 of 3
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Madana's longing rises in every heart. Tree branches bend toward young creepers. Rivers swell and race toward the ocean, while ponds overflow into one another as though even water has forgotten separation.
If the unmoving world behaves so, the conscious world cannot be described. Animals and birds of sky, water, and land fall under desire without regard for proper season. Cuckoos call through day and night while every realm grows blind and restless.
Gods, asuras, humans, kinnaras, nagas, spirits, ghosts, and night wandering beings yield. Even accomplished sages, renunciants, great munis, and yogis lose composure. The landscape has become the visible body of a longing no creature can contain.
Every river surges seaward, and every heart believes the flood to be its own.
Read the passage from the Manas
सब के हृदयँ मदन अभिलाषा। लता निहारि नवहिं तरु साखा।। नदीं उमगि अंबुधि कहुँ धाई। संगम करहिं तलाव तलाई।। जहँ असि दसा जड़न्ह कै बरनी। को कहि सकइ सचेतन करनी।। पसु पच्छी नभ जल थलचारी। भए कामबस समय बिसारी।। मदन अंध ब्याकुल सब लोका। निसि दिनु नहिं अवलोकहिं कोका।। देव दनुज नर किंनर ब्याला। प्रेत पिसाच भूत बेताला।। इन्ह कै दसा न कहेउँ बखानी। सदा काम के चेरे जानी।। सिद्ध बिरक्त महामुनि जोगी। तेपि कामबस भए बियोगी।।
In every heart arose the longing of Madana, the god of love. Tree branches bent low, gazing at the creepers below. Rivers swelled with passion and rushed toward the ocean. Ponds and pools mingled freely with one another.