Sumantra Brings Two Radiant Chariots
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 298
Doha 301 · Movement 1 of 2
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Elephants trumpet, bells answer, chariots roar, and horses neigh from every direction. Kettledrums challenge thunder itself. Dust rises so heavily at the palace gate that the verse imagines stone ground into powder.
Women climb terraces with arati lamps and ceremonial trays, singing above the tumult. Within the gates, Sumantra prepares two exceptional chariots, harnessing horses capable of shaming the steeds of the sun.
He brings them before Dasharatha. One bears the full dignity of royal assembly; the other blazes like concentrated light. Even Saraswati could not describe them. Amid a thousand vehicles, these two establish the sacred centre from which guru and king will lead the moving city.
Through the dust and thunder, Sumantra brings two chariots bright enough to centre the whole procession.
Read the passage from the Manas
गरजहिं गज घंटा धुनि घोरा। रथ रव बाजि हिंस चहु ओरा।। निदरि घनहि घुर्म्मरहिं निसाना। निज पराइ कछु सुनिअ न काना।। महा भीर भूपति के द्वारें। रज होइ जाइ पषान पबारें।। चढ़ी अटारिन्ह देखहिं नारीं। लिंएँ आरती मंगल थारी।। गावहिं गीत मनोहर नाना। अति आनंदु न जाइ बखाना।। तब सुमंत्र दुइ स्पंदन साजी। जोते रबि हय निंदक बाजी।। दोउ रथ रुचिर भूप पहिं आने। नहिं सारद पहिं जाहिं बखाने।। राज समाजु एक रथ साजा। दूसर तेज पुंज अति भ्राजा।।
Elephants trumpeted and bells rang with a fearsome sound. The roar of chariots and the neighing of horses echoed from all four directions. Kettledrums (nisaan) thundered, shaming the very clouds. No one could hear another's voice, much less tell friend from stranger. Great commotion filled the gates of the king's palace. The dust that rose could grind stones to powder. Women climbed to the terraces to watch, carrying auspicious lamps (aarati) and ceremonial plates (mangal thaari). They sang many enchanting songs. The joy was so great it could not be put into words. Then Sumantra readied two splendid chariots (spandan), harnessing horses that put the steeds of the Sun to shame. He brought both beautiful chariots before the king. Even Sarada (Saraswati) herself could not do them justice in words. One chariot was arrayed with full royal grandeur. The other blazed with a concentrated brilliance of light.