Ram Rides in Wedding Splendour
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 313
Doha 316 · Movement 1 of 3
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Ram's dark limbs carry the lustre of a peacock's throat. Brilliant garments shame lightning, wedding ornaments surround him with auspiciousness, and his autumn-moon face shines above eyes fresher than lotuses.
His brothers ride beside him, guiding spirited horses through graceful movement while bards proclaim the Raghu line. Beauty, kinship, skill, music, and lineage advance together.
Ram's own horse moves with a gait capable of humbling Garuda. Its form and trappings seem fashioned by Kamadeva for this single purpose, to bear the ocean of beauty and virtue toward the mandap. Yet the rider's mind remains composed within the splendour, allowing all the brilliance to gather around him without disturbing his inward stillness.
Peacock-dark bridegroom and love-fashioned horse move through Mithila like stillness clothed in splendour.
Read the passage from the Manas
केकि कंठ दुति स्यामल अंगा। तड़ित बिनिंदक बसन सुरंगा।। ब्याह बिभूषन बिबिध बनाए। मंगल सब सब भाँति सुहाए।। सरद बिमल बिधु बदनु सुहावन। नयन नवल राजीव लजावन।। सकल अलौकिक सुंदरताई। कहि न जाइ मनहीं मन भाई।। बंधु मनोहर सोहहिं संगा। जात नचावत चपल तुरंगा।। राजकुअँर बर बाजि देखावहिं। बंस प्रसंसक बिरिद सुनावहिं।। जेहि तुरंग पर रामु बिराजे। गति बिलोकि खगनायकु लाजे।। कहि न जाइ सब भाँति सुहावा। बाजि बेषु जनु काम बनावा।।
His dark limbs gleam with the luster of a peacock's throat, and his brightly colored garments put even lightning to shame. He is adorned with various wedding ornaments, all auspicious and lovely in every way. His beautiful face is like the clear autumn moon; his fresh eyes put blooming lotuses to shame. His beauty is entirely beyond this world. It cannot be described; it simply delights the heart. His charming brothers shine alongside him, making their spirited horses dance as they ride. The noble princes display their fine horses while bards proclaim the glorious deeds of their lineage. The horse upon which Rama is seated moves with such grace that even Garuda, king of birds, feels humbled seeing its gait. Its beauty in every respect is beyond words, as if Kamadeva himself had fashioned its form and adornment.