Wedding Songs Tease the Kings during the Feast
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 326
Doha 329 · Movement 1 of 2
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After the five ritual morsels, the guests begin eating. Four scriptural classes of food unfold into countless preparations, with six tastes appearing in varieties beyond naming, each delicacy compared to nectar.
As skilled cooks serve, women sing playful wedding songs, calling men and women by name and wrapping affectionate teasing around the formal meal. Dasharatha and the royal assembly laugh.
The feast holds sacred order and familiar mischief together. Rank does not prevent gentle mockery, and ritual does not make joy stiff. When everyone is satisfied, water for rinsing is offered with respect. Full bodies, laughter, and completed custom bring the banquet to its natural peace.
Between nectar-like dishes and name-filled teasing, two royal houses learn to laugh as one family.
Read the passage from the Manas
पंच कवल करि जेवन लअगे। गारि गान सुनि अति अनुरागे।। भाँति अनेक परे पकवाने। सुधा सरिस नहिं जाहिं बखाने।। परुसन लगे सुआर सुजाना। बिंजन बिबिध नाम को जाना।। चारि भाँति भोजन बिधि गाई। एक एक बिधि बरनि न जाई।। छरस रुचिर बिंजन बहु जाती। एक एक रस अगनित भाँती।। जेवँत देहिं मधुर धुनि गारी। लै लै नाम पुरुष अरु नारी।। समय सुहावनि गारि बिराजा। हँसत राउ सुनि सहित समाजा।। एहि बिधि सबहीं भौजनु कीन्हा। आदर सहित आचमनु दीन्हा।।
After performing the five ritual morsels, they began the meal. Hearing the playful wedding songs, all were filled with delight. Countless varieties of delicacies were laid out, so exquisite they rivaled nectar itself and cannot be described. The skilled cooks began serving the food. The dishes were so many and varied that no one could name them all. Scripture speaks of four kinds of food, yet each kind here appeared in forms beyond description. There were delightful preparations of six flavors and many types, with each flavor having countless varieties. While dining, the women sang sweet, teasing wedding songs, playfully calling out the names of the men and women present. The cheerful wedding songs graced the festive moment. The king and all his court listened and laughed with joy. In this way everyone completed the feast, and water for rinsing the hands and mouth was respectfully offered.