Where Even Saraswati Falls Silent
Bala Kanda, Chhand 14
Doha 100 · Movement 2 of 3
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Crores of mouths could not describe the splendour of the Mother of the world. The Vedas hesitate. Shesha with his countless tongues and Saraswati, source of eloquence, reach the boundary of speech.
Tulsidas places his own limited voice behind their silence. Praise becomes truest when it stops pretending the immeasurable can be contained.
Bhavani, treasury of beauty, moves to the centre of the mandap where Shiva waits. Modesty keeps her eyes lowered, but her mind flies like a bee to rest upon the lotus of her husband's feet. Silence completes the praise.
Speech falls silent while Parvati's mind reaches Shiva before her footsteps do.
Read the passage from the Manas
कोटिहुँ बदन नहिं बनै बरनत जग जननि सोभा महा। सकुचहिं कहत श्रुति सेष सारद मंदमति तुलसी कहा।। छबिखानि मातु भवानि गवनी मध्य मंडप सिव जहाँ।। अवलोकि सकहिं न सकुच पति पद कमल मनु मधुकरु तहाँ।।
Even with tens of millions of mouths, one could not fully describe the surpassing beauty of Jagadamba, the Mother of the World. The Vedas, Shesha, and Sarasvati themselves hesitate to speak of it. What then can the slow-witted Tulasi possibly say?