Shiva's Longing on the Forest Road
Bala Kanda, Sortha 48
Sortha 48 · Movement 2 of 2
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Shiva walks beside Sati while one longing fills his heart: how may he behold Ram? The Lord has descended in a concealed form, passing among trees as an exiled prince. If Mahadeva approaches openly in worship, the hidden majesty may be revealed before the Leela has chosen its hour.
Devotion pulls him forward while reverence for Ram's secrecy holds him back. Agitation rises within the great ascetic, an inward storm Sati cannot understand. His eyes hunger for the form his heart already knows, yet his wisdom fears disturbing the divine play.
Tulsidas lingers in that tenderness. Shiva possesses cosmic knowledge, but before the possibility of Ram's darshan he becomes simply a lover afraid to lose the sight he has not yet received.
The forest path divides nowhere, yet Shiva's longing is pulled in two directions.
Read the passage from the Manas
ह्दयँ बिचारत जात हर केहि बिधि दरसनु होइ। गुप्त रुप अवतरेउ प्रभु गएँ जान सबु कोइ।।48(क)।। संकर उर अति छोभु सती न जानहिं मरमु सोइ।। तुलसी दरसन लोभु मन डरु लोचन लालची।।48(ख)।।
As Shiva walked on, he pondered in his heart: "How shall I have darshan of the Lord?" The Prabhu had descended in a hidden form; if Shiva went openly, all would know.