Rama Shines Upon the Battlefield Beyond the Speech of Shesha
Lanka Kanda, Chhand 3
Doha 71 · Movement 2 of 3
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Raghupati stands upon the battlefield, Lord of Kosala radiant with incomparable strength. Drops of exertion glisten across his lotus face, and tiny flecks of blood rest upon the warm color of his body like ornaments of battle.
Both arms continue moving bow and arrows while bears and monkeys gather again in every direction around him. The one who placed the army behind himself now stands at its center after the mountainlike enemy has fallen.
Servant Tulsidas stops before the beauty and confesses that he cannot speak it. Even Shesha, furnished with a thousand mouths, could not finish the description. Sweat, blood, bow, lotus eyes, and encircling devotees become one form in which the human warrior and immeasurable Lord are not divided. The scene exceeds speech because every visible mark reveals both at once.
A thousand mouths fall silent before Rama, where sweat and blood shine upon the beauty of the deathless Lord at war.
Read the passage from the Manas
संग्राम भूमि बिराज रघुपति अतुल बल कोसल धनी। श्रम बिंदु मुख राजीव लोचन अरुन तन सोनित कनी।। भुज जुगल फेरत सर सरासन भालु कपि चहु दिसि बने। कह दास तुलसी कहि न सक छबि सेष जेहि आनन घने।।
On the battlefield shines Raghupati, the Lord of Kosala, resplendent with matchless strength. Drops of sweat glisten on His lotus face, and His ruddy body is adorned with flecks of blood. His two mighty arms whirl bow and arrows ceaselessly, while bears and monkeys stand arrayed on every side. Says the servant Tulsidas: this beauty is beyond all telling. Even Shesha with his thousand mouths cannot describe it.