The Actor Wears the King's Sorrow without Becoming Bound by the Role
Uttara Kanda, Doha 73
Doha 73 · Movement 2 of 2
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For the sake of devotees, Bhagavan Rama assumes the body of a king and performs supremely purifying deeds in the manner of an ordinary human being. The human likeness is not an error covering divinity. It is the chosen language through which divine love becomes visible and approachable.
Bhushundi offers the image of an actor who enters the stage in many costumes. Each emotion is displayed completely. Grief may bend the body, courage may blaze through the eyes, and helplessness may seem to fill the scene, yet the actor does not become confined to the character being shown.
So Rama can enact anguish, search, battle, bondage, and release without ceasing to be limitless Sat-Chit-Ananda. Lila does not require shallow feeling or false gesture. The emotion is perfect within the sacred performance while the Lord remains what he eternally is. Garuda's paradox dissolves because human appearance and divine freedom are no longer forced to cancel one another.
Rama enters every movement of the human role completely, while the Infinite remains free behind every costume.
Read the passage from the Manas
भगत हेतु भगवान प्रभु राम धरेउ तनु भूप। किए चरित पावन परम प्राकृत नर अनुरूप।।72(क)।। जथा अनेक बेष धरि नृत्य करइ नट कोइ। सोइ सोइ भाव देखावइ आपुन होइ न सोइ।।72(ख)।।
For the sake of His bhaktas, Lord Rama took the body of a king and performed supremely sacred deeds in the manner of an ordinary man. Just as an actor dons many costumes and dances upon the stage, displaying each bhava (emotion) perfectly, yet never truly becoming that character.