Baal Kaanda
7 - Tulasidasas humility and the glory of poetry describing Sri Rama's greatness
Chaupais
Description
The beauty of a gem, a ruby and a pearl does not catch the eye as it should so long as they are borne on the head of a serpent, the top of a mountain and the crown of an elephant respectively. The charm of them all is enhanced when they adorn the diadem of a king or the person of a young lady. Even so, the wise say, the outpourings of a good poet originate at one place (in the poet's own mind) and exercise their charm elsewhere (on the mind of the admirer). Attracted by his devotion, Sarasvati (the goddess of poetry) comes with all speed from the abode of Brahma (the topmost heaven) at his very invocation. The fatigue occasioned by this long journey cannot be relieved by millions of devices unless she takes a dip in the lake of Sri Rama's exploits. Realizing this in their heart, poets and wise men chant the glory of Sri Hari alone, which wipes away the impurities of the Kali age. Finding the bard singing the glories of worldly men the goddess of speech begins to beat her brow and repent. The wise liken the heart of a poet to the sea, his intellect to the shell containing pearls and goddess Sarasvati to the star called Svati (the modern Arcturus, the fifteenth lunar asterism considered as favourable to the formation of pearls). If there is a shower in the form of beautiful ideas, lovely pearls make their appearance in the form of poetic effusions.(1-5)