gods of the pantheon, while Shiva is the ‘greatest of them all’, being a ‘Maha (great)
Deva (god)’.(^2) Refer also to: Ram Charit Manas, Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes
Doha no. 81 where Parvati is very explicit in her proclamation that this is her firm
determination that she would either marry Shiva or remain unmarried for thousand of
births.
Parvati rebukes the Sapta-rishis by saying that what they had said about Vishnu
as being full of excellent virtues may be correct, but she isin’t bothered. She has
fallen in love with Shiva, the Maha-Deva, and love being a blinding force, she can’t
see anything else.
Further, she told the Sapta-rishis that they have already proclaimed her to be as
dumb and stupid as the mountains where she was born (Doha no. 78), so what’s the
use of preaching wisdom to a dumb-witted blockhead in any case? Therefore, it will
be good if they please shut-up and go away—refer: Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes
Doha no. 81.]
øı0. ¡ı¥ ÃÈEg Á◊‹Ã„ÈU ¬ ̋Õ◊ ◊ÈŸË‚Ê– ‚ÈŸÁé°U Á‚π ÃÈEgÊÁ⁄U œÁ⁄U ‚Ë‚ÊH 1H
•’ ◊Ò¥ ¡ã◊È ‚¢÷È Á„Uà „UÊ⁄UÊ – ∑§Ù ªÈŸ ŒÍ·Ÿ ∑§⁄ÒU Á’øÊ⁄UÊH 2H
caupā’ī.
jauṁ tumha milatēhu prathama munīsā. sunati'um̐ sikha tumhāri dhari sīsā. 1.
aba maiṁ janmu sambhu hita hārā. kō guna dūṣana karai bicārā. 2.
[Parvati did not wish to look insulting to the Sapta-rishis in order to avoid any
unpleasant situation when they could find an excuse to curse her for not obeying
them. So she played it cool and acted in a diplomatic manner.]
‘If you had met me first (i.e. prior to Narad), I would have put my head at your
feet and would have listened to your advice and accepted it with due respect. (1)
But (it is too late now because) I have sacrificed my life in favour of
Shambhu (Lord Shiva), and once this is done there is no use in thinking of the virtues
and faults at this late stage. (2)
[Note—This statement of Parvati was clearly intented to pacify the Sapta-rishis.
Parvati has told them that she would not defy the words of Narad no matter how
much they entreat her to do so—refer: (i) Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes Doha no.
80, and (ii) once again in Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 81.
She feared that these seven sages would treat her decision not to overlook
Narad’s words as an affront to themselves, especially when they were so critical of
Narad (refer: Baal Kand, 2nd line of Doha no. 78 and its following Chaupai line nos.
1-5 herein above).
So she acted wisely by saying that if they had come to her first, she would have
“put her head at their feet, and obeyed their advice”. But they must realise, being
sages themselves, that it is unrighteous and unethical to disobey one’s Guru as a
matter of principle (refer: Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no. 80 herein above).
This logical and intelligent handling of a sticky situation pleased the Sapta-rishis
as they could not counter it.
Putting one’s head at the feet of elders and obeying them is an honourable thing
to do. There are many references in Ram Charit Manas where this tradition is upheld.
Some of the instances are the following—(i) Baal Kand, Chaupai line no. 2 that
precedes Doha no. 77; (ii) Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no.
174; (iii) Ayodhya Kand, Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 177; (iv)