Shloka 28
The Marriage of Nahuṣa and Aśokasundarī at Vasiṣṭha’s Hermitage
within the Gurutīrtha Glorification
सर्वदैत्यप्रहर्ता च प्रजापालो महाबलः । दत्तात्रेयेण मे दत्तो वैष्णवांशः सुतोत्तमः
sarvadaityaprahartā ca prajāpālo mahābalaḥ | dattātreyeṇa me datto vaiṣṇavāṃśaḥ sutottamaḥ
هو قاهرُ جميع الديتيا، وحامي الرعية ذو القوة العظيمة. لقد وهبه لي دَتّاتريا: هذا الابنُ الأسمى، وهو جزءٌ من فيشنو.
Unspecified (context required from surrounding verses of Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 116)
Concept: Divine grace manifests as protective power in the world; a devotee’s boon can be a Vaiṣṇava ‘portion’ embodying dharma.
Application: See leadership and strength as stewardship: protect others, curb ‘inner daityas’ (anger, greed), and attribute success to grace rather than ego.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A royal chamber scented with incense: a grateful father receives the news of a boon—an extraordinary son, radiant with a subtle Viṣṇu-tejas. Behind the scene, a visionary overlay shows Dattātreya bestowing grace, while a faint cosmic aura hints that the child is a Vaiṣṇava aṃśa destined to fell demons and guard the people.","primary_figures":["Dattātreya","the King (unnamed)","the boon-child (future son)","Vishnu (as subtle aura/tejas)"],"setting":"Palace interior with a sanctified altar; a secondary ‘vision-space’ where Dattātreya appears with kamandalu and japa-mālā, and a distant battlefield silhouette foreshadows demon-slaying.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","gold leaf","vermillion red","ivory white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: palace sanctum scene with the king in jeweled crown receiving Dattātreya’s boon; Dattātreya with three serene faces and four dogs, cow beside him; a luminous Viṣṇu aura behind the unborn child; heavy gold leaf halos, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments, ornate pillars and archways, traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate lines—king seated on a low throne, Dattātreya appearing in a soft visionary cloud; subtle blue Viṣṇu-tejas around a cradle motif; cool pastel palette, refined faces, floral carpets, distant hills through a jharokha window.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined figures—Dattātreya frontal with symbolic animals, king in añjali; the child represented as a radiant lotus-bud with Viṣṇu’s śaṅkha-cakra motifs in the aura; temple-wall aesthetic, strong reds/yellows/greens, stylized eyes and ornaments.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central lotus medallion showing the boon-child as a radiant lotus with Viṣṇu symbols; side panels with Dattātreya blessing and the king offering lamps; intricate floral borders, peacocks and cows, deep indigo background with gold highlights, devotional textile symmetry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","conch shell","low mridangam pulse","incense-crackle silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: समासाः: सर्वदैत्यप्रहर्ता, प्रजापालः, महाबलः, वैष्णवांशः, सुतोत्तमः. वाक्ये ‘(सः) ... सुतोत्तमः’ इति प्रथमान्त-समुच्चयः; ‘दत्तः’ कर्मणि-भावे ‘दत्तात्रेयेण’ करण/कर्तृ।
FAQs
It means “a portion/emanation of Viṣṇu,” indicating the son is portrayed as divinely empowered with Viṣṇu’s qualities rather than merely human.
The verse frames the child as a boon granted through Dattātreya, a revered sage-deity associated with bestowing grace, thereby legitimizing the son’s extraordinary power and mission.
The ideal of righteous rulership: a king/hero should protect the people (prajā-pāla) and restrain destructive forces (daitya-prahartā), using strength in service of dharma.