Shloka 56
The Episode of Cyavana
Cyavana’s Hermitage and the Power of Tapas
तदा राज्ञो हया नष्टा हस्तिनो बहवो मृताः । धनं नष्टं रत्नयुतं कलहोभून्मिथस्तदा
tadā rājño hayā naṣṭā hastino bahavo mṛtāḥ | dhanaṃ naṣṭaṃ ratnayutaṃ kalahobhūnmithastadā
عندئذٍ ضاعت خيلُ الملك، ومات كثيرٌ من الفيلة. وهلك المالُ بما فيه من جواهر، وفي ذلك الحين نشب بينهم شجارٌ ونزاع.
Narrator (contextual speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)
Concept: Adharma does not remain private; it fractures social harmony and destroys prosperity, turning wealth into ash and allies into quarrelers.
Application: Guard ethics in leadership and household; unresolved wrongdoing breeds conflict, financial loss, and breakdown of trust—repair early through truth and reconciliation.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"In the palace courtyard, empty stables gape open, broken harnesses scattered like discarded hopes. In the elephant yard, fallen tusked bodies lie draped in dust, while servants argue near a shattered jewel-chest, its gems spilled into mud as the court erupts into blame.","primary_figures":["palace guards","stable keepers","royal ministers (arguing)","mourning mahouts"],"setting":"royal courtyard with stables, elephant yard, and treasury portico","lighting_mood":"smoke-hazed daylight","color_palette":["dust brown","dull gold","bloodless gray","jade green (tarnished)","rust red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: bustling palace courtyard with open stables, distressed attendants, a broken jewel chest with scattered gems; gold leaf highlights on remaining ornaments and gem facets, contrasted with dusty ruin; rich architectural detailing, expressive gestures of quarrel.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative spread across courtyard spaces—empty stables, fallen elephants, ministers disputing; delicate linework, subdued palette, careful depiction of textiles and animal forms; emotion conveyed through posture and spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized elephants and attendants with bold outlines; symbolic broken treasure chest; red/yellow/green pigments against smoky gray background; rhythmic composition like a temple-wall narrative panel of calamity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: calamity rendered as allegorical tableau—spilled gems as patterned motifs, quarrelers in stylized poses; ornate floral borders; deep blues replaced by earthy tones; emphasis on moral lesson through decorative symbolism."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant animal cries","clashing voices","broken pottery/metal clinks","wind through empty stables"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कलहोभूत् = कलहः + अभूत्; मिथस्तदा = मिथः + तदा.
FAQs
It describes a cascade of calamities—loss of horses, death of many elephants, destruction of jewel-bearing wealth—followed by mutual quarrelling.
In isolation it reads as narrative consequence: material losses leading to social discord, rather than an explicit doctrinal statement.
It implies that attachment to possessions and power can intensify conflict; when prosperity collapses, relationships can fracture into blame and quarrel.