Shloka 71
Brahmā’s Puṣkara Sacrifice and the Manifestation of Sarasvatī
with Tīrtha-Merit Teachings
बृहद्वांतिर्महाजिह्वः शंकुकर्णो महाध्वनिः । दीर्घजिह्वोर्कनयनो मृडकायो मृडप्रियः
bṛhadvāṃtirmahājihvaḥ śaṃkukarṇo mahādhvaniḥ | dīrghajihvorkanayano mṛḍakāyo mṛḍapriyaḥ
هو عريضُ الخصر، عظيمُ اللسان، ذو أذنين كالمحارة، جهوريُّ الصوت كالرعد؛ طويلُ اللسان، عيناه كالشمس، جسدُه لطيف، وهو محبوبٌ لدى مِرْدا (شيفا).
Narrator (context not provided in the excerpt; speaker cannot be fixed with certainty without surrounding verses).
Concept: Purāṇic cosmology includes graded beings with distinctive forms and affiliations; even those ‘dear to Mṛḍa (Śiva)’ are situated within the larger cosmic order.
Application: Recognize plurality of devotional affiliations without confusion; keep one’s iṣṭa steady while respecting other deities’ spheres.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A colossal being stands at the edge of a storm-lit wilderness, waist broad, tongue extended like a crimson banner, eyes blazing like the sun. His ears curl like conch shells, and his roar ripples the air like thunder, while a faint Śiva-emblem (tripuṇḍra or crescent) hints at his allegiance to Mṛḍa.","primary_figures":["Thunderous mythic being (as described)","Śiva (Mṛḍa) as distant presence or emblematic aura"],"setting":"Stormy forest clearing with shattered rocks and swirling clouds, a distant mountain silhouette.","lighting_mood":"storm-flash chiaroscuro","color_palette":["storm grey","sun-gold","crimson","inky black","pale ash-white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: the central towering figure with exaggerated conch-shaped ears and sun-like eyes, framed by a gold-leaf prabhāmaṇḍala; subtle Śiva symbols in the border; rich reds, greens, and heavy gold embossing to heighten the supernatural presence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dramatic yet refined monster-majesty; delicate cloud bands, lightning strokes, and a lyrical forest; the figure rendered with controlled exaggeration, sun-eye highlighted with thin gold, cool mountain tones and precise detailing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and stylized anatomy; large expressive eyes, patterned tongue and ornaments; background storm motifs simplified into rhythmic curves; traditional red/yellow/green palette with black contour dominance.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic rendering—sun-eye as a radiant mandala, conch-ear motifs repeated in the border; the figure placed within a decorative storm-lotus frame; deep blue ground with gold and white lightning filigree."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder roll","conch blast","drum accents","wind gusts"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: dīrghajihvorkanayano = dīrghajihvaḥ + arkanayanaḥ (visarga + a → o); अन्यत्र पदच्छेदः सरलः।
FAQs
This śloka functions as a string of epithets—iconographic and devotional descriptors—praising a powerful being whose qualities culminate in being “dear to Mṛḍa (Śiva),” signaling a Shaiva devotional coloring within the Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa.
Mṛḍa is a well-known epithet of Śiva meaning “the gracious/beneficent one.” “Mṛḍapriyaḥ” means “beloved of Śiva,” indicating closeness, favor, or alignment with Śiva.
The verse models devotional remembrance through nāma-guṇa-kīrtana (praising divine names and qualities), suggesting that contemplating auspicious attributes—power, radiance, and benevolence—supports reverence and steadiness of mind.