Shloka 118
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
एवं संवत्सरस्यार्द्धे तत्पतिश्चागतः पुरं । अपृच्छत्तं च लोकेषु तस्या वृत्तमथोदितम्
evaṃ saṃvatsarasyārddhe tatpatiścāgataḥ puraṃ | apṛcchattaṃ ca lokeṣu tasyā vṛttamathoditam
وهكذا، بعد مرور نصف عام، وصل زوجها إلى المدينة. سأل الناس عنها، فرويت له قصتها.
Narrator (contextual prose narration within the Adhyaya; specific dialogue-speaker not explicit in this verse alone)
Concept: Time reveals hidden actions; society becomes the mirror through which dharma and adharma are narrated and judged.
Application: Act as though your deeds will be known; cultivate integrity and accountability; seek reconciliation and truth when returning after absence.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A travel-worn husband enters a bustling city gate after six months, dust on his cloak, eyes searching. He questions townspeople in a marketplace, and a circle forms as the tale begins to spill into the open—faces turning from curiosity to shock.","primary_figures":["husband (returning traveler)","townspeople","storyteller/elder citizen"],"setting":"city gate leading into a market street with stalls, banners, and a distant palace silhouette","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["sunlit gold","terracotta","turquoise","cream","copper brown"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: grand city-entry scene—returning husband at an ornate gateway, townspeople gathered in a semicircle, an elder narrating; gold leaf on gateway carvings and jewelry, rich reds/greens in garments, gem-like highlights, formal composition with narrative clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lively bazaar inquiry—delicate figures, expressive faces, pastel architecture, distant hills hinted; refined brushwork, cool-warm balance, the husband leaning toward an elder as the story begins.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined city gate and clustered citizens; strong reds/yellows/greens, stylized architecture, large expressive eyes conveying curiosity and surprise; narrative panel feel like a temple wall chronicle.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: pavilion-like market framed by floral borders—crowd arranged rhythmically, lotuses and vines around the edges, deep blue background with gold accents; peacocks perched on a rooftop beam, emphasizing ‘kathā’ unfolding in public."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["market murmur","footsteps","distant bell","street vendor calls","soft drum pulse"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संवत्सरस्यार्द्धे = संवत्सरस्य + अर्द्धे; तत्पतिश्चागतः = तत्पतिः + च + आगतः; अपृच्छत्तं = अपृच्छत् + तम्; वृत्तमथोदितम् = वृत्तम् + अथ + उदितम्
FAQs
After half a year, the woman’s husband returns to the city and asks people about her; her situation is then recounted to him.
No. This verse is a narrative transition and does not name any deity, tīrtha, or cosmological detail on its own.
It highlights accountability and social witnessing: a person’s conduct and circumstances become known in society, and inquiry leads to truth being disclosed.