Shloka 17
Vena’s Fall into Adharma and the Prelude to Pṛthu’s Birth
धर्मे चैव महाभाग सकलं हि प्रतिष्ठितम् । पापकर्मपरित्यज्य पुण्यं कर्म समाचर
dharme caiva mahābhāga sakalaṃ hi pratiṣṭhitam | pāpakarmaparityajya puṇyaṃ karma samācara
হে মহাভাগ! সকলো বস্তু নিশ্চয়েই ধৰ্মত প্ৰতিষ্ঠিত। সেয়ে পাপকর্ম পৰিত্যাগ কৰি পুণ্যময় কৰ্ম আচৰণ কৰা।
Unspecified (context-dependent within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa dialogues)
Concept: All is established in dharma; renounce sinful action and cultivate merit.
Application: Audit habits: drop one harmful action (speech, consumption, deceit) and replace it with one daily puṇya (charity, truthfulness, japa, service).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sage’s hand points to a dharma-śāstra palm-leaf while the other hand gestures toward a path splitting in two: one dark and thorny (pāpa), the other bright with flowers (puṇya). In the background, a faint pillar of light symbolizes dharma as the unseen support holding the world steady.","primary_figures":["teaching sage","noble listener (silhouetted or partially shown)"],"setting":"hermitage veranda or quiet court corner with palm-leaf manuscripts, sacrificial fire faintly glowing","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","sandalwood beige","leaf green","charcoal black","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a sage instructs with a palm-leaf śāstra, gold leaf forming a radiant dharma-pillar behind, split-path motif rendered with rich reds and greens, ornate border with lotus and conch patterns, devotional didactic clarity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle dawn light over a hermitage, sage teaching beside manuscripts, two paths painted with delicate detail—thorny dark and flowered bright—cool natural palette with refined expressions and lyrical trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines show the sage’s didactic mudrā, stylized split-path icon, warm yellow and red dominance, manuscript motifs, temple-wall instructional tone.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma teaching framed by floral borders, lotus motifs and subtle conch patterns, deep blue background with gold highlights, the bright puṇya path filled with stylized blossoms and peacocks."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft tanpura drone","crackling sacred fire","morning birds","gentle bell at cadence ends"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चैव = च + एव
FAQs
It teaches that dharma is the foundation on which everything rests, and therefore one should renounce sinful acts and actively perform virtuous deeds.
It frames dharma as the grounding principle and instructs karma (action) to align with it—rejecting pāpa-karma (harmful, unrighteous action) and choosing puṇya-karma (meritorious action).
Ethics is not merely avoidance of wrongdoing; it is also the deliberate cultivation of good actions—choosing conduct that supports righteousness and well-being.