Shloka 10
The Deeds of Sukalā (Vena Episode): Husband as Tīrtha & Pativratā-Dharma
कदा नैव मया त्याज्यं सामीप्यं ते द्विजोत्तम । तवच्छायां समाश्रित्य करिष्ये धर्ममुत्तमम्
kadā naiva mayā tyājyaṃ sāmīpyaṃ te dvijottama | tavacchāyāṃ samāśritya kariṣye dharmamuttamam
হে দ্বিজোত্তম! আমি কখনও আপনার সান্নিধ্য ত্যাগ করব না। আপনার ছায়ার আশ্রয় নিয়ে আমি শ্রেষ্ঠ ধর্ম পালন করব।
Unspecified (a devotee/disciple addressing a Brahmin teacher)
Concept: Satsaṅga with a true brāhmaṇa/teacher is a refuge; remaining near the wise enables one to practice ‘uttama-dharma’.
Application: Choose mentors carefully; keep consistent proximity to elevating influences (study, community, routine), and let guidance shape conduct over time.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A disciple stands with folded hands beneath a spreading tree where a venerable brāhmaṇa-teacher sits on a kusa mat. The disciple gestures toward the teacher’s shadow as if it were a sanctuary, while manuscripts, a water pot, and a sacrificial ladle suggest disciplined learning and dharma-practice.","primary_figures":["disciple/devotee","brāhmaṇa teacher (dvijottama)"],"setting":"Forest āśrama under a banyan or aśvattha tree; simple hut, deer nearby, palm-leaf manuscripts and ritual implements.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["leaf green","bark brown","sunlit amber","chalk white","rust red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: guru seated beneath a sacred tree with gold leaf halo, disciple in reverent posture, ornate border, rich reds and greens, gem-like detailing on ritual vessels, stylized āśrama architecture, emphasis on sanctity of the teacher’s presence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene āśrama scene with delicate foliage, cool greens and soft amber light, refined faces, subtle narrative gesture of ‘taking refuge in the shade’, lyrical naturalism with birds and a quiet streamlet.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, teacher and disciple in iconic poses, patterned tree canopy, natural pigment palette, ritual objects simplified into symbolic forms, temple-wall compositional symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border and lotus motifs framing a guru-sevā scene, deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks and cows as auspicious witnesses, stylized tree canopy like a mandala of protection."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["rustling leaves","low chanting of svādhyāya","wooden water pot clink","distant cuckoo","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैव = न + एव; तवच्छायाम् = तव + छायाम्; धर्ममुत्तमम् = धर्मम् + उत्तमम्.
FAQs
It conveys śaraṇāgati—seeking protection and guidance under a respected teacher’s care, implying humility, trust, and willingness to be guided in dharma.
It links “highest dharma” with steadfast association (sāmīpya) with a virtuous guide, suggesting that proximity to the righteous supports one’s own righteous conduct.
Sustained commitment to good counsel and virtuous company is presented as a foundation for living well—one should not abandon uplifting association when pursuing the highest good.