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Shloka 5

Entering Kāmodā and the Doctrine of Dreams, Sleep, and the Self

कामोदोवाच । प्रसादाद्भवतां विष्णोः सुखेन वर्तयाम्यहम् । कथयस्व महाप्राज्ञ त्वं प्रश्नोत्तरकारणम्

kāmodovāca | prasādādbhavatāṃ viṣṇoḥ sukhena vartayāmyaham | kathayasva mahāprājña tvaṃ praśnottarakāraṇam

Kāmada sprach: „Durch die Gnade eures Viṣṇu lebe ich in Leichtigkeit. O höchst Weiser, erkläre es mir—du, der Ursprung von Frage und Antwort.“

कामोदःKāmoda (name)
कामोदः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootकामोद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
प्रसादात्from the grace
प्रसादात्:
अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative, 5th), एकवचन
भवताम्of you (honored ones)
भवताम्:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन; आदरार्थ सर्वनाम
विष्णोःof Viṣṇu
विष्णोः:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन
सुखेनcomfortably; with ease
सुखेन:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootसुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन
वर्तयामिI live; I carry on
वर्तयामि:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवृत् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; causative sense in usage ‘to carry on/maintain’
अहम्I
अहम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन
कथयस्वtell (me)
कथयस्व:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootकथ् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन
महाप्राज्ञO great wise one
महाप्राज्ञ:
सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘महान् प्राज्ञः’
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formमध्यमपुरुष सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन
प्रश्न-उत्तर-कारणम्the cause/reason of questions and answers
प्रश्न-उत्तर-कारणम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सम्बन्ध/निर्देश) ‘प्रश्नोत्तरयोः कारणम्’

Kāmada

Concept: Sukha and stability are framed as Viṣṇu-prasāda; true wisdom begins with surrender and eagerness to hear dharma.

Application: Cultivate gratitude in speech; when seeking guidance, approach with humility and a willingness to listen deeply.

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Type: city

Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kāmodā speaks with folded hands, her face softened by gratitude as she credits her well-being to Viṣṇu’s grace. The brāhmaṇa listens like a calm riverbank, holding the space for a forthcoming teaching, while a small Viṣṇu emblem or śaṅkha motif subtly decorates the background.","primary_figures":["Kāmodā","Brāhmaṇa visitor","Symbolic presence of Viṣṇu (emblematic)"],"setting":"Indoor hall with a small shrine niche or wall motif suggesting Viṣṇu (śaṅkha-cakra).","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["saffron","sky blue","white jasmine","burnished gold","soft green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kāmodā in añjali-mudrā speaking ‘prasādāt’, a small Viṣṇu shrine with śaṅkha-cakra behind, gold leaf aura accents, rich reds/greens, ornate jewelry, devotional domestic sanctum feel.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: gentle conversational tableau, Kāmodā’s humility emphasized through posture, subtle Viṣṇu symbols on a hanging cloth, cool blues and saffron highlights, delicate brushwork and serene expressions.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Kāmodā with large eyes and folded hands, Viṣṇu emblems in the background border, warm pigment palette, strong outlines, temple-mural gravity in a household scene.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border, central figure Kāmodā offering words of devotion, deep blue field with gold motifs of conch and discus, peacocks and lotuses framing the bhakti mood."}

Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bell","conch shell (faint)","gentle tanpura drone"]}

Sandhi Resolution Notes: कामोदोवाच = कामोदः + उवाच. प्रसादाद्भवतां = प्रसादात् + भवताम्. वर्तयाम्यहम् = वर्तयामि + अहम्. प्रश्नोत्तरकारणम् = प्रश्न-उत्तर-कारणम् (समास).

V
Viṣṇu

FAQs

The speaker is Kāmada (“Kāmoda uvāca”). He addresses a “mahāprājña” (a greatly wise person), praising them as the basis/source of the ensuing question-and-answer discourse.

It attributes well-being (“I live at ease”) to Viṣṇu’s grace (prasāda), a classic bhakti motif where divine favor is presented as the sustaining cause of one’s peace and stability.

It models humility and gratitude: acknowledging divine grace for one’s welfare, and approaching a wise teacher respectfully to seek clarification and right understanding.