Shloka 109
The Birth of King Pṛthu: Vena’s Fall, the Sages’ Churning, and Earth’s Surrender
स्त्रीणां वधे महत्पापं दृष्टमस्ति द्विजोत्तमैः । गवां वधे महत्पापं दृष्टमस्ति द्विजोत्तमैः
strīṇāṃ vadhe mahatpāpaṃ dṛṣṭamasti dvijottamaiḥ | gavāṃ vadhe mahatpāpaṃ dṛṣṭamasti dvijottamaiḥ
Die Vorzüglichsten unter den Zweimalgeborenen haben verkündet, dass das Töten von Frauen eine große Sünde ist. Die Vorzüglichsten unter den Zweimalgeborenen haben verkündet, dass das Töten von Kühen eine große Sünde ist.
Unspecified (narratorial/quoted ethical statement within the chapter)
Concept: Ahiṃsā as a foundational social and ritual ethic: violence toward women and cows is mahāpāpa.
Application: Practice non-violence in speech and action; support cow protection and compassionate care; cultivate reverence toward women as bearers of life and social stability; avoid livelihoods that depend on harm.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn dharma-sabhā: venerable dvijottamas seated on kusa mats pronounce a grave injunction, while a king listens with folded hands. In the foreground, a gentle cow with a calf stands beside a veiled woman, both sheltered under a symbolic canopy of protection, suggesting the king’s duty to guard life.","primary_figures":["dvijottamas (brahmin sages)","a listening king","cow and calf","a woman as protected subject"],"setting":"royal court turned dharma-assembly with ritual implements (agnihotra fire, water pot, palm-leaf manuscripts)","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["sandalwood beige","deep maroon","smoke-grey","antique gold","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-assembly with brahmin sages in white garments and sacred threads, a king in jeweled crown offering añjali, a cow-and-calf motif at the base, ornate arch backdrop, heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography emphasizing protection and sanctity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate brushwork, sages seated in a semicircle, the king respectfully kneeling, a calm cow and calf near a flowering tree, soft pastel architecture, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism, cool shadows and fine textile patterns.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, flat natural pigments, sages with expressive eyes and stylized jewelry, the king in profile with añjali, cow-and-calf rendered iconically, temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green dominance and rhythmic ornamental borders.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central protective motif of a cow and calf framed by lotus and creeper borders, sages and king arranged symmetrically, intricate floral filigree, deep indigo background with gold highlights, devotional atmosphere echoing go-sevā as sacred service."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","low conch shell","soft fire-crackle","measured silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: महत्पापम् = महत् पापम्; दृष्टमस्ति = दृष्टम् अस्ति.
FAQs
It underscores ahiṃsā (non-violence) by explicitly condemning the killing of women and cows as “great sin,” presenting them as grave violations of dharma.
In many Dharma-oriented passages, cows symbolize sustenance and sacred social welfare; the verse treats harm to cows as a severe moral transgression, paralleling violence against protected and revered beings.
Dvijottamaiḥ means “by the best of the twice-born,” i.e., authoritative learned Brahmins or sages whose dharma judgments are being cited to validate the moral claim.