Shloka 85
The Tale of Sukalā: Testing Pativratā Fidelity and the Body-as-House Teaching
एवं वद स्वतं ज्ञात्वा यस्यार्थमिह चागता । दर्शयस्व अपूर्वं मे यदि भोक्तुमिहेच्छसि
evaṃ vada svataṃ jñātvā yasyārthamiha cāgatā | darśayasva apūrvaṃ me yadi bhoktumihecchasi
Da du selbst den Zweck kennst, um dessentwillen du hierher gekommen bist, sprich demgemäß. Zeige mir etwas nie Dagewesenes, wenn du wahrhaft hier teilhaben und genießen willst.
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue speaker with certainty)
Concept: One should speak and act in alignment with one’s true intention (artha) and be ready to demonstrate authenticity through deeds, not mere words.
Application: Before making requests or seeking enjoyment, clarify your motive, speak plainly, and let your conduct prove your sincerity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn interlocutor, seated like a judge of intentions, addresses a visitor who has come seeking enjoyment or privilege. The visitor stands with folded hands, caught between desire and honesty, while a subtle divine aura suggests that truth itself is being weighed.","primary_figures":["a stern sage or dharmic gatekeeper","a visiting seeker/pilgrim"],"setting":"threshold of a sacred precinct—stone steps leading to a shrine courtyard with a lotus pond nearby","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["deep maroon","burnished gold","sandalwood beige","indigo shadow","lotus pink"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dignified sage seated on a carved pedestal at the entrance of a Vishnu temple courtyard, right hand raised in instructive gesture, a pilgrim standing with folded hands; gold leaf haloing both figures subtly to show the test of truth, rich reds and greens, ornate pillars, gem-studded ornaments, traditional South Indian iconography, lotus pond border motifs.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined sage under a flowering tree near a small temple gate, delicately painted pilgrim in humble posture, soft Himalayan-like landscape in the distance, lyrical naturalism, cool shadows, fine facial features, gentle linework emphasizing the moral tension of sincerity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, warm red-yellow-green palette, the sage with large expressive eyes and commanding mudra, the visitor in respectful stance, temple doorway with lamp niches, natural pigment texture, sacred threshold symbolism.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a courtyard scene framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, the moral ‘test’ rendered as a Krishna-Vishnu-centered ambience—subtle shankha-chakra symbols in the border, deep blues and gold, peacocks perched on the parapet, devotional atmosphere despite the human dialogue."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft mridanga pulse","courtyard ambience","brief silence after the challenge"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: yasyārtham → yasya + artham; ca + āgatā → cāgatā; bhoktumihecchasi → bhoktum + iha + icchasi (iha + icchasi → ihecchasi).
FAQs
It urges a person to clearly state their intention—having understood their own purpose—and then to demonstrate sincerity through an extraordinary or convincing act.
Not explicitly in the verse itself; it reads as a dialogue line about intention and proof. Its broader theological angle depends on the surrounding narrative in Adhyāya 53.
Clarity of motive matters: one should know why one is acting, speak truthfully about that purpose, and back words with meaningful action rather than mere claims.