Shloka 24
Protection of Brāhmaṇas
स्थित्वा पृथिव्यां को भ्रष्टां राजाज्ञां कर्तुमिच्छति । पुत्रं हित्वा किंतु यूयं वृद्धं मां नयत द्विजम्
sthitvā pṛthivyāṃ ko bhraṣṭāṃ rājājñāṃ kartumicchati | putraṃ hitvā kiṃtu yūyaṃ vṛddhaṃ māṃ nayata dvijam
Wer wollte, solange er auf Erden weilt, einen königlichen Befehl ausführen, der vom rechten Weg abgeirrt ist? Und doch führt ihr—meinen Sohn zurücklassend—mich, einen alten Brāhmaṇa, fort, o Boten.
Unspecified (a lamenting elder addressing a brāhmaṇa/dvija)
Concept: When royal command deviates from dharma, obedience becomes morally suspect; compassion toward dependents (old parent/child) is a higher ethical demand.
Application: Question unethical orders; prioritize care for elders and family duties; seek dharmic counsel rather than blind compliance.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"An aged man, stooped and trembling, is being led away by stern royal messengers while he turns back in anguish, accusing them of abandoning his son. The earth-toned village courtyard feels heavy with moral collapse, as the old man’s eyes plead for dharma amid the cold machinery of power.","primary_figures":["lamenting elder","royal messengers (dūtāḥ)","brāhmaṇa/dvija (addressed)","absent son (implied)"],"setting":"A rural courtyard near a modest brāhmaṇa house, with a distant glimpse of a palace road—symbolizing the reach of royal command into domestic life.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["dusty ochre","ash gray","deep maroon","indigo shadow","muted gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: an elderly man with lined face and white beard is held by two royal dūtas in ornate but severe attire; the elder gestures back toward a small thatched brāhmaṇa home; gold leaf highlights on jewelry and borders, rich reds and greens framing the moral drama, traditional South Indian iconographic symmetry with expressive eyes and stylized architecture.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate brushwork shows a village courtyard with a frail elder being led away; soft Himalayan-like hills in the distance, cool indigo shadows, refined faces with tearful eyes; subtle narrative detail—an empty doorway suggesting the abandoned son; lyrical naturalism and gentle linework.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments depict the elder’s lamenting posture, hands raised in protest; dūtas with angular stance and patterned garments; warm red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic, large expressive eyes conveying karuṇa and moral tension.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a narrative panel bordered with floral vines and lotus motifs; central scene of the elder and dūtas before a humble home; deep blues and gold accents; peacocks perched on a boundary wall as silent witnesses; intricate border work emphasizing dharma’s sanctity amid worldly coercion."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["low temple bell","distant footsteps","wind through dry leaves","brief silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राज+आज्ञाम्→राजाज्ञाम्; कर्तुम्+इच्छति→कर्तुमिच्छति.
FAQs
It questions obedience to a king’s order when that command is “bhraṣṭā” (deviated from righteousness), implying that dharma should govern compliance, not mere authority.
“Dvija” (twice-born) is a respectful address—typically to a brāhmaṇa—suggesting the listener is expected to act with discernment, scriptural judgment, and moral responsibility.
By contrasting “putraṃ hitvā” (leaving the son) with being led away, it highlights conflict between familial obligations and actions taken under public/royal authority—especially when that authority is portrayed as misguided.