Shloka 18
The Greatness of the Viṣṇu-pañcaka
Five-Day Kārttika Observance
असत्यभाषी मित्रघ्नो वेश्याविभ्रम लोलुपः । ब्रह्मस्वहारी क्रूरश्च परस्त्रीगमने रतः
asatyabhāṣī mitraghno veśyāvibhrama lolupaḥ | brahmasvahārī krūraśca parastrīgamane rataḥ
Er war ein Lügner, ein Mörder von Freunden, gierig nach den Verlockungen der Dirnen; ein Räuber von Brahmanengut, grausam und der Frau eines anderen zugetan.
Unspecified in provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses of Brahma-khaṇḍa 4.23)
Concept: Adharma is multi-layered: false speech, betrayal, sexual exploitation, theft of sacred property, cruelty, and adultery collectively degrade the self and society.
Application: Practice satya, loyalty, and restraint; avoid exploitation and protect what is sacred (including others’ trust and resources); seek atonement through sincere devotion and ethical repair when one errs.
Primary Rasa: bibhatsa
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A stark moral allegory: Daṇḍakara stands amid shadowed vices—broken friendship tokens, a stolen ritual vessel, and a dim tavern corner—while spectral silhouettes of harmed people recede into darkness. The composition feels like a Purāṇic ‘mirror of adharma,’ preparing the viewer for the later light of repentance.","primary_figures":["Daṇḍakara","symbolic figures of betrayed friend and wronged household","shadowy personifications of vice"],"setting":"Nighttime village outskirts blending into a symbolic interior—half tavern, half alley, half desecrated ritual space—like a dream-vision of sin.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["charcoal black","blood red","tarnished bronze","ashen white","deep violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: moral allegory panel with central figure in dramatic posture; gold leaf used as ironic highlights on stolen sacred vessels and jewelry; rich maroon and dark green background; stylized flames and lamp shadows; ornate frame with small medallions depicting satya and dharma as faint, distant icons.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative vignette with multiple small scenes in one frame (false speech, betrayal, theft, adultery) arranged around the central figure; delicate linework, subdued nocturnal palette, expressive gestures, minimal gold, refined facial features conveying moral tension.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic color blocks; vice personifications as stylized attendants around Daṇḍakara; strong reds and blacks, patterned borders with warning motifs; sacred vessel rendered with traditional mural ornamentation to emphasize desecration.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: allegorical composition with dark indigo ground; border of withered lotus buds and thorny vines; central figure surrounded by symbolic objects (broken mala, overturned kalasha); faint distant lotus and Tulasi motifs at the top edge hinting at future purification."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low drum","distant thunder","murmurs of a crowd","sudden silence on key epithets"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वेश्याविभ्रम लोलुपः (पाठे) → वेश्याविभ्रमलोलुपः (समासग्रहण); क्रूरश्च = क्रूरः + च; परस्त्रीगमने = पर + स्त्री + गमने (समास).
FAQs
It condemns a cluster of serious adharma—lying, betraying friends, sexual exploitation, theft (especially of Brahmin property), cruelty, and adultery—presenting them as disgraceful and spiritually harmful traits.
“Brahmasva” commonly denotes wealth/property belonging to a Brāhmaṇa (Brahmin). Stealing it is treated as a particularly grave offense in many Dharma and Purāṇic discussions.
“Going to another’s wife” (adultery) is highlighted as a major violation of dharma because it harms households, trust, and social order, and is repeatedly condemned in Purāṇic ethical teaching.