Shloka 12
Narasiṃha’s Greatness and the Slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu
Boon, Portents, and Cosmic Restoration
ऋषयो मानवाः शापैर्न शपेयुः पितामह । यदि मे भगवान्प्रीतो वर एष वृतो मया
ṛṣayo mānavāḥ śāpairna śapeyuḥ pitāmaha | yadi me bhagavānprīto vara eṣa vṛto mayā
«O Großvater (Pitāmaha), wenn der selige Herr an mir Gefallen hat, so wähle ich diese Gabe: Mögen die ṛṣis und die Menschen mit ihren Flüchen nicht zu verfluchen vermögen.»
Unspecified petitioner addressing Brahmā as ‘Pitāmaha’ (Grandfather)
Concept: Even kings and conquerors fear the tapas-born authority of sages; attempting to neutralize dharmic checks reveals inner insecurity.
Application: Respect spiritual authority and ethical accountability; do not seek loopholes to escape consequences.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A petitioner, palms joined yet eyes calculating, asks Pitāmaha Brahmā to blunt the thunderbolt of sages’ curses. Around them hover austere ṛṣis with matted locks and glowing tejas, their presence itself a warning that dharma has guardians beyond armies.","primary_figures":["Brahmā (Pitāmaha)","petitioner (asura/boon-seeker)","ṛṣis as witnesses"],"setting":"Celestial lotus-court blending into an imagined yajña-space: fire-altar motifs, mantra-scroll patterns, and hovering lotus petals.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit with sharp highlights","color_palette":["burnished gold","ash white","vermillion","indigo","leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Brahmā with four faces and gold-leaf halo seated on lotus; petitioner kneeling with ornate jewelry, expression tense; ṛṣis behind with rudrākṣa beads and ochre garments, their tejas indicated by embossed gold rays; rich red-green background with arch motifs and gem-like ornamentation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate court scene with delicate facial expressions—Brahmā serene, petitioner subtly anxious; ṛṣis in a soft, pale landscape of clouds and ritual geometry; fine textile detailing, cool blues with warm vermillion accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Brahmā and ṛṣis with bold outlines; petitioner in dynamic posture; flat fields of red and yellow with green borders; sacred fire motifs and lotus patterns integrated like a temple wall narrative panel.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Brahmā on lotus centered within floral borders; ṛṣis arranged symmetrically like a mandala; the ‘curse’ visualized as dark swirling script dissipating near Brahmā’s calm aura; deep blue ground with gold and pink lotuses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft mantra undertone","crackling yajña fire","gentle bell","brief silence after ‘śāpaiḥ’"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शापैर्न = शापैः + न; भगवान्प्रीतो = भगवान् + प्रीतः; वृतो = वृतः (पुं. प्रथमा एकवचन)
FAQs
The speaker asks Brahmā for a boon that sages and humans should not employ curses—i.e., that the power of cursing be restrained or not exercised.
By seeking the cessation of cursing, the verse highlights restraint (saṃyama) and the moral responsibility attached to powerful speech, a recurring dharmic theme.
‘Pitāmaha’ (“Grandfather/Grand-sire”) is a common epithet of Brahmā, regarded as the progenitor of beings.