Shloka 146
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
अब्रवीत्स च धर्मात्मा ध्यानस्थं च हरेः प्रियम् । वदनो यद्यद्वृत्तं वै दूरात्त्वां चागतो ह्यहम्
abravītsa ca dharmātmā dhyānasthaṃ ca hareḥ priyam | vadano yadyadvṛttaṃ vai dūrāttvāṃ cāgato hyaham
Da sprach der Rechtschaffene zu Haris Geliebtem, der in Meditation saß: „Berichte mir wahrhaft, was geschehen ist; denn aus weiter Ferne bin ich zu dir gekommen.“
Unspecified dharmātmā (a righteous person) addressing 'Hari’s beloved' who is in meditation
Concept: Righteous inquiry (satya-praśna) approached with humility is itself dharma; one should seek truth directly from the meditative and the devoted.
Application: When confused, approach a trusted, spiritually grounded person respectfully; ask for the truth without accusation, and be willing to listen.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dharmātmā traveler, dust of long roads on his feet, stands with folded hands before Hari’s beloved seated in deep meditation. The meditator’s face is calm, eyes half-closed; the visitor’s expression blends urgency and reverence as he asks what has occurred.","primary_figures":["dharmātmā (righteous inquirer)","Hari’s beloved devotee (meditating)"],"setting":"A quiet hermitage veranda or a small household shrine room with a simple āsana, japa-mālā, and a faintly visible Viṣṇu emblem (śaṅkha-cakra) on a wall cloth.","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["warm ochre","leaf green","smoke gray","sandalwood beige","soft turquoise"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a seated Hari-bhakta in meditation on a decorated āsana before a small shrine, with gold-leaf accents on the shrine arch and halo-like backdrop; the dharmātmā stands respectfully at the side, hands joined, travel staff and water pot; rich reds/greens, ornate borders, subtle embossed gold on jewelry and shrine lamps.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate hermitage scene with delicate lines—meditator seated under a veranda, the inquirer arriving from afar; cool natural palette, refined faces, thin trees and flowering shrubs, a gentle sense of quiet dialogue about to begin.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—meditating devotee with stylized eyes and calm posture, the visitor in respectful stance; temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green pigments, minimal background but strong iconographic clarity, small lamp and conch motif near the shrine.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional interior with lotus borders; the meditating Hari-priya centered, with floral motifs and peacocks at corners; deep blue background, gold highlights on shrine elements, subtle cow motifs as symbols of Vaiṣṇava auspiciousness even in a non-Krishna-specific scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["birds in distance","rustle of leaves","soft hand-bell at shrine","footsteps fading into stillness"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अब्रवीत्स = अब्रवीत् + सः; यद्यद्वृत्तम् = यत् + यत् + वृत्तम्; दूरात्त्वाम् = दूरात् + त्वाम्; चागतो = च + आगतः; ह्यहम् = हि + अहम्।
FAQs
A virtuous person approaches from far away and requests a truthful account of events from someone described as ‘Hari’s beloved,’ who is absorbed in meditation.
It identifies the addressed figure through relationship to Hari (Vishnu)—‘Hari’s beloved’—a common Vaishnava framing that centers devotion and divine association.
The verse models respectful inquiry and truth-seeking: approaching a contemplative person with humility and asking for an honest account rather than assuming or judging.