Shloka 12
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
भर्तारं च गुणोपेतं कुलीनं च महाधनम् । सुंदरं रतिदक्षं च त्यक्त्वा नीचं भजेद्वधूः
bhartāraṃ ca guṇopetaṃ kulīnaṃ ca mahādhanam | suṃdaraṃ ratidakṣaṃ ca tyaktvā nīcaṃ bhajedvadhūḥ
Selbst nachdem sie einen tugendhaften, edelgeborenen, sehr reichen, schönen und in der Liebe kundigen Gatten verlassen hat, kann eine Frau sich doch einem niedrigen Mann zuwenden.
Unspecified (context needed from surrounding verses; likely within a didactic dialogue in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 52)
Concept: Worldly excellence (wealth, beauty, skill) cannot secure loyalty when desire is ungoverned; dharma requires inner discipline beyond external qualifications.
Application: Do not rely solely on status/appearance to sustain relationships; cultivate shared dharma—truth, restraint, prayer, and accountability; seek steadiness through spiritual practice.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A domestic palace chamber rendered as moral allegory: a noble husband stands in bright, orderly light with symbols of virtue—scripture, lamp, and gifts—while the wife turns away toward a darker doorway where a ‘base’ figure waits in shadow. The composition emphasizes the tragedy of misdirected desire and the fragility of worldly assurances.","primary_figures":["virtuous husband (archetypal gṛhastha)","wife (archetypal)","shadowed ‘base man’ figure"],"setting":"royal household interior with carved pillars, a lit lamp, and a threshold doorway opening to darkness","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["warm gold","ivory","deep umber","ruby red","shadow violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: palace interior with gold leaf highlighting the lamp and the husband’s aura of virtue; ornate textiles and jewelry; the wife mid-turn toward a dark doorway; strong narrative contrast, rich reds/greens, gem-like detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined palace scene with delicate expressions conveying lament; soft dawn light on the husband, cool shadow tones near the doorway; intricate architectural detailing and subtle emotional storytelling.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, dramatic gesture of turning away; bright yellow-red haloed lamp near the husband; dark doorway with stylized shadow figure; traditional mural palette and symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: domestic allegory framed by floral borders; lamp and lotus motifs; patterned textiles; strong color blocks—golden center vs indigo edge—suggesting dharma vs desire."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["soft lamenting tanpura drone","temple bell (faint)","footsteps echo in a hall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरिरुवाच/द्विज उवाच प्रकारे विसर्ग-लोप; गुणोपेतम् (गुण + उपेत); भजेद्वधूः → भजेत् वधूः (त्+व् संधि)
FAQs
It warns that desire or poor judgment can lead someone to reject a partner possessing virtue and stability, and instead choose an unworthy association—highlighting the need for discernment (viveka) in relationships.
Not explicitly in this standalone verse; it reads as nīti/dharma-style social instruction. Identifying a direct bhakti framing would require the surrounding context of Adhyaya 52.
The speaker is not identifiable from the single verse alone. The Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa often uses frame dialogues (commonly sages/narrators), so the immediate prior and following verses are needed to attribute it accurately.