Shloka 68
The Account of Women
Householder Ethics, Fault, Merit, and Govinda-Nāma as Purification
चिह्नं लब्ध्वामृता वह्नौ पापादुद्धरते पतिं । पतिव्रता च या नारी देशांतरमृते पतौ
cihnaṃ labdhvāmṛtā vahnau pāpāduddharate patiṃ | pativratā ca yā nārī deśāṃtaramṛte patau
Nachdem sie das glückverheißende Zeichen erlangt und im Feuer unsterblich geworden ist, rettet sie ihren Gatten aus der Sünde. Und die Frau, die pativratā ist, geht nicht in ein anderes Land, solange ihr Mann lebt.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact dialogue speaker not provided in the input)
Concept: Pativratā-dharma is portrayed as a force that purifies sin and binds the wife’s life-choices to the husband’s living presence.
Application: Cultivate loyalty, avoid impulsive life-altering decisions while responsibilities remain; practice ‘protective’ virtue—helping loved ones reform rather than abandoning them.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn courtyard altar blazes with controlled sacrificial fire, while a devoted wife holds an auspicious token associated with her husband, her face steady with protective resolve. The husband stands behind, shadowed by a faint smoky aura symbolizing ‘pāpa,’ which dissolves as the fire’s radiance expands, suggesting purification rather than spectacle.","primary_figures":["pativratā wife","husband","Agni (personified as subtle deity in flames)"],"setting":"Vedic-style household yajña-śālā with brick fire-altar, kusa grass, ladles, and a quiet circle of elders at a distance","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["saffron flame","smoke gray","ivory white","vermillion red","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a pativratā in rich silk holds her husband’s auspicious token near a glowing yajña-kunda; Agni rises as a gentle deity-form within the flames; gold leaf halos, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch motifs, deep reds and greens, sacred calm, South Indian iconographic detailing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate yajña courtyard with delicate brushwork; the wife’s serene profile and the husband’s softened gaze; cool twilight blues around warm orange fire; lyrical naturalism, fine textiles, minimal figures, a quiet moral atmosphere.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, stylized Agni in the fire-kunda, large expressive eyes on the figures, natural pigment reds/yellows/greens; ritual implements clearly drawn; the ‘sin-smoke’ dissolving into patterned flame motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional domestic scene framed by lotus and tulasi-like floral borders; central fire-altar with symmetrical ornamentation; peacocks at the border corners; deep blue background with gold highlights; emphasis on auspiciousness and purity motifs."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling fire","low temple bell","soft conch in distance","hushed assembly","night insects"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पापादुद्धरते = पापात् + उद्धरते; देशांतरमृते = देशान्तरम् + ऋते; (पदपाठे) लब्ध्वा अमृता (मूलपाठे लब्ध्वामृता)
FAQs
It praises pativratā-dharma, stating that a devoted wife can spiritually uplift her husband and should not depart to another place while he is alive (as an ideal of marital fidelity and duty).
No explicit tirtha, river, or place-name appears in this shloka; its focus is ethical and domestic—on vows, fidelity, and the spiritual power attributed to devotion.
It frames devotion in relational duty: steadfast commitment is portrayed as spiritually efficacious—capable of removing sin and protecting the spouse—linking inner virtue with moral conduct.